GT5 GT5 'Course maker' revealed

[Kevin Watts]

Pushsquare.com has posted news of GT5 producer Kazunori Yamauchi discussing GT5's 'Course Maker' feature. He stresses that its not a full track editor but will allow the user to select themes for the track i.e location types, the number of sections, length, weather and time of day and then allow the user to edit each section and also edit the corners to define the width of track, how tight the corner is and banking.

 

[Ross Balfour]

The Course Maker instead will allow players to create custom race-tracks based on set parameters. Players will be able to select a theme (Toscany and Belgian High were revealed), choose the number of sections and course-type (point-to-point or loop), select the weather (yes, weather!), time of day and length.

Once the parameters are in place, you’ll be able to edit your course section by section. You’ll be able to create curves, set the course width, define corner sharpness, create bank angles and much more. Presumably players will be able to share their creations online.

That sounds really cool! GT5 just seems to be getting better and better by the second - thanks for the link Kev

 

[Dave Stephenson]

I guess limiting the creation to a subset of whats available within the engine will allow quick transfering of the created tracks. Not that GT is ever short of content but things like this should go a long way to improving the games shelf life. Can't remember any other A-Grade console racer to offer this kind of ability. That will be a big finger to Forza once again then

 

[Christopher Mattiuz]

That will be a big finger to Forza once again then

Which finger, I wonder?

Wel, I hope I can re-create a certain original track from a pre-rFactor game for GT5. It'll be interesting to see if it can be done and how close to the original I can make it get.

 

[FerrariMan96]

It's A pity that the creation will be limited. Something similar to the modnation racers track editor would be better (minus the powerups and jumps and then added support for something like the SObjects in BTB).

 

[Chris Cronshaw]

PGR 3 Had a track editor so i don't think it would be much of selling point or finger up as i don't think it made it into PGR4, and i found people don't want to faff building/editing tracks they want to race classic tracks.
They certainly are taking a bit of every racing game ever released for GT5 though, lets hope all these additions don't affect the on track action.
The inside Sim racing review said the handling model is similar to FM3 which for 5 years of development isn't great IMO.

 

[Rob Simms]

I think it would be better for karting or drifting.

 

[Tor Anders Berven]

This is a perfect way to exploit the track editor function:

Point-to-point rally stages will be automatically and randomly generated – you’ll have to depend on your co-driver to give you the best instructions about the road ahead.
(quote Yamauchi on Tokyo Game Show)
http://www.gtplanet.net/gran-turismo-5-tgs-2010-breakout-session-full-details/

 

[Ben Buitendijk]

That is awesome! Will be proper rallying then, because with RBR for example, I drive the stage 5 times then I know it a little bit and use the codriver only for a little help... Now he is really neccesary!

Can't wait

 

[mikem]

PGR 3 Had a track editor so i don't think it would be much of selling point or finger up as i don't think it made it into PGR4, and i found people don't want to faff building/editing tracks they want to race classic tracks.
They certainly are taking a bit of every racing game ever released for GT5 though, lets hope all these additions don't affect the on track action.
The inside Sim racing review said the handling model is similar to FM3 which for 5 years of development isn't great IMO.

You have to consider that when the guys at ISR preview GT5 demo, it was done under "convention show" condition. The wheel, for example. was the Logitech DFGT which is a good wheel but not quite as good as the Fanatec Turbo S which both Darin and Shaun use for Forza 3. And there are so many other different variables you need to consider especially when the comparison was done not side by side but rather through impression.

And PGR3 track editor is a simple place a point/mark on an existing track similar to the one in Midnight Club, for example. In GT5 is more of a track generator where you enter important perimeters to a few pre-determined themes (rather than track):

"The parameters available include switching between a loop/circuit and a rally-style point-to-point track, selecting the weather, the time of day, the frequency of corners, the sharpness of corners and the bank angle. The track can be divided into up to four sectors and each sector given a different set of corner characteristics – so you can generate a long straight in one sector and a tight, complex series of corners in the next. Kazunori demonstrated all of these features and the track generation time was incredibly short. The track is limited to 6.5 miles/10km, but since that’s nearly twice the length of an average F1 track, even the most ardent future-Tilke should be happy!"

As with everything else is the intention and implementation that make the difference.

 

[Kevin Watts]

A short video showing some footage from the course maker can be seen below: