Forza Motorsport 6 Review Thread

[Hillcrest34]

Imho, fluctuating framerates should never be an issue on console. Framerate should be locked, be it 60 or 30

Framerate variations should be in pc land only, where there is different hardware in play and also the option the vary graphical detail/resolution

For me, console gaming should be about consistency of gameplay and an absence of faffing about

For the record, I do drive on pc. I'm not a rabid console only gamer

I agree with you here, the problem is 1080P SIXTY FRAMES PER SECOND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is all the rage and developers are aiming to hit 60FPS. And even worse is that being able to hit 60 FPS on a console is considered an achievement. Console games need to be optimised and should be easy to play. Customization should be left to PCs

 

[SlipZtrEm]

The photos were great, did you take them yourself or did T10 provide them as part of a press pack?

See the images with the 6 on the watermark? Those were provided by T10. The others were my own.

 

[UKMikey]

See the images with the 6 on the watermark? Those were provided by T10. The others were my own.

Thanks, it was the Fulvia one I was wondering about so well done on the picture.

 

[VXR]

Interesting that the in-game watermark just says that and not include the 6. I just can't wait to get pictures.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

So now that the game has been out for about half a day, what are the first initial impressions?

 

[Igano]

So now that the game has been out for about half a day, what are the first initial impressions?

Mind blown?

 

[bremics]

The 6/10 is stupid, but I will agree with him on Drivatar weirdness.

Out 24 including me:
-2 had best laptimes around 3:12
-9 had best laptimes between 3:03 and 3:06
-5 had best laptimes around 3:00
-2 had best laptimes around 2:55
-3 had best laptimes around 2:50
-1 had a best laptime of 2:42
-My brother's Drivatar and myself had a near identical laptime of 2:28.605 and 2:28.405

Which is bizarre considering my brother barely played FM5 and I crushed all of his laptimes.

So Superfriends are still around.

 

[UkHardcore23]

Team VVV review in progress is up

http://www.teamvvv.com/en/news/comments/Forza-Motorsport-6-Review-In-Progress-Impressions

 

[Mr Latte]

I would like to hear more about the AI and what type of challenge the game can give in this respect.
Once a player gets used to the game is it the usual 1st place by the 3rd corner?
The all to common issue with most console racing games with AI seemingly doing 60% throttle , braking mid corner or hitting the anchors harder than your grandpa at the wheel.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

I would like to hear more about the AI and what type of challenge the game can give in this respect.
Once a player gets used to the game is it the usual 1st place by the 3rd corner?
The all to common issue with most console racing games with AI seemingly doing 60% throttle , braking mid corner or hitting the anchors harder than your grandpa at the wheel.

If you select Unbeatable Drivatars, they will consistently post Leaderboard-challenging times. The lower level Drivatars do have the problem of breaking mid-turn occasionally, which can be annoying.

 

[Overdrive003]

So the Unbeatable AI present a challenge now? In FM5 they're pushovers, so this is great news!

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

My first impressions/review after 30 hours of gameplay. Warning, this might be a bit long. Longest review I have ever typed.

I have put in at least a solid 30+ hours into F6. As many of you know I really despised F5 and did not support it at all. It came free with my X1 a year after launch. Just felt like a huge step backward from F4. That aside, T10 has fully redeemed themselves with F6. I absolutely LOVE F6. Just about verything in every aspect has improved. Absolutely blown away by how overwhelming this game is in terms of content and quality. The water and night racing is beyond incredible. Lighting is just stunning. F6 is not without flaws but this is THE best racing experience I have had in my entire life.

Campaign. This is by far one of the best campaigns in the Forza series. The mods and random showcase events are a lot of fun. One of the showcase events in the turbo race car (forgot the name) actually gave me goose bumps. Such insane acceleration after the turbo spooled (Zakspeed Turbo). You could actually feel the changes in the car as it blasted forward. Usually the Forza campaigns bore me but this one is excellent.

Painting (I Unlocked a medal for painting 10 hours and another medal about the community using over 500 of my designs)
This new paint system for sharing with the community has drastically improved over F5/FH2. I really like how we acquire money in 3 ways.
1. The paint job being downloaded.
2. When it is used in a race.
3. Again when it is "liked".
This works very well. In fact I actually like this better than the storefront / Auction house from previous Forza games. This allows for a LOT of designs to be created. Not sure if there is a limit. Some cars still have issues with vinyl placement or sections that cant be painted. Overall still works incredibly well.

