GT Sport's Austrian World Tour Event Showed How Good Racing Esports Can Be

Agreed. I gotta say that when I started the live stream I thought I'd last only 10 or 15 mins before I got bored, gave up and turned the PS4 on. However I lasted the entire 3 hours and 45 mins, was totally transfixed by the racing, and thoroughly impressed by the professionalism and slickness of the presentation.

it was a incredibly entertaining way to spend a Saturday evening at home.
 
Absolutely loved it, I watched it in 2 stints. Sat and Sunday evening.

The only bad bit was the two main commentators taking pot shots at each other, I don’t want to listen to that.

Oh and after watching hours of YouTube racing and knowing the drivers I had no idea who I was watching as the psn names were absent?

When’s the next one

Édit. Spelling
 
I didn't watch it, but it was a really nice touch that I was gifted 200k credits and 5k MP for sharing the same nationality as the winner.
 
I tuned in for the DLC reveal and stuck around for the racing. Quick word for the English commentators too. Jimmy Broadbent and the other guy where excellent.
 
Watched it and again I was impressed by the professionalism of this event. It was even better than the Nürburgring Nordschleife event.
The only bad bit was the two main commentators taking pot shots at each other, I don’t want to listen to that.

When’s the next one

Not familiar with the bold phrase, what does it mean (German is my mother tongue)?

Next event is in two weeks, 6.-8. October.
 
Not familiar with the bold phrase, what does it mean (German is my mother tongue)?

It means they were making jokes about each other.

Personally I watched the French stream and... French commentators love French athletes. Like, when France got on the podium, both of them were screaming "WOOOOOOO! ALLEZ LES BLEUS! WOOOOOO!" or something like that.

If they get excited like that about a video game, I can't imagine how they're like with a football team.
 
Watched it and again I was impressed by the professionalism of this event. It was even better than the Nürburgring Nordschleife event.


Not familiar with the bold phrase, what does it mean (German is my mother tongue)?

Next event is in two weeks, 6.-8. October.

In diesem Kontext, Verarschen, aber freundlich.

Although taking "pot shots at each other" can be very unfriendly at times.
 
I gotta confess, I get nothing from watching other people play computer games, but I get the impression if they teased updates in every live event, the viewing figures would climb!
 
Absolutely loved it, I watched it in 2 stints. Sat and Sunday evening.

The only bad bit was the two main commentators taking pot shots at each other, I don’t want to listen to that.

Oh and after watching hours of YouTube racing and knowing the drivers I had no idea who I was watching as the psn names were absent?

When’s the next one

Édit. Spelling
I agree!!
 
I gotta confess, I get nothing from watching other people play computer games, but I get the impression if they teased updates in every live event, the viewing figures would climb!
If anyone from PD, or with influence at Sony, is reading please use these events as a platform to promote future DLC, features and plans.

Obviously they will not always have content ready. But a sit down interview or teaser video in between races would keep GT fans tuned in. It’s an ideal platform for PD, Sony and GT Sport.
 
I've heard a few of the players real names mentioned on this forum but had to find out who was who after the event had finished. From my own perspective, it would have been better seeing the PSN names I know from GTS or at least hearing their aliases mentioned by the commentators. A lot of them were strangers until I looked them up. That's only a small gripe though as real names should appeal more to the wider audience.

The scheduling was fast but it worked well for me with almost back to back races. Maybe pad out the time between races with a small bio of the players? I know they're fast but a little background info would be good. It's too impersonal to only see what they can do with a wheel. A lot of the names are recurring at these events so let's hear more about them. Previous achievements etc.

The race commentary was brilliant in my opinion. Fast, energetic and perfect for the action we saw. The event hosts did a great job too. The banter was light hearted and the 'shots across the bow' were funny but while I laughed at the 'Thrustmaster' innuendo, that was likely the first innuendo I've ever heard at a race meet. Bring Julia back for the next event please.:lol:
 
The scheduling was fast but it worked well for me with almost back to back races. Maybe pad out the time between races with a small bio of the players?

I think after the Nurburgring event ran way over time they didn't want to end up with a silly 5 hour long stream again, this time it was bang on schedule. For the Regionals and World's there should be more time as Nations and Manufacturers get separated. Use that bottom right portion of the race broadcast for PSN names instead of redundant information they put on there during the race, would also help make it smaller and you can see more of the game.

The only bad bit was the two main commentators taking pot shots at each other, I don’t want to listen to that.

This is the central foundation for every British relationship :lol:, keeps us all honest. Watching it back I feel they did a great job and matched the tone of the event. Ultimately it was an exhibition, not a super serious lives on the line competition.
 
To be honest it was practically indistinguishable from watching real motor racing. It really wasn't at all like watching a typical twitch stream.

I understand it's great for the competitors but as a spectator experience I personally just don't get anything from it, it doesn't generate any emotion for me compared to the real thing.
 
This is the central foundation for every British relationship :lol:, keeps us all honest. Watching it back I feel they did a great job and matched the tone of the event. Ultimately it was an exhibition, not a super serious lives on the line competition.

Maybe I am getting too sensitive in my old age :)
 
It means they were making jokes about each other.

