Forza 4 Official Thread - 10/11 - Start your engines, Forza released

[Queasy]

Update - 10/11: The game is out. You can check out the launch trailer here. The Anandtech official race night thread is here.

Update - 10/3: The demo for Forza 4 is available to download.

Update - 5/26: Microsoft and Turn 10 have confirmed profile and livery imports from Forza 3. Also the first print will come with five exclusive cars and there are also pre-order bonuses. Here's the full press release I received.

Start Your Engines! Turn 10 Studios Announces “Forza Motorsport 4” Pre-Order Details, Exclusive Car Pack and Cover Car

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Gear up for the highly anticipated launch of “Forza Motorsport 4” by pre-ordering today
This fall, the highest rated racing franchise of this generation returns with “Forza Motorsport 4”, the biggest racing game of the year. Starting today, fans can pre-order the game at U.S. retailers for $59.99 (US ERP). For even more incentive to pre-order, Turn 10 Studios confirmed today that fans who pre-order “Forza Motorsport 4” at participating U.S. retailers will receive a token to unlock one of the following five cars, while supplies last:


· Available at Amazon.com- Subaru Impreza WRX STI: The Subaru Impreza WRX STI is the highest standard-edition trim in the Subaru compact car line. The STI is recognized as a speed demon on race tracks, winning first place at Super GT in 2008.
· Available at Best Buy- BMW 1 Series M Coupe: Reaching top speeds of 250 km/h, the 1 Series M Coupe is the high-performance version of the famed BMW 1 Series Coupe.
· Available at GameStop- Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde: The creation of Italian automaker Alfa Romeo and first introduced at the March 2010 Geneva Motor Show, the Giulietta contains an exclusive Quadrifoglio Verde configuration with a 1.7L turbocharged engine that will steer you to victory.
· Available at Wal-Mart- MINI John Cooper Works Clubman: MINI enthusiasts around the world rejoice! The JCW Clubman sports a 1.6-liter four-cylinder MINI engine that has been tuned and turbocharged to include 208 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque.
· Available at Target - Honda CR-Z EX: The Honda CR-Z EX is Honda’s sport hybrid with an ultra-modern and sporty look, featuring 16” wheels and tires, low-to-the-ground stance and swooping bodywork. Additionally, its six-speed manual transmission makes it the only hybrid with three pedals.

This same list of cars is available in other regions worldwide and more information for those regions is coming soon.

Rev up for the Limited Collector’s Edition
For “Forza” fans who crave the VIP treatment, a Limited Collector’s Edition will also be available. Stay tuned for more details on the exclusive content the Limited Collector’s Edition will offer.

Be one of the first to purchase “Forza Motorsport 4” and receive the “Ship Bonus” car pack
A limited quantity of “Forza Motorsport 4” games at retail will include an exclusive in-game car pack available at launch that boasts five incredible cars for fans to race, tune, paint and share. This car pack, limited to the first production run of “Forza Motorsport 4” game discs, will include:

· Ford Mustang GT Coupe 1965: Take to the road in this classic American stallion, one of Ford’s most successful launch cars behind the Model A.
· Koenigsegg Agera 2011: “The Agera--from the Swedish verb “to act”--celebrates 15 years of Koenigsegg’s uncompromising philosophy of making dream cars.”
· Lexus SC300 1997: A classic personal luxury coupé, the SC300 combines a powerful racer with a 225hp I6-powered engine.
· RUF RGT-8 2011: The spectacular RGT-8 is powered by a 4.5-liter V8 engine that has been fine tuned to deliver unmatchable sports car power and curb appeal.
· Tesla Roadster Sport 2011: For luxury car fans, the Roadster Sport is electric heaven. Get behind the wheel of this electric two-seater and go zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds with a peak rating of 288 horsepower.

Prepare to hit the road in a Ferrari 458 Italia, the “Forza Motorsport 4” cover car
Today Turn 10 Studios is also revealing that the cover car for the standard edition of “Forza Motorsport 4” is the Ferrari 458 Italia. The Ferrari 458 Italia is an 8-cylinder two-seater berlinetta with a mid-rear mounted engine, and represents a genuine break with the past in terms of Maranello's previous high-performance sports cars. The Turn 10 team has worked closely with Ferrari to include every intricate detail of the Ferrari 458 Italia in the game, from its sleek aerodynamic design to its exquisitely modeled 4499 cc V8 engine, offering players the most realistic driving experience off the track.

