Super Unofficial DiRT 4 Thread (PS4/XB1/PC)

[prisonermonkeys]

Your Stage might seem formulaic with time, but it's a hell of a lot better than a set of stages that merely recycles one road and an alternative fork forwards, backwards, and in chunks, IMO.

Plus, it's difficult to memorise stages with Your Stage. I eventually got to a point in Dirt Rally where I didn't need pace notes because I knew the stage well enough to drive them by heart. Here, I really have to concentrate on the upcoming corners, and I have noticed that I become more prone to errors as the stage continues.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Sometimes I feel like with Your Stage the stages seem too technical for it to be a natural road when you have the complexity set to the highest.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Sometimes I feel like with Your Stage the stages seem too technical for it to be a natural road when you have the complexity set to the highest.

I've found it works best when you have maximum length and moderate complexity, or maximum complexity and moderate length.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

As much as I'm absolutely loving the game I've just identified one giant cockup Codies have made.

Won the Global Rally Series, which unlocked the fearless difficulty preset, and with it the 'brutal' AI difficulty. I have no idea why Codies thought locking away an AI difficulty would be a smart idea, but no matter, I've got it now.

By default the fearless preset has every assist (+ restarts/auto repair) turned off, unsurprisingly - including exterior cameras, which I use (bonnet cam). No problem, I'll just turn that back on and take the hit in difficulty bonus.........but when you do that, it takes you back down to Champion (Custom) difficulty. And at Champion, the Brutal AI is LOCKED AWAY.

So you can't have Brutal AI without setting Fearless, and you can't change ANYTHING without losing Fearless. This is either a bug or beyond stupid - there is no rhyme or reason why you should be forced into a specific set of settings you don't want just to get appropriate AI. @GOTMAXPOWER I know you won't like to hear this, since you use chase cam and have a bigger need for better AI than me!

I'm hoping it's a bug actually because you can't even change things like Clutch Override, or your Manual Sequential transmission to Manual H-Pattern without it taking you back to Champion (Custom).

Right, off I go to the Codies forums to beg.......

At the moment I'm struggling enough trying to keep up with my own car let alone the competition. It would be nice to be able to turn the difficulty up for RX and Landrush though, the spotter sometimes comes on to say you're going 3/4 seconds a lap quicker than the next best.

 

[Brend]

I acknowledge this, but it hasn't undermined my experience very much. I experience déjà vu from corners and natural or man-made features in real life; patterns are a thing, and landscaping practices and DOT/MOT regulations contribute to that.

It helps that the tiles are placed upon a map with larger topographical features, so the repetition can appear man-made. Thanks to the broader surrounding scenery, I always feel like I'm getting somewhere, and a familiar pacenote call doesn't always turn out like I expect.

The things that stand out the most are junctions, certain hazards (like the water crossing in Michigan), or the most glaringly obvious roadside decorations. There's no excusing the lack of variety there. I also wish Codemasters had taken the time to incorporate mixed-surface stages into the system, perhaps a "mixed/single-surface" flag for the whole stage and then a chance of switching surfaces at a junction.

Your Stage might seem formulaic with time, but it's a hell of a lot better than a set of stages that merely recycles one road and an alternative fork forwards, backwards, and in chunks, IMO.

It's the first iteration of the tool, so I'm not surprised it isn't the be-all-end-all rally experience.

The deja-vu element seems to be forced by how little complex sections each location has though. If you crank the settings up, you can pretty much predict the kind of track you'll get, which is a bit of a shame.

Nothing gets close to DiRT Rally's track selection but I expected that also, since I find them to be some of the best driving routes in any game this gen.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Nothing gets close to DiRT Rally's track selection but I expected that also, since I find them to be some of the best driving routes in any game this gen.

Except that they are replicated elsewhere. The Finland stages in particular also appear in Sébastien Loeb Rally EVO.

 

[Brend]

Except that they are replicated elsewhere. The Finland stages in particular also appear in Sébastien Loeb Rally EVO.

I've still not played SLRE after the experience I had with the demo. Though, I've hard that's nothing like the full title.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I've still not played SLRE after the experience I had with the demo

Neither have I, but I have seen videos. All of the stages in Dirt Rally were modelled on actual rally routes (albeit some that haven't been used for a while):

• The Finland stages make up Ouninpohja.
• Monte Carlo features the Col de Turini.
• Germany is the Panzerplatte and Arena Panzerplatte.
• Sweden recreates Vårgasen.
• Wales is an old version of Hafren.
• Greece makes up the old Perasma Platini.

A lot of games do the same thing.

 

[UKMikey]

I really enjoyed the first Landrush event when I was two and a half seconds ahead of the competition... less so when I caught up with the backmarkers and got into a full on pile up at the next corner.

