GT4: Still Lacking in the Race Rush dept.

GT4: Still Lacking in the Race Rush dept.

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bigjimmy

Original Poster:

3,123 posts

247 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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Over the last year or so people have been making suggestions for improvements to the Gran Turismo formula that can be added to number 4. People have suggested better tracks, more cars, crash damage and better AI for the other cars.

Yet I'm not sure I have ever seen anyone put down a protest about there only being 6 cars on the track. Does anyone else feel this is cr4p for a racing game in 2004? Does anyone know why the number of cars will be limited to 6 in the new game?

The only thing i can come up with is that it would take too long to create every car in every series they feature. (why do all 20 cars when you can get away with doing 6)

trackdemon

12,318 posts

268 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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Good point

Liszt

4,330 posts

277 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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bigjimmy said:

The only thing i can come up with is that it would take too long to create every car in every series they feature. (why do all 20 cars when you can get away with doing 6)


My best guess would be hardware limitations. To model a different looking car just requires the texture skin to be created, which is not a huge job.
The problem comes with keeping track of many cars, their condition direction damage etc and then try to render it all in real time. End up with processor overload so the frame rate slips which means it doesn't play or look as good.

Mr E

22,127 posts

266 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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Liszt said:


My best guess would be hardware limitations. To model a different looking car just requires the texture skin to be created, which is not a huge job.
The problem comes with keeping track of many cars, their condition direction damage etc and then try to render it all in real time. End up with processor overload so the frame rate slips which means it doesn't play or look as good.


I would suggest it has quite a lot to do with available memory in the PS2 to hold all the models and textures.

But yes, I'd like 12-14 on track at once.

I'd also like a city mode in 'real' traffic a-al Burnout....

Rob P

5,785 posts

271 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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To be honest, how many times did you actually "race" in the GT series?

Its usually a case of beating all the cars to the first corner then driving three laps by yourself.

_dobbo_

14,617 posts

255 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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Rob P said:
To be honest, how many times did you actually "race" in the GT series?

Its usually a case of beating all the cars to the first corner then driving three laps by yourself.



The thing I always hated with a passion about the GT series is the driver AI. They just hug the racing line, never take any risks, never take any evasive action.

In TOCA2 (for example) if another car is faster but can't get past, they will take more and more drastic action to pass you and each other.

Izza

571 posts

283 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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But if its a hardware issue how come games like (TOCA) Race Driver and Race Driver 2 have larger fields? And still run ok and have a similar level of graphics?

Yeah the AI really pisses me off to.
It's like the AI cars are glued to the road. Punt on in the side and it just stays there.
They punt you in the side and it's HEEELLLOOO scenery!


Pierscoe1

2,458 posts

268 months

Wednesday 15th September 2004
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agree with the AI issues in GT3.. hopefully this will be resolved in GT4. Take a look at the AI in BurOut3.. the way they get more and more aggressive and start shunting you left, right and centre is sublime!

as for the small number of cars.. may well be to do with that awesome handling and physics engine that we all love so much for giving us the endless laps trying to perfect the perfect drift...

the physics engine in GT3 runs at double frame rate of the visuals.. so that would certainly eat into the available CPU/GPU time that could otherwise be used for extra cars...

Ahonen

5,023 posts

286 months

Sunday 19th September 2004
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Mmm, all good points. It's a good job all the graphics, cars, handling etc are so good on GT3, because as a racing game, it's not very good. Far too easy to win and the AI is rubbish - plus if you try to give yourself a challenge by selecting a really underpowered car in Arcade mode, the AI cars are downgraded to match...

Even the much maligned Le Mans game on PS2 has up to 24 cars on track at the same time - which is good because you're always passing people. Most of my time on GT3 is spent trying to beat my own fastest laps - which is really enjoyable, but it's more like testing than racing.

Two-player GT3 is always good fun though.

Pierscoe1

2,458 posts

268 months

Sunday 19th September 2004
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I play GT3 (still, after 3 years) but only to try and get that elusive perfect drift lap in my RX7...

always searching for that little bit more angle, or slightly smoother exit / transition..

Ahonen

5,023 posts

286 months

Sunday 19th September 2004
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For me it's the wet street circuit (Special Stage Route 5, or something?) and the Ruf RGT with all 1100bhp. Wheelspin in every gear and never in a straight line...

PiB

1,199 posts

277 months

Sunday 19th September 2004
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In simulation mode it can be very competitive depending on how fast your own car is. Often I start out a series with a good advantage but half way through the cars get tougher. Ideally I win every race but it gets tougher and tougher.

The stability control/traction control is what bothers me. A GT40, ac cobra, and others do not have these technologies yet all cars on GT3 have them. In arcade mode a little help is fine but the simulation should be real. I just hope the physics system is as good as ever and the sounds are improved. More help on setups would be nice. A more robust force feedback steering wheel would help. I hope GT4 will have the complete Nurburgring.

I recently got one of the open wheel formula cars from the Polyphony digital cup and driving it was amazing. It takes the handleing to a whole other level. Brake super late, corner super fast, wow. Okay it's just a game.

Ahonen

5,023 posts

286 months

Monday 20th September 2004
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I can't stand the traction control, stability control etc, so they all get turned off straight away.

Izza

571 posts

283 months

Monday 20th September 2004
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PiB said:

The stability control/traction control is what bothers me. A GT40, ac cobra, and others do not have these technologies yet all cars on GT3 have them. In arcade mode a little help is fine but the simulation should be real.


I completely agree with you here. There is a option in the options to swicth on or off TCS and ASM but that only applies to acrade. Every car you get in GT mode still has it one. It's a pain in the arse to go thru and turn it off on every car you own.
And like you say, timeline relevance. Computer controled systems on cars that dont have a mircochip in them. Come on!

The way I keep entertained with GT3 now is to progressively take slower and slower cars up against the big boys. My fave of this trick is a Motorsport Elise (Exige), fully worked to about 360bhp, up against the GT1 crowd (R390, 787b etc). Best track for this is Corte de Azure.
Then you get some racing!

>> Edited by Izza on Monday 20th September 01:16

Rob P

5,785 posts

271 months

Monday 20th September 2004
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I know the N'ring is in GT4 but any idea on other real tracks?