Right, I will preface this thread by saying that Downhill Jam is the biggest piece of shit level in the entire Tony Hawk franchise as far as I am concerned. It is awful and I hate it.

With that said, does the THPSHD version seem even worse than normal? It seems like everything is breaking all over the place and you are constantly hitting sticking out bits of geometry that throw you off your board and all sorts of shitty bugs like that. It's destroying what had, up until this point, been an enjoyable experience for me.

I'm not sure if this is just my hatred for Downhill Jam bubbling up again, or if it is genuinely an awful version of it.

Man. Why does the Birdman himself love it so much, seeing as everyone I hear talk about it says how crap it is?

I have no idea by the way, I don't have the new game.

I heard that he is the one forcing it in. If that is true, he should just stay the fuck away from the franchise. I realise that it has his name on it but between this/Mall being the worst thing about THPSHD and Ride/Shred, it seems to me like he is the main force pulling the franchise down.

Tony Hawk wanted it in the series because it's a throwback to the roots of skateboaring. Snake runs down massive hills and speed.

I understand why he'd personally want it in, but I also realise how unfun that level is. It's not the worst (I'd actually say levels like Venice Beach are far worse) but there were infinitely better levels they could of put in. I feel like Robomodo should of made him understand they only had so many levels to work with, and they shouldn't put in a level every player hates.

But then again, I can't imagine you can really go against Tony Hawk when it comes to deciding stuff like that. :T

I barely remember Downhill Jam (as in, not at all), but all this Venice Beach hate has thrown me for a loop.

When I think of Tony Hawk, I always think of ollieing over the bums in Venice Beach. It was the only level I could actually remember before the THPS HD Quick Look. Apparently, I'm way in the minority on this one.

@Murdouken said:

I heard that he is the one forcing it in. If that is true, he should just stay the fuck away from the franchise. I realise that it has his name on it but between this/Mall being the worst thing about THPSHD and Ride/Shred, it seems to me like he is the main force pulling the franchise down.

I think you're overestimating how much control Tony Hawk has. He is just the name on the box. I'm sure he has some input here and there, but if you think he is the reason why the franchise went to shit, then you're crazy.

As for your original comment about getting stuck on the geometry, you have to remember that level was designed for the PS1, so it has all the original geometry with new textures over it. So no wonder its not great.

There's a 1 and a half to 2 second wait for the braking animation to kick in at full speed. Combine that with the in ability to change stats only add to them means you will overshoot EVERYTHING. Unlike the developers we have to complete challenges on earlier levels to unlock Downhill Jam which means we have to increase speed and air stats.

Tony hawk may know way more than the rest of us will ever know about doing things with a skateboard in a half pipe, but why the fuck would anybody take his advice on cohesive level design?

@WilliamHenry: I don't know about that. I have heard from multiple places that Tony Hawk has final say on loads of stuff to do with the games and keeps a very active role in development. I also heard from the Quick Look and from an interview that he specifically demanded the Downhill Jam levels, and it was him saying that they should get in on the peripheral craze that led to Ride/Shred.

@DFSVegas: Venice Beach is awesome. I don't see why it would get hate. It has great vert spots and some killer grind lines. Its one of my favorite levels from THPS 2.

@DFSVegas said:

I barely remember Downhill Jam (as in, not at all), but all this Venice Beach hate has thrown me for a loop.

When I think of Tony Hawk, I always think of ollieing over the bums in Venice Beach. It was the only level I could actually remember before the THPS HD Quick Look. Apparently, I'm way in the minority on this one.

The level is memorable, but I feel like it's memorable because of the location itself. It isn't particularly fun to play on, as it barely has any lines to trick. The vast majority of that level is emptiness and there is really only one, maybe two, line to trick on.

@aurahack said:

@DFSVegas said:

I barely remember Downhill Jam (as in, not at all), but all this Venice Beach hate has thrown me for a loop.

