Seasonal Events = Stupid Gameplay?

[Crispy9001]

I've had many grudges from GT5's numerous imperfections, but one I can't let slip into GT6 is the game-play style of the Seasonal Events.

Why the Seasonal Events, you may ask?

The game-play is nothing more than a pathetic 11-opponent chase-the-rabbit race, where you try and lazily pass these irrelevant cling-to-the-racing-line GT4-era AI opponents that give no challenge, and the only challenge is passing the entire field of lifeless AI cars in a limited amount of time or laps and how ridiculously far away the lead car(s) is (are). THIS IS STUPID! This is not how any Gran Turismo racing and actual motor sports works!

I really hope PD never, ever uses this game-play style again. However, enough ranting, I want to hear your thoughts and opinions on this subject, please. I'm interested in hearing what y'all GTPlanet members and GT fans have to say about this.

 

[Bacon]

Only Seasonal Event I like is the Ferrari F1 only because you get a **** load of credits for very little work if you set the PP low enough. Otherwise, I think they're pretty poor and pointless.

 

[sid_chiclana]

I love them... keep them coming PD 👍

 

[Motor City Hami]

I really hope PD never, ever uses this game-play style again.

I 100% agree with you on the subject. I would rather see packs of cars exchanging position through the field, like real world, than what we have now. In real road racing, there seem to be packs of 3, 4, 5 car battles at different locations through the grid. I would love a seasonal that would end the last lap battling with three other cars for the win. If you pass them at the wrong spot early in the lap, they may draft by before the finish on the last straight.

Unfortunately, I have zero hope that PD will create events like this. Look at the GT5 seasonals and A-spec game play all the way back to GT1. There has always been a rabbit. In all of the titles GT1 to GT5, how many events can you count that did not have the one car rabbit? I can think of only one; the NASCAR challenge in GT5 where you had to plan the draft and a last lap pass at the right time so that you didn't get the sling shot move done to you on the last straight.

 

[XDesperado67]

Seasonals aren't the problem. The horrible AI is.
I love GT5, but when I want a race and can't find any of my friends online I break out Grid or NFS Shift 2. The driving physics and car selection isn't as good, but at least I can have good battles with the AI.

Hoping that the biggest change PD makes in GT6 is a competitive AI.

 

[Dhalism]

But but but Shift AI think theyre playing twisted metal not a racing sim

 

[NCRthree]

Agreed. I couldn't believe GT5 had basically the same type of "racing" as the previous versions when it came out. Like has been said so many times, without a major AI overhaul-there won't be any realistic style racing. Time Trials with moving (and parking) chicanes. Yeah, I tried Shift 2, Test Drive-Ferrari Racing Legends and F1 2012. All had a better race experience. I just like the graphics,vehicles and physics of GT5 so much better that I couldn't stick with any of them.

 

[citycar]

So i've played test drive 3, NFS2, NFS3, NFS hot pursuit, NFS most wanted, Indycar, indycar 2, nascar 2, Viper racing, Sports car GT. The latter two the most. All of these games, even test drive 3, have better AI the GT5. The early over the top braking is what gets me in GT5, secondary to that the bad and irregular line the AI takes.
Nevertheless perhaps we should forgive the AI cars, perhaps they have SRF forced on!

 

[Dalone]

Can't understand what the problem for people is here.

These Seasonals allow many players to build up their bank account in able to purchase better cars etc etc, all the while gaining more experience behind the wheel.

Of course SRF negates some of that experience however it is still driving experience.

And finally of course, the obvious answer to all those dissatisfied with the way Seasonals work, ''''''''''just play online where you are racing against real people.'''''''''''

Some of whom who will be better drivers than yourself.

 

[saxplayer1998]

Does anyone else think that the seasonals are a way to "add" more races to GT5 without a major update? I mean people have been asking for more then the 45-54 (endurance or not) A-Spec races. I think personally that this is a cheap and easy way to get it done. They are "seasonal" supposedly, but they stay...forever. Only the trials go the way of the wind.

