Some of us are complaining that PGG requires playlists chores in order to obtain new and “new” cars.
Some of us are complaining that the chores are too easy.
Some of us are complaining that the chores are too hard.
If you think about it, the way PGG does playlists right now is actually an optimal solution given these assumptions:
a) PGG will always lock new content behind playlist chores for their “player engagement” metrics
b) PGG will not make any fundamental changes to the FH5 game modes
The current reality is:
a) The playlists only require 20 points per week to ensure new and “new” cars are obtained. For the current playlist all I had to do was trial, arcade, playground and photo challenge to get that. Yes, it’s stupid chores but can be done in less than 30 minutes so I’m only averaging 4 minutes a day. Not too bad.
b) PR challenges have become much harder lately. Great for those who complain that things are too easy. The others can just shrug off the 2 points lost, no big deal.
c) Almost all trials are won in 2 races. That’s an easy 10 points instead of just 5 points for 3 races in championships. Great for those who find the challenges too hard.
So, in this imperfect world, the current state of the playlist may be the best we can get from PGG in FH5, as strange as it sounds.
Unpopular opinion: generally speaking I like Festival Playlists as they are (even though I’d make some tweaks here and there). I liked them in FH4 already and I find them much more interesting in FH5, with more complex daily Forzathon challenges or addition of EventLab tracks and Treasure Hunts.
I’m not completionist so I just pick activities worth 20 PTS in total (or more) that suit me and complete them in several sessions across the week to get some new (or “new”) car.
In my opinion car requirements make challenges more interesting (I like using many different vehicles). They remind me FH1 where almost every event required using a car from specific group.
I can even create an illusion of progression for myself, starting with challenges with the slowest vehicles and ending week with the fastest 
I normally do the trial first, eventlab second and then the PR stunts, oh and the seasonal championships are a lot of fun too but i only do these coop as well. if theres a horizon tour ill do that too.
The pg games, photo challenge, treasure hunts and rivals im usually not too fussed by.
There is a good amount of variation, but i wish i they would spice up the seasonal championships. Eg Team based Eliminator (lap based or timer) or maybe a 5 race championship, or multi class racing like in Forza motorsport. ( actually there is something in fh5 like this called “Showdown” events but you can only start this in eventlab with another player.
You seem to have created the circular argument that this is the best we can get because it’s the best that they will do.
Pretty much my consensus too. Right now, the only redeeming factor that the Festival Playlist has is that it’s easy to just log on, complete enough challenges to get the new car, and then leave until the next week. Because if anyone else has been playing at least once a week since launch like I have and are collecting every car in the game, there’s pretty much nothing new to earn at this point other than the “new” weekly car and the Peel Trident that’s only been available twice and locked behind online events each time. Otherwise, every other car has been available at least once to everyone (again, if you started playing at launch, which, I assume, most of us on here have).
Currently I’m not a biggest fan of festival playlist, but I can say I like the idea. At the same time now it is just chore list. Preferred it much more when it was harder.
I like that dailies are now lasting longer and that sometimes multiple “targets” can be completed by doing one thing.
Used to get 80% every week, now sometimes all I do is Trial and monthly rivals.
a) I guess we can praise devs for listening to people. It is much better than missing one daily meaning that you won’t get new car. Not to mention much lower points requirement to get the car.
Still would be nice to get that car in Autoshow after some time.
b) IMO if they would swap normal 3 star requirements and festival requirements it would be much better. Cause “normal” are way to easy and “festival” are way to hard compared to “normal”.
Also not a fan of anything goes S2. Had much more fun when it was mixed between classes.
At the same time I hated it when I had to tune e.g. B class car to S1 just for one PR stunt, so my suggestion would be PR stunts in stock cars or keeping it in the same class where it would be possible to do it in stock, but you could upgrade it for lower difficulty.
c) Participation trophy. And even now I still sometimes have to slow down AI. There really should be some qualification runs before entering Trial. And, IDK, maybe 5pts for quali and 5pts for winning (harder) Trial?
Same goes for PGG. Did I have to restart/rerun after losing 1st round in FH4? Many times. Was it RNG with your teammates? Yes. But now it is just: show up and waste 5-10min of your time. Have not taken part in it since I don’t even remember when.
