How You Play Gran Turismo 7 Depends on Your Age, says Kazunori Yamauchi

[R3V]

Seems like he drew the wrong conclusion, at least partially. I'll only speak for myself and friends, as I techincally belong to the older group who spends hours offline.

I'm only avoiding online because of the lack of shuffle races. Give me a 3-lap quick race at a random track and cars of the same PP are randomly assigned. I can no longer compete with tryhards who spend several hours a day finding every pixel to abuse in track limits to top the leaderboards. In GTS, I was good enough to be in the top 100 in new events for about a day with minimal laps put through. Over the days my time gets squashed. I just can't commit, as I'm sure others in my age group can't either.

I would happily race online if we had a relaxing quick plug and play mode.

As a 35 year old veteran of the series, that data applies to me. In my younger days (20+ years ago?! ) I certainly enjoyed Counter-Strike or Battlefield 1942 and such, but later in life, honestly maybe somewhere in my late teens/early 20s, I just had no interest or patience for it anymore.

The cycle of getting frustrated from constantly dying instantly because of some bunny-hoping no-scope AWP headshot vs that 1 in 50 game where I actually take down people and have fun seems entirely not worth my time. It only got worse as time went on and became more mainstream.

The bunny hopping nonsense happened accidentally and carried over. In MW3 they gave the us much higher jumps to clear obstacles instead of mantling. People abused that. Devs thought it's cool and kept it. We now have mantling AND high jumps, sliding and dolphin dives. It's disgusting. I'd spend as much time as I did in my youth if they'd just stop designing games for new and low skill players. The Infinity Ward guy has admitted in interviews that 2019 and 2022 that they designed 6v6 specifically to create "safe spaces" for new players. They removed the ninja perk so they can soundwhore you through the wall when you're going to kill a corner camper, etc.

Sorry to go on a COD tangent. Point is, I don't think we stopped playing online because we're old. I think we stopped because online game designed changed and is more focused on "competitive" players who abuse every little thing they can.

 

[SluggerDandy]

I'm 37, and a married dad.
I'm playing since GT1, and this totally applies to me.
I play 95% offline, but if the online players had more respect for racecraft, I could play more in sport mode.

 

[georgetigra]

38 here and Kaz is right...
I don't have the patience to race the daily races anymore..
Too many dirt players to little patience..

 

[SluggerDandy]

Given that there's no chance of the Devs devoting separate teams to the two separate parts of the game.

I've set up my PS2 on a spare TV. I'm going to play that instead of GT7. Mixing online and offline just doesn't work. El Capitan 200 miles. I'm coming.

I can log into GT7 daily, check the Legend cars and do half an hour at Le Mans.

I'm currently playing GT6 on my PS3, career mode is not perfect, but it's addictive as hell.
I think GT7 problem was that Cafe Mode was too repetitive and too rewarding. One car per race is too much.

 

[Livermush23]

Seems like he drew the wrong conclusion, at least partially. I'll only speak for myself and friends, as I techincally belong to the older group who spends hours offline.

I'm only avoiding online because of the lack of shuffle races. Give me a 3-lap quick race at a random track and cars of the same PP are randomly assigned. I can no longer compete with tryhards who spend several hours a day finding every pixel to abuse in track limits to top the leaderboards. In GTS, I was good enough to be in the top 100 in new events for about a day with minimal laps put through. Over the days my time gets squashed. I just can't commit, as I'm sure others in my age group can't either.

I would happily race online if we had a relaxing quick plug and play mode.


The bunny hopping nonsense happened accidentally and carried over. In MW3 they gave the us much higher jumps to clear obstacles instead of mantling. People abused that. Devs thought it's cool and kept it. We now have mantling AND high jumps, sliding and dolphin dives. It's disgusting. I'd spend as much time as I did in my youth if they'd just stop designing games for new and low skill players. The Infinity Ward guy has admitted in interviews that 2019 and 2022 that they designed 6v6 specifically to create "safe spaces" for new players. They removed the ninja perk so they can soundwhore you through the wall when you're going to kill a corner camper, etc.

