Another pet peeve I have is the in car view. Am I wrong in thinking that you should have a wider field of vision in this view? When I drive my real car I am able to see out my peripheral vision. Being in the US my wheel is on the left side and if there is a car in the lane to my right, I can tell in my peripheral that there is a moving object on my right window. I may not be able to see the details of the car but I can tell that something is there and can even identify the color. In GT5P I have to hit a button to turn the driver's head to right to see if there is anything on my right. The only way this would be correct would be if the driver's face was planted on the windshield. Totally unrealistic.
That's a good point to bring up and I'd like to have a wider FOV. However, my peripheral vision is often impaired a little with a helmet on and I often have to clock my head from side to side to check if the mirrors fall off... so that may not be as realistic as you think. It would help a lot though. Have you tried driving (track days / auto-x) with a racing helmet in your car?
As for what I'd like to see improved:
1.) An effective damage system as opposed to a flashy one. Like LFS +GTA IV (bent hubs + bodywork rubbing tyres = impaired performance with big accidents, loss of power, aerodynamics, etc) and not GRID.
2.) A good penalty system that calculates the change and shift in weight from an impact off the track. ie. the penalty for the punter only applies when you hit the dirt from a light and slow push wide through the turn to the sandtrap. I think it'll make the penalty system more natural and human. Just a little more 'just' for most of us I think. It might be a little over the top but I'd have to try it. Which brings me to number...
3.) Survey us more, take more of our feedback and take samples and opinions from us. There are many communities like this of enthusiasts who are more than happy to assist in the development of the game for no reward at all but to enjoy the game more when it is out. Most of us are also sensible enough to understand when to compromise so a product can sell as well (point #4 Scalability coming up and online game lists)
4.) True online gaming. Quick match should randomly drop you into a race with similarly skilled players (another point coming up) but custom match should let you choose from a list of hosts and private matches (password protected three digit? four? minor inconvenience isn't it for private matching?). Stop waiting for Home and do this! With your own hosting, rooms, private games you could scale damage, penalties, PP, change tracks and keep everyone together for different races the whole time! It's an EASY solution. With quick match you could still keep the different races on the list now too! Oh, and have a ban/player avoid list.
5.) Being able to achieve a tight time and consistently clean races should mean something. Statistic tracking (number of bumps you did, number of times off the road surface, number of times spun out, total positions gained, total positions lost, total wins, total 2nd, total 3rd, etc) and achievements (totally clean race, comeback(last to first), etc) should be figured into player matching in quick match so you're up against some similarly skilled racers. This could do away with having to race people going the wrong way all the time and people who spin out all the time.
6.) Let us have livery customization. It goes a long way in community building as well as personalizing your own car. Different people play this game, loads of different people and most of us enthusiasts want to be able to have a racing team with team colours/logos, etc. Some people want to have sick murals. I say, let it happen. If someone paints something inappropriate ban them (refer to 3.)), easy
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7.) As you can tell I don't have any gripes about graphical fidelity and the accuracy of the cars (probably because I don't care so much) but I do like little details. Little details like reverse lights, and animations (drivers head looking left/right when you look) would help give us some more immersion. Details like dirt, scratches, rubber being thrown up, clicks and sounds from pebbles or the pitter patter of sand as it's thrown up in front of you. I've noticed all these things doing a little racing and I know it doesn't take too much work to implement. There have been games that I think are lesser and have done these things.
8.) Different race conditions. We don't often race endurance races so maybe not changing conditions but different. Rain, night, night + rain, damp track + fog, sunny, sweltering + more miraging, clear, etc. Have the ambient temperature affect HP. Actually, maybe that last bit about temperature affecting HP and having to tune to that temp. / altitude would be a little too much sim and too much funless tuning... Different conditions could make for some AMAZING races
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I think that's all for now.
