Are Fictional Courses Good for the Gran Turismo Series?

[jonathansp]

I love the GT tracks like grand valley and trial mountain etc.
I do need my favourite real tracks though like Laguna Seca, Nordschleife, Nurburgring, Suzuka etc.
I'm happy with whatever to be honest, although fictional tracks can be purpose built for certain things. I like Driving Park on GT4 for my little beast of a honda city turbo and things like that

 

[Lain]

Yes, especially the classic ones. If they cut those out of GT5, I'd be so pissed.

 

[arvin charles]

Yes, especially the classic ones. If they cut those out of GT5, I'd be so pissed.

I just don't see that happening, ever. There are advantages to fictional courses. You own the design (no flying out to other countries to scan tarmac), you don't have to pay for licensing, and last but not least, it's something PD can call its own (I'm sure they're proud of the tracks they've made)...

 

[JohnBM01]

One thing is for sure- Grand Valley Speedway IS Gran Turismo. Why would PD cut its signature race course? And absolutely- fictional courses (including race courses in real-life locations) give you your identity. That's even with Forza's similar New York City courses. These tracks give you your identity. It shows your creativity in creating great courses. You don't have to like fake tracks, but you at least have to admire the creativity in making these.

 

[Tompie913]

I'd like the original courses to stay, but there's not much point in adding more fictional courses. There's so many real courses they haven't got that they should. Monza is a big example, and the Circuit de Monaco.

On the other hand, I don't mind fantasy tracks set in real locations, like London or Cote d'azur, which are both very beautiful. But we don't need more like Trial Mountain or Grand Valley.

 

[atteiros]

I think the fictional courses should represent a particular type of track, and that is something PD has done beautifully. Whether it's a technical race track or mountain road, it can fill in certain track characteristics which real life tracks may not have. So as long as they limit the type of track or define the track's purpose, I think it's a great idea to have them in the game. I just don't want any redundancy in the track's purpose.

On the real life tracks, the classic ones are a must. Most of the tracks I like are already there, but I think some tracks would just run into licensing issues.

A proper point to point togue track, whether fictional or not has not been represented so far. Eiger's good, and the Nordschleife taken section by section can fill in, but I want a point to point uphill/downhill track, with the proper elevation changes. Something I miss from Enthusia is Dragon Range. It has a lot of ambience and character.

 

[Dan_]

I feel it was a little bit too good in GT2. I bet it feels like a train to handle on a regular tarmac circuit, mainly because the acceleration is so great that the braking zones seem to be several hundred metres long. I think they balanced it will in GT3 and 4. It is designed for uphill rally circuits so its the way it should be.

not to mention it's unreal top speed (248mph with standard specs), how can a car that it's in essence a box, and have a rear big rear spoiler capable of groundbreaking downforce, achieve such speed??

@Seismica --> I think that you would agree with me if I say that you can't compare GT2 with GT4, up to GT4 release GT2 was the best racing game ever made, so i can't complain of any aspect of the game...

 

[mutzley]

I was watching Top Gear the other night and the boys were on a trip to some road built in the middle of nowhere in Roumania, and I got to thinking, there must be a few roads like that in the world, in the last series they travelled to roads in Switzerland, Italy and Austria, America and that famous drifting road near Tokyo. How good would it be if PD were to either do a point to point track based on those experiences or Nurburgring style circuits with the flavour of those roads? The same sort of idea could work with rally courses, with the track being broken into various stages for time trial type events or as a whole for head to head challenges.

 

[SuperCobraJet]

The "original" tracks in the GT series is one of its great strengths. To me they are a big factor in what makes the racing and the game so enjoyable.
Particularly as in GT4, they are not too narrow, too long, too short, too cutesy, too tricky, too stop and go, etc. They are well balanced for a good race in most all classes of cars.

Having played NFSS and now playing FM3, it is something I think, that is really missing from those games. One of the the best things in FM3 to me is racing at "Maple Valley". If it had 4 or 5 more original tracks like that one, it would make the game much better.

Should they stay? IMHO, absolutely.

 

[marchi]

The "original" tracks in the GT series is one of its great strengths. To me they are a big factor in what makes the racing and the game so enjoyable.
Particularly as in GT4, they are not too narrow, too long, too short, too cutesy, too tricky, too stop and go, etc. They are well balanced for a good race in most all classes of cars.

Having played NFSS and now playing FM3, it is something I think, that is really missing from those games. One of the the best things in FM3 to me is racing at "Maple Valley". If it had 4 or 5 more original tracks like that one, it would make the game much better.

Should they stay? IMHO, absolutely.

Apricot Hill for example, is arguably one of the best tracks in sim racing. Very technical with good elevation and undulation. Hard braking and tight corners along with long sweeping ones.

 

[jedaye]

I like fictional courses, but I'd rather see real circuts

 

[General Force]

A resounding yes, fictional tracks are a cornerstone of GT. While it's true that more real-world tracks need to be modeled, PD original tracks give a unique feel to the game that would be lost if they weren't there. Heck, pile 'em all on there, they've got 50gb and five more months, they should be able to do it.

-General

 

[Gejost]

Are Fictional Courses Good for the Gran Turismo Series? Oh yes, they have been part of GT since the first one. It wouldn't be the same without them imo.

 

[3Axis]

Without a doubt, please don't take my Trial Mountain away from me and give back

- Special Stage Route 11 - combines high speed straightaways with snaking turns
- Grindelwald - I couldn't believe the speed you could get here.
- Rome Circuit - Please!
- Rome Circuit Night - This track was overlooked so bad it's not even funny.

 

[James2097]

Q. Are fictional courses good for GT?

A. They don't hurt any, but have so far been strangely boring compared to real circuits (very strange considering the possibilities of fictional courses). A safe assumption would be the majority of GT/car nuts would prefer real world circuits whenever PD go to the effort of adding a new track.

