Festival Hub & Progression
Welcome to the heart of the Horizon Festival experience! This section will guide you through the core progression mechanics, from navigating the Festival Hub to mastering the various event types and maximizing your rewards.
The Festival Hub: Your Home Base
The Festival Hub is more than just a pretty backdrop; it's your central point for all things Forza Horizon 2. You'll find several key areas here, each vital to your journey:
- Event Tent: This is where you'll initiate most of your racing career. Approach the tent to view available championships, individual races, and progress through the Horizon Finale.
- Garage: Your personal sanctuary for car management. Here you can:
- Buy New Cars: Browse a vast selection of vehicles from various manufacturers.
- Upgrade Cars: Enhance your car's performance with engine swaps, drivetrain conversions, and a wide array of performance parts.
- Tune Cars: Fine-tune suspension, gearing, and other settings for optimal performance on specific race types.
- Paint & Customize: Personalize your ride with custom paint jobs, liveries, and body kits.
- View Car Collection: See all the vehicles you've acquired.
- Auto Show: Located within the Festival Hub, this is your primary destination for purchasing new vehicles. Cars are categorized by class and manufacturer, making it easy to find your next dream machine.
- Paint Shop: Also accessible from the Garage, the Paint Shop allows for extensive visual customization of your vehicles. Experiment with different colors, finishes, and apply community-created liveries or design your own.
Progression: From Rookie to Horizon Champion
Your journey in Forza Horizon 2 is structured around a series of championships, culminating in the prestigious Horizon Finale. Here's a breakdown of how to progress:
1. Championship Selection
Upon arriving at a new Festival location (Nice, Sisteron, Castelletto, etc.), you'll be prompted to choose a championship. Each championship consists of a series of races tailored to specific car types or classes. To progress:
- Drive to the Event Tent: Look for the large, illuminated tent icon on your map.
- Select a Championship: Interact with the tent to view available championships. They are typically categorized by vehicle type (e.g., "Sports Cars," "Classic Muscle").
- Complete Races: Each championship has a set number of races (usually 3-4). You don't need to win every race, but consistent top finishes are crucial for overall championship victory.
- Win the Championship: Accumulate enough points across all races in a championship to secure the overall win. This unlocks the next Festival location and new championships.
2. Unlocking New Festival Locations
Winning championships is the key to expanding your Horizon Festival experience. After winning a championship at your current location, you'll receive an invitation to travel to a new Festival Hub. This involves a scenic road trip across the beautiful Southern European landscape.
- Follow the GPS: A clear route will be marked on your mini-map and main map, guiding you to the new Festival site.
- Enjoy the Drive: These road trips are a great opportunity to explore, find collectibles, or challenge Drivatars.
- Arrive at the New Hub: Once you reach the new location, a new set of championships will become available, offering fresh challenges and car restrictions.
3. The Horizon Finale
After winning a sufficient number of championships across all Festival locations, you'll qualify for the ultimate challenge: the Horizon Finale. This is the pinnacle of your racing career in Forza Horizon 2.
- Qualification: The game will explicitly notify you when you've qualified for the Finale.
- Location: The Finale takes place at a unique, grand event location, often incorporating elements from across the entire map.
- Challenge: Expect a multi-stage, high-stakes race that tests all your driving skills and car knowledge. Winning the Horizon Finale crowns you as the Horizon Champion!
Maximizing Your Rewards
Progression isn't just about winning races; it's also about earning credits and experience to further your car collection and driver level.
- Credits (CR): Earned by winning races, completing challenges, and selling unwanted cars. Use credits to buy new cars, upgrades, and customization options.
- Experience Points (XP): Gained through driving skills (drifting, near misses, speed), winning races, and completing Bucket List challenges. Accumulating XP increases your Driver Level.
- Driver Level: Each time you level up, you receive a Wheelspin, offering a chance to win credits or a new car. Higher driver levels also unlock certain events and features.
- Skill Points: Earned by performing driving skills. These can be spent in the Perks menu to unlock various bonuses, such as increased credit payouts, XP boosts, or discounts on car purchases.
- Barn Finds: Keep an eye out for rumors of hidden classic cars. Locating these Barn Finds and having them restored adds unique vehicles to your garage for free!
By understanding and utilizing these progression mechanics, you'll be well on your way to becoming the ultimate Horizon Champion!