Gamers Wanted (Forza, XBOX/PS4) - Winter Camp
- Thread starter Nik
- Start date
I wish you lived closer, Dub. I would like to try GTS so that I could give a more detailed opinion on it, but I've only tried it at Best Buy while some kids were crying and yelling at me that they wanted a turn, and their scowling mothers were apparently counting on that machine to babysit for them for a while so that they could shop in peace.
I was big into Gran Turismo back in the day on my PS2. I played GT3 and GT4 a lot, and I was very excited for the launch of Gran Turismo 5, even though it meant that I was going to have to upgrade to a PS3. About a month before the launch, GT5 was postponed for a month, and then three months, and then a year. I couldn't take it. I got desperate, and bought an X-Box 360 and Forza 3. It was fantastic! Even Forza 3 was so much better than GT4. Then Forza 4 came out and it was even better. When GT5 finally came out, I went out and bought it and a PS3 my first days off back home from work. I hated it. My PS3 was a very expensive BlueRay player for years, and it has been unplugged and collecting dust ever since I got my X-Box One.
The irony is that I am willing to bet that our complaints about each game are likely the same, and it is probable that we are both just misled by the representation that we have been shown of each platform.
What sold me on Forza was the realism in the car handling, the fact that all cars were different (and you could tell!), and the ability to tune the car myself using specific components and adjustments - not just a 'stage 3' upgrade pack. Even Forza 3 had 'real' damage, and although at that time it was more the sound than anything else, I knew when the car was at the edge and when it was going to go out of control. If you hit something, it would damage your car and make it slower and handle differently. Forza 4 upped that in a big way. Forza 5 and 6 were more about better graphics and more cars and tracks, but the handling was already on-point so there wasn't much to improve, except that they added a clutch!
What kills me about Gran Turismo (only speaking of GT5 and less, because I haven't tried anything newer), and the same can be said for Forza Horizon (and even Forza Motorsports if you use the settings to turn all the difficulties off and nannies on), is that it is too much like an arcade game. Impossible handling characteristics, being rewarded for bouncing off guardrails like it's something that you should do, and slamming into other cars is largely inconsequential - it's more often used intentionally as a way to win.
I think it is unfortunate that we seemed to have hit the plateau between FM4 and FM5. Since then, it has been more about the graphics and liveries, faster cars with traction and stability control, active handling, etc, that makes it more about your fast muscle twitch and reaction time rather than what it should be about - your knowledge of how to handle your car and drive it to the best of its ability without going overboard. Now you just download the highest-rated tune that someone else made, and smash your way to the front of the line - Something that would never happen in a real race.
I was big into Gran Turismo back in the day on my PS2. I played GT3 and GT4 a lot, and I was very excited for the launch of Gran Turismo 5, even though it meant that I was going to have to upgrade to a PS3. About a month before the launch, GT5 was postponed for a month, and then three months, and then a year. I couldn't take it. I got desperate, and bought an X-Box 360 and Forza 3. It was fantastic! Even Forza 3 was so much better than GT4. Then Forza 4 came out and it was even better. When GT5 finally came out, I went out and bought it and a PS3 my first days off back home from work. I hated it. My PS3 was a very expensive BlueRay player for years, and it has been unplugged and collecting dust ever since I got my X-Box One.
The irony is that I am willing to bet that our complaints about each game are likely the same, and it is probable that we are both just misled by the representation that we have been shown of each platform.
What sold me on Forza was the realism in the car handling, the fact that all cars were different (and you could tell!), and the ability to tune the car myself using specific components and adjustments - not just a 'stage 3' upgrade pack. Even Forza 3 had 'real' damage, and although at that time it was more the sound than anything else, I knew when the car was at the edge and when it was going to go out of control. If you hit something, it would damage your car and make it slower and handle differently. Forza 4 upped that in a big way. Forza 5 and 6 were more about better graphics and more cars and tracks, but the handling was already on-point so there wasn't much to improve, except that they added a clutch!
What kills me about Gran Turismo (only speaking of GT5 and less, because I haven't tried anything newer), and the same can be said for Forza Horizon (and even Forza Motorsports if you use the settings to turn all the difficulties off and nannies on), is that it is too much like an arcade game. Impossible handling characteristics, being rewarded for bouncing off guardrails like it's something that you should do, and slamming into other cars is largely inconsequential - it's more often used intentionally as a way to win.
I think it is unfortunate that we seemed to have hit the plateau between FM4 and FM5. Since then, it has been more about the graphics and liveries, faster cars with traction and stability control, active handling, etc, that makes it more about your fast muscle twitch and reaction time rather than what it should be about - your knowledge of how to handle your car and drive it to the best of its ability without going overboard. Now you just download the highest-rated tune that someone else made, and smash your way to the front of the line - Something that would never happen in a real race.
You really need to try GT Sport, or better yet, Project Cars 2, if you're into the realistic sim racing. The new Sport and PCars 2 are much more of a simulator than a game, and you can tune your car, with endless options. In fact in PCars 2 you can go as far as to tape off part of the grill on stock cars, and even tape it right off, but risk the chance of damaging your engine, or blowing it all together.
Honestly, if you don't join a league with any title, and just race in the general lobbys, you'll never enjoy the experience as much, there's just too many dummies out there.
If you're looking for clean, competitive sim racing, go to GTS or PCars 2 and join a league, but for cruising and raising hell, Forza is pretty cool.
Honestly, if you don't join a league with any title, and just race in the general lobbys, you'll never enjoy the experience as much, there's just too many dummies out there.
If you're looking for clean, competitive sim racing, go to GTS or PCars 2 and join a league, but for cruising and raising hell, Forza is pretty cool.
Damn, how did I miss this thread?
Literally just sold my rig this morning.
I’m down to play but I’ll be using my controller now haha.
Literally just sold my rig this morning.
I’m down to play but I’ll be using my controller now haha.