Test Drive Unlimited (360) $40 MSRP! - New Demo is up - General Discussion

[RedvsBlue]

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6154358.html

Apparently Test Drive Unlimited is going to be $40 for ALL platforms, including 360. That's great to hear considering they could have easily priced it at $60 given the anticipation for many 360 owners.

[seanr1221]

WOW! 35.00 with a GGC, and some places might throw is on sale for 30.00...I think the MMO flavor of this game will make it worth 30.00-35.00 alone.

[graf1k]

Nice. I'll pick it up at that price.

[Richlough]

Cool !

I guess they plan on cleaning up in the Marketplace .

Oh well , the Vettes will be mine no matter the cost .

[DomLando]

I thought the demo was horrible.

[Transformah]

I really liked the demo. At $40, I'll pick it up.

[KaneRobot]

Normally wouldn't give a damn, but the miniMMO-ish online setup has me somewhat interested. If some retailers have it for 30-35 when it first comes out, I might go for it.

[graf1k]

I thought the demo was horrible.

They need to retool the controls a little, I'll admit. I hope they do that before it ships.

[seanr1221]

Let's hope other developers take note of this. Hitman would have been a perfect game to come out at 40.00 along with the PS2 and xbox versions.

[flybrione]

They need to retool the controls a little, I'll admit. I hope they do that before it ships.

Atari said that they were even not pleased with the E3 demo they released and plan on releasing a new one this August.

[DomLando]

Atari said that they were even not pleased with the E3 demo they released and plan on releasing a new one this August.
Well that's good to hear.

[RedvsBlue]

Let's hope other developers take note of this. Hitman would have been a perfect game to come out at 40.00 along with the PS2 and xbox versions.

That's what I'm really hoping will be a side effect of this news. Tomb Raider and Hitman would have been excellent games at $40 but $60 is just too much to ask for a prettier version of a game that's available on the other consoles.

What's funny about that situation is that I liked both Hitman and Tomb Raider and would have bought them for sure at $40. Yeah I could have bought the XBox version for that price but I didn't feel like buying an inferior version when I knew a better version was out there. The result? I didn't buy any version of the game...

[Mr. Anderson]

Props to Atari for doing this.

[seanr1221]

What's funny about that situation is that I liked both Hitman and Tomb Raider and would have bought them for sure at $40. Yeah I could have bought the XBox version for that price but I didn't feel like buying an inferior version when I knew a better version was out there. The result? I didn't buy any version of the game...

That's exactly how I feel. It's ashame because both are really good games. Now I do have Tomb Raider (got it as a gift) but I would have bought it and Hitman the day they came out if they were 40.00

[LinkinPrime]

That's exactly how I feel. It's ashame because both are really good games. Now I do have Tomb Raider (got it as a gift) but I would have bought it and Hitman the day they came out if they were 40.00

Ditto, still waiting on a decent price drop for Hitman. With Table Tennis and Test Drive Unlimited at 39.99 I hope its the begenning of a trend.

[RedvsBlue]

That's exactly how I feel. It's ashame because both are really good games. Now I do have Tomb Raider (got it as a gift) but I would have bought it and Hitman the day they came out if they were 40.00

Don't get me wrong, its not that I hate paying $60 for a game. I don't mind it too much really but don't make the price $60 just because its a next gen game. It should offer something more than better graphics and achievements for it to be worth the extra $20. I mean Hitman and Tomb Raider are, from all I've read, DIRECT ports with nothing new. I mean give me a new freakin gun at the very least!

[coolsteel]

Unless a new demo impresses me this is a pass even at the nicer price

[graf1k]

Ditto, still waiting on a decent price drop for Hitman. With Table Tennis and Test Drive Unlimited at 39.99 I hope its the begenning of a trend.

Go for the Play-Asia version. Even at $43 I think it's worth it. If I hadn't beated it on a rental I would have bought it for that price. Probably still will once it gets down to $20.

[Richlough]

Ditto, still waiting on a decent price drop for Hitman. With Table Tennis and Test Drive Unlimited at 39.99 I hope its the begenning of a trend.

Yeah , games that begin with "T" should all be $39.99 . :lol:

And , just a reminder , Atari is really Infogrames , they changed their name for better recognition . 8-)

[Tha Xecutioner]

Good deal, can't wait to pick it up

[Kendal]

Yeah, I am part of the "meh" to the demo. If the demo with improved controls really is better, I might get it.

[Brak]

The demo was insanely plain, from what I remember; but that price - and the recent screenshots - are interesting me.

[Monsta Mack]

Wow.

If the new demo is vastly improved in controls, and the graphics are polished, this could be a bargain at $40. I thought Top Spin 2 was great for $40, and this can be to.

