Driveclub

[MeanElf]

Knowing history, Evolution Studios shut down MotorStorm: Pacific Rift's servers leaving all the online exclusive cars locked unless you've ticked all the requirements. Absolutely no patches were made to 'unlock' the online cars.

The case is more severe in MotorStorm: Apocalypse. If you have no internet connection, you're left with one vehicle per class since all the other vehicles are only unlockable via online multiplayer. Couldn't recall if the servers were still up by now.

Well, hopefully Sony will not be doing that with DC - it is Sony's call after all. I think I'll tweet them and XDevs to see if I can get some confirmation (assuming that they are the ones caretaking now.)

Thanks for the info by the way.

I don't think game design has really become harder, at least not relatively. The tools are no doubt a lot better than what they had to work with in the 80's and 90's, the industry collectively has a lot more experience, and they are no longer as limited by the hardware as they used to be. The expected quantity of content, and the quality of said content, has certainly gone up, which in turn requires more time. But the actual process of making this content isn't harder due to better tools and industry experience.

Agreed, the tools for use with coding are far better, also the coding skills of those developers working with the game engine they create/use/adapt for the game too. I still feel that game design and aims have grown more complex though. Take DC as an example. There is the base game and the career races. Add then the fully dynamic weather and time change to this for the arcade and online options. Interwoven throughout all that is the live-updating that the game does, matching your scores with the thousands of other players live, all so you can get a challenge whilst running arcade laps or races. Then there is the online itself, the challenges too and of course a truly stupendous and comprehensive photo mode that remembers where and when all non-dynamic aspects of the background game have occurred; then there are the complex, dynamic aspects running alongside it all which ensure that any one arcade event will not be the same as the last, even with the same settings. True, not all games run to that level - however, a lot of them do.

...but you can't tell me that you've never played something where you've encountered a bug that is so obvious that it makes you think how it is possible that no one noticed it during playtesting?

True, I've butted up against things like that. I don't let it get to me though. If I like the game and it doesn't break it so that I cannot progress, then I'll see what thet developer brings out next. If they continue to do that, then I'll likely not bother getting future games.

I think though that you answered this yourself.

...Some bugs are only produced under very specific circumstances, making it entirely possible that they elude the play testers. I'm more talking about obvious ones, or releasing a game before all the content is ready.

...The consumer base has grown too, which should mean that the added time and cost required in producing a game should be offset.

Problem now though is that a game (like a film) has to succeed within the first week or the 'reviews' by gamers will cast doubts on the game's worth in the minds of those who haven't bought yet and pay attention to those kind of reviews.

...If you're making a game that is centered around its online component, then you have one or more betas to test the net code before release. That is common sense.

As with DC again we unfortunately know that's not how it works. Beta testing was done on DC (though not public) and apparently it is difficult to simulate for the kind of numbers that a game at launch can attract. Sony or Evolution made a mistake in that respect and paid the price. I'm sure that DC's example has led many developers to try for actual, closed and open beta phases. I see what you mean, but I still don't think it is that simple overall.

 

[Jawehawk]

That feeling when numerous high level manufacturer accolades line up perfectly to make you gain multiple driver levels in a row. At 115 now. Just five more to go.

Edit: Lvl 116 now

 

[PorscheHD]

Does anyone else also has the problem that you cant play any other racegame because the carmodels ar no where near as nice As in Driveclub?

Project Cars and Assetto Corsa are just ugly....

 

[Dairyworker]

I tell people all the time that driveclub is still the best looking ps4 racer. Put it back in a few weeks back after a long time away and i just can't stop playing it now

 

[MeanElf]

Does anyone else also has the problem that you cant play any other racegame because the carmodels ar no where near as nice As in Driveclub?

Project Cars and Assetto Corsa are just ugly....

I can't say anything about those two games, though I have seen vids, so sort of have an idea what you mean.

I'm playing NFS 2015 right now though and I really think the environment is great - true, it doesn't stand up to DC with regard to the detail modelling - see the scenery thread here but at least its environment kept pace with DC.

 

[Marc30599]

I can't say anything about those two games, though I have seen vids, so sort of have an idea what you mean.

I'm playing NFS 2015 right now though and I really think the environment is great - true, it doesn't stand up to DC with regard to the detail modelling - see the scenery thread here but at least its environment kept pace with DC.

Yeah the rain effect on nfs looks good but DC does rain even better

 

[MeanElf]

Yeah the rain effect on nfs looks good but DC does rain even better

Agreed, from a driving point of view DC is the full deal with all the water run-off going forward under braking, the collection of droplets outside the wiper-sweep is sublime. I meant more though for general environment, the gestalt of it in NFS is up there alongside DC - good stuff.

 

[Pearl Jam]

Anyone having the same trouble as me tonight with friends list not loading ? also online it's just blank spaces I'm racing against

 

[Dairyworker]

Yeah man, same problem here. Since yesterday afternoon sometime.

 

[MOPARbarrett5]

Yes, I got this when I tried to load friend challenges for my club.

