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DriveClub dev "had confidence" servers would work - compensation possible

Trace

Banned
Something tells me Sony knew about Forza 5 before May 21st.

So they weren't allowed to make a racing game? Microsoft shouldn't have been allowed to make Forza Horizon they were just copying Burnout Paradise! Don't support stealing everyone else's ideas!
 

Kilau

Gold Member
Something tells me Sony knew about Forza 5 before May 21st.

Yep, they also probably knew the Xbox 720 was coming. That's why they rushed out the PS4.

Heck I remember when they brought out the first Playstation in response to the original Xbox and Microsoft's huge success with that.

/sarcasm
 
Something tells me Sony knew about Forza 5 before May 21st.

Sony didn't tell Evo to make Driveclub. The game was already in the works for several years prior (just what do you suppose Evo had been working on after Motorstorm Apocalypse?), and Evo themselves described it as a game they've wanted to make for a long time. There's simply no way it fits the "it was an answer to an unannounced Forza title" narrative. Not in gameplay concept, not in announcement timelines, not in anything.
 

HORRORSHØW

Member
Something tells me Sony knew about Forza 5 before May 21st.
sure, but to assume it was a preemptive salvo against fm5 is stretching it. more than likely sony wanted a breadth of genres for the ps4's launch: platformer (knack), shooter (shadowfall), racer (dc), along with various third-party offerings.
 

Wynnebeck

Banned
It's amazing that Sony seems to get off hook here. It's obvious that this game could not have possibly made launch. Yet it was presented as a launch title. The whole thing has the stench of the "me too" play from their play book. Oh MS has motion controls, me too.(quick slap together a tech demo) Oh the XBO is launching with a 1080p racer, the PS4 too! But ours is going to have real time lighting and weather. But it was bullshit. The game was released a year later running at half the frame rate of Forza 5 without weather. However, it doesn't matter because you had people criticizing Forza 5 for baked lighting, no weather, and 2D crowds. They were able to offer up a competitive racer without actually having to release it. Brilliant! If I had the time I'm sure going back and reading all the quotes about F5's lack of weather would be a hoot in light of all we know now.

I don't think that DC's developer should be shutdown because they accomplished the goal Sony set out for them. Besides, Sony is the publisher that squeezed this turd out. Their name is on the game and they need to take some responsibility for not jumping in to help steer this game away from the disaster it seems to have become.

I know there are people enjoying the game, but that doesn't make DC's delays and problems go away.

This is the kind of gymnastics people break their proverbial necks over. Masterful.
 

Matt

Member
Something tells me Sony knew about Forza 5 before May 21st.




And if MS announced Forza 5 as launch title and then released the game almost a year after launch, incomplete and a buggy servers you would have a point. Sony presented a game that was obviously far from being ready as a launch title. Why would they do that? Not only did they say it was launch but it would be free for their new for PS plus users. Probably to help make that pay-wall multiplayer pill easier to swallow.

That's not how game development works. Sony approved Evo's pitch for a PS4 launch racing game for the same reason that most launches have racing games: because they are easy (relatively, of course) games to put out on short timetables that do a good job of showing off advances in graphic technology.

If Forza 5 didn't exist, there would still have been DriveClub.
 
So we should just Jeff gerstmann it? I actually own the game and I think it's an amazing racer, and that's without the online. It is not trying to be FM, and definitely has its own unique voice in the genre. I hope one day it's sense of time and place become the standard in other racers.

I own the game too, and a week before the official release date, when the online portion of the game did not work well, but at least it worked.

I agree with you about the sense of time and place, I think the graphics is awesome and I love how some specific circuits/experiences reminded me some of the best arcade racer of the past (yes, Outrun and Ridge Racer too).

But I also think the handling is too tamed and predictable, but improves with the fastest class of cars. And I think it is a shame that it came out without a replay mode.

The worst thing about Driveclub is that his bigger selling point, the revolutionary multiplayer/social aspect, is really nothing special, nothing new.

Add at all of this the shitty server and it's clear that this is not an amazing product. Just a good arcade racer (especially if bought with the Plus discount)
 

Xenon

Member
Grimløck said:
sure, but to assume it was a preemptive salvo against fm5 is stretching it. more than likely sony wanted a breadth of genres for the ps4's launch: platformer (knack), shooter (shadowfall), racer (dc), along with various third-party offerings.

