Forza Horizon 4: General Discussion

[Moglet]

Taken from u/Qavek on Reddit. The "next FH must be in Japan" thing is still going it seems.

The amount of switchbacks on this is hilarious
I would hope that they would "zoom out" a little with the map though, the area covered there is tiny compared to the country as a whole and I think it would be a shame to not be able to head to areas like Shikoku. Mainly because I could then re-create my real life drive in something a bit more exciting than this:

 

[Populuxe]

Having actually been to Yokohama just a year ago, I can whole-heartedly approve this fantasy of FH5 in Japan.

 

[DDastardly00]

Having actually been to Yokohama just a year ago, I can whole-heartedly approve this fantasy of FH5 in Japan.

One could only dream, please, please let that leak not be fake.

 

[MagpieRacer]

One could only dream, please, please let that leak not be fake.

Is it even a leak? I thought it was just a fan made thing .

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

One could only dream, please, please let that leak not be fake.

They "leaked" that FH4 was in Japan too.

I think FH eventually goes to Japan, because it has the added incentive of potentially giving Japanese customers a reason buy an Xbox.

 

[Silver Arrows]

They "leaked" that FH4 was in Japan too.

I think FH eventually goes to Japan, because it has the added incentive of potentially giving Japanese customers a reason buy an Xbox.

I mean sure, but that ship has long since sailed and I think Microsoft has given up on trying to get Japanese players involved.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

I mean sure, but that ship has long since sailed and I think Microsoft has given up on trying to get Japanese players involved.

To an extent, yes. But if you're making a racing game, that game has to be set somewhere, and fans have lobbied for Japan for years. So you satisfy the contingent of your community that wanted that location, and you maybe temporarily increase your footprint in Japan.

I don't think FH5: Japan would give Microsoft a solid foothold in the Japanese market finally, or anything like that - I agree that ship has sailed. More precisely, it was probably never seaworthy in the first place (Nintendo and Sony have huge, obvious and institutional advantages there). But selling consoles is selling consoles.

 

[L8 Apex]

Unless and until Toyota is ready to come back to the negotiating table, Horizon in Japan isn't happening. As omissions go, it would be beyond glaring.

 

[WanganDream]

Even if FH5 (or future Horizon) becomes Japan, they will not buy it.
There are only two CS racing games in Japan. It's Gran Turismo and Mario Kart.
The majority of Japanese consumers only see these two brands.

Gran Turismo, Mario Kart monopoly by two major brands.
And Japan Microsoft's negligence and failure history. (They completely killed the Xbox brand in Japan)
Both Xbox and Forza can no longer hope for success in Japan. In the first place most players do not even know Forza.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

And Japan Microsoft's negligence and failure history. (They completely killed the Xbox brand in Japan)

They made good faith efforts to break into that market with games like Lost Odyssey and Blue Dragon in the 360 era, but it's just extremely difficult. As you say, as far as Japan is concerned, there's two brands. It's almost impossible to break through that wall, as a fundamentally Western company. However, I think a FH5 that let Japanese consumers drive around an approximation of their own country, would move SOME consoles. Not enough to really change the dynamic there at all, but some. Assuming they get Toyota back to the table, of course.

Phil Spencer all but acknowledged at E3, that they have given up on making inroads into Japan with their actual hardware for the time being, and instead have pivoted to trying to sell Japanese publishers on what Microsoft can do to bring their games to the rest of the world. Hence, you've got them giving their stage to games like Kingdom Hearts 3 and Jump Force in prominent slots, at both E3 and XO18 last year. They also actually got the Devil May Cry 5 demo for Xbox before anyone else. But I doubt you see another Lost Odyssey-esque attempt to sell the Japanese on their console.

 

[Techlet]

Unless and until Toyota is ready to come back to the negotiating table, Horizon in Japan isn't happening. As omissions go, it would be beyond glaring.

Yeah imagine a Horizon game set in Britain without Rolls Royce.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

Yeah imagine a Horizon game set in Britain without Rolls Royce.

Rolls are certainly a quintessentially British company, but I don't think the absence of their actual cars is felt that much in the game. Maybe that's just me.

Toyota would be a different story, because they've got a bunch of cars that are inseparable from the racing culture there. It'd be more like if FH4 didn't have Aston Martin or Lotus.

Do we know why Rolls Royce weren't in the game? We heard a lot of about Mitsubishi and Toyota, but I don't recall ever actually reading why they dropped out.

 

[Cloudy]

Rolls are certainly a quintessentially British company, but I don't think the absence of their actual cars is felt that much in the game. Maybe that's just me.

Toyota would be a different story, because they've got a bunch of cars that are inseparable from the racing culture there. It'd be more like if FH4 didn't have Aston Martin or Lotus.

Do we know why Rolls Royce weren't in the game? We heard a lot of about Mitsubishi and Toyota, but I don't recall ever actually reading why they dropped out.

I remember some T10 member saying that the reason they were in since FM5 was part of some deal they made, but it isn't in effect anymore.....at the worst possible time too

 

[Techlet]

Do we know why Rolls Royce weren't in the game? We heard a lot of about Mitsubishi and Toyota, but I don't recall ever actually reading why they dropped out.

People have been saying that Rolls didn't want their cars covered in dirt and mud. But the marketing campaign for the Cullinan says rather differently.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

People have been saying that Rolls didn't want their cars covered in dirt and mud. But the marketing campaign for the Cullinan says rather differently.

Oh wait, I think I do remember hearing that particular theory, which is hilarious if it's true.

