A-Spec points: myths and truths

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justin_tyme

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I'd like to clear things up a bit regarding A-Spec points. One of the first reviews of the game (http://www.gameinformer.com/News/Story/200501/N05.0103.1834.18068.htm) boldly states the following:

"First off, you can use credits that you win from taking part in races to buy vehicles, as well as can unlock them for acquiring certain number of A-Spec points. Each race comes with a preset amount of A-Spec points and as you play through the game and acquire more, certain cars will become unlocked for use."

I think this is seriuosly misleading as I have yet to see proof of this. Other statements in that review are fairly inaccurate and show a very lacking knowledge of the GT series, which gives me even more reasons to doubt. I have about 4000 A-Spec points and I'm around 15% completion (I halso have some 2500 B-Spec points). I believe otherwise, as stated many times here, that they are just a 'meter' of how hard the race is going to be, nothing else. A statistic, just like the completion %.

Unfortunately the count is based on some very basic algorithms as it struggles for balance: I have engaged in 6-point races that gave me fairly more trouble than some other 80+ point race I've done. Moreover, a few Mission Hall scenarios award a whopping 250 A-Spec points in exchange of a very easy effort.

As a general rule, I know I will have a hard time when the A-Spec score is 120 or more. 200 and upwards I'd just rather quit and get a better car. I must assume I am a very lousy driver. :guilty:

I'd like to hear more about this from people playing the game, and how many points you currently have.
 
Useless? Well, not really.

The GT series has gone through many changes in the effort to keep the game balanced and interesting for everyone.

In GT2, if I remember correctly, they chose to limit entry to races based on horsepower, which must have pissed off a lot of players and resulted in the free-for-all GT3 approach. Then again, this destroyed the challenge altogether, so they came up with this method.

If you want challenge, now you have a way to measure it.
If you don't care and want to race an LM car against a fleet of stock 500's, there you go.

For instance, I welcome the fact that this time around you need a Japanese car to race in the Japanese Hall, and so on.

I for one welcome the A-Spec points as they help me keep the challenge going strong.
 
Well, i noticed that if you use a high powered car in a race event with low HP, in the end of the race your awarded less A-spec points. Especially in the races that award 100+ a=spec pts.
 
Hold on a sec, I just discovered something that might alter my beliefs.

I just completed a Nissan-specific race in B-Spec, and now have 2110 points there.

As soon as I got back to the main map, an alert came up with three lines of Japanese text. I can only make out "2005 F" which may sound like the end of a car designation.

Could it be that 2100 B-Spec points are a checkpoint for 'unlocking' this '2005 F'?
I think I have had these alerts already, but never really cared since I can't even look at Japanese text without feeling dizzy.

What gives?
 
There is only one condition to unlock the tracks in GT4, it is the day that you have played in Gran Turismo mode. It is not related to any points in the game.
 
justin_tyme
Hold on a sec, I just discovered something that might alter my beliefs.

I just completed a Nissan-specific race in B-Spec, and now have 2110 points there.

As soon as I got back to the main map, an alert came up with three lines of Japanese text. I can only make out "2005 F" which may sound like the end of a car designation.
Click to expand...

You have most likely unlocked the 2005F version of Fuji Speedway.
 
i agree... sometimes, a 100+ point battle is easy, while in an 8 point battle i had an s2k right on my ass.... ~_~ something seems screwy there...
 
Yes, the points unlock tracks in the Free Run modes and Photo Drive modes. Also in Arcade mode I believe. That message told you that you unlocked Fuji 2005 version. It's also used to measure your skill level. Anyone can get to 100% in the game but who can find the maximum level of spec points. You can only get the points in each race once, unless you better your previoius score later and then it will only add the addtional points greater that you achieved. So the total spec points one can get will be the ultimate bragging rights.
 
I like this new points system. It's not only how fast you complete the game, but how smart your decisions and strategies are when completing the game. And this new system shows this really well. Two thumbs up. 👍 👍
 
say u enter the race with 200 points, and u go back again, u'll get another 200 points.

some people were saying they were playing for 300 game days and still couldnt unlock hong kong track, while i unlocked it within 100 days.
 
Alzard
There is only one condition to unlock the tracks in GT4, it is the day that you have played in Gran Turismo mode. It is not related to any points in the game.
Click to expand...
Wait a sec, does that mean you unlock a track based on the number of races entered (ie you unlock Track X on Day 100)?
 
Dudes its simple.

When your in A spec.

