Gran Turismo - The Drivers' Choice

[seizure_]

"It's more than a game now," Loeb told me a year ago. "It's so precise that this 'game' has become a full-blown driving simulator, and just about every driver I know uses it for practice these days."

.....Even Formula 1 racing drivers such as Toyota's Jarno Trulli and BMW's Kazuki Nakajima have been seen practicing in front of a console. Whenever a new track comes onto the racing calendar, like Fuji Speedway did last October after a 30-year absence, and drivers cannot get there to practice for real, many fire up "Gran Turismo." They say it's the only way to memorize the track layout and braking markers — the points where you must start killing the speed to take an upcoming corner.

Full Story Here

I think there's a picture of a HD version of the Nurburgring 👍

 

[McLaren]

Good read. 👍
I think the picture is GT4, though. But it did catch me off guard at first.

 

[seizure_]

here's another one

 

[prisonermonkeys]

delete please

 

[nickg07]

wait tilll they see and feel GT5!! man i think every1 is going to be using it!

 

[RedBaron]

I can't wait to see updated Nordschleife!

 

[Rocket Punch]

Nice find.

I won't say they use it to "train", but they seem to be using it to get a familiarity with the circuit.

 

[MasterGT]

Peter Lyon has been writing similar stuff for about two years, now. Do a search and you can find them.

This one looks very familiar.

Cheers,

MasterGT

 

[FoolKiller]

While GT is far from a pure driving simulator this definitely shows that it makes a very good track simulator.


Of course, I wonder if you can find the same thing for tracks like Road Atlanta in Forza.

 

[Justin1121]

That was a good read. thanks for posting ^^

 

[The359]

The fact that GT4 is the only game I'm aware of that had the redesigned Fuji circuit might have had an affect on this matter.

 

[Kryz11]

now since GT5 suppose to have even more real life inch to inch tracks.. more race car drivers will pllay it.. lol

 

[shawtyoner]

If you drag and overlay GTs Nurb over the real photo, and align it using the red and white barrier in the background, the track almost identically lines up, pretty amazing.

 

[Road Rash]

Has anyone been able to find any similar comparisons for TOCA 3? I have been takinga break from from GT for awhile and playing TOCA Race Driver 3 and to be honest I found it to be even more realistic in the basicfeel of the race as well as dynamicsof vehicle behaviour, along with racing on a track with more thsan just 6 cars. I spent a couple years inmy youth (88and89) racing in ITB and GT3 classes in the SCCA and plugging in TOCA gave me the first actual memories of having to plow through the ranks of a cluster of metal and rubber while keeping from banging the rig around and still trying to get a decent place at the end of the race! I like the choices that GT offers butTOCA has really come into its own.👍

 

[FoolKiller]

Has anyone been able to find any similar comparisons for TOCA 3? I have been takinga break from from GT for awhile and playing TOCA Race Driver 3 and to be honest I found it to be even more realistic in the basicfeel of the race as well as dynamicsof vehicle behaviour, along with racing on a track with more thsan just 6 cars. I spent a couple years inmy youth (88and89) racing in ITB and GT3 classes in the SCCA and plugging in TOCA gave me the first actual memories of having to plow through the ranks of a cluster of metal and rubber while keeping from banging the rig around and still trying to get a decent place at the end of the race! I like the choices that GT offers butTOCA has really come into its own.👍

Not having played TOCA 3 I don't know how their versions of the Ring or Fuji are (assuming it has them), but the point these guys are making is that it allows them to learn a track when they can't get there a week or more before the race to practice on it. They aren't looking to simulate a race or even vehicle dynamics, especially considering their vehicles are not in the game (GT4). They are looking for something that will show them the track as it is in real life so they can learn the curves, the bumps, elevation changes, etc.


I think you are mistaking what these guys are looking for. Yes, by all rights TOCA 3 is a great career simulator, but these guys don't need that, as that is their career. They need an extremely accurate map of certain courses including bumps and dips. GT does that extremely well while most other games may have the general layout good enough for the average person to not notice. Plus, the feedback of a DFP or G25 works so well with GT4 that it may give them a good feel of the track while not having all the other forces at play that a driver experiences, so they can actually feel the bumps.

But as I said, I haven't played TOCA 3 and it may or may not be a better tool for these drivers, but as GT4 is more widely known these guys may have never sat down with it. But as they are trying to learn tracks I am betting they are not playing the game in a race setting, rather more of a time trial setting, and so things like more than 6 cars do not matter.

 

[Road Rash]

Not having played TOCA 3 I don't know how their versions of the Ring or Fuji are (assuming it has them), but the point these guys are making is that it allows them to learn a track when they can't get there a week or more before the race to practice on it. They aren't looking to simulate a race or even vehicle dynamics, especially considering their vehicles are not in the game (GT4). They are looking for something that will show them the track as it is in real life so they can learn the curves, the bumps, elevation changes, etc.


