Forza Horizon 5

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:11 pm

Maybe too early to start a thread for it, or maybe not, but Forza Horizon 5 has been announced to be coming out in November, be set in Mexico and it will be coming to Steam as well on the same day (Steam store page).

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:09 pm

Forza Horizon 5’s massive map will contain 11 biomes and a whole lot of weather

Forza Horizon 5’s big tech trick will be the game’s massive, ever-changing map. At 1.5x the size of Forza Horizon 4’s landmass, it can afford to have some variety in its world. So while you’re racing through the Mexican landscape, developers PlayGround Games have confirmed you’ll be driving through 11 different biomes, and each will have seasonal weather events to bring more variety to the outrageous looking racer.

Expect these biomes to come with their own challenges. The seamless transitions between the areas could make for some interesting, lengthy races. Simply taking a shortcut through a jungle leads you through a dense and misty race space that abuts a more serene farmland biome. The map tapestry also includes canyons, tropical and rocky coasts, arid hills, sandy and living deserts, swamps, a city and, most interesting of all, a volcano. The volcano can be driven up, and it's the only place in the game you'll encounter snow.

All those areas will also have seasonal shifts that will bring specific changes to the world. According to the official Xbox blog:

"Each of the 11 unique biomes will transition though the seasons differently. As an example, spring means the rainy season in the jungles and farmland of Mexico, while summer could bring intense tropical thunderstorms along the coasts. Forza Horizon 5 seasons ensure Mexico is constantly evolving, encouraging players to explore the world in full each time the seasons change."

More specific examples include driving through the tropical coast during a storm will add uprooted, flying palm trees to contend with. The lake in the arid hills biome, meanwhile, will dry up in winter, adding a new shortcut to the map.

The more I hear about Forza Horizon 5, the more I am excited about taking it for a test-drive. It's not going to be as extreme as Fuel, but I think it shares some of its wider traits. I really hope there's a mode where you can just drive around and experience it. It's out November 9th.

Update: I was going to post a link to the Steam version of Fuel, but I forgot it is no longer available on Steam. I had played it on XBOX 360 and snagged the Steam version back when it was still there. Anyone else remember Fuel?

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:40 pm

Yeah but how many BEVs will it feature?

Actually a found a list online that had this:
2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S

No Tesla or Mach-E, but the full list hasn't been released yet either.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:50 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:40 pm Yeah but how many BEVs will it feature?

Actually a found a list online that had this:
2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S

No Tesla or Mach-E, but the full list hasn't been released yet either.

I don't think their target audience really cares a lot about having BEVs in a racing game. After all, that's why we have gas guzzlers in games.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:54 pm

Have you driven one? Even a freaking Leaf will surprise you with the acceleration. A Tesla family sedan will SMOKE a stock Lambo at a drag strip. The only reason not to include them in a game like Forza is because it would make all the other cars pointless! (exaggeration, obviously) I guess one problem would be there is a lot less you can upgrade or tune on a BEV.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:59 pm

Having to charge it would open up more microtransactions.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:02 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:54 pm I guess one problem would be there is a lot less you can upgrade or tune on a BEV.

Also no need for gearing, shift points, etc. All that fun stuff

I'm aware of the scintillating acceleration of an electric motor. But simple acceleration doesn't have much appeal in a racing game if it isn't coupled with braking, cornering, all that good stuff. Heck, my Dodge Caravan minivan has six forward gears and will practically burn rubber coming off a light, if I wasn't concerned about the cost of replacing tires

Also there is practically no romance in BEVs. Nobody fantasizes about cruising around town in a Chevy Volt

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:03 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: ↑Tue Jul 27, 2021 3:59 pm Having to charge it would open up more microtransactions.

I see what you did there

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jul 27, 2021 4:05 pm

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Sep 09, 2021 1:00 am

Forza Horizon 5 | Confirmed Car List

Welcome to our Forza Horizon 5 car list. This list isn’t final, as we’ll be expanding it with even more cars and manufacturers in the weeks ahead, so check back regularly for all the latest updates.

With the Nov. 9 launch of Forza Horizon 5 only a few short months away, we know you’re eager to find out which cars you’ll be driving across the expansive, vibrant open world of Mexico.

Starting today, we’re announcing hundreds of cars available to acquire and drive on day one of Forza Horizon 5 – but stay tuned, because this isn’t the final list for launch date. We’ll be expanding it with even more cars and manufacturers in the weeks leading up to Nov. 9, so be sure to check back regularly for all the latest updates.

