GT4 is realistic beyond belief

[sukerkin]

I've also seen footage of an NSX-R running very competitively with a Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago, and beating the socks off an M3 CSL, Porsche 911, and 360 Modena. On paper, any of these cars should whip the NSX-R, but in reality they do not.

I remember seeing that myself. I may even have it squirreled away on disk somewhere, I'll have to dig it out and take another look.

It was an interesting viewing but there was something amiss with the 'set up' ... my aged memory just won't release to me what it was.

Now don't get me wrong, I like the NSX (one of the few Japanese cars that really can perform) so I'm not out to 'diss it, it's just that there was a definite suspicion of the Euro cars being 'throttled back' and not driven to their fullest, so don't read too much into the footage (weren't they being driven by journalists rather than racing drivers?).

Apart from the technical flaws in the game and the general continuance of the myth of Japanese automotive superiorty (of course a Mitsubishi Eclipse can out-accelerate a Lotus Esprit) , GT4 is not too bad a game.

But PD really shouldn't call it the "Real Driving Simulator" when it truly is 'only' a decent enough console racing game.

 

[ZeratulSG]

Now don't get me wrong, I like the NSX (one of the few Japanese cars that really can perform) so I'm not out to 'diss it, it's just that there was a definite suspicion of the Euro cars being 'throttled back' and not driven to their fullest, so don't read too much into the footage (weren't they being driven by journalists rather than racing drivers?).

No, they were all racing drivers to my knowledge, and I didn't see anyone sandbagging in the footage. The reason for the NSX-R's pace in that race is its handling. It was slower in acceleration and top speed, but it was able to brake later and get on the gas quicker in the turns, and that can easily offset a power disadvantage.

But PD really shouldn't call it the "Real Driving Simulator" when it truly is 'only' a decent enough console racing game.

Well this seems to be the point everyone is chewing on. Strictly speaking I'd agree on the terminology point, there IS no real driving simulator in existence today. However, it is most definitely in the top 5 of all the driving "sims" I've played from a realism point of view, and what GT4 may lack in realism to games like GTR, it makes up for in diversity. How many other driving sims do you know of that are as close to the real thing and also ship with 50+ tracks and 700+ cars, with granular tuning options for all? None to my knowledge.

 

[JohnBM01]

Oh, come on now. There is no such thing as "Japanese superiority" in GT. Japanese superiority means that no matter what race you enter, a Japanese car will win. It means that Japanese cars are the only cars you need to win races. This is a Japanese-made gamel, so of course there will be many of them. Hell, you might as well say that the British company Codemasters has European superiority. I'm guessing Forza Motorsport is made here in the U.S. of A, so what allegiance do you think they have with the majority of cars in that game? Be thankful you're having more than just Japanese cars, even though they make up for at least 40% of all the game's cars.

The "real driving simulator" has long been the slogan for GT games. I think GT4's changed it to "The Drive of Your Life." And playing for at least 70% of the game, each race has kind of been a nail-biter. Everything from blowing out the competition with more powerful machines, all the way to my upsetting of JGTC race cars in Tokyo with my Suzuki GSX-R/4 has all been the drive of my life. The rally races have been exciting as well, where if I'm losing by a big chunk, I'm usually cavity searching for any chance to catch up with the leader and eventually win. I even took on the task of racing an 81-point A-Spec rally at Tahiti Maze. I had a Toyota RSC Rally Raid Car, matched up against the Lancia Delta S4. I landed the upset and won.

So while an NSX may never put a Pagani Zonda to shame, I'm not disappointed because all I care about is the drive, the race, the victory. I am what I race (no disrespect to Forza), and if that means anything and everything no matter what its nationality is, then I guess I'm enjoying the Drive of my Life.

 

[GTurtle]

The realism is pretty nice. For a guy whose only driving experience includes some driving lessons and racing at an indoor karting track, it's pretty good.

After a certain point realism seriously impedes on fun. It has to retain characteristics of a 'game', after all.