Forza Motorsport 7 isn’t only about innovating upon the technology found in its predecessor and making it 4K-enabled for Xbox One X – the official name of Microsoft’s Project Scorpio console that was finally unveiled at E3 2017. Instead, it’s focus is about returning the series to its competitive racing roots while making the franchise more human and real, and focusing on the person who matters the most in a racing game – you, the driver, and racer competing in exhilarating racing events who’s aiming to come out on top every time you play.
When we played Forza Motorsport 7 for the first time, we could immediately tell that the overall racing experience was one of the key components focused on by its developer, Turn 10 Studios. However, it wasn’t until a behind-closed-doors session at E3 2017 last week with the game’s Creative Director Bill Giese that we learned much more about the series’ return to its legacy racing roots while also innovating across the overall gameplay experience.
Making Forza Competitive Again
Some could argue that in recent years, Forza Motorsport has become less and less competitive to appeal more to casual players. With Forza Motorsport 7, Turn 10 believes it has the perfect balance with an improved handing model for realism, a range of new assists, and the biggest level of support for peripherals yet. That means if you have a rig setup at home ready for racing, there’s a good chance it will work with Forza Motorsport 7 – and should also work surprisingly well.
Forza Motorsport 7 is the first full Forza Motorsport experience for Windows 10 PC. Turn 10 brought its ForzaTech engine that powers every entry of the franchise on Xbox One to PC with the launch of Forza Motorsport 6: Apex last year. It then launched Forza Horizon 3 shortly after, but the specification required for optimal performance was – and still is – extremely demanding.
PC spec is unknown at this point for Forza Motorsport 7, but Giese did explain to us during the demo that the game focuses on three key areas:
It is being built to be the best-looking Forza game to-date.
Turn 10 has “reimagined everything” to return to the series back to its roots of competitive racing.
With 4.8 million monthly active users, Turn 10 aims to unite them all with a range of community and online features in Forza Motorsport 7.
Those were the goals outlined by Giese that the team at Turn 10 Studios had for Forza Motorsport 7, and he believes the developer has exceled across all of them.
Introducing Forza Motorsport 7
Our Forza Motorsport 7 behind-closed-doors demo begun with Giese showing us a glimpse of the main menu. Instead of the extremely clean and full-screen interface found in Forza Motorsport 6, Turn 10’s latest racer focuses on putting the driver and their car front and centre. That means the menu takes up the right-hand portion of the screen, while the left shows your customized racer in the gear you’ve given him with whatever car you were driving last.
On the menu, you’ll find all the options you come to expect from Forza – including Career, Online, Community, Garage, and Forzavista options. One of the more interesting things I noticed on the demo was an option for ‘Timed Vendor.’ I asked Giese what this feature was about, and he said to expect more details closer to launch. It sounds like some sort of buy-or-rental car service, but we already know the Auction House will be returning to Forza Motorsport 7, so that kind of rules that out.
You’ll also hear music when inside your Garage through in-game speakers, and this will be played from either the composed score for Forza Motorsport 7 or a playlist you’ve saved on OneDrive and integrated with Microsoft’s Groove Music service. That’s right, the same custom music functionality you know and love from Forza Horizon 3 is coming to Forza Motorsport 7.
Any music you own that’s ripped from CDs or downloaded from other music services can be saved onto OneDrive and added to your Groove Music account, allowing you to then create your own custom playlist for it in Forza Motorsport 7. This music will broadcast through your Garage speakers within Forzavista and the main menu, and you’ll even hear it come from the in-grandstand speakers on the track – creating a more authentic and immersive audio experience overall.
Forza Driver’s Cup
The first bit of gameplay Giese walked us through came from the Forza Driver’s Cup. He explained that whilst Forza Motorsport 6 really blew-out the campaign with the Stories of Motorsport, in Forza Motorsport 7, the developer aims to take things even further. For example, racers will face serious point scoring, can utilize race length tools to customize their experience, and even win in-game prizes such as trophies.
