FM3 Reviews by GTP members

[shadynader]

Snip

I am glad i read your review before writing my own as i totally agree with your opinion. However I dont agree on your scoring methods. Graphics & sound should have been scored seperately like 5 for gfx and 9 for sound (thats what i would have scored them). All in all, great review.

 

[Jay]

Yeah its truly sad how close minded and 1 sided some of the people on this site are about GT compared to Forza. Im glad I am a very open minded person or I would have missed out on how wonderful the Forza series truly is.

This is a GT website, little hard to avoid that, it's the same thing in reverse at Forza sites.

Its better than GT in so many ways. And thats coming from someone that used to absolutely love the GT series. IMO it just doesnt compare to Forza especially not Forza 3.

As you know we have yet to have a full featured GT since Forza has been on a scene, little hard to make proper comparisons of which is better just yet. In the end it will come down to preference anyway.

 

[Racer3X]

I don't think Forza and GT5 is competing. They are so different in so many ways. I like them both and not to forget that competition is allways good for us

I got an email from Fanatec, they've send me my wheel now (I'm so happy,hi hi)

 

[Mermadium]

Mermadium:Right now I'm in love with Forza3. After all I read about it here in the forum I really thought it was Arcade and bad :/

I tried Trials hd,took me a while to find it.Everything is so different on Xbox360, but I don't know if I like it, but I bought another game "Geometry Wars2",great fun

Yeah, i agree with you, forza is a great package, like you i got it because i needed a racing fix and this worked like a charm, and i'm also enjoying the xbox experience, and i like the controller better too, i find the triggers give better range for accelerating and braking 👍

 

[JasBird]

None of those cars you mentioned are hard to drive Nor do they show realistic handling traits mid corner if you abruptly lift off the throttle...which makes the game and physics way too simplified. The weight transfer just doesn't seem to work all that realistically in that situation sorry to say. Entering a corner is about as simple as hitting your braking point, trailing off the brake and turning in for the apex. The physics don't penalize you much with any oversteer at all for the way you enter the corner, in regards to your smoothness with the inputs (letting off the brake, feeding steering in slowly and carefully, etc) . Regardless of what you do the rear always seems to maintain unrealistic amounts of traction and stability...which is a huge flaw to anyone who knows vehicle physics.

The 993 GT2 is basically a death trap for all but the best drivers in real life. In the game you can basically punch the throttle mid corner and abruptly lift off without worrying one bit over having a moment...do this in real life and you would be stacked up in the tire wall from massive snap oversteer that you could only control with the throttle The car does seem to show a bit of oversteer entering a corner when you do carry to much brake and steering input into the corner, but it doesn't penalize you nearly to the extreme in the way it would in real life.

The physics are really my only gripe of FM3...everything else about the game is wonderful with many aspects that I find much better than Prolouge But the problem for me is that the physics are the most important part of a racing game...and FM3 is a let down in its simplicity

Isn't that the textbook example of how to take a corner?

 

[Dave A]

No, because while that's not wrong, cornering is so much more complex than that. What I think he's saying is that in the game it's that simple, whereas in real life it's not.

 

[JasBird]

I know it's more complex than that, but you can't say that the basic principle is wrong. I know what he meant, but I just found it funny.

 

[Jay]

No one said the principle is wrong, he said it was simplified.

 

[alba]

To me, Forza3's better at handling the livery editor. Now just waiting to see how it is in GT5 *wink wink*


;-)

 

[JB-BMW1989]

I should give it a solid B+. It's too easy especially on the medium difficulty and the problem is that the physics is almost the same as Forza Motorsport 2. The graphics are awesome, the menus are better, the presentation is good, but the car selections are passable. The worst car I drove in this game is the Z4 M Coupe. Compared to the latest one, the Z4 M Coupe looks like the Fairlady S30Z which shares the look and the handling. Somehow the game lacks the good selections of body kits and wheels in the upgrade option, but overall, it deserves a B+.

 

[mtgear1]

i would also give is a B+, the physics are better than GT5 prologue but not as good as the GT5 demo. thats about it , physics, the graphics are not as good as GT 5 prologue ( just look at the cockpit view of the nsx in both cars, day and night, GT is waaay better) and the steering wheel lacks 360 degree trun ( ironic xbox.. 360)

 

[Bogie 19th]

I actually think the physics in the GT5 demo are still trailing FM3 and Race Pro, but it's an improvement over GT5p no question.

