Is golding the licenses in the beginning worth it?

[Biggles]

I recently bought GT4 & I completed all the licenses on Bronze, Silvering the ones that seemed easily accessible & Golding a few. I then went back & Silvered them all & added to the Golds. Unfortunately, I then accidentally erased the data, so I'm starting again, this time Silvering them all & Golding the ones that seem more easily accessible.

A lot of the tests seem pretty pointless, especially the early ones (Acceleration & Braking ), as they involve perfecting a very particular, small section of track in a particular car. It seems to have less to do with improving your driving skills in general & more to do with micro-managing a particular corner/section.

(Also annoying is the "pace car" which just gets in the way & distracts you from the track.)

I think what makes the most sense are the timed laps, which are also enjoyable & challenging.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

A lot of the tests seem pretty pointless, especially the early ones (Acceleration & Braking ), as they involve perfecting a very particular, small section of track in a particular car. It seems to have less to do with improving your driving skills in general & more to do with micro-managing a particular corner/section.

(Also annoying is the "pace car" which just gets in the way & distracts you from the track.)

Yeah but those early tests are for complete newbs who don't know jack about how to drive in GT yet.

On the other hand, that pace car does get annoying. I forget what test I was doing....one of the island tracks, and I'm rolling down the hill and didn't need to brake yet, but the damn pace car wouldn't move out the way and I smacked it. FAIL. It's like...I could probly gold that test easily....

 

[BLITZ_69]

Yeah but those early tests are for complete newbs who don't know jack about how to drive in gT yet.

On the other hand, that pace car does get annoying. I forget what test i was doing....one of the island tracks, and i'm rolling down the hill and didn't need to brake yet, but hte damn pace car wouldn't move out the way and i smacked it. FAIL. It's like...i could probly gold that test easily....

Its at costa di amalfi. I know this because I have the same problem.

 

[Biggles]

Yeah but those early tests are for complete newbs who don't know jack about how to drive in gT yet.

Getting a Bronze on the early tests makes sense as far as developing basic skills, but Gold requires endless trial & error to get the exact timing right, timing which really doesn't translate into "real-life" driving in GT4.

 

[Open Addict]

Yeah but those early tests are for complete newbs who don't know jack about how to drive in gT yet.

On the other hand, that pace car does get annoying. I forget what test i was doing....one of the island tracks, and i'm rolling down the hill and didn't need to brake yet, but hte damn pace car wouldn't move out the way and i smacked it. FAIL. It's like...i could probly gold that test easily....

i used to have this problem but now i just brake a fraction earlier and rub the pace car and gold all the time. you will unfortunatley just need to practice more and you WILL acheive gold

 

[NOSBLAST]

Hey
Nobody has mentioned that you can also buy the mercury Cougar XR-7 in the Used Cars lot (1980's).
I just recently accomplished getting 80 gold licenses. Not for the prizes but for the glory of knowing I am a great GT player (lol).
However I do think they helped me with learning to drive properly. before I golded them, I was braking and accelerating at the same time, taking corners too aggressively and always using solid objects to guide myself around the corner.
So it helped me.

 

[Redgodzila]

Also i think some newbs (or intermediates) get too obsessed with trying to attain gold when they should be just getting familiar with the game and having a good time, and this ruins the GT experience for them. Most Gran Turismo races don't actually require gold-level driving all the time...if you're able to get consistent bronzes, you're actually good enough to start attempting GT4 races. 💡

Couldn't agree more. I started my 1st game and completed it 100%, with only a handful of Golds in sight. After the initial stage where I had to acquire my licences to play through the entire game, I never did go back to the licences.

Moving on to my 2nd game, I decided I'd Gold all licences for the sake of it. It took me less then 2 days of casual playing. And in fact Id say that, after recently completing the game- having all the fun I wanted to, the licenses became the easiest part . Especially the S licence, which basically turned into a time trial competition, rather then a scary licence test.

If you're good enough to complete the game 100%, then golding all licences will be a walk in the park...... but only in that order

 

[I-Runner]

At the beginning of My GT4 play ..i've taken 2 months for
GOLD licenses and Missions , rigorously in sequence !
The benefits were in driving Skills and knowledge of the
new tracks and cars!



The only (REAL) waste of time were (ARE) the COFFEE BREAKS ..

