Commentary: Gran Turismo Needs a Greater Overall Racing Presence... to an Extent

[JohnBM01]

(all of the following taken from my blog entry here:
http://johnbmarine.blogspot.com/2009/03/gt5-commentary-gran-turismo-needs.html )

Please check out my video:



Why I love the Gran Turismo series is because I'm able to race as hard as I can, but then come back down to go down to go tune cars and simply relax. Gran Turismo doesn't have any real deal in which you feel like you're in a proper racing-type environment. You know, it doesn't sometimes feel like you're part of a racing team or that you're actually involved in racing, though you are racing cars in the game. It's basically collect-and-race. What I'm envisioning for GT5 is that I FEEL more like I'm in a proper racing series in a game without being severely commited or obligated to race. Or that I have contract offers or something. Basically, something in the general realm of feeling like part of a race team going up against other teams in the game would suffice.

This blog entry mostly involves establishing a better motorsports presence. A future entry will include how to actually implement a racing-type atmosphere.



Liveries.
Something I'm reminded of as far as racing against other team cars is playing "ToCA Race Driver" games. Among the fictional championships, you actually see cars painted up for racing, even if it's a street car just painted up in a racing way. That is what I'd like to see. I want to see fictional (just to avoid having to pursue copyrights) teams. I want to see Polyphony Digital's creativity in utilizing some kind of livery editor or in trying to specially paint-up cars just to get the feeling that you're racing against team cars and other teams. When I look on the track, I don't see a bunch of other cars- I see other drivers and other teams after the same thing I'm after. The series has yet to capture this feeling to a great extent.

Character to Championships.
The Gran Turismo World Championship is a championship that's of great importance to me in Gran Turismo games. So I want it to have some extra character outside of just showing up with a super-fast car racing a bunch of events. I want to feel like I'm engaged. Immerse me in a pure racing environment to where I feel like other Gran Turismo racers look up to me and others as part of a championship. In other words, make us feel like we're on TV with the lights on bright. Make me feel like it's primetime, and I'm in the race of my life. So how do you acheive this? One such way is to basically come along with various championships featuring various cars and tracks. I think more championships should feature race-prepared vehicles so that it feels like proper racing championships. Qualifying isn't necessary, but at least bring it back to help.

In addition to adding some character to championships, perhaps make certain championships and races to where you need to be invited or something to compete in them. For example, some championship series can have "Knockout Qualifying" like in F1 where you narrow the field down to where the best cars try to maintain their status and avoid qualifying guaranteed last place. It may mean you're in championships for longer than you want, but at least you feel more engaged in a championship than more like "get me in, get me out."


The Other Drivers.
You make an effort to make your car the best on the track in addition to showing off the best of your skill. Why don't some of the other AI racers have this sort of soul in racing? I'm not saying make them look more like this is a reality TV series than a video game, but at least show some properly-painted and tuned up cars either at your level or at a level higher or lower than you. GT4's Difficulty deal for Arcade Mode races and Family Cup events gives you a sort of barometer to work with. Imagine going up against 15 other drivers with cars tuned at your level or somewhere above/below your level. Obviously, better driving skills by the others also help.


This "...to an Extent" Thing.
I mention that I'd like to see a better motorsports presence in GT5. However, I still want to still know I'm playing a GT game rather than a full-on, hardcore racing sim. I don't want this to be a game that controls my life when I play it. The key point I've mentioned is cool-down. I want to still be able to compete in whatever I like without having to feel seriously under contract or something to race in a certain series, thus banning me from competing in others.



The Gran Turismo Way of Life.
Here's what I'm thinking. Sixteen cars usually show up for race day. I put a lot of faith in the car I've bought and tuned up to compete in racing competition. This same feeling is the kind of feeling and heart I'd love to see in Gran Turismo 5. To an extent, I want to feel like I'm more involved for when I'm in racing competition. I'm not just racing against AI or human drivers, I'm up against teams. Again, make it LIKE I'm part of a race team in proper championships, without feeling like a GTR or ToCA Race Driver where I can't really enjoy my cooldown periods after races. Will GT5 have this? Will there be this level of immersion? We shall see.