 

[torque99]

I have had a few days of this now and I must say 'What's happened to the graphics and textures' when you pause/replays? I checked out Dirt3 on PS3 and some of the scenery is better in textures and details. I do hope Codies invest in a new Ego engine for the Ps4Pro/New Xbox as 4k photos do show up quite a few jaggies and bad textures.

On the move the handling is so much more solid on DS4 and I much prefer it to the lightness of Dirt Rally. The car details and dust/dirt/mud and textures on the cars and UI are vastly improved so when racing on rally x it looks great.

The engine sound of the little PUG205GTi is my favourite so far and the new Rally X races are awesome and addictive with the green joker barriers making very clear where to go!. Overall I give it a solid 8/10 as a whole package it is a great game. 👍

p.s Is there any minimap on Rally X..I've learnt all the tracks now but it would have been a help on the new ones as some sections are open and I often drift in to them (backwards )

I really wish we had a rally game with decent graphics or a photomode

Edit: I have just seen 'Dirt' game followed me on twitter..Nice to see this..I only took screen captures..Maybe they are bringing out a photomode

 

[Pfei]

@torque99 are you on PS4 Pro? I am, and the graphics are terrible, paused or unpaused. They are Loeb Evo level graphics. My league buddies on vanilla PS4 say the graphics are improved from DR. Is there something wrong with the Pro? It really looks awful. I use a Sony XBR-55X855D.

 

[torque99]

@torque99 are you on PS4 Pro? I am, and the graphics are terrible, paused or unpaused. They are Loeb Evo level graphics. My league buddies on vanilla PS4 say the graphics are improved from DR. Is there something wrong with the Pro? It really looks awful. I use a Sony XBR-55X855D.

PS4 Pro and it is definately a 'downgrade' from Dirt Rally which looked better..so maybe there will be a patch in the future as it looks like it does in VR or PS3?

 

[TRGTspecialist]

At the moment I'm struggling enough trying to keep up with my own car let alone the competition.

How did you find the default controller settings? Have you changed anything yet? I stuggled initially as well until I increased steering sensitivity and linearity (to 75 and 5 respectively), which seems to have made it smoother and more responsive like Dirt Rally was. Feels very comfortable now, although the new gravel physics and more sensitive brakes did take some getting used to.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

How did you find the default controller settings? Have you changed anything yet? I stuggled initially as well until I increased steering sensitivity and linearity (to 75 and 5 respectively), which seems to have made it smoother and more responsive like Dirt Rally was. Feels very comfortable now, although the new gravel physics and more sensitive brakes did take some getting used to.

I haven't changed anything other than making the pace note calls slightly earlier, it feels mostly okay so far.
I've been struggling with the '01 Impreza, on DR it was one of the best cars to drive but now its really vague, other cars like the 208 R5 are great though

 

[Gr4ndy]

I have had a few days of this now and I must say 'What's happened to the graphics and textures' when you pause/replays? I checked out Dirt3 on PS3 and some of the scenery is better in textures and details. I do hope Codies invest in a new Ego engine for the Ps4Pro/New Xbox as 4k photos do show up quite a few jaggies and bad textures.
View attachment 653745

They have jaggies as the game doesn't render in 4k, not even in 1440p. On PS4 Pro it renders in native 1920*1080, no matter what screen you use. Codies really need a new graphical engine for Dirt series.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Anyone have any tuning tips? I heard adding toe in helps a lot but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[WhoosierGirl]

I like how parts fly off, this actually startled me when it flew off

 

[torque99]

I like how parts fly off, this actually startled me when it flew off

That was cool :tup:, On a Rally X race the AI wheel fell off and it was going around on 3 wheels with dust spraying everywhere. I lapped it twice manage to capture it, nice touches again.

@Gr4ndy Yep it does show being only 1080p on PS4 Pro, but having had more races on the excellent Rally X (I love the races in light rain showers) I don't notice it as I am addicted to these short races at the moment, they do seem to be a better level of graphics on the move. The dirt and dust flying about along with the new DS4 handling, I am really enjoying this game just for the Rally X races as they can be intense and close. My favourite is Lydden Hill where the small section of tarmac is on 2 corners so you come flying round on the gravel but gain grip again on 2 wheels with the tarmac.

 

[Wolfe]

@Brend -- I think Dirt 4 is unequivocally the be-all-end-all rally experience up to this point, even if it's hurting for a couple more locations. Your Stage plus these weather details/options and time-of-day is what I've wanted out of a rally game for years. I haven't toyed with the Your Stage sliders yet, because I like to just randomize a set of stages and then line up the time of day setting from one stage to the next.