I-R

 

[Studentdriver]

I've just started another game in an effort to replicate (improve upon?) the Scrooge game, and if you want to do something like that then getting all 80 up front is definitely worth it. If you want to just wander about in your game, I'd say no, but if you have a plan other than a sequential license game, then it is worth it.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Getting a Bronze on the early tests makes sense as far as developing basic skills, but Gold requires endless trial & error to get the exact timing right, timing which really doesn't translate into "real-life" driving in GT4.

Yes it does! Sure it makes sense. Ever raced around Cote d'Azur? Or Motorland? There's plenty of areas where you need to have the stop-n-go down pat...The first couple B tests get you in that door. Hell if I were a complete newb, I wouldn't want to start off rolling down the entire 1000KM right off (even tho that's what we did in GT1) I'd rather start off slow and get the absolute basics down. 💡 But hey that's just me.

....but yeah those coffee breaks are what really got me stumped so far. I don't think I got a single silver yet I just got frustrated with 'em. Thank god you don't need them to win the Gold or Silver prize cars.

 

[mattman_199]

HAHAHA coffee breaks!

I have only ever been in one once, realized i didn't have to do it, then NEVER went back they are STUPID!!

 

[BLITZ_69]

HAHAHA coffee breaks!

I have only ever been in one once, realized i didn't have to do it, then NEVER went back they are STUPID!!

Agreed!

 

[Parnelli Bone]

If I were like 6 again, I would probly get a kick out of the coffee breaks, know what I mean? They're interesting (I especially like the one where you have to drive thru all the cones), and whoever had the idea to program them was obviously having a bit of fun, but I'm so glad they're not a requirement.

 

[nualum]

Minor diversion off topic: I think the coffee breaks were kind of creative, but I would have rather seen them separated out into a different area rather than lumped in with the license tests as if they were important - maybe a cone-challenge license that doesn't count for anything beyond your pride. Guess that would break the idea behind the "coffee break" naming-concept, but it seems rather odd to go from high intensity racing to knocking down a spiral of cones

Plus, if they split them out they could have used it as a good place for some of the more questionable prize cars. Or perhaps for unlocking some weird photomode locations - who knows.

 

[Open Addict]

If you're good enough to complete the game 100%, then golding all licences will be a walk in the park...... but only in that order

bold statement to make, because i have a 100% and am now starting a new game and trying the all gold first and that bloody 1a16 (sarthe II with the nissan) is giving me the runs. i do not know how i did it the first time, because my 100% game i have 70 gold and 10 silver (silvers only in S lic). i am buggin' if i can do it again. i am at least .7 sec off gold time. i dont think my wheels spin but just cant do it.

 

[Biggles]

OK: with regard to the "pace car". I just ran the complete Ring in the Merc (last test before graduation in IA). I found I had to slow down twice to avoid running into the back of the "pace car" on the straights! WTF!

Just to make it more frustrating, I wound up finishing the lap two 10ths of a second off the Gold time. How ^$%#&*!-up is that?

 

[Parnelli Bone]

OK: with regard to the "pace car". I just ran the complete Ring in the Merc (last test before graduation in IA). I found I had to slow down twice to avoid running into the back of the "pace car" on the straights! WTF!

Just to make it more frustrating, I wound up finishing the lap two 10ths of a second off the Gold time. How ^$%#&*!-up is that?

I think the whole point of the pace car in situations like this is to make sure you don't hit it. This is supposed to teach us to drive as fast as possible but also not to just go around ramming Ai cars as well; the test is: can you make gold but do it without hitting this silly pace car? That's my guess anyways.

 

[BobK]

OK: with regard to the "pace car". I just ran the complete Ring in the Merc (last test before graduation in IA). I found I had to slow down twice to avoid running into the back of the "pace car" on the straights! WTF!

Just to make it more frustrating, I wound up finishing the lap two 10ths of a second off the Gold time. How ^$%#&*!-up is that?

If it's on the straight then gently place your bumper against his, then push him to make him go faster.

I've been trying (without success so far) to push the pace car into the sand at Aremburg. I have, however, caused him to mess up at the fast left hander just before Adenauer Forst. Just keep pushing when he hits his brakes.

 

[Biggles]

If it's on the straight then gently place your bumper against his, then push him to make him go faster.