Ok, maybe I was wrong about their motivation being a match for F5. Maybe it was just desperation to have any AAA game to show. But I can not see how they seriously thought the game would be ready for launch.


edit: I'm not saying that's why Sony was producing DC or why it was being developed. My post was focused on why they said it was a launch title. I think Sony may have been consciously over optimistic on it's development status to have something else to show for launch.
 

Xenon

Member
What you are trying to say has absolutely nothing to do with what I am saying.

Your argument that Sony introduced Driveclub solely to combat Forza 5 is totally flawed and has been proven so.

No it's conjecture. I doubt anyone here has the information to prove it false. Just like I have none to prove it as truth.
 
I think all the conspiracy stuff is nonsense but it is interesting to think that Sony left it until the last minute to delay DC as a launch title.

Considering the state it's launched in a year later it's hard to believe that prior to PS4 launch that they didn't know it wasn't in a fit state well before the delay and kept quiet to try and keep pre-orders of consoles etc.
 
No it's conjecture. I doubt anyone here has the information to prove it false. Just like I have none to prove it as truth.

But I can tell you that the first playable versions shown @E3 were outrageous,
like a game that would never be released in time.

So we don't have proof, but your conjecture in my opinion might not be too far from reality
 

Matt

Member
edit: I'm not saying that's why Sony was producing DC or why it was being developed. My post was focused on why they said it was a launch title. I think Sony may have been consciously over optimistic on it's development status to have something else to show for launch.

Nah. The far more logical conclusion is that, when Sony announced DC as a launch title, they meant it to be a launch title. As the deadline closed in, and it was clear they weren't going to make it, Sony decided that if it wasn't going to be a launch game, it might as well be a good game, so they gave Evo a lot more time.

Unfortunately, it still didn't really work out.
 

Kilau

Gold Member
No it's conjecture. I doubt anyone here has the information to prove it false. Just like I have none to prove it as truth.

Well the burden of proof is on the accuser.

I think all the conspiracy stuff is nonsense but it is interesting to think that Sony left it until the last minute to delay DC as a launch title.

Considering the state it's launched in a year later it's hard to believe that prior to PS4 launch that they didn't know it wasn't in a fit state well before the delay and kept quiet to try and keep pre-orders of consoles etc.

Yeah I agree that Sony had to know it wasn't going to be ready more than a month away from launch.

The game still missing key features like replay mode this long after is pretty amazing.
 

Ambient80

Member
Any chance of Amazon taking the game back if I already opened it? Yes, I know I can play single player but I'm not particularly thrilled with that, plus all of the online features aren't working for me at all. Usually Amazon is cool about that stuff.

Edit: and before anyone freaks out, no I haven't totally beaten the game and am now asking for a refund.
 

fritolay

Member
I haven't kept up on this game, but wow had no idea these issues weren't fixed yet. They make launch and months of BF4 issues look like small beans, and that is saying something.
 

Jimrpg

Member
I don't buy that it is a simple bug. It has been too long.

It must be a total and complete miscalculation of eventual server load. Someone inexperienced was at the helm of that part of the project.

The thing that drives me crazy is *MY COPY HAS NO CONNECTIVITY* and I'm not into the theory of exceptionalism -- I'm pretty sure I'm not exceptional in this.

Therefore Evolution studios, or PSN has a bug beyond that which is making for a shitty experience for those that do have connectivity, they have a bug that completely cuts off some people who bought the game.

As in, cuts them off 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, by PSN username or user ID. Or by PS4 console serial number or something else weird like that. You name it, I've tried to eliminate it, and I've never got a hint of connectivity. Up to and including this moment in time.

The only thing I haven't tried is to rent or borrow a disc copy, delete the PSN pre-order digital copy, and try that instead. Why should I pay to rent a game to debug this issue?

Man that is super bad.

I'm on a really bad connection 4Mbps (shared with 25 other households) so peak time is a no-go, but I do connect to Driveclub and get leaderboards information and those face offs from time to time.

The online portion is utterly broken at the moment. The single player is still very good. Right now its probably just as bad as Battlefield 4 at the start.

