gtplanet.net influence?

[fxscreamer]

I was wondering, does gtplanet.net have a real influence with Polyphony Digital? I realize this is by far the largest Gran Turismo fan site, and I wonder if PD actually takes notice of the fans, and their suggestions. I have no idea how to contact them directly, especially some of the key people who decide the vision of the game. I could only hope they read these forums, so we may see our own suggestions ending up in the game itself.

Does anyone know about gtplanet's infuence? Does PD look at this site? I'd love to know. I hope all our "want" posts aren't in vain.

-fx

 

[flano87]

The way some of you people carry on like girls I sure as hell hope PD dont come browsing here.

 

[TopHat]

Well, aren't we in a good mood today?


fxscreamer, the chances that they do read these boards are slim-to-none in my book, because I'm sure they've got much better things to do.

 

[Kamus]

No, i higly doubt that this site or any other english site has any influence on PD whatsoever.
Which is a shame! Because i wan't PD to take my eye toy idea and make it true. =(

Wouldn't it be cool if the eye toy detected your head movement so we could have a "virtual cockpit" and as you move your head your cockpit view changes a bit?
(kind of like track-IR)

 

[Famine]

The way some of you people carry on like girls I sure as hell hope PD dont come browsing here.

Glad you registered just to say that. Very worthwhile.


The general consensus is that PD - or at least Sony - do read GT fansites. I can't imagine why they wouldn't.

 

[Venari]

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003634254

If one major Japanese company does it, you can bet many others do too.

 

[Loon]

The general consensus is that PD - or at least Sony - do read GT fansites. I can't imagine why they wouldn't.

I agree, this is pretty much free market research.

 

[kikie]

I've always been sure about (personal opinion) that PD has some people on his pay roll whom visit sites like these. If PD actually implement some off the ideas and wishes mentioned on this site, I don't know. But I think PD doesn't ignore these ideas either.

 

[Raitziger]

I agree, this is pretty much free market research.

Yes but Kazunori has not even tried forza
PD is so big company that there is at least someone reading or even posting to gtplanet.net

 

[j8mie]

They'd be foolish not to imo.

FSA

 

[kikie]

They'd be foolish not to imo.

FSA

Exactly! My opinion also.

 

[Robin]

Im sure they do read sites like GTP but I doubt is has any real influence on the games development.

Robin

 

[TheCracker]

Im sure they do read sites like GTP but I doubt is has any real influence on the games development.

Robin

I'm sure they do employ people to gauge the public's opinions on their games. Viewing a website such as GTPlanet would be a cheep and well targeted way of gaining market research on their products. To what extent their research impacts on future games is debatable. Certain aspects widely unliked by fans, like having only 6 opponents, are things that could have only been changed with a move to a next gen console. If 'Photomode' had been unpopular and derided by GT4 fans i doubt PD would have bothered implimenting it for GT5. At the end of the day Gran Turismo is the vision of one guy and he still steers the series in whatever direction he chooses. Thankfully many of the game's fans share his vision too.

 

[Robin]

I'm sure they do employ people to gauge the public's opinions on their games. Viewing a website such as GTPlanet would be a cheep and well targeted way of gaining market research on their products. To what extent their research impacts on future games is debatable. Certain aspects widely unliked by fans, like having only 6 opponents, are things that could have only been changed with a move to a next gen console. If 'Photomode' had been unpopular and derided by GT4 fans i doubt PD would have bothered implimenting it for GT5. At the end of the day Gran Turismo is the vision of one guy and he still steers the series in whatever direction he chooses. Thankfully many of the game's fans share his vision too.

I agree,

I was actually going to add to my statement that dev's would most likely use it to gauge feedback and niggles about a newly released game rather than using the site to make changes to a game in development but you have now covered it...👍

 

[Flerbizky]

And we did get a visit from someone heavily involved in the Nike car a while ago - So someone out there is reading, that's fer damn sure...

 

[DustDriver]

Didn't someone send a mail to that guy?
I think he was happy with the positive feedback about it.

