Corporate Conspiracy Theory

[SkylineObsession]

You want MORE Skylines? Nearly 10% of the cars in GT4 are already Skylines.

I want more Skylines too. Mainly because my real life Skyline isn't in the game anymore. 👎

And because i love them so much.

Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Porsche weren't in the game because of licensing issues (I believe EA has exclusive rights to those vehicles) ...

As j8mie mentioned, the licences held by EA ran out a long time ago which is why all these exotics are and have been appearing in plenty of other games lately.

But the licences also cost a fair amount of money - the only reason the other games have these manufacturers and not GT is because they rely (even only a little bit) on exotic cars to help sell the game to people. Whereas Gran Turismo can sell by it's name alone, nevermind what cars are in it, so they didn't see why they should fork out insane amounts of money just for the licences to a few cars.

If other developers keep forking out the amount of money Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini etc want then the cost of those licences will only ever go up i predict.

My two cents anyway (may not be entierly true, but it is the way i see things).

And i'm also annoyed the original Mini isn't in the game (along with plenty of other cars).

 

[JCE]

Ok, I'm not tryin to step on anyone's toes here, but maybe you're forgetting this game is made and developed in Japan. They're catering the game to Japanese buyers, not hardcore car enthusiasts in Europe/Britain [*you forgot America, Austrailia, and the rest of the world by the way*].

This is utter and complete bull****. If they were catering to Japan WHY THE BLOODY HELL did they even bother to translate it into other languages, measuring units, and money format? Your post has to be almost the biggest crock I've read all week. There is no, and I mean NO excuse that the Japanese can come up with that will explain not only the bias but the inconsistancies in even the cars they DID put in. And for that matter, they even left out some Japanese cars that deserved to be in AND didn't even check thier own details of thier own country's cars themselves before putting them in. That tells me they are biased AND slightly lazy--or just don't care. The good out ways the bad in this game yes...but something like this can utlimately cause the player to feel a little "cheated". I like 99.8% of the non-Japanese audience bought this game JUST because it was the new GT game...next time for GT5 I will wait until a (almost) complete car list is released to check to make sure of it's country balance before shelling out another $50 for a damn game. Maybe we all should learn a lesson here...don't just buy a game because it's the next one down the sequel line without careful consideration.

 

[RenesisEvo]

My pennies' worth...

In GT2 - the original, old Mini was a blast - loved it.
In GT3 - I got my Mini to beat a Dodge Viper, Corvette C5, AC Cobra and others in 3 laps around Laguna Seca - you couldnt do that if the Mini was rubbish.

So why is it not in the PAL version?? I just hope its been overlooked. I havent driven my Marcos Mini yet - its much rarer, but its just not a Mini. The BMW Mini is a 0.5-series more than a Mini.

BTW Mini's are built about 1 mile away from where I'm typing - the Cowley Plant in Oxford. I've had a tour and there is no reference to the old Mini at all!! None!!

PD/KY = Japanese, and obviously designed for the home market, hence the large number of Japanese cars. I dont mind too much, but they should seriously consider their international status now. After GT2 i was shocked to find something non-Japanese in the second-hand car market though!!

Ferrari - keep them AWAY from GT... we don't need more mundane "supercar" rubbish that people hype on about all the time. Ferrari's are everywhere - Pagani's, Lamborghini's, Edonis, Ariel Atom, Radical SR3 Turbo ('Ring record holder) - stupidly rare and seriously potent machines, worthy of inclusion. But then everyone has their own opinion. What about the world's fastest road production car (the Koenigsegg CCR?)

And someone at the start of the post mentioned the Chrysler 300C. Go hang your head in shame - that car, like almost anything American built, is afraid of anything approaching a curve in the road. (You think I'm kidding? The Corvette C6 still has leaf-springs on the back ). American cars are good for straight-line speed, nowt else. Quick comparison: 2.4 litre American V6 - 150bhp. 1.3litre Japanese twin-rotor: 228bhp. 1.6-litre Rover K-Series: 190bhp. America are the king of "sledgehammer to a nut". Hence I dont mind the lack of US cars. There should be more Euro stuff, and Australian too - if they have the Ford Falcon, they should have the Holden Commodore.

</rant>

 

[colnajoe]

I know not all of you have been "bashing" bimmers, but to those who have... why? Mini was obviously going to vanish from the face of the earth, and despite the unfaithfullness newer version, what reaction would BMW have gotten if they left Mini alone, continuing in it's downward spiral. It is a shame that BMW isn't paying more homage to the Mini's history, but if you look at BMW's lineup they have really only payed homage to themselves with the the 3-series and upcoming 2-series (2002), and the Z8 (506) in recent ad campaigns and car designs.

