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Driveclub My GOTY, or What?!? No RPG Crap?

Q

QaaQer

Member
Tl:dnr

What it does not have:
  • no RPG mechanics
  • No microtransactions
  • No story

What it does have:
  • Everything is handcrafted
  • Challenging, skill based gameplay
  • Lots of content
  • Great visuals based on real world cars and locations
  • Real world engine sound
  • Perfect sim-cade mix for my tastes

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  • no rpg mechanics
What are rpg mechanics? In essence, they are systems that determine outcomes based on character stats and random dice roles; think pen-and-paper Dungeons and Dragons and Baldur's Gate. RPG mechanics introduce a layer of abstraction into a game which separates the player's actions from the outcome. In pure RPGs, this means the player's physical skill level has no bearing on the outcome. The skill comes in choosing stats to level up etc, and the rest is based on random dice rolls.

They are the polar opposite of pure skill games, or games that have their outcomes based only on player input: think Robotron or Super Meat Boy. Skill games have no abstraction layer. Direct player input is the only thing that determines outcome. Skill games are the ones that are conducive to Flow, btw.

So what is the big deal about DC not having RPG mechanics? Well, virtually every retail large budget console game has them today. The only 2014 games I can think of that don't are Just Dance 2015 and DriveClub. [If I've missed any let me know and I'll add them here, but remember it's big retail console games, not just games.]

Skill based games used to be the norm on console, but post 2000 saw the spread of rpg mechanics into virtually every other genre. The reason is simple: they sold better. Having an rpg abstraction layer increases the potential audience for a game massively. This is why CoD-type multiplayer killed skill based areana shooters and why platformers are niche. RPG mechanics also lend themselves to microtransactions, pre-order bonuses, etc.; but, it is the number of people who have the ability, time, and inclination to master skill based games versus the number of people who do not that made rpg mechanics ubiquitous.

Skill games aren't without their upsides though. For me, a big part of the joy of gaming is actually beating a game through mastery; that feeling of victory after a struggle requiring total concentration and physical action without conscious thought. Some people refer to it as flow. On the downside, there is ragequiting and not being able to beat a game, that does feel bad. I ragequit Driveclub twice, even deleting it from the hardrive, lol. But there can be no highs without lows.

RPG and rpg hybrids almost never give me that feeling because I know I can always grind a bit, or look up a strat guide and I will always 'win'. In fact, I prefer playing them while watching tv or listening to audiobooks because they are kind of boring.

This is the only retail console game that has given me those moments of exhilaration that make gaming worthwhile.



  • no microtransactions
Self-explanatory.



  • No story
Aside from the The Last of Us dlc story, I've never experienced a worthwhile videogame story. So I'm really glad DC has no story.

In fact, DC has no voice over, no background, nothing. There isn't even a tutorial: the game starts with READY! GO!, and you are immediately racing in Tamil Nadu with nothing but engine noise and tire sequel for a soundtrack. Glorious.



  • Everything is handcrafted
Handcrafted experiences can only occur in games that have a narrow focus; games like linear shooters, track based racers, and pure platformers. It's pretty rare for retail console games to be this way given the spread of open world and rpg-itis.



  • Challenging skill based gameplay
This is a skills based racer. There is no tuning, no upgrades; it is just you, the car, and the track. And I love that.



  • Great visuals based on real world cars and locations
  • Real world engine sounds
  • perfect mix of sim-cade for my tastes
Pretty self-explanatory.

* * *

So yeah, my most played game of 2014 and my game of the year.

PS. If anyone wants to join my club, pm me with your psn name.
 
I agree OP, some people lament the lack of "customization" and tuning options, but I actually find it refreshing. It puts the focus purely on your skill by pitting you against other people with the same cars, you aren't winning because you upgraded your drivetrain or suspension.

The sense of speed in this game is unmatched by any other racer I've played. It's gorgeous and thrilling and controls like a dream.
 
If it worked properly, Halo:MCC basically removes leveling to unlock cosmetic stuff. The only ranking that is there (only one playlist cuz broken reasons) is the trueskill ranking from halo 2. So that has no rpg elements anymore.
 
no RPG mechanics
No microtransactions
No story
Click to expand...
These 7 words sold me on the game as much as the video previews have or more. The Crew and most other racing games sound terrifying. If this were just a bit cheaper I think I'd pick it up. Hoping for $30-40, ideally physical. I see it's $50 on Amazon but holy crap did I buy a lot of games this last week.

Bebpo said:
It's a pretty good single player racer.
Click to expand...

As of today is'nt pretty much all of that BS past?
 
I own it, but haven't played it yet. I decided to wait until they patch in dynamic weather. Has that happened yet?
 
