Colin McRae Dirt 2

[canadon11]

I have recently purchased this game and intend to start playing shortly (while waiting for GT5 to come out). Just several questions on it please:

1) Can anybody who played this game please, tell me how much time it takes (on average, approximately) to complete the game/all of the events? I realize it's individual, but let's say, after one has adjusted to the car handling specifics in the game.
2) Is the sequence of events pretty intuitive? I mean, do you have a pretty clear idea what racing event(s) to take on next in order to advance through the levels/stages of the game?
3) Is there a site with the tracks' maps, tips on completing certain events, special car tunes perhaps? It seems I couldn't quickly locate it at GT Planet...

Thank you very much in advance.
-Eugene-

 

[NotThePrez]

1) I've played the game, and it does take a little while to get used to. Once you get a feel for how the cars drive and what they can/can't do, it becomes very easy and fun. For example, with Trailblazer events, the BMW Z4 has a higher Top Speed and good grip, but the Pontiac Solstice has better acceleration and can slide through turns more. It took me a few days of on/off gameplay to beat, and even longer to complete all the races. You also have the ability to change the difficulty before each event based on your driving style/skill.

2) There are 100 events spread across a world map. You unlock events as you gain experience, but you basically can enter whatever you want. There are certain events (i.e. World Tour Races and X-games) that you want to complete to beat the game. It's accessible, where you can get into a Rally then after that enter a Baja Raid.

3) I haven't found any specific guide about the game, but that's mostly because I never looked.

 

[canadon11]

Speed157,
Thank you so much for your answer!!! I have been playing for two evenings, and the first one of this was used to become familiar with a bit untraditional navigation through the menu, learning how to use different controls etc.
Looks like I feel more comfortable now, and the game became fun, exactly as you said. I am enjoying the rides and the scenery. So far, on the easy difficulty (level 12, I believe)..., but after I complete, I might try on a more competitive level as well... So, plenty of things to do before GT5 comes out, since I am still new to the racing games
Thanks,
Eugene.

 

[JimInPT]

That sounds a bit rubbish! Can you help me get a trophy sometime? Its the one where you have to race every disipline online. Every time I try to make a gatecrasher event, nobody joins.

I don't know if we're just a strange minority, but I absolutely love Gatecrasher, so feel free to ping me if available, anytime. But perhaps you have that trophy already.

You'll probably stomp me; I've only got about 6 hours on D2 so far and just 2 online races. Yes, I'm a slow starter ......

 

[LeftyWright69]

I want to buy Dirt 2 and was wondering if anyone here at GTP might some day have a racing legue for the game. Has there been anyone talking about it ? I'd be all down with it. PM me if there is someone who is pumped on a GTP DIRT 2 RACING LEGUE.

 

[RACECAR]

I want to buy Dirt 2 and was wondering if anyone here at GTP might some day have a racing legue for the game. Has there been anyone talking about it ? I'd be all down with it. PM me if there is someone who is pumped on a GTP DIRT 2 RACING LEGUE.

I certainly wouldn't mind being apart of it and infact I actually had in mind doing one before, only that stopped me was the reletively low interest in the GRID series I was doing.

 

[Golfman]

Yeah it does seem they have given in to this 'younger' NFS audience phenomenon. They want it to be "extreme" and "badass".... This is just like what happened to TOCA Race Driver and then GRID! There might not even be one legit traditional rally stage in this game! However it does look great so it could go both ways.

I have a feeling that Colin McRae wouldnt have been proud of this and probably wouldnt have put his name to it (I dont even think this sequel carries his name). However any rally game after his death should really be dedicated to him for his commitment to the sport.

Robin.

Completely agree. Dirt 1 was good because, although it was different in some ways, it was still a playable (just) offroad racing game. Codemasters have completely lost the plot with Dirt 2. They need to go back to the Colin McRae roots. Dirt 2 is far inferior to Dirt 1, period. Hell, McRae 2005 on the PS2 craps all over both of them.

 

[Golfman]

The shots show are target renders NOT in-game grabs. I really wish they would bring back the great racing of the old CM and Toca games. the first of both franchises were the best by far, from then on they slowly went down hill.

Again, completely agree. Grid and Dirt 1 were fun, yes, but that's it. The minute Codemasters added a poxy career/story mode to the Toca series it went downhill, big time. They HAVE to go back to their McRae and TOCA roots, or im gonna stop buying these two series. Codemasters best in the series? Toca 2(PS1) and McRae 2005(PS2). I only hope their upcoming F1 game is A) The realistc F1 game we've been waiting for and B) A return to form for Codemasters. NO STORY MODE PLEASE!