When I think of Tony Hawk, I always think of ollieing over the bums in Venice Beach. It was the only level I could actually remember before the THPS HD Quick Look. Apparently, I'm way in the minority on this one.

The level is memorable, but I feel like it's memorable because of the location itself. It isn't particularly fun to play on, as it barely has any lines to trick on. The vast majority of that level is emptiness and there is really only one, maybe two, line to trick on.

Yeah, you might be right... I thought nostalgia would have carried it much farther with fans though. I played HOURS of every Tony Hawk up till Project 8, and yet, if you asked me to name a Tony Hawk level a year ago (after many years, cans of beer, and countless ounces of weed), the only one I would have been able to pull is Venice. Well, and Warehouse, but that hardly counts for me. I played that one for probably 20 hours just off the Pizza Hut demo alone, it was almost it's own game for me, haha.

Oh shit, who remembers the Tony Hawk Pizza Hut demo? God I miss those days...

@DFSVegas said:

@aurahack said:

@DFSVegas said:

I barely remember Downhill Jam (as in, not at all), but all this Venice Beach hate has thrown me for a loop.

When I think of Tony Hawk, I always think of ollieing over the bums in Venice Beach. It was the only level I could actually remember before the THPS HD Quick Look. Apparently, I'm way in the minority on this one.

The level is memorable, but I feel like it's memorable because of the location itself. It isn't particularly fun to play on, as it barely has any lines to trick on. The vast majority of that level is emptiness and there is really only one, maybe two, line to trick on.

Yeah, you might be right... I thought nostalgia would have carried it much farther with fans though. I played HOURS of every Tony Hawk up till Project 8, and yet, if you asked me to name a Tony Hawk level a year ago (after many years, cans of beer, and countless ounces of weed), the only one I would have been able to pull is Venice. Well, and Warehouse, but that hardly counts for me. I played that one for probably 20 hours just off the Pizza Hut demo alone, it was almost it's own game for me, haha.

Oh shit, who remembers the Tony Hawk Pizza Hut demo? God I miss those days...

Venice is one I'd be able to pull of my head instantly as well, (though growing up playing nothing but those games got me to memorize the level list for everything up to THUG 2) but there are infinitely better levels that they could have included. The omission of Minneapolis, Philadelphia, or Skate Street are more than noticeable.

I'd actually really like to have seen Skate Street. The park was closed down when the owner died a few years back. Being able to play in that park would be pretty fucking awesome.

It's not just you, the game is broken and way jankier than the PS1 originals. I've gone back and played THPS1/2 and they still control well. I've pulled off a 17 million point combo in Marseilles on the PC version of THPS2 yet I can't even get around the level once in HD. THPS HD is shit. It bugs me that people think the originals were as buggy/janky as HD, it's not true. Robomodo sucks at making games.

i am in a small margin of people that believe that Downhill Jam and Mall are OK levels when you're not attempting to do specific goals like collecting items or setting off valves. Tricking and Comboing all the way down Mall and Downhill Jam is especially refreshing in THPSHD as it is very hard to get big air to do specials in the other levels without using a quarter pipe, which would break your combo. Guh....they should have really just added the Revert in this game...

@CorporalGregg: I'm going to try this out now, I think. I've heard that from a friend of mine too.

I just dont get the hate for Jam level. Back in the THPS 1 day I found it with Mall refreshing change from the other levels and it was spot to try doing one combo.

@DFSVegas said:

I barely remember Downhill Jam (as in, not at all), but all this Venice Beach hate has thrown me for a loop.

When I think of Tony Hawk, I always think of ollieing over the bums in Venice Beach. It was the only level I could actually remember before the THPS HD Quick Look. Apparently, I'm way in the minority on this one.

haha

yer i always get dreams of ollying over those bums. THat and a dumpster stomp on marseille france, wall-ride + wallie + rails = huge combosssss

I just loved he pitch in he ps1 version where you got stuk in he air and cold just infinitely do tricks

Wow ipad fucked that up bad, I loved the part in the ps1 version where you got stuck in the air and could just do tricks forever you would get mad scores lol

@NickyDubz said:

I just loved he pitch in he ps1 version where you got stuk in he air and cold just infinitely do tricks

i respect the fact that you didn't delete this post lol.