[terribledeli]

Wow.

If the new demo is vastly improved in controls, and the graphics are polished, this could be a bargain at $40. I thought Top Spin 2 was great for $40, and this can be to.

Seconded.

Even though I've got a feeling that the price may drop to $20 around Christmas (assuming sales are bad), I'm biting for $40. At the worst, I've got an amazing bookend for Rumble Roses XX

[stocker08]

i too thought the demo was quite bad.

[atane]

So is $40 the "new" platinum hits price now? That's sad.

[RedvsBlue]

So is $40 the "new" platinum hits price now? That's sad.

How is a new release a platinum hit?

[Monsta Mack]

So is $40 the "new" platinum hits price now? That's sad.

WTF?

It's a budget price for next gen titles. Platnium Hits are titles MS has decided sold well and have been out for 10-12 months, I forget which, and they are XBox line. There are no 360 platnium hits yet (Although I'm assuming PGR3, Kameo and PD0 would be them and two of them are already down to $30.).

[Spinoff360]

Would have bought it for the usual price of 360 games but this makes it even better :applause:

[-Never4ever-]

I thought the demo was horrible.

Worse 360 title I've ever played (based on the demo alone). I won't touch it till it's $10 or less.

[atane]

WTF?

It's a budget price for next gen titles. Platnium Hits are titles MS has decided sold well and have been out for 10-12 months, I forget which, and they are XBox line. There are no 360 platnium hits yet (Although I'm assuming PGR3, Kameo and PD0 would be them and two of them are already down to $30.).

I meant budget price not platinum hits.

[Richlough]

The Pre-order bonus at Gamestop gets you a
free Lamborghini Gallardo download .

It's a card with a key code on it .

It also doubles as a contest entry to win a real Lamborghini !!

Grand Prize : 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo

First Prize : 1st class trip to Hawaii

SecondPrize: $5000 Ben Sherman shopping spree

Third Prize : Wireless headphones with Dolby Headphone Technology

Fourth Prize : ATI Memory Card (I don't get it either)

[Tha Xecutioner]

It also doubles as a contest entry to win a real Lamborghini !!
:drool:

[Tyvan]

I loved the demo. can't wait for this game!

[Zoglog]

I sure hope they can fix those controls and the "solid bush" syndrome. Though I don't think they're going to fix the latter.

Also initially the online element was causing it to crash, so they shut down the servers. The concept of mmo racing is really neat though. Hope they can pull it off. Plus driving through hawaii is just badass

[terribledeli]

The Pre-order bonus at Gamestop gets you a
free Lamborghini Gallardo download .

In-store only yet? Because I'm on the verge of ordering it online but with the fiasco that was Battle for Middle Earth II's download code, I may do it instore.

[Richlough]

In-store only yet? Because I'm on the verge of ordering it online but with the fiasco that was Battle for Middle Earth II's download code, I may do it instore.

Yes , I snagged one yesterday . The cards are on the back of a countertop display .

[Graystone]

I'm going to wait for the new demo before I consider a purchase.

[LinkinPrime]

Yes , I snagged one yesterday . The cards are on the back of a countertop display .

Snagged? So you didnt have to pre-order it?

[terribledeli]

Snagged? So you didnt have to pre-order it?

my local gamestop told me I had to pre-order it in order to get the form (which is waay too complex for its own good. Its not a code for the marketplace. Its a code to enter on an Atari site, then Atari will send you a MP code when the game launches). Even my smooth talking and sweet nothings couldn't sway the cashier.

[TC]

So is there a new demo out now on live?

[terribledeli]

So is there a new demo out now on live?

Early August.

[Richlough]

Snagged? So you didnt have to pre-order it?

My friend is the manager , he didn't seem to care .
They must have had 15-25 of the cards there , I was probably the first to give a shit about them .
He usually gives out the pre-order bonuses to people who buy the game when it's released if there are any left over .

I used to work with him at EB , he knows I'm a swag whore , so he usually hooks me up .
That's how [when] I got my Saint's Row demo disc :D .

[Mojimbo]

I thought half the reason they were going with a lower MSRP was because they plan to fuck people in the ass with downloadable content? If not, good shit.

[Don Wuebos]

Test Drive Unlimited is going to be launching at 39.99 now, as opposed to the normal 59.99 price tag, I just wondered if anyone was now considering picking up this title since it's taken a pretty substantial drop in Release Price...

The only explanation i have for the price is either, Atari trying to make a successful 360 title in attempts to keep the company from going completely under or losing all reputation in the gaming industry.