How is this thread 12 pages long?

 

[mutzley]

Would love to have more real life courses? yes, to the exclusion of fictional circuits? no. I appreciate the history of the real life circuits and yes, GT could do with more of the great circuits like Monza, Road America, Bathurst Paul Ricard and god knows how many others. But by the same token fictional circuits could give the opportunity to give you circuits that for one reason or other could never be built like safety issues, locales, or size (could you see the Nurburgring or the Manx TT course being planned and built nowadays?). By the same token fictional circuits could be designed as an alpine road, a desert highway, a city course even a slot car circuit in a bedroom! You can only have a certain amount of tracks in the initial game, I hope its a good mix of both. However, this is the first GT which I believe has been planned from the first as having provision for downloadable content, which I think a lot of people have not taken into account.

 

[mutzley]

By the same token I hope that as well as new real life circuits and new fictional circuits being available at a later date, some of the old favourites will be remastered and released as well as older versions of famous circuits, some of the touring car circuits, disused circuits (Brooklands?) rally courses, LOOOONG rally courses (Nurburg type length anyone?) road courses, open type courses (road and off road circuits on the same map but not fenced off from each other), With downloadable content, the only limit is the programmers time. If there is a stand alone track editor, there may be no limits.

 

[TouringDevotee]

A good part of the beauty of GT is found in the fictional courses. There are of course wonderfully challenging tracks, but not often do you find yourself defeated, while also surrounded by amazing beauty, except for those times you are driving on fictional courses.

And it really moving to seeing what designs they will come up with next, as well as what has inspired it (portions of a course based on areas that do exist). Not to mention how they have updated the area for coming GT releases.

 

[HuskyGT]

Fictional courses in GT are its trademark. Yes, the shoud focus on real life courses, but GT´s original tracks should stay on the game. High Speed Ring, Grand Valley, SS route 5 and 11, Midfield, Tokio, Rome, Trail Mountain, etc... Come on people!! could we really enjoy GT without these tracks that have watch us grow since the birth of GT?

 

[brainfade]

In my view, fictional courses are not only a trademark of the series but they also makes possible to have corners which would in the real world be deemed far to dangerous, such as the old Tamburello at Imola, and the old Sudkurve on the old Hockenheimring. Prime example: look at the downhill left hander on El Capitan

 

[mutzley]

Now I can understand the desire for more real world circuits and personally I say the more the merrier, but by the same token not everyone looks at GT as just a series of races, some of us want to just enjoy taking a car and hammering down a twisty piece of road, admiring the scenery. Anyone who rides bikes can tell you that it's not just getting from A to B, but going to the rest of the alphabet for the sheer enjoyment of the journey!

 

[EvolutionWRX]

I would say, that Fictional Tracks are getting less and less recognition in GT5 so far...it kinda saddens me to see that.

And no, I'm not talking about Tocana, and many of those hybrid tracks (Tokyo, Rome, & Madrid).

 

[BlacqueJacques]

Prefer real life circuits; enjoy some fictional tracks; wait till everyone plays with 'track maker' creating their own fictional circuits. I know I will try and make some virtual imitations of real circuits (not available in game) like Mont Tremblant 👍

 

[CTznOfTime]

I dont see how fictional course/track would hurt GT games (and any other car racing games) in anyway??


The more we have, the more varied and diverse we have, the better...
Real or not:
Tracks are our playground.


Fictional Tracks are tracks you havent seen in real life yet.

 

[Matti_Dude]

I like the balance that this game is going to have. A lot of real life circuits have been added but all of the classic GT fictional tracks have been kept.

 

[Aloha62_2]

I find the fictional tracks to be the most, they often have more variety of corners with great height changes and excellent scenery.

Sadly it looks like GT5 is going to feature even more tedious city tracks.

 

[RickNU]

I think its important to fictional tracks enter te game because its different and to see all tracks fictional that appear in all GT series with would be nicee, more variety and classic tracks that we play before like SSR 11, Grindelwald, Pikes Peak, Smokey Mountain, Rome Circuit (old) to be different and i think that more tracks its better...

 

[matherto]

Grand Valley, Trial Mountain, Deep Forest and the likes have been in since day one of Gran Turismo and should never be removed. Vastly more interesting than real circuits anyway.

 

[Smoke&Slide]

My faves are the short Clubman track, Trial Mountain, Midfield Raceway, Complex String, Deep Forrest, SSR 11 & more besides.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Prefer real life circuits; enjoy some fictional tracks; wait till everyone plays with 'track maker' creating their own fictional circuits. I know I will try and make some virtual imitations of real circuits (not available in game) like Mont Tremblant 👍

...are people looking at a different track creator than I am? Since when did we have enough control to even attempt to recreate real tracks?

I find the fictional tracks to be the most, they often have more variety of corners with great height changes and excellent scenery.

Sadly it looks like GT5 is going to feature even more tedious city tracks.

Same; fictional tracks have usually been some of my favourites, the 'Ring (and Spa's likely inclusion) being excepted. It does look like more ambiguous city tracks are going to be around, which is too bad; they all feel the same and never have a good flow, other than Seattle. The London track from Prologue feels just like Opera Paris. Blech.

Grand Valley, Trial Mountain, Deep Forest and the likes have been in since day one of Gran Turismo and should never be removed. Vastly more interesting than real circuits anyway.

I really can't see PD not including those three, the original trifecta of PD tracks that are not only awesome, but in every single full version of the game. I'm even going to assume that if we really are getting two tiers of tracks (to allow for the time of day changes and things like that), I can only imagine Kaz wants Grand Valley capable of a 24h race (or 12, or some kind of longer race). It is after all the original GT enduro track