 

[tinram]

here's my experience.

I heard so much about forza that i decided to buy the game, but my friend said to borrow his xbox/forza first, so i did. I bought MS wireless wheel so i would feel the physics. I agree it's probably the best driving game for xbox, and the game has a lot of content. i played it for 3 days trying to figure out why everybody says it's awesome.

I ended up returning the xbox and thanking my friend, and finally returned the steering wheel tonight.

I currently have a g27 with a cockpit, so i think i have a pretty good setup. Maybe it's just me, but the game was not for me.

Fanatec would have helped, but the last one i bought broke within 2 days.

 

[oqvist]

the Nissan S15 drifts with its tail right at the guardrail on a mountain pass. The correct method for drifting has the nose of the car at the inner edge of the corner so the car goes right around the apex to have the fastest racing line. Clearly Forza is focusing on dramatic effect rather than demonstrating proper driving technique or proper racing.

Great review but this part I don´t understand? If you are drifting you aren´t taking the fastest route around the corner. That should include no drifting at all

Isn´t the actual sport of drifting more about being flashy rather then going fast around a track ... So that would mean kissing the guard rail rather then hitting some booring apex in this case.

 

[mtgear1]

i would also give is a B+, the physics are better than GT5 prologue but not as good as the GT5 demo. thats about it , physics, the graphics are not as good as GT 5 prologue ( just look at the cockpit view of the nsx in both cars, day and night, GT is waaay better) and the steering wheel lacks 360 degree trun ( ironic xbox.. 360)

wow.. after spending a few more days playing i am changing the grading to b-

1. steering wheel is crap compared to the logitech official gt wheel
2. graphics makes it look like a video game, i have been spoiled by GT5 prologue, which looks real
3. replay is crap, enjoyed watching the replay on GT, FM3 is painful to watch
4. cockpit view is worse than initial impressions, noticed the in car redline of 8k is actually 9k in the hud (NSX-r GT)... why?, and how come i cant see the leather stitching in the f430 cockpit??
5. the brake pedal is an on/off switch
6. physics is still good, the only saving grace ( still cant figure our why its so difficult to spin out in a mid engine super car with all assists off, or why a bone stock honda fit is spinning it wheels all through 1st gear when trying to roll from a stop)


Polyphony please hurry with GT5, save me from this foreign land

 

[mtgear1]

and dont forget to pony up $50 for a "gold" membership , just so you can use the multiplayer feature... we all know Micro$oft has no money left...

 

[H3avyM3tal]

I always wanted to find out what Forza is all about, so I finally got the chance, and got me the F3 xbox bundle.

I will make this short.

I don't care if the physics in this game were 10 levels above anything GT will ever accomplish - this game simply have no soul. Racing feels bland and boring, because everything BUT the cars feels wrong. Take for example Sedona. To me that course does not feel like racing. Too many elevation changes that is feels like a roller coaster, in a bad way. Going up, going down, going up, going down, straight, going up, going down. Feels sick, and there is no sense of racing. And that is what gets me with this game - It is not consistant.

The fantasy courses lack originality, the world courses feel too bare and empty, like driving in the desert. Even the Nurb feels empty. Parts of that course feels like they are going through a scene in Farcry. Where is the feeling of trees closing in in every direction? Now why inconsistant? Because there are some preety amazing cars to choose, but cars that I wouldn't dare racing in the likes of Sedona or FK.

If you could not tell so far, than something feels very wrong to me when I play - there is no sense of accomplishment. Nowhere in this game, never once, did I tell myself wow that was a ride. Instead all I want to do as soon as the race starts, is finish it.

Great physics can not compensate for the lack of originality gameplay wise.

This game is good looking at times, and really wrong at others (take a look at the 22B inside the tunnel in Sedona). Music selection is, well, selective, and I can listen to everything I want really, but what the game has to offer is pretty bad in my opinion.

Cars sound sah-weet though!

Overall, no soul - no go, so my score is "not feeling it" (atleast I have the xbox left with me ).

 

[d3br34k5]

and dont forget to pony up $50 for a "gold" membership , just so you can use the multiplayer feature... we all know Micro$oft has no money left...

This kind of comment has no place here.

Xbox Live costs ~$50/year, don't like it? Don't pay. $50/year is an extremely small price to pay for an excellent online gaming/entertainment platform. If I see something that interests me, I'll pay for PSN premium content when it becomes a reality too. Nobody's forcing anyone to drop coin on anything they don't need.

