Driver / character

[Dragnet]

@Race_Hork_731

The other day I accidentally done a photo mode glitch where if the car is tilted you take the camera under the car and push the L-Stick forward,you will either go underneath the map or end up inside your car,able to explore it and I saw the drivers face and he’s brownish white with either a bunch of hair or black marks on his face!

[Pope_of_Funk]

@Dragnet

@Race_Hork_731

The other day I accidentally done a photo mode glitch where if the car is tilted you take the camera under the car and push the L-Stick forward,you will either go underneath the map or end up inside your car,able to explore it and I saw the drivers face and he’s brownish white with either a bunch of hair or black marks on his face!

More like this:

Juiced 2’s character creation is cool but waaay beyond what I’d like to see in Horizon. I just want to choose race and gender really, bonus for hairstyles, watches (for interior view) and a couple of different outfits.

[T_REX_5753]

@Dragnet

@Race_Hork_731

The other day I accidentally done a photo mode glitch where if the car is tilted you take the camera under the car and push the L-Stick forward,you will either go underneath the map or end up inside your car,able to explore it and I saw the drivers face and he’s brownish white with either a bunch of hair or black marks on his face!

You still got it ,Dragnet,lol

[Blu_Koi]

Check the What We Know So Far thread. This has been brought up a couple times and as of yet there’s no information.

[Flaw3d_Genius]

@Lathafummi

Did a search but game up with to many driver to find a proper answer but are we going to be able to change the driver?
Not sure if every body wants to be a mid 20’s average American dude?

Doubtful he’l be american since it’s a Festival in the south of France.

[Pope_of_Funk]

The guy driving the Jeep pretty much looks the same as the driver in Horizon.

Now that we can see the driver’s full body in something like a Jeep I really hope they have addressed this issue. I’ve noticed the trailers are careful to avoid showing more than one driver at a time. This is not a good sign, but I am hopeful.

[B_Wald_Big_Mek]

@Pope_of_Funk

The guy driving the Jeep pretty much looks the same as the driver in Horizon.

Now that we can see the driver’s full body in something like a Jeep I really hope they have addressed this issue. I’ve noticed the trailers are careful to avoid showing more than one driver at a time. This is not a good sign, but I am hopeful.

Unfortunately, I am not. He looks just like our nameless, generic, mute white guy from FH1, might even be the same guy. Also, it’s been the same guy in every screenshot where you can see his face…

[Papa_Benjamin]

I want to drive around as the Stig

[CVG23]

really agree with all this considering there is so many females playing now there should be a option, heck even in a limited option of skin color and even a rpg like give a name for you would do. But i kinda think this is the same guy from 1, he is the champion and the champions before always continued so it make sense. I really hope they let everyone know in 2 that you (the character) are the champion. it’s a new festival but you did win the first game.

[Pope_of_Funk]

@CVG23

really agree with all this considering there is so many females playing now there should be a option, heck even in a limited option of skin color and even a rpg like give a name for you would do. But i kinda think this is the same guy from 1, he is the champion and the champions before always continued so it make sense. I really hope they let everyone know in 2 that you (the character) are the champion. it’s a new festival but you did win the first game.

What’s weird is that the rival drivers in Horizon are a decent mix of people. We should have been able to select one of them like in TDU and just race against the others. With each new video I see it’s looking less and less likely that this has been addressed in Horizon 2. I saw a video of a street race and it looked like the exact same guy in both cars on the front row. I gotta say that in 1080p this looks like a real huge oversight if true. I hope I’m wrong.

[Dwarfy8470]

Something like EA Sports “Game Face” would be great

[B_Wald_Big_Mek]

I’ve got it: Have kinect take your pic, be your own Avatar.

[WhoIsJohn117]

How about the Stig’s lorry driving cousin?

Or perhaps picking one out from the Stig Farm?

[vAcesWild]

Given that the game takes place in Italy (among others), shouldn’t he look like the Stig’s Italian cousin?

[The_Uberchaun]

@vAcesWild

Given that the game takes place in Italy (among others), shouldn’t he look like the Stig’s Italian cousin?

Yeah, but I think the Stig’s Chinese cousin would be more fun. Then they could have car meets and karate meets.
Just think of it. You drive up in a Ferrari, get out, and…

Instant GOTY.

[Mr_Bibbles_08]

Anyone remember juice 2? Surely that kind of avatar make over wouldn’t be that hard to implement? If it could be done all those years ago I can’t see a viable reason why it can’t be done now.

