GT Sport Discussion Monday - Gran Turismo Series

[Paul Jeffrey]

From Gran Turismo on the PlayStation 1 all the way through to the new GT Sport, it's Monday morning so let's have ourselves a good discussion!

Polyphony Digital have held the lion share of the console racing game marketplace pretty much ever since they released the original Gran Turismo back in 1998, however the landscape is changing and as technology continues to march forward and new rivals appear on the scene, Polyphony and the GT series have had to make some dramatic departures form customary form to stay ahead of the times.

Always presented in near flawless graphical fidelity and benefiting from a mega development budget, how does the GT franchise of games resonate with our readers here at RaceDepartment?

From tips on how to get the most from the various different GT games, to sharing your personal favourite moments, please use the comments in section in this article to discuss all things Gran Turismo!

Mondays be like....

 

[FishPapp]

Been playing GT since the series launched way back when so was keen to dive into the demo. I played for an hour or so, and then went straight back to Assetto Corsa.

Says it all really.

Will see if GT Sport can be patched to make the driving more engaging but, atm, I cannot justify spending £40+ for an inferior driving experience.

Playing on a T-150 wheel.

 

[Blkout]

I have to admit that GT Sport is much better than I expected it to be after so many delays. This game oozes car history and its a real tribute to those that love cars and their heritage. I love the small touches like the showroom promo commercials and videos. I love the showroom dynamic themes when choosing a vehicle color. I love the history of vehicles and their slideshows. There's just so much to take in and enjoy in this game, its clear that it was made for those that are extremely passionate about cars. The graphics are gorgeous which is a nice change for the GT series, aliasing is finally on par or better than other console games and the lighting looks phenomenal.

What I don't like so far, the gameplay still feels strangely archaic, almost like I'm still playing Gran Turismo 1 with updated graphics. I dislike the handling model of this game but I seem to remember, all GT games have been this way with a controller. I don't have a PS4 compatible wheel but I'm certain that's the better way to play this game as a controller just has doesn't convey much feel about what's going on with the car unlike Forza's fantastic haptic response. The handling model feels counter intuitive to every other racing game I own but some may prefer it, its distinctly Gran Turismo in this regard, love it or hate.

Overall based on the demo, I'm really looking forward to the final game next week but still can't shake the feeling that the gameplay still feels very archaic.

 

[Blkout]

I have a PS4 Pro with GT Sport on order and should arrive in the next week. If it gives me half the fun I had with GT5 it's my euros well spent. Can't wait to plugin the T500 and start racing.

Download the demo today and start playing, everything you achieve in the demo will carry over to the full release next week.

 

[Paul Bennett]

Like most have said think I started with GT2, then GT3. Went onto Forza an was done with the buttons by 2012.

 

[Riblo]

My first GT was GT3 with PS2 bundle
And GT3 was the driving game that made me buy a Wheel (before i always played driving games on PC only and with keyboard first and then with the same joystick i used to play flying games)
I had countless hours of fun with GT3 and GT4
Pity GT5 and GT6 disappointed me a lot and then the crazy Sony decision to not support older wheels like my G27 on PS4 (and the same wheel compatibility problems on Xbox) made me say goodbye to driving games on consoles and to return on PC only (i never get PS4 and X1 and i dont feel i will ever buy a new console in the future)

 

[BlindDeadMacSlow]

I cut my teeth on the early GT series as well. It's one of those historic fond artifacts of personal history that stays with you forever. At the time it was the go-to racer to have on PS... Ah, my Renault Clio, modded to the extreme, gun metal grey, blacked out windows, lime green wheels, evil, just pure evil looking & it scampered off into the distance like a an F1 car on heat. Everyone laughed at it until we hit the track.

Only thing that used to bug me about the GT series was the damage model, as in, there wasn't one...

 

[snyperal]

Nah I am sorry.