Or is the price drop due to them possibly trying to charge for the M.O.O.R feature for the online gameplay in this game... I guess it's up to Atari to either make the smart of dumb choice.

Let me know your feedback on the subject.


_------------------------------------------------_

Note: i just found the other thread about Test Drive, but im asking what you think of a possible Subcription fee for the online, But if you feel it necessary, Close the thread since there is another

Thanks.

[Richlough]

Chevrolet's C6 and the Z06 Corvettes are two of the newest confirmed rides in Atari's upcoming PC and Xbox 360 racer .

http://www.gamesradar.com/us//images/mb//GamesRadar/us/Games/T/Test%20Drive%20Unlimited/Bulk%20Viewer/PC_360/2006-08-10-vettes/Corvette_C6_01--screenshot_large.jpg

Source GamesRadar (http://www.gamesradar.com/us/xbox360/game/news/article.jsp?articleId=20060810115024669020&releaseId=20060224143829174067&sectionId=1006)

[I AM WILLIAM H. MACY]

Worse 360 title I've ever played (based on the demo alone). I won't touch it till it's $10 or less.
I'd have to agree with the first part, but I'll wait and see the reviews. If they really did fix it then I'd have to consider a purchase.

[deadite76]

Early August.

This is taken from the xbox.com forum so take it as you will:

ATARI ANNOUNCES SECOND TEST DRIVE UNLIMITED DEMO
- Road Test Racing Reinvented with New Demo Coming to Xbox Live Marketplace -

LYON, FRANCE – 23 August 2006 – Atari today announced the forthcoming launch of a new Test Drive Unlimited playable demo for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, via Xbox Live® Marketplace. Developed by Eden Games, Test Drive Unlimited has already excited gamers with its massive array of single player challenges and diverse online multiplayer delights. The new demo will be released Thursday August 24th 2006 featuring stunning new vehicles, new challenges, longer play time and a host of other enhancements to give gamers a tantalising taste of racing reinvented. Test Drive Unlimited is scheduled for release across Europe September 8th 2006.

The first Test Drive Unlimited playable demo, released during E3 2006 as part of Microsoft’s initiative to bring gamers closer to the event, was downloaded close to 200,000 times from Xbox Live Marketplace in one short week, bringing the demo in third place overall amongst all downloads during the period. Feedback from the global gaming community proved vital in giving Eden Games a clear direction to improve the quality of the final game and deliver the incredible experience Test Drive Unlimited now offers.

With the new demo allowing up to one hour of play in a 60km² area of the graphically polished and geographically accurate Hawaiian island of Oahu, players will have time to discover a stunning new house, three delicious new super cars – the Ferrari F430, Ford Mustang GT and AC Cobra – and one brutally powerful motorbike, the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. Players can choose to accept one of the four new offline challenges, take on either of the two new online challenges with up to eight players racing simultaneously, launch instant challenges against anyone they encounter on the road, or just burn gallons of virtual gasoline tearing around the lush tropical roads in free ride. Other enhancements include tighter handling, snappy gear changes, customizable speed blur effects, optional in-car camera vibrations, improved lag allowing eight player online races, fully operational vsync, an incredible level of overall graphical polish, and much more.

“We know Xbox Live gamers in Europe are eagerly anticipating their next taste of Test Drive Unlimited,” said Richard Teversham, Platform & Marketing E&D EMEA, Microsoft. “Test Drive Unlimited gives gamers and their friends an innovative combination of driving skills, connected gaming where ever you are, and unbeatable graphics that harness the power of Xbox 360. This exclusive game is a great addition to the Xbox 360 portfolio.”
-more-
While the new demo gives a good flavour of what to expect from Test Drive Unlimited, it barely scratches the surface of the final game which offers over 1000 miles of roads, 90 of the world’s most exclusive super cars and bikes, and unlimited online challenges. Test Drive Unlimited is racing reinvented.

Test Drive Unlimited is scheduled for release across Europe September 8th 2006 and the new demo is available via Xbox Live Marketplace from August 24th 2006. For more information visit www.testdriveunlimited.com.


http://forums.xbox.com/6301301/ShowPost.aspx


Just Cause and Test Drive demos on the same day!

[LinkinPrime]

The rumor for NHL 07 is today or tomorrow as well.

So Just Cause, NHL 07, and TDU on the same day!?....Sweet!

[Richlough]

The Pre-order bonus at Gamestop gets you a
free Lamborghini Gallardo download .

It's a card with a key code on it .

It also doubles as a contest entry to win a real Lamborghini !!