There is two ways to look at this argument: BMW has bought the Mini brand and now wants to capitalize off of their "new and improved" version, and forget the older version existed... or BMW has salvaged the Mini brand name, given it even more int'l appeal than it had before and introduced the Mini to a generation that most likely didn't even know what the hell a Mini was before. I prefer the latter.

I have to admit though, being the owner of a total of 5 bimmers (2 currently), a former owner of a beemer, and a member of the BMW CCA and MOA... I am quite biased . Hey, atleast they are still made in the UK and have no Bavarian flags on them... although I have seen some mods . This'll probably be my one and only post; I just had to stick up for my fellow 'bahn stormers!

 

[Imports4Life]

This is utter and complete bull****. If they were catering to Japan WHY THE BLOODY HELL did they even bother to translate it into other languages, measuring units, and money format? Your post has to be almost the biggest crock I've read all week. There is no, and I mean NO excuse that the Japanese can come up with that will explain not only the bias but the inconsistancies in even the cars they DID put in. And for that matter, they even left out some Japanese cars that deserved to be in AND didn't even check thier own details of thier own country's cars themselves before putting them in. That tells me they are biased AND slightly lazy--or just don't care. The good out ways the bad in this game yes...but something like this can utlimately cause the player to feel a little "cheated". I like 99.8% of the non-Japanese audience bought this game JUST because it was the new GT game...next time for GT5 I will wait until a (almost) complete car list is released to check to make sure of it's country balance before shelling out another $50 for a damn game. Maybe we all should learn a lesson here...don't just buy a game because it's the next one down the sequel line without careful consideration.

I can tell you a good reason why they bothered to take the time to translate it. Money. They're milking every last dollar out of it by selling it to every market they can. Inconsistencies? I'm guessing to actually GET the game out as soon as possible. Look how long it's taken to get GT4 out, and it's still nothing great. It's more like an expansion pack if you ask me, not a sequel. Regardless, the game still pushed pretty big numbers simply on the name itself.

But, come on, you can't hate the developers because they didn't put in a certain car you wanted. No matter what, no one is ever going to be happy. If everyones request got filled, the game would be about 15 disks, just because of all the extra features they want. My Cadillac didn't make it in the game. No biggie to me. I don't like the game because of the gameplay. The reason being, every car is pretty much the same. They all feel the same to me, they have absolutely no character whatsoever (waiting for the fanboys to attack me). They guarenteed the "Ultimate Driving Simulator" and instead we got an arcade game.

So what if this is the biggest "crock" you've read all week. It's just an opinion. The game's "biased"... oh no! It's not the end of the world. Like I said before, Japan's runnin the show here for the GT-series, and as long as it makes money, they can do whatever they want. GT4 seemed to hit the spot for the average console-racer, and I think that's all they care about.

 

[Raymoon]

That's a very nice mini you've got their

Hope to have one like that one day.

 

[mbavaria30s]

end game, you'll never know why the car was not included until you ask PD themselves.

And on the subject of bmw and mini, they are most likely trying to establish the new mini as an entirely different take, instead of a recreation of the old mini heritage. As fantastic of a car as it is, many, many, many people who make up the bread and butter of buying a newer car in that price range would not buy a car like that without the extra space, ammenities, and so on. Even though the original Mini is a badass, trying to rebuild a mini while complying to all sorts of saftey requirements and et cetera, and keeping the cost down, and keeping the weight and complexity down, would be not only down right near impossible, it would also create a vehicle for a very small group of people. Whether we like it or not, car companies are still in it to make money.

 

[chaos95]

There should be more Euro stuff, and Australian too - if they have the Ford Falcon, they should have the Holden Commodore.

...Um they do have the Holden Commodore... And technically they don't have a Ford Falcon road car.. they have an older V8 supercars race model and the FPVs...

 

[50/50]

..and this is where we start desiring some competition so that PD can't slack off at all next time...

 

[Chris Criswell]

That guy said Bavarian Moronic Wankers

I've seen plenty of Mini's in Texas though, so they are somewhat a hit. I don't care for the original mini either. No it's not because I'm ignorant, or american, as stated by you. People like certain cars, not everyone likes a certain car either, and just because they don't like that certain car doesn't mean they are ignorant or American.

 

[Chris Criswell]

I just read through the thread about the whole, Chrysler 300C argument going on.

I'm american, I don't like the car either. Just because I'm american doesn't mean I like American cars more than anything else, nor I think they can kill other cars on the track or in a straight line. I could care less.

