Driver: Parallel Lines FAQs

[driv3r_madness]

Well, at least i'm still playing DRIV3R non-stop, i perfer it to Parallel Lines for some reason. There is something making it stand out, if only i could put my finger on it.

[blackbelt3dgr]

ya ur right theres something about driv3r that sticks out that i love but dpl is better at least i think it is

[driv3r_madness]

I think we just have to think hard about what that was, i know many people who think the same thing. And once we all know that reflections might earn something big out of it. :)

[I_Am_Spartacus]

Driv3r? Yeah, it felt sorta different. Can't put my finger on it... Maybe it was because it was the first in the series to do what it did. Driver 2 was all about driving, with just cars... Then all of a sudden we get hit with boats and motorcycles and safehouses and guns. Maybe that's it... Then Driver:PL felt like the same old thing... with less..

[driv3r_madness]

I never really like Parallel Lines that much but i really liked DRIV3R.
It's a bit hard to say why? but i think DRIV3R was still more focused on the cars/driving even tho there was alot of on foot.

[brok]

The reason you all still play Driv3r is because you like using the director, like replaying the actual good chase missions like chase, rescue Dupont and the one with Fabienne, or you simply refuse to see the bad side of the game because you equate not liking the game to not being a true 'Driver' fan. It's true that D3 has some moment that D:PL doesn't match, but even Die hard Driver fans have every right not to like Driv3r, because when a company releases something that craps all over it's fans that badly, people are understandably not going to be impressed.

[luvmygames]

The reason you all still play Driv3r is because you like using the directorYou’re absolutely right. It’s the film director that keeps me playing D3, although I enjoy driving the cars better as well. Even though they’re slower than the cars in DPL, I still feel like D3 takes more skill to drive.
If D3 had just a “few” more cars and was just a “little” faster, it would be awesome. Of course, it would also need to be completely finished and glitch free too.

[LoXodonte]

agreed. Half my ideas for parallel lines revolved around the film director...then they strip the game of it. BAH! Oh well, thats all in the past.

I'd still like to know where people could take their ideas for UBIsofts driver. I kinda doubt it's here...anyone know?

[matt__jon]

I signed up at the ubisoft forums and tried pm'ing a mod, they never got back to me, but it is a weird pm system they have, I don't know if it actually worked cause its more like a post in private but I think I had to invite people to join it? Anyway, they never got back, as I said, so I gave up, and really am not that interested in talking about the games anymore, sadly.

[Kulu911]

I dont know if this is waayyyyyyy old news, but you can drive a semi with a trailer. In fact may kinds of trailers. Just head the the factory or construction sites.

[Mr. Tanner]

There are trailers in the game for trucks. You'll have to find them, and you won't see them in traffic. There's a tanker and a flat trailer, no box trailer.

[driv3r_madness]

It wasn't just the film director, it just felt like everything, the music, inc.. background music was great for me, the jumps, stunts, physics, handling (perfect handling), graphis (photorealistic) and the storyline, how could someone say the storyline is crap, i just wanna see tanner get up and finish his job.

I also liked Driver and Driver 2 they where great to, i play them over and over and over and i've gone back to driver 1 and i've started playing that again.

One of the main reasons i don't like Parallel Lines as much, I still do like to play it but not as much because there is no Film Director and the Grahpis reminds me of GTA, it just doesn't feel as photorealistic as DRIV3R was.

I'm kinda wondering which direction reflections will take with there next game, because half agree with you and me.

I just hope martin edmondson comes back be cause he did a great job, just as he left and then parallel lines comes out and i never really liked it as much, i think matin had a big say it what happens with the game and gareth may be taking it in the wrong direction.

Hopefully they go a successful way in the future and continue there dream to focus on the cars :)

[Kulu911]

I think PL is freaking great. Better than driver 3 by miles. It even has better graphics than SA. I ve been playing both games comparing the graphics and I enjoy the solid graphics for PL. Trust me guys the next driver game should be awesome. Teh foot stuff is fine the way it is but if they add more stuff to the driving then that will be coo.

[driv3r_madness]

I sorta get where your coming from, and I kinda agree, but they just left too many great things out like the graphis did look photorealistic and in Parallel Lines it starting to look slightly toonish.

[brok]

I'd rather PL's graphics with all the features that the freed up space affords rather than D3's graphics again, bringing down the number of onscreen objects. Graphics is nothing. Gameplay is everything.

