What is Your Idea of an Immersive Environment in Gran Turismo?

(The following was as recent as about last Friday) I'm playing Test Drive Unlimited again as a rental for just the second time. I play this game and remember just what makes this game so interesting to me. I usually have a fun and childish imagination. I play "Test Drive Unlimited" and just feel so stunned playing it. How so? Anyone who's played "Test Drive Unlimited" knows just how immersive the environment is. You aren't a budding race car driver. You're not some thug trying to make it big in real racing. Instead, you are on Oahu island with a great deal of cars and motorcycles awaiting you. It also includes living in a cool home. Don't like the one you're in now? You can always make strides to go into a more swanky home to get your new home with more car space and other cool stuff. You can always go out for a drive around Oahu Island. To me, the cars and environment are both immersive and realistic. You can feel at one with the cars around you. Going to showrooms is TRULY immersive. You feel connected with the cars as you are able to let down the windows, open the doors, step inside the car, take a test drive, and all that stuff. Just all immersive and believable. This is a kind of immersive environment that stuns me as a gamer and as a car fan. Allow my idea factory to go to work and offer a question to you all. What would be your idea of an immersive environment in Gran Turismo 5, if GT5 had an immersive environment to cater casual and devoted car fans and race fans? Could the PS3 capture as much of this as possible? Will PD allow it for GT5?

I have a HUGE bunch of ideas for this thread, so I'll offer my comments in a future post. But what would be your idea of an immersive environment in Gran Turismo?

Sorry but cars in Test Drive are everything but realistic. I mean I like that game but its a pure "rest the brain" fun.

Hi there!
This is actually been on my mind for some time now. As I mentioned in some other thread, I've got high hopes for the longer Eiger track, that's goning to be in GT5. I hope it'll to be huge experience, as the sacred Nürburgring was in GT4. The Eiger track may not be as long as the green hell, but if even half of N.ring, the track could offer some scenery with challenge.
There was a Top Gear episode last season, where Jeremy, Hamster and mr. May, was looking for the ultimate driving experience. They drove from Monaco through the Alps in three lightweight supercars — a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Aston Martin N24 V8 Vantage — to find the best driving road in the world, of course.
The result was a beautiful, challenging, serpentine mountain road..
..that is going to be in GT5, I hope

The longer version of the London track that Kaz confirmed in the recent IGN article sounds promising 👍

http://uk.ps3.ign.com/articles/864/864502p1.html

The Opera Paris track from GT4 would be mint too

I like the PGR idea of garages. I think PD has done the right thing by making supercars hard to obtain.

You know John, the way you talk about TDU is interesting, because i get the feeling this is what Sony and PD wants to elaborate on with "HOME". I'm not sure how they are gonna make it work, but by customizing your house and stuff, having a garage with GT5 cars in it and so on... it sounds very close to TDU. The only big difference is that we can't just go for a ride in the city or the countryside in GT5 (not that i know of anyways).

i think what would help immersion a lot if they had a seamless cutscene at the beginning of each arcade race where you see your driver in the pitstop getting into you car in 1st person view and then you start the engine and start driving

also, better ai

Well, I do love the immersion in TDU, that is where the love affair ends.

TDU is an incredibly unrealistic game. The physics are laughable, and most of the terrain is identical to anywhere else on the island (to a point). However, I do love going to the different dealers, homes ,etc... Yet, this gets old fast as well, as there isn't much depth to it.

I don't think we can expect to see anything similar in the GT universe. It just doesn't feel very "GT". Open world games like TDU tend to skew heavily to the arcade end of the spectrum. This is fine, for that crowd. However, this idea of driving around aimlessly just doesn't fit with the "GT" ideal. The Gran Turismo series is just that, a "Grand Touring" game.

If they can do something "Similar" with HOME. I think they'll be on the right track. Trying to incorporate it into the game itself will just take away processing power that could be better used improving the physics, tracks, extras, etc...

Bear this in mind. I don't think going through a city to hit up certain points isn't going to happen. That's not part of any plan or ideas I have. However, there are elements that will at least offer some ideas. I am a person driven by inspiration. Inspiration is the focus of most of the threads I've created in my four years on GTPlanet (except in my very young days on here, of course). So let's not get in the way of saying an explorable city or large environment. I don't want to make it so that you could go down some freeways and access the parking lot to Grand Valley Speedway or something. TDU basically shown that in-car views and being truly involved with messing with cars and being in lavish homes is possible, even under PS2 power.

