Is PCARS as Good as GT6?

[HBR-Roadhog]

I never played GT6 but do have GT5 and in my opinion PC is in a completely different league in terms of racing and physics..

In all fairness to GT. GT6 has better physics than GT5 and at least they did add some restrictions on tires allowed in various events in GT6 but the AI is dumbed down a bit more and the only way to get an interesting race is to use a car that should not be able to win.

That said the physics are better on P-Cars and the racing is on whole different planet with P-Cars compared to GT 6.

I still wish that P-Cars had some form of credit system where you could earn credits from racing and then some way to use those credits in the game.

 

[amazed]

Why? What would you need credits for in a game where everything is available?

 

[priesty_lfc]

Why? What would you need credits for in a game where everything is available?

They could have added historic real liveries and had these open to buy using a credit system (on console at least)

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

Why? What would you need credits for in a game where everything is available?

Of course you don't need credits in a game that is wide open but even in the case where you don't need them it would still be nice to get some winnings for each race and keep track of how much winnings you have over the course of your career. Would be even better if you could use those credits for something.

 

[GranTurismoFive]

I don't want to waste time having to grind for credits lol. I want to race. And grind for faster lap times.

GT can keep their credit grinding nonsense. I've grown out of that and hope PC never introduces it.

I think you might like the sims. No racing but plenty of grinding lol.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Of course you don't need credits in a game that is wide open but even in the case where you don't need them it would still be nice to get some winnings for each race and keep track of how much winnings you have over the course of your career. Would be even better if you could use those credits for something.

That's not a bad idea, earning prize money and accumulating it throughout the game. If they set it up so that you got penalized for contact and damage, and higher rewards for races run with realistic aids and damage on, it might be fun to see how much I can earn in my racing career

 

[Wools]

Of course you don't need credits in a game that is wide open but even in the case where you don't need them it would still be nice to get some winnings for each race and keep track of how much winnings you have over the course of your career. Would be even better if you could use those credits for something.

Although I understand how rewarding earning and spending credits in a game can be, I think I'm tired of the Gran Turismo Pokemon progression system. I've re-raced tracks hundreds of times before to be able to afford a Car because my line up took me in a direction that was no longer feasible to progress in. Forza was brilliant because it had Free Race Mode where everything is unlocked but I'm glad Project Cars took that freedom to the heart of it's career mode.

Let's be honest, all I want to do in racing games is cherry pick a car and track depending on my mood and perfect a lap or just cruise around listening to some music.

 

[mister dog]

Of course you don't need credits in a game that is wide open but even in the case where you don't need them it would still be nice to get some winnings for each race and keep track of how much winnings you have over the course of your career. Would be even better if you could use those credits for something.

Suits, helmets and pit girls.

You could also buy yourself a trailer where you can have 'coffee breaks' with those pit girls. You know the GTA kind of coffee breaks not the GT ones

 

[Mr_D]

Credits are good to give a sense of progression. GT just did it very wrong imo. I cpmpleted GT4 for 100% and still didnt have nearly enough money to buy all the cars in the game which frustrated me immensely.

In GT5 I discovered (on these very forums) that people were grinding an oval to make money. Thats the first time I heard the term grinding and Ive been fascinated ever since. I understand there is a sense of progression and reward in working to unlock something. But when it gets to the point where you are grinding you should ask yourself whether its still fun playing the game or that youre just stuck in this loop that the gamedesigners implemented.

In my opinion that is where GT dropped the ball bigtime (that and the poor AI) and I welcome the change pCARS made in that aspect. You want sense of progression? Play carreer mode. You just want to race with whatever the game has to offer? You can as well.

 

[OooAhh Cantona]

Wha...? Did someone say pit girls?!

I would like to see some type of reward system in Pcars because the career mode feels disconnected to me. Lack of communication/connection between team and me, lack of rival drivers in season, UI could do better job of tying me to driver championship. A reward system may improve the "gaming" (distinction from "racing") experience.

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

It just seems so strange to win a racing championship and the only reward is a trophy. IRL there is always a check that goes with that trophy. Endorsements also, IRL that comes with a check. The credits don't have to be tied to progression but would be nice to have them there anyway even if it is just adding to your account as another stat on your profile page.

 

[mister dog]

It just seems so strange to win a racing championship and the only reward is a trophy. IRL there is always a check that goes with that trophy. Endorsements also, IRL that comes with a check. The credits don't have to be tied to progression but would be nice to have them there anyway even if it is just adding to your account as another stat on your profile page.

Thing is if they want to simulate real life, prize money should be spent on one's self. Racing drivers buy villa's, helicopters, supercars, go on exotic holidays and such.. No way to replicate that stuff ingame.

 

[Imari]

Wha...? Did someone say pit girls?!

I would like to see some type of reward system in Pcars because the career mode feels disconnected to me. Lack of communication/connection between team and me, lack of rival drivers in season, UI could do better job of tying me to driver championship. A reward system may improve the "gaming" (distinction from "racing") experience.