Feel free to comment at will!

 

[-ultraflow-]

I agree with you! 👍

I think GT5 will have a better racing presence:

- Custom Paint/Liveries cars (like GRID).
- More interactive pitstops. (F1 style)
- AI more intelligent and realistic (currently they drive like Lemmings)
- etc ...

Continue the good job John!! 👍

 

[G.T.Ace]

- Custom Paint/Liveries cars (like GRID)

GRID is a bad example man.
Take Forza or even Midnight Club.

 

[amar212]

GRID is a bad example man.
Take Forza or even Midnight Club.

For me, GRID or PGR4 are better examples than Forza or MC simply because their livery system is "limited" - thus it doesn't allow making of hentai porn spreaded chicks, nudity, penis-monsters, offensive words, KKK cars, Nazi cars and such.

Of course, true question remains in realms does GT series really needs Livery Editor of any kind in the first place, but that was discussed zillion times already.

 

[-ultraflow-]

For me, GRID or PGR4 are better examples than Forza or MC simply because their livery system is "limited" - thus it doesn't allow making of hentai porn spreaded chicks, nudity, penis-monsters, offensive words, KKK cars, Nazi cars and such.

I agree with you amar212 👍

Grid is a good example and codemaster have done a good job in the game, the livery is simple but very efficient!

 

[Tenacious D]

I had a feeling this was a John post. Quality as usual.

I've been harping on my concepts for GT5 off and on, and we've had some great discussions along these lines. I have been advocating a very hardcore addition in Season and Career Modes, which would be two additional gameplay styles along with traditional Arcade and GT Modes. These would allow you to enjoy some more lifelike racing where you begin either in a season of racing in whatever field you want, from SCCA semi-pro enthusiast racing with highly tuned sports cars - with liveries, through Rally, BTCC, DTM, Formula 1, whatever, and race for the champuinship. Career Mode would be much like real life, in that you would buy a sports car, tune it up, and then enter at ground level, in an enthusiast league rather like America's SCCA, and work your way through it and earn the rights to enter a pro racing league of your choice. And from there, like Season Mode, race for the world championship.

This would work fine because Arcade and GT Mode would always be there for you if you just wanted to get off a schedule and have some fun with whatever car you wanted to race with.

Along with this, I would like the bots to have names and distinct racing personalities. I was rather disappointed to see that Forza 2 included this first, after I'd made many posts advocating this, and going to the trouble to define six or seven aspects of bot AI which define how they would drive. I want GT Mode, Season and Career Mode all three to include these personalized bots, so that when I'm not racing online, I feel like I'm racing in a league against real competitors, either in a team or solo.

And by the way, I've never seen a hentai car in a Forza 2 race. Just simple to nice looking race liveries. Yes, a few NFS style, but actually very few. A livery editor should be powerful enough for me to create any serious show or race car I want.

 

[G.T.Ace]

For me, GRID or PGR4 are better examples than Forza or MC simply because their livery system is "limited" - thus it doesn't allow making of hentai porn spreaded chicks, nudity, penis-monsters, offensive words, KKK cars, Nazi cars and such.

Of course, true question remains in realms does GT series really needs Livery Editor of any kind in the first place, but that was discussed zillion times already.

You dont have to use or look at the other cars.... and actually i have never seen anything like you mentioned in MC and LittleBigPlanet shows pretty good that almost unlimited freedom in creativity can work pretty good (ive never seen something offensive in LBP, maybe bad levels but i dont need to play through them etc.). I agree that a limited editor would still be better than nothing (every new feature is welcomed from me) but GRIDs was so limited, i couldnt even proper copy a simple Gulf design, which i even could in Ferrari Challenge.