I just wanted to get this out of the way.

I think any possible chance to increase the depth to the GT world is a great idea. I am really hoping for GT to be implemented with home. I would like to have a car or two of my choice in my garage, I want to cruise streets and do social things like cruise down a scenic road with your buddies online. Stop to take pictures of your car. No reason why this isn't possible however it would certainly take time. The size GT5 is already going to be will hinder any "bonus" immersion from happening unless its some kind of add-on. I am all for any thing at all to increase the replayability and the overall GT experience. Being able to actually drive to a dealership would be way too nice. Being able to drive to your favorite tuner shop to have them work on your car would be too good to be true. Then if you want to race just drive over to your local racing organization and sign up for up-coming races.

What I would like though is driving realistic cars through the traffic like in first test drives or first NFS, so no closed circuits but the open road. With oncoming traffic reflexes would take great part of not crashing into someone. It could also show the real consequences of crashes (like showing blood and how many ppl died/injured) and that would hopefully prevent people of RL dangerous driving.

OK this is stupid.

It would be a good idea if they used a good physics engine (not specifically GT) to make a game that teaches you to drive in traffic.
With versions for each country, so that the speed limits and such are correct.
I downloaded a demo of such a game, but it was laughable.
You could take a 90° corner without braking at 200kph. It was really rubbish, you didn't get a feel off actually driving a car.

I'm not envisioning traffic of any kind. I don't want this to be a free-roaming thread because I don't think that will happen. I'm mostly concerned with stuff like home, car dealers, being around cars, race venues, race clubs, track meets, one-make race invites, and that sort of thing. I absolutely don't have things like actual driving in mind for GT5. You'll see what I've envisioned in a future post.

GordonS

Hi there!
This is actually been on my mind for some time now. As I mentioned in some other thread, I've got high hopes for the longer Eiger track, that's goning to be in GT5. I hope it'll to be huge experience, as the sacred Nürburgring was in GT4. The Eiger track may not be as long as the green hell, but if even half of N.ring, the track could offer some scenery with challenge.
There was a Top Gear episode last season, where Jeremy, Hamster and mr. May, was looking for the ultimate driving experience. They drove from Monaco through the Alps in three lightweight supercars — a Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera, Porsche 911 GT3 RS, and Aston Martin N24 V8 Vantage — to find the best driving road in the world, of course.
The result was a beautiful, challenging, serpentine mountain road..
..that is going to be in GT5, I hope

Click to expand...

You feel the exact same way about it as I do. I've always maintained that having a stretch of road like the pacific coast highway, tail of the dragon or the stretch of road you spoke of that was in Top Gear, it would really be awesome. Especially if you could cruise with your friends. NOT free-roaming, though. There would definitely be a start and end to it.

At least one cruise stretch would be a lot of fun, I think.

JohnBM01

Bear this in mind. I don't think going through a city to hit up certain points isn't going to happen. That's not part of any plan or ideas I have. However, there are elements that will at least offer some ideas. I am a person driven by inspiration. Inspiration is the focus of most of the threads I've created in my four years on GTPlanet (except in my very young days on here, of course). So let's not get in the way of saying an explorable city or large environment. I don't want to make it so that you could go down some freeways and access the parking lot to Grand Valley Speedway or something. TDU basically shown that in-car views and being truly involved with messing with cars and being in lavish homes is possible, even under PS2 power.

I just wanted to get this out of the way.

Click to expand...

i dont understand what point youre trying to make here at all.. so what aspect of TDU could PD apply to the GT universe in your eyes?

Laorin

You feel the exact same way about it as I do. I've always maintained that having a stretch of road like the pacific coast highway, tail of the dragon or the stretch of road you spoke of that was in Top Gear, it would really be awesome. Especially if you could cruise with your friends. NOT free-roaming, though. There would definitely be a start and end to it.

At least one cruise stretch would be a lot of fun, I think.

Click to expand...

absolutely 👍

i think with a little bit of traffic this would be awesome, i'd love to overtake cars in dangerous situations

-> Immersion on GT would be fun, but it should be implemented in @Home only. It would be cool to 'buy/download' downloadable cars on specified dealerships there. Plus, if your not a GT-gamer, you can (at least) look at these cars as a display showcase @Home like in any auto show.