The Forza Driver’s Cup is broken down into six major championships; Seeker, Breakout, Evolution, Domination, Masters, and the Forza Masters Championship Cup. Each of these highlight the diverse race divisions of each of the cars in Forza Motorsport 7, and include events such as standard races, high-speed chases, endurance race showcases, historic moments in motorsport, formula pre-war cars, the rise of the supercar and GT race cars, and much more – as well as fun events like car bowling and autocross.
Racers will earn Series Points (SP) as they complete race events, and these allow players to progress through championships. They will also win credits, XP, mods, and collection items – such as Driver Gear and excusive reward cars. There’s also milestone rewards every three levels, as well as collection tiers.
By collecting cars, you can progress through each tier and improve the rewards you get. Car collection has been entirely revamped in Forza Motorsport 7, and it’s central to the overall experience. Giese said to expect more information and a deep dive on car collecting in the game at Gamescom 2017 in August.
To showcase the Forza Driver’s Cup, Giese headed into the Seeker Championship, which compromised of events featuring NASCAR, Trophy Trucks, and the Mercedes Racing Truck. For our demo, he chose the Exotic GT Series with the 2018 Porsche 911 GT2 RS racing on Dubai – the cover car of Forza Motorsport 7 that debuted on stage at the Xbox E3 2017 Briefing.
There’s also an Open Series, so you can continue using whatever car you were last driving if you prefer to not change. Showcases also return in Forza Motorsport 7, and these highlight unique race modes and diverse cars. The ‘Voices of Motorsport’ are also present for these events, and feature “automotive celebrities.” Giese said we’ll also hear more about these in the Summer.
Cars & Forzavista
With more than 700 Forzavista cars from over 80 manufacturers that can be fully-explored and customized, players are expected to have massive garages with diverse car collections in Forza Motorsport 7, including the largest line-up of Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Porsches in any racing game. For those who desire rare cars, the Showcase events will offer cars that are only available by winning them. Forzavista is also back, and cars can now be explored across both the usual array of homespaces and every track available in Forza Motorsport 7.
That’s a lot of new locations to take advantage of Forzavista, and Turn 10 has gone and touched up all 700 cars by making windshield wipers and straps shake whilst racing to give intensity, while others part rattle and vibrate – allowing your car to realistically react to the surfaces it drives on.
In addition, there’s also a new cockpit view without the wheel on show, and each car also has a different, unique feel when racing in cockpit. For example, the three cars available to drive in the E3 2017 demo – the brand-new Porsche 911 GT2 RS, the Mercedes Racing Truck, and the Nisssan GT-R race car, all have very different feelings, with each car having a unique personality. The GT-R is built for weight reduction and feels intense to drive during a storm, for example. There’s also a “robust” damage system in Forza Motorsport 7, Turn 10 has promised, including “a crack damage system with performance damage.”
In the race, we got a glimpse of some of the cars in Forza Motorsport 7, including the 2017 Ford GT, 2017 Audi R8, 2008 Aston Martin One-77, 2011 Ferrari FF, 2010 Lamborghini Murciélago LP670, and 2011 Lamborghini Aventador. There was also the 2000 SVR Cobra R, a glimpse of Trophy Trucks and NASCAR vehicles, and even the return of our old friend, the 2013 Cadillac XTS Limousine, which will be integrated into Showcase events in Forza Motorsport 7. In addition, the customization you know and love from Forza Horizon 3 returns, with even more bodykits and parts to look forward to.
Interactive Loading & Race Wheel Support
When loading into race events in Forza Motorsport 7, there’s a new interactive loading screen instead of the static one we’ve become accustomed to in recent years. Here, players can change their car, driver gear, assists, and tune, and easily go from race-to-race as they customize their car, driver, and racing setup between each event. This will save players tons of time, and all this even applies to online multiplayer as well. The in-race menu, meanwhile, allows players to access the Race Info and their Setup with two distinct menus. There’s also an option for ‘Car Collection’ should you decide to swap vehicle ahead of the race.