Personally I watched the French stream and... French commentators love French athletes. Like, when France got on the podium, both of them were screaming "WOOOOOOO! ALLEZ LES BLEUS! WOOOOOO!" or something like that.

If they get excited like that about a video game, I can't imagine how they're like with a football team.

Ah, thank you for that :)

In diesem Kontext, Verarschen, aber freundlich.

Although taking "pot shots at each other" can be very unfriendly at times.

Danke dir, jetzt ist mir ein Licht aufgegangen 👍
 
it doesn't generate any emotion for me compared to the real thing.

My heart was pounding. I got really emotionally involved. Each to their own, and I get why it may not have pushed your buttons but I really enjoyed it.

It ran better than the Nurb event. I suppose these will run better and better as they get accustomed to running this type of event.

The commentary was simply fantastic and just added even more excitement to the event.
 
They need to ditch the driver tags during races. Cluttered, distracting and immersion killing. Never liked them while racing, and I certainly don’t need to see them during a live race while spectating, especially when there’s already a complete running order always on. Not to mention the display that also shows who’s currently on screen.

There’s also basically zero interest or focus on the actual, physical drivers themselves during the races. Except for the post race interviews we may as well be watching AI at times. The actual racing has a strange “Wizard of Oz” feeling about it. My favorite part was after LeMans where the interviewer basically shooed the winner off by saying “go take a break” when he was clearly unenthusiastic.

“Dress hehearsal” for sure. It appears that unless you are a participant, visiting the venue live, (or PD), the races seem to have a random pointlessness and appear to be exhibitions for the sake of showing off. Makes it all uninspired; which reminds me that the play by play announcers are good. Has to be a tough job, don’t envy them.

Didn’t even watch the Manufacturers races because I find these streams way too long, ho-hum, with a few ‘moments’ here and there. Generally I find myself scanning through most of it.
 
Funny moments.

37:00
I love how Julia moves her head up and down while Yamanaka is talking, even though she has no idea what he is saying:lol::lol::lol:

And the awkward moment that made me laugh was at 16:33 when she tried her best to get her position, but failed.

Also, 9:47 where the woman gives them the signal to start walking and do the parade, but one of the drivers keeps staring to infinity so the woman tells him again.:lol:
 
I really enjoyed it. I spent a few hours watching it between Saturday and Sunday and I really enjoyed it. I would have liked them saying something about gamertags just to put a name to a face, but that's not to huge of an issue.
 
Funny moments.

37:00
I love how Julia moves her head up and down while Yamanaka is talking, even though she has no idea what he is saying:lol::lol::lol:

And the awkward moment that made me laugh was at 16:33 when she tried her best to get her position, but failed.

Also, 9:47 where the woman gives them the signal to start walking and do the parade, but one of the drivers keeps staring to infinity so the woman tells him again.:lol:


Or when she called the commentators Jim and Tommy. :rolleyes:

Overall a fantastic stream. I watched it yesterday evening as my weekend was quite busy. It was so energetic!

@Jimmy B and @Tom did a fantastic job conmentating, although a bit too fast, but what can you expect since the racing was fast paced too. They made it nervewracking to watch. Couldn’t have been anyone else in that box. Well done.

I’m definitely looking forward to the regionals now. :cheers:
 
Agreed, but if I post the link at FB SimRacersTM, I'll get insta ban :D

I play GTS exactly how I play iRacing, and its a sim for sure ( at least for me )
 
This is the central foundation for every British relationship :lol:, keeps us all honest. Watching it back I feel they did a great job and matched the tone of the event. Ultimately it was an exhibition, not a super serious lives on the line competition.

British people are really great at banter. As an American, I usually have to find the old guy at the bar just to find anybody who can trade jabs and flow with a general conversation. Most people here just think you're F'ing with them when you start to being openly friendly with them.
 
I didn’t get to watch much live (had a very big day to take care of), but the presentation itself was top notch. Great work in the commentary box by @Tom and @Jimmy B!

They need to ditch the driver tags during races. Cluttered, distracting and immersion killing. Never liked them while racing, and I certainly don’t need to see them during a live race while spectating, especially when there’s already a complete running order always on. Not to mention the display that also shows who’s currently on screen.

I agree that the floating names really need to go. With a livery editor that’s properly utilized, there’s no real need for them anyway. I imagine it’s hard to get liveries all sorted before these exhibition events, which ties into the other point: knowing there’s something on the line would further increase the pull of these events IMO. Even a small cash prize.

I didn’t get to watch the entire stream, so maybe this is way off, but how much of the public was there? That’s the other thing I think these need. The Canadian event came alive precisely because the audience was in the room with the racers. If there’s nobody there and the audience is almost exclusively online, the venue (which is a fantastic choice) matters very little. Host it where people can easily access it, and as an added bonus, there’s a revenue stream too with ticket sales.
 
Thanks @Jordan for this write-up. You were spot on, this was when it all came together for me.

Various tiny things could've been improved, as everyone has been mentioning, but truly a huge leap forward for e-sports.

More entertaining for me than most sport in general this year.

Oh, and Jordan, you mention the Asia regionals - will this get the same English-language treatment, perhaps?
 
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