Tony Hawk was literally told by Activsion that they did a poll and a bunch of research about what seven levels to include in the game, and that Downhill Jam was constantly near the bottom of the list. Then Tony Hawk pressured them into putting it in the game anyway.

Knowing this makes me think less of Tony Hawk as a human being.

I liked Downhill Jam...

Also, fuck Venice. What bollocks.

It's not just you, the game is broken and way jankier than the PS1 originals. I've gone back and played THPS1/2 and they still control well. I've pulled off a 17 million point combo in Marseilles on the PC version of THPS2 yet I can't even get around the level once in HD. THPS HD is shit. It bugs me that people think the originals were as buggy/janky as HD, it's not true. Robomodo sucks at making games.

@Murdouken said:

@WilliamHenry: I don't know about that. I have heard from multiple places that Tony Hawk has final say on loads of stuff to do with the games and keeps a very active role in development. I also heard from the Quick Look and from an interview that he specifically demanded the Downhill Jam levels, and it was him saying that they should get in on the peripheral craze that led to Ride/Shred.

I still don't buy that he has that much control. I know he is the reason Downhill Jam is in the game, but I don't see him having much more influence than that. Well that and probably what skaters appear in the game. With all the animation bugs, I just can't believe he has that much control. So many of the grind animations are just flat out wrong. There is no way he wouldn't immediately notice that. So why would he be perfectly fine with that? Also, if you listen to him talk about the game, is painfully obvious he doesn't know much about games. He knows enough to sound okay in interviews, but thats is. I wouldn't be surprised if Activision went to him with the Ride/Shred peripheral and he thought it was rad, but I don't think it was his idea or he forced it.

have you guys tried the projectives for that level?

@WilliamHenry said:

As for your original comment about getting stuck on the geometry, you have to remember that level was designed for the PS1, so it has all the original geometry with new textures over it. So no wonder its not great.

Is there somebody else that can confirm this? That the levels aren't rebuilt stages with modern tech, but literal re-skinned tech on old-ass shit?

Screw you guys, I really like Downhill Jam!

But fuck that secret tape man!

I also hate Downhill Jam, and I also have noticed that I bail WAY more often than in the original games. I also tend to fall through the ground a lot or get knocked off of a line by something invisible.

I thought Downhill Jam was okay.

It's terrible, and the way the physics just feel a bit off and often screws you over trying to put together lines or just navigate the level makes it even worse.

Downhill Jam is peice of crap, it feels utterly broken and is badly designed. I was loving the game up till that point, even the Mall level, but that just sapped all my enthusiasm for finishing.

Fuck the haters. Downhill Jam was fun as shit. Loved trying to make the "perfect run" each time I started the level. The Birdman knows what's up.

@Pazy said:

Downhill Jam is peice of crap, it feels utterly broken and is badly designed. I was loving the game up till that point, even the Mall level, but that just sapped all my enthusiasm for finishing.

Just got to Downhill Jam tonight and I've honestly never played it before. My THPS career started with 2 and ended with 3 and a little bit of 4. Mall was weird but I got used to it and began to like it once I "got it", but I wanted to come online after spending an hour in downhill jam and see if it was just me. But THIS is my exact sentiment, so I'm glad I'm not alone. I really wish there was a trade-in program or something for XBLA games - cause I really don't want to have this game anymore. That level alone has sapped any interest I have in seeing it through career once, let alone finishing it from an achievement standpoint.

@Tobiass: I just finished getting the 400 points. I did all the projectives for every other level in about 15 minutes each, but had to spend 1 hour and 45 minutes doing downhill jam. The level really is a piece of shit in this game.