In addition, every fan-requested wheel is available in Forza Motorsport 7, and on Windows 10 PC, even the PlayStation Logitech G920 and DualShock 4 controller works thanks to multi-USB support. It’s important for Xbox One and PC that the peripherals you use are supported, Giese noted. The new cockpit setting is also a great addition for wheel users on Windows 10 PC.
Forza 7 on Xbox One X
Of course, the big selling point of the new Xbox One X console is the ability for it to render games in native 4K resolution, and Forza Motorsport 7 doesn’t disappoint. Running in True 4K with a rock-solid 60fps, it’s amazing. From the way it looks – to how it feels, and the contrast with colours and light enabled by High Dynamic Range, Forza Motorsport 7 is the best-looking entry in the series by far. Photogrammetry is a new method of recreating geometry in the world that Turn 10 has utilized in Forza Motorsport 7, and it helps get both the imperfections and perfections of the real-world into the game.
Forza Motorsport 7 “looks incredible, and awesome” on Xbox One in 1080p, Giese said, but the game is also future-proof with HDR support as the technology becomes more readily available in the years ahead. In addition, dynamic clouds and sky shadows changes the composition of the game, creating a unique look with dynamic race weather. For example, the Nürburgring event with the Nissan GT-R race car sees the track dry with a storm in the distance before it rolls through, and bam – there’s thunder and lighting, lashing rain, constantly-changing colours above you in the sky, and of course, the formation of puddles that grow and expand as the race continues. In Forza Motorsport 6, puddles were static on the circuit and placed with exact precision. In its sequel, puddles expand based on rain speed and in real-time.
Driver Gear & Online Experience
Forza Motorsport 7 has more than 300 racing suits to collect, and Mods from Forza Motorsport 6 are also returning. Your collection, be it of cars, gear, or mods, should matter, Turn 10 explained, adding that levelling up and XP is “exactly as you expect” in Forza Motorsport 7. Giese said there’s “a whole new layer around car collecting. The more cars you have the better the rewards you have as you level up.” Racers will also earn credits and car discounts from completing events as well. The people with the best cars and racing gear will be those who play the most, Giese teased.
With 4.8 million monthly active users, Turn 10 wanted to bring them all together – whether they are on Xbox One, Xbox One X, or Windows 10 PC. Forza Motorsport 7 is an Xbox Play Anywhere title, which means if you buy it on one of the aforementioned platforms, you can enjoy it on all of them. In addition, with cross-platform play and Looking for Group and Clubs recently integrated into Xbox Live, Turn 10 has used all this to revamp the social experience in Forza Motorsport 7.
The new online lobby experience for Forza Motorsport 7 is now integrated into the Pits. Ahead of a race, players can socialise with other drivers, tune their car, or run hot laps. The Driver will be shown outside of their car, wearing one of the more than 300 suits that span decades of racing and pop culture. Some of these span the birth of the gentleman racer, such as the Pioneer suit which saw too many racers die back in the day, while others like ‘Bowtie’ and ‘Interstellar’ show the diverse line-up of gear available. You’ll also be able to name your driver as well, and Forza Rewards will offer fans even more Driver Gear with “exclusive rewards.” Players can choose to express themselves how they desire on the track, in the garage, and on the pits in Forza Motorsport 7.
Each race in the E3 Demo had three suits to choose from, which was a nice touch. All suits are extremely diverse and different, and they also apply to Campaign. Drivatars will use the cars loved by their owner, as well as their paintjobs and driver gear. What Giese showed us was “a taste of the work” the team over at Turn 10 has done for Forza Motorsport 7’s online functionality.
There’s also Mixer Integration confirmed, as well as the option to broadcast in 4K resolution directly from the game when playing on Xbox One X. The Auction House and Forzathon were also confirmed to return, as well as split-screen gameplay, widebody kits for even more cars, and race wheels. Forza TV is also back for replays, as is the Galley for Photo Mode.
