Tony Hawks Project 8 [360]

[Riskbreaker]

I know people will say that the game still plays well, and yeah - it does, but there are still no excuses for games reaching the shop floor like this. Hopefully the lazy c**ts will release a patch to sort it out.... Does anyone know if they intend to do this?

It is a buggy release, what grates is I'm really enjoying playing it when it's not busy locking up and forcing me to redo the same challenges.

Apparently a patch is being released to fix the freezing issues, not sure about framerate though.

[Yoshimax]

If I run THP8 from my PAL 360 with a harddrive the intro scene will sometimes be unskippable for a minute or so, but running it from my Japanese 360 without harddrive the same scene is instantly skippable.

It's caching to the HDD. It doesn't make you sit through teh whole movie once the cache is finished the "press start to skip" option appears.

[endo]

*Finally* managed to play this online last night (managed to actually search for active games without it seizing up on me) and it's a good laugh. For some reason though all of the other people I was playing with sounded like Devvo.

Anyhoo, weirdly enough I noticed that the game moved a LOT more smoothly online compared to offline. There didn't seem to be any stuttering in the framerate and no slowdown, at least nothing I noticed anyway. Just seemed a lot smoother and quicker- anyone else noticed that?

Somehow I managed to do the beat a developer achievement on my second go too, so if anyone wants it just add me to your friends list and I'll throw a game.

[Extra Terrestrial]

I managed to buy the game today despite asking for it as a Christmas present but I won ?50 HMV voucher through the world cinema competition thing in my local Ipswich store (go me!) so I put it to good use.

The first thing that struck me is just how challenging the game is.

I am finally playing a Tony Hawk's game that provides a decent (and sometimes unfair) challenge by allowing the usual Amateur, Pro and Sick! goal selections and I have so far done everything on Pro (except the 'Turf War' in the Capitol area) and at least a dozen on Sick! selection.

I like how the game doesn't load from one area to another unlike the cheap 'load tunnels' in American Wasteland and the graphics warms to you although I do question some of the character models. The draw distance is very good and pop-up is minimum.

The slowdown on the other hand is quite bad in certain areas. From where you start off in the game, simply go to the house that has three swimming pools. If you go to the top-most pool that has water flowing, do a few tricks and the game stutters quite badly.

It seems that wherever there is particle movements or a lot of animation going on in one screen, the game decides to grind to a halt and drops way below the 30 fps mark. It is bad in certain areas but considering the effort gone into the game and the fact that there isn't any loading going on, it is acceptable.

The Nail the Trick feature is good and is additive but when you jump sideways before you go into the Nail the Trick focus mode, it is hard to make out what you are doing and seems to work best when facing forward but it could just be me needing practice.

So far so good.

It still doesn't reach the heights of THPS 2 & 3 but as far as the series is concerned, it is the best since the off-putting THUG games and the rather average American Wasteland. The game does go back to it's roots but whether it is going to keep it going all the way through the game is something that remains to be seen.

A good if unspectacular return to form for Neversoft.

[cohen205]

Does any one know how to get on that high building in the slums area?

Its the really tall building that you have to get to for Bam Margeras task. (the wire used to grind on has gone after the task).

Help most appreciated.

[Hulk Davidson]

cohen205: You have to grind the liquor store sign opposite that building, then the elevator will open and you can get up there.

[Extra Terrestrial]

Most, if not all Sick! goals are absolutely ridiculous.

I am having trouble doing at least a dozen Pro goals as I am.

[cohen205]

Hulk Davidson, Cheers for that.

Is the liquor store on the side where the factory is, or the other side? (nearest the school?)

Also, how did you find that out. What is the connection between the liquor store and the lift opening.

I bet there are loads of thing's i havnt even found yet that open new pathways, and im up to Number 8 in the grand scheme of things!

[Hulk Davidson]

Agreed, some of the sick markers for the chalk challenges I haven't even been able to find let alone get to. The distance challenge out of the Park pool, only just realised that the sick marker is on the awning across the street! wtf!

cohen205: I found that out accidentally while messing around in the Slums area, then looked up what I'd actually done online to check. The sign is near to where the drunken guy is that will start the Classic in that area if I rememeber correctly.

[Extra Terrestrial]

Is the liquor store on the side where the factory is, or the other side? (nearest the school?)

Can you see the four shattered wooden building in the 'square' of the slums?

The one on the far top right as your back is to the lift for to access the (tall) industrial building roof has a lot of box-like objects on the right hand side of the building and you need to go up the ramp and grind them all off.

The lift 'cut-scene' will appear when you have done it.

[cohen205]

Thanks for the help guys, its been bugging me for ages how to get up there.

[Yoshimax]

Anyhoo, weirdly enough I noticed that the game moved a LOT more smoothly online compared to offline. There didn't seem to be any stuttering in the framerate and no slowdown, at least nothing I noticed anyway. Just seemed a lot smoother and quicker- anyone else noticed that?

Because you're restricted to a particular "level" so it doesn't have to load any data from the cache or disc whilst you're playing hence no framerate drops. Additionally, as far as I've seen anyway, you don't have all the people wandering around and stuff it's just you, the level and your opponents.

Superb game - really loving it.

[cohen205]

I dont think i've spent as much time on any 360 game as much as this.

I've got Gears of War and Fear, and they havn't had a look in to be honest.

I can just spend hours roaming round the city pulling off al kinds of tricks and combos and not get bored.

I know i've said it before but this is one of the finest Tony Hawk's games ever.

My favourite area at the moment is the fairground, you can go ages without even touching the ground.

Awesome Game!

[Geoff D]

I'm rubbish at the game (although i'm enjoying it lots) - however, last night I landed my first 500,000+ combo - it even says so in my stats records - but I didn't get the achievement

Is it lost forever? Or should it register next time I land a big combo?

[Hulk Davidson]

The Fairground Classic has been causing me some problems. Just can't seem to grind the entire coaster >.<

Almost got Sick on the School Classic last night, got all the tasks done in the time but just missed the Sick score by a hundred thousand points. Must have retried that challenge 100+ times now

Don't think I'll ever get to Sick level on some of the other classics like the Fair and the Factory.

This is one of those games I can see myself coming back to every now and again to boost another challenge or two to the perfect level.

Geoff, you need to get your half mil combo on Free Skate mode for the achievement. Same with the 1million run and two of the secret achievements.