The first GT game I & millions others will NEVER win a major race in.

[Sloppy Shades]

Actually first racing game from any era on any platform I and millions others will never win a race in. By major I mean the Sport Daily Races, which are THE major races in this game and therefore the ENTIRE raison d'etre for this release in the first place. To get anywhere with Driver Rating or Sportsmanship Rating you have to race in the Sport races. PERIOD. Unless in the full game there are countless other 'authorized' on-line sport challenges for every skill level this is going to be a relentless lossfest for the majority of us less than Godlike racers.
I'm a sporting chap, I hate cheaters etc so the ONLY incentive for me to keep playing the demo (never complain about free!) is to get my SR rating up to S. It's a challenge in itself. I'm A at the moment. My DR when it was E generally put me in races where I started around 5th position. Race leader still 5 seconds faster than me per lap so no chance of winning but a good scrap for podium (except there IS no podium - see below). Ironically scrap IS the word here. Finished most of those races in 15th or less due to the shunting of others. Since getting SR to A and DR to D I am now consistently placed 20 or BELOW in the grid. Every race without fail I maybe have a couple cars slower than me. For example I just came in 20th at mini Brands Hatch. Leader was 38 seconds ahead of me. In a 5 lap race!
I dont consider myself incompetent either, but unless you are the best there is ALWAYS someone better than you who will ALWAYS beat you easily.

Just raced a clean race on the coaster track. Started 20th finished 19th. My goal of getting SR rating S has jsut been achieved. Rather ironic as I am actually writing this post about that being my only goal!

So let's see if my DR rating of D and SR rating of S makes a difference in the next race? I noticed I got ZERO experience in that last race. So no incentive to keep racing there is there? This game needs IN SESSION QUALIFYING to at least give you a chance if you do your best lap and Mr Alien messes up for once.

MY FIRST SR S race details below:

Interlagos: Only 3 of us S rated so already stressed. Start 19th out of 22. Finished 14th. An enjoyable race but all for the wrong reasons! My goal was to see my S blue at the end. Passing people would risk losing that hard earned 'privilige'. Had some hard scraps only 2 people tried to shunt me off, I was happy to give them the finger when they failed. I drove consistently and fast, passing anyone who slipped up.
Once again NO chance in **** of actually winning the race, so fun in a free demo but I'm not paying to be cannon fodder!

SECOND SR Race: Brands Hatch.
Starting position 24 out of 24... sigh. Actually in THIS game that's a sigh of relief. I can NOT be shunted unless I dare to pass anyone! I finish 20/21. Each person I passed after they spun out or left track quit the session. The last guy didnt have time to quit as I passed him on final straight.

Oh and to make it worse..there is not even a podium at the end! Only First place and that's it! At least let there be THREE drivers and some kind of reward or trophy for getting into the first 3. Geessh.... Also PLEASE allow tuning..even if limited to gear ratios and springs. So at least like in real life the better car can have a chance of beating the better drivers.

 

[Downhill Dino]

I'm not exactly sure what you're on about but~

This game needs IN SESSION QUALIFYING to at least give you a chance if you do your best lap and Mr Alien messes up for once.

This would only increase the divide in drivers with the addition of obstacles and draft opportunities.

 

[zzz_pt]

In previous games we only had 1 winner per race too. If the same amount of people are playing the same amount of time, we'll get the same number of winners...and losers!

You can go to the lobbies and win there too. It will be easier if you have a high SP DC ratings since you can race slower people.

I don't mind not winning as much as in previous games provided the quality of my opponents is higher (not faster per we but better drivers in general).

I've been racing against the fastest in the world during this demo and I usually start between 4th and 9th. I've won once but most of the times I end up around 5th, a few others in the podium, less others bellow 10th. Before GTS it was impossible for me to race against the aliens and the fastest guys out there. Now I can and that's amazing, even if I don't win...I will get faster for sure just by trying to keep up with them.

PS: I won races at the beginning with the default DC and SP ratings.

 

[PzR Slim]

I've been thinking similar things for a while. The vast majority are not going to get that winning feeling. I have won quite a number of races in both the beta and the demo but I very much doubt I'll get anywhere near the aliens who will win the big important championships. Hopefully PD have thought this through properly and there will be lots of opportunity for winning no matter your skill level. Otherwise I can see people getting a bit disillusioned pretty quickly.

 

[sems4arsenal]

You can win in offline races and open lobbies ....... just like any other game in history.

If you're the sort of guy who must win then competitive gaming of any kind isn't for you.

 

[PzR Slim]

You can win in offline races and open lobbies ....... just like any other game in history.