I think you are mistaking what these guys are looking for. Yes, by all rights TOCA 3 is a great career simulator, but these guys don't need that, as that is their career. They need an extremely accurate map of certain courses including bumps and dips. GT does that extremely well while most other games may have the general layout good enough for the average person to not notice. Plus, the feedback of a DFP or G25 works so well with GT4 that it may give them a good feel of the track while not having all the other forces at play that a driver experiences, so they can actually feel the bumps.

But as I said, I haven't played TOCA 3 and it may or may not be a better tool for these drivers, but as GT4 is more widely known these guys may have never sat down with it. But as they are trying to learn tracks I am betting they are not playing the game in a race setting, rather more of a time trial setting, and so things like more than 6 cars do not matter.

So far the only track I have raced in TOCA 3 that also appears in GT4 is Laguna Seca and I must sat that I like racing it in TOCA 3 alot more. In GT4 and 3 when you hitthe sand you fly out of control and wind up in the wall. If you havwe ever hit sand at that high of speed you'll find it does the opposite. You dig in and it takes longer to get out of it. The track itself was an exact replica of the one we race in GT 4 otherwise except I have found that vehicle dynamics aRre better represented in TOCA. However I like the structure and upgrade options of GT4 better. I would imagine that since Laguna Seca is so accurately recreated that the rest of the tracks in TOCA are as well. The Force feedback is just as realistic as it is in GT4 too. Honestly between the two games I cannot pick a favorite. I have found them both to be a kick in the arse. Tonight will be my last night to play either until I can get a new console. The one I've been playing on is my middle daughter's who is moving back out tomorrow...finally. With any luck I'll on;y have to wait until next Thursday and I'll just pick up a brand new unit at Wal Fart. Until then its GT2 on my old PlayStation. Atleast A NEW ps@ WILL BE INTERNET READY WHICH THIS ONE ISN'T. i AM SO LOOKING FORWRD TO BEING ABLE TO DOWNLOAD GAME SAVES AND CODES FOR THE OTHER GAMES THE KIDS PLAY soory, the caps lock is too easy to hit on this tiny laptop keyboard.

 

[FoolKiller]

With any luck I'll on;y have to wait until next Thursday and I'll just pick up a brand new unit at Wal Fart. Until then its GT2 on my old PlayStation. Atleast A NEW ps@ WILL BE INTERNET READY WHICH THIS ONE ISN'T. i AM SO LOOKING FORWRD TO BEING ABLE TO DOWNLOAD GAME SAVES AND CODES FOR THE OTHER GAMES THE KIDS PLAY

May I suggest an 80gb PS3? That way you can play the new games as well. Oh and I believe it is much easier to copy downloaded game saves to a hard drive than it is to a memory card.

 

[RACECAR]

May I suggest an 80gb PS3? That way you can play the new games as well. Oh and I believe it is much easier to copy downloaded game saves to a hard drive than it is to a memory card.

What about the backwards compatibility? I myself don't really trust the "Emulator" software that is said to be on that particular version.

 

[FoolKiller]

What about the backwards compatibility? I myself don't really trust the "Emulator" software that is said to be on that particular version.

As I have the 60gb you would have to ask someone with a US 80gb. I know some Europeans had trouble with GT4 on their 80gb after the latest firmware update, but the US and EU systems have slight differences due to the region coding on PS2 games.

So, you will have to find someone with TOCA 3 and an 80gb to ask. I doubt it will be hard to find on this site though.

 

[Road Rash]

May I suggest an 80gb PS3? That way you can play the new games as well. Oh and I believe it is much easier to copy downloaded game saves to a hard drive than it is to a memory card.

I would love to get a PS3 but sadly finances won't allow for it at present. They are still around 400 froghides for just the barebones kit and the PS2 is $130 at WalMart and I get a 10% discount because my wife works theer. I'm probablygoing to have to sell my tube screamer and old Morley wah pedal to get the PS3 as it is. Also when we get a newer console we have to get the Wii because therest of thefamily does Mario and Donkey Kong as well as other Nintendo only games My youngest daughter and I are the big PS3 players with her Jak and Daxter series and my Gran Turismo
and Toca 3.

 

[The359]

Atleast A NEW ps@ WILL BE INTERNET READY WHICH THIS ONE ISN'T. i AM SO LOOKING FORWRD TO BEING ABLE TO DOWNLOAD GAME SAVES AND CODES FOR THE OTHER GAMES THE KIDS PLAY soory, the caps lock is too easy to hit on this tiny laptop keyboard.

Is the backspace key equally difficult to hit?

 

[RACECAR]

Is the backspace key equally difficult to hit?

Dude, thats a bit harsh. The sarcasm wasn't needed at all just to tell him to reduce he use of all Caps, which was accidental.

 

[Road Rash]

May I suggest an 80gb PS3? That way you can play the new games as well. Oh and I believe it is much easier to copy downloaded game saves to a hard drive than it is to a memory card.