 

[Kryz11]

Great video, I agree 100%
Simple modifications, livery editors and paint would add so much. We don't need Forza 2 style editor, something simple like in Ferrari Challenge will be good enough.
As well it would be nice to have some TEAM and Sponsorships during events. Lets say you can create your own team or you get invite from a sponsor. (I bet best sponsor would be PD ) And every major event you race with other teams/sponsors. It would be great. RX-8 sponsored by lets say PD, Mustang GT by Nox Team (me), 350z Team Drift.. Something like that. It would be great. I also hope some Teams have better AI over others. So that even with AI it you will find some foes .

For me, GRID or PGR4 are better examples than Forza or MC simply because their livery system is "limited" - thus it doesn't allow making of hentai porn spreaded chicks, nudity, penis-monsters, offensive words, KKK cars, Nazi cars and such.

Of course, true question remains in realms does GT series really needs Livery Editor of any kind in the first place, but that was discussed zillion times already.

Exacly!!!

All I want for GT5 to have LIVERY Editor and paint editor. And maybe few Vinals, but nothing like in Forza's over the top. For GT to stay to its roots, make it easy and simple.

 

[Earth]

You make good points and bring up a real issue with the Gran Turismo series John

Race vs drivers and teams, not cars

From the very beginning we've never raced AI drivers in Gran Turismo. We've only raced cars. It was never "Tom Kristensen finished first in the Audi R8" it was always "The Audi R8 finished first"

So they could improve the overall racing feeling by including fictional or perhaps real drivers to the game with a wide range of skill. Unknown fictional drivers race in clubman cups and make alot of mistakes and run inconsistent lap times. Real or better drivers race the race cars and make fewer mistakes and run more consistent lap times.

Real Racing Championshiops

Perhaps PD could license some real racing championships like Super GT or the ALMS and of course the drivers as well.

Team Championship

Now with 16 car fields it is possible to have 8 teams with 2 cars each. Maybe add a cash paying team championship with the driver championship.

The Human Element

What could make racing in Gran Turismo have an even greater racing presence is the human element.

Animated spectators and garages is a start, but just a start.

Let us hire who we want to be our B-Spec driver. Let us hire test drivers to perhaps give us hints about setting up the car. All this should cost credits of course. The better the driver, the more credits.

Let us hire pit crews or even team managers.

At the very least, let us design our own racing helmet

The more the human element is involved in GT the greater the racing presence will be

And please, no storylines. This is racing, not a reality TV show.

 

[TeamStig]

I completely agree John. I would really enjoy creating my own team from the ground up, signing a driver, and getting sponsorship deals. Another good idea would be to have team-specific events online where you and a friend can create a team and race together (similar to clans in first person shooters, but with only two members).

I think the livery issue is a tough one though. I am horrible at using the livery editor in Forza . If they include a similar type of open ended system, I hope they also include a limited one, similar to Grid's, for those of us out there who can't manipulate several hundred shapes into a beautiful work of art.

 

[JohnBM01]

By the way... my YouTube video is my FIRST-EVER "HD" video! It's not true HD, but at least widescreen people could be happy with it.

But thanks again to all of you! Keep the comments coming!

 

[JDMKING13]

I completely agree John. I would really enjoy creating my own team from the ground up, signing a driver, and getting sponsorship deals. Another good idea would be to have team-specific events online where you and a friend can create a team and race together (similar to clans in first person shooters, but with only two members).

I agree with you 100% 👍

I think the livery issue is a tough one though. I am horrible at using the livery editor in Forza . If they include a similar type of open ended system, I hope they also include a limited one, similar to Grid's, for those of us out there who can't manipulate several hundred shapes into a beautiful work of art.

Im also not a great artist my self however if PD could somehow make away where you could tranfer cars over to each other, or to some type of auction place this would boost up the game in many ways. I cant draw for my life, but i remember back in my forza days you could transfer cars over to each. All you would have to do is find a paint shop ->(the best artist in the community) around the community and ask if they could paint what ever you desired on your car.

