Got to say the Porsche licencing issue still confuses me, considering both Forza and NFS have access to the licence and somehow PD doesn't?
Maybe they don't want people to beat the GT-R's Nordschliefe time in a 911 and rain on Nissan's parade (Im not biased towards the 911, I'm just saying)
From what I've read, EA still holds the actual license to Porsche. Someone wrote something that I remember going something like Microsoft is paying a lot for a sub-license deal off of that original with stipulations? Or maybe I'm wrong?
However, we all know that licensing deals are very complicated. I mean, why else in the Transformer movies is Bumble Bee not a VW Beetle and a Chevy Camaro instead?
We also know that Porsche does not want their cars to be virtually simulated to the levels as only PD and a select very few other game developers are currently taking cars. I know Forza, though it does a magnificent job, still does not touch GT for the level of realism and simulation depicted in the cars - the damage, physics, etc.
So, I believe with these arguments, along with having to work out some sort of licensing agreement through EA, undoubtedly more complicated, and I'm guessing would cost a bit more, sadly, GT fans are yet again missing out one of the greatest ever automobile makers to ever exist.
I am quite disappointed that Koenigsegg is missing completely as well. Maybe someone scooped up an exclusive license? Maybe they also felt the same way Porsche does about the accuracy of virtually simulating their car? Maybe their price for licensing was more than what Sony/PD wanted to take on? Don't think we'll ever know.
As far as the Veyron being standard... I am betting that in order to secure the license, Bugatti put their foot down and said, no deformation damage, no modifications, etc. It is their right to have their car "advertised" how they see fit, I guess. I've always looked at GT as being more of an "Auto Show" advertisement game for cars than any other, which I find very cool and intriguing.
A lot of people are looking at Standard vs. Premium as a negative. But, because of what is mentioned above, which is surely in the thoughts of many a GT fan alike, I look at the Standard vs. Premium as a great positive, because it will allow us to have more cars and car companies in the game and I believe, though I may be wrong, it is allowing us to have the Veyron and a few others. It may still yield Koenigsegg with DLC. Defining the cars as S or P as they've done here and the features that go along with either is Sony/PD trying to give all sides what they want, whether it is the fans, whether it is the car companies, but PD have said themselves that they work the closest with the car companies out of all racing game developers to deliver their product and do have developed relationships that have evolved.
In regards to DLC, I am hoping all of the hints and cars to be released (like the 2010 SEMA winner) are just a scratch on the iceberg, in relation to cars AND tracks. There have been a lot of screen captures and videos that I thought we all witnessed and after seeing the official car and track list, I just feel there is a lot missing.
It would be amusing to see if the delay from the 2nd to the 24th is because they realized that all of their content in the game could not fit on a Blu Ray disc, so they eliminated tracks and a couple cars here and there to keep the core game intact. Then, hopefully, but doubtfully, they would release the rest as part of downloadable content. I'm not holding my breath on that one, but if they can render pretty much most of the GT4 car lineup to HD and lump them in with the standard cars available in GT5, you would think they could render a lot of these already designed and built tracks from GT4 and release them later if they can't release them now for whatever reason. But, I don't expect it and don't have my hopes up. My hopes have been messed with for 6 years now, and while I am not angry or upset and am happy that the game is finally going to be a reality, I am pretty disappointed that some things either have not changed or have regressed from previous editions of the game.
I was gung-ho for this game, as I've been for all previous GT editions and bought them up right away without question or pause. But for this edition, now I am going to play a waiting game and follow what the reviews and the rest of the community has to say with anticipation. It also helps that money is very tight right now, and I really do not want to play this game without a wheel as I've done with all of the previous versions.
