Track Designer

[fcorl]

I searched the threads and didn't find anything specific to this topic, although I have seen it mentioned in threads about what people would like to see in GT5. I think this upgrade could be a new and really cool component to GT5. After building the track, you could even manage the track and schedule the types of races being held. Profits could be used to improve the track or your racing team, in a career mode.

The ability to design and build your own custom tracks would bring this game to a new level. Everyday on my commute to work through Baltimore I dream of how I would design a Grand Prix city course though Baltimore, using parts of the interstate, the sweeping curves of the exit ramps and the tight corners of city streets along the waterfront. It would be great to be able to bring this course alive in GT5.

There are a couple ways to go about doing it: I'm not a game designer so bear with me. I don't know if these would all be feasible on he new system.

1. Obviously, the easiest way would to have track designing tools within GT5.
2. You could have a second disc or separately sold package, that had tools to design the tracks, buildings, and landscapes, then import them into GT5.
3. Allow the user to import certain file types from any CPU based 3D modeling software. GT5 would apply the skins, (color and texture), to the wire frame models.

All of these custom tracks could be traded on GTplanet….

As far as color and texture go, we wouldn't need much, maybe a few different road textures, forest types, and a series of pre-programmed city strips. The most important thing is designing the race line.

What do you think?

 

[MagpieRacer]

its a good idea, as regards to the enviroment thing, ala train simulator bring out packs that have cities on them and create a track within them etc.

 

[F1GTR]

I'll make a track with a loop-the-loop!

 

[DustDriver]

and with the promised damage it would be fun to brake when you're riding upside down

 

[fcorl]

its a good idea, as regards to the environment thing, ala train simulator bring out packs that have cities on them and create a track within them etc.

Great Idea! Imagine the possibilities if you could write code that could make use of satellite or topographical map data. With online play, people could have regional leagues that raced on courses through their local cities. (Like "The Rustbelt Races", city courses through Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago, Milwaukee, etc.) or ("The Tuscan Challenge", country courses through the northern Italian countryside with parts running through small villages like Citi Di Aria)

Another issue regarding courses:
With the power to accommodate many more courses in the future, GT5 needs to categorize courses a bit more. I mean if you are racing in a series that includes Seattle, Laguna, Infineon, and Yosemite, why would the next race be in Germany or Japan? I think race areas should be regionalized and styles be kept a bit random from series to series. Simply, keep all of the American races in America, and all of the Japanese races in Japan.

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Sounds good on paper, but in reality it would take a LOT of processing power and memory. Unless it was like an add-on (a la Concept) the only viable way of having it would be a DIY motorkhana/khanacross with something like GT4's Gymkhana where you places flags or lines to create a track. Having a full-blown track builder would just be far too difficult to include with 700+ cars and 50+ tracks.

 

[niky]

Simply: Free-roam map, City-sized, with multiple turns and intersections.

Pick your own route and the game automatically puts in the barriers.

 

[Mad Murphy NZ]

I'll make a track with a loop-the-loop!

Someone still plays with matchbox cars. 👍

A track builder would be the coolest thing they could do in GT5, I remember building tracks in V Rally 2 way back in the day, we'd build massive jumps and stuff.

 

[niky]

Sega V-Rally's track builder was an absolute blast... I miss it.

 

[VT]

Simply: Free-roam map, City-sized, with multiple turns and intersections.

Pick your own route and the game automatically puts in the barriers.

Or you could just go buy NFSU.

 

[niky]

Or you could just go buy NFSU.

NFSU, too!

Actually, it would be something like that, without the ridiculous jumps, obstacles and traffic. If they programmed something like that, a city map and hilly village map (for tarmac rallying) or a complex track map with infinitely variable track layouts, it would be interesting. And if you could save your favorite layout on a memory card, or share it online or in LAN games, it would make a nice addition to the game.

And it would be much more interesting in GT than in NFSU, because you'd actually have to learn how to drive it rather than just point and squeeze at every corner.

 

[Freddy]

This would be a great part of the Gran Turismo series if they add it.

I can imagine that building the track would be easy but what about the background? There must be some limits to that.

 

[drfterxl]

well they already have detailed models for photomode. as suggested above, you could explore these areas and turn them into tracks

 

[prisonermonkeys]

This would be a great part of the Gran Turismo series if they add it.

I can imagine that building the track would be easy but what about the background? There must be some limits to that.

That's my point: it's too difficult memory and graphics-wise. The only viable thing anyone has suggested is a city one where you place barriers and the like, but it would take up HUGE amounts of reosurces. Would you be willing to sacrifice the 50+ tracks or 700+ cars for this?

 

[Freddy]

I certainly would not!

 

[niky]

Nah... just need to lose about a dozen Skylines, (just one FR and one AWD of each generation, thank you), all the stupid RS Evos (if you can't change the crappy wheel sizes, they're pretty useless), and the "special edition Miatas" (which were half of them at last count), remove the Test Course, Motorland and all the other driving park courses, and you've got the city and/or multi-layout track with the placeable barriers. NFSU and Midtown Madness did very well in terms of track variety on a "variable setting" type track... and mind you, they fit into much less space than GT4.

That single track would serve for a:
1. Dragstrip
2. High Speed Test Course
3. Standing Mile or Salt Flat (Four KM down the main straight enough?)
4. Gymkhana in the parking lot
5. Beginner course somewhere in the or near the end of the main straight (so you can use the same pits)
6. Multiple tracks / tarmac rally stages or mixed surface stages...

only common point would be turn one and the pit lane entrance... you could have multiple pit lanes, though, by having them as a separate object/entity instead of part of the background/surface palette.

I think GT4 can take it... GT3 had the complex string, didn't it? And if your background is flat hilly grasslands, it wouldn't take mch memory to create a multi-layout track... but since GT5 will be on a more powerful media format, I don't think we'll have to sacrifice much in terms of detail on a track that big.