DiRT 4 DiRT 4 Released!

[Paul Jeffrey]

Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC players can now finally get their hands on the new Codemasters release, as DiRT 4 officially hits the game store shelves today.

Although some parts of the world have been able to pick up a physical copy of the game for console over the past couple of days, today marks the official worldwide release of the game across all platforms, bringing the fourth iteration of the popular DiRT franchise back to the forefront of off road racing on PC and current generation console machines.

Featuring over 50 cars the likes of the Ford Fiesta R5, Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI, Subaru WRX STI NR4, Audi Sport quattro S1 E2 plus many different machines from different classes of World Rallycross, Landrush and Crosskarts, run over five unique rally locations and a five Rallycross venues, the new game looks to firmly establish itself as the biggest and best inclusion to the DiRT franchise of games to date.

DiRT 4 is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC today.

If getting down and DiRTy is your thing then we know the place to go... check out the DiRT 4 sub forum here at RaceDepartment to get your fix of news, events, mods and discussions around the new Codemasters rally game. Go on, it'll be fun I promise !

Have you tried DiRT 4 yet? What are your impressions of the game? Do you think the title is comparable to DiRT Rally in terms of driving experience? Where does it rank against other DiRT franchise games? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[mantasisg]

How can you have SUPERIOR physics model, and have much worse handling ? I doubt that it is superior.

 

[Akra]

It's not superior. Its just wrong. It is fixable, but currently it's all over the place.

 

[Conrad Miller]

All you need to do is compare TV footage of rally cars, to Dirt 4 replays. There is nothing similar in the way cars move. What is difficult about this?

FFB is only communicating what front wheels do, and what comes through the drive column. But it all comes from physics and movements/forces directed at the front of the car, which can be all seen from outside. Nothing in the steering wheel of the car happens, that isn't visible in TV exterior footage. It's only more detailed, instant and on-point through a wheel.

But if you see it ALREADY from video footage of real rally cars, without even touching a wheel, it has to be off A LOT.

And yeah Assetto Corsa may not be perfect, but if (rally) cars in it handle on tarmac in certain way... that makes actual sense and resembles closely real drifting... and also looks like real life footage of a car, that is drifting... Then it is really hard to believe Codemasters did better job, when their cars handle and look like they are from another planet.

Automobilista has dirt physics, which are IMO pretty darn good. Why Codemasters dirt physics feel completely different? They both can't be right. Or even in the right direction. It felt so fundamentally wrong across the board in Dirt 4, that it goes beyond certain car type / model... something at the very core is wrong.

This sums it up , mate! Anything else is BS or Wishful thinking!

 

[bogani]

All you need to do is compare TV footage of rally cars, to Dirt 4 replays. There is nothing similar in the way cars move. What is difficult about this?

FFB is only communicating what front wheels do, and what comes through the drive column. But it all comes from physics and movements/forces directed at the front of the car, which can be all seen from outside. Nothing in the steering wheel of the car happens, that isn't visible in TV exterior footage. It's only more detailed, instant and on-point through a wheel.

But if you see it ALREADY from video footage of real rally cars, without even touching a wheel, it has to be off A LOT.

And yeah Assetto Corsa may not be perfect, but if (rally) cars in it handle on tarmac in certain way... that makes actual sense and resembles closely real drifting... and also looks like real life footage of a car, that is drifting... Then it is really hard to believe Codemasters did better job, when their cars handle and look like they are from another planet.

Automobilista has dirt physics, which are IMO pretty darn good. Why Codemasters dirt physics feel completely different? They both can't be right. Or even in the right direction. It felt so fundamentally wrong across the board in Dirt 4, that it goes beyond certain car type / model... something at the very core is wrong.

I'm just curious. Do you think the same about the RX cars? Is there "nothing similar in the way the real cars move" there as well? Because I think the RX in D4 is absolutely brilliant. It's the exact same physics, just another tire.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

You gave it a spin yet @Ole Marius Myrvold?

Nope. Atm I am without a job, and cannot justify spending that kind of money on a game sadly.
Basically all my friends around me have it, so I am sure I'll be able to test it soon though

I did try to get RD a review copy, just for thst reason (I am allowed to be slightly selfish), but was completely ignored by Codies. So if anything, I am slightly negative before I get to try it!

 

[bogani]

It's not superior. Its just wrong. It is fixable, but currently it's all over the place.

If the core physics is "just wrong" I doubt they will simply fix it. Luckily I feel it's nothing wrong with the core physics, it's the gravel tire or gravel surface that needs some attention.

Most cars feels very natural and intuitive when driving around the Dirt fish area, much better than DR. It's when you hit the gravel stages there are problems.

 

[Akra]

If the core physics is "just wrong" I doubt they will simply fix it. Luckily I feel it's nothing wrong with the core physics, it's the gravel tire or gravel surface that needs some attention.

Most cars feels very natural and intuitive when driving around the Dirt fish area, much better than DR. It's when you hit the gravel stages there are problems.

