The Crew Beta Thoughts
The Crew Beta Thoughts
During our physics sessions, it’s clear enough to hit the vehicle at 5 mph and it will start a sequence, much like after a crash, with the opposing car flying away. Replaying a mission multiple times often bypasses the cut scene, but skipping it can reveal your car nearly tipping during the cutscene. I think these pre-mission scenes are created within the game engine instead of using external software. Also, reaching level 10 means driving from Detroit to St. Louis, then Chicago, and finally New York. From Chicago to NYC it takes just over five minutes on main roads, though in reality it could easily take at least a full day.
As agreed, here’s the refreshed review at the end of the beta. The Uplay servers have stopped functioning, likely to halt the Beta phase. I’m listing the changes by their effect on the game:
1. The driving system improves noticeably! After going through the story, my car—still a 370z—is now rated higher. As shown in the original post’s video, my vehicle used to be a S13 (Street version) and now sits at S152. It’s not at full capacity, but significantly better than the standard version. The steering responds more accurately and feels more manageable; you need less input to turn. Pressing the brakes or releasing the gas is usually sufficient for most maneuvers.
2. The game no longer crashes. Earlier patches seemed to fix the issue, but a recent update (1.01) introduced frame drops every five minutes. This isn’t a major problem, but it was noticeable before the patch.
3. The first update added multiplayer lobbies with voice chat. Unfortunately, there’s no straightforward way to mute the audio. You must navigate to the map and individually mute players in the Audio menu. A simple tutorial on disabling voice sounds would have been helpful. Additionally, there was no clear guide on turning off the sound, so I played without any audio for the first hour.
4. The entire map remains accessible. Even though you can only reach Level 10, you can still travel across the country. This takes time but offers a lot of enjoyment. It’s rewarding to see how they portray cities like Miami, diverse terrains such as New England, Florida, and Arizona. While reaching LA was delayed by the Beta, you can still explore other regions. Satellites are spread far apart—find them to unlock missions in specific areas. They’re useful for completing tasks near landmarks, though they aren’t visible on the map. You’re notified when a satellite is nearby and need to press a button. There are 20 car parts scattered nationwide; collecting them unlocks a Hot Rod, resembling the one from Burnout: Paradise. It’s faster than my own car but not as powerful as a GT. Its purpose seems purely collectible.
5. A few new bugs have appeared. If your car collides with walls or fences that should be removable, it will slowly slide up and you lose control. If your car is straight, it’s treated as a crash and you can respawn. Occasionally, cars fly onto the road at high speeds, colliding with each other or you—random and sometimes amusing. The physics engine is surprisingly active, though it can be frustrating at times. Another issue: you can’t teleport to crew members. You can teleport very close if you’ve discovered the area, but not directly next to them. This has been a bit of a letdown.
6. There are several new major issues. If your car touches certain walls or barriers that should be removable, it will slowly slide up and you can’t do anything. Once your car is vertical, it’s considered a crash and you can respawn. Also, occasionally cars appear flying onto the road at extreme speeds, crashing into others or you—comically chaotic. While entertaining, it’s a bit annoying.
I’ve recorded many more videos today, focusing on new terrains and sights not covered in trailers. Compiling and uploading them will take some time. That’s the update for now! -vT
You haven't explored many racing titles just because you're not limited to driving on roads. That's pretty uncommon in open-world racers.