-> But on GT5 (BD) itself, I'm happy on the things that are currently on going right now (as far as I've seen on JDM GT5P pics). I don't need a TD:U/NFS/Burnout/GTA massive ordeal of immersive atmoshpere, but it can always be an option for PD, I've metioned this back in GT4 threads.

-> As far as garages are concerned, take a peek on my reply from a thread from last year HERE.

I would want to see the GT5 career menu screen turned into a real map. I would imagine a small italian city on the water with some really scenic roads. You could drive to your local shop for oil change or to buy rims, drive to your favorite tuning shop for them to do dyno tuning for the parts you just installed. A paint shop to get body work/repairs done. Etc Etc Etc.

I would love to have a Home, sortof like free roam in NFS games and then drive around the city looking for tracks or races to participate in.

If only GT5 could integrate Home into that extent. I'd love to take out my F430 and drive around visiting the homes and garages of fellow GT5'ers.

How about sponsor interaction?

There's been a lot of talk about how the damage system would be implemented into GT, and many think that making you pay for collisions would be a deterrent for people who want to spend their money exclusively on cars. But if you implement a sponsor system where you try to attract funding by winning races, not only do you take care of the financial aspect of the game, it also helps to make the racing experience more immersive and realistic. Finally having stickers on your car would actually mean something.

But here's the kicker: What if you actually get paid IN REAL MONEY FOR PROMOTING A REAL BRAND? It could happen! Imagine getting sponsored by Michelin for having their decals on your prize tuned GTR!

Dream on

I'd be happy with track days in GT5, with maybe 20 people just running about the track.

I think Home has the potential to bring all of our environment related dreams to come true.

Dazzla

I think Home has the potential to bring all of our environment related dreams to come true.

Click to expand...

Even our wildest dreams?

yeah...
there is 2 parts as far as im concerned..

the dealer/garage/hangout immersion stuff..
which i think logically belongs in home..
and the trackside stuff which belongs in GT proper..

There isnt really much known about how grey the crossover between home and games is at this point.. but one could imagine there being a GT area in home, complete with all the dealers and cars on display.. little home avatars walking around.. its both an extension of the game, plus a PR front for both the game and the manufacturers..
it can become a hype centre in parallel to the major motor-shows.. new models/DLC.
concept cars have life in GT.. much like GT3 concept.. but without the disc barrier..

...

then there is the trackside immersion...
currently the only stuff we have is the ambient menu animations.. I would like to see much more of a connection between what we see there and the race..
take rFactor for instance... an online race usually involves at least 3 sessions... practice, qualiftying and the race... all those sessions start with you in the garage, engine off..
even the race session requires you to start the engine... put it in gear.. roll down the pits, wait for the green light.. roll around the track, line up.. do a warm up lap, line up again... only then are you ready to race..
sounds insane, but the tension just before the lights go out is brilliant.
because you have invested something into the race, you are there..
the races ive been in in GT5P so far just dont have any of that... rolling start.. go. mess..meh.. who cares

also in rfactor it feels like you get to know the people before hand..
personally my favorite part is the practice sessions.. your basically just working on your lap times, but there are other people out there with you..
you blast down the straight as someone else is coming out of the pits..
when you drop back to the menus you can hear other people blasting around, or watch them on the CCTV..
you discuss setup with other people who are invested in the same class of racing as you..
it feels like hanging out at the track. and this is in a game the doesnt look anywhere near as real as GT..

it would be great to take that to the next level, be able to walk around the pit lane.. (with your same avatar translated across from home) dressed in your nice fireproof duds.. walk up yo your car, step in and strap up... all seamless, no loading screens...

I want to feel like im at the track..
I want to see the flurry of activity like the VisionGT video from a few years back..
mainly NPCs but 16 real dudes walking around ready to roll..
its not out of the realms of possibility.. look at GTA or Assassins creed.. the system is well capable..

I liked the feeling in MM1 where, slunk low in the Panoz AIV, you could run around and overtake traffic. Overtaking really is one of the thrills.

So now I speak. Read and read well.