If you're the sort of guy who must win then competitive gaming of any kind isn't for you.

I think the point being made though is that Sport mode is the main focus of the game. And relatively few people are going to actually win. In previous games in the online portion of the game that was probably the same but it wasn't the main focus of the game. A career mode was and no matter your skill level you could nearly always set the game up to make you feel like you were winning. It's a different dynamic this time and it will be interesting to see how it affects people who maybe wont trouble the podium or top of the leaderboards.

 

[Sloppy Shades]

You can win in offline races and open lobbies ....... just like any other game in history.

If you're the sort of guy who must win then competitive gaming of any kind isn't for you.

Please note I said MAJOR and went on to clarify I meant the SPORT races which this game is after all named after. Of course I can win lobbies, beginner races and arcade. This WHOLE GAME is so well publicized as to be ONLINE mainly. Hence why I only talked about that.

I think the point being made though is that Sport mode is the main focus of the game. And relatively few people are going to actually win. In previous games in the online portion of the game that was probably the same but it wasn't the main focus of the game. A career mode was and no matter your skill level you could nearly always set the game up to make you feel like you were winning. It's a different dynamic this time and it will be interesting to see how it affects people who maybe wont trouble the podium or top of the leaderboards.

Thanks for appreciating the point. I think a lot of people are going to just stop playing it after they reach their level in the offline stuff and realize they are outclassed by light years online where it counts. People dont buy games for lobbies, they are just a fun extra when you've finished the main game.
People who buy this SOLELY for the online like most MP game players are going to be in for a shock.

 

[ryzno]

I RARELY won in GT5&6 online.
Didn't stop me from having fun.

 

[FT-1]

No need to feel downbeat about not being able to win, just adopt the typical gamer mentality. Winning "major" races offline has shown you are a competent driver.

Therefore, anyone who places ahead of you online is either using hacks or has no life....

 

[sems4arsenal]

I think the point being made though is that Sport mode is the main focus of the game. And relatively few people are going to actually win. In previous games in the online portion of the game that was probably the same but it wasn't the main focus of the game. A career mode was and no matter your skill level you could nearly always set the game up to make you feel like you were winning. It's a different dynamic this time and it will be interesting to see how it affects people who maybe wont trouble the podium or top of the leaderboards.

Please note I said MAJOR and went on to clarify I meant the SPORT races which this game is after all named after. Of course I can win lobbies, beginner races and arcade. This WHOLE GAME is so well publicized as to be ONLINE mainly. Hence why I only talked about that.



Thanks for appreciating the point. I think a lot of people are going to just stop playing it after they reach their level in the offline stuff and realize they are outclassed by light years online where it counts. People dont buy games for lobbies, they are just a fun extra when you've finished the main game.
People who buy this SOLELY for the online like most MP game players are going to be in for a shock.

Not sure I agree with the reasoning here. You can easily ignore Sports mode if you wan't to simply win. Not winning isn't a new concept either. I rarely win in FPS games for example.

 

[Famine]

Actually first racing game from any era on any platform I and millions others will never win a race in. By major I mean the Sport Daily Races, which are THE major races in this game

The vast majority are not going to get that winning feeling.

GT Sport's matchmaking system should pit you against people of a similar skill level to you. It needs plenty of data points, so you need to do plenty of Sport Mode races. The more you race, the more accurate it is, and the more it should be able to put you into a race with people you can beat on a good day.

I've had four races so far. I've won one, come second in two and the third was a Gr.4 race at Lago Maggiore - which is basically tenpin bowling. I've been put second, eighth, first and fourth on the grid thus far.

 

[Sloppy Shades]

GT Sport's matchmaking system should pit you against people of a similar skill level to you. It needs plenty of data points, so you need to do plenty of Sport Mode races. The more you race, the more accurate it is, and the more it should be able to put you into a race with people you can beat on a good day.

I've had four races so far. I've won one, come second in two and the third was a Gr.4 race at Lago Maggiore - which is basically tenpin bowling. I've been put second, eighth, first and fourth on the grid thus far.

SHOULD pit you I agree...Ive done about 30 races I think best ive finished is 12th i think. My point is that I'ma very patient old player. Lots of people who get this game wont have the patience to go past 30 races...not even 1 or 2 if they start last and finish last.

I RARELY won in GT5&6 online.
Didn't stop me from having fun.

Well yes but...those games had massive career modes built in too. Did you only get them to play online? Online is like a bonus in most AAA games with single player built in. You beat the main game then show off your skills on line for replay value. You already beat the game itself so who cares about winning online. There is not a game to beat offline here, is my point.