As far as controller physics fun goes, I'd have to give the title to Forza 3 against the GT5 TT Demo. I haven't played both Forza 3 and the GT5 TT Demo with a wheel yet, so I'll reserve my uneducated opinion on how that compares. I play aids off with a wheel, of course, but I run with comparible aids on both games when using a controller.

I liked one of the previous comments; someone said that Forza 3 could be considered GT5 and the imminent GT5 release could be considered GT6. I can easily go along with that and I only get to play Forza once a week at best.

I just can't justify buying an Xbox360 for one game I really need to play. With 2 (2 is really unnecessary ) gaming PCs and a PS3, I just can't convince myself to put another entertainment machine into my network. I waste too much time with gaming as it is.

 

[oqvist]

Well I got some way in now. It´s good but it´s to easy. It has the same difficulty modes like in Forza 2. Meaning you really can´t loose at medium but on hard you generally need to drive better cars unless you want to sit with the same race for an hour or so. Otherwise you are guaranteed third place. Since there is always two max three opponents that sit in fast cars.

It´s more fun racing equal cars in hard mode though the game really doesn´t give you any incentive too. You loose tons of money if you don´t win each and every race and the 10 % penalty on bonuses doesn´t really make up for it.

Same goes with this rewind feature. Yes it can be great but not if you are allowed to spam it to no end! The argument don´t use it doesn´t apply since if you know you have a crutch some of the tension is lost. But then again if you run at medium you can crash three times each lap and still win so it only applies on hard setting.

Also I think the game spams car reward. You get a new car every second race or so! Which is again great for the medium runners that are more after unlocking content then racing. What is the point to upgrade a car if you will get an upgraded car for free for the next race?

But other than that it´s great. GT 5 demos can´t compare at any level more then watching replays. Which I hardly never have time to. I am more into the racing part

 

[Honda-Crz]

I'm buying a Super Elite just for Forza 3, after I get the money from RETURNING my FAULY Dj Hero: Renegade Edition. (Those ShopTo hooligans!!)

 

[oqvist]

Super Elite? Get the cheapest 360 possible if it´s just for forza 3. You do need a harddrive though

 

[LittleBahamut]

There are some nice post in this thread about this game, and I want to add some more to it.

I am finding a hard time enjoying this game and I try to enjoy, but it isn't working. The attention to detail in Forza 3 is pretty terrible in my opinion. Here are some of the reasons:

1. Graphics are terrible! I know graphics aren't everything, but Forza 3 looks terrible compared to the screen shots of GT5. I am having a hard time keeping my eyes on the screen when the graphics are not up to par or even close to the screenshots of GT5. (Maybe I shouldn't have looked at those screenshots...)

2. The cockpits aren't impressive at all, because I feel like I am playing on an Xbox 1. Take for example of a Scion tc. I have one myself and want to puke at the way Turn 10 did it. The dash is not LIGHT like that. I do not see the small wavy pattern on the dash either. Pretty much the whole interior is too light. Many of the cockpits look cheaply put together as if a Turn 10 just looked at interior pictures online and quickly slapped it together and say its ok.

3. Speedometer aren't accurate. If my tc in the game reads 125MPH, why is the actual speedometer read 100? What about the supra? I noticed something funny once I pass 3rd gear. When you shift into 4th gear, the car will start at 125MPH and begin to move up. Notice how the speedometer won't go pass 180.

There are many more I can list, but I am just upset that I wasted money on this game since I couldn't wait for GT5. I won't be buying from Turn 10 ever again. I just feel like they didn't actually take the time like GT is. It was simply "lets slap this on as soon as possible before GT5 comes out to make a quick buck."

The only thing I do like about this game is the car sounds and thats it. Other than that, I really want GT5 to come out soon and Turn 10 will look at GT5 and go "Oh we are so ****!"

 

[Watevaman]

There are some nice post in this thread about this game, and I want to add some more to it.

I am finding a hard time enjoying this game and I try to enjoy, but it isn't working. The attention to detail in Forza 3 is pretty terrible in my opinion. Here are some of the reasons:

1. Graphics are terrible! I know graphics aren't everything, but Forza 3 looks terrible compared to the screen shots of GT5. I am having a hard time keeping my eyes on the screen when the graphics are not up to par or even close to the screenshots of GT5. (Maybe I shouldn't have looked at those screenshots...)

