Patch #2 for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown fixes over 40 bugs, improved stability, enhanced optimizations, and more

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown launched on September 12 for PC and consoles and, at least according to Steam users where it currently has a mostly negative rating from just over 3,800 users, it has not had the best reception. Perhaps patch #2 for the open-world racing game where players can indulge in the elite lifestyle to compete with each other will begin to turn things around for KT Racing's Hong Kong-based game that recreates the island on a 1:1 scale.

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[Grimlakin]

That game was horrid when I tested it. Completely negated any interest in had in the IP.

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

Yeah, the reviews haven't painted a good picture for it. Such a shame.

 

[Grimlakin]

I enjoyed the first one on the xbox 360... this one felt like... it belonged on the xbox 360....

 

[Peter_Brosdahl]

I played I-III and probably tried a few others over the years but never felt like going back. NFS has had better ups and downs but it too has really taken a dive imho. It seems like they just can't find a decent middle ground anymore. Either too focused on racing to the point its not fun or ridiculously stupid and dumbed down.

 

[DrezKill]

I enjoyed the first one on the xbox 360...

You mean Test Drive Unlimited? That was the first of the Unlimited games, but faaaar from the first Test Drive game. There were maaaany Test Drive games before it. But yeah, TDU was pretty decent. I remember playing it at a friend's house before I had my own X360. I think the Forza Horizon games, like 4 and 5, have largely taken the crown for open-world racers these days.

 

[Grimlakin]

You mean Test Drive Unlimited? That was the first of the Unlimited games, but faaaar from the first Test Drive game. There were maaaany Test Drive games before it. But yeah, TDU was pretty decent. I remember playing it at a friend's house before I had my own X360. I think the Forza Horizon games, like 4 and 5, have largely taken the crown for open-world racers these days.

Yea test drive unlimited.

 

[MadMummy76]

The first TDU was the best open world racing game, it is a shame it has come to this, a low-rent buggy forza horizon clone. But of course the developers of this has nothing to do with the people who made the original TDU. So it was always a tossup whether this will be any good.

I've actually been playing Gran Turismo 4 Spec II recently, I don't really need any other racing game, in fact it is hard to imagine anything modern competing with it.

Spec II is a community mod released in September that adds various QOL improvements, balance fixes, and new features to the game including brand new more realistic sound effects for hundreds of cars. With the improved rendering and 4K resolution thanks to pcsx2 it almost feels like a modern game.

 

[DrezKill]

Spec II is a community mod released in September that adds various QOL improvements, balance fixes, and new features to the game including brand new more realistic sound effects for hundreds of cars. With the improved rendering and 4K resolution thanks to pcsx2 it almost feels like a modern game.

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAATTT...
I was going to ask, but you immediately provided info. Just released this past September? I'm sure that's one reason why I hadn't heard about it.


GT3 was the last GT I really liked. I tried to get into 5 and Sport, but couldn't do it. Never played 6 or 7. I've been all over the place with Forza Motorsport series. Loved 1, hated 2, didn't play 3, 4 is my favorite, hated 5, barely got to play 6, didn't get to play 7, and I've been hearing 8 is not great. I didn't care for the Forza Horizon series at first. I ended up having some fun with 4 and 5, but it wasn't what I was looking for in the end. Assetto Corsa, Project Cars, and various others couldn't command my attention. I still have fun with Dirt Rally 1.0 and 2.0, but overall, realistic-ish racing games just don't grab me like they used to. I wish I could use my Logitech G27 controller more, but I need a proper seat setup for it.

I have a whole bunch of PCSX2 testing I need to do at some point, so I guess I'll throw this GT4 Spec II onto the list, and give it a whirl.

 

[MadMummy76]

OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIAAATTT...
I was going to ask, but you immediately provided info. Just released this past September? I'm sure that's one reason why I hadn't heard about it.