 

[VBR]

@Sloppy Shades - I actually had a similar yet opposite experience in the closed beta. The game never matched me with any decent opposition, so I qualified in P1 all the time & then drove off into the distance & won everytime (I am faster than average, but no alien). It was an incredibly dull & boring experience, & made me wish I was battling in the mid-pack for fun with gentleman racers. Nearer the end of the closed beta, however, I did start to get some competition as regards race pace of other competitiors, but like you they were all dirty drivers who punted me off at every available opportunity! Some of the worst sim racing experiences of my life right there, & incomparable to the awesome community of Shuffle racers back in the days of GT5. Even years of hosting Tuning Prohibited lobbies in GT6 with all penalties off in public rooms only resulted in me having to kick 3 people out in all that time. And that's not even possible now in GT Sport, as it seems the option to have fixed setups is no longer there.

 

[DALESR4EVER]

I never won that often in the previous games, but I always seemed to nab a top 10 or better.

My 1st GTS online race was the Gr.B rally race at Suzuka short. Qualified 2nd with a 55:055 in the Gr.B Mustang.

Funny enough I was the only one in the Mustang. I spun in the 1st corner and ended up dropping to 17th, and fought back up over the 5 lap race to finish 3rd on the bumper of the 2nd place finisher.

Was quite pleased. I must admit, trying to make up places after a big mistake is really intense.

Either way, most of my playtime will be lapping the cars around the various tracks in the Time Trial section of the game and taking photos. That's 90% of what I did in GT6.

Just keep practicing and you'll start to get better. Pick a class of car, pick a track and keep running it over and over, and you'll improve.

Nothing, unfortunatly - not even GT's strict penalty system - will stop the toxic players from showing up and destroying every thing. Just the way of online racing.

 

[Sloppy Shades]

@Sloppy Shades - I actually had a similar yet opposite experience in the closed beta. The game never matched me with any decent opposition, so I qualified in P1 all the time & then drove off into the distance & won everytime (I am faster than average, but no alien). It was an incredibly dull & boring experience, & made me wish I was battling in the mid-pack for fun with gentleman racers. Nearer the end of the closed beta, however, I did start to get some competition as regards race pace of other competitiors, but like you they were all dirty drivers who punted me off at every available opportunity! Some of the worst sim racing experiences of my life right there, & incomparable to the awesome community of Shuffle racers back in the days of GT5. Even years of hosting Tuning Prohibited lobbies in GT6 with all penalties off in public rooms only resulted in me having to kick 3 people out in all that time. And that's not even possible now in GT Sport, as it seems the option to have fixed setups is no longer there.

@VBR I think the reason the opposition is so full of jerks now is that it's publicized as an online game mainly. Gt5/6 online players rarely purchased their copies solely for online, so by the time they logged on they had a healthy respect for the racer. I never go online in any game I just love GT so much I had to try my heart out these last few days.

 

[ChaseHQ]

I totally understand what you're saying, out of the 4(5) day beta demo i've never won a race. On 2 occasions i came close to winning but the thrill of racing against live opponents is breathtaking for me (not the demoltion derby ones though). I think it would be better to have a podium finish for 3 racers instead of just the one but maybe thats something that can be worked on. I think you'll get a win if you persevere but some people wont have the attention span for that, this is meant to be a racing simulator though & not an arcade game...

 

[05XR8]

So, in real life, there are Pro and Am, Gold/Silver/Bronze drivers. Working with the FIA, is this something that needs to be implemented?

I don't have the demo, nor have I been following the driver rating aspect of the game. GTS is basically a world "Blancpain" GT series. Will there be awards=wins for the "gentleman/woman" drivers and not just the Pro drivers?

 

[zzz_pt]

I just had (what I thought was the last of the demo but now I see more races scheduled O.o) a race against the top2 in Europe around Maggiore and I didn't win. I started second and finished second (less than a second), only passing by 1st position once during the race. I couldn't be more happy man. Such a blast trying to keep up with him.

This sure tastes like a win in terms of enjoyment and fun. And on top of that I can see myself winning more often against these people in the future. Because why not?

I think it has to do with how each person views competitive racing, as @sems4arsenal put it. If you like competitive sports / racing, you want to win but you want to have fun while trying to do it too...because that's how pro athletes / drivers do (large majority of them do spend their careers being "losers"... but they're there...something good must be keeping them otherwise there wouldn't be any sport).

As soon as you find the joy of a good, clean, competitive race, you won't care that much about winning. Because during a race you can have multiple wins against your opponents (overtake, defend you line, avoid a crash, avoid the mistake the guy in front is going to make, etc).

