[PC] Burnout Paradise : Ultimate Box


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I think i read somewhere that Burnout Paradise: Big Surf Island is coming to PC's on June 30th, i'm not totally positive though.

So far, *all* the DLC starts on consoles (and they charge for it there) before coming to PC (the post UB DLC (except for Cops and Robbers and Big Surf Island), all came with the 1.1 patch for PC, which was a free update). The next update for PC will includes Big Surf Island *and* Cops and Robbers.

So we do get all the DLC the consoles get; just later.

Right now, I'm playing the single-player (working through all the offline events first), and I've continued noticing some niceties.

1. While the game is NOT a memory pig, having 2 GB or more of system RAM definitely helps with the smoothness aspect, especially while boosting. (I upgraded from 1 GB to 3 GB, and the chop that was present at 1 GB has been banished; I play at 1280x720/high detail/no AA. I'm thinking seriously about cranking up the res *and* the detail some more. And that is despite my system have a mere HD3450 with 256 MB.)

2. The game is *truly* designed for widescreen (especially HD widescreen). 720p is flat-out spectacular at even medium detail (remember, while the PS3 and even X360 are capable of higher, no game takes advantage of it, and BP is no exception; even the vidcaps in CRASHtv are using 720p). High detail? You'll need a new floor (because your jaw dropping will put a hole in your current one).

3. Resolution shootout (console vs. PC). In terms of just 720p vs. 720p, the battle would be rather interesting. However, Burnout on PC seriously ups the action from the consoles with resolutions above the typical 720p console ceiling (Burnout for PC has 1080p as an option, which I would think that the HD4850 should be able to reach rather easily, given enough display).

I have to wonder: did whoever tell you this tell you to avoid selling you the game on PC? (I went to a Gamestop recently, and they don't even have the PC version in stock; worse, the sales-teen said they won't be getting it in stock any more, either. Fortunately, the MicroCenter in the same shopping center *has* it in stock.)

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Ugh, some of it I agree with you. I only needed to turn off that horrid 'girlfriend' song though, and just skip that whiny thirteen year old song. Who picked this ****?

I actually like Atomika though, a bit repetitive but he's alright.

And how does he differ from most radio DJs?

Even those that I actually *like* (including Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden) suffer from repetition at times. Also, remember, Avril Lavigne is popular with the younger audience that was likely the planned target of the game (actually, I find even "Girlfriend" okay, depending on my mood). And his hints/tips are darned useful. (Notice that more often than not, they've also popped up during the CRASHtv podcasts, too.) And you have something against classical music? Or Alice in Chains?

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What's your high score in Showtime mode so far? (Control + S, or Shift + S forgot which one) my highest is 7.4 million.

Ouch; I'm not even close to those numbers (but then again, the best I've managed involved forty-two vehicles, including five buses, for a personal best of 1.5 million; it's the only Showtime Road Rule I own).

I have four time Road Rules (and a Showtime Road Rule); however, they are on five different roads (so far).

It's just S (so you can start Showtime while boosting).

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How in the world are you able to play with an HD 3450? That video card is so weak. :huh:

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How in the world are you able to play with an HD 3450? That video card is so weak. :huh:

Remember; I don't have it dialed up to 1920x1080 NI (the limits of my Acer H233H). (I pointed out that it's the *same* resolution as the original game for PS3/X360, even all the DLC didn't change the resolution ceiling for either console. In fact, I'm wondering if *any* game for etiher console, including exclusives, will dare to head for the 1080p that Burnout for PC has reached already; I know that the PS3 is supposed to be capable of it, but why hasn't it gone there yet?)

1280x720 is therefore still in the range-gate for an admittedly-wimpy PCIe card, such as my HD3450. With 3 GB of system RAM (and the ability of Vista/7 to shunt unused system RAM to graphics) 1280x720p with high detail and no AA is smoother on my desktop than the vidcaps on CRASHtv, which were from the PS3 content, despite the wimpy card. When I'm able to upgrade to an HD4650, I'll likely be able to max the resolution and the detail (but I'd be surprised to be able to max the AA).

The very fact that my PC can match PS3/X360 heads-up, despite the wimpy graphics and equally-wimpy (Celeron DC E1200, albeit overclocked) processor says that the hardware in the two consoles is still heavily UNDERutilized.

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I'm definitely surprised. I have the mobile version of the HD 3450 and it can barely handle World of Warcraft at 1280x800. The fact that you're able to play Burnout Paradise on high settings at 1280x720 is amazing. I guess the desktop version performs better than its mobile counterpart, but still... I'm looking at its specs and it isn't that powerful. Perhaps I'm underestimating the power of low-end video cards or maybe even the performance of Burnout Paradise. Nonetheless, it's nice that you're able to run such a great game with a video card like the HD 3450.

Someone mentioned this already but a Criterion-developed Need for Speed game maybe underway. I've always wanted them to freshen up the stale franchise.

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And you have something against classical music?

What, are you psychic? I didn't even mention my dislike of classical music.

I should rephrase that....I absolutely like classical music, as long as I'm not the one who has to listen to it.

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What's your high score in Showtime mode so far? (Control + S, or Shift + S forgot which one) my highest is 7.4 million.

I've scored 15 milion bucks on Big surf island.

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I'm definitely surprised. I have the mobile version of the HD 3450 and it can barely handle World of Warcraft at 1280x800. The fact that you're able to play Burnout Paradise on high settings at 1280x720 is amazing. I guess the desktop version performs better than its mobile counterpart, but still... I'm looking at its specs and it isn't that powerful. Perhaps I'm underestimating the power of low-end video cards or maybe even the performance of Burnout Paradise. Nonetheless, it's nice that you're able to run such a great game with a video card like the HD 3450.