Sorry to go on a COD tangent. Point is, I don't think we stopped playing online because we're old. I think we stopped because online game designed changed and is more focused on "competitive" players who abuse every little thing they can.

but that's racing, though. You think Takumi was fast his first time down Mt. Akina? No, he had to do it a million times and occasionally get beaten by Boonta. If you're just racing one track after another, you're missing out on like a good chunk of racing

 

[gruppe5drm]

GT7 is the only reason I have a PS5. Why?, Because of the rekindling of solo mode that made the series, among other variables so great from the offset. I am 40+ and have been starved of Gran Turismo since GT4. GT4 was also the sole reason for acquiring a PS! The only GT titles I have not tasted are between 4 and 7. I am one of those that has., and still is, racking up the miles regardless of how tedious it may otherwise be for me and others. I understand some of the complaints to date, but truly believe the majority want it easy. Select hardest difficulty level with no traction control and don't tune your cars to high heaven. With equal machinery (+/- tolerances), improved ai (Sophy to come!), ALL races are enjoyable. Would I like to see more/longer endurance races (including 24hr!)., Sure, but the world has changed. Please be accepting of what is a marvellous real world simulation. The level of development and detail is incredible. Check out my liveries to 😉. I plan to partake in sport mode soon. Just lapping my collection around the nurburgring (road), Spa (classics) and Le Man's (prototypes) + have circa 20 big tickets to acquire from the legends dealer. Rock on. Signed; gruppe5drm

 

[Samus]

but that's racing, though. You think Takumi was fast his first time down Mt. Akina? No, he had to do it a million times and occasionally get beaten by Boonta. If you're just racing one track after another, you're missing out on like a good chunk of racing

Nobody in real life races the same race several times a day for a week at a time though. You come back to it weeks, months or even years later to have another go with your hopefully improved skills.

Besides even if people do like doing that, no reason they can't also cater to those who want a more relaxing, constantly changing online experience.

 

[OldandSlow]

"Gran Turismo series creator Kazunori Yamauchi has revealed that game data shows a generational divide in how players engage with Gran Turismo 7."

That's a Captain Obvious moment by Mr. Yamauchi. There will always be generational differences in everything. A 70 year old will have different outlook than a 25 year old. That's just life.

The data is important for their marketing purposes, of course.

 

[NAXEHT]

Is it really FOMO if it’s just an optional daily thing you can do to get credits, especially as just an alternative (and IMO better) way to gain credits than repetitive offline grinding? The daily ticket roulette and dealership cycles are awful and lock players out of content artificially, daily time trials would simply be an additive play method that wouldn’t cost you unique rewards if you simply decide to not play for any stretch of time.

We could even keep the 2 week trials for increased rewards, and dailies will simply just be new short-term plug-and-play pickup competitive fun.

How can I keep up a streak like below and compare with others if there are new Time Trials every day?

It would be impossible and a pure definition of FOMO. Because one would completely miss several of these if they were daily. Not to mention, they'd pay far too much credits unless reduced. And it would mess up the stats to be honest.

Momentarily missing out on a returning car isn't even near the same kind of FOMO above would be.

I don't see the competitiveness to it if it only lasts 24 hours.

 

[Nathan88]

As someone who plays 99% single-player (that 1% being the online Time Trial), I’d play online daily if there was a shuffle race. Random cars & tracks with events upto 5 laps.

I’d also make it a free-for-all with no DR/SR rating. While you would get some rammers, I expect most just want a fun battle, without the pressure (or need to practice) associated with Daily Races.

Hopefully PD hears us, they clearly have the data, and are aware they need to engage more players in online.

 

[Pizzapants]

the data checks out. i'm 46 and i have ZERO interest in interacting with the disgusting scum of humanity that make up 90% of the gaming community. The AI are morons, but they are at least silent morons who punt me out of basic incompetence rather than childish malice.

(also, GT7 does nothing to entice me to play online, since the payouts are insignificant, and in no way worth the headache)

 

[Fezzik]

the data checks out. i'm 46 and i have ZERO interest in interacting with the disgusting scum of humanity that make up 90% of the gaming community. The AI are morons, but they are at least silent morons who punt me out of basic incompetence rather than childish malice.

(also, GT7 does nothing to entice me to play online, since the payouts are insignificant, and in no way worth the headache)

As someone who does race online semi-regularly, you may be surprised (at lower levels) just how much of the punting really is just unintentional incompetence.

Or that may just be my driving

My online experience is also pretty silent - I don't use a headset and don't chat. You don't have to interact with the other players.

 

[Samus]

How can I keep up a streak like below and compare with others if there are new Time Trials every day?
View attachment 1215604
It would be impossible and a pure definition of FOMO. Because one would completely miss several of these if they were daily. Not to mention, they'd pay far too much credits unless reduced. And it would mess up the stats to be honest.

Momentarily missing out on a returning car isn't even near the same kind of FOMO above would be.