Although SLRE is great for complementing D4, with its simulation physics, outstanding lineup of stages, a few cars that aren't in D4, and two versions of Pikes Peak ('88 gravel and modern paved). It has four completely unique stages for each rally and their reversed versions, not like Codemasters' recycling habit, which is why I was never interested in Dirt Rally.

@ProjectWHaT -- Adding -0.10 front toe out and 0.10 rear toe in can help stabilize several cars without detriment. You can also set the brake bias to around 69-73%. If that's not enough, I lift the front ride height and lower the rear ride height by one notch.

 

[torque99]

Has anyone managed to work out, how to get tyre/background blur from photos. Even at full speed replay and capturing the instant shot the wheels and roads are still on most shots I take. I guess there must be a way as I have seen shots with the tyres and wheel caps rotating...Any tips appreciated! 👍

 

[Pfei]

PS4 Pro and it is definately a 'downgrade' from Dirt Rally which looked better..so maybe there will be a patch in the future as it looks like it does in VR or PS3?

Thanks for the reply. One more question for you: How do you take 4K screenshots? Is it automatic when holding the Share button?

BTW, a guy in the Codies forum says that if you set the PS4 Pro to 1080p then DiRT 4 looks drastically better. I have to wait 'till later tonight to try.

 

[ScandyFlik]

Something oddly familiar here...

 

[Northstar]

I finally got to rallycross, it was a blast!

I'm also getting more comfortable in rally cars above R2.

 

[torque99]

Thanks for the reply. One more question for you: How do you take 4K screenshots? Is it automatic when holding the Share button?

BTW, a guy in the Codies forum says that if you set the PS4 Pro to 1080p then DiRT 4 looks drastically better. I have to wait 'till later tonight to try.

Hi @Pfei Yes it is all Automatic when you press your Share Button but you need to just check you have the Screen Shot Settings set at the bigger size in Settings and if you prefer .png (much larger file size for storage on PC) or .jpeg which I prefer for most screenshots. I took some screenshots to make it clearer.👍


Which setting on the PS4 Pro do I need to make it 1080p Is it to turn off Boost Mode? Or in Game?

 

[Pfei]

@torque99 to get 1080p you have to go into the video and audio output settings. But I just tried it and didn't see any difference.

Boost mode shouldn't matter since the title is apparentley Pro-optimized, if you can call nicer shadows and better AA as Pro-optimized as opposed to something like 2 or 3K

I'll try 4K screenshots tomorrow. Your pics look nice. I just can't believe how poor D4 looks when playing. The replays are especially disappointing. They look downright nasty. Just pixelated 30fps PS3-style graphics. I swear GT2 on the PS1 had better looking replays

 

[doblocruiser]

Has anyone managed to work out, how to get tyre/background blur from photos. Even at full speed replay and capturing the instant shot the wheels and roads are still on most shots I take. I guess there must be a way as I have seen shots with the tyres and wheel caps rotating...Any tips appreciated! 👍

Hi Torque, those screenshots where released by Codies and have had some slight work done before released to the public. Shots were from devbuilds.

 

[Scaff]

I've still not played SLRE after the experience I had with the demo. Though, I've hard that's nothing like the full title.

The final build is nothing like the demo, and all the stages were built using GPS data.

None are exactly pretty, but they are the closest to real stages, particularly in regard to width.

Thanks for the reply. One more question for you: How do you take 4K screenshots? Is it automatic when holding the Share button?

BTW, a guy in the Codies forum says that if you set the PS4 Pro to 1080p then DiRT 4 looks drastically better. I have to wait 'till later tonight to try.

I run my pro out to a 1080p TV, it doesn't look drastically better.

It still looks worse than DR, it's most noticeable in replay, particularly the helicopter cam.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

Has anybody else noticed strange times when racing in the rain? I'm rallying in the Peugeot 208 and getting into the top 10-20 on the leaderboards but on able to match the AI (if not losing time to them), then on the following stage its raining and suddenly I'm beating them by half a minute, no settings changed and my driving is not any better.

 

[Scaff]

Has anybody else noticed strange times when racing in the rain? I'm rallying in the Peugeot 208 and getting into the top 10-20 on the leaderboards but on able to match the AI (if not losing time to them), then on the following stage its raining and suddenly I'm beating them by half a minute, no settings changed and my driving is not any better.

I found the same in one career series yesterday (the pre 80's Historic in Oz).

Around 2 seconds a stage ahead in the dry, one wet stage and I'm 33 seconds ahead on that one.

They don't like the rain at all.

 

[GOTMAXPOWER]

I found the same in one career series yesterday (the pre 80's Historic in Oz).

Around 2 seconds a stage ahead in the dry, one wet stage and I'm 33 seconds ahead on that one.

They don't like the rain at all.

The one I've just seen was in Australia too, I think that's where it's most exaggerated. I've seen a similar effect in Landrush races too.