Paul Jeffrey
Premium
Forza Motorsport 7 has received a sizeable new update today, including some new features, an historic racer, updated track limits and plenty of fixes...
One of the most substantial updates delivered to the Xbox One and Windows 10 racing game so far, the new build deployed earlier today certainly has plenty of highlights, not least of which is a new piece of content in the form of the lesser known but particularly stunning Aston Martin AMR 1 Group C car.
Added to the title as a free bonus, the AMR 1 is the latest "Spotlight Car" to come to Forza Motorsport 7, and arguably one of the best to date.
Other highlights from the latest build include an update to track limits within the game, Turn 10 claiming to have "completely redrawn track limits for all track ribbons in the game, and we’ve given those updated track limits more clarity than ever with a new track limit illumination feature".
More details of the latest update can be seen below:
Updated Track Limits
We lead off this month with a major change to track limits in Forza Motorsport 7. The team at Turn 10 have redefined track limits for all track ribbons in the game. That means hand-drawing all of those limits – from the smallest circuits like Rio Mini Circuit, to the largest tracks in the game like the Nürburgring Full Circuit. In fact, in the case of the ‘Ring, that means hand-placing more than 13,000 pins to create the splines that define both the inner and outer track limits on that famously gargantuan course.
Updating track limits is a first step towards bringing our updated Forza Race Regulations feature into the game; drivers can now learn and acclimate to the new limits before regulations arrive in the game. While a good number of circuits will feel similar with the new track limits, some tracks have undergone dramatic changes. Specific examples include the second chicane on Monza, as well as the first and last turns at Sebring, both of which will play differently than they have in the past. The basic rule of thumb? Three tires over the line is considered “dirty,” whether you’re racing or drifting.
Players who want an obvious clue as to where the new limits can take advantage of the new illuminated track lines feature, which we’ve implemented to help both new and experienced players understand the new track limits. These illuminated lines are can be toggled on or off in the HUD option and are color-coded for maximum comprehension (blue for safe, yellow for warning, and red when your car is considered over the edge or “dirty”). Players have the option to choose between two illuminated line styles: “ribbon” (a solid line) or “markers” (a dotted line), as well as the option to have the lines illuminated at all times or only when the car gets close to a limit line.
Time Attack
One of the most requested features from the Forza community arrives in Forza 7 this month: Time Attack! The ultimate test for hot-lappers, Time Attack mode in Forza Motorsport 7 brings with it a leaderboard for every track ribbon in the game, across every car class, every weather option and time of day. One important note about weather in Time Attack: Although Forza Motorsport 7 features dynamic weather, Time Attack leaderboards weather conditions are static per event. This is to ensure that every player who runs a lap in that event has a consistent experience.
Time Attack also brings with it a new feature in Rivals events: Training Ghost. This feature came about as a direct result of our conversation with ForzaRC drivers, who love to train against certain ghost cars over multiple laps. The Training Ghost feature lets you set a Rival before you enter an event. While participating in the Rivals event, your Training Ghost will still be present even if you beat its time. Training Ghost is a great tool for players who want to consistently race against the opponent of their choice over numerous laps.
One other important note related to Updated Track Limits and Time Attack Mode: With the launch of the August update, we’ll be wiping all Rivals leaderboards beginning on August 8.
Drift Upgrades & Tuning
The Forza drifting community is as passionate as they come, and we’re pleased to bring them some important new updates to the Forza 7 drift experience. First and foremost, we’ve added a new drift suspension upgrade option to the Upgrade Shop. This upgrade brings with it a steering angle kit that players can tune up to 60 degrees of steering angle. This upgrade includes quicker steering and optimized suspension geometry for lower camber change in steering, as well as lower Ackermann effect, reducing scrubbed loss of speed on the car during a drift.
Drift Scoring
In tandem with the drift upgrades and tuning, we’ve also introduced an updated drift scoring system into Forza 7. With the August Update, drift scoring will be based on three criteria – Speed, Angle, and Line. All three of these elements will be displayed on screen with a real-time scoring information, along with your traditional drift score total. Importantly, light wall taps won’t drop your drift score and, as with the updated track limits in traditional races, getting two wheels out of the track limits (such as both rear wheels, for example) won’t drop your drift score.
Another important change: Drift zones have been completely removed from tracks, which means you can now manji drift down straights and earn drift score, and you can also completely link a track together with a single drift.
Additional Changes
In addition to the big changes listed above, we’ve got additional changes that we think our community will love. For example, players can now save and load race configurations in Free Play, Split Screen, and Private Multiplayer lobbies. Once a lobby is set up, players will have the option to save those settings and give it a unique name. Players can save up to 300 named Race Setup files and, if you join an Private Multiplayer lobby, and like the options that the host has configured, players can save a copy to keep for themselves.
The Open Test Track Airfield is now available in single player! Players can find this favorite test ground in the Free Play/Test Drive game type – no laps, no time limit, just hooning to their hearts’ content.
We’ve made lots of improvements in multiplayer, including introducing Spectate Ticker options for new multiplayer race types. In addition, players will now randomly shuffle between classes after each race when racing in the ABCS Multiplayer hopper.