[driv3r_madness]

reflections goal has always been to create a game with photorealistic graphis.

[brok]

Tell that to whoever made D:PL.

[Kulu911]

Does anyone know where the long island driver gp is? I cant freaking find it!!

[SkylineGTR]

Well the reason I play Driv3r alot still, is because 1) the film director, yes 2) Nice Nice Nice (city) environment was the best there; it was huge! 3) making music videos in film director and using cameras ways the devs never thought of. Film Director really makes the game for me, and the realistic damage modeling and car physics.

[driv3r_madness]

Yeh! I still play DRIV3R alot, I think it is the best, Driver: Parallel Lines lost a fair bit that was very, very good in DRIV3R.

[john cena]

Don't you guys believe that Gameplay Should Come Before Everything Else in D5?

I do believe that and even though Reflections should try and focus on the other things too, gameplay is perhaps the most important as it determines on how much freedom and abilities are left for the player to use. Lets face facts. Driver has never had very much done with the on-foot abilities. That is definitely the biggest part which needs perhaps more work done on it than the rest of the game's features because it hasn't had as much work done for it. Although it's safe to say that Reflections will most likely know what to do with the gameplay that is found in driving around a city.

I will pin point perhaps some really important on-foot abilities that Reflections definitely needs to work on. First of all, the fact that there was no swimming and jumping abilities in DPL is definetly one of the most dissapointing flaws when it comes to the on-foot. The only enhancement for the on-foot was for the target system, the rolling, and the new crouching ability, which was not very useful. The swimming, crouching, rolling, and jumping should definetly be enhanced for D5. In addition, as many Driver fans pointed out, there could be abilities used for picking up boxes (not that I find it very needed or anything, but it could be used for dropping them and maybe finding health or ammo inside it), parachuting (wasn't mentioned very much, but since Just Cause and GTA: SA have been using it, there's no real point as to why D5 shouldn't use it.), and among others (i can't remember the rest).

What I'd like to see that was not said yet is for having a stealth engine (ability to sneak up, use shadows and darkness to hide, and to perform lethal moves against an enemy, which is what games like Splinter Cell, MGS, and of course, the Hitman series have been quite famous for doing), being able to use hand-to-hand combat (it doesn't pack a very big punch as acting to be like an Action movie if we don't see the main character be able to use any kicks or punches within the game to simply be able to defend himself. Countering your opponents moves is definetly a great addition too. And maybe there could be a way of blocking as in Boxing, which would be for blocking the face, upper chest, and lower chest to allow your character to protect himself from any of the moves that the enemy uses against you), a wider weapon variety (I would feel that only guns need to take part in the game since other weapons like tools wouldn't make the action any more intense as it would be with a gun.), ability to carry upto two weapons (sure we could always carry as much as that of GTA, but many shooters today are good with doing this and I feel that it would be a great idea for D5), Taking cover (one of the problems about the missions in D3 and DPL were probably the fact that you had to shoot the bad guys and ended up dieing all because of no taking cover to help you out in any possible situations), a new shoulder camera view (it's just like the one from RE4 and can be selectable to use when it comes to carrying firearms. It would certainly look cool to see one side of your character along with him carrying the weapon.), and comandeering every vehicle in the game would simply be a great addition to the game since it would make it much easier for the player to know what vehicle can possibly suit them the best in a bad situation.

As for the use of vehicles in the game, we can possibly have better use for drive-bys, more film director options (making great replays is important for the player and the player needs a lot of choices that he/she can pick from when trying to make a replay), a wider customization (there weren't enough customization options in DPL and people may have been pretty dissapointed with that so there definetly needs to be a better deal of customization available for the next Driver), more vehicle types (of course. Everyone here on the Atari Forums who is a Driver fan would certainly want to see their favorite vehicles appear in the next game and since we may want different kinds, we definetly should see a lot of different types, which include Land vehicles, Watercraft, and Aircraft.), have one button for both burnout and acceleration (people may not find very much use for having two buttons seperate the acceleration from that of the burnout, especially due to the fact that burnout isn't a realistic factor for vehicles), simplistic and more realistic steering (we need handling for vehicles that is realistic and simple at the same time so that new players can easily get used to the controls), and both a more structured and realistic damage modeling (for the vehicles and environment in the game. Also this could be improved upon the people in the game too.)

If Reflections can get this much done for the on-foot and driving aspects of the game, I think we'll be able to appreciate the game a lot more with many to do in TAR mode and every other mode in the game.

