INCREDIBLE game, awful motorcycle physics...

[NeZeri]

I still haven't bought this game, but I am thinking about buying it right now.

I haven't done it because of two things, motorcycle physics and camera view positions.

We shouldn't be able to ride them that fast, we can basically fly across the map on top of rocks, plants... Suspension is little unrealistic, rider should fall down even when hitting small-medium rocks or a plants, there is no possibility to do a high side crash, when engaging 1st gear and applying throttle bike basically rocket launch itself, on dirt it should struggle a lot to accelerate, when stuck in mud and applying full throttle it looks kinda glitchy while you are trying to get out of it, and I can't feel bikes heaviness, they move like you are riding remote controled bike toy. I still haven't saw any video where someone is doing wheelies and stoppies, this game should have that none only because it's simulation but because community can make some very cool screenshots.

Now there is another problem, 1st person view. From what I saw there are no settings for camera view position like for example in game Euro Truck Simulator 2. In Dakar 18 I would make camera focus more on roadbook, move it back a little and increase FOV to see riders hands. Physics in 1st person are even worser, when you steer left bike leans to right which is ridiculous (I am not sure but that might be fixed already). This game NEEDS zoom mode as well, like in ETS2, so we can zoom into roadbook. :)

Cars and trucks have good physics, it's just those motorcycles which are bugging me so I can't make myself to buy this gorgeous game.

But generally this game in my opinion have best open world off-road area ever made, just those tiny details on map (Search for Screenshots here on Steam) is amazing, when you think you finished game later you will realized that you haven't explored even 40% of game content.

Treasure hunt, I LOVE IT, same kind of this had a old, forgotten Microsoft Flight with Aerocaches.

Can we do anything about mentioned above? Like a cfg editing or a mod for camera and physics?

[CiD EviL]

You can use the right stick on your game pad to set the camera angle and the bikes i've done the full race 3 times on the bikes it's not Ride 3 physics but it's still fun

[KG_03]

Hey!
There is option to change camera position. If you want I can make a video for you so you can see how much you can adjust the camera. You can change the distance from the dashboard and height of the camera. FOV stays the same but I really like the camera settings.

As for onboard camera. Its rather tank cam than helmet cam. There is a focus on roadbook. I was thinking and even suggested that there was a real helmet cam with head shaking but it might result that roadbook would be hard to read.

Anyway as for the physics. Yes they are not good. As a real motorcycle rider I was sp disappointed but after a chat with devs I understand that haviong such a big project and work on 5 vehicles st the same time its almost impossible to make a realistic motorcycle physich which as you know probably are changing depending on the bike speed.

But its not that bad as you may think. The wole fun starts are legendary difficulty. Going to fast results in fast bike damage. And if you hit a smaller rock or bump the bike slides away ,unfortunately it doesnt fall. However when you focus on navigating you forget how physics look like. The suspension really does make a difference. You can choose from soft, medium and hard and also you can choose tires pressure high or low.

Devs said that they will work on the physics and try to improve it I have passed some feedback about it. But if the improvement will come out as a patch or will we have to wait for it till Dakar 19 I got no idea.

Anyway physics is one aspect of the game. Other is fantastic atmosphere, good surface simulation, one of its kind navigation realism, and dynamic day/night weather (currently available for quick races as real dakar career must simulate real weather). So for me the game is a must buy but will you enjoy it with current phyics I can't say much.

If you would like to see how I ride in the game you might take a look at my video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOYlODQVIrE

[NeZeri]

Hello m8! :D I actually already saw your gameplay videos, I watched them all, I think you are the only one that recorded pure experience of Dakar 18 gameplay with HUD completely disabled with helmet cam! Thank you for those videos, keep up like this!

About changing camera positions is it possible thru game on controller itself like CiD Evil said or you know some secret options? :D If yes, I will apreciate A LOT if you yould show me just a screenshots or something how it can look.

I know that it's maybe funny to you why default camera position is bugging me but I really don't like it. And thanks for mentioning suspension options, when I buy game I will test all of them so
so I can find which one suits me best but at the end as you said I will even forget looking at physics, roadbook is more important! :D

[Solyne]

Frankly, there are quite a few of us that drive no HUD in both cars and bikes, but I can tell you in bikes KG-03 led the way. The game falls short on physics, but on bikes the rider can move his head around and look up and down and side to side.

Whatever you saw in rookie difficulty or competitor difficulty really does not compare to the problems in Legend difficulty. You will find yourself in a whole new world there, with much more realistic damage and no turning back the clock with a save at the last waypoint. You will be alone, in the middle of no where with your roadbook, and if you do not finish the stage you will be forced to start over.

As KG says the atmosphere is magnificent, and the size of the world is beyond imagining in a game. One example might be that I was driving yesterday with a human co driver, and we got lost on stage 3... we kept trying to find our way back, but when the sun set in the game, we were notr even certain what country we were in, we were lost beyond hope of recovery.

Anyway get the game, then come join us on Discord. We will show you the ropes, and get you into MP runs with us, and help you with navigation, and then you can beat our pants off and we will all be happy about it.

Good luck

[KG_03]

Its the video what you can do with cocpit customistaion and how it looks like:
https://youtu.be/G--585ZnYq8

[NeZeri]

Thanks a lot for showing me camera view settings! It's definitely better when it's set all the way back, in my opinion.

[KG_03]

I prefer to have it close. I can see the roadbook much better.