What’s more, the car roster of Forza Horizon 5 will evolve further beyond its initial release. As you saw in Forza Horizon 4, we introduced both new-to-franchise cars and brought back fan favorites in the Festival Playlist. By completing seasonal content, players expand their garage with new cars and rewards every week. We’re excited to bring the Festival Playlist to Forza Horizon 5, and we’ll have more to share on that in the future.

Several vehicles are making their franchise debut in Forza Horizon 5. From the sheer scale and durability of the 2020 Ford Super Duty F-450 DRW Premium to the exceptionally rare, naturally aspirated 1991 Jaguar Sport XJR-15 and the all-electric 2020 Porsche Taycan Turbo S, the new additions to our roster are the most diverse they’ve ever been in Forza history.

Forza Horizon 5 also introduces some of the world’s most innovative cars to the franchise – and our cover cars are no exception. The Mercedes-AMG ONE brings Formula 1 hybrid technology almost one-to-one from the track to the street for the first time ever, while the 2021 Ford Bronco Badlands combines the toughness of an F-Series truck and the performance spirit of Mustang to deliver an exhilarating off-road experience.

Forzavista, our car exploration mode, encourages you to get up close and discover the unique characteristics and intricate components of vehicles in exquisite detail. For the first time, on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC, we’re bringing raytracing to Forzavista – introducing a new level of material response and reflections that are truer to life. Details matter, so it’s fitting that every car in Forza Horizon 5 features an authentic Forzavista experience with unprecedented pinpoint accuracy.

Additionally, the cars you obtain in-game are highlighted under a new Car Collection interface. Here you can track the vehicles you’ve acquired per manufacturer. It’s like having your own virtual car sticker book. Each automobile is designated with a rarity level and collecting a specific number of cars per manufacturer will also unlock a special reward to claim.

Below are the vehicles we’re confirming today to be in Forza Horizon 5 on day one and to reaffirm, we’ll have even more cars and manufacturers to add as we get closer to launch. With that said, let’s check them out:

Spoiler:

What, no Mazda RX-7?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Sep 28, 2021 11:05 pm

The Road To Mexico September Update. Lots and lots of stuff there. Check it out.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 11:15 am

Experience Forza Horizon 5 PC in Striking Detail

Excerpt:

Today, we are excited to share that Forza Horizon 5 will look and play fantastic across a wide range of Windows 10 and Windows 11 PC hardware configurations, no matter your gaming setup. Whether you have a modest system or the latest and greatest specs, our team has worked diligently to ensure everyone experiences the best version of Forza Horizon 5’s unique brand of fun and freedom across beautiful and vibrant Mexico.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:20 pm

oh man my computer is only hitting recommended specs and just barely. I've been eyeing an upgrade anyway, but the stupid video card shortage means I have to replace the whole thing likely.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:55 pm

I'm a bit above ideal so I guess that will work.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 1:02 pm

coopasonic wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 12:55 pm I'm a bit above ideal so I guess that will work.

Me too. I'm probably going to be sucked in to buying the Premium Edition, so that I can play it four days earlier

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:13 pm

I have a series s so I'm planning on just playing it there. For some reason the Forza engine never played nice on my PC anyway. I would have stuttering issues that I could never figure out. There were a bunch of people with the same problem. It was both Forza games..

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:30 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 2:13 pm I have a series s so I'm planning on just playing it there. For some reason the Forza engine never played nice on my PC anyway. I would have stuttering issues that I could never figure out. There were a bunch of people with the same problem. It was both Forza games..

I have Forza Horizon 4 and also Forza Motorsport 7 running on my PC and haven't noticed any stuttering with either, so fingers crossed I won't have any problems with Forza Horizon 5 either.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 4:54 pm

Ya it must be a specific configuration. I tried so many things and just gave up. It made the game 100% unplayable.

Example of people with the issue
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 105a238f6d

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Sep 30, 2021 5:08 pm

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 4:54 pm Ya it must be a specific configuration. I tried so many things and just gave up. It made the game 100% unplayable.

Example of people with the issue
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 105a238f6d

Playing around with the vsync didn't help? I see that helped with some folks. I had similar issues with Ghost Recon Wildlands and Breakpoint which I finally solved by turning off vsync and just playing with the target fps. But then I had a Series S I might have switched to that

Reemul · Post by **Reemul** » Fri Oct 01, 2021 11:49 am

Octavious wrote: ↑Thu Sep 30, 2021 4:54 pm Ya it must be a specific configuration. I tried so many things and just gave up. It made the game 100% unplayable.