It is a bit backwards to say that the physics are correct because they work in one specific circumstance. They clearly don't work in most other cases. That to me shows there's more wrong than right.

 

[anton_Chez]

ISRTV got a copy to test early. I wonder why RD got completely ignored? Hmm maybe reading too much into it but could it be for the exact reasons people are stating in this thread? Perhaps Codies felt a review copy of their new premier racing title that apparently catered to hardcore rally fans was not fit for purpose on a hardcore sim racing site, but was better suited for the folk over at IGN? Makes you wonder.

I've refunded my copy as well. Rather spend the money on DLC in AMS and AC. Funnily enough, I was not excited at all for PC2, and was really looking forward to Dirt 4 after DR actually got me into sim racing about 18 months ago. It may eventuate that I have been paying attention to the wrong title. I have a whole new experience thanks to Dirt Rally and now I have refunded it's successor. Extremely disappointed. I echo others feelings here. It just feels wrong. I'll revisit when there is confirmation of change.

 

[Kaftan]

You cant just patch the handling/physics model post-release. It's months of work for a team of coders that no publisher is going to pay for, because it costs a fortune in wages for those coders but doesnt result in any sales.

We will probably never know why Dirt4 is the way it is. Wether it was an attempt to make the game more accessible to casual players, if there were budget/time constraints that didnt allow it or if they were forced to make some kind of change to the engine that made it impossible for them to re-use the physics they have in DR.

 

[tunaphis]

Currently at Level 22,Which is enough to say that Codies have what done what they promised.They have provided a game for the masses.Player's who own Dirt Rally and have put in the time could see this as less challenging.As vast a playing field as Dirt 4 presents you will soon see familar stage parts,reusing of track is frequent.If you want to think your fast in the forest this game is good,If you want to know for sure it's Dirt Rally.

 

[Akra]

You cant just patch the handling/physics model post-release. It's months of work for a team of coders that no publisher is going to pay for, because it costs a fortune in wages for those coders but doesnt result in any sales.

We will probably never know why Dirt4 is the way it is. Wether it was an attempt to make the game more accessible to casual players, if there were budget/time constraints that didnt allow it or if they were forced to make some kind of change to the engine that made it impossible for them to re-use the physics they have in DR.

This is a very old school way of thinking that developers are now going back on. Ubisofts post-release support of Rainbow 6 has actually increased sales, and the userbase over time. That game has trended backwards compared to normal games due to the amount of support it's had - http://steamcharts.com/app/359550#All

It'd be nice if Codemasters went the same way. It's paying off for Ubisoft.

 

[tunaphis]

Enough about the past,When is Dirt Rally ReMastered Hdr 4k Edition coming?

 

[KittX]

I have expected the overly simplified physics after seeing the way cars behave after colliding or rolling over in the preview videos, but PR machine was heavy and got me. Pffft.
The cars handle just wrong. Much more simplified than Dirt Rally, and with some fake hardness added on top of it. Rear axle on RWD cars is like open diff all the time. My old Volvo 940 with open diff on gravel can spin the rear axle using throttle or clutch kick way more easier than any of Dirt 4 RWD cars. Front axle on the contrary feels like there's no grip at all, and still cars have huge twitchiness when you drive, aren't they self excluding behaviours huh? That overly twitchiness creates the fake sense that the cars are more lively, but they aren't. The whole driving model reminds me of Colin McRae Rally 3 or 04. I haven't played them with a wheel, but the way car rotates is very very similar.
Hell, even BeamNG is so much more realistic on gravel than this.

Your Stage is another fake feature - Colin McRae/Dirt series/DR had stages sharing same modules/roads for ages. Now it's just random route on them, instead of pre-planned one.

Sounds is another step back IMO. Oh, and Ascona has no engine sound in the replay.

Graphics is prettier and worse at the same time, it's more optimized, better antialiasing and alpha behaviour, very nice wet shaders on track, at the same time the colors are worse, again - back to colin mcrae 04 era, and car shaders aren't that pretty, some of the effects have very noticeable tiling.

Really mixed feelings on this one... Dirt rally feels like revelation after this.

 

[Akra]

I have to admit, I do disagree with those saying that DiRT 3 was a prettier game than this. It really wasn't. It was blurry and brown. If your eyes see this sort of thing, you should go to your doctor to be checked for cataracts.

DiRT 4 won't be winning awards for its graphics, but its certainly not a downgrade to other DiRT games, unless you wear brown sunglasses, smeared with Vaseline everywhere you go.

 

[Ole Marius Myrvold]

ISRTV got a copy to test early. I wonder why RD got completely ignored? Hmm maybe reading too much into it but could it be for the exact reasons people are stating in this thread? Perhaps Codies felt a review copy of their new premier racing title that apparently catered to hardcore rally fans was not fit for purpose on a hardcore sim racing site, but was better suited for the folk over at IGN? Makes you wonder.