I don't see the competitiveness to it if it only lasts 24 hours.

That's just the nature of online content though, by this logic pretty much all online content in games have FOMO.

Plenty of games have daily/weekly events constantly running, everyone is going to miss out on things if they don't play constantly. That's just the nature of the beast. Look at all the lobbies you're missing out on that are run every day.

 

[benjoi84]

38 single guy here.

My motorsport knowledge comes almost exclusively from Gran Turismo, I'm not ashamed to admit. At one point when I was in my early 20s I thought that GT was a comprehensive catalogue of all major cars in the world. Obviously I've learnt that isn't the case.

Casual interest in racing notwithstanding, my attention was piqued when they launched GT Sport. Having never played an online game with any serious commitment before, I was determined to become competitive (my living room time-trialling with friends back in the days of GT4 was exposed as being of truly mediocre standard).

I'm dismayed at the lack of engagement on GT7's single player content, and the forcible insistence on grinding for credits. Saying that, the Sport Mode content can provide loads of fun and is unfortunately hamstrung by various limitations (low earnings, unbalanced lobbies, lack of race choice, console split, waiting times).

TLDR;
I'm a 50% offline, 50% online player, I just wish that Polyphony had given us 100% in either.

 

[Ray52]

I'm 84 years old. Oldest player of them all? Could be. If my reflexes are slower than they were when I was a 60 year old kid, I can't sense it as I race, but maybe the results tell the tale. B/S rated.

From age 39 until age 61, I was a fanatical autocrosser in real life, running hundreds of events, and dabbled a bit in oval track street stocks.

I have no exact pattern of online or offline racing in Gran Turismo. It depends on my mood and which tracks are presented in Daily races. I prefer doing real world tracks that I might see on TV. I like having some sense of what the pros are doing at places like Road Atlanta. I might race only online for a week and then go a week only offline. But online or offline I'm likely to do at least a little every day. And sometimes A lot, maybe hours of racing.

 

[RacingGrandpa]

Soon 60, and probably spend more time in single player than multiplayer these days.
Not because I prefer to but because sport mode is a joke. It's neigh impossible to get a clean race apart from the lobbies I race in.
The single player racing in this game puts me to sleep though. So my single player time is spent in the livery editor or tuning cars for races with friends, and sometimes, when it's absolutely unavoidable in races against the AI for credits to get the stuff I want.

Edit: I did over 1200 online sport mode races in GTS and loved it. I did a bunch here too as the game released but grew tired of the total lack of sportsmanship and PD's inability to deal with it apart from a short video on "Don't make yourself look bad".
The repetition of tracks, the abysmal balance of power and the lack of imagination makes it so hard to commit to online. The silly payout just perpetuate it.

If they would just have a form for players to suggest races they would get thousands of suggestions better than what they can come up with

 

[kjb]

I'm 49 and race offline. I will play like Avengers or Dynasty Warriors online with family members but that's about it. I have raced online before but I don't enjoy it. I prefer to race offline. I know the AI is terrible but I don't have to worry about any lag or network related stuff

 

[Quakebass]

How can I keep up a streak like below and compare with others if there are new Time Trials every day?
View attachment 1215604

How can I keep up a streak like below and compare with others if there are new Sport races every 20 minutes?

This is a very odd thing to get hung up on. You seemingly prefer to keep up a personal stat that gives no other benefit or impact than being a number on a screen, over having more frequent community events that would largely offer more to do and earn for the general player base.

It would be impossible and a pure definition of FOMO. Because one would completely miss several of these if they were daily.

Ok? You don’t need to play every day. You don’t need to do every time trial, unless you’re specifically you who is apparently a slave to a stat.

Not to mention, they'd pay far too much credits unless reduced. And it would mess up the stats to be honest.

Ah yes, one of the biggest problems this game has, paying out too much credits.

WHAT???

Momentarily missing out on a returning car isn't even near the same kind of FOMO above would be.

Currently unless you logged in the last time the Escudo was available in one of the dealerships, you haven’t been able to attain it in any way for the last 4+ months. That’s by far the most extreme case, but theres a number of cars that have been unattainable for 2-3 months either still now or in previous stretches, and at the current car count with the update DLC content the average wait for any given car to cycle in the UCD is like 40-50 days. That’s far from “momentarily”. I don’t see how that’s less significant FOMO than missing a time trial that has no unique reward other than potentially higher payout per hour (if you’re fast enough to consistently land in the top splits) than the current META grind. The worst thing you could miss is a particular combo you might like, but it still resets daily so you also get the benefit of not being stuck with a combo you dislike for a long period. It’d essentially be no different to missing out on doing a couple hours of credit grinding any day you couldn’t play, there’s equal opportunities to do it any and every given day.

