Dirt and especially Cross Country racing have been disingenuous in the Forza Horizon franchise, featuring smashing through fences, gliding rapidly and relatively undisturbed over rough terrain, and requiring a similar driving style to tarmac, just with less grip.
I want to slide around tight corners on dirt, scrambling for grip as I maintain better speed. I want to battle the terrain as I make my way through a Cross Country course, not feel like I’m gliding over it effortlessly. I want to feel scared out of my wits when one of my hypercar’s tires steps over the apex onto the grass.
I can understand that maybe the game can’t also be mudrunners. I may love that, but the game is for more than just me. But I want to get into a giant beast of a offroader and feel like there is an actual reason to pick that machine over a converted classic racer. There has got to be a middle ground worth pursuing.
I mean, don’t you think there is a reason why road is the most popular race mode? Could it be that it’s the most genuine? I can’t say for sure, but it’s worth a thought or two.
At least make the ai not seem like the are driving on tarmac and slick tyres 
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Agree but AI is a whole can of worms I don’t want to get into… yet.
Others would probably prioritize AI first, and I definitely understand why, but I’d rather nail down the gameplay systems first. Not much point in good AI if interacting with said AI feels shallow or doesn’t have lasting appeal.
I also suspect coding good AI is really, really hard. I don’t know but… can you think of any game that actually has good NPC AI?
All that being said, if someone else made an AI suggestion, I’d probably chip my vote in.
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Love the suggestions!!
Could definitely have some sort of improvement
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H3 did this perfectly. I found that 5 just lacked luster but 3 actually has the most realistic rally physics out of all the Horizons. The lancia 037 with 433hp actually handled like its supposed too. Doing a convoy race from Far left Kiewa valley off road to center Kiewa Valley. That section is a perfect example of this. Could hit top of 3rd no issues and still had minimal (but controllable) grip. And slid through the straightaway grip all the way up into 5th
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Not sure I agree with all of that, FH3 did have a plethora of physics issues, not least of which was how homogenous all dirt surfaces felt. Even Off-road was just “dirt but with stuff in the way”.
However, I will admit that there were elements of the dirt experience in 3 that were the best, like how you could power through a corner like a proper rally car should on a loose surface.
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Good point. The dirt roads do act like blender-esque roads.
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