The graphics aren't on par with GT5, I'll give you that, but they are nowhere near horrible. The amount of detail put into the models and the shading engine is pretty good. And the tracks and their details far surpass anything GT has to offer as far as I'm concerned.

2. The cockpits aren't impressive at all, because I feel like I am playing on an Xbox 1. Take for example of a Scion tc. I have one myself and want to puke at the way Turn 10 did it. The dash is not LIGHT like that. I do not see the small wavy pattern on the dash either. Pretty much the whole interior is too light. Many of the cockpits look cheaply put together as if a Turn 10 just looked at interior pictures online and quickly slapped it together and say its ok.

The cockpits aren't perfect, but then again, neither are GT's. The ones here are too bright, the ones in GT are covered in darkness. The angles in both are pretty horrendous, but I'd have to lean towards these as being closer to what I see when I drive.

3. Speedometer aren't accurate. If my tc in the game reads 125MPH, why is the actual speedometer read 100? What about the supra? I noticed something funny once I pass 3rd gear. When you shift into 4th gear, the car will start at 125MPH and begin to move up. Notice how the speedometer won't go pass 180.

I just took both a tC and both the RZ and 0-300 Supras out on the benchmark speedway and am wondering what is wrong with your eyesight. When I hit 125 on the HUD speedo, I took a look at the dash speedo and it read about a quarter of the way between 120 and 140 (which is 125). The Supra uses km/h on its speedo, and at the highest shift point for 3rd gear (approx 111 mph), the speedo reads just below 180 kph, which is perfect.

There are many more I can list, but I am just upset that I wasted money on this game since I couldn't wait for GT5. I won't be buying from Turn 10 ever again. I just feel like they didn't actually take the time like GT is. It was simply "lets slap this on as soon as possible before GT5 comes out to make a quick buck."

The only thing I do like about this game is the car sounds and thats it. Other than that, I really want GT5 to come out soon and Turn 10 will look at GT5 and go "Oh we are so ****!"

My responses in bold.

 

[LittleBahamut]

I just took both a tC and both the RZ and 0-300 Supras out on the benchmark speedway and am wondering what is wrong with your eyesight. When I hit 125 on the HUD speedo, I took a look at the dash speedo and it read about a quarter of the way between 120 and 140 (which is 125). The Supra uses km/h on its speedo, and at the highest shift point for 3rd gear (approx 111 mph), the speedo reads just below 180 kph, which is perfect.

Trying to quote that from Watevaman. (Don't know how to quote his bold from quoting my post. )

I should have edited that section about the supra's speedometer problem earlier but its too late that you replied already. What I meant to put is that when it reaches 180km/h in third gear, the MPH still continue to climb when getting into fourth gear. I don't like how you will have a MPH gauge on the side that will continue to climb in speed while you have a km/h gauge there. Why didn't Take 10 just use a interior model of a LHD supra with a MPH speedometer? I know I picky at times, but this small detail bugs me at times.

edit:

I took out the tc again in a long straight away and once again see the needle in 80MPH zone while the games gauge on the right reads 100MPH. I hope it have nothing to do with the engine swap I did earlier that the makers of the game didn't program correctly?

 

[DerekTX]

so far i've only played split screen with a couple friends in the free play mode, haven't installed disk two, but it's a joke. it feels arcadey, the graphics are meh, especially the 2d cardboard cut out spectators with the white around them. wtf is up with that? not impressed.

 

[Eric.]

I just took both a tC and both the RZ and 0-300 Supras out on the benchmark speedway and am wondering what is wrong with your eyesight. When I hit 125 on the HUD speedo, I took a look at the dash speedo and it read about a quarter of the way between 120 and 140 (which is 125). The Supra uses km/h on its speedo, and at the highest shift point for 3rd gear (approx 111 mph), the speedo reads just below 180 kph, which is perfect.

Trying to quote that from Watevaman. (Don't know how to quote his bold from quoting my post. )

I should have edited that section about the supra's speedometer problem earlier but its too late that you replied already. What I meant to put is that when it reaches 180km/h in third gear, the MPH still continue to climb when getting into fourth gear. I don't like how you will have a MPH gauge on the side that will continue to climb in speed while you have a km/h gauge there. Why didn't Take 10 just use a interior model of a LHD supra with a MPH speedometer? I know I picky at times, but this small detail bugs me at times.

edit:

I took out the tc again in a long straight away and once again see the needle in 80MPH zone while the games gauge on the right reads 100MPH. I hope it have nothing to do with the engine swap I did earlier that the makers of the game didn't program correctly?

