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Hindsight is 20/20: Driveclub
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TylerDurden4321
Member
I pre-ordered it before the PS4 was out - special Amazon offer for PS4 pre-order people, DC for 20€. Kept my pre-order almost 1 1/2 years, signed up for the GAF club, got my copy and played it day1 (on my birthday) and hated the handling. Played 1 1/2 hours of it and then directly canceled my gaf league sign-up.
Waited a while for Evo to fix it, played it a month later again, almost completed the campaign and directly sold the game.
Bought it again digitally with season pass for...10€(or 12? whatever) and somehow I can enjoy the game now. The main problem was, I think, the contrast between the amazing looking car models or real world cars and the arcadey physics. I wasn't expecting a sim, but more of the Horizon handling maybe, with semi-realistic acceleration and braking.
Guess I made my peace with that and now could enjoy the really nicely balanced and challenging difficulty of the campaign and DLC. Sometimes it's frustrating, but it feels really rewarding to get 3 stars and then see that only 1 or 2 friends are a 10th of second faster.
My biggest gripe still with the game is the overuse of night and rain(!) in the DLC campaigns as well as really bad visibility from sun flare and road surface reflection and so on. It looks nice, but it's not adding challenge it's just a big "f u how do you like flying blind".
Oh, one more gripe before I write something good about it again: The rubberbanding! Rubberbanding is not a good replacement for solid Ai with lots of difficulty options!! A game with such well rounded tiers for time trials should trust the player that he doesn't want to win after spinning because of rubberbanding! Neither does he want to lose on the last straight because the Ai decided to now be a better driver and accelerate out of the last corner like an F1 champion after driving pretty slow the whole race before.
The too late added hardcore mode with a more realistic brake distance and drag force is pretty great in my opinion, but it's a shame that the time trial challenges have no extra times set for lower hardcore mode car performance. Leaderboards for hardcore mode should also have been implemented. Also wish it was really turning off all the assists, there is still stability management going on under the head, which is really obvious playing with an FFB wheel.
Waited a while for Evo to fix it, played it a month later again, almost completed the campaign and directly sold the game.
Bought it again digitally with season pass for...10€(or 12? whatever) and somehow I can enjoy the game now. The main problem was, I think, the contrast between the amazing looking car models or real world cars and the arcadey physics. I wasn't expecting a sim, but more of the Horizon handling maybe, with semi-realistic acceleration and braking.
Guess I made my peace with that and now could enjoy the really nicely balanced and challenging difficulty of the campaign and DLC. Sometimes it's frustrating, but it feels really rewarding to get 3 stars and then see that only 1 or 2 friends are a 10th of second faster.
My biggest gripe still with the game is the overuse of night and rain(!) in the DLC campaigns as well as really bad visibility from sun flare and road surface reflection and so on. It looks nice, but it's not adding challenge it's just a big "f u how do you like flying blind".
Oh, one more gripe before I write something good about it again: The rubberbanding! Rubberbanding is not a good replacement for solid Ai with lots of difficulty options!! A game with such well rounded tiers for time trials should trust the player that he doesn't want to win after spinning because of rubberbanding! Neither does he want to lose on the last straight because the Ai decided to now be a better driver and accelerate out of the last corner like an F1 champion after driving pretty slow the whole race before.
The too late added hardcore mode with a more realistic brake distance and drag force is pretty great in my opinion, but it's a shame that the time trial challenges have no extra times set for lower hardcore mode car performance. Leaderboards for hardcore mode should also have been implemented. Also wish it was really turning off all the assists, there is still stability management going on under the head, which is really obvious playing with an FFB wheel.
I only play it for the bikes, every now and then.
Every time someone sees me play it, or plays it themselves, I hear "Woah!".
Dusk. Heavy rain. No loop. Pure bliss.
Bought it in 2016, didn't play more than 3 hours of the campaign. For a while I booted it up at least twice a week for a couple of races just because it's so wonderful visually.
Now it's less frequent, but it's great when friends are at my place and we need a break from games like Nier.
Adding it all up I'm sure I have more than 20 hours of gameplay despite disregarding the game's main modes!
Every time someone sees me play it, or plays it themselves, I hear "Woah!".
Dusk. Heavy rain. No loop. Pure bliss.
Bought it in 2016, didn't play more than 3 hours of the campaign. For a while I booted it up at least twice a week for a couple of races just because it's so wonderful visually.
Now it's less frequent, but it's great when friends are at my place and we need a break from games like Nier.
Adding it all up I'm sure I have more than 20 hours of gameplay despite disregarding the game's main modes!
Vanillalite
Ask me about the GAF Notebook
Maybe the best deal of the generation when Sony put it on sale for $20 or less with the season pass.