The problem with rewarding too strongly is that it encourages players to feel like they have to come first, instead of simply enjoying the race. There's a number of stories about players fighting back though the pack to get a mid-place finish that they're really proud of. If the focus is too much on rewards instead of the experience then that gets diminished somewhat.

There's reasons to have rewards, and there are reasons not to. pCARS seems to be very much about the experience of racing, to the extent that it doesn't really matter that much where you finish as long as you had a good race. I think putting too much emphasis on rewards for racing could damage that.

It's certainly something quite different to what most gamers are used to. I hate to use the phrase cupcake generation, but it's fairly appropriate. With achievements and everything, modern gamers are used to being rewarded for just about everything they do. To have a game that doesn't really reward you strongly even for excellence probably feels odd.

That doesn't mean it's bad though, it just means it's different. You have to get your sense of satisfaction from something other than big numbers and flashing lights in pCARS.

 

[GranTurismoFive]

Lol. So you want to be able to simulate someone else's life?

Buy the SIMS. And grind your way the the simillioms

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

Thing is if they want to simulate real life, prize money should be spent on one's self. Racing drivers buy villa's, helicopters, supercars, go on exotic holidays and such.. No way to replicate that stuff ingame.

I realize that but still would be good to have. As I said even if it is just a number on the stats screen that would be better than not having it at all.

There are supercars in the game as well so maybe you could buy one with your winnings and then you would not be stuck with a random livery have to pick the livery every time you get in it.

They could take it farther and let you start your own race team where you get to pick the livery for the cars, get much larger prizes for winning but have to pay for track fees, tires, repairs, new cars and such.

 

[UkHardcore23]

Suits, helmets and pit girls.

You could also buy yourself a trailer where you can have 'coffee breaks' with those pit girls. You know the GTA kind of coffee breaks not the GT ones

Jeez the game has been that good i forgot all about grid girls… hopefully sms can get them patch in within the next 6 months

 

[OooAhh Cantona]

@Imari - Fair point, and I do like the thrill of racing. Enjoyed finishing 6th in Caterham 7 invitational after starting P13. However, I don't have a sense of progression or achievement outside of a race. Maybe it's from years of GT brainwashing. A reward doesn't necessarily have to be credits like GT series. If I win a championship, that may provide prize money to my team. Prize money doesn't need to be seen. Maybe the team invests the money into training the pit crew that would give faster pit times. Maybe winning a championship unlocks a new livery for next season because new sponsor comes in.

 

[drivatar]

The problem with rewarding too strongly is that it encourages players to feel like they have to come first, instead of simply enjoying the race.
...
There's reasons to have rewards, and there are reasons not to. pCARS seems to be very much about the experience of racing, to the extent that it doesn't really matter that much where you finish as long as you had a good race.

Nevertheless, PCars has trophies like "Finished on the podium more than 50 times in an Online Public race" that don't encourage fair play.

 

[FoRiZon]

I don't want to waste time having to grind for credits lol. I want to race. And grind for faster lap times.

GT can keep their credit grinding nonsense. I've grown out of that and hope PC never introduces it.

I think you might like the sims. No racing but plenty of grinding lol.

Atleast GT has an unrealistic rewards that gives you so much money, its pointless.

Now, whats your opinion on FM5?

 

[HBR-Roadhog]

btw I wasn't ever suggesting "grinding for credits" I was saying that it would nice if there were some credit rewards for the races and nicer still if there was something those credits could be used for.

So what would be the problem of having a credit system really. You can sign a contract with any team that offers, you can free run, race online, solo race anything thing you want the only difference is that when you win or place well in the career races you get a reward in credits that may or may not be used for something other than just a stat.

Does it suddenly become grinding when there is a credit amount placed on the race? Is it not the same thing as running races you like without a credit system in place only with the added credits?

It seems that to many people automatically assume that if there is a credit system in place it is somehow going to be something where you end up racing some easy boring race 1000 times just to earn credits but that is not what I was suggesting and not how it should be done.

 

[FMW]

I love GT6 and all the GT games that came before it. It's fun, immersive and challenging, especially with a good wheel =) What's great about any of the GT games is anyone who's into cars can just jump in and have fun. That being said, P-Cars is definitely a step in a different direction for console racing. The developers have given console racing enthusiasts a taste of what the hardcore PC Sim guys like. Those guys like hardcore SIM features. Is that for everyone? Heck NO! P-Cars on console surely is the first step in giving the console market a taste of those features. If you hate to tweak controller settings this game is going to drive you mad. If you want to dive in and tweak away the rewards will surely be fun. Is one game better than the other? Not really IMO. They're different and both are fun for different reason. I consider myself lucky. Am I in a GT6 mood today or a P-Cars mood today? LOL =)

 

[Fanapryde]

Compared to GT6 (as in OP) ?
You must be kidding...
AI in PCars is 100% better...

This afternoon I took the trouble to dumb AI down to 10%, just to see what happens.
I can say that even at 10% the AI in PCars is still better than GT6's, go figure...

 

[Wolfe]

Some people are sim racers who want to play a racing simulator. Other people are gamers who want to play a videogame that simulates racing. To clarify, neither is more "hardcore" than the other; it's a matter of game design.