League play (D class hopper no collisions)
Spent quite a few hours in league play. Truly enjoyed it so far. The tracks are pre-selected and you have maybe 45 seconds before races. The first available was with no collisions. Great way to start. I usually ended up placing somewhere in the middle of the group. Makes sense because I would say I am an average racer. I am not exactly sure how this system works but there were a few corner cutting issues. In fact on Lemans Bugatti circuit there is a section where everyone, besides myself, cuts. NO joke, when the race ends I am usually the only person that has a certified lap on this track. When we are racing ghosts with no collisions, the person with a certified lap, should be above anyone without a certified lap. Period. Hopefully that is taken into account when placing the ranks for leagues. Other than the Bugatti circuit on Lemans, the cutting isn't that bad. Just mainly that track. Especially in the rain.

Multiplayer (C class hopper with no collisions)
I only had a few cars for this so I didn't spend much time in here. Similar to league play but in here you can vote for the tracks.

Autocross. Always a favorite of mine since F1. Spent probably about an hour or so just testing this out and getting the feel of it.

Graphics. Absolutely phenomenal. The attention to detail is just so distracting at times. Fireworks in the back round, fully packed stadiums, insane curb and track detail, smoke from grills, leaves, dust clouds, rain effects, fog effects. Rain effects actually go INSIDE the car too if you have a convertible. Sheesh I could go on forever. There is a LOT to take in graphically. How this maintains 60fps with weather, night, 5,000 vinyls per car, and 24 cars is beyond impressive.

Audio. Audio is also very excellent. Especially the ambient sounds. Driving over steel crates in Rio, or hearing popping fireworks, or water puddles splashing under the vehicle. Subtle thunder in the back round and so much more.

Physics. Easily THE best of the series. Cars plant themselves to the road if built properly and can put up a fight without losing complete control. Feels so good to start losing traction and actually FEEL this happening so you can quickly let off before losing control. The puddle physics are beyond impressive. Best I have ever seen in a racing game. Hoping to see many more rain tracks in F7.

User Interface
The UI is very clean and easy to navigate. I really like how they have set up the car UI. You scroll left and right for the Manufacturer, then up and down. Works very well. You can also filter the cars you are looking for by class, drivetrain, and several more options.

Overall content
There is a LOT to do in this game. In fact it is actually overwhelming. At times I didn't not even know where I wanted to do because I wanted to do it all.

No game is perfect so here are a few improvements that can be made from overall observation of the game.

Improvements / complaints
-Still cant tune cars in multiplayer lobbies.
-If in a specific car and trying to load a paint design, it loads ALL of the designs ever created or downloaded. Instead of just for that specific vehicle.
-More home spaces
-League play
-Some of the Autovistas still seem unfinished. No commentary or still cant open hoods / trunks.
-A few bugs here and there on the tracks. One specifically on Lime Rock. A left curb that if hit just right, will stop the vehicle.
-Some engine audio is a bit mild. Would be nice to have an audio slider for different audio. Engine, tires, ambient.
-Slight lag / hesitation when buying and applying upgrade parts for cars.
-Some vinyls or paint jobs did not transfer from F5 / FH2
-Would like to see more night tracks
-Would also like to see more rain tracks

Conclusion
Overall just beyond impressed with F6. T10 has truly set a benchmark in overall quality for a racing game. Best game of the entire series. 9/10

 

[VXR]

Great review there @CAMAROBOY69

What impressed me the most with the graphics is the inside of the open top cars getting wet. Seems obvious, but I expect it's been overlooked before. Does Horizon 2 depict it?

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Great review there @CAMAROBOY69

What impressed me the most with the graphics is the inside of the open top cars getting wet. Seems obvious, but I expect it's been overlooked before. Does Horizon 2 depict it?

Ty and yes I also noticed it actually rains INSIDE the cars. The water beads up on the dash and the wheel and other details inside. I never expected that. I don't think that happens in FH2 at all. I will update my review with that detail.