 

[citycar]

Can't understand what the problem for people is here.

These Seasonals allow many players to build up their bank account in able to purchase better cars etc etc, all the while gaining more experience behind the wheel.

Of course SRF negates some of that experience however it is still driving experience.

And finally of course, the obvious answer to all those dissatisfied with the way Seasonals work, ''''''''''just play online where you are racing against real people.'''''''''''

Some of whom who will be better drivers than yourself.

I'd love to race against some real drivers, but random shift work and limited time doesn't permit that. The SRF experience can only have a negative impact on ones total driving experience. If one had it forced on anytime you played GT5 for 1 year, you'd be terrible at GT5 afterwards.

 

[C_Raccoon23]

Can't understand what the problem for people is here.

These Seasonals allow many players to build up their bank account in able to purchase better cars etc etc, all the while gaining more experience behind the wheel.

Of course SRF negates some of that experience however it is still driving experience.

And finally of course, the obvious answer to all those dissatisfied with the way Seasonals work, ''''''''''just play online where you are racing against real people.'''''''''''

Some of whom who will be better drivers than yourself.

The problem is that seasonals are a lazy solution to a bigger issue: the lack of events in GT5. There wouldn't be a need for them if the core career mode were designed better.

And no, playing online is not the ultimate solution to everyone's problems. I personally can't stand GT5's online system due to the lack of matchmaking. And even then, I'm more interested in a game's offline campaign than playing online.

 

[Crispy9001]

I 100% agree with you on the subject. I would rather see packs of cars exchanging position through the field, like real world, than what we have now. In real road racing, there seem to be packs of 3, 4, 5 car battles at different locations through the grid. I would love a seasonal that would end the last lap battling with three other cars for the win. If you pass them at the wrong spot early in the lap, they may draft by before the finish on the last straight.

Unfortunately, I have zero hope that PD will create events like this. Look at the GT5 seasonals and A-spec game play all the way back to GT1. There has always been a rabbit. In all of the titles GT1 to GT5, how many events can you count that did not have the one car rabbit? I can think of only one; the NASCAR challenge in GT5 where you had to plan the draft and a last lap pass at the right time so that you didn't get the sling shot move done to you on the last straight.

It wasn't as bad in previous games; as long as you were equal in power/weight stats with the opponents or maybe slightly inferior in power/weight stats or tire grip grade, you'd get decent competition.

For instance, in GT1 (even back then), the terribly super-close transmission that only goes up to 170-180 MPH on the Subaru Impreza Rally Edition I recently used would be easily beaten in a GT World Champ. opening race at High Speed Ring by the full-on dedicated track car that is the Gran Turismo-signature Castrol Tom's Supra.

However, I'm thinking after you complete an A-Spec event in GT6, you can go back to it with the AI having power/weight stats that are equal to your car's for higher competition levels in earlier events or any event alongside a more reactive, professional AI.

 

[Dan]

Personally, I hate these new Seasonal Events. The unrealistic course maker tracks, forced SRF, and of course, THE RABBIT.

In my opinion, singleplayer is pretty pointless. I didn't learn anything from singleplayer, except for GT Academy and trying to beat my best lap times on my own. With singleplayer, you can bash the hell out of your opponents, without penalty. In multiplayer, if you do that, one of (or all) several things will happen:
1. You lose the race
2. Other players will return the favor to you, planting your face into the guard rail
3. You'll get kicked

With singleplayer, there is very little (if any) challenge to it. Almost all singleplayer races allow you to enable every possible driver aid. Automatic transmission, ABS, TCS, SRF, you name it. Plus, not every multiplayer allows RACING SOFT tires on a crappy hatchback from the 1980's. If there was a multiplayer-only Gran Turismo game, I would be more than willing to buy it. That way, Polyphony can focus on more things like bug fixes, better cars, and better sound rather than glitched out AIs.

