cobragt
how bad are the slow downs? amar, you played just about every gt4 demo, does the final game look smoother than the demos?
First to say that my PS2 is PAL and my TV has a both PAL / NTSC option. Console is connected trough RGB SCART port with PS2 RGB SCART cable. Game is NTSC Asian and I play it on "normal" 480 video mode, widescreen, normal displays, map OFF.
Said that, I see slowdowns on many places in the game. Firstly - and most noticeably - are the slowdowns on high-res FMV sequences of tracks, on "choose-the-track" menu in Arcade mode. What was so far non-glitch smooth ride, now it's an "drop-a-frame-to-kill-the-bird" thing. Very disapointing, but maybe something due to a different video formats (could be something regarding the console actually reading those videos in real-time, while other things are loadded into memory). I'd like to someone "NTSC Native" says somehing about those sequences.
Secondly, there are lots of slowdowns on the tracks during drive. Notice that when I say "lots" it does not mean "dozens per track". It just means that there was NEVER ANY slowdowns in GT games EVER, and that famous glitch on Midfield in GTConcept was not an excuse, but just a dark-messanger of things to come. Glitches are often just on one place on the specific track, and manifested as classical frame-drops, and they last no longer then second, but they appear from time to time on lots of tracks. The biggest I saw so far is on Laguna Seca, just after the Corkscew section, when you heading towards the last two corners.
Another graphical glitch is appearing even more oftenly, particulary on the begginigng of the races with running-start, or in short-films after the races (first one is noticable in the replays too) - it is manifested trough losing some of the horizontal lines in view, resulting in very juggied picture. It lasts for second or two, and the dissapears, like the picture stabilises itself.
Both glithes could be result of incorporating high-def views in graphic code, but I find them as bad thing for the most sophisticated GT game so far. Although, I tend to be very realistic and take into concern the limitations of PS2, toghether with all the detials that GT4 is bringing - those glitches do not compromise gameplay in any way, but is just unusual and unpleasant (and that is the right word) to see them in GT game.
And one more thing about the tracks - since this thred is about tracks - I'm very dissapointed with "reverse" tracks, since some of my favourites such as Grand Valley Reverse has lost that beutiful "afternoon" setting. I've tried all the "original" tracks I have unlocked, and all of them have the same lighting setting on both versions. I do not like that at all.
And finally, answer to your question is NO. All tracks on demos I've played (all GT4 demos so far) were lot smoother on demos. Even the Nurb, which amased me. Nurb on demo didn't have any glitches. In GT4 it does, just after the first section of corners. Small one, but noticable. Which is the Shame 4 D Game.