AutoX in GT5

💡 Just popped into my head. It's probably been mentioned before, but simple as having a huge paved lot. How easy would that be for PD to make? Add some cones and your in business. They could make 10, 15 courses without any additional texture work while still providing great variety. There could be a small AutoX series ranging from beginner to pro. Possibility of a "randomized generator" for limitless AutoX action. Of course you would be penalized for hitting any of the cones. thoughts?

Agree 200%. One of the best features of Forza 1, when they ditched it in Forza 2 I almost cried
With such a wide range of cars and supporting the likes of the DFGT and G25, it would be quite a feature.

GT4 started in that direction with the Gymkhana but never did much with it.

AutoX would be good, especially as the handling in GT5P/GT5 is so much better than in previous GT games. Low speed handling was never too hot in previous GTs so things like the gymkhana tests were frustrating (such as the "coffee break" licence tests) but it could really work in GT5 👍

VIPERGTSR01

GT4 started in that direction with the Gymkhana but never did much with it.

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It was ok in GT4, but the physics are better now with GT5P.
The Gymkhana with GT5 would be a good idea to have. Let us put cones up where we want and give us online play with it.

On Fuji Speedway, there is that large lot with the practice track below turns 2 and 3. That would be a nice gymkhana course.

I like the idea of having an open access to that lot from selecting Fuji Speedway. This way, if you go online with your friends, you can take a detour and drive into that lot online with your friends for drift practice.

I've been wanting autocross ever since I saw Gymkhana (sp?), especially if GT5P's low-speed physics are as realistic as you guys are letting on.

BreakerOhio

Let us put cones up where we want and give us online play with it.

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My thoughts exactly.

CyborgGT

I've been wanting autocross ever since I saw Gymkhana (sp?), especially if GT5P's low-speed physics are as realistic as you guys are letting on.

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They're a heck of a lot better than GT4, but whether they'll be good enough for the precision of autocross is a different matter.

I thought about this a lot with GT4 actually and the gymkhana, spatial awareness is vital in things like autocross and you just can't get that with a game. I always ended up hitting cones simply because I couldn't see them or because the collision detection wasn't quite there.

You need utter precision for autocross when you're threading through narrow cones and I'm not sure you could get that, even with a game as good as GT5. And certainly not if you don't have the money to splash out on a wheel.

Autocross would be great, I've wanted it in GT for a long time. It would be a fun thing to do with the lower end cars in the game, you could build the ultimate autox machine. It would also be cool for PD to include a course mapper that you could make your own courses.

For the sake of confusion, I hate using "X" to mean "cross." You know... how people use AutoX, MotoX (or just MX), SuperX (or just SX), and stuff like that. Now on to my proper points.

Autocross involves driving skill as opposed to all-out speed. This is the kind of racing in which a Toyota MR2 or a Pontiac Fiero can potentially beat a Ferrari Enzo. This is the ONLY circumstance I can realistically see making your own track. I think I've only played "Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2" as far as any autocross-style track. That game had two types of Gymkhana courses- one for time trials and one for drifting. There are nine big cones laid out around the course to determine where exactly you go. This would be a simple model for this. A more advanced model would allow you to make purely competitive track.

However, I do have SOME gaming experience with autocross. It was back in the Sports Car GT days. One track was a course built around a fictional Hilton Hotel while another was some course with Denver as the setting. Even back dealing with some of the punks I had to deal with (including a Moderator) at the old Speedsims forum, one person challenged me to an Autocross race. And when I said no because I'm not an online gamer, he thought I was a coward. Of course, I'm happy to be on GTPlanet for 4.5 years since. Done right, this can really be a hit, especially online.

Let me show off as much as I know about Autocross. You have a bunch of orange cones to outline the outer edges of the track. There are some different-colored cones to denote left and right turns. Taking out a cone results in a time penalty. The race isn't over if you take out a cone, just that you get extra seconds added to your time. You of course want the quickest time, so hitting cones and cutting corners is not the way you want to go. Polyphony Digital's creativity will mean if we see PD use GT tracks and utilize them for various types of courses. It's like what I mentioned in the past about proper drift courses in GT for example. Another fun thing about Autocross is that you can actually have racing events held in major metropolitan areas so that more people can enjoy hometown racing. While not full-blown, FIA-credited race tracks, you can still enjoy racing in a mostly safe environment.

While I sound like an embassador for autocross, this is an idea I can be interested in as well as a great online gaming environment.

Thanks for posting John, you're a GTP professional in my book. 👍

homeforsummer

They're a heck of a lot better than GT4, but whether they'll be good enough for the precision of autocross is a different matter.

I thought about this a lot with GT4 actually and the gymkhana, spatial awareness is vital in things like autocross and you just can't get that with a game. I always ended up hitting cones simply because I couldn't see them or because the collision detection wasn't quite there.

You need utter precision for autocross when you're threading through narrow cones and I'm not sure you could get that, even with a game as good as GT5. And certainly not if you don't have the money to splash out on a wheel.

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Very true, It would make it extra intense being worried about hitting a cone and/or apex. It would be great if in the final game you could zoom in or out in interior view, seeing to the sides would be very beneficial.

