Welcome to Around The Planet. No, we’re not a Daft Punk cover band. This new feature will look at community-building threads around our forum, where folks can share their passion for that common bond, the reason we’re all here: driving, in its many forms. For the first article in the series, we’re focusing on a thread that combines two of the most popular games in our community in a creative way.
Regardless of your preferred driving/racing game in 2015, if you’re reading this, chances are you came to the ‘Planet for a reason: Gran Turismo. We’ve all got our own memories tied to the series, those unforgettable moments where the series cemented itself as an important milestone in not just the video game realm of our brain, but the automotive one as well.
For some, it might’ve been Gran Turismo 5; with the long wait for the unheard-of 1000-car lineup building anticipation to dizzying heights. Maybe it was GTHD; the small, first taste of Gran Turismo on the then-new PS3. Others still might look back to 2001’s Gran Turismo 3; Polyphony’s first dip in the PlayStation 2 pool, which would go on to become the best-selling title in the series’ long, 18-year history.
For a portion of us, the start was, well, the start: Gran Turismo 1. Here in 2015, it’s hard to remember quite what an impact the game had on the genre at the time: while it wasn’t the first game to focus on realistic handling on consoles, no other game before it had tried to do so with such a large lineup, especially one that skewed away from supercars in favour of more everyday (largely Japanese) metal.
Our own GTPedia points out that the original Gran Turismo came with just over 160 licensed vehicles. However, if we take a cue from Polyphony’s counting methods in more recent games, GT1 actually has nearly double that.
You see, the PS3 era brought back a feature dear to the long-time fans: Racing Modifications. These are counted as separate vehicles in GT5 – understandably so, as they’re quite different than the base cars – and while they, along with the later, similar Touring Car DLC, represented a new take on the classic formula, some still longed for the originals.
Take a stroll down memory lane (or discover them for the first time), and check out the complete Gran Turismo 1 Race Mod collection, organized into New, Used, and Prizes. Where does one turn to drive a modern iteration?
Enter Forza. As the only other game on consoles that offers even close to the same car count, Forza also features a powerful livery editor. Our Forza community remembers those classic liveries, and there’s been a movement to recreate them.
It all starts here. Originally creating liveries simply inspired by the classics, the thread then progressed into recreations, starting with Gran Turismo 2. Before long, member Frizbe got the ball rolling, with an Aston Martin DBS done up just like the classic DB7 of GT1.
Not content with just modernizing the big Brit, Frizbe turned his attention to a classic Gran Turismo car, the Mitsubishi Eclipse (pictured at the top). The Eclipse was a force to be reckoned with in GT1, being one of the most powerful front-drive vehicles in the game. Frizbe takes advantage of the editor’s different materials, and introduces some chrome into the mix for an updated look.
If you look closely at the rear bumper, you’ll also find GTPlanet’s Twitter handle (and this isn’t the first time GTPlanet has shown up on a livery). Part of the fun of recreating these liveries is getting creative with the lower-resolution sections of the body, meaning minor sponsors can be up to the designer.
One aspect of the old GT1 Racing Modifications that can’t be replicated is the curb weight. Gran Turismo 1 took weight reductions very seriously, typically leaving a fully converted car at only 2/3 the stock weight. Both Forza and GT have taken a more realistic approach to weight reductions in their most recent editions: a 1450lb first-gen Miata just isn’t possible in either!
Below, you’ll find a selection of images, showcasing designs from both the original Gran Turismo, and the modern Forza Motorsport 6 editions. Which are your favourites? What other designs do you miss from the classic GT days? Let us know in the comments section!
Forza Photomode images by Frizbe, VXR, INEEDNAWZZZ, and I.
Outstanding work collecting all of these, oh the memories…… Why did they drop that feature after GT2???
The Eclipse is missing a wing and a body kit, but the rest are just awesome!
Mmmmmm, Miaaaata
:)
I need that GTO LM edition back in my life.
Really cool idea and interesting. Hope to see more of these “classic” liveries from GT1 and GT2!
Some of my personal favorites were the RX7 FD A-Spec LM and the Eunos Cosmo 20B Race Mod from GT1 and GT2. The big two, though, were the Cerbera LM and FTO LM, both from GT1. So many great designs, so many fond memories…
My beautiful Eclipse, recreated…Oh the nostalgia.
I’m glad people that play Forza do recreate these cars, it shows even if they switch to Forza for a while, the GT blood is still in their veins.
Or some of them know GT were the first that brought people in. Forza remains by no means necessary their rival but also, an alternative.
Personally, I loved the 1985 Skyline race car in GT4. It was a middle-classed car that did extremely well, even though I had no clue how to tune my cars at the time. Beyond that, I couldn’t pick another favorite from any of the other previous games.
I do not have any favorites, but I miss all those custom cars to make. Seeing all those Gran Turismo pictures makes me want to play it.
This is not necessarily new at all, I first did this in Forza 2 & 3, I remember in 3 I recreated the Oreca 98′ Class winning Viper livery, one of my favorites from GT2. So many sweet cars from that game never ever seen again, liveries from PD and also the sweetest A-Spec Mazda RX7 body kits I’ve ever seen.
What I do like is the evolution of the livery creator in Forza makes creating things even better, just wished it would be in high resolution, when any livery is applied to a vehicle it’s in a lower resolution when you are in game, highly noticeable when using hood view, you see the stair stepping. Not sure why they don’t just bump the resolution up when in such a view.
Neat idea!
Pretty cool.
Can someone paint a Nissan R92 CP Stealth Car?
I did the 787b in Forza 4.
The R92 isn’t in the game, so it’s not possible unfortunately. Sticking to only cars that were actually in GT1 has been a challenge: even the Aston had to have a suitable modern substitute. Some of the designs work quite well on other, similar cars though.
@SlipZtrEm In pc sim racing communities like nogripracing.com when they don’t have that particular car they create the replica skin for a similar one and the final result most of the time is good/great. Could be an idea.
This is what GT needs. In the ACTUAL game, though……
I love the Miata! Always have, always will!
BRILLIANT idea seriously!
Hope to see more of this.
This is both brilliant and perverse. I love it. And want to recreate same liveries! On my… PS3. Hmmm.
Yeah, definitely. When…. Hopefully the next gen….. :(
@Venari – it gets especially fun when you get a bunch of the GT-inspired designs all on track together!
Very beautiful liveries published FM, hope arrives in GT
I have recreated the livery of the 2010 Nissan 370Z GT Academy 2015, are not perfect, however, they come close to reality.
Post #99
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/show-off-your-paints.334571/page-4
A lot of really, really fine work, my hat is off to you. I think they all look great but my favourite has to be the Marlboro Prowler.