Many Shift2 questions, answered

[Destinkeys]

Just curious, though, but on consoles, what DOES get handling right? Surely not GT5...

Talk to any PC sim fan, and you will start (if you are a GT fan) to feel like a Shift player at the hands of GT players! Reality is a sliding scale, with GT and Shift sitting somewhere in the middle. For every issue that S2U will have, there's a different issue that GT5 has. Tire widths not modeled, FF lift off oversteer wrong, handbrake turns faster (and less tire wearing) than real life, unrealistic draft strengths, the list goes on and on.

Personally, for me, once you come to the realization that NOTHING is 'real', a lot of other considerations come into play. You know, like being able to RACE the AI! I don't want a 'driving simulator', and if I did, I would not be happy with GT5 either. If your goal is to make a boring driving game, you might as well get the physics RIGHT. And I mean completely right, not just 'a bit more right than any other console game'.

 

[Jamesways]

On console? RacePro. heh. I kid, I kid. (Personal favorite in the handling deptartment)

But that's a great question. I stated thinking about that on my trip. Percieved realism. How do we really know? Especially when discussing supercars or GT cars. It's not like we can just jump in an ALMS car and take some laps on a real track to compare.

 

[Spagetti69]

James, did Jordan get time on a Fanatec GT2 wheel or equivalent.

Thanks.

 

[Jamesways]

No, they had two wheels, and I believe they were the Driving Force and G27.

 

[RomKnight]

Just perfect. Since I own both wheels i'm looking forward to Jordan comments (assuming he played with both)

He sure is more apt than me in (sim) racing not to mention knowledgeable of this things so i'm trying to absorb as much as I can and compare his comments to what I feel.

Lets see if I can make an half decent post about how it feels to me... after the game arrival...

 

[Spagetti69]

No, they had two wheels, and I believe they were the Driving Force and G27.

Thank you James.

An unofficial source stated that the Fanatec's were having problems or poor feedback.

I asked Jordan to check it out.
Unfortunately it seems he didn't get an opportunity.
I own a G27 and a fanatec with both systems.
My system of choice is Xbox due to online.

A bit of a pickle really.
Would be nice to know GT2 and xbox support.

 

[HeadsoupBob]

Hey Jamesways, you mentioned that Shift 2's physics weren't quite at GT5/Forza3 level yet, can you elaborate a little bit please:

Were the cars doing things that didn't seem to fit with the real world?
Or was it the FFB or control settings that made it feel not quite right?

Just wondering because I find GT5/Forza3 babysit the user a bit with controls to make a very 'smooth' experience, but don't find it completely realistic...

 

[FuriousDemon]

Thanks for the writeup, James. Sounds like things that were bad about Shift they kinda fixed but not completely, things that were good about Shift they didn't break or maybe even improve on. We'll see, the main thing is how this game feels with the wheel. I hope "Shift 1 slide" feeling is only present with the controller.

One question to you then, how many laps are there in the Career mode? Is it 2-3 laps like it was in Shift 1 or at least they've increased it to something more reasonable like 5-6? Were there (at the event) actual people seriously happy to only have a 2 lap race?

 

[Imari]

Thanks for the writeup, James. Sounds like things that were bad about Shift they kinda fixed but not completely, things that were good about Shift they didn't break or maybe even improve on. We'll see, the main thing is how this game feels with the wheel. I hope "Shift 1 slide" feeling is only present with the controller.

One question to you then, how many laps are there in the Career mode? Is it 2-3 laps like it was in Shift 1 or at least they've increased it to something more reasonable like 5-6? Were there (at the event) actual people seriously happy to only have a 2 lap race?

They've said in the past that the aim is to have races of 5-10 minutes in length for normal career (ie. not endurances). The number of laps will depend to some extent on the length of the track.

 

[Jamesways]

Hey Jamesways, you mentioned that Shift 2's physics weren't quite at GT5/Forza3 level yet, can you elaborate a little bit please:

Were the cars doing things that didn't seem to fit with the real world?
Or was it the FFB or control settings that made it feel not quite right?

Just wondering because I find GT5/Forza3 babysit the user a bit with controls to make a very 'smooth' experience, but don't find it completely realistic...

Sure. Like I said on fc, it some cars still exhibit that odd slide feeling. And by that I mean, they start to slide, but that invisible force still feels like it's there pulling you back to straight, if you let the stick go- the wheel on screen goes back to neutral and it feels like you're being helped to recover. It's much less than it was in Shift 1, but still there.
Now with the higher class cars on Elite, when you start that slide, it seems to act as it should, you just go. It's harder to recover. Give it too much, right into a spin.
But something still feels just a bit off, hard to describe.

BUT, like I said, and you eluded to, it might be a trait of the controller. I'm not sure if the wheel feels the same. I really can't comment on that. And that's with the default settings. Going into the steering settings, I still think most of that can be toned down or eliminated. Adjusting the Steering Sensitiviy and especially the Speed Steering Sensitiviy for the "twitchiness", you can make it feel very different, especially with some tuning. That right there makes me excited for the full game. Even just a bit of tweaking, it feels so much better.

