Concerns over Damage

[UnkaD]

I REALLY hate the damage model in this game. I've gotten good enough that I can race alongside the AI to an extent, but I sometimes can't avoid the occasional light contact. The problem is that the lightest rub in this game causes any corner of the car to cave in about two or three feet. I also found out that you can't turn off cosmetic damage. This damage model is the most exagerated thing I have ever seen.

I just want to finish a race without any large blemish, but once I get frustrated it's almost impossible. I realize it's never a good idea to pass on the inside, because the AI will turn in on you and make your car ugly or you cut the track to avoid this and your car instantly stops and spins. As bad as I know it is, I would still take GT5's damage over this any day, because I know that if I scrape a car I'll only loose some paint.

Alright, friends. Rant over. I apologize if this is a repeat topic, but the search option gave me a bunch of outgoing links.

 

[Kake Bake]

I can personally attest to the extreme frustration that results from FM4's overly-eager damage modeling. Just today, I was trying to do an A600 Mustang career event at Sebring. It was an exercise in futility. The combination of invariable middle-rear grid placement, a standing start, bloated muscle-boats and the first turn hairpin made the restart option my best friend and worst enemy.

It's times like those that make me think it isn't anybody's job at T10 to check if the racing aspect of the game actually works. Somebody along the line must've just thought "Mustang club race, eh? Mustangs are American so I better put it on an American circuit. Let's see... Sebring's in America! Sebring Club Circuit it is. I wonder if I should check if the handling characteristics of the cars in the hands of the AI would create any problems with this combination. Nah! I've got 200 more events to create today."

The problem, however, is mostly with the AI here. Specifically that they're completely blind to their flanks. You could argue that it makes the career more engaging, but the difficulty is cheaply won; it isn't a sporting challenge. While not perfect itself, I prefer GT's too-submissive AI.