[Dutchguy]

So do I. You've made some great points here, John Cena, keep it up!

[john cena]

Why thank you, Dutchguy.

[Dutchguy]

You're welcome! Have you seen the Peugeot commercials already? I really liked the 205 Rally versions

[john cena]

I posted about that in that one thread about Hidden Aircraft and vehicles. You can go and see if you want to know about that.

[Dutchguy]

I saw it, thanks again, you're a good friend!

[john cena]

You're a great friend too. ;)

[Dutchguy]

Thanks! Is there something from D3 you would like to see back in D5 except Film Director?

[john cena]

I would have to say that, without any jumping or swimming abilities, it didn't prove all to well for DPL. Therefore, I want jumping and swimming to return in the next game.

[Dutchguy]

I really want to see some of the D3 cars back, like the BMW 6-series coupe in Nice, the ''Magnum P.I.'''Ferrari in Miami and several more

[john cena]

Yes. I liked the cars from D3. They were done really well, especially the designs and of how well detailed they were. If DPL is as good in its graphics as D3 is, then certainly I cannot see what it is that you can compare of DPL to that of D3.

[Dutchguy]

Yeah....

[john cena]

What more can I say about what I want back that was from D3? Well, Tanner wasn't in DPL and that must've dissapointed many people because of that so we need to see him back in D5.

[Dutchguy]

Yes, I really miss Tanner, I think everybody does! There's this question buzzing around my head you know:''What happened to Tanner? He got shot, but did he survive?''

[john cena]

He did because in Driver Vegas it reveals that he survived and still was on the run after Jericho. Even there was a secret in DPL that revealed Tanner's survival, which infact told you that he is alive. I think that because of this, Reflections will want to bring back Tanner. Even there was the one news, when it was revealed that there would be a Driver game for the PS3 that Tanner is rumored to return. Lets hope that he does return indeed.

[Dutchguy]

Yeah, let's keep our fingers crossed

[brok]

I'm kinda thinking that the reason they had the 'Tanner Lives' grafitti in D:PL is because they decided not to continue using Tanner, but realised that they couldn't just leave Driv3r's ending up in the air. So, they put the message in to let everyone know, and then forget about Tanner for good. Sure that might dissapoint some Driver fans, but by introducing a new character into D5 the game instantly has a better chance of appealing to a wider audience, since Tanner isn't really an interesting game personality, compared to more complex characters such as CJ, Tommy Angelo, the main characters from Mercenaries, and other open-world game characters.

[JJMPB]

Tanner is a video game icon you can't just get rid of him


Jake

[brok]

He's not an icon. Far from it, I'm sorry to say. Sam Fisher is an icon. Link is an icon. Gordon Freeman is an icon. Heck, a 1998 survey found more kids recognised Mario than Mickey Mouse. All these characters share 4 things in common: They've starred in multiple top scoring games. They are instantly recognisable. And their reputation represents good gameplay, a lasting game experience, and a game that doesn't sell out or treat it's fans like an Idiot. Above all, they are all icons because they are known and respected outside their games' fanbase. Tanner has none of these qualities. Let's face it- in the bigger picture, he's a nobody. He had the making's of an Icon at the start, but when you start making games that are all style and no substance, the characters will all fall through the cracks.

[JJMPB]

doesn't represent any of these qualities driver and driver 2 were top scoring games tanner is recongnized by all who have played the driver games good gameplay i thought the driver games had a lasting experience on me i still play them my only complaint is that they haven't made more games in the series


Jake

[brok]

Driver 1 and 2 are still only two games. That's only half the Driver franchise. The other offers didn't score very well, meaning the Driver series hasn't scored well in six years, and a whole console generation. And of course Tanner is known by those who have played those games, but that also applies to every game character ever made. I said icons are icons because people outside the fanbase also know and like the character. Tanner most definately does not meet that criteria. I'll agree that driver has good gameplay, but thanks to all the bugs in Driv3r, the series is now known more for bugs than gameplay.

[john cena]

As much as I'd love to agree with you, brok, I can say that Tanner wasn't the very reason as to why the Driver series became greatful. Infact, I can tell you know that even though Driv3r was a bad game, it did well on its sales with over 1.5 million sold. DPL was more improved, but didn't do as well in the sales. People just don't see the Driver franchise as a very big set of games and nor is the Driver fan base as big as nowadays games of which have had a franchise. I don't find it right to blame Tanner for that particular purpose though.