Also the idea for actually designing your own autox track would be really awesome. Drift courses? Even just a couple cones placed randomly to practice hitting your apex in a wide open environment.

Moving the cones where you want and online play...fantastic idea.
PD,I hope your listening to this.

Good idea, I like it. I wish we had AutoX around here.

Hey... thanks for the love, people! 👍 Thanks for calling me a GTP Professional. I'm just a veteran of Gran Turismo and GTPlanet. I'm just looking for more racing opportunities rather than letting my finest tuned cars rot. Autocross would be a great addition.

JohnBM01

For the sake of confusion, I hate using "X" to mean "cross." You know... how people use AutoX, MotoX (or just MX), SuperX (or just SX), and stuff like that. Now on to my proper points.

Autocross involves driving skill as opposed to all-out speed. This is the kind of racing in which a Toyota MR2 or a Pontiac Fiero can potentially beat a Ferrari Enzo. This is the ONLY circumstance I can realistically see making your own track. I think I've only played "Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2" as far as any autocross-style track. That game had two types of Gymkhana courses- one for time trials and one for drifting. There are nine big cones laid out around the course to determine where exactly you go. This would be a simple model for this. A more advanced model would allow you to make purely competitive track.

However, I do have SOME gaming experience with autocross. It was back in the Sports Car GT days. One track was a course built around a fictional Hilton Hotel while another was some course with Denver as the setting. Even back dealing with some of the punks I had to deal with (including a Moderator) at the old Speedsims forum, one person challenged me to an Autocross race. And when I said no because I'm not an online gamer, he thought I was a coward. Of course, I'm happy to be on GTPlanet for 4.5 years since. Done right, this can really be a hit, especially online.

Let me show off as much as I know about Autocross. You have a bunch of orange cones to outline the outer edges of the track. There are some different-colored cones to denote left and right turns. Taking out a cone results in a time penalty. The race isn't over if you take out a cone, just that you get extra seconds added to your time. You of course want the quickest time, so hitting cones and cutting corners is not the way you want to go. Polyphony Digital's creativity will mean if we see PD use GT tracks and utilize them for various types of courses. It's like what I mentioned in the past about proper drift courses in GT for example. Another fun thing about Autocross is that you can actually have racing events held in major metropolitan areas so that more people can enjoy hometown racing. While not full-blown, FIA-credited race tracks, you can still enjoy racing in a mostly safe environment.

While I sound like an embassador for autocross, this is an idea I can be interested in as well as a great online gaming environment.

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I've never seen an autocross course with different colored cones for left and right turns. A pointer cone is usually used to determine the direction of the course. However, in Houston at least, blue cones are used to mark the stop box at the end of the course.

If anyone reads Road & Track, the last issue quoted, "If road racing were any harder, they'd call it autocross." I would love to see Autocross in GT5, but I could see visibility being a problem, as you have no peripheral vision which you depend a lot on in Autocross. I think that with some work, it could be very challenging and fun. However, I don't see any application online. There's no way you could have cars racing each other on the course in any other form than time trials - there's no room at all.

I miss Complex String....

Meh... couldn't care less about Complex String (yeah, fire away at me. Not my first rodeo). I'd be happy with Gymkhana zones of various kinds. Doesn't matter if it's parking lots, wide-open spaces at tracks, or whatever... an Autocross course is your best chance to create a basic track without having to have TrackMania-style customization. There was even a Super Famicom game (because it's Japan only) called "Drift King - Shutokou Battle '94" in which there was a gymkhana zone that you could make your own Autocross-style course. Although basic, it's the only way I can realistically imagine making ANY kind of course for GT. I know there are a lot of people that want to make their own Nürburgring Nordschleife, but Autocross around a parking lot or some other empty field of tarmac is still very fun and rather easy to make a competitive course.

I'm sorry. I just don't see making a full-blown track in GT5 except for Autocross. We can discuss making our own regular tracks in some other thread. But for here, I'm up for the notion of Autocross and making autocross courses. I know there's at least one person on GTPlanet that's done this kind of event and would like to make their own input, so what do you Autocrossers think about this in GT5?

I have autoX'ed before, thats why I suggested it. Its a really lot of fun, gives you the opportunity to compete. And if GT5 had this, online races would be everyone does a hotlap and does it alone. After everyone competing is done the fastest time wins.

People could even submit autocross layouts they'd created and PD could release maybe ten user-created layouts each week to compete on officially, but let the rest be available as downloads from a particular area of the GT main screen.

The possibilities of customization and how easy it is for PD to design an AutoX course really make it a no-brainer that PD should implement it. Lets just hope they give the little extra time (something they don't have, as they battle to release the game before the year 3000) to make it possible.

SUPER NUMBBER

I miss Complex String....

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Oh man, Complex String in GT3 made me dizzy after a few laps. Good learning track though.

I quite enjoyed complex string, would be a good one to bring back if only for drifting reasons! Those ever-widening loops would be great!

Complex string, I don't really remember it well, but it had a huge amount of varying corners didn't it?
Wait:


Would be a good track for testing the suspension on a car for tuners like myself.