“The Ferrari 458 Italia was a perfect fit for the ‘Forza Motorsport 4’ hero car. It has the ideal blend of style, creative flair, cutting-edge technology and power that makes it just as gorgeous to look at as it is thrilling to take to the track,” said Dan Greenawalt, creative director of Turn 10 Studios. “We’ve worked closely with our partners at Ferrari to bring this amazing car to life in your living room.”

Get a head start on the competition with “Profile Import”
For those who have invested tireless hours in “Forza Motorsport 3”, Turn 10 Studios is pleased to announce a unique “Forza Motorsport 4” feature called Profile Import, which rewards fans for their time. Based on your player level and the cars in your garage in “Forza Motorsport 3”, gift cars will be automatically added to your “Forza Motorsport 4” garage and you’ll also receive bonus gifts and credits. And for those who spent hours creating intricate layers and liveries in the “Forza Motorsport 3” Livery Editor, you will be able to import those layers, so your time isn’t lost!

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I'm gonna be a butt and go ahead and create one of these for Forza 4 because some new details that have come out today that should be enough to start a discussion (see next post).

Coming sometime Fall 2011.
Will support Kinect for head-tracking, 'casual arcade racing' and virtual showroom.
More than 500 cars from 80 different manufacturers.
New career mode and possibly new 'no assist expert mode'

 

[Queasy]

Kotaku got a hold of a survey sent out about Forza 4.

A marketing survey now hints at what some of those features might be, such as head tracking to move the game's camera, and a casual mode that allows players to steer with their hands, similar to last year's Joy Ride.

The survey, sent to Kotaku by an anonymous tipster, asked respondents' reactions to certain statements of up coming features. "By using Kinect for Xbox 360, racing fans can now use head tracking to peer into a corner or their voice to control the game menus and interface," read one. "For more casual players you can enjoy sitting or standing controller free and racing alongside your friends, simply by holding your hands at 10 and 2."

For more serious drivers, the survey claimed Forza 4 would be the "best looking game of the year with graphic fidelity 10 times better than the previous version, including new lighting and shading models." A new career mode involves "an automotive world tour," promising to "increase the variety of challenges and events you participate in." A new no-assist expert mode was also mentioned, as well as more than 500 cars from 80 different manufacturers.

Kinect would also be used to navigate a virtual showroom and learn about the features of the cars in it, with narration provided by Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson. "Each car will be like its own mini level and after your tour, you can take it out on the track."

The survey, in what appeared to sound out what people might want from a Forza 5, also asked respondents to rate their interest in an open-world Forza Motorsport game, which allows drivers to go anywhere on the open road, as opposed to closed-circuit racing.

Microsoft of course says that nothing mentioned in the survey will definitely make it in the game.

 

[Kabob]

It's gotta happen eventually. Hope they improve on the Forza 3 formula, I know lots of people who didn't like it as much as FM2.

Oh, and since you got rid of the Spanish copy of FM3 I sent to you (understandable) I may demand that you purchase FM4 and get back into Wednesday racing!!!

 

[EightySix Four]

YES, head tracking! w00t

 

[AstroManLuca]

They'll have to keep innovating for me to care. If the basic formula of the game still boils down to "grind on long, boring races with an overpowered AWD car," I'm not interested.

 

[Kabob]

YES, head tracking! w00t

It's going to have to be crazy precise, otherwise you'll be looking 2' left of your screen to look into the turns...

 

[AstroManLuca]

It's going to have to be crazy precise, otherwise you'll be looking 2' left of your screen to look into the turns...

Yeah, I can't imagine head tracking being at all useful unless you have a multi-monitor setup, which is just insanely expensive and not worth it for a console game.

 

[EightySix Four]

Yeah, I can't imagine head tracking being at all useful unless you have a multi-monitor setup, which is just insanely expensive and not worth it for a console game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ

 

[Imported]

Maybe I ought to sell my G27 and buy that Fanatec GT2 wheel so I can play Forza properly..

 

[Kabob]

I hate to be "that guy" but the Fanatec wheels SUCK.

 

[Imported]

I hate to be "that guy" but the Fanatec wheels SUCK.

Oh, I've heard horror stories.. I'm usually "that guy" in other wheel threads.. lol

It can't be any worse than the Microsoft wheel though..