It was a pretty good feature. This feature in GT would ROCK the community, just with GT5P simple tunning selection we have great tunning shops around the community, however majority of us can say we expect way more tunning options in the final version. I would want the same thing with a livery, I want it as deep in detail as PD can make it.

In conclusion, I cant draw as i said before, but i know that there are people who can, and if PD was kind enough to give us a livery (PLEASE) I would want them to make it as detailed as they can. I also cant take Pictures that well also, however i know there are many people who love photo mode and want it as detail as it can be because they love taking pictures of the automotive world. I am a pretty good tuner, but i also want to see more depth in tunning. I just want the best PD can do. I know there is many people on this great forum who love tuning cars and want to get deep in the tuning aspect of GT5. As always great thread John i agree with you 👍

 

[Patrik]

GRID is a bad example man.
Take Forza or even Midnight Club.

Almost every PC sim as well, no?

I agree with you John, however. 👍

Mentioned in another thread, but I would like standing starts outside of online mode and the rolling starts at Daytona should be two lines, at least the cars should be way closer to each other. Oh and during a rolling start, when it's green for the first car it should be green for the rest of the field as well.

EDIT: I guess this is one of those things you will go "" about GT though. Typical GT errors...

 

[G.T.Ace]

No because in PC games you mostly use extern programs like Photoshop, not in-game editors.

 

[Patrik]

No because in PC games you mostly use extern programs like Photoshop, not in-game editors.

True, but you still have the ability. iRacing has some sort of in-game livery editor anyway, I heard somewhere that sponsor logos are on their way as well.

 

[JohnBM01]

Actually, some of the more fantasy race cars from GRID are what I'm really thinking of as far as cars with their own liveries. I looked up pictures on Gamespot for GRID, and some of the fantasy racing liveries are what I've been thinking of as far as real motorsports team livery. Don't have to be real racing teams, but something more believable and more like what a racing team would create as their team livery.

Now I think it's time I define what "character to championships" mean and what I mean about adding more depth to fantasy championships. These are some of the series in "ToCA Race Driver 2" are fictional series featuring real cars with fictional paintschemes:

* Sunshine Series (Ford GT)
* Pacific-American Tour (Nissan R34 Skyline and Mitsubishi 3000GT)
* Truman Stockcar
* Lightning Truck Challenge (Ford SVT Lightning F-150)
* Bridgestone Street Series (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo. ??? and Subaru Impreza)
* Excalibur Cup (Aston Martin DB9)
* Speed Circus (Nissan R34 Skyline)


These are some of the series in ToCA Race Driver 3 featuring real cars and fictional livery teams:

* Honda Type-R Championship
* BMW William FW27 Challenge (other cars except the actual BMW-Saubers)
* GT Tuning Cup (Koenig GT-D, Gemballa GTR 150 Evo, and Koenig GT)
* '70s GT (BMW E26 M1 and Lancia Beta Montecarlo Turbo; excluding the non-fiction paintschemes)
* 4WD Track Challenge (two different versions of the respective Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Lancer)

The key to all of this is on the series that feature fictional paintschemes. You know, like some of the ones with Fidanza sponsorship (even though Fidanza is a real sponsor), and stuff like that. At least an effort was made to take street cars and turn them into racing machines (for the production-based cars). You could change settings on these cars as you please, but they are still cars made for racing as you race. That's really what I'm going for here. In fact, I recommend you play all three ToCA Race Driver games (including "Pro Race Driver") as well as ToCA World Touring Cars (because I hate the name "Jarrett and LaBonte Stock Car Racing").

In addition, I mentioned the "Bridgestone Street Series" in ToCA RD 2. You're racing only street courses in evening settings against five other cars. It has somewhat a street racing feel while still being a series with some sort of character. That's what I've meant with character to championships. Only real series to have a kind of character to them are the Gran Turismo World Championship and the Polyphony Digital Cup. There still needs to be some kind of professionalism in these championships and single race series.