 

[cutmeamango]

Winning is excellent but the main drug of sports/competition is knowing you performed well, can improve and ultimately enjoyed yourself due all that physical exertion and psychological tension building up and releasing.

And then as pointed, matchmaking should provide a fair and leveled playground, which serves directly to performing well and improving, and maybe even winning.

 

[CodeCmdr]

Ive done about 30 races I think best ive finished is 12th i think. My point is that I'ma very patient old player. Lots of people who get this game wont have the patience to go past 30 races...not even 1 or 2 if they start last and finish last

If the best you've finished in 30 races is 12th, then you're much too cautious! Your car doesn't take any damage from contact with others (we'll see if that's different in the final game), so there's hardly any risk in minor contact. If you're highly averse to contact, others will have a very easy time shuffling past you. I'd recommend driving a bit more aggressively. If you're driving against other SR=B/A/S drivers, you probably won't get crashed into a lot.

I was at DR/SR C/C most of the day and actually had a lot of fairly fair races. I have the feeling that at DR=C, the collisions between drivers, although just as frequent as at DR=E, are less severe because at that DR most drivers have a consistent and predictable pace. At DR=E, there were bigger differences in pace, and thus more brutal collisions with higher speed differences.

Also, there's roughly a 1/24 chance in being the driver with the fastest qualifying time per race, so roughly a 1/24 chance in winning, assuming your race-craft is similarly good to the rest of the field. I had maybe 20 races this week and got 3rd once and 2nd once; no 1st, though.

 

[PzR Slim]

Winning is excellent but the main drug of sports/competition is knowing you performed well, can improve and ultimately enjoyed yourself due all that physical exertion and psychological tension building up and releasing.

And then as pointed, matchmaking should provide a fair and leveled playground, which serves directly to performing well and improving, and maybe even winning.

For you, me and probably lots of other people. However, there will be a whole bunch more people, maybe even the majority who don't see it that way. They play to win and to feel like they are winning even if they need to drop the difficulty way down to achieve that. They could always do that in the main focus of past GT games. It's different this time and it will be very interesting to see how they react to potentially not doing a lot of winning in the main focus of GTS.

 

[JoaoSilva]

Racing isn't about winning necessarily.

 

[Sloppy Shades]

Racing isn't about winning necessarily.

Put THAT as the slogan on the release artwork for GT Sport and watch sales tank!

 

[AudiMan2011]

It only took me about 5 total races in Sport Mode before I was able win a race tonight. I then won my 2nd race back to back immediately afterwards. Success in Sport Mode will ultimately come down to patience and persistence.

 

[JoaoSilva]

Put THAT as the slogan on the release artwork for GT Sport and watch sales tank!

I'm not talking about GT Sport , i'm talking about racing in general. Now if you have the need to win every single race , that's up to you , but that's not how it works.

 

[xJildertx]

I don't think that their skill based matchmaking was active during the beta.

I expect that when the full game has been released and we are a couple of weeks in. That you will be matched with more people of the same skill. Obviously these things always take some additional adjusting and tweaking.

 

[Obsidian-2]

I doubt the whole point of the game will be sport mode for me. I will probably play it occasionally and for tracks I am really good on. The main reason I played it in the demo was to get my SR to S. Now when the actual game comes out I plan on only racing in lobbies that have minimum SR ratings to A or S. As long as everyone begins at B, I know I will never start a room allowing B or lower, LOL.

 

[DaGiBUS]

It's only a game at the end of the day, and if you want to have fun but not win do what I did; meme around InterLAGos in the Beetle Gr.3

 

[syntex123]

Well yes but...those games had massive career modes built in too. Did you only get them to play online? Online is like a bonus in most AAA games with single player built in. You beat the main game then show off your skills on line for replay value. You already beat the game itself so who cares about winning online. There is not a game to beat offline here, is my point.

You got that wrong. I have several friends that play FPS games like COD and Battlefield, they NEVER touch the single player. They only play online. Some suck, some do good. They still «play to win». They’re having fun no matter what rank they get. Or how their K/D looks.

 

[HighStakes]

I do not mind not winning in Sport mode, especially now, at the beginning. My main goal is to improve myself over time naturally, and to have fun.
I am going to have a lot of fun with both Custom arcade feature and Sport lap times (Dont need to rank high or anything, i just try to do best i can at that moment and check out where i qualify when i race).

I am far more interested in getting in clean races and also training myself to be as clean driver as i can be, by doing more and more Sport races. However of course, placing as high as i can is still nice and long term goal, but no rush! I plan to enjoy this game for a long time.