Criterion prepares for Burnout pit stop

The UK developer is fixing players' top 10 bugs, as well as a slew of other issues, to further turbo-boost the Burnout Paradise experience.

The Burnout series may be famous for the unrivalled destruction that can be wrought upon vehicles, but Criterion has now announced that it is just as into fixing things as it is allowing users to smash things up.

The Guildford, UK-based developer this week announced two sets of patches to improve racing around Paradise City. A client-side patch, which will take the game to version 1.2 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 users, and a server-side patch will go live next week.

Patch 1.2 will address not only a number of lingering issues with the game that the development team has had its eye on, but also the top 10 player-reported bugs across the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. These include Xbox 360 achievement issues, an issue that would cause the PS3 game to crash just after an online takedown, and a problem that would cause the total time driven to stop being counted once it hit 145 hours.

Ongoing issues being fixed include car handling while boosting, an issue with artificial intelligence during marked-man events--with particular attention being paid to driving in reverse--and the addition of road-rule timers in all online events and challenges.

The server-side update coming next week will alter the way online ranking points are calculated, correcting an error that, according to Criterion, allows players to lose "a large amount of ranking points through no fault of their own."

Full details of patch 1.2 can be found on the Criterion Games Web site.

41 Comments

  • cvasquez311

    Posted Mar 11, 2008 4:48 am PT

    event restart would be retarded for this game. i been playing burnouts since Takedown. you all who keep complaining and whining about wanting restart need to find your tampons, seriously. just drive, if you lose, then do the next closest race.

  • KBABZ

    Posted Mar 6, 2008 1:16 am PT

    I disagree with K_M82. Paradise has been nigh perfect for me wherever I play it, and most of the patches are unseen glitches I myself wouldn't have noticed of figured out or are just bad design choices (Takedowns at slow speeds). Still, Patches should be used as a necessity, not as an excuse to release a crap game and potentially charge people extra for the better version.

  • K_M82

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:54 pm PT

    This is a disturbing trend. Console game should be released when it has no bug. Now that all consoles can go on line and have hard drive the developer are getting lazy and start shipping game that still need a patch. Only PC games should be patched.

  • KBABZ

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:41 pm PT

    Good to see these being fixed, but I can't understand people's problem with the no restart. Criterion went out of their way to explain how to quit an event in the Trailer and there are still people too dumb to figure it out. If you can't be bothered to figure out the streets, you're just plain lazy and should really consider sticking to the old Burnouts instead of this one and quit whining about it here. I've learned the city quite well and I'm only up to my third-to-last licence because I was Freeburning all day.

  • Warlypwnage

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:31 pm PT

    no restart no buy

  • Nocturnal15

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 7:55 pm PT

    I do hate the 5 mph takedowns. it does get me irritated but other than that I love this game to death and it needs to count my true hours which is well over 145 and im sure its like that for most people. Im glad to see them put effort in to this game and not ditch it like most developers. Took bungie and infinity ward 3-4 months to patch up their games and they made it worse.

  • 0rin

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 6:39 pm PT

    Slap on some split-screen multiplayer and they'll have my $65.

  • benfryer3

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 4:07 pm PT

    neato

  • z3dd1cu5

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 3:45 pm PT

    Sweet

  • Pete5506

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 3:34 pm PT

    This is good news, we dont like to lag

  • qiwihead

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 2:39 pm PT

    I have to agree with NinjaMunkey01 below, even though his post was "thumbed" out of existence. I realize that a lot of people love this game and don't have a problem with the lack of an event restart function, but here's my problem: They took out the invisible walls so the game could be open world, ok, I can accept that, even though it's going to take a lot more work for me to learn the city so I can actually win some races. But they also took out the ability to restart an event, which makes it considerably harder to learn the routes. Their solution of having turn signals is a nice idea, but it really doesn't work very well because a) you're going so fast and looking at so many other things--other cars, obstacles, your burn meter--that I usually miss the turns, and b) the game is so dang loud that I rarely even hear the turn signal noise. It's just too dang much for my tired old brain to process, so races are generally unpleasant affairs for me, and consequently I don't play the game much, even though with a couple of tweaks here and there it would be, for me, and incredible game. It's just too bad.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 2:37 pm PT

    Patches for the win.