I don't see the competitiveness to it if it only lasts 24 hours.

The fact that everyone essentially has equal footing any given day, rather than someone who plays all 14 days perfecting a time against someone who is only available/only decided to pop in one day in that 14 day period. It’s more encouraging for people to hop in, meaning likely more/different people putting times in/engaging with the leaderboards.

In general I’m really confused how you could be this opposed to more frequent online engagement opportunities.

 

[regnar]

At 59, I prefer to play games that work on my schedule, that have set goals to work towards, the appeal of GT was working on unlocking new sections of the game, obtaining prize cars. I think depending on your age, your going to come away with a completely different experience with the current games, people that are younger are more than likely to have friends of similar age that also want to meet up online, for the most part none of my friends at my age don't play any games, so single player experience where I prefer, it doesn't conflict with life.


If my nephews back in 98' hadn't been playing a demo of GT that came with there new PlayStation during the holidays, I probably wouldn't never have got interest in console games at all, I got burnt out of the Arcades in the early eighties, life moved on.

 

[Joey D]

I'm 35 and hate playing online with any game. I deal with people all day, and the last thing I want to do in my downtime is to deal with more people. I want to chill and go about things at my own pace.

I also play GT with a controller and the D-pad for steering, which is definitely a carryover from the older, pre-Dual Analog (pre-Dual Shock) controller days.

 

[GaugeForever]

This thread is such a great demonstration of anecdotes and personal experiences being more powerful to average humans than science. Not even hating, it's just fascinating to watch.

 

[Greasyfatman]

It does. It's managed through the console party system, not in-game.

So everyone has to join a party? Or requests have to be made? Never used the console party system.

I talk into the mic and the room hears me, like in the past would be much better.

 

[Famine]

So everyone has to join a party? Or requests have to be made? Never used the console party system.

I talk into the mike and the room hears me, like in the past would be much better.

Pretty much, yes. It's been the case for Sony's first-party games since the PS4.

 

[RacingGrandpa]

I talk into the mic and the room hears me, like in the past would be much better.

I am so relived that it doesn't work like that. I have heard the CoD lobbies and would hate to hear other players in a random public lobby.
Talking to my friends are a different story

 

[Kean_1]

I don't think preferring to play offline has any bearing on "how you handle reality". I dislike online play in general not just in racing games, I don't want to come home from work and game online, nor do I really have the time for it. I appreciate being able to hit pause, start a race when I want and not have to deal with people (immature or otherwise) when I'm trying to relax after a day dealing with people.

Yeah, the idea that all of us who hate playing Sport mode are somehow delusional about our "abilities" or can't face reality is a load of crap to be honest.

I'm well into my 50's and I would play online if my friends were into GT7. .....or if I could find a group but to be honest, I'm just not that driven (no pun intended) to go look for one. I tried with one of the old fart groups on here but was told I was still too young believe it or not. lol

I tried online in GT Sport and also GT7 Sport mode but it was always a frustrating experience. Not because I was disappointed in my ability to compete (far from it). ....it was due to the complete lack of racing etiquette, etc. from others. It only takes one or two to ruin the fun. It's just not worth my time.

As for other games, my older group of PS friends mostly prefer co-op games when we play together but w will still play PvP titles to pass the time. We are currently playing CoD MW2 although we prefer more milsim leaning games. We usually have enough folks online to fill the roster so we don't have to deal with randoms on our side.

I don't know.... I just have very little tolerance for jerks online which is why I try to avoid random people and prefer to play with friends instead. Its not really about competition or "gaming skills" for us but really all about just having a fun experience. ....and in a game like GT7, I can do that in front of the pack, in the middle or in last place as long as it's with the right people.

 

[NAXEHT]

That's just the nature of online content though, by this logic pretty much all online content in games have FOMO.

Plenty of games have daily/weekly events constantly running, everyone is going to miss out on things if they don't play constantly. That's just the nature of the beast. Look at all the lobbies you're missing out on that are run every day.

Your comparison with lobbies doesn’t really make much sense to be honest. What exactly am I missing there? The point is that there are flaws in GT7 but the way the time trials are set up is definitely not one of them, that Polyphony have nailed perfectly. They are excellent and require no meddling at all.