Again, debating on what feels "realistic" with these high level cars, it really might be subjective. I know what I'm used to from other games, so I adjust the settings and tunings to reflect that. Is that truly realistic? I'm not sure.

I'm a big FM3 fan, but I think Turn10 made the driving model easier for people than FM2. It's easy to break a car loose in FM3, and pretty darn easy to recover from it, even with the GT classes, you can start a slide from flicking the wheel over, and there's a relatively big zone that's forgiving for recovery. Now in RacePro, your car get's loose and very quickly, that's it. No recovering most often times than not. You're into the kitty litter or the wall.

One week to go though, and you can form your own opinion, and see if I'm way off base or not.

I still like the game, and I'm still excited to play it.


Furious- Yes, shorter laps. 2-3, some 5, and longer for endurance races. Honestly I didn't check all the career events, just kinda took a peek at some.


I honestly can't wait for Jordan to get back and post some impressions. I know my impression is quite different due to using the controller and quick tuning for tweaking the feel of the cars than the wheel.

 

[HeadsoupBob]

Thanks for elaborating James, and thanks for the write-up on Forza Central, good info there

At least it sounds like we'll be able to tune and configure the controller the way we want so everyone should be able to get something that feels 'right.'

Can't wait to hear feedback from Jordan using a wheel, that gives a much more direct representation of the handling without all the translations etc done for the pad...

 

[Destinkeys]

Can't wait to hear feedback from Jordan using a wheel, that gives a much more direct representation of the handling without all the translations etc done for the pad...

+1 👍

 

[maxpontiac]

I still like the game, and I'm still excited to play it.

I appreciate you coming here. Your write up on Shift 2 (as well as some others I have read) have convinced me to buy this.

 

[Jamesways]

No problem. Like I said, I think if you don't expect it to be an end-all of hardcore sims and rather just a intense, immersive racing game, you'll probably enjoy it a lot more.

Should be a really fun time.

 

[maxpontiac]

No problem. Like I said, I think if you don't expect it to be an end-all of hardcore sims and rather just a intense, immersive racing game, you'll probably enjoy it a lot more.

Should be a really fun time.

That's how I am approaching Shift 2. It's a game, meaning not perfect.💡

 

[Destinkeys]

That's how I am approaching Shift 2. It's a game, meaning not perfect.💡

Just like GT5...

 

[maxpontiac]

Just like GT5...

Of course.

 

[FLIGHT50]

Just like GT5...

Unfortunately. Considering GT4 was awesome in my book, I expected GT5 to blow everything out the water. Even the games that would release after it for a year or two. But...........I was not alone. Alot of us expected more than what we got.

I can't say that I expect Shift 2 to be awesome for I didn't play Shift 1. What I do expect however is to have alot better gameplay experience in comparison to GT5. If Shift 2 gives me 85% of the enjoyment that I had in GT4, I am good to go. I don't think I will have a problem loving Shift 2. I can feel the adrenaline in my veins.

Comparing all the features, cars, and tracks to other titles, its a win win for SMS. They are a younger team of developers who are listening to what the public wants. You do this, you will sell copies. To all other developers, take notes before this releases. If or should I say when your games are abandoned for this title, don't take notes, write a novel instead and learn from you mistakes.

 

[Hollidog]

You say:

Questions-

Is there a clutch?
-Yes, for wheels. Not supported on gamepads.

But they say:

Riley Wiebe said:

Is there a clutch...?
Yes definitely. You can also map the clutch to a game controller button too if you like.

Does anyone know either way?

 

[Imari]

We have seen a screenshot allowing you to map the clutch to a button. I don't think we've seen anyone using the clutch with a pad (kind of a random thing for someone to test at this point). I don't think any of us know as such, but I'd say it's highly likely that you could use the clutch on a pad. If you wanted to.

 

[xSTIG_JUNIORx]

...Still waiting for 29th...

Found this video...Lancer Evo IX at Nürburgring

 

[Hollidog]

We have seen a screenshot allowing you to map the clutch to a button. I don't think we've seen anyone using the clutch with a pad (kind of a random thing for someone to test at this point). I don't think any of us know as such, but I'd say it's highly likely that you could use the clutch on a pad. If you wanted to.

Thanks, I would like to have a clutch mappable on controller. I liked it in pro street I think it was. Made the controller a bit more realistic because it enabled clutch kicking.

 

[Granturismo 5]

just wondering does anyone know how the customisation will be like in Shift 2. Can you get a "say a stock S15" and modify it to look like a drift/race car.

 

[Imari]

just wondering does anyone know how the customisation will be like in Shift 2. Can you get a "say a stock S15" and modify it to look like a drift/race car.

Long story short, yes. Look up "Works Conversion".