Some luxury cars are made just for people to buy to show them off( Yes there are people like that). And the Z06, everyday people that buy these cars don't go flying on the road all day, and racing it at a track..I know a couple of people that own Z06's and they don't race them. They just like the car. And as for the whole Domestic/Import ordeal, I wouldn't give a crap who wins, can't we all just get along, and listen to ourselves once in a while?

 

[JCE]

And someone at the start of the post mentioned the Chrysler 300C. Go hang your head in shame - that car, like almost anything American built, is afraid of anything approaching a curve in the road. (You think I'm kidding? The Corvette C6 still has leaf-springs on the back ). American cars are good for straight-line speed, nowt else. Quick comparison: 2.4 litre American V6 - 150bhp. 1.3litre Japanese twin-rotor: 228bhp. 1.6-litre Rover K-Series: 190bhp. America are the king of "sledgehammer to a nut". Hence I dont mind the lack of US cars. There should be more Euro stuff, and Australian too - if they have the Ford Falcon, they should have the Holden Commodore.

</rant>

First of all, which car and what model trim did that 2.4 liter V6 you came up out of nowhere come in? Secondly, let's take a look at a list of power laps from a favorite show of mine Top Gear:

1st Ferrari F60 Enzo - 1.19.0

2nd Ariel Atom - 1.19.5

3rd Porsche Carerra GT - 1.19.8

4th Mercedes McLaren SLR - 1.20.9

5th Ford GT - 1.21.9

Ferrari 360 CS - 1.22.3

Porsche GT3 RS - 1.22.3

Murcielago - 1.23.7

Zonda - 1.23.8

Koenigsegg - 1.23.9

Noble - 1.25.0

Gallardo - 1.25.8

Lotus Exige - 1.26.4

Chevrolet Corvette - 1.26.8

Porsche 911 GT3 - 1.27.2

TVR 350C - 1.27.5

BMW M3 CSL - 1.28.0

Dodge Viper SRT-10 - 1.28.5

MG SV - 1.28.6

Porsche 911 Carrera S - 1.28.9 (very wet)

Mitsubishi Evo VIII - 1.28.9

BMW Alpine Z8 - 1.29.0

Mercedes CL65 - 1.29

Alfa 3.7 GTA - 1.30.0

Subaru Impreza STI - 1.30.1

Aston Martin DB7 GT - 1.30.4

Audi S4 - 1.30.9

Porsche 911 turbo - 1.31.0

Vauxhall VX 220 turbo - 1.31.3

I don't think that's really all that slow, and with the exception of the awsome Atom the price for that kind of speed is much less in the Corvette when compaired to the Itailian and German cars before it. Also, you want to know why American cars may not have the extra BHP in thier 4cyl and V6 engines? America does not need it nor do they really care...the gas prices there are not as high as in not only your country but alot of other ones across the world. So more people here drive SUVs and Pickup Trucks with V8s in them because they do not care about fuel economy as much. Americans buy cars for the most part for style and comfort and not break neck speed. If the public cries out for faster cars with more BHP then the American companies will oblidge...that's why the Monaro with the Corvette LS1 ('04)-LS2 ('05) came over from Austrailia...and more American cars are getting Turbos and S/Cs. But since gas is going up here rapidly the emphasis will be more on fuel economy before too long and you'll see your Chevrolet Cobalt SS with 180BHP or more and your Focus with more BHP than currently offered. What this post doesn't mean is me completely defending American car companies and the cars they sell but more addressing the gross misrepresentation of American cars. Having my free choice I've owned 8 of my 10 cars Japanese and my very next car will be either an Audi (A4 or S4) or another Nissan (350Z). I absolutely detest the interior cheapness in alot of American cars and alot of Japanese cars for that matter...and let's face it most of the sedans are completely hideous in my opinion (which includes the super hideous 300C). It just irks me when people just randomly generalize people just because they aren't from where they live and assume things based on conjecture. And just so you know, Japanese V6 sedans vs American sedans are fairly even on the track unmodified and natually aspirated. I owned a Maxima and I've driven a non S/C Grand Prix and they were about even in the speed department. The Maxima just looks a hell of alot better with a nicer interior. Oh and one last thing, you really don't expect us to believe you really want more Aussie cars...with the exception of more power most of them have similar interior trim and build quality as the American versions with the same or similar chassis. Which isn't an insult since they both cost about the same amount.

