Yeah, film director needs to return, along the lines of Driver 1, which offered the BEST camera angles and close ups. Driver 2 screwed up the formula, not allowing all the flexibility of D1.

And please, Reflections/Ubisoft, please improve the INSTANT REPLAYS. Driv3r's Instant Replays are absolutely horrible. More than half of all the great moments during a chase are spent looking behind you, not at the action taking place ahead. Terrible programming.

Take a note from Midnight Club 3's solid Instant Replay mode. Reflections should be schooling everyone else on how great instant replays should be done, not the other way around.

Glad to hear you guys calling for a film director.
I agree. DPL had absolutely no replay value whatsoever for me.
I played that cartoon for about a week and haven't dusted it off since.

I don't want to start a debate about the quality of DPL. It's just my personal opinion that it sucked.
The number one reason for that was the lack of a film director.
Well, that and the cheesy cartoon graphics.

I would have preferred fewer cars on the road and a film director, over the bumper to bumper traffic in DPL.

I hope we all shout loud enough that they hear us this time.
It's my belief that the decision to remove the film director from DPL was a financial decision. The whole game seemed to be a last ditch effort to cash in on what was left of Driver's reputation.

With all the new money and management, I think there's a good chance the film director will be back better than ever!

Yeah, hopefully Film Director will return better than ever, but just as good as FD from Driver 1, but with at least a better interface/menu that's easier to use, adjust without being complicated.

UBISoft better be listening! They spent 24 million on a game that built it's reputation and marketing on HOLLYWOOD CHASE SCENES, yet DPL doesn't even have a plain-jane REPLAY, much less the cool FILM DIRECTOR!

It sure is pretty, but the major question I have is, WHAT THE HECK IS IT? It isn't the original Hollywood Chase Scene theme, it isn't GTA (and shouldn't attempt to be)...WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IT and where is the pleasure in playing a driving game WITHOUT A RECORD/REPLAY FUNCTION???

Driving games are fun, divided by TWO:

#1. The original race/drive/chase
#2. Watching the dramatic playback

And for Driver, the added bonus of editing your replay to look like a Hollywood Movie chase scene.

In the era of Machinima, why the heck would the first Machinima enabled game - REMOVE THE FILM DIRECTOR???

The game industry boggles the mind when you attempt to understand - WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY THINKING - WHAT PLANET DO THEY LIVE ON?

Driver has the POTENTIAL to be the hands down KING of street racing, car chase games, but has not only not stepped up to the plate...they've gone back to the dugout!

"Let's remove the HEART and see if it will live!" What kinda' madness is that?

Last night I decided to re-install Driver 1, one of the most exciting driving games released in 1999.

...WOW...

Not much eye and ear candy in the graphics and sound department compared to today, but I can SEE where the fun factor WAS and LOST in later versions.

The feature that caused the most ecitiment about Driver in the field of Test Drive and Need For Speed was that it was the first driving game with a story. The story enhanced the Hollywood Chase Scene format of the game.

The Film Director in Driver 1 is far more powerful than in Driver 3, and missing in action in DPL.

Reflections has slowly allowed their franchise to lose its way, as in each version the Film Director was subtracted from until in DPL it is non-existent. Thus, Driver PL is no longer a Hollywood Chase Scene oriented game, but a story driven ADVENTURE GAME, not even an RPG like Grand Theft Auto, but the problem with DPL is that it is an anemic ADVENTURE GAME, and the original customer base didn't buy Driver as an adventure game, but an ACTION GAME!

While DPL is by far the most gorgeous of all the Driver series, while playing the *UGLY* Driver 1 last night, I noticed that the Film Director was extremely POWERFUL, with camera angles not even provided in D3, like the CHASE camera being allowed to be move to ANY ANGLE! WOW!

I edited some chase scenes with the old D1 film director and lamented, thinking of the lack of any film director or replay in DPL.

I play DPL for about 30 minutes, have fantastic chase scenes, but can never see the replay of those fantastic chases. It makes no sense to have launching platforms and terrific stunts if you can't look at the stunt in a replay.

UBI, if you're listening, we're PLEADING WITH YOU. Come out with a patch for DPL and return Driver to what it once was...