Grand Prize : 2006 Lamborghini Gallardo

First Prize : 1st class trip to Hawaii

SecondPrize: $5000 Ben Sherman shopping spree

Third Prize : Wireless headphones with Dolby Headphone Technology

Fourth Prize : ATI Memory Card (I don't get it either)

I will probably be able to more of the free Lamborghini code cards .

[doubledown]

Whoa....a NHL and Just Cause and this DEMOS? Nice.....I really want a NHL game, not sure what one.

[Zoglog]

Price drop on MSRP usually is a bad sign for the dev of the game.

[RedvsBlue]

Price drop on MSRP usually is a bad sign for the dev of the game.

Or they realized that even if the games are pretty good like Hitman and Tomb Raider that people aren't willing to spend a premium on a game just because it has improved graphics over the current gen version.

[Zoglog]

Hitman was a great romp in my opinion ;). the Last game I saw cut prices like this was NARC. And we know how that ended up

[Richlough]

Hitman was a great romp in my opinion ;). the Last game I saw cut prices like this was NARC. And we know how that ended up

Yeah but NARC looked like shit to begin with .

There's definitely hope for Test Drive Unlimited .

[RedvsBlue]

Hitman was a great romp in my opinion ;). the Last game I saw cut prices like this was NARC. And we know how that ended up

Oh, I agree completely, Hitman was great on the 360. The only problem though is that it was exactly like the other console version which were $20 cheaper.

[doubledown]

New Demo Up

[Bazz]

Has anyone tried the new demo yet?

[Bazz]

Just played new demo way better then old really fun and I hated old demo. I love the online feature of this game very new and cool.

[LinkinPrime]

Anyone else have any updated impressions on this?

[Monsta Mack]

I played the demo earlier today.
Thought it was great outside of a few AI glitchs. I was supposed to drag some biker and he ended up popping a wheelie and fell backwards (ouch), and also some of the AI cars were "teleporting" for some very odd reason.

At $40 this g ame is becoming mighty tempting. I want Forza but this isn't looking too bad at all, might even be better then Forza for me.

[mtxbass1]

Anyone else have any updated impressions on this?

I'll throw in my two cents.

Absolutely horrible just like the last test drive demo. This time you have a time limit of 60 minutes. There are 4 cars to choose from (one being a motorcycle). I figured I'd pick the motorcycle to begin with. BAD MOVE. This game is no Moto GP. Trying to turn the bike itself is a challenge in itself. Curves are nearly impossible to take at almost any speed. I slowed down to around 40mph and I still ended up wrecking the bike.

Just for fun, I figured I'd give it more time with the bike. I proceeded to go through a guard rail, into oncoming traffic, straight into a truck. What happens? My bike bounces back, resets, the the truck is still there in the road. How pathetic.

I restarted the demo and picked the F340 this time. The car absolutely flies. This is not a good thing as you still can't control the car. I got it up to 60mph and again slammed into the guard rail. The car has the ability to hit "bumps" and seemingly fly through the air, only to be brought straight back down to the ground. The controls are absolutely unresponsive at times. You'll press left to go left, the car will pull hard to the left. Push left again to go around another corner and the car won't move left at all like it should.

I ended up getting the car up to 165 mph. It felt like I was doing 60. There was no difference in speed. I had to look down at my speedometer to even know that I was going any "faster".

Oh. Don't try to turn a curve either when going anywhere near this speed. It can't be done.

It almost seems like they have released the same demo from earlier this year, yet taken out some of the polish. I don't remember that earlier demo being this bad (especially control wise).

Some guy races me on a bike. Proceeds to wreck 4 times. The race length was about a mile or so. I wrecked twice. This is terrible. I hope atari has something up their sleeve here.

[Roufuss]

I'll throw in my two cents.

Absolutely horrible just like the last test drive demo. This time you have a time limit of 60 minutes. There are 4 cars to choose from (one being a motorcycle). I figured I'd pick the motorcycle to begin with. BAD MOVE. This game is no Moto GP. Trying to turn the bike itself is a challenge in itself. Curves are nearly impossible to take at almost any speed. I slowed down to around 40mph and I still ended up wrecking the bike.

Just for fun, I figured I'd give it more time with the bike. I proceeded to go through a guard rail, into oncoming traffic, straight into a truck. What happens? My bike bounces back, resets, the the truck is still there in the road. How pathetic.

I restarted the demo and picked the F340 this time. The car absolutely flies. This is not a good thing as you still can't control the car. I got it up to 60mph and again slammed into the guard rail. The car has the ability to hit "bumps" and seemingly fly through the air, only to be brought straight back down to the ground. The controls are absolutely unresponsive at times. You'll press left to go left, the car will pull hard to the left. Push left again to go around another corner and the car won't move left at all like it should.