I hope people can be patient, its only to Evo's benefit to fix it as fast as possible. Reading that people in Neogaf want people to lose their jobs over this is pretty poor form.
 

OmegaDL50

Member
I haven't kept up on this game, but wow had no idea these issues weren't fixed yet. They make launch and months of BF4 issues look like small beans, and that is saying something.

Driveclub has only been out nearly 3 weeks.

Even though Driveclub was delayed a year. I would say 3 weeks with intermittent online issues pales to the months of issues that BF4 had.
 
Driveclub has only been out nearly 3 weeks.

Even though Driveclub was delayed a year. I would say 3 weeks with intermittent online issues pales to the months of issues that BF4 had.

BF4 used to work very poorly, Driveclub don't work almost at all. Intermittent is the server access, online play is completely randon. C'mon, I managed to make only 3 races online since launch.

After 3 weeks even SimCity worked well
 

OmegaDL50

Member
BF4 used to work very poorly, Driveclub don't work almost at all. Intermittent is the server access, online play is completely randon. C'mon, I managed to make only 3 races online since launch.

After 3 weeks even SimCity worked well

You meant to say parts of Driveclub online functions don't work, right?

Unless you also think the fully functional tour mode and time trials and custom race modes outside the multiplayer aren't working either.
 

Ambient80

Member
You meant to say Driveclub online doesn't work, right?

Unless you also think fully functional tour mode and time trials and custom race modes outside the multiplayer, doesn't work either.

BF4's campaign worked too, but that didn't keep people from losing their shit.
 

SegaShack

Member
I don't get the anger some people have. Like do you really think Evo is just chilling and didn't care if their game was going to crash and burn and maybe bring them with it? Especially with how people looked at Dice and BF4?

Or do you maybe think they basically just got stuck with a break and are trying to fix it and repair the damage? Obviously they tested it out, did a Beta on PSN and such, and it worked. They wanted a working game and did the tests they knew to do and it passed. Real world played out differently. That happens with software and tests. A little team relative to a massive world audience means a lot of issues only get caught by the mass real world audience. This is one that came from the real world audience and is Evo's worst nightmare.

Get off their backs. They obviously would rather be known for a flawless release and an instant fix the next day at worst. If it's taking time, it's because the issue takes time so resolve.

Most these issues would have all been avoided had they not made this a game that's online only. They get the flack for this because of their own choices and Sony's silence as well.
 

Laughing Banana

Weeping Pickle
Apparently GAF is so full of rich people that doesn't mind throwing 60 bucks to a product that doesn't work as advertised.

I mean, all the talk about the poor publisher/developer, but nary a single concern is thrown into the dude/gal that must pay 60 bucks to acquire the product. So I must surmise that this is because the vast majority of GAF is rich people that can throw 60 bucks of their money nilly willy.

I mean, you can't get mad for that, because of if you do, there are legions of people ready to call you entitled.

....bloody ridiculous :p
 
Apparently GAF is so full of rich people that doesn't mind throwing 60 bucks to a product that doesn't work as advertised.

I mean, all the talk about the poor publisher/developer, but nary a single concern is thrown into the dude/gal that must pay 60 bucks to acquire the product. So I must surmise that this is because the vast majority of GAF is rich people that can throw 60 bucks of their money nilly willy.

I mean, you can't get mad for that, because of if you do, there are legions of people ready to call you entitled.

....bloody ridiculous :p

Nope... Sony and the PS4 along with its software get many a free pass on GAF.
 

T.M. MacReady

NO ONE DENIES MEMBER
Most these issues would have all been avoided had they not made this a game that's online only. They get the flack for this because of their own choices and Sony's silence as well.

C'mon, maaaaaannnnn.


Get out of the thread if you don't know what you're talking about.
 

rambis

Banned
Apparently GAF is so full of rich people that doesn't mind throwing 60 bucks to a product that doesn't work as advertised.

I mean, all the talk about the poor publisher/developer, but nary a single concern is thrown into the dude/gal that must pay 60 bucks to acquire the product. So I must surmise that this is because the vast majority of GAF is rich people that can throw 60 bucks of their money nilly willy.

I mean, you can't get mad for that, because of if you do, there are legions of people ready to call you entitled.