GT3 was the last GT I really liked. I tried to get into 5 and Sport, but couldn't do it. Never played 6 or 7. I've been all over the place with Forza Motorsport series. Loved 1, hated 2, didn't play 3, 4 is my favorite, hated 5, barely got to play 6, didn't get to play 7, and I've been hearing 8 is not great. I didn't care for the Forza Horizon series at first. I ended up having some fun with 4 and 5, but it wasn't what I was looking for in the end. Assetto Corsa, Project Cars, and various others couldn't command my attention. I still have fun with Dirt Rally 1.0 and 2.0, but overall, realistic-ish racing games just don't grab me like they used to. I wish I could use my Logitech G27 controller more, but I need a proper seat setup for it.

I loved GT1 and GT2 despite only playing both on emulator that was struggling to keep 15fps at the time. I skipped GT3 entirely since GT4 was already out by the time I managed to get a hold of a PS2 Slim. I never even had any other game for that console.

I was already working by the time GT5 came out so it was not a huge issue to get a PS. I was kind of middle of the road about it, didn't love it but didn't hate it either. However GT6 was a big big letdown. For me that's when the series really went downhill, GT6 lacked lots of features why I loved GT games, and is also missing half of the tracks from previous games. But at least it still had single player campaign unlike Sport at launch. I experienced Sport as an insult to all fans of GT. Although they added single player content to it in patches it never got a true Gran Turismo mode.

And finally GT7 was a total mess, which I experienced as even more of a let down since it was proof that the creators were now completely out of touch with what old time fans of the series wanted. It contained very little single player content at launch, all of it from the hand holding variety. And the physics were messed up too which they later improved in patches but not to my full satisfaction. Not to mention the ridiculously overpriced unattainable cars in it, which they said was to simulate their exclusiveness. But for crying out loud I play the game because those cars I'd never be able to even get close to IRL, let alone drive them. And now I can enjoy not driving them in a game too. Thank you. Geez. I sold my PS4 Pro and my copy of GT7 soon after it came out, and vowed I'm done with the series unless it comes to PC. To this day I consider GT4 to be the best of the series: GT4 -> GT2 -> GT5 -> GT1 -> GT6 -> GT7 -> Sport If I took the release pre-patches version of GT7 then it would flip places even with Sport. I'm not ranking GT3 as I've never played it properly.

I am not a Forza Motorsport Fan to put it mildly, only tried one or two and always found the physics to be really weird and unrealistic. Not arcade unrealistic but outright unpredictable unrealistic which is the worst IMO. On the other hand I did enjoy FH4 which should be the more arcade game, it actually had better physics than motorsport. I just found it to be ridiculously short and the map too small.

My favorite realistic racing game on PC currently is Project Cars 2, it has the right variety of tracks and cars. For rallying still RBR reigns king, but I have not played it for at least 15 years.

I have a whole bunch of PCSX2 testing I need to do at some point, so I guess I'll throw this GT4 Spec II onto the list, and give it a whirl.

PCSX2 works out of the box now, well except you still need a PS2 ROM to use it, but aside from that setting it up is pretty straightforward.

Getting the mod to work however is an entirely other case as it is a patch that needs to be applied to the ISO of GT4 with a special patching tool which you need to download separately. And the ISO can't be any random GT4 rip either it needs to be of a special beta test version, which you need to acquire. Here is the official page of the mod: https://www.theadmiester.co.uk/specii/ Good luck.

 

[DrezKill]

The first TDU was the best open world racing game

My faint memory is telling me that this is probably true.

I was already working by the time GT5 came out so it was not a huge issue to get a PS. I was kind of middle of the road about it, didn't love it but didn't hate it either.

Same.

However GT6 was a big big letdown. For me that's when the series really went downhill, GT6 lacked lots of features why I loved GT games, and is also missing half of the tracks from previous games.

Good to know. I probably won't ever bother to grab it.

But at least it still had single player campaign unlike Sport at launch. I experienced Sport as an insult to all fans of GT. Although they added single player content to it in patches it never got a true Gran Turismo mode.