A Hollywood Chase Scene Movie Maker! You've got great FMV staff, some of the best. The story is interesting...now give us what we really want - back.

Also, allow the character to WALK and not constantly RUN.

Agreed.

I remember spending two weeks just trying to get the best chase scene to direct in Driver 1. The options and CHASE CAMERA were superior to anything Driver 2 or Driv3r could do, which is why I lost a good motivation to direct in Driver 2 and 3, compared to 1.

It's true that Driver 1's film Director took the game to another level that NO OTHER driving game has ever done before. I believe they removed the importance of it when more gamers complained about the gameplay itself in Driv3r, and less if at all about the shoddy Film Director in Driv3r, thanks to the lack of Driver 1's plentiful options.

Imagine Film Director with the next generation graphics, with the same cameras as Driver 1 allowed, only more of for at least a 30 minute chase scene. The replays would be awesome.

About the replays, I think that there should be many more different points of view than when playing it on-foot or driving because I don't think that we need a certain type of camera view for when playing the game that makes it hard for you to see (much like the one camera view available in DPL and a camera view that goes from behind you (waiting until you are far away from it) to being directly in front of you, which makes playing the game really frustrating, so this and any other camera views that are applied to a different angle that is harder for you to see, should only be done in Film Director. The camera views that are available in both FD and when playing the game should be First-Person, Third-Person (along with an angle of over-the-shoulder for aiming guns), a Top-Down view (not really a view that I think is needed, but it's alright), and a Dashboard view for when inside a vehicle.

Good point. The rear view camera should be saved for FDirector, so if there's nothing happening behind during an Instant Replay, the computer will exclude that type of camera from IReplay.

First off, thanks Symantecus for that video you posted! I wouldn't mind seeing more videos like that.

As for the Film Director of the Driver games. I really enjoyed using it in Driver 1 and 2. Didn't play around much with it in DRIV3R. When I found, after the release of Driver: PL. That Reflections didn't included any type of Film Director. I was disappointed. I hope Ubisoft understands whats going on. Maybe a patch of some sort would included one. But I see that very unlikely. It's really a shame. But maybe a third party could make one? I'm going to be getting Driver: PL for a PC soon. Yes, I have it for the Playstation 2. But it would be neat to play in on the PC, with clearer picture. Also, maybe some type of features or mods could be added to it?... not really sure.

But it's a true shame, no Film Director. But from reading the post in this thread. I'm now understanding why Reflections didn't include one.

quote:

But it's a true shame, no Film Director. But from reading the post in this thread. I'm now understanding why Reflections didn't include one.

We haven't heard officially why it was excluded, but whatever the reason - fix the reason and put it back. It is the HEART of the game, the sole reason why many people bought the game.

Now it's just another driving game, not even the old Hollywood Chase Scene Creator game it made such great claims about when it first came out. It seems to be trying to be too much like GTA than Driver, and doing neither.

UBI needs to go to the roots of the success of the series and enhance those features rather than detour into the realm of GTA.

Make it a REAL Hollywood stunt/chase game or have a side game that allows you to set up your own ramps, jumps, explosions chases, crashes into destructible buildings etc. filmed at any angle...along with the normal story-mode game (campaign).

quote:

Originally posted by Symantecus:

UBI needs to go to the roots of the success of the series and enhance those features rather than detour into the realm of GTA.

Make it a REAL Hollywood stunt/chase game or have a side game that allows you to set up your own ramps, jumps, explosions chases, crashes into destructible buildings etc. filmed at any angle...along with the normal story-mode game (campaign).

I like the idea of setting up your own RAMPS, breaking through glass, driving over broken bridges and more, set up in your own create-a-stunt track, specifically designed to capture some great stunt action for the Film Director Cameras.

---
Reflections, give us a HELICOPTER CAMERA VIEW, so when filming our chase replay, the footage will look a lot like those TV NEWS freeway chases caught from a helicopter view.

But also include the chase camera where it can lock into any position, like from Driver 1, and the other cameras. Tripods shouldn't make us run out of available cameras left either.

AND one more important thing: Give us a COUNTDOWN of how many CAMERAS we have left to use, which would be key in planning a great film without having to cut cool moments.