[Pope_of_Funk]

Well at least reviewers are commenting on this as well:

Jalopnik

• "Try to block him out and try to ignore the almost nonexistent plot (you’re a white guy who likes cars!) and you can hope to approach what makes this game so enjoyable. If you focus hard on not focusing on any of that, you’re just a human being in one of civilization’s most scenic corners, driving the **** out of some cars.”

The Verge

• "I say “men” specifically because, oddly, for as many ways as you can infinitely upgrade and tune your car, you can’t customize your driver at all. You’re simply thrust into the world as a street racer stereotype, a young white dude. Considering how little character development takes place, it would’ve been minimal effort on the part of Turn 10 and Playground Games to let you choose skin color and gender upfront (and hey, maybe clothing options while we’re at it). It’s disappointing they didn’t.”

US Gamer

• "I’m also a little disappointed that it’s a male avatar experience only. I’m sure there are female players out there, or indeed people who like to be women in-game (like me) that would appreciate the opportunity to choose who they want to be. But it’s a minor quibble.”

Joystiq

• " As if consoling players reaching for the mute button, the developers have wisely put his face on the hidden boards you have to smash for points. (As an additional weight against him, it would have been nice to have the option to drive as a generi-girl, too.)"

Not having driver customization in a game like Horizon 2 is basically leaving awesome on the table. I hope Playground Games strongly considers making this a part of Horizon 3 if it isn’t possible to add to Horizon 2 in an update.

[Scozta]

Good morning. My husband and I purchased the game (Forza Horizon 2) yesterday. My husband started first. As I watched him play, I realized that through the back window of the 69 camaro, there was a male driving the vehicle. Of course my husband didn’t notice, men rarely do as the gaming world has been tailored to suit them. He was enthralled in the game, mentioning how it can suck you in and really make you feel as though you’re racing through mountains and fields around this magnificent festival. I agreed that it was gorgeous work. However, I also believe that I, a woman, could not be transported into this other dimension. If there was going to be no gender choices, I believe that it is pure sexism to avoid gender neutrality. I am astonished, upset, and even a little hurt.
I was astounded when the garage mechanic was female, but I couldn’t choose to be. Until this issue is solved, I will not be recommending this game to anybody. As little as that sounds to be effective, I would hope that to a company that put much thought and time into many beautiful games, it would damper the satisfaction by forcing realization that an entire gender is forced to be alienated.

[HippyGems]

A female driver would be nice, why would a girl want to be a man (

[B_Wald_Big_Mek]

Hail, Forzanauts!

A couple comments about the player character here, one of the (very) few things I take issue with in this game. Others have posted about it, but I thought I’d go into more detail, if I may.

1: DUDE: Obviously, we didn’t get the avatar customization so many of us wanted. This wasn’t surprising, at least to me (figured they’d focus their effort on cars, physics etc), but disappointing nonetheless. Especially to those of the fairer sex who share the road with us males- I’ve read posts from women who aren’t just disappointed, but genuinely offended. A larger percentage of us motorheads than you’d think are in fact female; my 10 year old niece plays Forza and wants to be a mechanic. T10 and PG would do well to give them what they want.

I’m not even gonna touch on ethnicity, but basically everything above applies to that, too.

2: Prettier pictures: The beautiful Photo Mode in FH2 reveals another problem with being limited to “Generic White Guy #6”: every drivatar is identical, like on an Agent Smith level. This has the potential to completely ruin any picture with more than one car in it, especially open-topped cars. I’ve had to search for angles where only one driver is visible, and have even given up on some epic pics because the “cloned drivers” effect is just too creepy. And they’re all dressed the same too, even a few hats and helmets would help. Just think: leather cap & goggles with scarf for your Jag XK120 or Ferrari 250TR, cowboy hat for the SC427, full helmet for the dedicated race car. Maybe shirt colors; my man’s been wearing the same clothes since he arrived in Italy a couple (in-game) weeks ago, he must smell like the end of the world.

3: Be smooth, man: This bit is about the driver animations. While not as important as the other points, let’s face facts: dude looks completely unnatural behind the wheel. Awkward, stiff, uncomortable. His head jerks left and right as you steer the car. He seems to just hit the shifter with his hand when jou shift. By comparison, Gran Turismo 3 had fantastic animations: the driver looked in the car’s direction of travel, regardless of steering input or vehicle angle. He’d reach for the shifter as the engine approached redline or started to bog down, anticipating your command to shift. He’d even steer more violently if the car is out of control. All of this was TWO console generations ago, so I know for a fact we can do the same or better here.

Anyway, that’s about it. This isn’t really meant to be a wishlist, just commentary on the dev’s decision. I really do love the game.

Final thought: Could they at least have made him crack a smile?? Dude looks just friggin’ THRILLED to be there.

Thanks for reading, B Wald