My thoughts on racing games and it's fans...

[Beeblebrox237]

@amaterasu I, generally, agree with you. In my opinion, this fanatacism is mainly due to the fact that racing game fans fall into two distinct categories. They tend to either be kids, teenagers, and students with a lot of time on their hands but relatively little maturity. The second category consists of adults who, generally, have a job and actually look after themselves. They therefore spend a large portion of their free time playing racing games and are heavily invested in them. Either way, people become focused on small things instead of looking at the bigger picture. Add time spent on internet forums/subforums focused on individual games or even specific aspects of a game, and an unfortunately large portion of racing fans tend to become quite closed minded in this regard. It's one of the unfortunate byproducts of the social element of the internet, since people tend to hang around those who share their opinions, and so have then reinforced and strengthened rather than learning to think critically about these things. It's a phenomenon that is also quite prevalent in political debates where certain people have spent so much time hearing that they're completely correct about everything that they're virtually incapable of critically examining themselves and their opinions and considering the idea that they may be wrong about something.

Anyway, enough overthought nonsense from me. I think you'll enjoy the atmosphere in the non-GT parts of GTPlanet. If you can I highly recommend upgrading to premium membership. Oh, and welcome to GTPlanet!

 

[photonrider]

I know I'm new to GTPlanet, but I've been around racing games for over 20 years, and I've seen a lot of different niches. And throughout those 20+ years, I've come across the same, multi-generational problem of fans obsessing over one series and shunning all others, or fans picking on one specific series because it doesn't meet their perfected ideas.

@amaterasu - having played video-games cum related foruming at fan-sites for 20 years you should find this par for the course?
Maybe the art of ridicule has escalated to some honoured status on the Internet (at least in the 'safe' environment that a screen protects us with) and there is more opportunity for rampant criticism in every thread in a particular forum you have in mind.
Most good forums make sure that criticisms, suggestions, etc are directed to the right threads - and we have hundreds of such threads right here, too, in the Feedback forum, Suggestions forum, and even individual threads created for the purpose of discussing a shortcoming or facet that could do with improvement.
Maybe it's the unbridled 'criticism' that rambles into every thread made that may be bothering you.
There are, however, hundreds of working threads in this Forum that do not focus on how to improve the code, objects in the game, and the environments and objectives the game has evolved so far. These 'working' threads actually gather people who come together as fans of the game to enjoy its potential to the maximum taking into consideration the game's shortcomings - all sorts of trials, challenges, and race series where the focus is on enjoyment of the coding as it exists, with always an open mind for improvements and additions.
If you look around you will find those communities within the gaming forums at GTPlanet.
In fact I enjoy the game tremendously - and inhabit many of these non-critical discussions and event threads and find no overt fussing about the game to hinder any enjoyment that can be had.
There are also threads specifically made (especially those placed in the right sub-fora) that are critical about some aspects of the game, and I add my two cents in there too if I feel that I should 'support' their cause.
If I disagree with the criticism, I have the right to ignore the thread and not spoil my mood, and I do that, too, more often than not.
In fact you can disregard foruming completely, and just play the game, as millions may be doing, and you may not hear any criticism at all.

If what you saying is that some 'fans' of the game want to take the fun out of it and stick it where the sun don't shine . . . well, that's been done since the game was first produced; we have to dodge those bullets.

This is my personal opinion, and I'm by no means saying that anyone has to agree with me, but if you are to the point of turning a series into your personal effigy, you aren't a very true fan of the genre. I have yet come across a racing series that hasn't brought something to the table. So why are we bashing on these games. Behind each game is a studio, with workers trying everything they can to support themselves while doing what they've dreamed of doing. I'm not saying love every game like it's the Holy Grail, but come on! At least try to accept that they are doing everything they can to revitalize a repetitive genre. There isn't a racing game out there that is perfect, but there isn't a racing game exactly like the others. Each one is unique, and that in itself requires my respect.

True. A valid opinion. 👍

Moderators Vs Fanatics, sometimes.

I was wondering which member would come up with one of the following words: 'lock, close, ban, moderation, moderator . . .

You get the no prize.