By far, my favorite camera was the police dashboard cam in D3.
I loved going to Nice and deliberately getting a cop to chase me through the streets.
As soon as a cop got behind me, I'd switch the camera to the cop's dashboard to watch my own harrowing close calls as I careened through traffic.
Every once and a while, I'd switch the camera to rear view and watch the cops do the same.
I preferred Nice for using this view because the cops in Nice would never ram you from behind.
Ramming may be necessary in the game, but only when we've slowed down.
Please, no more sudden burst of nitro from the cop cars.
Being rammed from behind that way, totally messes up the view.

I strongly agree with InsaneDriver06 that we need a helicopter view.
I also agree with whoever said they should stop shooting out the tires!

Tire shootouts are very cool and realistic, but honestly - what gives with these knucklehead developers creating driving/race/chase games with no replay???

I had a chase in DPL where I was going accross the GW bridge and looking to my right a helicopter ascends with a burst of fire...it was AWESOME!

Of course, because the lamo's who signed off on this incomplete DPL without the classic FILM DIRECTOR, I can only TELL you about it because I have NO REPLAY TO SHOW YOU :-(

WHO makes these SELF-DESTRUCTIVE decisions?

Need For Speed removed their replay feature also and caused many fans to JUST SAY NO - Now there coming back with the replay, but NOBODY had a better replay feature than the DRIVER series.

Yesh, a Film Director mode that surpasses the great features from Driver 1. If they have to delay the game to get it in, do it.

As far as tires being popped out, I can't say its the best way to keep a chase going. Consider Driver 1 and 2's lack of tire popping, and how the chase was still fun, without the aggravating burden of a popped tire. Sure, there's bullet proof tires, but this is a chase game. The last thing I want to see is flat tire chases at 10 mph. Not fun IMO.

Tire popped? Get out and hijack another car! The Film Director captures that too.

quote:

Originally posted by Symantecus:
Tire popped? Get out and hijack another car! The Film Director captures that too.

For me personally, having the tires popped and having to switch cars for the 3rd or 4th time, gets really frustrating.
I'd prefer to keep the adrenaline rush of the chase going non-stop.
But I wouldn't mind it on a very rare occasion, for the purpose of making realistic films.

quote:

Originally posted by KORTECK:

quote:

Originally posted by Symantecus:
Tire popped? Get out and hijack another car! The Film Director captures that too.

For me personally, having the tires popped and having to switch cars for the 3rd or 4th time, gets really frustrating.
I'd prefer to keep the adrenaline rush of the chase going non-stop.
But I wouldn't mind it on a very rare occasion, for the purpose of making realistic films.

I agree. Although DPL thankfully offered bullet proof tires, Driv3r didn't. If they offer an option "Tires Pop" ON/OFF that would be great.

On that note, I'd also like to see options for "Reset Car" ON/OFF, so when it lands on its roof, it will automatically reset upright so you can continue driving in your car, similar to what happens in a game like Test Drive Unlimited.

You guys really want to kill the realism of the game with all that ARCADE ****. Roll on the roof, GET OUT!

None of that LA RUSH arcade B.S.

Here's a link to a new video using DRIVER PL in the Bourne Ultimatum movie trailer.

http://www.machinima.com/bourne/view&id=307

The idea of flipping back onto the ground would be to keep the chase going with your same car, but it's definitely not in line with what we've seen from previous games.

A better solution would be for Reflections to make the physics work so it's VERY difficult to land on your roof without being able to tip it at the right moment by turning the wheels and accelerating/braking.

My point is, having no tires and being upside down, flat on the roof of your car doesn't make for a good chase scene.

Learn to drive, foo! :-) And you'll spend less time on your roof with blown out tires!

I've beat chases with sparks comin' from blown out tires and it looks good! Rolled a car and ran down the street to get another one - sometimes gettin' shot in the back by the police LOL! THAT IS MUCH MORE FUN, DRAMATIC AND REALISTIC THAN ARCADE AUTO-LEVELIN' NO TIRE BLOW OUT - POO POO!

BOTTOM LINE: There are enough ARCADE physics and auto-rollover-resets on the market, but with the ability to get out of the car and get into another - auto-leveling is just not necessary.

Look at the first video I submitted (the chase scene in Nice, France with the Lambo). The Lambo gets totaled, the guy jumps out and runs to hijack a cab! That's drama!