 

[SimTourist]

Would like to add that Showcase events are actually not easy. In FM4/5 they were throwaway easy garbage for noobs, in FM6 I haven't been able to complete the the first passing and the cone gate challenges. I'll dive deep into showcases after I'm done with career, but it's nice to know that it won't be a cakewalk.

 

[CAMAROBOY69]

Would like to add that Showcase events are actually not easy. In FM4/5 they were throwaway easy garbage for noobs, in FM6 I haven't been able to complete the the first passing and the cone gate challenges. I'll dive deep into showcases after I'm done with career, but it's nice to know that it won't be a cakewalk.

Yeah no kidding. I tried the Viper showcase event at Daytona at night with the "Purist" dare card on and whoa it was tough. For those that don't know, the purist card means interior view and NO hud at all. Generally I run interior with no assists so that's no big deal. But dang no hud is much more difficult than you realize. That means not only you have no idea what place you are in, you don't know the damage taken, or the position you are in. I also did not know the track, and as I said, at night. Its a much more difficult experience. My front brakes were busted within the first lap. Only had rear brakes. I ended up in 4th place. It was a very immersive and awesome experience.

 

[GBO Possum]

Having just posted the following review of FM6 on Amazon, I got to realize once again just how good GT6 is in many ways. The devil is in the details, and FM6 attracted many Devils.

Read on:-

----------------------------------------------------

Defined by what's missing! This review is mainly for players who are experienced with the Xbox 360 versions of Forza. Others have commented on the positives and some of the obvious negatives, this review dives into details which you should know about before you buy.

I bought the Forza Motorsport version of the Xbox One with an FM6 code bundled into the deal. I also bought the Logitech G920 wheel. I have a history of obsession with all the prior Forza games, 1, 2, 3 and 4, having bought three copies of each, one for each of my consoles in a triple screen setup.

Removing "good stuff" is a tradition in Forza.

Forza 2 dropped the beloved Fujimi Kaido mountain track from Forza 1.
Forza 3 dropped "System Link", which allowed multiple players to compete on a LAN without requiring an Internet connection and Xbox Live subscription.
Forza 4 dropped local leaderboards which allowed us to keep a history of our prior lap times.
Forza 5 was so rushed it dropped most tracks including the Nordschleife initially and a whole bunch of stuff, so it can be safely regarded as "FM6 Prologue", and its content failures might as well be ignored.

Now to what's missing, or plain silly, with Forza 6 (compared with Forza 4 and earlier Forzas). This is not anything like a complete list, it's just the stuff which I find annoying.

1. Multi-screen support, which was provided in Forzas 1 through 4. When FM6 is demoed at trade shows, they set up three monitors, but the retail version doesn't support any form of multi screen.
2. The option to hold previous and best lap times on-screen continuously rather than just for ten seconds. It's gone before it can be read on many tracks, making it very difficult to work on skill improvement.
3. A real time indication of a "dirty lap" in career races. You have no idea if you're taking an "illegal" path until you look at your "best lap time" after the race is over. Of course, if it's "dirty", you have no idea of what you did wrong.
4. Decent HUD element contrast. My workaround is to "paint" my hood black and race in "hood view".
5. Ability to store more than ten replay saves. Yes, it's limited to 10 even on a 1TB Xbox One! You can't even save one replay for every track, let alone one for each track variant. I had hundreds of replays in FM4. Over a thousand in GT6. Ten is a joke.
6. FM6 needs an option to hide cosmetic damage, since the AI drivers are stupidly brutal and by the end of the first lap, the cars look like something out of a Mad Max, post apocalyptic suicide derby in photos and replays.
7. The in-game camera has been reduced from a max of 8.3 megapixels to a max of 2.1 megapixels.
8. Fujimi Kaido has been removed (again).
9. Mugello is gone.
10. So is Suzuka.
11. And Maple Valley has disappeared.
12. There is no longer an ability to create video files from replays.

Some silly things:-
1. The time of day for many tracks has been set to very early morning, so you're dealing with sun glare. Since the sun never moves as it does in Forza Horizon or GT5 and GT6, you're stuck with it.
2. Many replay cameras point directly into the sun
3. They have added distracting low flying kamikaze helicopters
4. "Mods". These are like magic potions which make your car better when applied, while not incrementing the Performance Index. They also don't tell you this, but, quite rightly, a car with a "mod" can never get a clean lap.
5. The "Help" system is a token effort, and can safely be ignored. Unless you enjoy feelings of frustration.