Sounds like fun. The thing is when you're on the last uphill straight of the Ring you don't want to risk screwing up your lap by running into the back of the pace car.

Actually, I just golded the S Ring lap. Came right up behind the pace car without actually touching it. 👍

 

[Perfect Balance]

I would vote no if this is your first time playing the game. If you become good enough to gold all the licenses, gt4 will be way too boring and easy for you. I couldn't gold them at first, then after I beat the game, I went back and got them and won the cars.

 

[fulcrumdriver]

If you do, do it for the enhanced driving skill. However, it can be very aggravating, especially when you manage .001 away from a gold and it takes you another ten tries (or more) just to get gold. Also, I don't think it's very fun, as often it feels more like getting a lucky combination than driving well - I kind of wish they had toned down the difficulty a little. I'm not really sure sitting in front of a TV doing the same small piece of track over and over again for three hours while screaming at the TV is something to brag about.

I would start by getting all silvers first, taking some time off to drive, and then going for the gold one bracket at a time.

I used this approach. Just reaching silver seemed insanely difficult, but when I went back for the gold it was much easier to get silver, so you definitely improve in your driving. Keep in mind that using a slow, stock car on a course you enjoy, and just trying for a personal best time, can be a good teacher too. Especially with those slow, heavy american muscle cars:tup:

 

[Biggles]

I would start by getting all silvers first, taking some time off to drive, and then going for the gold one bracket at a time.

That's what I've been doing.

I think the whole lap tests are enjoyable, it's the mini sections that can get aggravating - it's not so much about driving, as it is about memorizing a series of exact responses by repeating it over & over & over again . You would never do that in real life.

 

[Parnelli Bone]

I just remember 3 1/2 years ago when I was doing GT1 trying to go for all B golds. I mean, looking back, I guess I managed to get them all, but I was still fairly green as a virtual race-driver. I started trying for golds after I had completed most of the game. Why? cuz I wanted the red Dodge Copperhead!

B3 is the one that got me. THAT'S the one that had me stumped man! I mean....over and over and over I drove that damn del Sol thru the first turn at Deep Forest. I was literally about to tear my dual-shock to pieces! *actually, I may have destroyed one...I don't remember.

Then I decided. I wanted that gold. It had nothing to do with ego or trying to be a better driver or anything like that, I WANTED THAT CAR! 💡 How was I going to get it? HOW?

What worked for me was to realize many thousands of players before me had attained gold. It's a VIDEOGAME. It can be done therefore. 💡

I put some Jane's Addiction on the stereo, turned down my TV almost all the way till I could barely hear the tire squeals (I was really sick of hearing that del Sol motor whine). And got into a Zen-like state where nothing could phase me; nothing could dissuade me from my goal.


When I finally owned that gold, I couldn't believe it. I still have the replay till this day! but the funny thing? Once I had the red Copperhead I never actually raced it! I believe you can't mod the motor up so Iwas stuck with this 250-ish hp vehicle. I thought for sure I could take it to my final GT1 race: the Hard-Tuned series but nooo. 250 hp doesn't go very far in this race.

In comparison, B3 in GT4 (del Sol in Deep Forest turn 1) is so much easier. Or maybe I'm just better?

 

[AlfaAlfa]

In comarison, B3 in GT4 (del Sol in Deep Forest turn 1) is so much easier. Or maybe i'm just better?

You've just mastered that particular exercise now 👍

And that Copperhead was a bit disappointing compared to the purple (or yellow) one that was ungodly (unrealistically) fast! Though it could win the "Normal" Car Competition pretty easily in its un-tuned state.

It was the NISMO 400R that was the license test prize car that did it for me. I think it was the best prize car ever offered in any GT game so far - hard to get but worth it. In GT4, the highest license test prize car is more a badge of honor than something to get excited about.

I also can relate to the frustration , and feeling like I just got lucky rather than learned anything Nowadays I only do it because I feel obligated (I even felt I had to gold the coffee breaks!). It's sad to say I don't really enjoy golding license tests or feel satisfied, or well rewarded afterwards. Not to mention 80 friggin' tests this time 80!

 

[Parnelli Bone]

Heehee..yeah that worked for me! Put on some Jane's and go for gold! It wasn't on blaringly loud or anything...I had the TV on real low and then I put Jane's on just enough so I could barely hear the car. I had to do something to keep me from blowing up my TV!