Today I made my first foray into the multiplayer world. I was disappointed. The Drivatar does a pretty good job of governing the behavior of drivers in the Career races, but even so, the occurrence of “unexpected” and “undeserved” collisions is frequent. In multiplayer it seems to be downright integral to the game. Watching NASCAR and stock car races on TV it’s apparent that, although collisions are frequent, drivers have a little respect for each other and go out of their way to avoid them. I can’t imagine a NASCAR driver, for example, pulling sharply in front of a competitor and then slamming on his/her brakes with no consideration for the fact that there’s another care directly behind. Several times today I was driving along at a constant speed, only to have another car smash into my rear at high speed. This is pretty discouraging especially when it turns you around, effectively eliminating you from the rest of the race. I guess I’m just venting, but if anybody has words of encouragement (such as “among more advanced drivers this thing doesn’t happen nearly as much”) I’d be happy to hear them. As it is, I feel like I’m playing with a bunch of 10-year olds who just want to “wreck stuff.” At least Forza has other options if this turns out to be the general rule.
Check out Brad Keselowski and Kurt Busch from this weekend’s NASCAR race at Martinsville if you don’t think professional drivers cut up, crash into or deliberately brake check. Even the Pros replicate the poor standards of driving seen in multiplayer on FM5 sometimes.
You just need to get in with a good crowd. Search the forums for like-minded racers, don’t be too discouraged on your first time.
I have learned to just have fun and run your race. If someone bumps into you just get back on track and keep running. I I have recently made it a sport to trip up these crashers when I catch up to them. I can often fake them while I past them and leave them safety behind me, this often means they run themselves off the track when trying to take me out for a second time!
…and if they’re just trolling the lobby with the intent of only crashing others, go to their profile and block the player. It really does help, I don’t come by bad drivers very often anymore.
He’s right, it works.
Great gamertag btw dude! \m/
Public lobbies are just about the worst way to experience Forza. The public lobbies in FM3 just about convinced me to give up on multiplayer races altogether. In my opinion, falling in with a team or league removes almost all of the issues you described, because there are consequences to bad behaviour and the participants are 100% more respectful of other drivers on the track. Two of the more popular leagues are Virtual Motorsports and TORA.
http://www.virtual-motorsports.com
I would recommend checking them out and sign up for a series to see how much better online racing can be.
Thanks to everybody who replied. I was not aware of the non-public lobbies. It makes a lot of sense to have these private entry points and seems like it would absolutely solve the problem… with occasional exceptions, of course 
Back in the lobby highlight and select the crashers profile and choose to block that player. Once he or you leave the lobby you will never be put into a lobby with them again. It’s a slow process weeding out all the undesirable players but after 50 or so blocks is when I starting getting rooms with more quality players than not.
I race almost exclusively in the GT lobby. My block list now is easily pushing 150-200 players now. It not only includes wreckers but extreme low level noobs as well. I add new ones everyday. Since doing that I mostly get put into lobbies with high level drivers who have proper racing etiquette. Of course some of them have tune ups that make me seem like I’m riding a bike but that’s ok. It’s much more enjoyable.
Well, I guess I’m one of what you might call an “extreme low level noob.” We all start from the same place and have to develop into experts like you. It would be nice to be able to do it in a friendly place rather than somewhere that hunters lurk.
It’s not something I enjoy doing but It does increase my chances of being put into a good lobby by a huge margin.
OK, guess I’ll finally check out multiplayer this weekend. I’ll try my darndest to be a good racer and not behave like Adrian Peterson on wheels. Chances are I’ll be in D Class, as that is what I usually race. Probably Friday evening for most of you.
AX
Sorry, one more question, as I have no idea how these hoppers operate. Are there different levels of hoppers? For me, I’m about the 1-2 percent level, probably averaging about 15 seconds off of the top guys. I’ve heard there is a beginner hopper but I don’t want to beat up on beginners. Is there a medium?
AX
So, I gave multiplayer a test run. Here is a brief synopsis of how it went down:
- Attempted to enter D Class hopper. Tried to join race, got disconnected.
- Attempted again. This time, got less far than the first and just hung.
- Attempted again. This time, I actually got through to a lobby. Was waiting for a race in progress. Selected a car. Got to enjoy the acting chops of one of the other participants. I believe he was going for something between Eric Bogosian in Talk Radio and Son of Svengooli. I clicked on his gamer card looking for a mute option, as I felt Master Thespian was better suited to silent movies. Game hung and I got disconnected from the server.
So, yeah, that was a big barrel of fun. Look forward to trying multiplayer again. See you in 2016.
AX
Take care.
I am very dissapointed in Tag(virus) it was great in FM4. now you get a small map, with loads of people glitching out of it… there is always some bastard camping outside the boundarys of the map.
I hope all those glitchers get banned because they basically make games last 30+ minutes while they are the only ones left.
I had the same exact experience in my first attempt at MP racing. I was cruising along the main straight at Indianapolis in 1st place when some guy camping at the START/FINISH line decides to take me and the other 3 cars behind me out of the race.
It is clear that was his sole intention. I have video of it and would love to have the person banned but if I can just block him so I don’t come across him again that would be fine too.
I’d love to get in with a group of competitive yet considerate drivers…if anyone has suggestions, send me a private message!
Head to the Racer’s Lounge sub and you’ll find a bunch of leagues looking for clean drivers. Once you you jump in with a group you’ll find MP racing much more enjoyable.
If you’re free on Sunday nights you can check out my league at this link. New season starts on April 13th.
You have to man up if you want to play in the hopper. Its basicly jail rules out there. But you will run into good rooms and good poeple. friended them, make group, and it will get better.
It can be really frustrating starting out so its up to you to make your experience better. Not everybody races fair or is even on the game to race. Its all about building the friends list up with clean drivers and build up friendships with those drivers. If you do get a dirty one its up to you to report them and please do because if you are in a lobby that dirty racers cant get into because you and your friends have blocked them it will keep those spots open for more clean racers to join. Also vote to kick doesnt work very well unless you have people in your lobby you can communicate with so use it when you can. I block everybody that wrecks and it has helped me alot.
Now if you do get wrecked take a video of it and put crash team as the title. If everybody does this as well when the crash team does look they will have a general place to look at videos.
Remember it up to all of us to make this experience as best as we can. If we all do our part it will get better. If we ignore it it will just keep happening to others discouraging them from playing.