I know myself and a ton of other GAFers picked it up on the deal. I've gotten a shit ton of value out of it. Plus the version we all played was already patched so we missed whatever bumps there were around launch.
I know myself and a ton of other GAFers picked it up on the deal. I've gotten a shit ton of value out of it. Plus the version we all played was already patched so we missed whatever bumps there were around launch.
BiGBoSSMk23
A company being excited for their new game is a huge slap in the face to all the fans that liked their old games.
It's the internet's mob mentality that shuttered Evolution Studios.
Any studio/game should be able to overcome launch issues, none in this game having been as egregious as other bigger name games which launched downright broken.
But the demonization DC and Evo underwent with the promised PS plus version and the servers buckling was shameful on the internet's part.
But what else is new?
Any studio/game should be able to overcome launch issues, none in this game having been as egregious as other bigger name games which launched downright broken.
But the demonization DC and Evo underwent with the promised PS plus version and the servers buckling was shameful on the internet's part.
But what else is new?
That's dumb, there's no one to blame for Evolution Studios closing than Sony themselves, they're the ones that did it.
And there's no one to blame for the game having launch problems than Evolution themselves.
Ninja Scooter
Member
Or how about shipping your online game in a working state? Nobody is entitled to be cut any slack when you release a game and are asking people to pay $60. It's a shame the studio closed, but the launch issues and ensuing fallout are 100% on Sony and Evo.
Sure, other companies have over come it, other companies with bigger brand or consumer cache, but that doesn't absolve anybody of the blame. Trying to shift this blame and turn into some kind of referendum on internet mob mentality is weak as fuck.
An transformative game in Hardcore mode, but...
With something as powerful as hypercars you need a bit more space to play in...especially with online competitors. It's just too easy to accidentally get tangled up or be rammed on purpose.
Saying that I've had some immense races with a defined group of people and when the players and the technical wizardry come together nothing touches it.
...this so much.
With something as powerful as hypercars you need a bit more space to play in...especially with online competitors. It's just too easy to accidentally get tangled up or be rammed on purpose.
Saying that I've had some immense races with a defined group of people and when the players and the technical wizardry come together nothing touches it.
ResidentDante
Member
I like to be able to go left and right in my racers, but you really should check out flight games, you can go up and down too!!
BiGBoSSMk23
A company being excited for their new game is a huge slap in the face to all the fans that liked their old games.
It's perfectly fine to armchair develop your first majorly online game and expect to know how it's going to hold up, right?
And to bemoan the decisions to delay the game to ensure its quality, which many of those who knocked the game and the studio during their patching ended up enjoying, despite all the destructive, downright malicious criticisms.
I played the game from before the launch, during the server crashes and beyond, and it was never as insultingly bad as people would have you believe at the time.
Don't downplay the retail effects of constantly bad mouthing a good game, despite temporary online issues.
You think Sony made the decision to close a studio because of—internet mob mentality?
Some tracks were worse than others, depending on the car class. I was surprised by the mid-race drift challenges put in some of the tracks/bends/events they did. That was one aspect that felt rough, in terms of the game design.
Or maybe because they released several massively under performing games in a row...
Lion Heart
Banned
It's the best racer this gen, super fun to play especially the hyper cars where other racers tend to fall apart using those vehicles.
Gorgeous locals and great weather effects.
I think I put 100 hours into it which is nuts. I still have a lot of events left that I probably won't finish, too much damn content lol.
Gorgeous locals and great weather effects.
I think I put 100 hours into it which is nuts. I still have a lot of events left that I probably won't finish, too much damn content lol.
LOL, NO.
Game went over budget and missed it's launch window. Then when it launched it was missing key features and had functional problems, If anything was shameful it was that the studio was mismanaged internally and could not deliver the promised product.
The weird hive mind that DriveClubGAF has is laughable. It's well above the level of delusion that the Knack and Order 1886 fans share.
Barrel Cannon
Member
Disliked the handling but thought it looked visually great. Opinions haven't changed
Snow in low-light is still such a cool aesthetic in DC.
Mr. PlayStation
Member
My most played racing game of this gen, waiting for a sequel that would most likely not happen 
My most played racing game of this gen, waiting for a sequel that would most likely not happen
The good news is a lot of the Evo staff got picked up by another company, so you'll see whatever their next multi-plat racing project is, even if it's not called Driveclub 2.
MemoryHumanity
Member
Looks incredible but bored me to tears almost instantly. Forza Horizon 2 took a dump all over it at the time.
BiGBoSSMk23
A company being excited for their new game is a huge slap in the face to all the fans that liked their old games.
Wasn't the release of Apocalypse marred by the unfortunate timing of the Japan calamity?