Keep this thing moving!

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> To make livery-type more exciting and much more rewarding, I'd like to make my own livery by earning it, not just random 'sponsors' that you can aquire like picking stuff up in a shopping store.

-> I say we aquire or win factory-based, plain-body race cars and start it from scatch, no default liveries or whatsoever.

-> Having default liveries bores me somewhat and it shows no self expression or reward achieving 'sponsorships' or 'hooking up'. These cars are just for collection purposes like beabie babies.

-> This?

-or-

-> This?

👍

 

[Mt. Lynx]

Livery editing is something I personally find extremely entertaining, so I´d prefer a pretty advanced editor. Allthough a thousand layers? I think I´ve got around six hundred on some cars in Forza 2, but they´re all carbon liveried, plus a paintjob and sponsors. An option to simply buy an allcarbon body for any/most car(s) would solve the many layers problem, and save alot of time

Concerning real series and such; No thank you, just the cars please! The major dreawback in TOCA is the fact that you can´t race all cars at all tracks, and not even compare them against eachother. Personalized AI is also something I see little purpose with, the things that matters are the cars!

 

[Ardius]

I'd like to see liveries, but I'm not interested in the AI having personalaties. It wouldn't necessarily add anything to the game and really, if you want to race against "people" thats what online mode is for.

I wouldn't mind seeing more team-orientated stuff in GT really, but it will always be limited, it will never be a full blown team manager game inside, if PD wanted to do that, I imagine they would make a seperate game (though this would be awesome too!).

 

[Hyst]

I won't buy GT5 if there isn't a livery editor, simple as.

 

[Watevaman]

I agree. I feel that, while GT does a great job replicating the race itself, it doesn't replicate the race feeling. After playing other racing games, specifically F1CE, I've really noticed how much GT falls behind on the aspect of the race environment. It makes you feel like you're in a Utopian society where all they do is race cars, then put you in a pitch black room and make you wait for the next race. I want to feel the risk and reward of the races, be it in damage, incentives, etc. I need the feeling that I'm racing a car that I'm connected to, and one that I car about, not one that's painted the same color as the 15 other cars on the track.


Yeah, I agree.

 

[Hyst]

Which goes hand in hand with my arguement that DNF's need to be present in some way. I understand that Ferrari or Mercedes (for example) might not want their cars to be all banged up and therefore visual damage is impossible - if that's the case, fine, I understand. Tire failures, attrition, running out of fuel, accumulation of structural damage, etc. are all things that I can't see a reason why the shouldn't be included in some capacity. All of these would add to the racing feel that GT is so desperately lacking. And of course, for all of you whiners, all that is needed is a on/off option for DNFs and boom, everyone's happy. These, along with livery editors that would allow us to create custom liveries, great liveries of the past (Epic Peach Porsches, anyone?), etc. are not suggested, they are necessary. Spice it up a bit - maybe if (similar to the 25/50/100% completion trophies, for example if you win x amount of race in Ferrari cars, you get a Ferrari car as a prize in the same fashion that you got the Audi, Jag and black F1 car in GT4. Repeat for BMW, Mercedes, etc.

 

[RacingGameFan22]

I would tend to Disagree with you guys about this.

I think Custom Liveries would be a superficial addition to the GT franchise, unless it's done right (can upload pictures of Gorgeous female actresses; imagine a car with a picture of Lindsay Lohan, Leighton Meester, Kristen Stewart, Camilla Belle, AnnaLynne McCord, Anne Hathaway, or Keira Knightley on it [not Naked, of course. there'd have to be boundaries somewhere]).

Also I would like to create my own car, Just Like In Forza. Imagine if you could make a car that Ferrari, Lamborghini, Maserati, Porsche, Noble, or Koenigsegg would be envious of. A Car that, if any of those actresses ever saw it, would get you laid.