 

[Queasy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wXx3vMy_AQ

Still has that problem where you can turn your head but you still have to look straight at the screen which is counter-intuitive. When you drive naturally, you turn your head and eyes to the left to see to the left and to the right to see to the right. However, you have to turn your head to the left and turn your eyes to the right in a game with a single monitor. That just doesn't seem natural

 

[Kabob]

Oh, I've heard horror stories.. I'm usually "that guy" in other wheel threads.. lol

It can't be any worse than the Microsoft wheel though..

It's more precise than the MS wheel but don't expect it to last terribly long. Talk to blowfish (GCS) sometime, he got one that arrived missing parts and then broke shortly after (that seems to be a common story).

 

[joutlaw]

I'm looking forward to this. I have really enjoyed Forza 3 and got to level 50.

Some people may not like the rewind feature, but it has kept me interested in the game. Otherwise I would get frustrated if I made a mistake on my last lap and blew the race.

 

[American Gunner]

I never got into the online, other than racing with a couple of friends I know from work like Viper, but really enjoyed Forza 3. I am looking forward to 4. I tried to play GT, and all it did was make me miss Forza 3.

 

[boomhower]

I never got into the online, other than racing with a couple of friends I know from work like Viper, but really enjoyed Forza 3. I am looking forward to 4. I tried to play GT, and all it did was make me miss Forza 3.

Same here, I finished it all except for the endurance races. Never got into the online racing though. I am really looking forward to GT5 but it just didn't agree with me.

 

[Lotheron]

Oh yeah! some of those features sound good an not the same old rehashed stuff.

I'm not sure i'd ever get into the hand tracking, and I wish they'd release a better/cheaper wheel as I'm going to need to replace my MS wheel sometime and I will *not* buy a Fanatec wheel.

 

[getbush]

I'll throw my 2 cents in on head tracking. IMO for racing it's not that awesome. I have a trackIR that I used in iRacing, and it's uber accurate and customizable, just not that useful to me.
I have it set now with a HUGE dead zone, and to basically only look directly left and right when i turn my head passed a certain threshold. Basically it replaced look left and look right buttons.
I felt that if I let it track all 6 degrees of movement at all times it gives a very odd floaty sensation in the car. It can make it very difficult to accurately judge the angle and path your car is traveling on. It was much easier for me to control a car with the camera "locked". I also had a few hilarious incidents where on a long straight i'd decide to itch my head, and forgot about the trackIR, which would then make me think my car has suddenly spun 90 degrees at 130mph and gave me a few oh shit moments.

 

[EightySix Four]

I'll throw my 2 cents in on head tracking. IMO for racing it's not that awesome. I have a trackIR that I used in iRacing, and it's uber accurate and customizable, just not that useful to me.
I have it set now with a HUGE dead zone, and to basically only look directly left and right when i turn my head passed a certain threshold. Basically it replaced look left and look right buttons.
I felt that if I let it track all 6 degrees of movement at all times it gives a very odd floaty sensation in the car. It can make it very difficult to accurately judge the angle and path your car is traveling on. It was much easier for me to control a car with the camera "locked". I also had a few hilarious incidents where on a long straight i'd decide to itch my head, and forgot about the trackIR, which would then make me think my car has suddenly spun 90 degrees at 130mph and gave me a few oh shit moments.

There was never a good "look into the corner" button in Forza, which is why I'm excited. When we're all racing together I don't want to look directly left or right, I want to look through and see if anyone is in the way of my line.

 

[EightySix Four]

Holy freakin crap I'm excited.

 

[ajskydiver]

Holy freakin crap I'm excited.

Wow, that video is very cool. Thanks!

 

[vshah]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q7a8DXE7Ik

here's a working link

also: alsdjf;alksfja;s

 

[KH85]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q7a8DXE7Ik

here's a working link

also: alsdjf;alksfja;s

:thumbsup: Looks goooooooood :biggrin:

 

[Lotheron]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Q7a8DXE7Ik

here's a working link

also: alsdjf;alksfja;s

 

[Kabob]

Finally got to watch the video, my thoughts.

-STILL not as pretty as the "HD" cars in GT5, but it's sharp
-Backfiring cars = win
-16 player races is LONG overdue
-Still not seeing a ton of innovation from the video (other than the Kinect stuff that I don't care about)