I ended up getting the car up to 165 mph. It felt like I was doing 60. There was no difference in speed. I had to look down at my speedometer to even know that I was going any "faster".

Oh. Don't try to turn a curve either when going anywhere near this speed. It can't be done.

It almost seems like they have released the same demo from earlier this year, yet taken out some of the polish. I don't remember that earlier demo being this bad (especially control wise).

Some guy races me on a bike. Proceeds to wreck 4 times. The race length was about a mile or so. I wrecked twice. This is terrible. I hope atari has something up their sleeve here.

I agree with everything you wrote... I couldn't remember who exactly played this demo, so I told Zewone how much it sucked because I needed someone to vent to.

It feels like the cars are on ice skates in a big rink of shit. I used the Ferrari, and yea once you hit a certain speed the car gets impossible to control. I've played alot of racers in my day, but it's like trying to steer a fucking brick. The bike is even worse... Midnight Club 3 has perfect control on bikes, this game it just feels like a huge afterthought. There is no sense of speed, either.

The police chased me in a race, that was kind of cool, but it just made me want to go play Need for Speed where I can actually control the car.

My car wrecked and came to a dead halt crashing into a fucking plastic chair next to a patio table.. I thought it would be cool to run into them and watch them fly around. Big mistake. I also crashed into a tiny bush, as well.

The island is really fucking boring. I'm glad they put all this work into making a 1000 KM island that's incredibly bland and lacks any sort of style or substance.

There are much better racers to put that $40 too... it's a shame, I reaaaaaaaally wanted to like this game.

[Richlough]

I found this list on the Atari Europe forums (http://forums.eu.atari.com/showthread.php?t=40854)

With Atari stamp of approval

90 OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCLUSIVE CARS AND MOTORBIKES

The complete list of cars and bikes that will ship in the retail version of Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in September 2006 is as follows:

AC 289 1964
Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione 2004
Alfa Romeo Alfa GT 3.2 V6 24v 2003
Ascari KZ1 - Current
Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato 1961
Aston Martin DB7 Zagato 2004
Aston Martin DB9 Coupe 2005
Aston Martin DB9 Volante 2005
Aston Martin V8 Vantage 2005
Aston Martin Vanquish S V12 2005
Audi A3 3.2 quattro DSG 2005
Audi A6 4.2 quattro 2005
Audi S4 Cabriolet 2004
Audi TT quattro sport 2005
Caterham CSR 260 Current
Chrysler 300C® SRT-8 2004
Chrysler Firepower Concept Car 2005
Chrysler ME FOUR-TWELVE 2004
Dodge Viper SRT-10 2005
Ducati 999R - 2005
Ducati Monster S4R - 2005
Ducati Supersport 1000DS 2005
Farboud Supercharged GTS Prototype 2005
Ferrari 288 GTO - 1984
Ferrari 575M Maranello 2004
Ferrari Enzo Ferrari 2005
Ferrari F430 Spider 2005
Ferrari F430 2004
Ford GT - 2005
Ford Mustang GT-R Concept 2005
Ford Mustang GT Convertible 2005
Ford Mustang GT Coupe 2005
Ford Shelby Cobra Concept 2004
Ford Shelby GR-1 Concept 2004
GM (Cadillac®) XLR-V™ 2005
GM (Chevrolet®) Camaro® Z-28™ 1967
GM (Chevrolet®) Corvette® C6™ Coupe 2005
GM (Chevrolet®) Corvette® Stingray™ 69 1969
GM (Chevrolet®) Corvette® Z06™ Coupe 2005
GM (Chevrolet®) SSR™ 2005
GM (Pontiac®) Firebird™ 1970
GM (Pontiac®) GTO® - 2004
GM (Saturn™) Sky™ 2007
Jaguar Type E Coupe 1964
Jaguar XJ220 - 1993
Jaguar XK Convertible 2006
Jaguar XK Coupe 2006
Jaguar XKR Coupe 2005
Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R 2005
Kawasaki Z1000 2005
Koenigsegg CC8S Current
Lamborghini Gallardo SE 2005
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder 2006
Lamborghini Miuara P400 SV 1971
Lamborghini Murciélago Coupe 2004
Lotus Elise R 2005
Lotus Esprit V8 2002
Lotus Sport Exige 240R 2005
Maserati 3500 GT - 1960
Maserati Gransport -
Maserati MC12 - Current
Maserati Spyder 90th Anniversary 2005
Maserati Spyder Cambiocorsa 2004
McLaren F1 - 1997
McLaren F1 GTR 1995
McLaren SLR Mc Laren Current
Mercedes 300 SL Gullwing 1957
Mercedes CLK 55 AMG 2004
Mercedes CLK DTM AMG 2003
Mercedes CLS 55 AMG 2004
Mercedes SL 65 AMG 2004
Mercedes SLK 55 AMG 2004
MV Agusta F4 Tamburini 2005
MV Agusta F4 Brutale 910S 2005
Nissan 350Z Coupe 2004
Nissan 350Z Nismo S-Tune 2004
Noble M12 GTO-3R 2004
Noble M14 - 2005
Pagani Zonda C12S Current
Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo Current
Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe™ 1963
Shelby GT 500 - 1967
Spyker C8 Laviolette Current
Triumph Speed Triple 2005
TVR Sagaris - 2005
TVR Tuscan S 2005
VW Golf R32 200?
VW W12 Coupe 1997
VW W12 Roadster - 1998
Wiesmann Roadster MF3
__________________