So they need to make sure to use a LHD Supra because the JDM Supra's accurate speedometer does not suit you?

My GT500's speedometer only goes to 150 or 160. I hit 170mph on the Road Atlanta straight.
Of course GT won't have these issues, there is probably a whole team working 20 hours a day analyzing every tidbit about every car. The overall accuracy of the cars are more important. My car's gears are right on, in NFS Shift it doesn't even hit 8000 rpm...

 

[Bogie 19th]

1. Graphics are terrible! I know graphics aren't everything, but Forza 3 looks terrible compared to the screen shots of GT5. I am having a hard time keeping my eyes on the screen when the graphics are not up to par or even close to the screenshots of GT5. (Maybe I shouldn't have looked at those screenshots...)

Maybe your TV is terrible? The cars are not the best out there, but probably second best to GT5p. The environments in Forza 3 however, including track detail, are better than GT.

2. The cockpits aren't impressive at all, because I feel like I am playing on an Xbox 1. Take for example of a Scion tc. I have one myself and want to puke at the way Turn 10 did it. The dash is not LIGHT like that. I do not see the small wavy pattern on the dash either. Pretty much the whole interior is too light. Many of the cockpits look cheaply put together as if a Turn 10 just looked at interior pictures online and quickly slapped it together and say its ok.

As mentioned above Watevman, I too have found the GT cockpits not perfect, and too dark as well. The cockpits in FM3 are too bright on occasion, and some of them are missing working gauges.

3. Speedometer aren't accurate. If my tc in the game reads 125MPH, why is the actual speedometer read 100? What about the supra? I noticed something funny once I pass 3rd gear. When you shift into 4th gear, the car will start at 125MPH and begin to move up. Notice how the speedometer won't go pass 180.

I tried to reproduce this, and I am not able to. Everything is accurate when I just tried it, and found the same results as Watevaman.

 

[shadynader]

Playing Forza3 for the last 2 and a half weeks has made me appreciate why it takes so long to create a game like GT5. If any Gran Turismo follower reading this is thinking of buying a 360 for this game, my message is, do not waste your money. You WILL be highly disappointed for many, many reasons. But scenes this is the FM3 section of GTP i will try to look for the positives.

If you like painting/modifying cars then you will love Forza as these features are head and shoulders above most, if not all other racing games.

As Bogie pointed out above, some environments do look better than prologues (Suzuka is a prime example) mainly because the tracks look used/dirty as opposed to prologues 'clean' look.

The car sounds are better than prologues by a long shot but thats not hard to beat as prologues sound is not that good anyway imo.

Skidmarks

Now on the the bad points.

Everything else. I'm just glad this game has no head tracking because i wouldn't be able to see the road as my head is constantly shaking in disappointment.

To sum it up. If you have always been a GT player expecting something as good as or better than GT then save your money. As this game feels like a cheap imitation. Unless you own a 360 of course then its probably worth a go for £30-£35.

 

[FoolKiller]

As Bogie pointed out above, some environments do look better than prologues (Suzuka is a prime example) mainly because the tracks look used/dirty as opposed to prologues 'clean' look.

I can only speak for Road Atlanta, as I have been there in person, but I personally think it makes the tracks look like crap. FM3's Road Atlanta surface looks worse than I have ever seen the track in five visits during droughts, flooding rains, and perfect weather. Road Atlanta in-game even has this weird tar patch looking lines on the track that I have never seen.

Maybe it is because I have only been there for their premiere event, but I find myself distracted by it when I was hoping to enjoy driving a track that I love visiting in person.

 

[Eric.]

Maybe your TV is terrible? The cars are not the best out there, but probably second best to GT5p. The environments in Forza 3 however, including track detail, are better than GT.



As mentioned above Watevman, I too have found the GT cockpits not perfect, and too dark as well. The cockpits in FM3 are too bright on occasion, and some of them are missing working gauges.



I tried to reproduce this, and I am not able to. Everything is accurate when I just tried it, and found the same results as Watevaman.

I don't doubt that some speedometers aren't accurate. I believe my R33 GT-R's was off...It does have the real speedo in MPH. I'd be curious if changing the final drive or other gears would affect that. I'm not 100% sure but I think my R33 has the stock transmission.