New Features & Enhancements
In the Q&A, Giese revealed that Forza Motorsport 7 won’t support wet weather on every track. For example, when in Dubai would it rain? It wouldn’t. Instead this circuit is all about its spectacular vistas and massive scale. Turn 10 has added rain to the tracks where it makes sense, such as Nürburgring, Sebring, and Silverstone. Furthermore, the feature-set between Xbox One, Xbox One X, and Windows 10 is equal – meaning all Forza Motorsport 7 players will get to experience dynamic weather and conditions, regardless of the platform they are playing on. Giese said that Xbox One and PC also benefits by the advancements made on Xbox One X.
Giese also spoke about the new Adjudication System in Forza Motorsport 7, which aims to discourage corner-cutting and cheating in online multiplayer. If you cut in eSports, the game will “take you down,” he said, adding time on to your final lap or completely dirtying it. This won’t necessarily apply to Campaign, but it will in Rivals and Multiplayer. In Endurance events, meanwhile, drivers can walk around their car, but not the pits. They can scroll through them however, as seen in the Grid Preview feature recently added to Forza Motorsport 6.
Leagues also return in Forza Motorsport 7, and they have been built with competitive racing in mind. Like before, these events are divided into Seasons, where players will earn points, and be placed into bands. Turn 10 has said they are “new and improved, and more integrated with ForzaRC." You'll be racing with the top guys. Matchmaking remains a key part of achieving that and racers will be up against people of similar skill for what promises to be a fair, competitive experience.
Making Dynamic Conditions Real
In building Forza Motorsport 7, Turn 10 wanted to ensure that every time a player returned to the track – it felt different. From the weather, clouds and shadows, there’s a lot of things happening within race events thanks to mother nature in Forza Motorsport 7. Precision, consistency, dynamic skies and sky shadows – these all change the composition of the track and every turn you make on it.
During the demo, Giese pulled over the Porsche in the Dubai race to show a quick video of how the weather and sky adjusts based on the time-of-day and current race conditions, and it simply looked glorious, and each scene made the track look completely and utterly different.
Cloud shadows move across the track, changing the perspective of the race, as well as the light with dynamic race weather that leads to rain and storms as the puddles expand across each map, the ominous skies become cloudy, then eventually open to unleash the sun with its startling brightness to create a glorious evening orange sky for a breathtaking finish like no other.
Each time you return to the track, it will be different. That’s the promise Turn 10 has made in its goal to make racing reborn in Forza Motorsport 7 with its most technically advanced and comprehensive game yet. Tracks such as Maple Valley and Suzuka International Race Circuit will return, however, it was announced that the fan-favourite drift circuit Fujimi Kaido won’t be coming into Forza Motorsport 7. Not at launch, at least. Drifting and Drag Racing will be in Forza Motorsport 7, but only for the online component and not in the campaign, Giese said.
In Conclusion
Some other titbits of info revealed by Giese include the fact designs from past Forza titles on Xbox One and Windows 10 can be carried over to Forza Motorsport 7, and players can now paint their cars and vinyl groups using mouse and keyboard on PC. There’s no painting on “glass” however, which rules out windscreen decals and window stickers. There are more material types, and Turn 10 has also added more lettered tires and bodykits to Forza Motorsport 7, with nearly all customization parts from Forza Horizon 3 coming over to Forza Motorsport 7 with new additions.
Giese concluded by saying Forza Motorsport 7 is a “massive, massive game.” It has been built with Xbox One X in mind, and is the studio’s best-looking game yet. It also goes back to Forza’s roots of competitive racing, with an improved simulation, tons of new racing-orientated features, and plenty of innovation across the overall experience.
Forza Motorsport 7 is shaping up to be Turn 10’s best game yet, and we’re excited to learn more about it later this Summer ahead of its worldwide release on October 3rd, 2017.