Years ago Gran Tourismo was the pinnacle of console gaming. I remember it fondly, GT2, and GT3 were ground breaking titles. However, since then... The world has changed, much like Forza on the Xbone, GT is really going to have to up its game to be anywhere near competitive with the likes of Assetto Corsa, and Project CARS 2 both doing what they do very well. From the track list posted earlier, to the feature set, I just cannot see anything enticing here, nothing that the competition doesn't do or at least a variation of.

Admittedly I haven't trawled this titles feature list like I perhaps should, but i got burned with 5, and prologue, and they would have to do something truly groundbreaking to get me to buy a ps4. Considering that with Forza, which in my opinion is it's direct competition, I can race in my Sim upstairs in my game room, or just sit on the sofa downstairs on my xbone all for one price? Beat that sony. seriously.

I will look into its feature list, I won't write it off just yet, and I will come back and revisit my post if i see something that gets me interested.

 

[GP20]

After a few hours, the game feels empty for me.
Not enough cars and not so interesting.
FFB and sound are basic.
UI is nice.

We will have a great GT Sport 2 (in 3 years).

 

[nambdi]

I got Gran Turismo 3 on my Playstation 2 when it first came out. I played that game to death. The licence tests.......... My first car i bought was a red Honda Accord,the 90's version. But for some reason i remember my blue Toyota Celica more. I think i accumulated, hold on lemme check, 4034.14 MILES on that car. I still feel like its mine though. Every car i bought in that game stuck with me. I abandoned the Celica once i started winning better cars like the Ford GT40 and my favorite, the Viper GTSR concept car. I moved on to Forza 4 but i just didn't ever get what i felt in Gran Turismo from Forza. Man i feel like playing it now. Just gotta find my better PS2 controller.

 

[Tr3voRR]

Wish it had a steam release, I will not buy a console for a single game.

 

[Chobonator]

Does it have a red flashing number to tell you the preferred gear?

 

[Greg Latty]

GT started my passion for cars. I remember certain times as a kid that I knew they names of certain cars because of GT.

 

[Jiltjes]

I´ve had all the Gran Turismo´s in the series, except for the 200 Tokyo release...
Now I am more into PC racing, with AC, R3E, PCars2, rF2.
Tried GTS in beta version from a friend, but I guess...hmm how to discribe it, It feels like sex with a condom. Still pretty nice, but maybe a bit numb...

 

[SAGY31]

Fond memories of playing GT2 on PS1 with friends during summer break. It was mostly hot lapping for licenses and only gold medal we didn't manage to win is Dodge Viper @ Laguna Seca (margin of less than 0.010s), great time of my childhood! There was always something interesting to do in career mode so if they gone with this approach throughout the years of many GT titles it should be fun. However, there's no way I'd buy a PS4 just for GT Sport.

 

[Team_MoFF-No2]

Played the all, been disappointed since GT6. Gt sport Demo was fun when I finally got connected, but then I lost connection again, and stopped trying after 5 times. It was fun and looked far better the PC2 on ps4. I most say, that overall visuals winner is still Driveclub on Ps4..

 

[Furnace Inferno]

Nah I am sorry.

Years ago Gran Tourismo was the pinnacle of console gaming. I remember it fondly, GT2, and GT3 were ground breaking titles. However, since then... The world has changed, much like Forza on the Xbone, GT is really going to have to up its game to be anywhere near competitive with the likes of Assetto Corsa, and Project CARS 2 both doing what they do very well. From the track list posted earlier, to the feature set, I just cannot see anything enticing here, nothing that the competition doesn't do or at least a variation of.

Admittedly I haven't trawled this titles feature list like I perhaps should, but i got burned with 5, and prologue, and they would have to do something truly groundbreaking to get me to buy a ps4. Considering that with Forza, which in my opinion is it's direct competition, I can race in my Sim upstairs in my game room, or just sit on the sofa downstairs on my xbone all for one price? Beat that sony. seriously.

I will look into its feature list, I won't write it off just yet, and I will come back and revisit my post if i see something that gets me interested.