 

[fxscreamer]

Hmmm, I wonder if PD would put in rowdy race fans, throwing beer cans and coolers on the track when all but 6 cars get pulled into the pits before the race starts, or something like that (all you F1 fans will get that). It would be hilarious.

I seriously think that PD has a well placed marketing and public relations department. It's just smart to look at sites like these for financial reasons. I really hope they get that damage engine implemented for GT5 or I'm going postal on a daycare center. j/k. I've seen the videos, and representatives talk about individual body panels for all the cars. PD is definitely focusing 110% for the cars and physics...the core of GT. I really hope they bump up the environments though (weather, people, grass, trees, etc). Like the PS2, they're pushing the PS3 harder probably more than any game (even MGS4). The amount of the polygons on each car x 16, more particles for smoke, damage, plus the track model...that's a lot of processing.

Anyway, hopefully PD will listen to their fans more, tell Sony to STFU on deadlines, just so they can bring us features like they said they would (ahem.....online play). Now that it's coming, PLEASE BRING US DAMAGE. I wanna see my driver get t-boned in a 1991 Honda Civic at 180mph into a burning inferno, tossed 100 feet off the side of the track into the wall, as a tire is thrown into the crowd ripping 2 fan's heads off.

Oh wait, that'd turn into Burnout or something.

I have faith in you PD. Don't fail me.

 

[daan]

 

[Wolfe]

I have always wondered about a certain member of ours, one who claims to live in a rather remote part of the world and always seems to have insider info on the Gran Turismo series...

But at the very least, I wouldn't be surprised if employees of Polyphony Digital read what we have to say here.

@daan: No mucking about on that one, eh?

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> I'd really do hope PD browses sites like this. And come on, Forza 'listens' to its fan in the best way as possible! And thats why Forza is such a threat because its been back by fans not focus groups.

~> If they do, they should take a look at my 'controversial' car wish list.

 

[daan]

bye bye Flano and alter-ego. We'll miss you...

 

[Robin]

I wanna see my driver get t-boned in a 1991 Honda Civic at 180mph into a burning inferno, tossed 100 feet off the side of the track into the wall, as a tire is thrown into the crowd ripping 2 fan's heads off.

...You should put it to them, maybe they will consider it!

Its being so long and we havent seen one bit of damage in GT and this makes me nervous, then they said only race cars would have damage which worried me even more... I want all cars all damage! They promised before!!!

Robin

 

[RACECAR]

What exactly is the big deal about damage? I don't have a problem having it or not having it, but it seems like to some people that the game won't ever be good unless it has damage.

 

[Kent]

Well, I don't think they ever promised damage.
I think they said they would try to include it but never promised to do so.

Also, as for why damage is so important... I do think there are obvious reasons for the importance of damage. However, I think the least obvious reason for damage's importance is simply because Forza fanboys see that as one place where they can really stick it to GT fanboys.

It's a fact that Forza (atleast Forza1 since I don't know Forza2) did not have realistic damage. It did have damage though and so I believe most people would like to see PD match Turn10.

Personally, I don't think it is too much to ask for PD to match Turn10. Despite the fact that PD's head says he's never touched Forza, I believe he is lying. In fact, I get the feeling that any livery editor in GT5 will be the direct result of the popularity of FM2's livery editor in Japan.

So, to think PD doesn't care about damage may be a little extreme. I believe they see FM's success and know they've got to do their best if they are going to keep a top spot in the market. However, I don't expect PD to match Turn10 on everything they do and in the end I only expect PD to do the best they can. 👍

 

[Michael88]

Well, my opinion is that maybe some minor employees look around at Gtplanet.net, but I dont think that our opinions about the series and our wishes have much impact, if impact at all.
Its just that, opinions change very fast so it would be foolish to listen to some people in the interent and making major changes just because some twenty odd people dislike things of the previous game.

I just cannot imagine that the opinions of some thirthy or maybe fithy people in the rather unserious i-net have influence at a multi-million dollar game steered by one mans visions.

The main source of influence ist still looking at other successful games, rather then listening to some internet people.

