Spectate Mode
Spectate mode for Private Multiplayer was added with Update 12. Spectate was the 6th most upvoted topic in the Suggestions Hub Multiplayer / Online category. While this feature is for Private Multiplayer, please continue using the Suggestions Hub for voting on Spectate in Featured Multiplayer as well as additional settings to improve the feature overall.
With Forza Motorsport Update 12, we have enabled Spectate mode in Private Multiplayer, making it much easier for league admins to view and broadcast their official events. This initial version builds upon our previous efforts and includes new features and improvements that have been requested by the community, particularly by tournament and league organizers.
Here’s a look at some of the highlights you can expect when using Spectate to watch or broadcast community races in Private Multiplayer. As Spectate is essentially like a live replay, many of the features and options outlined below are already available as part of our recent update for saved race replays.
- Full-Field Dynamic Driver List and Lap Counter – Greatly increases race comprehension, making it easy to select a car to focus on from the driver list. Positions are updated based on scoring type.
- Ticker – A dynamic data loop in the Driver List. This can also be locked to show the leader’s time, race intervals, position changes, penalty time, or pit stops.
- Track Map – Shows all the locations of all the cars on the track map with the ability to zoom and view exact positioning more closely.
- Driver Data – Choose to see a race summary of the driver on focus, including car telemetry, comparison to the leader, and damage.
- True Race Start / Race End from 3-2-1 to Podium. In Forza Motorsport 7, the live feed in Spectate didn’t begin until several seconds after the race had started, which meant viewers missed much of the Turn 1 excitement. It also ended abruptly when the leader crossed the finish line. In Forza Motorsport, a spectator can watch the entire race from the moment it starts right up until either the final driver crosses the finish line, or the race timer concludes.
- Default Spectate Camera – The first time you use Spectate mode, you can decide which camera to use by default at race start. This can be changed at any time in the settings menu under Gameplay & HUD.
- New Camera Options – In addition to all the prior cameras available in game, two new camera modes have been added to both Spectate Mode and Race Replays:
- Rail Cam – This gives race spectators controls that our cinematics team uses, like FPS camera controls that move with the focus car. The left stick moves the camera forward or backward, left or right around the focus car. Use the right stick to change the camera target left and right or move the camera up and down.
- Point of Interest – Stationary cameras focusing on important track segments. Each track has at least 3 points of interest with more available on longer tracks.
- Improved Control Panel for much easier access to Spectate and Replay tools.
- Customizable HUD – The Spectate and Replay HUD elements are customizable to show as much or as little as you want. This gives you the freedom to prioritize between either a clean camera feed or a detailed, more informative interface.
- Minimized Switch Lag – Changing the camera view or car to focus on is much faster than it was in Forza Motorsport 7.
- Saving Replay after Spectate – You can save a replay from the Spectate post-race menu to view later. Please note that previous limitations for replay save length still apply and will vary based on factors such as the number of cars on track and the race duration.
Once you have tried the Spectate functionality in Private Multiplayer, we would like to get your input on how it could be made even better. You can share that feedback with us on the Suggestions Hub. We’re especially keen to gather thoughts from tournament organizers and live streamers who are broadcasting community racing leagues on their channels, and we will continue to collaborate closely with these groups to incorporate their ideas for Spectate improvements in future iterations.
Indirectly related, audio has been improved in part to support Spectate mode:
Forza Motorsport Update 12.0 Release Notes – September 9, 2024 – Forza Support
- Updated all audio related to distance and environmental sounds for saved race replays and to support the release of Spectate mode. With these changes, both races and replays will sound better and more consistent:
- Improved distance model.
- Improved environmental audio (reverb and sound reflections) on all tracks.
- Improved audio support for new Replay and Spectate cameras.
- Fixed a bug where audio was not attenuating correctly when pitting.