--- Immersion with Cars ---
One thing I'd love to imagine are believable showrooms. Some of you might like this idea. I'm thinking about a model similar to GT2 and GT4, but kind of like Test Drive Unlimited as well. The idea I have is that I envision checking out a certain nationality of car (like in GT4). Then when at a dealer, have to ability to go to a certain dealer to browse their showroom. The reason why I've taken so long to develop this is because I was trying to prepare a diagram or example of a showroom. TDU showrooms feature as few as one car and as many as four. Showrooms can be a vast and expansive thought. I'm not sure if free-roaming at showrooms is possible or not. Here's the plan I have... when you step into a showroom, the first thing you'll take note of through the door is the information desk for buying a car. Behind that front desk is a collection of cars that are either concepts, tuners, classics, and/or race cars. They are all blocked off by some kind of barrier. Some of those feature cars may even be on turntables. Cars you can buy new will be inside the main showroom. More upscale brands (like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, and Aston Martin for example) may have upscale showrooms, some may even have more than one floor. Most regular car companies don't have multi-million dollar showrooms. More upscale places can have expansive showrooms that can look like mansions or small colleges. A small section to the back of the main showroom houses a great collection of classic cars. They, like the race cars and such, are also blocked off. Maybe a nice custodian or someone keeps the cars clean while you gaze upon them. A designated test track at the dealer will give you the chance to test drive a car before you think about buying it. It may range to an empty parking lot area to a short race track adjacent to the car dealer. Here is a diagram I've prepared:



More on this possible in future posts.


GTPlanet, detailed interiors offer up the possibility that we could be able to really feel at one with cars. I always say that you should look ahead whenever there's a sequel to a game because that sequel may have something special for a future game from a group. The possibility of actually being able to sit into cars and be around cars offers that sort of at-one feeling with cars. It was imperative that I offer up a showroom idea (I had one for GT4) so that you still feel like there's a place you can go to to see new cars. You're going to be in them anyhow, so like in TDU, you get a chance to look all around the car and even sit in it. You can do things like open the door, roll down the windows (if the windows can be rolled down), drop the convertible top (or remove the roof for targa cars), turn on the lights, and more. You even get to look around while behind the wheel. This will add to being able to see the car before you actually buy it. This service will always be available to cars you own. Only things I'm not sure of is if starting the engine and stuff would be available. I'm limited on getting into concepts, tuners, and race cars. A crew may be on hand to start race cars so you can feel out every detail of the race car as you're in it.

Like with Test Drive Unlimited, purchasing a certain car gets you a chance to compete in a One-Make Series as well as certain Gran Turismo events. Think about getting the beautiful Ferrari F430. What kinds of races could you sign up for? For each car you have, you are eligible to compete in certain races. Here is a list of race types you can race with the sample car. Look at this link for statistical info on the car to supplement my example: < http://www.rsportscars.com/ferrari/2007-ferrari-f430 >

* V8-engine race
* Normally-Aspirated races
* Mid/RWD Races
* Spyder and Roadster (only for convertibles and such)
* Italian make races
* European races
* Over 2000cc races (it has 4308cc displacement)
* Supercar festival (it has 490hp. An oil change gets it more power)
* Ferrari Challenge

These are some of the many races getting a car like this can qualify you for. All numbers were based on the 2007 Ferrari F430.



I'll be back with some more ideas when they come around. I want to get to my immersive ideas for tracks, races, and even the general Gran Turismo environment.

PD should throw in a dyno simulator, that would loads of fun, especially with the in-car views we have now.

It would be interesting to see how far down the real dealer road GT would go...
I would imagine a GT dealer would feel more like a trade show...
that surreal brand overload..
something like the 2 car dealer screens in GT5P, but with more cars sitting around..
everything with that hyper real studio lit perfection look..
Id also like to hear some impassioned audo descriptions as to what makes this car special.. why did it make the grade, why is it special, why should i want it.. why is it in GT ...something with the tone an enthusiasm of james may..

puppeteer

It would be interesting to see how far down the real dealer road GT would go...
I would imagine a GT dealer would feel more like a trade show...
that surreal brand overload..
something like the 2 car dealer screens in GT5P, but with more cars sitting around..
everything with that hyper real studio lit perfection look..
Id also like to hear some impassioned audo descriptions as to what makes this car special.. why did it make the grade, why is it special, why should i want it.. why is it in GT ...something with the tone an enthusiasm of james may..

Click to expand...

ahhh i just remembered NFS3.. where you could check out detailed views of cars - you would be shown reallife pictures of it with a slick commentator describing the car (similar to the texts in GT3). this would be pretty difficult to do for 500 cars in GT5 though ha