So, in this imperfect world, the current state of the playlist may be not the best we can get from PGG in FH5. Better than it was when Festival Playlist was introduced, but far from perfect.
I love the playlist! The subtle pull to get me out of my comfort zone while also highlighting community created events. I think it’s a fantastic idea!
And honestly, I understand the FOMO. PGG needs some kind of turnaround for the extra work that goes into a continually updating game.
My issues with the playlist are still many though. I’m convinced that custom championships were taken out of the series because they threatened playlist engagement, which (if true) is one of the most bone-headed, short-sighted, and self-harming decisions this game franchise has made.
I also think that the playlist should be overflowing with activities and potential points every month, so people can pick and choose the stuff they like and avoid the stuff they don’t. While it isn’t the endgame I envisioned, it would help immensely with the endgame which is currently pathetically anemic for a game with such potential. You could also have activities scale in difficulty so people could tailor their challenge. The first few races/pr stunts/etc would be very easy, but the challenge would ramp up as you go deeper into the playlist each month.
This would especially help the racing element, as you could add more restrictions as well, like drivetrain or tire compound restrictions as the difficultly ramped up.
Many people can’t take it if they don’t have the skill or know how to unlock cool rare, actually EXCLUSIVE stuff.
Exclusive means it excludes people. Potentially you reading this, potentially me also.
I have no incentive to go a single meter further on a danger sign once I’ve done it in FH. I have no weekly scores that combine with my playlist to compare against my friends and everyone gets the same prizes. I have no reason to play this week even.
I can buy this limo whenever. AH totally makes the playlist skippable and you can collect nearly every car never leaving the house.
The Summit is more my flavor and I’m glad I found it.
What I don’t get is when it comes to more options in the playlist is they did it for the first 3 series and then just stopped.
263, 266 + another 266pts were the highest attainable totals for them, highest we’ve had since then is 244 once and the rest are between 208 and 232, I know HW offers a bonus 28pts per series now but if we keep it purely in the base game activities that’s a big difference.
Even when including those HW points on top every single series apart from the anniversary one still doesn’t add up to the total number of available points that Series 1, 2 or 3 offered.
I thought it was mainly caused by the change in the way points for monthly Rivals events are counted (originally they were worth 16 PTS, now only 4).
Forgot about that, but even then if you subtract 12 from the first 3 series it’s substantially more than some of the later ones, the 208pt ones in particular are pretty restrictive in terms of the leeway people would have had if they just wanted the 2 prize cars per week + the series rewards.
That’s true, sometimes I struggle to find enjoyable activities worth even just 20 PTS in total. Especially in current Series, with recycled daily/weekly Forzathon challenges and small number of EventLab tracks or Treasure Hunts.
Weekly Trial - typically really enjoy it. I haven’t driven with any toxic players for quite a few weeks now in these.
Solo races - enjoy it if worthwhile / chore if: low class (and or) really a chore if it’s also CC.
Photo challenge - enjoy it- if challenging / otherwise - chore.
Treasure chest - enjoy it - but they have gotten too easy. They started off being pretty difficult to locate, and now they might as well put them in the middle of the street . . so easy . . .
Danger sign - chore 80% of the time
Speed trap/ zone - enjoy it, but not as much as I used to
Blazers - CHORE!
Drift - too easy to care one way or another
Weekly car select challenge - for the 80 Forza points - enjoy if it doesn’t say I need to complete 4 races.
ALSO:- this week - the Trial had 1 REALLY fast Unbeatable in both races that I couldn’t catch in Emerald, and just barely got 1st in Estadio.
Car choice:- Volvo station wagon 850 - FWD - Drag tire tuned. 367HP.
Decimated all those BMW’s. . . . he he he . . .
As usual, I found the stupidest car to use for the Trial, and it was surprisingly really good.
The Bentley Rolls Royce - 707 HP. 0-60 in 2.68 seconds - faster than some A Class cars.
Drag tires of course.
Pretty sure a few folks were wondering what the heck just happened that they got owned by a Rolls.
Bentley Turbo R in FH4 was my most successful car, I got most of my unbeatable wins with it.