Someone mentioned this already but a Criterion-developed Need for Speed game maybe underway. I've always wanted them to freshen up the stale franchise.

I give all credit to Criterion, as most of the time, even the original developer will get a console port wrong. As great as Burnout Paradise is on consoles, the PC version actually has jacked things up several more notches (over the console version), and it's not just the increased resolution and detail, though that definitely helps.

NFS: Shift is, in fact, being developed by Criterion (multiple sources, including IGN and GameSpot). However, Criterion will continue adding DLC for BP (they are polishing the major 1.2 PC-specific update, which brings Big Surf Island and Cops and Robbers to the PC crowd; that monster upgrade adds no less than thirty-one new vehicles overall, in addition to adding Big Surf Island itself), so even BP is nowhere near done yet.

I am normally a hater of console ports (either direction), because all too often they DO get done wrong, even when the original developer is in charge. (In fact, the ONLY developer I've EVER known to mostly get them right is old cross-platform developer Probe Entertainment, which started with the first two Mortal Kombat ports to PC, then bowed its own multiplatform run-and-gunner Forsaken before getting caught up in the meltdown of Acclaim Entertainment, which had acquired Probe as part of the publishing deal for Forsaken.) Criterion is the first developer since Probe to break this rather sad trend.

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I'm definitely surprised. I have the mobile version of the HD 3450 and it can barely handle World of Warcraft at 1280x800. The fact that you're able to play Burnout Paradise on high settings at 1280x720 is amazing. I guess the desktop version performs better than its mobile counterpart, but still... I'm looking at its specs and it isn't that powerful. Perhaps I'm underestimating the power of low-end video cards or maybe even the performance of Burnout Paradise. Nonetheless, it's nice that you're able to run such a great game with a video card like the HD 3450.

Someone mentioned this already but a Criterion-developed Need for Speed game maybe underway. I've always wanted them to freshen up the stale franchise.

Powerful it isn't.

However, Burnout Paradise, while designed for consoles originally, is artificially limited (there) to 1280x720 (720p) mostly due to display issues. There were VERY few 1080p TVs avilable when the PS3 shipped, and while the number of such TVs has increased, there are still more PC displays capable of the same resolution than TVs, as a percentage of each market. So, when it comes down to it, I'm not pushing BP that hard. Criterion themselves has made plain that Burnout PC is limited *only* by the display hardware, and the limiting factor, in my case, is NOT the monitor! (My 23" Acer H2333H is quite capable of 1920x1080 NI; that is, in fact, my default desktoip in Windows 7 64-bit. However, I know perfectly well that my mouse-powered graphics card certainly is NOT capable of playing even a mildly-demanding game like BP at full-tilt 1920x1080 (Sins of a Solar Empire, certainly; BP, no way.). So I'd still seriously need a GPU upgrade (to at least the HD4650, if not the HD4770/HD4850) before I can run BP at the monitor's ceiling.)

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I got 51 fps average when playing Burnout Paradise at 1920x1200 with everything maxed out. The graphics were quite impressive but I was let down by the gameplay. There was no cohesion and there's only so much "chase after me and try to ruin my car" pursuits and "do this many tricks like you're playing Tony Hawk" challenges I can take....

burnoutparadiseb.jpg

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I got 51 fps average when playing Burnout Paradise at 1920x1200 with everything maxed out. The graphics were quite impressive but I was let down by the gameplay. There was no cohesion and there's only so much "chase after me and try to ruin my car" pursuits and "do this many tricks like you're playing Tony Hawk" challenges I can take....

burnoutparadiseb.jpg

Hate Stunt Run and Marked Man, do you?

There's always Road Rage (where you try and ruin as many opponents' cars as possible against the clock), along with Burning Routes (Point A to Point B against the clock), and breaking Road Rules. (Each road in Paradise City has a fastest beginning-to-end time, called a Time Road Rule, and a Showtime Road Rule (most destruction caused on that road). Break either and the road-sign turns white; break *both* and you Rule that Road, and the road sign turns golden.)

Burning Routes are a double-bonus; not only does each completion get you one step closer to the next highest license, you also get a hotter version of the car you won the BR in. (The very first car is a prime example; the Cavalry's Burning Route winner gets the Oval Champ 69 Edition of the Cavalry).

Typically, the hotter vehicle is of the same class as the vehicle you won the BR in; however, that isn't always the case! The Rossolini LM Classic is a Stunt-class car; but the LM Track Package Edition is a Speed-class car. The Hunter Manhattan is also a Stunt-class car (despite it having all the cornering ability of a barge); the Manhattan Special is, surprisingly, an Aggression-class car (the same class as the Reliable Custom and Reliable Special, also from Hunter, and Krieger's Pioneer and Pioneer Super Gator, the vehicle I think of as the Jerome Bettis of Burnout Paradise).

Also, as much as possible, match the vehicle class to the event! While you CAN win an event with an out-of-class vehicle (I won my first two Stunt Runs with an Aggression-class vehicle), it is darn difficult to do the further up you go in license. Speed-class vehicles are best in Races (although certain Stunt-class vehicles, such as the LM Classic, will do in a pinch); Agression-class vehicles typically are going to gety seriously waxed. Aggression-class vehicles are best for Marked Man and Road Rage (and breaking Showtime Road Rules, as impacts gain them extra boost).

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