Forza Horizon 2

[nakamura]

I'm not defensive, it just simply isn't true. It sounds more like complaining that you can have every car unlocked from the start. I played through the game normally and ended up with so much money and so many cars I didn't know what to do with them.

The progression of Horizon is in no way gimped by the token system. Not like in Forza 5.

Go back and play Gran Turismo on PS1. Then moan about grinding. Horizon craps cars all over you. Boo hoo if you have to work to get the best cars.

[Digfox]

Couldn't disagree more.

I think GT is a bad example becuase whilst I loved that game to bits (trading for both black and green 4WD FTO) even doing everything I ran out of content far more quickly than any modern day racer. I know in Forza 3 I spent 130hrs in that game and did everything (1000G, 30hrs in menus!, could afford any car etc, had hundreds in my garage) and for me that's a good benchmark of how 'grindy' a game should be and is never about having everything to begin with.

Of course the minute MT's have been introduced then clearly there is an impact on design becuase this stuff isn't done for shortcut but to raise additional revenue. If no one buys an MT they've wasted their time. And I think MartyG's evidenced very well just how the Forza series changed in design principles from F4 to F5. I remember myself noticing clearly how much more 'aggressive' Horizon was over the rather tame MT implementation in F4. Even if you choose to ignore them, stating they had no impact on the end game, you couldn't be more wrong.

But I guess the good news is that we'll not disagree on FH2 given this announcement.

[QualityChimp]

I said at the time I was convinced they removed the Rally Mode so that they could sell it back at a later date. #TinFoilHat

Is the Marketplace still active on Forza 3? I'm watching a copy on eBay after all this Forza talk!

[nakamura]

Forza only takes ages because it has bundles of mindless races, not because it's well designed and is packed with content.
It's the way games are made today. Packed them with loads of rearranged content/fetch quests/etc to make them feel good value.
Not to say it's a bad thing in Forza. Good to keep you racing with a vague purpose.

[Digfox]

I said at the time I was convinced they removed the Rally Mode so that they could sell it back at a later date. #TinFoilHat

Is the Marketplace still active on Forza 3? I'm watching a copy on eBay after all this Forza talk!

That's the interesting bit we don't know, unless there has been an honest statement as to why micro transactions have been removed. Again I suspect that there's an element of financial led decision making that micro transactions didn't do as well as expected in F5. Or maybe they are simply playing around with ways to generate more additional revenue. Maybe it's just FH2 appeals more to casuals, or suit DLC better. Or it's a Microsoft Games-wide publishing decision to remove micro transactions from their games now.

Either way just becuase they have dropped micro transactions doesn't mean there won't be a ton of cars, modes and locales thrown at DLC to extract cash from you (as you say that could have been in the full release). MS/Turn 10 have always been very good at that with Forza, but at least it's a lesser evil that micro transactions.

I've recently sold off F2 and F3 so only have F4/FH now and therefore can't check but I imagine there are still people selling cars, decals and racing online in the third one. Although I can imagine most of the community moved on to F4 and significant numbers will still be on that.

That said I can't imagine it will be that expensive to get F3, as everyone seems to offloading old gen games atm.

[Digfox]

Forza only takes ages because it has bundles of mindless races, not because it's well designed and is packed with content.
It's the way games are made today. Packed them with loads of rearranged content/fetch quests/etc to make them feel good value.
Not to say it's a bad thing in Forza. Good to keep you racing with a vague purpose.

Don't disagree but as you say all these games are fairly 'grindy' and lengthy experiences. My example with F3 was largely to shoot down your point about wanting every car unlocked from the start. Forza Horizon would more than likely have been a better experience without micro transactions influencing it's design, no matter how tame the balance was in the implementation.

[BIG EDD]

New preview from C&VG does look the biz, roll on 30th September

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/471466/previews/forza-horizon-2-looks-dazzling-plays-dirty/

[Yakumo]

This is the game I'm buying with my XBOX come September!

[Kron]

Another 16 cars added to the list:

http://news.xbox.com/2014/07/games-forza-horizon-2-car-list-2

1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
1971 AMC Javelin AMX
2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback|
1999 SRT Viper GTS ACR
2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
1986 Lancia Delta S4
1997 Mazda RX-7
2012 MINI John Cooper Works GP
1995 RUF CTR2
2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6
1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2

[teddymeow]

Another 16 cars added to the list:

http://news.xbox.com/2014/07/games-forza-horizon-2-car-list-2

1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
1971 AMC Javelin AMX
2011 Audi RS 3 Sportback|
1999 SRT Viper GTS ACR
2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
1988 Lamborghini Countach LP5000 QV
1986 Lancia Delta S4
1997 Mazda RX-7
2012 MINI John Cooper Works GP
1995 RUF CTR2
2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STi
1995 Volkswagen Corrado VR6
1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427
2002 Ferrari Enzo Ferrari
2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is
1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2

I'm in!!

[nakamura]

It has the MR2. I am cry.

[Kron]

Week six cars announced: http://www.forzamotorsport.net/en-us...h2_car_reveals

1967 Lamborghini Miura P400


2012 Nissan GT-R Black Edition


1981 BMW M1


1973 BMW 2002 Turbo


1963 Volkswagen Beetle


plus:
1995 Ferrari F50
1992 Honda NSX-R
1985 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT Apex
1985 Ford RS200 Evolution
2009 Ferrari 458 Italia
1994 Nissan 240SX SE
1968 Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds 442
2012 Caterham Superlight R500
2009 Honda S2000 CR

[BIG EDD]

The vehicles look stunning,can't wait

[Neon Ignition]

Looks lovely and diverse, reminds of how badly MS needs to implement a screenshot function

[nakamura]

Forza Horizon 1 had a screenshot function at least.