 

[Golfman]

In my opinion if this game does not have at least dynamic driving physics (does not have to Richard Burns Rally, although that would be amazing) then I think I will just rent it. The first one was a fun game no doubt but it was just too easy. I got first place in every race on my first try (I think one or two races I had to redo). Same thing with GRiD.

Its funny, Codemasters are sitting on some of the best racing games ever made but when it comes to the driving aspect of GRiD and DiRT they fall short. Every other aspect I would hazard to say they do extremely well. GRiD and DiRT really nailed the feel of racing and the look of racing but they just missed on the act of racing. If GRiD had GT's or GTR's or even something like NFS PS's physics and DiRT had RBR's physics I think we would be looking at the two best racing games ever made. Here is hoping to the future.

What I think game developers are missing is to give the hard core players THE OPTION to have realistic physics and the casual players the OPTION to have arcade physics. There is no reason the two cannot live together. By including realistic and arcade physics you are almost doubling your products appeal.

Agree. I'm sick of Codemasters excuse for their bad handling in Dirt, saying that it appeals to both hardcore and arcade gamers by being 'Fun and realistic'. Put and option in the game so that people can choose what handling they want, but STOP trying to make it both. It doesn't work.

 

[Golfman]

I personally enjoyed the first DiRT game, and all the previous CMR games (I have every Colin McRae game for the Playstation consoles/PSP) so I'll definately get DiRT 2 - If it's not very good when it does come out, I'll get it and keep it just so I can have the whole collection...

I do preffer strait rallying, like the origional Colin McRae Rally series on the PS1, PS2 and the PSP version of 2005 but it dosn't put me off playing DiRT... I completed DiRT within a week, so I hope for a lot more races, cars and content.

I would also like the ability to play my own music off the PS3 harddrive (I want this feature in every PS3 game as I have very different tastes in music comparid to about 90% of people my age)...


Either way, I'll buy the game... I do actually like the 1st image posted but I don't want the whole game to be like that - I want the majority of the game to be standard rallying.

Well, i hope you're dissappointed enough with Dirt2 to complain. Colin McRae would never have put his name to this nonsense.

 

[Golfman]

This is on my pre-order list, and I was also suprised how close we are to release. Can't wait to flick Ken Block's Team Rally USA Subaru Impreza around some tight corners, going to be very fun!!

By the way, as many should already know Ken Block sponsors Dirt 2, but a couple of days ago it was announced that Team Rally USA was sponsoring them which is Ken's team.

That's another thing i hate about the Dirt series, especially Dirt 2. Too much surfer dude talk.. I just want to punch Ken Block and his annoying yank pals, tell them to sod off and leave Colin Mcrae alone. Codemasters have effectively ruined the McRae series and tarnished the great man's name.

 

[Golfman]

Tried the demo yesterday and it wasnt for long... its to arcadey for me, I kinda knew what to expect but I had to test it

I just wish game makers could make a realistic rally game! Cant remember any title after RBR who was realistic...

I always held Evolution Studios WRC series in high regard, preferred it to McRae, even though i liked them both. Wish they would ditch the Motorstorm rubbish and go back to making the WRC, but i hear they lost the license. Damn!

 

[Golfman]

Because they're making more money with these games then they probably did with TOCA and Colin McRae.

Yeah, that's what it's all about these days - making money. To hell with what people actually WANT to play. Codemasters have forgot who it was that made them their money in the first place - us diehard Toca and McRae fans. Dirt 1 was average. Dirt 2 has USA written all over it. THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WANT CODEMASTERS!! Get a bloody grip and give us back the original Toca and McRae games.

 

[Golfman]

I agree that its been 'Americanized' but i still think the physics has improved. This only pertains to wheel users though. I guess D-Pads have a much different feel.

What physics? Dirt 2 is an offroad arcade racer, period. Load of bollocks.

 

[kikie]

I always held Evolution Studios WRC series in high regard, preferred it to McRae, even though i liked them both. Wish they would ditch the Motorstorm rubbish and go back to making the WRC, but i hear they lost the license. Damn!

Don't worry. Milestone will make a very decent WRC game.

 

[boiltheocean]

Wow 8 posts in a row. That must be a new record Golfman.

Use the Multi-Quote feature in future and use the edit button too.

