How crazy should GT in general get with special editions of various cars?

[MIE1992]

I think it can be a lot of fun having special editions of cars, whether they're commemorative, homologation specials, or particular one-off commissions for wealthy clients. But I also get that to avoid scope-creep, you can't simply plan to put every special edition under the sun, and especially if one given special edition doesn't really offer anything interesting in regards to game mechanics, such as a FR version of a typically AWD car (e.g. the Audi R8 or the Lamborghini Huracan).

I think for the most part, homologation specials would be the most important group, since they're not just special editions, but they also tie into racing, sport (i.e. complying with regulations), and stuff like that. I'd say that the second-most important one is based on design, like particular coachbuilders or tuners - the Ferrari SP1 seen in GT5/GT6 and the Nismo GT-R R35 are good examples of what I mean. Somewhere in here would also be cars that offer something interesting from a gameplay perspective over the "vanilla" model, like the rear-wheel drive variants of the Lamborghini Huracan and Audi R8 that I previously alluded to. Otherwise, I'm not very sure about including special editions of cars that are only remarkable for something like a color pattern, like the Midnight Purple Edition Skyline GT-Rs - but I would definitely consider road cars that both have an exclusive color and commemorate something, like the GT-R R33 LM Limited or the McLaren F1 LM.

I also wouldn't add the "Launch Edition" of a car if the option is available to replace it with the more "mainline" model, so I can totally understand why PD added the 4C Launch Edition in GTS, but I would imagine that in the next game, the more typical 4C will appear instead. Perhaps maybe the "Final Editions" alongside the "mainstream" models, like the Lancer Evo X, or the Dodge Viper from the late-2000s. Similarly, anniversaries are very temporary (they do indeed only last a year), so I wouldn't generally include anniversary editions too much, either. But again, this is only if they don't offer much of anything interesting either mechanically, historically, or potentially aesthetically to some degree, so something like the MSO 650S Le Mans Edition could actually be pretty neat to include, especially since it's also a commemorative model.

Finally, for automakers that offer tons of customization for clients, such as MSO's Bespoke program, or Lamborghini, I think it would be too much to include every real-world option, so I think it'd be ideal to compromise by including a sizable amount of the most popular options instead.

 

[Crazy Taylor]

In a full fledged GT then why not (they all them skylines in previous GT games. In GT Sport diffrent variations of car are not needed.

 

[MIE1992]

In a full fledged GT then why not (they all them skylines in previous GT games. In GT Sport diffrent variations of car are not needed.

I think a mid-point could be reached. We don't need the variants where the only difference is model year, for example. And if there are changes in the variant's tuning, I really want that to be reflected in the game - to really make it feel distinct. All of this sort of ties-in to how in the next GT, I'd like the following:

-Only be able to change the fuel map/TCS/brake balance on-the-fly for cars that can do it IRL.
-Be able to use KERS, DRS, and other various modes (e.g. drift/sport/launch) on cars that offer them. And similarly, AWD power mapping on-the-fly. Oh! And I'd love it if you could map a button for the clutch, and only use it for MT cars that have/needed a clutch, since I don't remember if all MT cars necessarily have a clutch.
-Pick transmission from dealer, have the options reflect the real-world car, and be unable to change it after purchase. Some cars are auto-only, some are MT-only, and others can let you pick between MT and AT on-the-fly.
-Similar to above, I want more OEM options, like how some models have multiple OEM rims, or how some automakers (especially higher-end ones like Lamborghini & McLaren) can have a wild variety of custom options, including Mini. But this is of course within reason - maybe only the most popular OEM options could be in, to avoid scope-creep.
-And similarly, you could take the stock version of a car to the automaker or a tuner, and they could upgrade it to a tuned version for cheaper than if you bought the tuned car as-is, but as the cost of still only having one car at the end of the day instead of two. For example, you could buy a normal AC Cobra, and take it to Shelby to upgrade it to a Shelby Cobra. Or a stock Skyline GT-R R34, and you could upgrade it into a Spec-V, a Spec-V II Nur, an N1, a Z-Tune, and so on. Think of the whole thing as being a bit similar to the RM feature, without the "R" part.