Just Dreamin', ya know.....

 

[Tenacious D]

I agree that GT5 should give the player the sense that they're immersed in a racing environment, and in order to accomplish that, GT5 has to provide as much of that racing world as possible. It's more than damage. It's a kind of living environment.

While racing comes in a multitude of flavors, from Rally, ALMS, DTM, Formula 1 etc, the essence is the same. Real life racers come from humble beginnings as sports car enthusiasts and weekend track meets, through serious non-pro, semi-pro and pro leagues like the Sports Car Club of America, into the big leagues of full bore professional racing. You make a name for yourself by standing out from a crowd of worthy competitors. You garner media attention and sponsors. You sweat out long hours honing your skills and being faster and more talented than the other guy. You have a hunger for victory. You know in your gut that second place is just the first guy to lose. You push you and your car as hard as you can to cross that finish line first. It's why you get out of bed, and it's what you dream about when you go to bed. It's a one year commitment to win, a promise to yourself and your fans you make, and then renew every year thereafter.

This kind of essence doesn't suit traditional Gran Turismo Mode well, and certainly not Arcade Mode. This is why I've been gently evangelizing since 2005 for two new modes for Gran Turismo: Season and Career Mode. These modes are when you want to get serious about racing. There are rules to obey, and a schedule to follow. And you have ONE CAR, your chariot which is either going to propel you to first place, or struggle for something less. Your competitors have names, identities, traits and tactics which you will have to adjust to, just like you have to deal with in the real world.

In particular, Season Mode gives you the option to choose an established racing franchise to enter for a season, obviously, in whatever style of racing you want, from Rally to Formula 1. The game will pit you in as realistic a fashion as can be done against up to 15 competitors. This will be fairly straightforward: you will race on a series of race courses and garner points based on your finishing position. If GT5 includes it, you'll also have to race at night and in inclement weather, though options will allow you to tame that if you choose, and any damage. The races can be as long or short as you like, with certain minimums, as one lap races wouldn't make much sense in something so serious. A livery editor would give you a distinct racing identity, and give you a handsome car to snap Photo Mode images of. More aggressive AI would suit this style more, as the bots should drive as fiercely as you do, without threatening the safety of the race. And with each race, the points will add up. First place will garner you greater financial rewards, and a better shot at the championship. And hopefully some kind of ending cinema would cap off each race, and especially the championship.

Career Mode is even more involved, as it would begin you at the very start of it all, with a sports car, I assumed purchased used, entered in a beginner enthusiast league. Now you have a lot of decisions to make as you try to win races, as your car will only be as upgraded as you can afford. There are no sponsorships yet. You'll have to manage your bank account wisely, and drive carefully if damage is implemented, because you'll have to pay for all repairs. And then there's the upgrade philosophy to consider: do you spend money in all areas fairly evenly? Or do you focus on power, traction or handling? Aerodynamics? If you can identify where your car is weakest in respect to your style of racing, you can stretch your money further and maximize your potential to win. Place well consistently, and you'll attract sponsors to add money to your upgrade fund.

Do well - and this can be a short period of racing - and you can qualify (unlock) to enter the Semi-pro League, much like America's SCCA. This will be a full season of racing, and much like professional racing, this will be serious stuff. More rules, more challenge, a serious race car, sponsors to collect and keep happy, all as you fight a field full of racers to win the championship.

Place well at the end of the season, and you can choose to enter (unlock) professional motorsports, in whatever field of racing you want, from Rally to Formula 1. Create a team with a partner, manage your team, and guide them to victory. And you can continue this as long as you want.

While this seems like a hefty investment of your time, it's not any more than your average hockey game with its season calendar of 82 games. Plus, if you want a break from the action, there's also Arcade or GT Mode to give you a chance to just grab a car and have fun for a change.

For those who prefer racing against real live humans, that's what Online League Builder is for.