PeterLegend
Member
I hated the handling model, still do. Wonky handling on tight tracks are no good for me.
Graphics and sound were top tier though.
Graphics and sound were top tier though.
SEGAvangelist
Gold Member
I thought it looked great in the right weather conditions, but basic daylight conditions didn't make it look very good because of aliasing. Controls were my main problem with the game. They just felt funky, and the tracks were way too thin, and I hated the timer when going off-road. That was just weird. I still had some fun with the PS Plus version.
BiGBoSSMk23
A company being excited for their new game is a huge slap in the face to all the fans that liked their old games.
My most played racing game of this gen, waiting for a sequel that would most likely not happen
I mainly wanted a proper, no holds barred Motorstorm on PS4.
There's nothing else on the same brutal off-road level right now.
Fattony12000
Member
10/10 steelbook art
ughkingdom
Member
I feel like if the team were still around and able to work on DC today that a DC2 or even a patch to DC1 would take care of the IQ issues no problem, especially with how PS4 games have been looking since DC came out.
I love the game though. I never play it enough, much like every other game I own, but the feeling of speed is fantastic, the tracks and cars are gorgeous, the UI and style of the game is sleek and cool and the feeling of slicing through corners just slightly better than you did last time to get a better time is amazing. I rarely get addicted to leaderboards but I had some fun comparing me and my friends scores for the few months after it launched.
I love the game though. I never play it enough, much like every other game I own, but the feeling of speed is fantastic, the tracks and cars are gorgeous, the UI and style of the game is sleek and cool and the feeling of slicing through corners just slightly better than you did last time to get a better time is amazing. I rarely get addicted to leaderboards but I had some fun comparing me and my friends scores for the few months after it launched.
LookAtMeGo
Member
One of the most fun I've ever had with a racer. Slow out of the gate but after all was said and done... fucking fantastic game.
Horizon makes going back to Uncharted 4 hard, let alone Drive Club. The only game that it hasn't affected me so far (in terms of me comparing the negatively to Horizon) is surpringly Botw. I thought I was going to have a difficult time adjusting going from one to another. But nope lol.
Drive Club is still one of my favourite racers of this gen. I loved how the whole progression system was set up. Pure, simple, fun.
TrojanBlade
Member
If this game was released in its current state, it would have been the best racing game this gen. Its still the best looking racer on the consoles. Lets see if GTS can take the crown after it releases. Wish Evo had handled the project better and Sony had given the time they needed. So sad they were shut. I really wish we could get DC2 and/or a MS for PS4.
Melfice7
Member
An amazing old school style racing, no upgrades, no boosts, no bullshit, easy to play hard to master, just pick an event/track and race
30 fps yes but the most rock solid 30 fps possible, never drops to even 29, (people play with camera stuttering on and often think its drop fps)
Snappy UI and super short loadings make it an awesome pick up and play racer
Reading this thread i feel like im taking crazy pills, "no sense of speed?" "bad sound?" "boring?" "too bad its not open world?" what the hell is going on
30 fps yes but the most rock solid 30 fps possible, never drops to even 29, (people play with camera stuttering on and often think its drop fps)
Snappy UI and super short loadings make it an awesome pick up and play racer
Reading this thread i feel like im taking crazy pills, "no sense of speed?" "bad sound?" "boring?" "too bad its not open world?" what the hell is going on
shiftplusone
Member
Yep. Was fun to show off the rain effects and all that but was about as sterile a racing experience that any first party has offered. Doesn't help that forza has been killing it for years
motorised mallard
Member
I understand people not liking the questionable IQ over distance, AI not being able to keep up with player (IMO cheating rubberband is worse), rather basic / boring "career" progression, lack of tuning / mods and / or the handling (though going bit deeper than "it's bad" would help to understand).
But I don't understand the "gameplay is boring" thing, what else should there be then? Weapons? Nitros? 200m jumps with tricks? Transforming vehicles? What else should there be in a racing game that isn't trying to be over the top? You have races against AI or human opponents, traditional time trial, sprints and drifting. What do you people mean with the "gameplay is boring"?
But I don't understand the "gameplay is boring" thing, what else should there be then? Weapons? Nitros? 200m jumps with tricks? Transforming vehicles? What else should there be in a racing game that isn't trying to be over the top? You have races against AI or human opponents, traditional time trial, sprints and drifting. What do you people mean with the "gameplay is boring"?
Miniature Kaiju
Member
One of the best games of the gen. Pretty much the only racing game that consistently gets me at the edge of the seat, white knuckles, while driving. Good stuff.
dr guildo
Member
You don't get my point...
CupONoodos
Neo Member
Still one of my most favorite racing games of all time. Read about how the handling was weird and alot of people didn't like it, but I really wanted a racing game to play so I bought it. Completely blown away.