 

[SimTourist]

Your complaints are mostly valid, but I think a "review" should mention both the good and the bad.

 

[ImaRobot]

4. "Mods". These are like magic potions which make your car better when applied, while not incrementing the Performance Index. They also don't tell you this, but, quite rightly, a car with a "mod" can never get a clean lap

They also offer a mixed bag of decent challanges, as well. It's a nice feature. I'm pretty sure that dirty laps with it are mentioned in game

 

[GBO Possum]

Your complaints are mostly valid, but I think a "review" should mention both the good and the bad.

It was not intended as a "review". It got moved here by a mod. It was originally posted in a quite different context, in which I was complimenting GT6 for providing functionality which FM6 failed to do.

Yes, FM6 has many pros, but its lack of triple screen, lack of ability to display last and best lap times continuously, lack of ability to identify points of lap time dirtying and ludicrous inability to store more than ten replays mean that, to me, it is not a game which can even be considered as a competitor to GT6, and is an abysmal successor to FM4 and its predecessors.

So, while it has some very excellent features, without its ability to provide an immersive experience, support a learning process and provide a usable basis for creation of video and still images, it fails to deliver.

FM1, 2, 3 and 4 delivered, as do GT5 and 6.

 

[TonyJZX]

I'm of the opinion that the things this game, and many games get right, isnt worth repeating too much. Its 2015 and 2nd gen game, 2nd gen console, you should bit hitting every benchmark.

I expect a locked FHD 60fps. I get that. The price of this is the pre-baked lighting which I'm a strong opponent of.

I didnt understand when people said that Forza 6 looks arcade. It looks 'arcade' because of the static lighting. Cars look bright and primary because of the stark lighting.

Contrast this to other games that have variable and dynamic lighting. You may think this is unimportant but lighting has a huge effect on how realistic something looks.

I oftened wondered why they persist with the 10 save replay shots. The reason is they want you to upload the footage to your online account and share it. Their goal is for people to share their experience.

Again, many people dont care about that but they got that kind of insane in the brain. Same with the photos. Dont they go all online?

Here's a weird thing I noticed. There's no nascars and jgtc/super gt cars. I know the other mob have the license for them. I kind of miss them.

 

[ImaRobot]

Yes, FM6 has many pros, but its lack of triple screen, lack of ability to display last and best lap times continuously, lack of ability to identify points of lap time dirtying and ludicrous inability to store more than ten replays mean that, to me, it is not a game which can even be considered as a competitor to GT6, and is an abysmal successor to FM4 and its predecessors.

Thats a bit extreme if these minor bugs would make you think that. Are you acknowldgin the problems that GT has, because it doesn't seem like it. You're review was just fine, but that was just a broad statement.

 

[TonyJZX]

Double or triple screen is something half of 1% of people do. It needs a 2nd xbox, 2nd game disc, 2nd screen (obviously). I can see why they dropped it.

I can also see why they removed dirty lap indicators on races... when I race, I dont care how dirty I am, I'm here to win. To my thinking, its a distraction. In some games I like to get fastest lap in a race once I'm in 1st and I got nothing to do. That's when I think about doing a clean lap in a race.

I understand why people want these things, I also understand why they are gone.

 

[SimTourist]

I didnt understand when people said that Forza 6 looks arcade. It looks 'arcade' because of the static lighting. Cars look bright and primary because of the stark lighting.

Bright lighting has nothing to do with dynamic/static lighting. Horizon games have dynamic lighting and still have that high contrast bright look to them, it's a matter of art direction rather than tech. Most tracks in GT5/6 have pre-baked lighting but still look realistic because that's what the artists were going for.

Yes, FM6 has many pros, but its lack of triple screen, lack of ability to display last and best lap times continuously, lack of ability to identify points of lap time dirtying and ludicrous inability to store more than ten replays mean that, to me, it is not a game which can even be considered as a competitor to GT6, and is an abysmal successor to FM4 and its predecessors.