  • Space-Q

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 2:02 pm PT

    not restarting is the best thing to hit racing games in a long time. It keeps events from turning into chores. If you screw up oh well just start the next closets event.

  • FuriousBroccoli

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 1:59 pm PT

    But you *can* restart races quite easily. Just come to a stop anywhere and let go of the controller for about 3 seconds; it automatically cancels the event for you. I guess most people are just too rushed to notice that.

  • Smartiepants

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 1:25 pm PT

    A restart IS needed, because clearly a lot of people want it - myself included. I'd also like to see the events you've already completed at each level more clearly marked.

  • mrvic87

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    I am hearing a lot of complaints about this restart thing. Perhaps they didn't include the restart as way of you playing the game and never pausing it? The way online is done seamlessly by hitting right on the d-pad, it makes sense why they wouldn't want you to restart the race. It makes just as much sense as to why there are other races and events near by should you fail to win a race. And instead of complaining about driving back to the starting point, why not drive back and find other routes or shortcuts that might help you win that race you just failed? Or like someone had already said, stop moving and it cancels the race.

    Saying the game isn't fun or it's bad just because you can't restart a race is somewhat ridiculous.

  • VagrantChild24

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 12:44 pm PT

    This is one of the benifits of having the constantly connected online capabilities of todays consoles. Other than the obvious dlc, it now gives the production teams the ability to update and fix games that have issues to expand their life. Let's just hope that the ability to do that will also keep companies from rushing unfinished or npolished games out just to try and get the quick buck and patch it later.

  • ghost867

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 12:38 pm PT

    Well that's cool of them. I'm glad they're taking the game seriously, and making sure they put a lot of quality into their games, even after people already dropped the $60 on the game.

    Though I would like to see a few things like the seemingly random low speed takedowns online, which are just stupid (does every collision need to be a takedown when your going 30 mph?). And I'd like to see a race restart. I know, all the hardcore Burnout fans will blindly support this and say it makes sense, but not everybody wants it, it's that simple. Some people don't want to "find another race". So maybe you don't want it because you "get it" or something, but you're not everybody. And a lot of people want it, so stop being inconsiderate and ignorant.

    I'd also like to see a very loose track outline for some races sometimes. I know, doesn't that defeat the point? But Midnight Club did open world racing so much better, and Burnout kinda butchers it at points when your going so fast and don't know the map well enough to beat the AI.

    Though hopefully, they'll put some time into a $5-$10 DLC pack, just one, not 20 micro transactions that make you spend more in the end, most people, including myself, hate that. In it, should be some new areas, or some new collectibles/breakables, or some cars, or some new races, or some new modes like old school Crash mode or something.

    And no, I don't want another Burnout game early next year, since it's not enough time to make a sequel. Look at what happened when they only waited a year between Burnout 3 and Burnout Revenge, Revenge sucked. I don't want the next Burnout to suck.

  • flamingboard

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 12:26 pm PT

    Restart is not needed. Just do the event thats closest to you. By the time you get back to the one you failed you'll know the city better and probably win. I have my burnout license but now I'm going for my elite license. 130 events to go!

  • confucioussayyo

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:52 am PT

    If I had event restart, it would be impossible to beat a burning route for me, cause on the way back to the intersection, I have more time to map out the fastest route. It helps to know where your turns are without doing them on the fly.

    Otherwise, I would fail the same way over and over.

  • Thorpe89 Site moderator

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:47 am PT

    Can't say I've had many problems but nevertheless, it's good to see them improving.