For $40 I think I'll give it a try .
The new demo was a little better than the original one .
This is one of those racing games where you can't just floor it all of the time .
I had some decent success playing in the 1st person mode .

I'll post my impression of the game when I get around to buying it .

[Richlough]

Double post

[Richlough]

Triple post [WTF?]

[ViolentLee]

The game came out today. Where's the discussion on it? It's $40, CAGs...get to buyin'!

I'm playing it at the moment (not literally -- it's paused right now). I haven't gotten far yet, but it's cool seeing human drivers here and there -- something I didn't get to experience in the preview version I had.

I really love the car models, especially the interior. It's one of the best cockpit views I've ever seen. Having honeymooned in Oahu a year ago, it's a familiar setting that really does the actual place justice. Nice usage of Achievements, too -- you can actually look at your progress to earning them in your "home."

[Roufuss]

The game came out today. Where's the discussion on it? It's $40, CAGs...get to buyin'!


IMO, that $40 is better spent on any of the other racing games the 360 has to offer. That demo sucked ass.

Haha wow, didn't realize I said that exact same thing in my impression of the demo a few posts up above. Test Drive Unlimited is one of the few games I wouldn't even touch for $5 or $10.

[LinkinPrime]

I found this list on the Atari Europe forums (http://forums.eu.atari.com/showthread.php?t=40854)

With Atari stamp of approval

90 OF THE WORLD’S MOST EXCLUSIVE CARS AND MOTORBIKES

The complete list of cars and bikes that will ship in the retail version of Atari’s Test Drive Unlimited for the Xbox 360™ video game and entertainment system from Microsoft in September 2006 is as follows...
Here's a screen gallery with detailed info and pricing:

http://content.streetwise.com/SW/TDU/index.html

[toper]

Well, I went ahead and picked this one up today...I liked the demo and I'm looking forward to putting it through its paces tonite (and taking a break in-between with chromehounds). I'll know by the end of this week whether or not it's a keeper. I'll try and post some initial impressions later.

Oh, and if anyone else has this and wants to swap referral codes, feel free to pm me.

[Richlough]

Oh, and if anyone else has this and wants to swap referral codes, feel free to pm me.

You need a code ?

I have some for people that can prove they own and are playing the game [Gamercard verification or via XBOX.com] .

Oops, I have Lamborghini pre-order email codes [the only codes I knew of at the time]

[ViolentLee]

You need a code ?

I have some for people that can prove they own and are playing the game [Gamercard verification or via XBOX.com] .
You're way off, dude. The referral code the previous poster was talking about is as such: Get someone else to buy the game, swap referral codes (inside instruction book), and you get to download two free, hidden cars.

[Scorch]

Test Drive Unlimited is one of the few games I wouldn't even touch for $5 or $10.

QFT. I wanted money back after I played the demo.

[swetooth9]

pretty good reviews so far (albeit none from the "big" review sites/mags yet)...86% on gamerankings from 5 different reviews so far...will probably drop once more reviews appear though

[fieldkillah]

I hated the demo, but the full game is a lot better in my opinion.

[swetooth9]

I hated the demo, but the full game is a lot better in my opinion.

nice to hear

[guyver2077]

if anyones interested... gamefly has a keep it price of 31.99 for this.. im highly considering it as i have a $5 off coupon saved up...

edit.. ok keep it price for me is actually 30.39 after 5% off. Plus coupon i can get this for $26

[SteveMcQ]

IGN review is up: 8.0. (http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/731/731208p1.html)

For those that have it already, I'd appreciate some impressions. Thanks.

[DomLando]

if anyones interested... gamefly has a keep it price of 31.99 for this.. im highly considering it as i have a $5 off coupon saved up...

edit.. ok keep it price for me is actually 30.39 after 5% off. Plus coupon i can get this for $26
Quick off topic question. When you do buy games from gamefly do you get them complete and usually what kind of condtion?