I think it's a bit extreme to say that Forza 6 is abysmal compared to anything, even if doesn't quite hit the same high notes as Forza 4 did for me, it's still an exceptionally well produced game. Besides I like to see each new entry as a stand-alone game as it makes for a more objective judgement, some features that were in X360's Forzas might simply be impossible to implement on X1 due to technical limitations, it's entirely plausible. Something like triple screen simply isn't supported by retail X1s, it's a matter of MS' stance on the subject rather than T10 so I can't blame them, etc.

 

[GBO Possum]

Thats a bit extreme if these minor bugs would make you think that. Are you acknowldgin the problems that GT has, because it doesn't seem like it. You're review was just fine, but that was just a broad statement.

They are certainly not "bugs", and in my opinion, they are not "minor".

I've been driving with three screens in front of me for nearly ten years. It's immersive. To sit there looking at a blank screen to the right and another to the left is not immersive. This is not "minor".

When I'm practicing or just racing, I seek to improve my lap times and technique. I need measurements to do this. Taking this data off the screen after ten seconds in most cases makes it difficult or impossible to assess progress in real time. This is not "minor".

I use replays for three purposes. To learn from and to provide sources for both photos and videos. In many cases, I will choose to save a replay in FM4 or GT6 "just in case". With the addition of a limit of ten saves, the only way I can realistically use this function is to plan ahead, deleting the "least important" saves ahead of time. To think that I might have so few interesting races in my entire future FM6 experience is a vote of no-confidence in the game! I'd expect to have many hundreds of experiences in FM6 worth preserving. If not, why not? Again, I don't call this artificial limitation "minor".

Yes, GT6 has some annoying weaknesses, just as FM4 and its predecessors did. But none of them are show stoppers for me.

Every time I go to save a replay and it says "no", I wonder "why?". Every time I look up and to the right to see my last lap time and find that it's gone already, I wonder "why?". Every time I look at my two empty screens I think of how FM6 can fill them in a trade show, but not in my home, and again, I wonder "why?".

These are not bugs, they are crazy design choices which seriously impact my enjoyment of the game.

 

[ImaRobot]

They are certainly not "bugs", and in my opinion, they are not "minor".

I've been driving with three screens in front of me for nearly ten years. It's immersive. To sit there looking at a blank screen to the right and another to the left is not immersive. This is not "minor".

When I'm practicing or just racing, I seek to improve my lap times and technique. I need measurements to do this. Taking this data off the screen after ten seconds in most cases makes it difficult or impossible to assess progress in real time. This is not "minor".

I use replays for three purposes. To learn from and to provide sources for both photos and videos. In many cases, I will choose to save a replay in FM4 or GT6 "just in case". With the addition of a limit of ten saves, the only way I can realistically use this function is to plan ahead, deleting the "least important" saves ahead of time. To think that I might have so few interesting races in my entire future FM6 experience is a vote of no-confidence in the game! I'd expect to have many hundreds of experiences in FM6 worth preserving. If not, why not? Again, I don't call this artificial limitation "minor".

Yes, GT6 has some annoying weaknesses, just as FM4 and its predecessors did. But none of them are show stoppers for me.

Every time I go to save a replay and it says "no", I wonder "why?". Every time I look up and to the right to see my last lap time and find that it's gone already, I wonder "why?". Every time I look at my two empty screens I think of how FM6 can fill them in a trade show, but not in my home, and again, I wonder "why?".

These are not bugs, they are crazy design choices which seriously impact my enjoyment of the game.

Bugs was the wrong word to use, problems would do. However it doesn't make it any less an extreme statement, considering what it's in comparison to.

 

[mrPetros]

It was not intended as a "review". It got moved here by a mod. It was originally posted in a quite different context, in which I was complimenting GT6 for providing functionality which FM6 failed to do.

Yes, FM6 has many pros, but its lack of triple screen, lack of ability to display last and best lap times continuously, lack of ability to identify points of lap time dirtying and ludicrous inability to store more than ten replays mean that, to me, it is not a game which can even be considered as a competitor to GT6, and is an abysmal successor to FM4 and its predecessors.

So, while it has some very excellent features, without its ability to provide an immersive experience, support a learning process and provide a usable basis for creation of video and still images, it fails to deliver.