Points are given on a basis of how powerfull and competitive your car is compared to the rest of the field.

I f your car easily outmatches your oponents or youve completecd it you get less points. :)
 
justin_tyme
Unfortunately the count is based on some very basic algorithms as it struggles for balance: I have engaged in 6-point races that gave me fairly more trouble than some other 80+ point race I've done. Moreover, a few Mission Hall scenarios award a whopping 250 A-Spec points in exchange of a very easy effort.

As a general rule, I know I will have a hard time when the A-Spec score is 120 or more. 200 and upwards I'd just rather quit and get a better car. I must assume I am a very lousy driver. :guilty:
Click to expand...

My (limited) experience with GT4 so far exactly mirrors yours. Here are three different races I entered with different cars.

1st race: ~120pt; Very tough, took a couple of tries to win.
2nd race: ~10pt; Very tough, took a couple of tries to win.
3rd race: ~10pt; Stupidly easy, car was not suited for the class at all.

Still, despite the limitations, in general I like the A-Spec points as they usually give you an idea of how competitive your car is compared to the competition. I am also having a hard time when A-Spec score is 120 or more and I also switch to a better car without racing if the points are up around 200 or more.

For reference the 2nd race (which gave me trouble) was the LightWeight Cup.
 
i get 200 points for trying to use a Honda Beat to race against the Bentley Lemans car

and i get 200 point using a stock G35 to race in All Japan cup which consist R34 GTR, NSX, WRX STi and still manage to win easily
 
a stock G35 can beat those cars?
those cars in stock form, it may possible
but i doubt All Japan Cup cars are in stock
 
My bad for not realizing at once that '2005 F' was a Fuji version, thanks guys.

Now all we need to know is exactly how this unlocking works, and how do B-Spec points contribute to this as well. Hopefully we'll have a chart sometime soon?

As for the point system being a little off, I thinks this is especially true in the Special Conditions Hall, where two different, say, 10-point races can be a world apart.
 
so with the points you just unlock new tracks and you get to know how hard a race will be or how competitive your car is, heh?...that´s nice and i even thought that you WIN CARS with this points(cause that would be stupid!!!)!!....so the tracky you win with points and the cars as we know it from GT1 on in races or championships!
 
I think you unlock tracks in Arcade mode by racing them in GT mode. Similarly if you win or buy a car in GT mode, it becomes available in Arcade mode. For the rest it is a matter of running the events in GT mode, winning these unlocks new events with new tracks and new prize cars, and racing them then unlocks them again in Arcade mode.

At least, that's what I think I read on gtweb and gt.de ...
 
So far i'm about 40+% in the game.
I have about 4000+ points in A-spec mode and 6000+ in B-spec mode.
However, I do believe that the points that nothing to do with unlocking anything, there are days i would come out of a license tests or photo shoots and still find some tracks unlocked. (So i believe it's the "days" thats unlocking the game)

However, I still think there are certain cars that can't be won/bought. For example, the Chevy SSR truck...
 
I'm still confused about the points system.

When you enter a race, it says how many points can be won, right ?
Are these points fixed for that race, or do they change depending on which car you enter ?

If they are fixed, maybe you can win a percentage of those points, depending on your car (ranging from 10% - 100% or so).
For example, for a car that is mildly overpowered for that race, you can only win 60% of that fixed number of points.
Totally overpowered nets you a maximum of 10 % of those points.
Is this a possibility ?

Anybody tried to enter the same race with different cars and see what points can be won ?

About the unlocking, I'm even more clueless ...


STEP_ONE
 
Do you earn less a-spec points for winning a race with a car with a stock engine but with a tweaked up suspension and drivetrain than with a totaly standard car?
 
I just did a few S-License runs and when I got back to the map one of these 'unlocking' messages showed up. No new tracks were available, so I can only wonder what it said. Still, this makes me believe the unlocking is unrelated to points as you obviously get none by doing license test.

Then again, it could have just said that the used car lists were refreshed (as in fact they weree). Damn I need to learn Japanese!
 
You'd best start learning the japanese now if you want it to be up to standard in time for Gran Turismo 10!

I've been learning for 5 years now and am just about getting to a point where I can read a fair bit. My GT4 hasn't arrived yet though so I can't help with any of the unlocking messages yet though I'm afraid.
 
Does the game tell you how to get the maximum number of points for a given race? Like telling you what kind of cars to use?

Sounds like a very similar system to that used in Project Gotham Racing.
 

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