 

[DuefoMachine]

I'd just like to clarify a few of my own points that are starting to become twisted (probably my fault):

1) I have nothing against the new BMW made Mini as a car in its own right. I only object to the use of the name which I believe is purely for marketing purposes, as opposed to it trying to do acheive the goals that the original Mini was designed for.

2) I am not discussing if the classic Mini is or even was the greatest car ever. This is always going to be a matter of opinion. I only say that it is great enough to be worth featuring in the game even if a lot of players will ignore it.

3) I feel the inclusion of the classic Mini in the Japanese version but not in the European or American versions must mean that there was not a problem with rights in the way that Porsches/Ferraris are omitted etc.

I hope the topic of discussion can be "why is this absent?" I may be arrogant, but I am yet to see a reason that makes more sense than my 'conspiracy theory'.

 

[Shafted]

Judging by Your Ignorance, Your probably American, and dont even know the heritage of this vehicle,

If you aint got anything nice to Say Dont Say, beacuse its not even constructive,

1. I'm English.

2. My family used to have a ****ing mini cooper.

3. I was talking about the mini in the game, not in real life.

4. You seem to be having a problem with beginning random words in your sentences with capital letters.

5. It's 'you're'

6.

If you aint got anything nice to Say Dont Say, beacuse its not even constructive

That sentence makes NO sense.

7. Using being American as an insult isn't going to make you any freinds, as i'm sure that there are plenty of American people on this board.

8. If you wish to send me any more intelligent comments, then please email me at suckmyballs@ballsuck.balls.

 

[Famine]

*has to mop up coffee again*

Just for you, Shafted...

 

[Shafted]

Is that supposed to be aimed at me? If so, why?

 

[Famine]

For your point 5. So you can use it in the future...

Just thought you might find it funny.

 

[Shafted]

Ahh thankyou, i thought you might have been using that to take the piss out of me or somthing.

 

[Famine]

No - I'm MUCH less subtle than that.

 

[Double_R]

Since getting the game (PAL) I have been searching everywhere for how to find the actual Mini (Cooper) to no avail. (To prevent any confusion, I am refering to the Mini as designed by Sir Alex Issigonis in 1957, not the fat hatchback released around 2001)

I cannot believe that this car has been overlooked by the team at PD. It is at least as popular as the VW Beetle, as long running as any other production car and has the racing pedigree to match any other production car.

The trouble is, a group of Bavarian Moronic Wankers bought the rights to the Mini, and the Mini name so that they could cash in with their own version. The new MINI One and MINI Cooper were then released, and both appear in the game (although strangely appearing in the UK section, and not the German one, alongside BMW)

Now why would the original Mini not be honoured, as the 'old' VW Beetle is alongside the new Beetle? The only conclusion (IMO) is that the new owners of the Mini name are desparate to hide the fact that their new version is not only far more expensive than the original (even in relative terms) but also has inferior handling and is less fun to drive, facts which would become apparent if both versions were modelled as accurately as GT4 manages. Now think how devastating to game sales it would be if there were no BMWs in the game (No M5, no M3, no M coupe)

Your a bit gay. BMW did a good job with the new mini. Old mini no fast. old mini poo handle.

 

[kamikazekoala]

Well, the old Mini Cooper 1.3 '98 is theoricly in the PAL-version. The car is on the disc. You can get it in Arcade Mode BUT ONLY WITH an action replay/gameshark.

One question though. Has the Mini Cooper 1.3 '98 returned in the Korean version? 💡

 

[dorkempi]

Mr. Bean is angry!

 

[Deluxe Edition]

The mini is for fags, end of story.

 

[Mad Matt]

What have cigarettes got to do with it?

 

[vladimir]

The mini is for fags, end of story.

yeah, because they have taste.



btw, better be careful, quite some people have been banned for this sort of language lately...

 

[///M-Spec]

This thread is dangerously close to expiring unless the signal to noise ratio improves.


M

 

[Raymoon]

Well, the old Mini Cooper 1.3 '98 is theoricly in the PAL-version. The car is on the disc. You can get it in Arcade Mode BUT ONLY WITH an action replay/gameshark.

One question though. Has the Mini Cooper 1.3 '98 returned in the Korean version? 💡

What is this "gameshark" thing? One again i'm sorry for being such a n00b on all the gismos to do with the game as all I can do is drive fast. 👍

 

[MadduckUK]

What is this "gameshark" thing? One again i'm sorry for being such a n00b on all the gismos to do with the game as all I can do is drive fast. 👍

just a quick google away from not sounding like a "n00b"

 

[Chris Criswell]

Famine, looks like Double R wasn't paying attention to YOUR lesson.