  • Dilan120

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:37 am PT

    I love this game so this is good news

  • VixDiesel

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:33 am PT

    I never once had a problem with not having an event restart. Even when I got down to only having one or two events lefts. If you're messing up, just stop and sit still for a few seconds and the event will cancel. Then go back to the start. It's really not too difficult.

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:17 am PT

    omg....some people.

    Anyone who is NOT buying this game just becasue it has no event restart is just missing the point and missing out on a LOT of fun. you do a race and dont win, so what, there is usually a race right near the place you and then you do that one. Its an open world.

  • twolegsbad posted Mar 5, 2008 10:03 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    twolegsbad

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:03 am PT (hide)

    NO EVENT RESTART = STILL BROKEN.

    When I see an event restart patch I'll go buy this game. It is that simple.

    Or actually I'll re-buy it. I already bought it once - and then quickly sold it due to the tedious back and forth bogus due to the missing re-start feature.

  • skee_uk

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 10:01 am PT

    @NinjaMunkey01 "NO RESTART!!!"

    youre right there, they should have put in a challenge retsart or at least an optin for doing it, i pisses u off when u race to the other end of the map only to loose, then have to drive all the way back to do it again lol.

    stunning game though online is superb, ive never had any of them problems that this game is supposed to have.

    jumping off the carpark and onto the trainstation roof is really amusing online its so funny to see ppl just gimply drive off the carpark roof without geting up2 speed lol

  • Terran499

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:46 am PT

    So get that patch up, so we can see Black 2 soon

  • juggalo

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:37 am PT

    I can't believe I almost passed this game up becasue of the demo. Still learning the map but loving the online. It's like Skate. but in a car........awesome news on the updates. Can't say I noticed those probs.

    How about an in car view that allows you to look around you?!?

  • Stalemate99

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:32 am PT

    This is great news, I cant wait for the update, how do we know its coming next week I didnt see Criterion say that.

  • NinjaMunkey01

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:26 am PT

    YTP burnout is ok, but I regret buying it. i dont get much time on it, so its hard to learn the map.

    The biggest problem is NO REASTART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY???!!? :angry: its stupid, i almost win a race and just make a wrong turn and lose, I cant be bothered to go all theway back to the start, so I do a different race, so I never do the one I tried, I forget the way to go and the best wayto do it, then lose again and the cycle continues.

    no restart ruined the game for me, which is why once vegas 2 comes out, I am getting rid of burnout.

  • YTP_1991

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:19 am PT

    hmmmmmmmmm i dont know what to get burnout paradise or army of two???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

  • LiveByMeDieByMe

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 9:10 am PT

    cool, when i eventually have the money to get that game I won't have to worry about that stuff.

  • the_real_VIP

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:56 am PT

    "grahamo1: criterion is by far one of the very best developers on the planet. and with such great customer support how can anyone complain"

    True. One of the few that knows how to make both PS3 and 360 versions run at solid/constant 60fps.

  • blue_tape

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:50 am PT

    No event restart and no explosions? Oh, how I took these things for granted in previous games!

  • Robot_Vampire

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:50 am PT

    Cool, I heard about the PS3 crashing thing so I'm glad Criterion are releasing a patch.

  • ocdog45

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:35 am PT

    still wont get me to play that game again. yeah it was tight, but damm stop resetting the tasks after every new license. 116 is too much for whats out there to play.

  • peeweeshift

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:33 am PT

    old news but gamespot still keeps us covered

  • speedjunkie4

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:08 am PT

    Already knew about on OperationBurnout.

  • Jman251

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:06 am PT

    Well I'm glad they're doing something about it. Better late than never.

  • grahamo1

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 8:04 am PT

    criterion is by far one of the very best developers on the planet. and with such great customer support how can anyone complain

  • PiNwOrM

    Posted Mar 5, 2008 7:56 am PT

    Awesome, though it's a bit frustrating that they didn't add some of the highly requested (small) features and changes.

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