| | Operation Sports:Forza Motorsport: A Driving Sim for the Whole Family
By Shawn Drotar, Managing Editor, OperationSports.com
When you think of Forza Motorsport™, you're probably thinking of an unbelievably meticulous and detailed re-creation of the world's finest automobiles and most exhilarating tracks. The game is a gearhead's delight, and unless you know how to accelerate out of a hairpin turn with a rear-wheel drive vehicle and immediately power-slide through the next set of turns, you won't have a chance, right? Despite how exciting and beautiful it looks, do you think this game's not for you since you're not a "sim" driver? Thankfully, you're wrong. Forza Motorsport is accessible and fun for gamers of any ability level.
You're probably wondering how a stunningly realistic simulator can possibly appeal to beginners, while keeping the most advanced players happy, as well. That's a fair question, and I have the answer: through innovative game design and a rewards system that encourages you to improve while you learn to become the best driver you can possibly be.
Forza Motorsport uses three major driving assists that change the way your car handles, making it easier for you to master control of the vehicle.
The first of these is Stability Management (STM), which helps minimize body roll and keeps your car under firm control even during hard corners. Obviously, Stability Management won't keep you from losing control in all instances, but try a lap with it on, and then one with it off. Trust me, you'll notice the difference!
The second is the Traction Control System (TCS), which ensures that your tires keep the best grip possible on the road, especially when accelerating out of a turn. The Traction Control System won't make your tires stick like Velcro, but when you're getting used to the game as a whole or even just a new car, the TCS makes it harder to "fishtail" out of a turn, saving you precious seconds in the process.
The third driving assist is the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS). Of course, many of you have this in your real-life car, too. The Anti-Lock Braking System works in Forza Motorsport as it does in real life: It quickly changes the brake pressure to help maximize braking power and avoid any potential spins and slides.
These driving assists won't make you invincible or unbeatable, but they help to speed you along the learning curve and become a more effective Forza Motorsport driver. To that end, when driving, you see the abbreviation for each assist (STM, TCS, and ABS) to the right of the speedometer near the bottom of the screen. When any of these assists kick in, the abbreviations light up with a bright yellow color to indicate that they're active and being used. Once you spend enough time on the track to learn when you need them, you'll easily be able to adjust your approach. Eventually, you may not need to use the assists at all!
The last assist doesn't have to do with your car directly, but it might be the most helpful of all: the Suggested Line. Since most gamers don't intuitively know how to approach a downhill chicane, the Suggested Line can come in very handy. Appearing as a line of arrows on the track, the Suggested Line provides two helpful pieces of information. As the name implies, the Suggested Line displays the ideal "line" around the track, which, if driven precisely, allows you to keep driving cleanly at the highest possible speed. The second bit of information the Suggested Line provides depends on your current speed. If the Line is green, feel free to put the hammer down and go full speed. But if the line turns yellow, you'd better be braking, and if it's red, you're going way too fast for the current turn. The Suggested Line is dynamic, changing itself to fit each track and car, and making real-time changes as you drive. While it's not flawless (it tends to be a bit conservative, which is actually appropriate for beginners), it nevertheless provides invaluable information that helps you learn a new course in a hurry.
You can race in any offline or online (using Xbox Live®) mode with any of these assists active. Each of the four can be toggled on or off individually as well, so you can learn at your own pace. You earn far fewer in-game "dollars" when you use assists, but that's a small price to pay for having fun and staying competitive while you learn the game.
Forza Motorsport offers the Xbox® not only the best driving game in console history, but also an accessibility and playability that no other driving simulation has presented before. If you love driving games, then no matter your skill level, Forza Motorsport is for you!
Comments about this article?
|