FM1, 2, 3 and 4 delivered, as do GT5 and 6.

triple screen requires 3x xbox1, 3x tv and 3x game copy.
you know its so niche that I dont know why you even mentioning it, let alone pretending that everybody run like this on 360.

also, your second point is moot, as at any time you can press the button and see your best recorded lap in current session.

then, complaining because you dont see if your lap is dirty during a race, I hardly see that as a thing to put the game down for, especially given the fact that there is and has been for many iterations a very specialized mode to do laptimes on and compete, and thats not the career mode.
I can see their reasoning for leaving this info out of career races, especially as they try to expand audiences.


and for me personally, leaving forza 6 to go play gt6 -the title that you are complementing and writing this review about f6- would seem like a punishment. so I guess its all about personal preference more than objective reasoning.

 

[ImaRobot]

Since I now have time to get back to your reply..

They are certainly not "bugs", and in my opinion, they are not "minor".

As I stated, bugs was the wrong word to use, so my apologies. I feel problems fit the bill better in this case.

I've been driving with three screens in front of me for nearly ten years. It's immersive. To sit there looking at a blank screen to the right and another to the left is not immersive. This is not "minor".

It is a minor problem. You're in a niche crowd, even more so than wheel users. The problem is minor in comparison of the greater picture, as this is a problem that is going to be centered around a very, very, very small amount of people. This is the single biggest problem of what you've posted. To complain about immersion being lost in comparison to the game mentioned, and to damn the game because of it is extreme.

When I'm practicing or just racing, I seek to improve my lap times and technique. I need measurements to do this. Taking this data off the screen after ten seconds in most cases makes it difficult or impossible to assess progress in real time. This is not "minor".

This I can understand more than the rest of your points, because I like to have as much information on my screen as possible. Still, the amount of time it is on the screen is just fine. It doesn't take more than a split second for you to realize that the notification that just popped up is letting you know that you'e 1.4 seconds ahead of your last lap. While I do want this implemented, It seems like a problem you're blowing up a bit bigger than it is, and to damn the game because of it is extreme.

Another point that you didn't elaborate on, but I feel I wanted to reply about. When I'm racing I know exactly why and where my laps are getting invalidated. You're not a beginner to the series so you should know just as much as anyone. If it's user error that caused my lap to be invalidated, than it would be very easy to notice where the problem arouse from. The other big factor being other cars on the track; if you're in a race then you should not even try to worry about a clean lap unless you're in front.

I use replays for three purposes. To learn from and to provide sources for both photos and videos. In many cases, I will choose to save a replay in FM4 or GT6 "just in case". With the addition of a limit of ten saves, the only way I can realistically use this function is to plan ahead, deleting the "least important" saves ahead of time. To think that I might have so few interesting races in my entire future FM6 experience is a vote of no-confidence in the game! I'd expect to have many hundreds of experiences in FM6 worth preserving. If not, why not? Again, I don't call this artificial limitation "minor".

It is minor. You're damning a game and it's success because you can't save more than 10 replays? Yeah, it may be a problem, but to pretend it's not a minor one and to damn the game because of it is extreme.

Yes, GT6 has some annoying weaknesses, just as FM4 and its predecessors did. But none of them are show stoppers for me.

I find that hard to believe. Your review was just fine, but once you brought up GT as a comparison, especially considering all the major problems it has, and then condemn Forza for these relatively minor problems in comparison, it just seems a bit odd. It's like you're purposely turning a blind eye.

 

[FoRiZon]

Just want to say: The game is really good apart from the minor improvements. But IF the gane is finally have a dynamic weather and time, itll be the best racing game of all time.

Also replays ala GT if T10 may

 

[mrPetros]

Just want to say: The game is really good apart from the minor improvements. But IF the gane is finally have a dynamic weather and time, itll be the best racing game of all time.

Also replays ala GT if T10 may

I agree that replays need be better, even though they are improving they still make the game no justice.
but from both personal experience and a lot of racing friends experience, everytime a wet or night track pops up, people are not as happy as you might think.
I dont know how making weather and time dynamic will make the game better. in fact I'd prefer them to spend all resources (both r&d and h/w) on further improving precision & fidelity rather than them trying to shoehorn everything gfx into the box.
horizon already has dynamic time & weather, let them keep it to that.