 

[Golfman]

Hi guys
Do either of the first Dirt or he second one have handling anything like Colin Mcrally 3 or Colin Mcrally 2005? Those were the best rally games on the PS2 in my opinion. I am a die-hard Colin McRae Rally fan, I have all of them and I still play the original one and 2.0 on the PSP .
As I am going to get a PS3 sometime soon I need to know if these games cut it as a good rally game.
Thanks
Allyn

Good rally games? Not even close. They are simply offroad racing games with arcadey handling, although Dirt 1 is the better choice. There is no decent rally game on the PS3 at the moment. Lets hope Codemasters get their act together for the next McRae game. GT5 will have decent rally elements though, im sure.

 

[Golfman]

D2's handling does feel great, the people who say's its too arcadey are just stroking their sim-ego's...

The McRae series has never been 100% realistic, it had just the tiniest(and i mean the TINEST) bit of arcade handling to make it appeal to racing fans in general, but that's what made it so good. But the appeal of the McRae games has always that it's an official rally game that's great fun to play. Dirt and Dirt 2 ditches the rally elements, ramps the arcade handling up tenfold, and populates it with annoying unheard of drivers. In short, the McRae series has been ruined and been replaced by Americanized nonsense.

 

[Golfman]

Wow 8 posts in a row. That must be a new record Golfman.

Use the Multi-Quote feature in future and use the edit button too.

No offense, but how do yo do that? New to this forum stuff.

 

[jjaisli]

No offense, but how do yo do that? New to this forum stuff.

EDIT: In fairness, I was a member of this forum for nearly 1/2 a year before I realized this myself.

 

[Aldo]

Good rally games? Not even close. They are simply offroad racing games with arcadey handling, although Dirt 1 is the better choice. There is no decent rally game on the PS3 at the moment. Lets hope Codemasters get their act together for the next McRae game. GT5 will have decent rally elements though, im sure.

Thanks for the answer and all but since then I have completed it and got the platinum trophy

 

[Tommi]

Sounds like there's finally some DLC on the way soon. Ken Block tweeted this a couple of days ago:

'Stopped by the Codemasters campus yesterday in England to shakedown some new DIRT developments. Let's just say,...'

I haven't found any details on content or a release date yet but just thought i'd give you guys a heads up.

I have a feeling(and hoping) it will include his new Fiesta and Focus rally cars, fingers crossed for more rally stages and other cars.

 

[vompatti]

Sounds like there's finally some DLC on the way soon. Ken Block tweeted this a couple of days ago:

'Stopped by the Codemasters campus yesterday in England to shakedown some new DIRT developments. Let's just say,...'

I have heard some rumors that Dirt3 is already in development, so it's also possible that the tweet was referring to that instead of DLC.

 

[RACECAR]

Both scenarios could be possible since DiRT 2 is still pretty recent as well as DiRT 3 probably no where near being in a build of some sort. If there is some new DLC for DiRT 2 coming soon, I bet it'll add his Ford Fiesta and my new personal favorite, the Focus RS

 

[Dragonistic]

Pikes Peak! It's the perfect DLC with a couple more cars to boot. Perhaps a few other rally stages as well but depends how kind codies are if it is indeed DLC.

 

[canadon11]

Sorry if it's a silly question, but when you change the difficulty from Easy to, say, Professional, does it affect the way your car will be handled (becomes more difficult to drive e.g.), or does the AI become more challenging to deal with?
Thanks.

 

[RACECAR]

Sorry if it's a silly question, but when you change the difficulty from Easy to, say, Professional, does it affect the way your car will be handled (becomes more difficult to drive e.g.), or does the AI become more challenging to deal with?
Thanks.

From my experience, its more of the A.I. becoming more of a challenge.

 

[Tommi]

From my experience, its more of the A.I. becoming more of a challenge.

Yep me too, only the class of the car(Rookie, Pro, All-Star) will affect the handling etc if you change it.👍

EDIT: And the vehicle setup of course.

 

[canadon11]

Thank you very much for the answers, RACECAR and Tommi2000!

 

[Dragonistic]

It's worth noting that as far as I know, there's no real tangible bonus for playing on harder settings either, so if you're having trouble on one setting you won't lose anything bar a bit of cash I think, which you'll have more then enough of later and you can always re-run an event. Similarly you'll get more then enough rep over the course of the game so you don't need to worry about that if you get less of that to.

Also to clarify, I am certain the cars only change when you race in different levels, rookie, pro and all star, not with the actual difficulty you use race to race such as serious for example.