 

[JDMKING13]

I agree that GT5 should give the player the sense that they're immersed in a racing environment, and in order to accomplish that, GT5 has to provide as much of that racing world as possible. It's more than damage. It's a kind of living environment.

While racing comes in a multitude of flavors, from Rally, ALMS, DTM, Formula 1 etc, the essence is the same. Real life racers come from humble beginnings as sports car enthusiasts and weekend track meets, through serious non-pro, semi-pro and pro leagues like the Sports Car Club of America, into the big leagues of full bore professional racing. You make a name for yourself by standing out from a crowd of worthy competitors. You garner media attention and sponsors. You sweat out long hours honing your skills and being faster and more talented than the other guy. You have a hunger for victory. You know in your gut that second place is just the first guy to lose. You push you and your car as hard as you can to cross that finish line first. It's why you get out of bed, and it's what you dream about when you go to bed. It's a one year commitment to win, a promise to yourself and your fans you make, and then renew every year thereafter.

This kind of essence doesn't suit traditional Gran Turismo Mode well, and certainly not Arcade Mode. This is why I've been gently evangelizing since 2005 for two new modes for Gran Turismo: Season and Career Mode. These modes are when you want to get serious about racing. There are rules to obey, and a schedule to follow. And you have ONE CAR, your chariot which is either going to propel you to first place, or struggle for something less. Your competitors have names, identities, traits and tactics which you will have to adjust to, just like you have to deal with in the real world.

In particular, Season Mode gives you the option to choose an established racing franchise to enter for a season, obviously, in whatever style of racing you want, from Rally to Formula 1. The game will pit you in as realistic a fashion as can be done against up to 15 competitors. This will be fairly straightforward: you will race on a series of race courses and garner points based on your finishing position. If GT5 includes it, you'll also have to race at night and in inclement weather, though options will allow you to tame that if you choose, and any damage. The races can be as long or short as you like, with certain minimums, as one lap races wouldn't make much sense in something so serious. A livery editor would give you a distinct racing identity, and give you a handsome car to snap Photo Mode images of. More aggressive AI would suit this style more, as the bots should drive as fiercely as you do, without threatening the safety of the race. And with each race, the points will add up. First place will garner you greater financial rewards, and a better shot at the championship. And hopefully some kind of ending cinema would cap off each race, and especially the championship.

Career Mode is even more involved, as it would begin you at the very start of it all, with a sports car, I assumed purchased used, entered in a beginner enthusiast league. Now you have a lot of decisions to make as you try to win races, as your car will only be as upgraded as you can afford. There are no sponsorships yet. You'll have to manage your bank account wisely, and drive carefully if damage is implemented, because you'll have to pay for all repairs. And then there's the upgrade philosophy to consider: do you spend money in all areas fairly evenly? Or do you focus on power, traction or handling? Aerodynamics? If you can identify where your car is weakest in respect to your style of racing, you can stretch your money further and maximize your potential to win. Place well consistently, and you'll attract sponsors to add money to your upgrade fund.

Do well - and this can be a short period of racing - and you can qualify (unlock) to enter the Semi-pro League, much like America's SCCA. This will be a full season of racing, and much like professional racing, this will be serious stuff. More rules, more challenge, a serious race car, sponsors to collect and keep happy, all as you fight a field full of racers to win the championship.

Place well at the end of the season, and you can choose to enter (unlock) professional motorsports, in whatever field of racing you want, from Rally to Formula 1. Create a team with a partner, manage your team, and guide them to victory. And you can continue this as long as you want.

While this seems like a hefty investment of your time, it's not any more than your average hockey game with its season calendar of 82 games. Plus, if you want a break from the action, there's also Arcade or GT Mode to give you a chance to just grab a car and have fun for a change.

For those who prefer racing against real live humans, that's what Online League Builder is for.