I love how fast you can get into a race and how you can restart and not wait more than 2 - 3 seconds to start the race again. Had to really learn the game's driving mechanics, but after I did I really fell in love with it. Every thing in the game feels tense as taking turns were challenging and even driving full speed straight down a road was incredibly tense as you feel you could lose control if you mishandle the car even a little bit. Made me feel I was really driving a powerful car that you had to master to get its full potential.
And even though there was no customization or car tweaking, I felt that each car became more like characters in a fighting game. They all had their own feeling when driving and specialty. The 370z felt very heavy and was easier to control taking turns while something like the Renault felt lighter with better acceleration, but was easy to spin out when taking a turn.
I ended up buying the digital version just because I was tired of putting the disk back in every time. Its one of the only games I'm going to permanently keep on my hard drive. Driveclub + Spotify + Headphones = Pure gaming bliss.
I love how fast you can get into a race and how you can restart and not wait more than 2 - 3 seconds to start the race again. Had to really learn the game's driving mechanics, but after I did I really fell in love with it. Every thing in the game feels tense as taking turns were challenging and even driving full speed straight down a road was incredibly tense as you feel you could lose control if you mishandle the car even a little bit. Made me feel I was really driving a powerful car that you had to master to get its full potential.
And even though there was no customization or car tweaking, I felt that each car became more like characters in a fighting game. They all had their own feeling when driving and specialty. The 370z felt very heavy and was easier to control taking turns while something like the Renault felt lighter with better acceleration, but was easy to spin out when taking a turn.
I ended up buying the digital version just because I was tired of putting the disk back in every time. Its one of the only games I'm going to permanently keep on my hard drive. Driveclub + Spotify + Headphones = Pure gaming bliss.
Mr. PlayStation
Member
Motorstorm would be dope too, I had a blast with Apocalypse on the PS3 man, racing through explosions in the middle of a freaking tornado never gets old.
Yup Evo staff moved to Codemasters, if the folks there are making a brand new ip similar to DC, then I am ready!
AyaisMUsikWhore
Member
I tried but the truth is, I still very much like street racers and I really wish Rockstar would give me another midnight club 3. There hasn't been one game that has scratched that itch...not even Burnout Paradise 😭
Have you tried hardcore handling that they added a while back?
Tobe Tobusch
Member
I guess I am one of the few people who liked the handling model, sense of weight was good, collisions not to bad and i loved drifting around corners. The sense of speed is great, also lighting, attention to detail, the course design, weather, car list is amazing, sound on a lot of cars is pretty good. (jaguar f-type!) cockpit view is good looking and playable, SSR everywhere, it's a looong lost of good things In this game.
Negatives are :
In game soundtrack while racing was forgettable, but that's not really a problem with spotify.
The image quality was not good!
Among the worst of the ps4 games I've played
"career "could habe been a little more than just choosing an event from a big ass event list, very limited presentation there.
Best simcade racer I've ever played. And I've played it for a really long time almost daily.
Negatives are :
In game soundtrack while racing was forgettable, but that's not really a problem with spotify.
The image quality was not good!
Among the worst of the ps4 games I've played
"career "could habe been a little more than just choosing an event from a big ass event list, very limited presentation there.
Best simcade racer I've ever played. And I've played it for a really long time almost daily.
brickarts295
Member
Beautiful game, but I can't properly drift to save my life.
Stillmatic
Member
Platinum'd it. It's probably in my top 10 games of all time. It got better and better each month after release with all the updates amd additional content.
It's my favourite arcade/sim-ish racer out there. To go fast the game still relies on knowledge of real performance driving eg. hitting your apexes and drifting usually isn't the fastest way around a corner. Really fun trying to maximize your traction on the wet pavement..
You could really feel the difference between FWD/RWD/4WD, the difference between front, mid & rear-engine layouts and the weight and general driveability. I also think no car upgrades made MP/SP even more fun & competitive.
Point-2-Point tracks were absolute gold when you learned them
And well, racing like this was possible in MP
You could really feel the difference between FWD/RWD/4WD, the difference between front, mid & rear-engine layouts and the weight and general driveability. I also think no car upgrades made MP/SP even more fun & competitive.
Point-2-Point tracks were absolute gold when you learned them
And well, racing like this was possible in MP
I still play it every other day, even though I bought it at launch and I don't play online. It's just a very fun game. I love the sense of speed and it feels like 2 different games when you go from the lesser cars (scenic drives) to the high speed joints (scary roller coaster). Well, 3 games I guess, since there are bikes too. Doesn't hurt that it's pretty as fuck. Would have loved to see that team get a shot at something else.