I would love to get a PS3 but sadly finances won't allow for it at present. They are still around 400 froghides for just the barebones kit and the PS2 is $130 at WalMart and I get a 10% discount because my wife works theer. I'm probablygoing to have to sell my tube screamer and old Morley wah pedal to get the PS2 as it is. Also when we get a newer console we have to get the Wii because therest of thefamily does Mario and Donkey Kong as well as other Nintendo only games My youngest daughter and I are the big PS2 players with her Jak and Daxter series and my Gran Turismo
and Toca 3 to name the main games. I also have a small collection of other race games that I buy,try, and then lose interest in because they lack in comparison to GT and TOCA.

 

[Road Rash]

Is the backspace key equally difficult to hit?

Why yes, yes it is wise arse

 

[Tenacious D]

While Toca 3 has a nice driving model, the steering is just strange. It doesn't seem to be linear at all, but the more you turn the wheel, the tires seem to rotate even more than they should. I tried several different things and finally ended up tuning down the steering width to something like 70%, which was pretty narrow but at least it seemed to narrow down the excess turning as well. But it was only a marginal fix at best.

Then there were the bots who got worse and worse with bad behavior as JohnBM01 warned us about a couple of years ago. I finally quit because the ramming got to be as bad as in Forza 1, and they would rubberband way too much. I know Codemasters is coming out with a next gen version of Toca named something completely different, but I think I'll stick to Gran Turismo and Forza for may racing fixation.

 

[sleepR]

yeah there is

 

[Road Rash]

While Toca 3 has a nice driving model, the steering is just strange. It doesn't seem to be linear at all, but the more you turn the wheel, the tires seem to rotate even more than they should. I tried several different things and finally ended up tuning down the steering width to something like 70%, which was pretty narrow but at least it seemed to narrow down the excess turning as well. But it was only a marginal fix at best.

Then there were the bots who got worse and worse with bad behavior as JohnBM01 warned us about a couple of years ago. I finally quit because the ramming got to be as bad as in Forza 1, and they would rubberband way too much. I know Codemasters is coming out with a next gen version of Toca named something completely different, but I think I'll stick to Gran Turismo and Forza for may racing fixation.

I noticedstering phenomenon you are talking about here and it only tok me about 30 minutes to adapt, its not to much wider but it is a bit wider of a ratio than with GT.If you are talking abouthe fact that the AI cars ram into you as you try to gain ground in the racing line I found that a bit anoying as wel but if you go into Pro Carer you can qualify before each race which gives you a god chance at the 1st pole position. Yes 20th pole sucks and gives you a lot of combat to have to wage in order to win a race but it makes the win just that much more rewarding.The behaviour of the more hyper cars like the Formula racers which spin out constantly when you have to take of in the rgas such as after a burn out can be quite iritating. I would rather deal with that however than with the unrealistic efect of cars that wil spin even Super Soft racing slicks al the way up in to 5th gear, and cars that are designed to gain optimum traction that wont turn without skiding out of the grove. So what it comes down to is both games have their downfals, but both have their stromg suits as well. Personaly I prefer the waythe cars behave in TOCA. It is definetly more realistic and moreso deserves the rank of "racing simulator" than GT BUT the force feedback and the ability to own and choose your own cars in Gran Turismo makes the for an imposible choice as to which would be a favorite.

 

[Mad Matt]

Well, I suppose in the end a lot comes down to ones subjective opinion but for my money I prefer GT overall.

TOCA has a lot of things going for it, as a previous poster said the gravel works, well, like gravel should! However I found the car physics (or how they are communicated to the player) to be odd and a little unpleasant. The problem with this kind of thing is that you don't get to feel the G-forces or sensations you do in your everyday car so they have to give you the information in other ways. For me, I found it easier to work with in GT, although I appreciate that some elements of the physics are modelled better in TOCA.

 

[BreakerOhio]

Mitsubishi Motors at this year's Detroit Auto show ....NAIAS (North American International Auto Show)
demonstrated the Evo X's S-AWC(Super-All Wheel Drive Control) using GT5 Prologue.

I went to the show this weekend and it's in this video.
Check at 3:10 into the video.

 

[Road Rash]

Well, I suppose in the end a lot comes down to ones subjective opinion but for my money I prefer GT overall.

TOCA has a lot of things going for it, as a previous poster said the gravel works, well, like gravel should! However I found the car physics (or how they are communicated to the player) to be odd and a little unpleasant. The problem with this kind of thing is that you don't get to feel the G-forces or sensations you do in your everyday car so they have to give you the information in other ways. For me, I found it easier to work with in GT, although I appreciate that some elements of the physics are modelled better in TOCA.

Yeah both have their strong and weak points. I truly appreciate the choices available to the player in GT concerning individual cars,level of modifications that can be made to the cars etc...