Sim racers will tend to think that credits and progression are an unnecessary obstacle and a waste of time. Gamers will tend to think that an open-ended title with no rewards and nothing to earn is not terribly engaging.

Project CARS seems to roll right down the middle, something that's not quite as dry as a typical PC sim, but with gameplay that's not quite as involved as other racing games. The concept for the career mode seems promising, but I'm inclined to agree that it could be fleshed out with more gameplay elements (not even necessarily credits/purchases). I'll have to see for myself when I get the game.

 

[David Talle]

@Imari - Fair point, and I do like the thrill of racing. Enjoyed finishing 6th in Caterham 7 invitational after starting P13. However, I don't have a sense of progression or achievement outside of a race. Maybe it's from years of GT brainwashing. A reward doesn't necessarily have to be credits like GT series. If I win a championship, that may provide prize money to my team. Prize money doesn't need to be seen. Maybe the team invests the money into training the pit crew that would give faster pit times. Maybe winning a championship unlocks a new livery for next season because new sponsor comes in.

I started career mode in K1 and when I became world champion in Formula Rookie, I received an offer standing out from the others, jumping directly into a GT3 rather than GT4 or Formula Gulf.
Then I received a one off invitation to race in LMP2 at Le Mans after becoming Asia-Pacific GT3 champion by 1 point.

I don't know if these two examples are written in the script but I perceived it as a reward for obtaining good results.

 

[Imari]

Is it not the same thing as running races you like without a credit system in place only with the added credits?

But what are the credits for? Every part of a game should be there for some purpose. Extraneous parts are simply extra things to go wrong.

If a credits system is simply a glorified mileage counter, then it should serve some purpose. Does seeing a big number getting bigger contribute to enough players enjoying the game to be worthwhile? Obviously SMS doesn't think so or they would have added it. But if you can make a reasonable argument for why it would be a good addition then it might get into their next game.

Of course, the argument would have to be a bit better than "but I like big numbers".

I don't think you're getting a particularly good reception for this because you brought it up in the pCARS vs. GT thread, so any mention of a credits system is automatically going to be assumed to be something similar to GT. If you want it to mean something else, I suggest you be specific and outline what you think, and then people can give their opinions. If you just say "credit system", you're going to get a whole lot of people pointing out that pCARS isn't GT, and rightly so. They don't work the same, and they shouldn't work the same.

 

[RandomCarGuy17]

With how the racing was and how the cars feel; I would say that Project CARS is as good as GT6. It could easily be argued that it's better than GT6 aswell. Well, at least in the simulation aspect.

 

[GranTurismoFive]

Authentic sure it is.

Was this sarcasm?

Keen to know whether or not you're seriously suggesting PC isn't true to motorsport.

 

[MowTin]

But when it gets to the point where you are grinding you should ask yourself whether its still fun playing the game or that youre just stuck in this loop that the gamedesigners implemented.

Yeah, I agree with this. Grinding is not fun. Especially if you have a job and responsibilities.

I think that's the reason I never bought GT 6. It looked like GT 5 and I knew I would have to devote a lot of time to it grinding to get the cars I want.

Edit: I think GT would be fine if the highest end cars weren't so expensive.

 

[CHEN255]

The problem with rewarding too strongly is that it encourages players to feel like they have to come first, instead of simply enjoying the race. There's a number of stories about players fighting back though the pack to get a mid-place finish that they're really proud of. If the focus is too much on rewards instead of the experience then that gets diminished somewhat.

There's reasons to have rewards, and there are reasons not to. pCARS seems to be very much about the experience of racing, to the extent that it doesn't really matter that much where you finish as long as you had a good race. I think putting too much emphasis on rewards for racing could damage that.

It's certainly something quite different to what most gamers are used to. I hate to use the phrase cupcake generation, but it's fairly appropriate. With achievements and everything, modern gamers are used to being rewarded for just about everything they do. To have a game that doesn't really reward you strongly even for excellence probably feels odd.

That doesn't mean it's bad though, it just means it's different. You have to get your sense of satisfaction from something other than big numbers and flashing lights in pCARS.

This says it all really.

 

[Scaff]

The problem with rewarding too strongly is that it encourages players to feel like they have to come first, instead of simply enjoying the race. There's a number of stories about players fighting back though the pack to get a mid-place finish that they're really proud of. If the focus is too much on rewards instead of the experience then that gets diminished somewhat.

That sums up my experience with pCars pretty much to date, I've had hardly any first places (a handful) yet almost every single race has been great fun and often the mid pack finishes after having fought my way from the back are the best (I have restarts switched off and am determined to play pCars without using restart - regardless of what it does to a championship).

This post and this one summing it up quite well, just managed to grab the last podium place, which in most racing titles would be a restart and try again, with a win needed to progress. In pCars it was an event, in a championship (not even a main career one - rather a 4 race invitational) that just stands out as being so enjoyable. The single most enjoyable thing I have come across in a racing title in many, many years and I haven't won a single race in 3 out of the 4 races so far.

Roll on Bathurst tomorrow night, that's going to be fun in the M1 Procar.