Example of people with the issue
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... 105a238f6d

Yeah I have that on MS 7 but not on FH4, bloody annoying. Stopped me playing as well

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Thu Oct 21, 2021 9:32 pm

Forza Horizon 5 pre-loads are live, but you may need to make some room

You’ve got the green light to start pre-loading Forza Horizon 5, Playground Games’ open-world game set in the jungles, deserts, and beaches of Mexico. You may want to double check to make sure you’ve got the space for it, though – the developers have updated the system requirements, and while the required hard drive space has gone down a bit, you’ll still need more than 100GB of storage space to hold Forza Horizon 5.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:17 pm

I reinstalled FH4 to verify that even with my minor arthritis I'm still able to wrangle a wheel and pedals to thrash around a car. The good news is that I'm still able to do the game justice. The bad news is that I've complete forgotten how to drift a car as in gaining drift points. I never was much good at it anyway but sheesh I was doing one of their new stories and I was completely stymied by needing to generate 20K drift points in a couple of minutes; I could barely break 2K

. Any suggestions on how to drift one of their dedicated drift cars?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:32 pm

I've pre-ordered the Premium Edition, since I'm a sucker for early release

. Speaking of that, here's info for release dates and times.

Early access
Forza Horizon 5's early access begins on Nov. 5, 2021, and will release at midnight in every region's easternmost time zone. Players can gain early access to FH5 by preordering Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition, or by preordering the Forza Horizon 5 Premium Add-Ons Bundle. Players accessing FH5 through Xbox Game Pass can also enjoy early access by purchasing the aforementioned Premium Add-Ons Bundle DLC.

United States, 4:00 a.m. UTC, Nov. 5, or:
○ Midnight ET, Nov. 5
○ 11:00 p.m. CT, Nov. 4
○ 10:00 p.m. MT, Nov. 4
○ 9:00 p.m. PT, Nov. 4

Full release
Forza Horizon 5's full release begins on Nov. 9, 2021, and will release at midnight in every region's easternmost time zone. The full release applies to all FH5 players, including those who have preordered Forza Horizon 5, are playing through Xbox Game Pass, have received their physical copy, want to play through Xbox Cloud Gaming, and more. Forza Horizon 5 will also become generally available for purchase, losing its "preorder" status.

United States, 4:00 a.m. UTC, Nov. 9
○ Midnight ET, Nov. 9
○ 11:00 p.m. CT, Nov. 8
○ 10:00 p.m. MT, Nov. 8
○ 9:00 p.m. PT, Nov. 8

What is the download size of Forza Horizon 5?
Forza Horizon 5 is an absolutely massive game, featuring hundreds of cars in a beautifully rendered world and an endless number of events and challenges for players to complete. Of course, this means FH5 takes up a considerable amount of space on practically any gaming device. Here's the download size of Forza Horizon 5 on every platform, so you can be sure you have enough space for this epic adventure.
• Xbox Series X|S: 103GB — Forza Horizon 5 takes advantage of lightning-fast SSDs and new techniques to shrink its install size
• Xbox One: 116GB — Forza Horizon 5 is 13GB larger on older Xbox One consoles due to its older technologies and slower HDDs
• PC: 103GB — both Microsoft Store and Steam players can also enjoy a slightly more compact Forza Horizon 5 install size
• Xbox Cloud Gaming: 0GB — players who are conscious of storage space can use Xbox Cloud Gaming, which uses streaming and doesn't need to download anything to play Forza Horizon 5

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 11:40 pm

For those interested, a comparison of FH4 and FH5 maps.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:15 am

I got the premium upgrade. As a gamepass subscriber I get access to the base game. $45 to get early access and the premium stuff seems like a reasonable deal. i really have no idea what is new and different in this one, but they haven't failed me yet.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:28 am

I've been following the dev updates and according to those a lot of the FH4 features continue into FH5, but with some tweaking due to player feedback. Expect the seasonal weather changes to be more extreme and also region related. More music and a lot of cultural touch points due to the locale. More information on the new location from Windows Central. No vendor specific pre-order bonuses this time, except for those getting an FH5 special Xbox controller.

Really, I just don't want them to mess with the formula

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Mon Nov 01, 2021 9:51 am

I'm excited that I can play Forza on my Xbox as I always had problems with the PC version. My wheel setup is compatible, but honestly that game is almost more fun with the gamepad as it's not trying to be a sim. I don't expect it will change much from the previous one, but I don't see that as an issue. One more week.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Tue Nov 02, 2021 10:48 pm

I've preloaded the game. When I click the shortcut icon on the desktop I get this message:

We know you really want to get started, but you’ll have to wait a bit longer. Check the store for the launch date.