[Scorch]

Quick off topic question. When you do buy games from gamefly do you get them complete and usually what kind of condtion?

they're always complete since they keep the disc and manual at the warehouse and the condition varies but they're usually always good.

[LinkinPrime]

Gamepot review 7.8 (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/testdriveunlimited/review.html)

Well I was hoping Fry's would have it for $29.99 but no such luck. I might pick it up down the road though.

[mtxbass1]

I hated the demo, but the full game is a lot better in my opinion.

Have they done anything to improve the feeling that I'm driving a car on ice skates? The control was the number 1 reason I was turned off by this game.

[shaunLEGEND]

I gotta admit, I'm surprised that more people aren't raving about this game. What other mmo racers have you played? It's awesome driving around and you see other people driving around. I was speeding and passed up another player, I accidentally caused an accident by hitting an oncoming car and the player behind me ended up smashing into the oncoming car as it flew from my impact lol. We weren't racing, just cruising btw. Also when other players are in the area, you can hear them speaking and when you get farther away it starts fading.

I'm not hardcore into racing games but I really got into this.

[Graystone]

I'm waiting for a price drop. If the cars drove better like they weren't on tracks. Then I would buy this at $40. But I can wait, and knowing Atari games it won't be to long before we get a sale on this game somewhere.

[flybrione]

Gamepot review 7.8 (http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/testdriveunlimited/review.html)

Well I was hoping Fry's would have it for $29.99 but no such luck. I might pick it up down the road though.

I was hoping for the same. Maybe during the week? They have done it before.

[LinkinPrime]

So I picked up the game and joined my buddy Maximo and Toper... I can't join their club though....I think there's a problem with the system or no one knows how to check in game messages. Does anyone have the club thing down that they can explain how to join one?

BTW: Demo did not do this game justice, its a great game and perfectly priced.

[Maximo1324]

So I picked up the game and joined my buddy Maximo and Toper... I can't join their club though....I think there's a problem with the system or no one knows how to check in game messages. Does anyone have the club thing down that they can explain how to join one?

BTW: Demo did not do this game justice, its a great game and perfectly priced.

I feel the same, some people talk about the car sliding, Well I would think it should at those speeds keep it under 140 and you will not slide. I been sliding but my fastest car ive taken to 257 MPH so it will lose controll when (1) i i get on top of a cub. Which in real life i would expect the same, (2)turn to hard on the straight away, or (3) go into a turn @ high speeds but that is all real life crap. The demo didnt do this game justice I feel. Love the fact that its real life miles not sim miles. Soo stating that it can take you 1 hour to make a full trip around the island. An that is hauling it. Love the street racing aspect of the game someone can pull up next to you and challenge you to a race. You can acept or not. Set yourfinish point from where you got charged up at. And just try and keep that thing on the road. ( Im a street racer and love that about the game.) Just like in real life..Love it.

[LinkinPrime]

To celebrate the launch of Test Drive Unlimited, ATARI has released two free downloadable cars. The Audi RS4 Quattro and the Nissan Skyline GT-R34 are available for free at Xbox Live Marketplace for the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
http://news.teamxbox.com/xbox/11721/Atari-Follows-Launch-of-TDU-with-Two-Free-Cars/

Obviously they are not available now, but should be sometime this week according to Atari.

[paz9x]

I Love the street racing aspect of the game someone can pull up next to you and challenge you to a race. You can acept or not. Set yourfinish point from where you got charged up at. And just try and keep that thing on the road. ( Im a street racer and love that about the game.) Just like in real life..Love it.
yea because real racing defiantely belongs on a public street. fucking retarded, "true life im a street racer"

[Tha Xecutioner]

Everything in this game is pretty cool, except the fact that the cars and (especially) the bikes aren't very realistic. With that, I also think that all the other Test Drive games have been great, so I would hope that they continue on that streak on the full game. For the price tag I could maybe overlook the semi-realistic feel of the cars, but for now this remains a rental for me.

[fieldkillah]

Have they done anything to improve the feeling that I'm driving a car on ice skates? The control was the number 1 reason I was turned off by this game.

You can change the steering sensitivity, the handling is what made me dislike the demo.

[slickkill77]

Theres an autoupdate out now and atari is working on a bigger patch to fix the servers and trading cars thing

[LinkinPrime]

Info on the autoupdate:

We would like to thank all the players for playing Test Drive Unlimited and reporting issues.

Atari, Eden and Microsoft are working on a Live product update for TDU which will fix various issues found after release. We are also working on increasing the server capacity, which will improve the performance, reduce the Clubs problems and connection issues (“TDU server unavailable”). This will be done no later than the end of the week.