 

[saxplayer1998]

Also, even if the seasonals end up being stupidly easy, even with the rabbit format, the SRF forced on actually hurts me. Sometimes I'll try to kick out the tail just a bit to correct a corner angle but I can't. If I do happen to be able to kick it out, I'll try to correct when the SRF kicks in and I'll hit the wall, get mad, and rage quit.

 

[sid_chiclana]

More seasonals and less (or none) endurance, that's my point

 

[Crispy9001]

More seasonals and less (or none) endurance, that's my point

Well, well, well, you LIKE passing useless AI cars that don't give any response to your existence or don't give any decent competition and just getting endless money for little effort?!?!? , Just like in real life, kid, playing Gran Turismo is not about money; its about owning all kinds of cars beyond imagination, tuning them to heart's content, and racing them against others around the world. Money is simply the way to increase your car collection and how fully-tuned your cars are, not the only reason you race or play Gran Turismo. Like with "playing the game" of life, money is just simply the way to make you and everyone else in the world be successful and blessed in life, and it shouldn't just be you only having the money and that money should not be the only reason you live in the real world.

Just a comparison.

 

[NCRthree]

The problem is that seasonals are a lazy solution to a bigger issue: the lack of events in GT5. There wouldn't be a need for them if the core career mode were designed better.

And no, playing online is not the ultimate solution to everyone's problems. I personally can't stand GT5's online system due to the lack of matchmaking. And even then, I'm more interested in a game's offline campaign than playing online.

This is so true. If (and a big one at that) the AI could be tailored to different levels, then there could be some interesting longer Events. It looks like PD could add some longer races for seasonals along with these predictable sprints. Why not a 25 lap DTM race at the Nurb GP/F? Longer F1 races? We've got Enduros in ASpec, why not a continuation of those in seasonals?

 

[byegad]

I know the AIs can drive a lot faster when prodded to do so in B Spec. The trick for making the Seasonals, and other races better would be to put the AI cars in a different order, so faster ones are passing other cars further up the field, so as you come up on them they would be involved in their own race.
However AIs in B spec will insist on making stupid passes, on the outside going into a corner for instance. AIs will also hang on the tail of another car through a series of corners and straights rather than taking a different line to put them on the inside for the next corner. Surely this could be programmed in??

 

[NCRthree]

Personally, I hate these new Seasonal Events. The unrealistic course maker tracks, forced SRF, and of course, THE RABBIT.

In my opinion, singleplayer is pretty pointless. I didn't learn anything from singleplayer, except for GT Academy and trying to beat my best lap times on my own. With singleplayer, you can bash the hell out of your opponents, without penalty. In multiplayer, if you do that, one of (or all) several things will happen:
1. You lose the race
2. Other players will return the favor to you, planting your face into the guard rail
3. You'll get kicked

With singleplayer, there is very little (if any) challenge to it. Almost all singleplayer races allow you to enable every possible driver aid. Automatic transmission, ABS, TCS, SRF, you name it. Plus, not every multiplayer allows RACING SOFT tires on a crappy hatchback from the 1980's. If there was a multiplayer-only Gran Turismo game, I would be more than willing to buy it. That way, Polyphony can focus on more things like bug fixes, better cars, and better sound rather than glitched out AIs.

Best way to eliminate these issues is some personal restraint. To learn better car control, I try to not make any contact with the AI and stay on course. 2 wheels on track like a WRS Time Trial. Treat an offline AI race like you would with OLR rules-if you dive bomb or accidently push an AI off it's line to gain a position, give it back. That's your own mistake. Also, don't use any aids at all including and specifically ABS, use default or worse tires and use stock vehicles. Tuning only if it's absolutely impossible to keep up and get close to a win. I add my own weight in ballast.

There was a thread a long time back called Immaculate Challenges. The challenge was to win using similar parameters in seasonal events. So to spice up offline, I try to race like that. Cockpit view makes it more interesting too.