I'm tempted to say that autocross is a must-have for GT5. Gran Turismo should strive to cover as many car motorsports as possible. And considering that autocross would be the easiest motorsport to add to Gran Turismo, they definitely should. There's no excuse really. It'd just be flat-out lazy on Polyphony's part to omit autocross.

nd 4 holden spd

Complex string, I don't really remember it well, but it had a huge amount of varying corners didn't it?

Would be a good track for testing the suspension on a car for tuners like myself.

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Good track for testing anything! That main straight is huge. The pic brings back memories

GT_Fanatic

Oh man, Complex String in GT3 made me dizzy after a few laps. Good learning track though.

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homeforsummer

I quite enjoyed complex string, would be a good one to bring back if only for drifting reasons! Those ever-widening loops would be great!

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nd 4 holden spd

Complex string, I don't really remember it well, but it had a huge amount of varying corners didn't it?
Wait:

Would be a good track for testing the suspension on a car for tuners like myself.

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homeforsummer

Good track for testing anything! That main straight is huge. The pic brings back memories

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YAH! Take THAT, JohnBM!

homeforsummer

Good track for testing anything! That main straight is huge. The pic brings back memories

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Lol, I didn't remember what you guys were talking about until I saw the pic and was like oh yeah!! That would be killer for drifting.

I agree, autoX really should be included into GT5 because it is the only racing experience some of us have considering its so easy to participate. Coupled with how easy it would be for PD to make and how much fun it would add to the game really makes it a great idea for PD and us fans.

Well, I've always considered it a nightmare. Thankfully, it's a test track and not forced to race it except for license tests and Time Trial 10 in GT3. By the way... nice cheapshot you gave me (Post #26). Show some class.

The mindset of adding Autocross is like this:

"If there are various motorsports disciplines (including drifting) in GT5, then something like Autocross would be can't-miss."

That's absolutely true. But just because it's easily obtainable doesn't mean we'll normally get that. Convincing game developers of something that would be fun to include in a future game will likely result in that concept or concepts be added to the game. Autocross for most casual gamers is boring. You know... stop-and-go around a course of cones. Some probably would even want autocross as a Coffee Break and not anything to be raced on to complete the game. Allow me to make the claim that Autocross will deliver a wonderful experience in Gran Turismo 5 if executed lovingly:


Why Should YOU Care? - Autocross
Allow me to make the case for Autocross. I've stated in the past that Autocross is a great racing experience. For when there isn't any kind of permanent race track within reach of you, there is always an Autocross opportunity for you to take part in. Why GT5? Because Gran Turismo 5 has now been around for over 10 years and is still (what I consider) the best racing game series of the modern era. Because fans of an excellent franchise want the best experience even since the first game, autocross is a great consideration. Because not everyone has track-dominating daily-driven weekend warriors, autocross provides a challenge about as intense as the world's greatest race tracks. Because the fear of wrecking from a hard hit is eminent, most autocross tracks take place in 100% safe environments. Only damage you might do is take out a cone.

Now let's look at some general "Why Should YOU Care?" aspects. A smartly-executed autocross feature will allow GT gamers the chance to compete on courses outlined by cones. No one races around banging wheels with other cars. It's just you, a bunch of cones, and trying to clear the course in the lowest time while making sure not to hit any cones (which add time penalties). This idea would be a working idea that will add racing variety to Gran Turismo. The inclusion of online play means more people can race more tracks. The ability to make your own autocross track gives you the ability to submit your creations online for others to try to beat your best times. Another possibility is that you can actually have a proper way to start out Gran Turismo racing. Think about it- either you can do some go-karting to start off a game (which isn't a bad idea either), or you can start off with autocross. What's the most attractive aspect of my vision regarding autocross? Simple- replay value. Creating autocross tracks and having others race those tracks offer unlimited possibilities that may never get old. If you add any aspect of a game that offers guaranteed high replay value, you have a winning product. Autocross will surely add more potential for a series that's been around for about ten years. If PD is really crafty, unlimited drift courses can also be made from these huge autocross areas. Rather than a test of car control, some courses can be created as drifting zones, which further add appeal to these areas.

Finding venues isn't very hard either. Most people wish to be on full permanent road courses or temoporary street circuits. Adding autocross venues will only offer some additional appeal. These can range from wide-open areas on race tracks to simple parking lots. I even imagined an autocross track on the top floor of one of the garages at the Houston Galleria shopping mega mall. PD could have no problem finding places to burn rubber at for autocross. This kind of stuff is almost exclusively grassroots, so a Nissan R92CP or a McLaren F1 GTR isn't required to win races at these courses. I've seen everything from daily drivers to some proper sports and sporty cars racing these autocross courses. Even colleges that compete in Formula SAE make their rounds around autocross tracks.

So why should you care? Do you want replay value and being able to race for fun instead of chasing 100%? Or do you want to always do road and rally racing and not take part in anything that truly challenges your limits?



What would be your "Why Should You Care?" regarding autocross in GT5?

Nice write-up john, I have a feeling professors love(d) you in college.

I'm going to an AutoX next sunday. Can't wait.