How can I keep up a streak like below and compare with others if there are new Sport races every 20 minutes?

View attachment 1215618

This is a very odd thing to get hung up on. You seemingly prefer to keep up a personal stat that gives no other benefit or impact than being a number on a screen, over having more frequent community events that would largely offer more to do and earn for the general player base.

The comparison halts. Races differ extremely in pace and style while TT does not. Everyone’s directly compared to the #1 record holder.

Ok? You don’t need to play every day. You don’t need to do every time trial, unless you’re specifically you who is apparently a slave to a stat.

Like I said to Samus above, point being TT’s as they are now are perfectly set up. I know I don’t need to play every day but the way things have been it’s been no issue to participate and participate competitively in every single time trial so far, despite being on holiday the past summer. I call that a plus. Game’s definitely still alive but not too hectic and catering to those able to play several hours every single day with no other concerns in life.

Ah yes, one of the biggest problems this game has, paying out too much credits.

WHAT???

Laugh all you like. It seems a bit dishonest to me, as if you haven’t considered theoretical earnings in your idea. 2,000,000 Cr. (or even 1M) every 24 hours in theory would be tons. And that’s of course taking car prices in regard. Sure, lots of events could do with credit boosts, not to mention online play which pays pitiful amounts (check my signature) but to get that money on a daily basis would more than sort any credit issues for anyone. And at that point — why have credits and buy/sell systems at all? *Note: I want credit system in the game.

Currently unless you logged in the last time the Escudo was available in one of the dealerships, you haven’t been able to attain it in any way for the last 4+ months. That’s by far the most extreme case, but theres a number of cars that have been unattainable for 2-3 months either still now or in previous stretches, and at the current car count with the update DLC content the average wait for any given car to cycle in the UCD is like 40-50 days. That’s far from “momentarily”. I don’t see how that’s less significant FOMO than missing a time trial that has no unique reward other than potentially higher payout per hour (if you’re fast enough to consistently land in the top splits) than the current META grind. The worst thing you could miss is a particular combo you might like, but it still resets daily so you also get the benefit of not being stuck with a combo you dislike for a long period. It’d essentially be no different to missing out on doing a couple hours of credit grinding any day you couldn’t play, there’s equal opportunities to do it any and every given day.

I suppose our opinions just differ massively in this instance and that’s all there’s to it. Consider competing with friends and/or people you know in TT’s, not only positions in specific TT’s but overall positions as well as medals in all past and future TT’s. Once one is over it’s over, you can’t register a time past a deadline. Those UCD/LCD cars are always coming back, despite some waiting. How is it fear of missing out if it’s something that’s always returning?

The fact that everyone essentially has equal footing any given day, rather than someone who plays all 14 days perfecting a time against someone who is only available/only decided to pop in one day in that 14 day period. It’s more encouraging for people to hop in, meaning likely more/different people putting times in/engaging with the leaderboards.

In general I’m really confused how you could be this opposed to more frequent online engagement opportunities.

There’s statistics made nicely presented and available by @half_sourly in the TT thread that shows a lot of engagement in all TT’s so far since the credit rewards were introduced. I really don’t see daily ones engaging more. And it would be less competitive. For an obvious reason but I’ll state it nonetheless, lack of time.

 

[Greasyfatman]

I am so relived that it doesn't work like that. I have heard the CoD lobbies and would hate to hear other players in a random public lobby.
Talking to my friends are a different story

One button mute. I like COD mic use much more than GT7.

If I want to tell someone they can’t use a mono in my daily driver room I have to type it with my controller.

 

[weni64us]

I sit in my soiled diaper for hours if I play online but if I play offline I still sit in my filth. 😄

 

[lqpl]

If single player and multiplayer are treated equally-

Can we have the treatment of the world series🤓

"....sure looks nice watching! Makes me wanna buy that!"

Buys gt7 on ps4- ...well, maybe it will be better on ps5..

Buys ps5- ... well, it loads faster...

Looking forward to December 'in the lobby' "know issues".

 

[B80]

I dunno, sounds like mixture. TBH I think GT& has larger % of 'older' players (including my 42 year old self), as many have been around since start of series, and I read something a couple of years ago, that indicated younger generations in general, have less interest in cars, than previous gens.

I know of teens now and younger that educated in eco, green stuff and of course that includes how ICE cars are contributing to issues around the environment global warming. I can only see that increasing as time goes on and current batch of kids and beyond hold negative views towards ICE cars.