I hope I didnt burst some guys bubble.

 

[solinent]

I doubt it, Polyphony is smaller than a car company, and they don't employ many English speakers (the guy who was talking during the presentation was obviously not native English -- he was using awkward words at times).

 

[Ske]

They don't employ many English speakers (the guy who was talking during the presentation was obviously not native English -- he was using awkward words at times).

That might be one of the silliest and/or ignorant arguments I've hear all year, heh... You'd think somebody at the company that developed two of the 5 best selling titles for the PS2 can read English. Whether they know of this site is another question.

Anyway, to be honest I have no idea at all... PD does seem to play themselves down quite a bit. There's no official forum, and then there's that statement about them not even bothering to try Forza. I seriously hope (and think) that the latter is a bluff... I'm probably wrong, but it seems to me that forums and direct interaction with fans is a distinctly "western" thing... not a lot of Japanese developers seem to go that way (I hope someone can prove me wrong)... As far as I know there's no way to even contact PD directly.

I wish they'd give a nod to the community once in a while... just to show that (if) they do listen.

 

[Robin]

Well, I don't think they ever promised damage.

They did officially promise damage in some shape or form and it would be done properly with all car panels modeled individually, KY said it himself that damage would finally make it into the series in GT5.

 

[RACECAR]

Also, as for why damage is so important... I do think there are obvious reasons for the importance of damage. However, I think the least obvious reason for damage's importance is simply because Forza fanboys see that as one place where they can really stick it to GT fanboys.

I seem to notice this amongst fans of Xbox games. Don't know whats
their problem with sony fans.

It's a fact that Forza (atleast Forza1 since I don't know Forza2) did not have realistic damage. It did have damage though and so I believe most people would like to see PD match Turn10.

I'm never gonna get whats the deal about this GT vs. FM stuff. Its seems like its way out of control to me.

Personally, I don't think it is too much to ask for PD to match Turn10. Despite the fact that PD's head says he's never touched Forza, I believe he is lying. In fact, I get the feeling that any livery editor in GT5 will be the direct result of the popularity of FM2's livery editor in Japan.

All because of FM2? Honestly, I don't really feel that as good as that game is, its gonna be that much of a impact on what PD does next. I just don't see it happening just because of one feature, buts thats me.

However, I don't expect PD to match Turn10 on everything they do and in the end I only expect PD to do the best they can. 👍

I totally agree. As I stated(I'm not saying that everyone says this), GT isn't and will never be Forza. I don't ask for much from GT as I believe that it potentially may set you up for a huge dissapointment and I just would like excellent stuff from PD.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

...You should put it to them, maybe they will consider it!

Its being so long and we havent seen one bit of damage in GT and this makes me nervous, then they said only race cars would have damage which worried me even more... I want all cars all damage! They promised before!!!

Robin

From what i've read, Kazunori/PD wants damage in GT games just as much as we do. But several car-makers would rather not see their brands getting mucked up in a videogame; they have too much pride or maybe they're so worried about litigation involving their real-life cars, to crash one in a videogame is to make light of a serious situation.

On topic: In my opinion i think PD may have a few staffers who visit this site, and certainly some of them speak English. I mean, other than playstation.sony.com, what other GT site could possibly have as many members as we do? Do a search online for just about any car in the GT series, and a link to GTplanet will often appear on the first page. I know this cuz i've done many searches (thousands) for car-info. That's how i found GT Planet in the first place 3 years ago.

Also think of this: if you're an employee at Polyphony Digital, perhaps it's forbidden to announce on a website who you are. Perhaps when you get hired there as a programmer or whatever, there's a clause that states you can't go online and say you're an employee of PD. PD (like other game creators) is a bit secretive about their product, i've noticed. They leak some info, but try to stay mum about other features of their upcoming games. And if some dude who works at PD starts saying online "hey i work for Polyphony Digital" perhaps there's all sorts of legal stuff that could be at stake. Wouldn't be the first time this has happened.

I mean, does that make sense or do you guys think it's a silly thought?