Probably not. No-one of us have been able to get answers from Codies, no matter what lately, for review copies, interviews etc. Which I honestly find disappointing considering the size of the site, and support we have had for the F1 series and DiRT Rally.

 

[RaceNut]

I'm just curious. Do you think the same about the RX cars? Is there "nothing similar in the way the real cars move" there as well? Because I think the RX in D4 is absolutely brilliant. It's the exact same physics, just another tire.

I do feel that the Rx Super Cars are better but, I suspect that may be due to their lighter weight / reduced grip attributes. They feel closer to how the heavier cars should feel on dirt imo.

 

[TzZyO]

All you need to do is compare TV footage of rally cars, to Dirt 4 replays. There is nothing similar in the way cars move. What is difficult about this?

FFB is only communicating what front wheels do, and what comes through the drive column. But it all comes from physics and movements/forces directed at the front of the car, which can be all seen from outside. Nothing in the steering wheel of the car happens, that isn't visible in TV exterior footage. It's only more detailed, instant and on-point through a wheel.

But if you see it ALREADY from video footage of real rally cars, without even touching a wheel, it has to be off A LOT.

And yeah Assetto Corsa may not be perfect, but if (rally) cars in it handle on tarmac in certain way... that makes actual sense and resembles closely real drifting... and also looks like real life footage of a car, that is drifting... Then it is really hard to believe Codemasters did better job, when their cars handle and look like they are from another planet.

Automobilista has dirt physics, which are IMO pretty darn good. Why Codemasters dirt physics feel completely different? They both can't be right. Or even in the right direction. It felt so fundamentally wrong across the board in Dirt 4, that it goes beyond certain car type / model... something at the very core is wrong.

I wouldn't judge by the replays. We simply don't know how exactly they are recorded.
What I found surprising, however, is that when I did my own runs and watched replays, they looked more convincing than either the disciplines description videos (those indeed look excessively arcade-y), or some other replays I saw on YouTube.

As far as the handling and FFB go, the only complaint from me so far is that the rear end of the cars indeed seems to have somewhat restricted sideways movement. However, that's in rallying. And I didn't bother changing the setup at all, and that might be the reason. Or maybe it's the tires. The same cars in the Joyride area indeed feel much more alive. Donuts are more than possible.

Sweden felt odd... Probably the worst experience so far (especially in the M3).

You mentioned Automobilista's dirt physics. Well, the Lancers are not bad indeed, but I wouldn't call them perfect either. And if anything, cars in D4 (at least in the joyride area) seem to resemble Automobilista's Lancers much more than whatever DR has to offer.

I'm still not entirely happy with D4's handling (especially in rallying), but then again, I cannot name a single sim I'm absolutely satisfied with. Even NGP has its problems, as do Automobilista and rFactor 2. It is still a very decent addition to my car sims collection, while I cannot say the same about Dirt Rally, which for me felt like a fast-forwarded moon buggy simulator. Real rally cars have suspensions capable of soaking up noticeable bumps and rocks. That's suspension's job in the first place. And in D4 the suspension does that job right. In DR... Suspension? What suspension? Even if you soften it out to the max.

 

[TzZyO]

The experience come from the car dynamic.

Many people are aware that DiRT Rally is definitely not a sim in scientific model, but the car dynamic was in a class on its own by interaction. When you spin out in DiRT Rally, it simply just feel right, although by scientific model it's wrong.

We all know DiRT 4 scientific model is superior to DiRT Rally, but when you actually interact by playing it or watching the car moving on replay... Well you know... I don't know exactly how to describe that.

Let's start with that it was easier to roll over in DR rather than spin out. The only hardcore part was the suspension, or more precisely, the lack thereof. That and the bumps that turned it more into an off-roading experience rather than rallying. For cars to properly spin out they need to have some mass to them. Cars in DR don't even know what 'mass' means.

So, while D4 presents a rather lackluster experience, it at least makes sense. Codies just need to give rally cars the same behavior they exhibit in the Joyride (and possibly RX).

 

[Akra]

Let's start with that it was easier to roll over in DR rather than spin out. The only hardcore part was the suspension, or more precisely, the lack thereof. That and the bumps that turned it more into an off-roading experience rather than rallying. For cars to properly spin out they need to have some mass to them. Cars in DR don't even know what 'mass' means.

So, while D4 presents a rather lackluster experience, it at least makes sense. Codies just need to give rally cars the same behavior they exhibit in the Joyride (and possibly RX).

I think you're onto something with RX. Even the RX 1600s have a lot more rear movement than the FWD Rally Cars.

 

[TzZyO]

I think you're onto something with RX. Even the RX 1600s have a lot more rear movement than the FWD Rally Cars.

I haven't tried RX in Dirt 4 yet (not my kind of thing), but I will get there eventually. One of the reasons why I skipped on that is how bad it was in DR, by the way.
This is why I said "possibly RX".