 

[Lewis_Hamilton_]

I'd quite like to see some difficulty tiers being selectable before you enter any Seasonal Event, like you do in Arcade mode; Beginner, intermediate and expert.

I think it would be good if you could select what difficulty you'd like to play at (again, as in arcade mode), where selecting expert really does push the AI to it's limits and driving aids are forced off. Each tier could adjust the PDA accordingly, so winning at 50PP below the limit would pay out a lot more in expert difficulty than if you were to run at the same PP at beginner's difficulty, with intermediate obviously coming somewhere in the middle.

I think they could satisfy a lot more people this way.

 

[jimipitbull]

Seasonals are as hard as you make them. Lower your PP, change the tyres, use slower cars, turn ABS off, etc

 

[NCRthree]

Seasonals are as hard as you make them. Lower your PP, change the tyres, use slower cars, turn ABS off, etc

That's all true but the issue here is not the difficulty, it's the locked in 5 lap/5 race events.

 

[Motor City Hami]

That and the AI following each other around like it is a parade lead by one rabbit. You're really only racing the rabbit. PD can do better.

 

[Dan]

Best way to eliminate these issues is some personal restraint. To learn better car control, I try to not make any contact with the AI and stay on course. 2 wheels on track like a WRS Time Trial. Treat an offline AI race like you would with OLR rules-if you dive bomb or accidently push an AI off it's line to gain a position, give it back. That's your own mistake. Also, don't use any aids at all including and specifically ABS, use default or worse tires and use stock vehicles. Tuning only if it's absolutely impossible to keep up and get close to a win. I add my own weight in ballast.

There was a thread a long time back called Immaculate Challenges. The challenge was to win using similar parameters in seasonal events. So to spice up offline, I try to race like that. Cockpit view makes it more interesting too.

I hate driver assists, except for ABS. I almost always play with assists off. Traction control doesn't help me at all. I can get much better lap times with TCS off than with it on. Assists only hold me back.

 

[bs13]

Seasonals are as hard as you make them. Lower your PP, change the tyres, use slower cars, turn ABS off, etc

But that is just a workaround for a poorly implemented AI system.

We need an event creator with plenty of options and an AI that is actually intelligent. Imagine being able to set or randomize some or all of the parameters. IMHO it would be a game changer and possibly eliminate arcade mode and seasonal events except for the competitions.

 

[Motor City Hami]

We need an event creator with plenty of options and an AI that is actually intelligent. Imagine being able to set or randomize some or all of the parameters. IMHO it would be a game changer and possibly eliminate arcade mode and seasonal events except for the competitions.

Now that would be cool. Give us the event, but let us set the difficulty level (not just PP level) and the ability of the AI. If you like events where the AI never pass you back and slow down with just a touch of the bumper, set it. If you want more unpredictable AI who may go off the race line to protect a lead or draft you for a pass back, set.

For A-Spec and the Seasonals, I usually set up my cars to have the same or less straight line speed as the AI so that I have to work harder to make it up in cornering.

 

[nkavcic]

For me..., it is like this:


I am a type of player who likes to win easily..


Why?


Because in my world (country,region,city etc..) you must fight for everything with everybody and yes.. family and friends included


You finish school,college,university or some academy and they f** you all the time through your journey and then you have a massive problem and that is how to find some job and earn some money to eat something -.-



For that reason i like stupid AI and i like easy wins because it gives me wings to fight everyday with this world where money is everything..





If you like challenges,you can always go to lobby and race somebody.. I think that this is good way to make things more interesting..


I am happy with how things works

 

[Stotty]

I'm not sure how the AI can be as bad as they are... TOCCA 2 had awesome AI that were a real challenge in the higher game levels, and that was donkeys years ago.

Anyhow, GT has never really been about the AI races, particuarly since on-line racing started.

Just use them as a cash generator and move along.

 

[Bwootzabaa]

Did any of you play with Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars when you were kids? Did you hate those cars for their unrealistic size and poor imaginary intelligence? Good Gracious.