....bloody ridiculous :p
It is pretty ridiculous to pay $60 for a game that doesnt work. If thats you, I definitley sympathize with you. However you get a lot less sympathy if youre just mad the plus version isnt here yet, which seems to be the majority of people.
 

Omnipunctual Godot

Gold Member
After playing non-stop for the past weekend, I just looked up the game on the dashboard to give it a like, and unfortunately it only has about 6.6 thousand likes at the moment. To give some perspective, I believe Dust: An Elysian Tail has more than that, and The Last of Us: Remastered has over 100k. I am sad to see people dissatisfied with the game, especially since I have come to love it, yet I can absolutely understand the backlash. I cannot remember seeing a more problematic launch/development cycle for such a large game in my life, and I don't see Evolution surviving DriveClub in the long run; this just isn't how a first-party studio is supposed to operate.

I definitely want a DriveClub 2, but at this point it is beginning to seem like a pipe dream.
 
It is pretty ridiculous to pay $60 for a game that doesnt work. If thats you, I definitley sympathize with you. However you get a lot less sympathy if youre just mad the plus version isnt here yet, which seems to be the majority of people.

I agree with this, but being honest I'm not mad about the online part being sketchy right now. I'm enjoying the single player side and the faceoffs when they pop up. I don't think I would even be delving in to the multiplayer yet. I realise others want that, but for me the connection issues right now aren't an issue for me.
 

orochi91

Member
Have they said what the compensation will be yet?

PSN Store credits? Free game/DLC?

Nailed it. I was just thinking the other day how was this game ever going to be a launch title.

Funnily enough, DC in its current state still feels like a launch title despite the year delay.
That Sony/Evo have the balls to charge full price for this incomplete game is just shocking.

Still waiting on that weather patch....
 
After playing non-stop for the past weekend, I just looked up the game on the dashboard to give it a like, and unfortunately it only has about 6.6 thousand likes at the moment. To give some perspective, I believe Dust: An Elysian Tail has more than that, and The Last of Us: Remastered has over 100k. I am sad to see people dissatisfied with the game, especially since I have come to love it, yet I can absolutely understand the backlash. I cannot remember seeing a more problematic launch/development cycle for such a large game in my life, and I don't see Evolution surviving DriveClub in the long run; this just isn't how a first-party studio is supposed to operate.

I definitely want a DriveClub 2, but at this point it is beginning to seem like a pipe dream.
PS+ games always have a great amount of likes, since they are well...... free.

DriveClub PS+ edition will be a better judge for such a comparison, even though this doesn't mean really mean anything.

Also have they still not solved the server issues? This is such a mess of a game =/
 

Omnipunctual Godot

Gold Member
Still waiting on that weather patch....
Evolution said it would be out by the end of the year before the game launched.

PS+ games always have a great amount of likes, since they are well...... free.

DriveClub PS+ edition will be a better judge for such a comparison, even though this doesn't mean really mean anything.
I would agree, but I also included The Last of Us: Remastered. DriveClub doesn't even have a tenth of its likes. I think people are genuinely angry about the game.
 

Ambient80

Member
People were certainly losing their shit on the campaign section too. I lost my save game on more than one occasion.

Yeah I suppose so.

I dunno, I just feel like I got robbed, frankly. I was really looking forward to the game, got it day 1, and now the portions I was excited about are not available 99% of the time. I told my friends I was gonna play the game with to hold off, and now I'm hoping Amazon gives me at least Amazon credit for the game after I opened it. Maybe if everything gets really ironed out later on ill buy it again for cheaper.
 
After playing non-stop for the past weekend, I just looked up the game on the dashboard to give it a like, and unfortunately it only has about 6.6 thousand likes at the moment. To give some perspective, I believe Dust: An Elysian Tail has more than that, and The Last of Us: Remastered has over 100k. I am sad to see people dissatisfied with the game, especially since I have come to love it, yet I can absolutely understand the backlash. I cannot remember seeing a more problematic launch/development cycle for such a large game in my life, and I don't see Evolution surviving DriveClub in the long run; this just isn't how a first-party studio is supposed to operate.

I definitely want a DriveClub 2, but at this point it is beginning to seem like a pipe dream.