I would blame it on the fact that Reflections didn't do commercially well and that the other Driver games never had made it into E3 as one of the most accomplishing games of the year. If many people were to find D5 as a very big game at E3, I think that the fan base could skyrocket. Make no doubts, that many of the cases as to why games are noticed and proved to be a well exception is when they appear as one of the top competitors at E3.

[brok]

I never said Tanner was the reason, I'm just saying he's not what you'd call a videogame icon, and points you've just brought up further support this.

Personally I don't think being an accomplished game at E3 really matters that much, and the E3 awards mean diddly squat, especially now that E3 is being restructured entirely and is no longer the massive expo it once was. If they want D5 to succeed, they've got to first make it into a decent game, then churn out those screenshots and trailers, and above everything get critics to try hands on sessions with it. Getting the critics on your side is the key to the masses, especially the bandwagon jumpers -and there are a lot of them, don't kid yourself.

[john cena]

I suppose that you're right, brok, but I was right about the commercial success right? If they have it commercialized on websites and tv, that could really help it more. Maybe Driv3r sold well because it was commercialized well enough for many people to notice it.

Also, if we get more news on the games around each month or so, I think that many people will find it an interesting thing to read about and if Reflections has the time to get it all put together well and announces the details about the gameplay and such else after that time, I think it will be another step to making it look good.

[matt__jon]

D3 sold well because D1 was a good game, and D2 would've been good if it wasn't so jumpy (it was still good at the time). It was the only competitor to the GTA series with any history, so when people started gossiping that it was going to be the GTA killer, it was a bit easier to believe. Also it came before many of the current day Grand Theft Alsos, which are all crap.

It helped that it had better graphics than GTA, but that only helps until you get the game. D3 was one of the biggest flops in videogame history, I believe, because of all the hype. And now Tanner is associated with it. I liked Tanner better in D1, though I never really played the missions.

And although its important to advertise, Reflections probably shouldn't steadily release information, they should wait til maybe 3 months before release to do interviews and let the press play the game, unless its going to be a massive game that will take time to go through all the details, which looking at past history, it won't.

[john cena]

D3 sold well because D1 was a good game, and D2 would've been good if it wasn't so jumpy (it was still good at the time). It was the only competitor to the GTA series with any history, so when people started gossiping that it was going to be the GTA killer, it was a bit easier to believe. Also it came before many of the current day Grand Theft Alsos, which are all crap.
I was thinking the same way, Matt_jon. It was probably due to the fact that people were to actually believe that it was going to be a GTA killer. If D3 didn't focus on the graphics for the most part and was able to include several different abilities for use when on-foot, a better storyline, and maybe less glitches, I think that it would be a killer game.

It helped that it had better graphics than GTA, but that only helps until you get the game. D3 was one of the biggest flops in videogame history, I believe, because of all the hype. And now Tanner is associated with it. I liked Tanner better in D1, though I never really played the missions.
I totally agree with you, Matt_jon.

And although its important to advertise, Reflections probably shouldn't steadily release information, they should wait til maybe 3 months before release to do interviews and let the press play the game, unless its going to be a massive game that will take time to go through all the details, which looking at past history, it won't.
That would definetly be a good suggestion for advertising their games.

[driv3r_madness]

So what made everyone think the graphis was dodgy in DRIV3R.
I mean i thought it looked pretty awsome for a PS2/XBOX generation game.
Also I know that there was a few graphial bugs but i don't notice them all that much.

[matt__jon]

I really don't know what people are complaining about when they said D3's graphics weren't that good. The only thing I can think of is that the cities were boring looking, while the graphics were very detailed, the cities colors didn't have enough pop to them, plus it doesn't help that the game wasn't that good, cause then people just nit-pick every little insignificant thing to death and exxagerate it.

[JJMPB]

i thought D3's graphics were good i thought the story was good and the music


Jake

[Getaway Man]

and the music
Yeah, I thought the music was well done, over all it had a nice feel to it. I mean, the ingame stuff could have used some work, but the cutscenes has some over all good music. I really enjoyed that Destiny song.

[JJMPB]

I ended up buying the soundtrack i listen to it all the time



Jake

[brok]

I can only find the soundtrack where Madsen says some pretentious made up philosophy over the start of every single track. Man is that annoying. I just want to hear the damn tunes!

[Dannoth]

Thanks for that, cleared everything up for me :)

Can't wait to get Parallel Lines tomorrow ^_^