I'd like to try DC, but I'm not gonna buy it based on the idea that I 'might' like it. Are they supposedly releasing the PS+ trial version at some point?
 
I plan on getting this soon (Hopefully after the weather update).

It ticks all the boxes of what I look for in an enjoyable racer (I hate playing online racers, so the server issue is no problem for me).

I will also be a regular in the photo thread.
 
yeah driving and track design is very tight. I love it. Sure its bare boned compared to any recent fake useless rpg and leveling stuff. But it's back to roots of driving. a bit like Hot Pursuit 2010 was tight and didn't need smashing billboards or gates or anything. It's amazing.
 
I agree with the OP. Lots of racing, very little of the bullshit that apparently a lot of people want. And yes, having stories in racing games is the dumbest shit ever.
 
I do REALLY hate all the RPG elements that seem to permeate every game. It was amazing when it first started, but has gotten old.

That being said, I don't think Driveclub was even the best racing game. Not even sure it was the best console racing game.
 
It's the best racer I played the last... at least 5 years. I last remember being that impressed with a racer when I was playing Sega Rally in the arcade. It's just a complete no BS, focused, amazing looking and playing game.
 
Dat rubber banding tho, and the lack of a working game weeks after launch and of course features that still aren't implemented.
 
•no rpg mechanics


If only Bungie had followed this philosophy with Destiny,.

I think we can agree that RPG features do not always benefit a title and often work to its detriment.
 
If all the features worked at launch and it had more than just Eurotrash for cars it would be the perfect racing game. Handling and track design is on point.
 
_woLf said:
Not even the best racer of the year, let alone GOTY. OP wut are you talking about
Click to expand...
For some people it definitely will be. Driveclub has grabbed me in a way no other racing game ever has, and to be honest it's up there with Transistor and Wolfenstein for my GOTY.

I'm guessing you're referring to FH2, which is a great game too, but personally it didn't have as big an impact on me as Driveclub did.
 
Fantastic game.

Unfortunate that critics generally panned it and the issues put another nail in the coffin. It's a masterful racing game.

Incredible tracks and a fantastic gameplay engine.
 
DidntKnowJack said:
I agree with the OP. Lots of racing, very little of the bullshit that apparently a lot of people want. And yes, having stories in racing games is the dumbest shit ever.
Click to expand...

When I fired up Forza Horizon 2 I was excited to start racing only to be subjected to a cringeworthy opening movie about ravers and then cutscene after cutscene of some dude telling me how "rad" this festival was going to be.

I JUST WANT TO FUCKING DRIVE MAN
 
I think what the OP is trying to say is this.

Let's say you do a time trial in DC using a specific car. Everyone else that has done that time trial is under the exact same limitations as you since there are no mods or even assist options. Therefore, your time stacked against everyone else is pure and skill based.

This is completely different than other racing games that have come out in the past few years. Nowadays it's all about options. People want to be able to change assist, or modify their cars, but the problem is that when you add in those options, you change the rules of the game for everyone. The leaderboards no longer matter.

Think of it like the original Geometry Wars. Everyone loved that game because it had a single leaderboard and everyone knew where they stacked up. DC is the same experience. It allows you to see exactly where you stack up against other players based solely on your skill level.

I agree with you OP. It's easily one of the best racing games I've played in years. I love nailing a blistering fast time and seeing myself up towards the top of the leaderboards. It's incredibly rewarding in that way.
 
Nafai1123 said:
I think what the OP is trying to say is this.

Let's say you do a time trial in DC using a specific car. Everyone else that has done that time trial is under the exact same limitations as you since there are no mods or even assist options. Therefore, your time stacked against everyone else is pure and skill based.

This is completely different than other racing games that have come out in the past few years. Nowadays it's all about options. People want to be able to change assist, or modify their cars, but the problem is that when you add in those options, you change the rules of the game for everyone. The leaderboards no longer matter.

Think of it like the original Geometry Wars. Everyone loved that game because it had a single leaderboard and everyone knew where they stacked up. DC is the same experience. It allows you to see exactly where you stack up against other players based solely on your skill level.
Click to expand...


Precisely.
 
Nafai1123 said:
I think what the OP is trying to say is this.

Let's say you do a time trial in DC using a specific car. Everyone else that has done that time trial is under the exact same limitations as you since there are no mods or even assist options. Therefore, your time stacked against everyone else is pure and skill based.

This is completely different than other racing games that have come out in the past few years. Nowadays it's all about options. People want to be able to change assist, or modify their cars, but the problem is that when you add in those options, you change the rules of the game for everyone. The leaderboards no longer matter.