Maybe it's different for the Cullinan since it's a SUV, but they demanded a contract that guaranteed no dirt on any of their other cars? Haha.

I wish I could sit in on some of these negotiations. I'd love to know the kind of stupid stuff some of the manufacturers ask for or demand, to "protect" their brands. I know demanding no extreme damage modeling is pretty standard, because Ferrari don't want people to see screenshots of their cars smashed all to hell, or think they crumple up easily in collisions.

 

[Techlet]

Maybe it's different for the Cullinan since it's a SUV, but they demanded a contract that guaranteed no dirt on any of their other cars? Haha.

Yeah. Even then, you'd think Horizon would be the perfect advertisement for the Cullinan if they wanted to attract a "younger" audience even if it means the absence of other models.

I know demanding no extreme damage modeling is pretty standard, because Ferrari don't want people to see screenshots of their cars smashed all to hell, or think they crumple up easily in collisions.

It's hilarious because you don't need to look too hard to find videos of Ferrari crashes posted by their own "influencer" customers. Or, alternatively, Vettel 2018 compilations. :V

 

[Gotbeefboy564]

Just reached my garage limit are they gonna raise the limit or will it stay at 550 cars?

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

Just reached my garage limit are they gonna raise the limit or will it stay at 550 cars?

Garage limit increase should go live before the next monthly update, Jonk (I think?) said on Twitter. They are extensively testing it first, because it modifies save files, which comes with obvious risks.

 

[RazorSharkz]

Oh wait, I think I do remember hearing that particular theory, which is hilarious if it's true.

Maybe it's different for the Cullinan since it's a SUV, but they demanded a contract that guaranteed no dirt on any of their other cars? Haha.

I wish I could sit in on some of these negotiations. I'd love to know the kind of stupid stuff some of the manufacturers ask for or demand, to "protect" their brands. I know demanding no extreme damage modeling is pretty standard, because Ferrari don't want people to see screenshots of their cars smashed all to hell, or think they crumple up easily in collisions.

I wonder if any of them are (bad example) like "Our BMW has to have better handling than the Audi it competes with". I follow Rock Band and Harmonix said a few months ago that more than one band had pulled out of the game over customizable characters being a thing. Just crazy petty stuff.

 

[GTvsForza]

After playing the community championship (which was a blast!), I finally had enough Credits for Edinburgh. From the 10 Super Spins, I only got back 1/15 of what I spent... and a Unimog

 

[Turboteg90]

Its almost here.

 

[Populuxe]

Its almost here.

I am so looking forward to Thursday. Both the Kadett and the Imp are so much me I can't stand it.

 

[ClydeYellow]

Now that we got such priceless classics as the Imp, Cortina, Anglia and Mini, would anybody be interested in a Vintage Saloon MP championship in FH4?

 

[Apple Slipper]

Its almost here.

Hammond: "OLLIIIIVVVEERRR!!"

 

[ykiki]

The whole "they're not going to make a future Horizon game take place in Japan because Microsoft has given up on selling consoles in Japan" thing made me think...

Was FH4 set in the UK because they needed to sell consoles in Britain? Or Australia with FH3? Heck, was the franchise started because Xbox needed a foothold in Colorado?

Maybe the developers are simply looking for interesting and fun settings? In that respect, certainly Japan fits the bill.

Granted it would be a bit odd without Toyota...

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

The whole "they're not going to make a future Horizon game take place in Japan because Microsoft has given up on selling consoles in Japan" thing made me think...

Was FH4 set in the UK because they needed to sell consoles in Britain? Or Australia with FH3? Heck, was the franchise started because Xbox needed a foothold in Colorado?

Maybe the developers are simply looking for interesting and fun settings? In that respect, certainly Japan fits the bill.

Granted it would be a bit odd without Toyota...

I think an interesting and fun setting is certainly the first consideration, but if they were considering Japan, I could certainly see Xbox chiming in, in favour of it for business reasons.

Xbox actually could use a boost in the UK, and I get the impression FH4 might have delivered one, with how relentlessly it seemed to hang around the UK Top 10 sales list for a while (no idea where it sits now).

 

[SVX]

Or Australia with FH3?

Wouldn't surprise me. Any time V8 Supercars or Bathurst were in a game, the Aus/NZ versions had it plastered all over the cover. I reckon the same would work for an entire game set there.

 

[Moglet]

After playing the community championship (which was a blast!), I finally had enough Credits for Edinburgh. From the 10 Super Spins, I only got back 1/15 of what I spent... and a Unimog

The community routes are generally superior to those created by the devs for me, however they desperately need a way to add better corner markers because it's very easy to miss a turning.

 

[ShakesMcQueen]

The community routes are generally superior to those created by the devs for me, however they desperately need a way to add better corner markers because it's very easy to miss a turning.

I've enjoyed them, but I find them all a bit long and overly-winding. There was one track in particular, that seemed to take me over every single bloody road in the entire festival area, haha.

I do wish PG would take the chosen user routes and spruce them up a bit with actual barriers, stands, and so on, though I suppose it's not a huge deal at the end of the day.

 

[Moglet]

I've enjoyed them, but I find them all a bit long and overly-winding. There was one track in particular, that seemed to take me over every single bloody road in the entire festival area, haha.

I do wish PG would take the chosen user routes and spruce them up a bit with actual barriers, stands, and so on, though I suppose it's not a huge deal at the end of the day.

I really enjoyed the rally route that took me all over the festival!