Driving mechanics

[Picus viridis]

Hi there,

I've played the original Watch Dogs and I'm now reading the - mostly positive - reviews on steam. I have not found a review where the driving mechanics are reviewed. Anyone can tell me if it has improved? Driving in the original WD was a pain in the *behind*. Felt like hot wheels cars, no grip, not having the feeling you actually are driving something, bad steering..

[Recon101]

I say it's better than the first but it takes a little getting used to. It's still no GTA.

[Cerebral Daemon]

The driving isn't perfect, but it's entirely fine. I've played both Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2, I can tell you that the driving in the sequel has nearly none of the problems the initial game had. At least now, cars can keep a straight line and make turns when you want them to, unlike the first game where every car was an uncontrollable piece of scrap metal in some way or another.

[Chaff]

It feels better to me. The first WD1 just never felt right, it never felt like the cars were actually on the road. This game feels like what you're driving is actually attatched to the road and has some traction. It may not be as realistic in some aspects, which I usually prefer realism in my driving, but it just feels better overall. I'd compare it to the earlier GTA's(III, VC, SA) than GTA V. It definitely is not like IV. I wish the cars had a bit more weight to them and the suspensions reacted a bit more to everything, but overall it doesn't come off like a weakness anymore.

[TacticalFaux]

It's different. I'm still much better at the first one, but maybe that will change.

[J4MESOX4D]

The driving mechanics were my biggest gripe of Watch Dogs - not only did they handle poorly but the cars just looked so unnatural when moving. This game is far improved and although not perfect by any stretch; it's not half as frustrating or annoying when compared to the first. Kinda handles like Saints Row games - not quite as polished as GTA but perfectly satisfactory.

[Chris Drew]

as someone who plays racing games all I can say is, gtfgrty5e4d3w2sq14drf5tgy6uhijy7k8lo90;lop-[]p-[;-=[]=[]-[]lo;p0-[9ju78ikhytgy65fr4e32w1qe4r5tgyhyuj7i8klo9ijkp;[

[Drowning witch]

they are very arcadey, on the level of gta3 gta vice city era. gta 4, 5, and mafia 3, are much better in the driving department IMO.

here braking is almost instant, turning is almost comically sensitive, and there is no sense of any weight to the cars. it's still fun, but it's arcadey to the max.

[TacticalFaux]

Originally posted by Drowning witch:

they are very arcadey, on the level of gta3 gta vice city era. gta 4, 5, and mafia 3, are much better in the driving department IMO.

here braking is almost instant, turning is almost comically sensitive, and there is no sense of any weight to the cars. it's still fun, but it's arcadey to the max.

The sad thing is I have grown so accustomed to it, I think it's partly the reason I suck at every racing game I ever play lol

[Sanpaku]

The PC/Mouse/WASD driving is, in my opinion, excrutiating. Oddly, the problems aren't nearly as bad on motorcycles.

[ROOK]

Its harder to control than the first one if you are using kbd and mouse but the pad control is better. The handling is more 'Arcadey' than the first but not as bad as GTAV. The physics in the game have been improved to and objects(including, to some extent, cars) are heavier than they were.

I watched the bonnet of my car go spinning off, after a crash, only to end up plastered on the front of an oncomming bus. It was, to date, the best demonstration of a physics engine I've ever seen.

Its no racing simulator though and the handling, i think, has been set to make all those 90 degree bends less of a hastle. I can see why some people might not like it but its hardly a game breaker.

They are right about the brakes though. Most of us should just be an interesting decoration on the windscreen by now.

[Truth_X_ile]

for RC it's relatively simple, quadcopter is okay in 3rd person, in first person racing you can still toggle it although in first person in some races the quadcopter is really hard to handle, as for vehicles it depends on the vehicle as each one has their own stats, some turn really fast while other turn slow ect, just find a vehicle that pertains to your speed and requirements and you're set but yeah it's no GTA mechanics but by far better than the Watch Dogs 1 handling by far

[Sanpaku]

On PC/Kybd, (a) I find myself overcorrecting like a 14 year old on the first day of driver's ed, and (b) it seems to me that instead of following the front wheels, the car pivots on a horizontal axis about 0.25 back from the front. Between that and having to adjust my POV, I'm not even considering the racing.

BTW, is the sailing thing any good?

[Bad Whippet]

Regarding the driving controls, it might depend on what you're using. I'm finding with gamepad it's more twitchy, and not as controlled as the first game. I haven't tried keyboard/mouse controls.