Think of it like the original Geometry Wars. Everyone loved that game because it had a single leaderboard and everyone knew where they stacked up. DC is the same experience. It allows you to see exactly where you stack up against other players based solely on your skill level.
Click to expand...

Exactly! Even the weather and time of day conditions are identical. You're literally playing something, then hitting "retry" and passing the controller to someone else to perform the exact same thing. It's addicting and competitive as hell and it's all about YOU vs THEM
 
My racer of the year and tied with Sunset Overdrive for my personal GOTY.

And yeah, part of that love comes from the fact that there's no tuning or upgrades or perks to affect the cars. Everybody who drives them has to deal with the same characteristics. You either learn each car's nuances or you get beat by those drivers who do.

It also has the best moment to moment driving experience out there, in terms of sight and sound and fury and track design and environments.

Once the weather patch drops this game could be legendary.
 
I have no problems with anything you posted, except:

No story
Aside from the The Last of Us dlc story, I've never experienced a worthwhile videogame story. So I'm really glad DC has no story.
Click to expand...

I mean, really? I never thought video games as equals to movies or literature when it comes to story telling, I don't even think of games as works of art, no GTAV doesn't deserve a Oscar for it's writing but you NEVER found a single worthwhile story in a game before?

Damn man, I wonder what kind of games you play.
 
Yeah I agree.
The racing is just so visceral and every car feels nuanced and individual, I dunno whether it's the pretty graphics or the attention to detail but the game just grips me and pulls me in to the race and doesn't let go.
I also like the no frills old school approach to the tour etc and those blistering fast load times never keeps you waiting too long.
I understand multiplayer can be a bit rough and tumble but I've never played a multiplayer racer that doesn't suffer from this problem but it's still fun online despite this.
all in all I'm having plenty of fun with driveclub
 
..is this a serious post? There's actually a ton of diegetic storytelling in DC, from the backstory and motivations of the PC to the gradual reveals concerning the unspecified event that sets the story in motion and lays the foundation for our understanding of the world and its inhabitants.

Like, I'm genuinely unclear on how you could have missed these things unless you actively went out of your way to avoid them.
 
For me, Driveclub is a decent racing game but aside from looking pretty, does nothing other games haven't done better in the past. Aside from the online stuff, that still isn't 100% working as intended, what does it bring to the table that Project Gotham wasn't doing better years ago?

I don't want to bang on about the launch issues, but I also find it hard to support a vote for Driveclub for GOTY when features are having to be patched in a month after release that should really have been ready for launch, given the delay. It'll be interesting to see if the weather patch, or replays make it before the end of the year.

Like I said, it's a decent game and I've had fun with it, but there are games far more deserving of GOTY than Driveclub.
 
Nafai1123 said:
I think what the OP is trying to say is this.

Let's say you do a time trial in DC using a specific car. Everyone else that has done that time trial is under the exact same limitations as you since there are no mods or even assist options. Therefore, your time stacked against everyone else is pure and skill based.

This is completely different than other racing games that have come out in the past few years. Nowadays it's all about options. People want to be able to change assist, or modify their cars, but the problem is that when you add in those options, you change the rules of the game for everyone. The leaderboards no longer matter.

Think of it like the original Geometry Wars. Everyone loved that game because it had a single leaderboard and everyone knew where they stacked up. DC is the same experience. It allows you to see exactly where you stack up against other players based solely on your skill level.

I agree with you OP. It's easily one of the best racing games I've played in years. I love nailing a blistering fast time and seeing myself up towards the top of the leaderboards. It's incredibly rewarding in that way.
Click to expand...
Pretty much this. It also has that Trials level of addictive-ness or "just one more time" last night alone I was up until 2am continually saying "just one more time" and it's crazy because you feel like you're constantly getting better with each and every race. It's such a rewarding game.
 
Evolution has shown they are masters of asynchronous multiplayer with MotorStorm RC.
That game also informed you who had beaten your times/scores and with one push of a button you could try to beat them, it would be cool if DriveClub got something like that as well.

I agree that it is really great that this game is all about driving the best you can. Driving at really high speeds, barely in control of your car actually feels a bit scary.
 
bananafactory said:
When I fired up Forza Horizon 2 I was excited to start racing only to be subjected to a cringeworthy opening movie about ravers and then cutscene after cutscene of some dude telling me how "rad" this festival was going to be.

I JUST WANT TO FUCKING DRIVE MAN
Click to expand...

There's an opening cinematic of 2 minutes and then your first race

From an open world racing game that wants to define the kind of setting you are driving in, i don't see how it's too much

Anyway got the game for 20$ from a friend, will give it a go this weekend
 
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