 

[Chikane_GTR]

Guess this is how the purge begins with DC

 

[Gr4ndy]

Also had issues with Driveclub's network during last few weeks- it was loosing connection all the time. (ps4 is connected with ethernet on 120mb/s network, so that wasn't the problem). It couldn't connect to the servers, so I had no leaderboards or face-offs.

 

[Dairyworker]

Guess this is how the purge begins with DC

I seriously hope this isn't the beginning of the end for the online servers. I only just recently came back to this amazing game after probably close to a year away. I was surprised to see full lobbies for online races still, so hopefully this is just an issue they need to fix.

Can any of the folks who have been around consistently comment on weather or not this happens from time to time.....

 

[Jawehawk]

I've been fairly active in a game since I got it, and have been experiencing network problems often. I doubt it's anything to worry about.

 

[PorscheHD]

Is there already some news about Rushy new project ??

 

[SlimCharles]

Is there already some news about Rushy new project ??

No, and it's seems he doesn't want to be asked about it (he retweeted someone saying "I wish you don't have the rush to launch your game" or something like that and he doesnn't answer to the people asking for the project anymore) because, apparently, there is still a long way to go.

It will be announced this year, but who knows when.

 

[MeanElf]

...Can any of the folks who have been around consistently comment on weather or not this happens from time to time.....

Like @Jawehawk I can confirm that this really isn't too much to be concerned about. It does happen randomly, more so now that Evolution are no longer in charge but I've never really known it be more than a few hours.

If server support were truly ending, it'd more than likely be sudden, total and final, not a succession of brown-outs.

In the meantime, best is probably to jump into the game and just run whatever until it all pops back up again.

 

[Pearl Jam]

Like @Jawehawk I can confirm that this really isn't too much to be concerned about. It does happen randomly, more so now that Evolution are no longer in charge but I've never really known it be more than a few hours.

If server support were truly ending, it'd more than likely be sudden, total and final, not a succession of brown-outs.

In the meantime, best is probably to jump into the game and just run whatever until it all pops back up again.

nearly a week later and it's still the same, beginning to wonder if it's just my PS4 that's playing up

 

[MeanElf]

That's definitely odd @Pearl Jam I'm looking at the same page you have shown and am seeing a full list. Have you rebooted your PS4 lately? It doesn't seem like it's your PS4 but maybe the hub could do with a reboot too.

 

[Pearl Jam]

That's definitely odd @Pearl Jam I'm looking at the same page you have shown and am seeing a full list. Have you rebooted your PS4 lately? It doesn't seem like it's your PS4 but maybe the hub could do with a reboot too.

And how exactly do you reboot it ? Never done that before

 

[Dairyworker]

I am still having the same issue for more than a week now. My ps4 gets shutdown daily and no other game is given me any issue like this. Strange.....

 

[doblocruiser]

You can shutdown your PS4 completely. Deconnect it from the electricity net. Reboot your router and then hookup your PS4 and start it up.

It could change one or 2 things

 

[MeanElf]

And how exactly do you reboot it ? Never done that before

Pretty much like @doblocruiser suggests, but you can also select 'Restart your PS4' from the shut-down menu options (which is essentially the same function as reboot.) The Hub you can simply turn off the switch, unplug for 10-15 seconds and then switch back on and let it go through its boot up cycle. Whilst on the subject of hubs - is yours an old one (more than five years or so?) If it's a BT hub you will get periodic updates and these are what can cause certain connection issues if you don't reboot. Older models also get let behind with regard to the updates so it's best to consider that. It should be a free replacement with BT if I remember correctly, possibly Virgin too.

I am still having the same issue for more than a week now. My ps4 gets shutdown daily and no other game is given me any issue like this. Strange.....

Not overheating is it? If so, make sure the vents have plenty of circulation space and are cleared of dust regularly (once a month at least.) You could also buy a small table-top fan to direct cool air over it if this happens.

 

[Dairyworker]

Naw she doesn't overheat, i am very mindful of that. Sits on an upside-down milk crate with plenty of room to breath and i vacuum the vents at least once a month. Perhaps it is regional, i know a few of my friends having the same issue are in the same part of the country as me.

 

[MeanElf]

Seems like a few others are seeing (or not) other players online just recently.

 

[Pearl Jam]

Seems like a few others are seeing (or not) other players online just recently.

Yeah same here...although is there anyone to contact about this now that Evo is no more? It's getting really annoying now!

 

[MeanElf]

Yeah same here...although is there anyone to contact about this now that Evo is no more? It's getting really annoying now!

Other than Sony or the local Sony branch, unfortunately not. I tried X-Devs who are the ones that usually get this kind of work but they replied that unfortunately they aren't in control of DC.

You could give https://twitter.com/AskPlayStation a go if you are on Twitter. If nothing else, they could probably pass the info on.

 

[Pearl Jam]

Hooray. The friends list and online leaderboards are back, now I can see who I keep losing to again

 

[Jawehawk]

Came back to the game after 2 weeks or so, and found my own challenge, with just 4 hours to go, having 140 participants! Holy hell that is awesome. And I'm placed at 7th!

 

[Jawehawk]

If anyone is interested, I have a hardcore challenge up and running featuring the Ferrari F40. Might be fun to push the alien drivers out of their comfort zone

Also reached level 120 today.