I disagree, Forza hasn't tried to compete with GT since the first game and has now gone off on a completely different tangent focusing on tuning, painting, car collecting and generally not the actual racing.

GT (used to be at least) more like an RPG where getting new cars was like getting a new more powerful weapon to defeat your foes and you had the grind up the earn it. It didn't hand out cars like candy so when you did get your first race car it was something special, that's what people love about GT, it's more RPG than most RPG's as you literally create your own stories from your career path.

GT's real problem is series fatigue and yet it still outsells the competition with ease. The question is how do you reinvent it without completely changing what makes it GT because what Forza does is not the answer IMO and that is the question lots of long running series face.

 

[snyperal]

I disagree, Forza hasn't tried to compete with GT since the first game and has now gone off on a completely different tangent focusing on tuning, painting, car collecting and generally not the actual racing.

GT (used to be at least) more like an RPG where getting new cars was like getting a new more powerful weapon to defeat your foes and you had the grind up the earn it. It didn't hand out cars like candy so when you did get your first race car it was something special, that's what people love about GT, it's more RPG than most RPG's as you literally create your own stories from your career path.

GT's real problem is series fatigue and yet it still outsells the competition with ease. The question is how do you reinvent it without completely changing what makes it GT because what Forza does is not the answer IMO and that is the question lots of long running series face.

Yeah, fair comments. One of the highlights of both early gran Tourismo and Forza games is when you start out, dirt poor where each upgrade is a hard thought about decision and you can feel the effect on handling or speed.

The new forza, the starter car already has a host of upgrades, which is a mistake in my opinion and loses a little of the fun of it.

 

[Chobonator]

The question is how do you reinvent it without completely changing what makes it GT because what Forza does is not the answer IMO and that is the question lots of long running series face.

I think Forza overtook Gran Turismo pretty easily, mainly because GT has not been evolving. Of course, Forza is done now, so that opens the door for GT to come back.

Honestly, it looks like they're doing the right thing. Fewer cars, a more focused experience, less boring grind with pointless events (hopefully), etc. Just focus on sensible racing events like the career in Project CARS 2 does, instead of endless 2-lap shootouts that teach you to drive like a maniac then spend your money on tires and turbos to get to the "next level", because that's been overdone for more than a decade.

 

[Furnace Inferno]

View attachment 215925

One car to rule them all...

 

[Furnace Inferno]

Yeah, fair comments. One of the highlights of both early gran Tourismo and Forza games is when you start out, dirt poor where each upgrade is a hard thought about decision and you can feel the effect on handling or speed.

The new forza, the starter car already has a host of upgrades, which is a mistake in my opinion and loses a little of the fun of it.

Well that and the fact you only stay in the car for a few races before you are whisked off to a new event or level up and handed a new car, plus the Forza Loyalty Rewards which give amazing cars straight out the gate. I honestly don't know what they can do though because starting from zero every new game with the same grind just isn't fun when there is a new game every 2 years so they almost have to make it easy.

I think Forza overtook Gran Turismo pretty easily, mainly because GT has not been evolving. Of course, Forza is done now, so that opens the door for GT to come back.

Honestly, it looks like they're doing the right thing. Fewer cars, a more focused experience, less boring grind with pointless events (hopefully), etc. Just focus on sensible racing events like the career in Project CARS 2 does, instead of endless 2-lap shootouts that teach you to drive like a maniac then spend your money on tires and turbos to get to the "next level", because that's been overdone for more than a decade.

I don't know, FM1 took the crown for me but then the career modes in FM3&4 sucked so much and completing the event list in FM4 was mind numbingly boring with so many almost identical events which were just filler. GT5 had them beat handily and that's saying something because that game had a terrible grind system as well to get to level 20 before it would even let you actually race certain events. However it had dynamic weather and lighting and whilst it couldn't hold 60fps at least it was ambitious which is more than Forza can say.

Online is obviously a different discussion but then Sony in general were a long way behind on that front too so I think it's unfair to pin it all on PD.