FM7 Update Notes:
General
- Fixed an issue where car place number overlaps given UI frame in Chinese and Japanese versions of the game.
- Fixed truncated car descriptions in Arabic version of the game.
- Fixed an issue where warning pop-up is empty when exiting the livery editor without saving the livery.
- Fixed an issue where E-class filter would show in pre-race lobby, even if player does not own any E-class cars.
- Fixed an issue with the High Speed Chase Showcase event, where the 3-2-1 countdown would not display.
- Fixed an issue where, when racing at Prague Full Circuit Reverse, with 3 laps and 1 Quickstop, some AI cars will enter the pits before starting Lap 1 and will not receive credit for that 1 Quick Stop.
- Fixed an issue where players could not delete messaged under the “News” tab in Message Center.
- Replaced “Coming Soon” tag with “Offline” for #ForzaRC and #Forzathon menu tabs, when playing in an offline state.
- Fixed an issue with the “Tires, Misc.” Telemetry screen only reflecting positive camber.
- Fixed a Telemetry issue where steering angle would not be reflected on gauge when turning left.
- Removed small blue box that appeared in lower half of screen when in Forzavista.
- Entering a Rivals event from the Message Center and then backing out will now send you back to the Message Center.
- Fixed an issue in Free Play where, after homologating a car via the Go to Race option, the player would encounter a “rules change” prompt after homologating a car via the “Go to Race” tile.
- Fixed an issue where in race Telemetry Tire Temp screen, the right-side tires have their temperatures transposed.
- Removed faint gray lines that appeared around FM logo on the Spectate loading screen in 4K.
- Added Spectate Ticker for Multi-Class racing types.
- Fixed an issue where Spectate UI elements would linger longer than necessary after MP race ends.
- Fixed an issue where Spectate Telemetry does not always display the tire temperature in degrees.
- Fixed an issue where cars of players who dropped from a race are still part of race replays, albeit invisible.
- Changed text color for slower lap times in Spectate Ticker from red to orange to improve visibility.
- Fixed an issue where players who leave a MP match will have their Driver Gear in the Spectate Ticker with the Driver Gear of another player still in the race.
- Fixed an issue in Multiplayer Spectate Race Stats screen, where the timer on the Leader section would not update when switching between drivers.
- Multiplayer Spectate Ticker will update at intervals to reflect race order when there are less than four racers or less in a lobby (and the Ticker does not scroll).
- Multiplayer Spectate Ticker will transition/scroll even if race position changes occur.
- Fixed an issue where leader telemetry did not populate in race stats screens across all game modes.
- Fixed an issue where players could tune car in “Stock” lobbies but would be removed from their car and have to pick a new one.
- Fixed an issue where, when loading into a race as a Spectator, the Race Telemetry information would appear before the race itself.
- Players will now shuffle between class buckets in ABCS/Multiclass lobbies.
- Fixed an issue where player is stuck behind starting line at the start of the race and unable to move vehicle when they enter Test Drive.
- Fixed an issue where, when entering a multiclass race in spectate mode during mid-race, some cars would appear to be using their hand-brake at all times.
- Fixed an issue where players could change the maximum number of Drivatars in the public ABCS hopper (but could not submit changes).
- Fixed an issue in a private multiplayer lobby, spectating a player who enters Test Drive after the race begins result in a black screen.
- In all Tag variants, players who remain motionless during the first 30 seconds of the match will now be assumed AFK and kicked from the lobby for in activity.
- Spec Events in Leagues and public hoppers will no longer allow cars with non-stock tuning.
- Corrected the camera position for the 1991 Hoonigan Rauh-Welt Begriff Porsche 911 Turbo in wheel-less cockpit view.
- Fixed an issue with the driveline spring in the 2016 Bentley Bentayga which would cause it to continuously shift between 1st and 2nd gear when going uphill on certain tracks.
- Fixed an issue where the steering wheel appears when a car is ghosted while driving in wheel-less cockpit view.
- Fixed an issue where accent color for the stripe on the 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera RS would not change.
- Fixed an issue where the thumbnail for the 2016 Bentley Bentayga did not match the car.
- Fixed an issue where when players go to upgrade the front tire width for the 1980 Porsche 924 Carrera GTS, they would see multiple options for 205/55R16 and multiple options for 305/35R16 when upgrading rear tire width.
- Fixed camera position in wheel-less cockpit view for the 2003 Hoonigan Holden Commodore Ute.
- Corrected name of 1998 Porsche 911 GT1 Strassenversion in Car Collector screen.
- Fixed an issue where stock drift suspension was giving cars too low of a ride height.
Forza Motorsport 7 is available for Xbox One and Windows 10 PC now.
Check out the Forza Motorsport 7 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for all the latest from the smash hit Forza racing game franchise.
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What do you think of the new update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Check out the Forza Motorsport 7 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for all the latest from the smash hit Forza racing game franchise.
Like what you see here at RaceDepartment? Don't forget to like, subscribe and follow us on social media!
What do you think of the new update? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!
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