The main issues reported are as follows:

Problem of progression being lost

The problem occurs when you sell a house which contains a car that you’re trying to sell on the E-trade: this creates an issue and the player’s progression is lost.
In order to resolve this, the E-trade system has been temporarily deactivated. You cannot currently trade vehicles with other players, although you can still sell your vehicles via the direct selling option.
The problem is being dealt with as a priority and we will let you know as soon as the E-trade system is operational again.

Issues with CLUBS

During recent peak hours the demand on the servers reached unforeseen levels, resulting in some invitations for clubs being lost and players being unable to resend them.
We are working on increasing the server limit, as well as fixing this issue with an update. The fix will check for lost invites and allow you to re-invite a player if the invitation was permanently lost.

Connections issues (message « TDU servers unavailable »)

Players may have noticed some "TDU server unavailable" messages during peak periods. This is partly due to the number of simultaneous players growing very quickly in a short time.

We are currently tweaking our server to improve the performances, so connection issues will be greatly reduced. The extension of the server’s capacity will also help to solve these issues.

Difficulty to find Friends

This is partly due to the server becoming saturated during peak hours. It will much easier to find your friends when the server capacity is increased.

Currently filters work only on the map - they are not properly implemented while driving. This will be fixed in the forthcoming patch and players will then be able to see only their friends in the game if they wish.

There follows some additional guidelines to make playing with friends easier:

How to play with your friends:

1- The first player goes into a less densely populated area as shown on the map, then zooms in to the island. Other people that want to join him then select him from the map. Players will join a session that’s not full in this area, so the chances are high that this will be the first player’s session.

2- As an alternative, the MS game invite is a very powerful tool, and can be used from a multiplayer lobby as follows:
- create a multiplayer private session
- send an invite to your friends
- race as you want in the created session
- if you get bored of the race you're in, you can change for another one and bring the whole party with you (option available once race is over, before restarting another one)

3- Another way to play with friends is to create a club, meet at the club and start play from there.

Problem in Drive-in


The game freezes when the number of custom challenges in a drive-in is above 256. This is fixed. The maximum number of available custom challenges in a drive-in is now set to 255. This is a server based fix.
The Update will increase this limit so that anyone can post a challenge anytime.

NOTE: The first Update was released on Monday September 11 which deals with a number of issues, but does not include any of the fixes listed above. The first Update fixes a small number of gameplay exploits (loopholes). We’ll keep you posted about the second Update.


We’re sorry for any inconvenience caused. Please continue to send your feedback to Atari and thanks for playing Test Drive Unlimited.
http://www.ataricommunity.com/forums/showthread.php?t=538149

[toper]

Free carpack download out now...Skyline (class E) and new Audi RS4 (class D). Skyline seems sweet after tuning. Still waiting on referral cars to become available, thol

EDIT: Just to clarify, the download itself is free...you still have to buy the cars in-game with your in-game money (I think $50k for skyline, $80k for the audi).

[LinkinPrime]

Free carpack download out now...Skyline (class E) and new Audi RS4 (class D). Skyline seems sweet after tuning. Still waiting on referral cars to become available, thol

EDIT: Just to clarify, the download itself is free...you still have to buy the cars in-game with your in-game money (I think $50k for skyline, $80k for the audi).
Thanks Toper, been waiting for the Skyline. Do you know what the max speed is?


Referral codes are up to:

http://www.testdriveunlimited.com/referral-program/

[ViolentLee]

Nine hours in and still really digging this game. I really enjoy doing car transport missions; the idea of having to prevent them from taking damage and having no time limit is kind of inventive. I just wish you'd get get the actual car if you get a perfect, though $120,000 total prize is nothing to sneeze at.

The more I play, the better I think the control is. It's all about realism: real miles, real reactions. If I took a real-life Mustang up to 120 and tried to switch lanes instantaneously, I'd wobble a lot, too.

Something people might not notice: If you're playing off the servers, with AI drivers around, you can do instant challenges with them. It's not for money, but winning 5 gets you an achievement, and it's cool to make your own course.

[toper]

Thanks Toper, been waiting for the Skyline. Do you know what the max speed is?



Max speed fully tuned is only 170mph, but it goes from 0-60 in 4.5 (not bad for an E class car).

[LinkinPrime]

I'm finally part of the Hostile Cag Club....Wooohoo. Thanks Max...I see you added a few new members last night too.

Anyway, I know the manual has a map with all the locations but thats really hard to read/see but this one is huge:

http://members.shaw.ca/NJayaranjan/TDUMAP.jpg

Hope it helps you guys out, it sure helped me out.