DiRT Rally Dirt Rally 4 Announced

[-that_guy-]

http://forums.codemasters.com/discussion/48798/announcing-dirt-4
http://store.steampowered.com/app/421020

Any of you guys here invited the their playtest for this? What'd you think?

 

[Rodent]

Very meh about the whole thing, the presentation of the Dirt series besides Dirt Rally was so obnoxious I stopped playing them. No I don't want to hear team Dudebro explain a "mission" to me, I want to race, or rally or whatever. Also screw Gymkhana. Will probably grab it when it's 2-5 bucks on Humble Bundle or something.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

http://forums.codemasters.com/discussion/48798/announcing-dirt-4
http://store.steampowered.com/app/421020

Any of you guys here invited the their playtest for this? What'd you think?

No RD regulars (to put it that way) was invited as far I know. There is a couple of RDRC-participants that was invited and went there though

I am as always skeptical, Codemasters started to redeem themselves with DiRT Rally and F1 2016, but I am afraid they will fall more towards the US - show style content of earlier DiRT games than proper rallying and rallycross again.
With that being said, I really love that the 5 RX tracks are proper RX-tracks, only lack Estering

 

[Evilsmurf]

So I was at the playtest in November.

Basically, DiRT Rally was a bigger success than the suits upstairs expected it to be. However... it was no ware near as successful as DiRT3 (it sold a million units!) DiRT 4, has to be a commercial success and has had some of the content that made DiRT 3 successful add back in, with none of the Dudebro crap that was in DiRT 3.

The good news is they also added and improved the handling model from DiRT Rally! so DiRT Rally is still there, in essence.
Improvements made to the handling include, better weight transfer, improved braking (you need to brake much earlier!) and better physics going over jumps. More or less a complete overhaul of the physics engine to make it better.
They have also included an "arcade" handling model for the filthy casual who just wants to pick up their pad and race I never race with a pad but tried it on the day to see what it was like, works quiet well!

I'll try answer any questions I can

 

[mantasisg]

Better weight transfer sounds sweet, did they really have had to overhaul whole physics engine for that ?

In Dirt rally quality of cars physics feels inconsistent, some are quite awesome, believable - for example groupB Peugeot. And I just can't believe in simulation of some, one of them would be McRae Focus. I wonder if they will improve some cars too. Or physics overhaul will fix the issues. McRae focus is just too planted.

Will cars in Dirt4 slide more than it used in Dirt Rally ? I don't know if I'm right, but most of the cars felt like they are quite easy towards the limit. And it also made them harder to drive, because you expect to get some more slide angle, but it straightens already.

 

[RaceNut]

@ evilsmurf:
Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, it's good to get some direct-experience info.

I like Dirt Rally a lot but, a couple of things that I find particularly problematic are these:

• Tarmac Mega-Grip - it just seems unrealistic and over the top; wet seems more correct for dry
  
• Game FFB doesn't represent the physics as well as it should

Having Played DR with various wheels, I'm at a loss to find the FFB I know DR can provide. Although I currently use a OSW/SimuCube steering system, the best FFB I experienced with DR was when using the AccuForce with telemetry-based FFB via SimCommander output; it was much better than any other DR-FFB IMO.

Unfortunately, other steering systems don't have the Direct FFB from telemetry feature but, SimCommander demonstrated far superior FFB compared to the OSW, which normally produces superb FFB in Racing-Sims. This clearly demonstrated to me that the FFB algorithm used in Dirt Rally is leaving a lot of great feedback on the table to be had - especially with high-end steering systems. I think too many people dismiss DR because of the FFB that is to blame more so than the underlying physics, although they can certainly be improved too.

Have Codies done anything to improve those things in Dirt4?

 

[Evilsmurf]

@mantasisg The haven't re written the physics, just improved it. The cars do feel like they move around more but as always, with any racing game, some with love it! some will hate it... to me, it felt better, more believable. As for individual cars and how they handle, I didn't get to try them all as not all where in the build we used.

@RaceNut Tarmac in Spain felt much improved, Only tried it in the Lancer Evo, but we have much more understeer and you really need to set up the car for the corner. I was impressed. It felt like it had less grip.
I won't comment on the FFB as everyone has their own opinion on how it should feel and it is never a "one size fits all" deal. Also, we couldn't set up the wheels as we would at home so I will reserve my judgment on FFB until I try it on my home set up

 

[thewarmer]

Ho no they are starting back down the road to the US market again.
One day some body will make a proper full blown Rallying game.

Has stated in the last post above we need to see what Codies have improved over Dirt 3.
Better & corrected sounds , better car models with the correct layout both inside & out.
proper damage that has an effect like not carrying one after hitting a tree at 140 Kmh.

Tire choice. full car setting has found on the real world cars not some half way house.
Correct performance data for the cars some was a little out in Dirt 3.

There should be a full sim mode for those that want such, with more complex maintenance sections.
The ability to suffer all manner of failures while in a stage like strut failures , driveshafts . engine management issues,
Fuel problems . punctures & changing the wheels . wipers jamming . the ability to clean the windscreen.

The basic every day things that happen in the real rally world to even the best teams , RBR did a good job of damage & other aspects .

But it is 2017 You are not telling me they can not make a proper more true to life rally game than what has been churned out over the last few years.

I want a game where I understand that depending on how I drive the car I could be struck by some failure , that would make for a more realistic game than anything before.

For that I do not need tons of cars even though I may like the classic's in game, but I would take what we have now in rally just has long has the simulation & management was better done & fully fleshed out.

You can still have none sim setting for those who just want plug & play.
All this will fall on deaf hears with Codies but I can dream of such a sim.

 

[Rob Every]

What you have to hope is that eventually modders will get involved with Dirt Rally.

It is rife for modding let's face it.

This is a purely commercial decision based on market share, console use, sponsorship within the game.

I do get it, but they started on a great road with Dirt Rally and have given up already, which makes you wonder why on earth they made the game in the first place!!

If all they are going to use with the engine is build a fairly nondescript off road racing arcade game that anyone with a pad can pick up/


Though as others have said, I though Dirt 2 was a superbly polished game, excellent online, well put together. Dirt 3 was also good just didn't need the Block influence.

 

[dbracedesign]

Dirt 4 in game