There are 300,000 plus people (if not more) listed on the leaderboards. Mind you with all the server problems I'd imagine many people aren't even on the leaderboard so that number can be way higher. This is 2.5 weeks at retail. When the online functionality comes back 100% And the ps plus demo hits with a discount to purchase the full game, this game will sell. It's a very good looking racer that plays well exclusive to a console that has no arcade/SIM hybrid racer. Not to mention the dedicated support this game has in updates. Paid and free dlc, this game will have legs. That weather update is the first to come this month.

Also, the games visual design is superb. There is no way evo is going to say one and done with this tech. They'll use it on some other racing game in the future in some way shape or form.
 

Pikma

Banned
This is a real shame, I hope Evolution is able to get through this situation and survive, not just because I want them to live to make another Motorstorm game, but because they're a really awesome studio full of awesome people.
 

rambis

Banned
This is a real shame, I hope Evolution is able to get through this situation and survive, not just because I want them to live to make another Motorstorm game, but because they're a really awesome studio full of awesome people.
I honestly don't think that they are in much danger. If anything I'd bet Sony is just as much responsible for the game shipping like this as evo.
 
Are they giving daily updates on this? Cause i'm afraid to try tonight. Rage-quitted the PS4 for the 4th night on a row yesterday. It's torture to see the countdown, the lobby and then knowing there will be another error.

I'm now demanding some kind of compensation. The first thing is that they HAVE to give us the cars we unlocked. Even sp sucks now because of server issues. But that is not a compensation. That should be a given.
 

Omnipunctual Godot

Gold Member
There are 300,000 plus people (if not more) listed on the leaderboards. Mind you with all the server problems I'd imagine many people aren't even on the leaderboard so that number can be way higher. This is 2.5 weeks at retail. When the online functionality comes back 100% And the ps plus demo hits with a discount to purchase the full game, this game will sell. It's a very good looking racer that plays well exclusive to a console that has no arcade/SIM hybrid racer. Not to mention the dedicated support this game has in updates. Paid and free dlc, this game will have legs. That weather update is the first to come this month.

Also, the games visual design is superb. There is no way evo is going to say one and done with this tech. They'll use it on some other racing game in the future in some way shape or form.
I hope you are right. I just worry that some of the more casual players who didn't follow the game very closely will be less likely to give the game the benefit of the doubt and wait for the problems to be ironed out. It's the most fun I've had with a racer since Gran Turismo 3.
 
I honestly don't think that they are in much danger. If anything I'd bet Sony is just as much responsible for the game shipping like this as evo.

How is Sony responsible for the game shipping out with online problems? the entire blame falls on Evolution. The game was delayed once and they still managed to fuck it up lol
 

LoveCake

Member
We have had this time & again, it will also happen again & again, & the developers, publishers & also MS & Sony want s to go down the digital download route, why not just stagger the release dates for Asia, UK/EU/Africa, USA or have people that want the game to sort of pre book it so they get priority, basically a place holder in the queue.

I was only getting the free version of Drive Club so the effect is only small to me, however by the time i do get it i will have Forza Horizon 2 & the chances of me upgrading to the paid version of Drive Club will by then be zero.

The people who should get the compensation are the people that want to buy the digital copy or paid for & pre-ordered it.

Not having enough servers for people to play is basically a breach of consumers rights, paying for a game that you cannot use because the servers are down should be compensated for every day actually every single hour the game cannot be played.
 

Dougald

Member
By the time the servers are actually working and the PS+ version is launched I'll have lost interest at this rate, which is a damn shame
 

hamchan

Member
I honestly don't think that they are in much danger. If anything I'd bet Sony is just as much responsible for the game shipping like this as evo.

Why? Sony gave them a whole extra year to work on this game and it's pretty clear the online issues are on Evo's end rather than PSN.
 

rambis

Banned
How is Sony responsible for the game shipping out with online problems? the entire blame falls on Evolution. The game was delayed once and they still managed to fuck it up lol
Sony as the publisher controls when the game comes out. If it wasnt ready then they shouldnt have launched. Not to mention that Sony hosts the servers that ate crapping out.


Why? Sony gave them a whole extra year to work on this game and it's pretty clear the online issues are on Evo's end rather than PSN.
Evos end? They're wholy owned by Sony. They dont have an "end"
 
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