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Thu Nov 04, 2021 2:01 pm

The reviews on this have all been stellar. I can't wait to fire it up tomorrow.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Nov 04, 2021 2:07 pm

I'm going to end up forking out the 45 for the premium. I have off tomorrow.

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Thu Nov 04, 2021 2:40 pm

FYI apparently if you have an Xbox you can buy the upgrade and it also applies to the PC version. Which is cool as the PC version gave me stuttering fits that I could never fix, but I would play it there if it's better this year. I only have the Series S so I'm curious to see what the 60FPS mode looks like.

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:33 am

Am I crazy, or does this mean I can sign up for Game Pass for PC and play this for three months for $1?

I have a wired Xbox 360 controller for my PC, is that sufficient?

Scraper · Post by **Scraper** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:02 am

Ugg, I missed the part where it only goes live for premium editions today. So ill I'll have to wait until Tuesday.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:12 am

baelthazar wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:33 am Am I crazy, or does this mean I can sign up for Game Pass for PC and play this for three months for $1?

I have a wired Xbox 360 controller for my PC, is that sufficient?

Yes you are crazy, yes it is on gamepass and if they have a $1 for 3 months deal then yes you can do that. I play with knockoff xbox controller myself and the game is pretty well tuned for a controller.

I only got a little time to play this morning before work. I have 22 cars and 2 houses so far... and maybe $400k in the bank.

baelthazar · Post by **baelthazar** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:57 am

coopasonic wrote: ↑Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:12 am I only got a little time to play this morning before work. I have 22 cars and 2 houses so far... and maybe $400k in the bank.

But how about in game?

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 12:05 pm

As promised, the game unlocked exactly at midnight, no day one patch or anything. The graphics settings autoset to "Extreme"

. The scenery and cars look great and it runs smoothly. I had one CTD at about 35 minutes in, but I was doing a lot of button mashing in menus and I wasn't letting the new pages load fully. Otherwise everything ran fine. I'm using a wheel and pedals and the default settings were fine except I had to turn down the FFB strength a bit.

The game is FH4 but with some new bells and whistles and a new locale, all of which is fine. The new features like exploration are interesting. I'm also up to about two dozen cars and I mean to spend some time driving all of them. I got into FH4 a couple of years after it came out and never spent enough time getting to know the cars.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 12:14 pm

Pretty much same impressions for my part including the single CTD!

Octavious · Post by **Octavious** » Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:37 pm

Played it on my series s and on the PC. Runs great on the series s. On the PC it runs even better. I'm playing at 1440p with the settings cranked up pretty darn high and I'm in the 80-70 range most of the time. This might be the best optimized game I've ever played. It's ridiculous. No stuttering or massive frame drops at all.

I've been playing all day and can't stop.

jztemple2 · Post by **jztemple2** » Mon Nov 08, 2021 1:36 am

Still playing and having a lot of fun. Got two more CTDs, but both times I was looking at body kits and switching quickly between them. I tried it again but this time I waited a few seconds between switching options and that seemed to keep it from happening.

I did The Goliath, the race around the periphery of the map. I drove a 2003 Nissan Fairlady Z, performance class B650. The race took just under eighteen minutes, an improvement over the periphery race in the first Forza Horizon, which I remember it took only twelve minutes. Still, those races can't touch the around the island of Oahu race in Test Drive Unlimited. Even after all these years I really remember that race. There were no rewinds in TDU, which was tough, and it was especially tough because the last part of the race took you through a tunnel into the Diamond Head crater and you had to zoom up a road that took you to some fancy house. The race had a limit of one hour and on my first (and very much only!) try I managed it in fifty-nine minutes, fifty-five seconds

. If I had failed I doubt I would have attempted it again. While you could pause during the race, just the focus required to drive at top speed, with a controller, for that long was just a killer.

coopasonic · Post by **coopasonic** » Mon Nov 08, 2021 11:16 am

I finished the "story" Sunday morning, making the Hall of Fame. I spent most of Sunday collecting bonus boards and checking off roads. I am missing ONE ROAD and I can't figure out where it is. I have around 30 boards left. I think 11 fast travel and 19 xp boards.

At last count I had 128 unique cars (132 total thanks to dupes from wheelspins). I spend most of my time traversing the map in the Forza Edition BMW X5 (S2 998 offroader makes for good cross country travel). Funny that I've done most of what the game has to offer before general release...

Both my kids wanted it so I've spent ~$250 on the game now with my premium upgrade for GamePass and premium editions for both kids. The kids are impressed that dad still has some moves. They don't have the decades of racing game and autocross experience I have and it shows.