I love your Career Mode Ideal it is fantastic!! If there is an Online League builder i would run my league just like that, even if there is not i will pay to build a web site to have this league. My Dream is to have a league just as you describe, everybody starting from scratch. and with years of playing we can have actual real people in real driving classes and a real life racing presence. I will do everything in my POWER to try to create a real life racing league. Great Ideal!! 👍

 

[greenlightning]

Provided that there are as many cars as GT4 or at least will be with download content possibilties. Then 1st and main focus should be to provide the best events possible. They could also maybe have some race series or events where you must stay in the same car but can upgrade it and repair damage between events. They should also have a method of quickly finding any race that the car you are in can enter. Also perhaps there are tracks that you just like racing. Have option to quickly find any event that includes a certain track. Basically saying that better racing events which more closely match cars would present a better overall race feel. Without having to have full blown race series for each car group.

 

[RacingGameFan22]

sorry to bring this back, but....

When I first saw this thread, I thought to myself, "Humph. sounds interesting.". then I read the responses to the thread and I thought that it would be a decent idea. not anything extraordinary, but okay, I guess.

then I Bought TOCA Race Driver 3.

Then I played it.

and then A thought crept into my mind while playing a session;

"Do we need another TOCA? Seriously?"

Don't get me wrong, we all have our own personal wishlists for Gran Turismo, and we all wish that GT can do this and do that and have this and have that and etc., etc. but let's appreciate Gran Turismo for what it is; a great driving simulator that offers us hours upon hours of great fun. and yes, I Know that there are fictional drivers in TOCA, but there's a rumored FIA World GT Championship game and someone has to make a American LeMans Series or Rolex Sports Car Series Game at some point, so you'll get your Tom Kristensen fix at some point, will you, Earth?

 

[blaktek]

If they could implement a replay editing/exporting tool on top, that would be just grand.

Win the race of your life and shoot it right up on Youtube.

 

[Hyst]

sorry to bring this back, but....

When I first saw this thread, I thought to myself, "Humph. sounds interesting.". then I read the responses to the thread and I thought that it would be a decent idea. not anything extraordinary, but okay, I guess.

then I Bought TOCA Race Driver 3.

Then I played it.

and then A thought crept into my mind while playing a session;

"Do we need another TOCA? Seriously?"

Don't get me wrong, we all have our own personal wishlists for Gran Turismo, and we all wish that GT can do this and do that and have this and have that and etc., etc. but let's appreciate Gran Turismo for what it is; a great driving simulator that offers us hours upon hours of great fun. and yes, I Know that there are fictional drivers in TOCA, but there's a rumored FIA World GT Championship game and someone has to make a American LeMans Series or Rolex Sports Car Series Game at some point, so you'll get your Tom Kristensen fix at some point, will you, Earth?

My point is that the GT series is the Swiss Army knife of driving/racing games. My problem is it does not replicate races well. It does a tremendous job of offering race cars from a very large range of disciplines. It does not, however, do even an acceptable job in recreating what made us love those cars in the first place.

 

[Tenacious D]

"Do we need another TOCA? Seriously?"

Well, a serious game from Codies would be nice. Primarily, one with a good steering implementation for us wheel users.

And as Hyst indicates, or at least as I indicate in my posts, Gran Turismo would benefit a lot from developing a strong sense of being involved in actual motorsports. If you felt keenly attached to your car, the way we do our real life cars, that it's a partner in winning races rather than a tool, that would build a lot of enthusiasm for the game beyond what it already has. Personally, I feel some of this already, but the reason some people don't is why I'm really adamant that at some point, Gran Turismo implement my concept for Career Mode. If you had just one car and used it to climb the ladder from enthusiast weekend track meets and races, through all the bush leagues through something like our Sports Car Club of America, all the way into professional racing in the class of your choice, I have little doubt that most gamers would feel like they had accomplished something grand. TOCA's meager attempt at a racing career is just a taste of what should be possible in a modern racing game on this ultra-powerful hardware.