I don't even know what the f*ck they were thinking with GT Sport. That was an odd product in and of itself. I paid $10 for a brand-new physical copy, and it turns out I paid way too d@mn much.

And finally GT7 was a total mess, which I experienced as even more of a let down since it was proof that the creators were now completely out of touch with what old time fans of the series wanted. It contained very little single player content at launch, all of it from the hand holding variety. And the physics were messed up too which they later improved in patches but not to my full satisfaction. Not to mention the ridiculously overpriced unattainable cars in it, which they said was to simulate their exclusiveness. But for crying out loud I play the game because those cars I'd never be able to even get close to IRL, let alone drive them. And now I can enjoy not driving them in a game too. Thank you. Geez.

Woooooooooooooow!

vowed I'm done with the series unless it comes to PC

Honestly this is one of the biggest tings I don't get. Even Forza Motorsport eventually came to PC. It makes no sense for Gran Turismo to not be on PC.

On the other hand I did enjoy FH4 which should be the more arcade game, it actually had better physics than motorsport. I just found it to be ridiculously short and the map too small.

Agreed.

My favorite realistic racing game on PC currently is Project Cars 2, it has the right variety of tracks and cars.

I actually haven't played that one. I'll have to give a whirl at some point.

For rallying still RBR reigns king, but I have not played it for at least 15 years.

I'm inclined to think RBR is still the top, but I too have not played it in many years, probably longer than when you last played it.

PCSX2 works out of the box now, well except you still need a PS2 ROM to use it, but aside from that setting it up is pretty straightforward.

Well I'm pretty familiar with PCSX2, been using it for years, but I have yet to use any version past 1.6.0 (except some of the nightly 1.7.x dev build releases). I want to see how any of the newer builds past v2.x.x handle a lot of the games I had problems with in previous versions. I was gonna test 2.0.0 and then 2.0.2 and now they got 2.2.0 out. I have a ton of PS2 games to try, I just need to set aside some time for testing.

Getting the mod to work however is an entirely other case as it is a patch that needs to be applied to the ISO of GT4 with a special patching tool which you need to download separately. And the ISO can't be any random GT4 rip either it needs to be of a special beta test version, which you need to acquire. Here is the official page of the mod: https://www.theadmiester.co.uk/specii/ Good luck.

Cool. Thanks for giving me a direction to head in. Not sure when I'll get around to all this, but I definitely plan to.

 

[MadMummy76]

It makes no sense for Gran Turismo to not be on PC.

I haven't been keeping up with GT news since I quit the console life 2 years ago, but there were some rumors about GT7 coming to PC, but nothing materialized. The game is still a big success, but it serves the role of a Sport 2, rather than a GT7. It's all about online racing and esports.

I forgot to mention that at one point it was the lowest ever rated PS game on metacritic based on user score, which is quite a feat to piss off your audience so much.

I actually haven't played that one. I'll have to give a whirl at some point.

It was underrated and poorly received because it is not as much a hardcore sim, not in terms of physics those are pretty realistic imo, but the game structure is more arcade style and less focused on track racing. But I have some bad news if you don't already have it you can't buy it anymore, it was de-listed on steam years ago due to licenses expiring. Maybe if you can find a physical copy.

Project cars 3 is still available but avoid it like the plague it is an awful arcade game with cartoonish graphics and terrible physics having nothing in common with the previous two.

 

[DrezKill]

The game is still a big success, but it serves the role of a Sport 2, rather than a GT7. It's all about online racing and esports.

Ugh. Count me out. Plus doesn't it have an always-online requirement?

I have some bad news if you don't already have it you can't buy it anymore, it was de-listed on steam years ago due to licenses expiring. Maybe if you can find a physical copy.

A "community demo" would also suffice.

Project cars 3 is still available but avoid it like the plague it is an awful arcade game with cartoonish graphics and terrible physics having nothing in common with the previous two.

Ironically I was gonna ask about that game too, which I also know nothing about.