So thread, bear with me here. I've been doing some reading up on the physics engine of the new FORZA game coming out on Xbiohox ThreeSixtieeee (excuse my spelling, it's how I amuse myself) anywho, I guess the physics model refreshes at 360 frames a second, they were discussing that at 180-200mph with a refresh rate of even 60 frames a second, the car would be skipping along 4 feet per frame, which would severely hinder the realism of the game.
With that in mind, is anyone aware of how the physics in enthusia are even calculated and refreshed, and, you know, work? I understand that GT4 has a bunch of pre set parameters and doesn't actually calculate the physics on the fly like FORZA, and judging how the VGS works on enthusia I assume the game does work in real time.
So wrapping this whole post up, summarizing my horrible writing and such, why does enthusia feel so right?
I read somewhere that GT4 had 300 - 600 parameters per car. Contrasted with Forza 2 to at 900 or 9 000 parameters (Have heard contrasting statements.). GT4 also calculates physics at 60 fps, 360 fps with Forza 2. Clearly, F2 has the advantage in raw capability but x360 is next gen.
Fabulous numbers and no doubt critical in a simulation but you can have all the parameters you want in a car, if the value weightings (how they interact with each other) are incorrect, the driving "feel" will be incorrect.
I've heard that that GT4's high speed physics are better than Enthusia's... I don't know what you mean by that. If it is true that F2 "skips" 4 feet per second at 200 mph, wouldn't GT4 be worse by a factor of 6?
Additionally, members have said that EPR is better at low speed physics. That would be critical in modeling "in turn" car behavior, no?
So cars being equal, the only difference being the driver, the faster driver in EPR would be the winner in a race....at least that's my reasoning. So, thus a better a race car sim?
Try as a might, I can't find physics refresh stats for EPR, having said so, please check this out....
http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/enthusia/eng/mak/logger_01.html
http://www.konami.jp/gs/game/enthusia/eng/mak/logger_02.html
What follows is a live data logger on identical cars but VR vs reality.
Finally, after reading deathclown's posts and at risk of reviving a heated dispute.... You are guys seemed to be getting off the point. That is, which game accurately models car behavior.
I can see that deathclown's arguement was flawed in several ways:
1. basing his assumptions on 1 car's performance
2. not being able to ascertain how and how accurately CVTs are modeled in each game
3. the difficulty of determining what a performance effect CVTs have on car behavior. (smoother? more difficult? lack of driver feedback?)
4. lack of understanding of automatic tranmissions. run of the mill autos are NOT controlled by clutches as previously mentioned by others.
5. lack of understanding of traction control/LSDs. LSDs are a mechanical type of "traction control" but there are many types of "traction control" that exists, when most auto journalists refer to traction control they are speaking of electronically activated means: engine retardation, individual wheel braking, and probably more that I don't know of...
6. never once have I read him rebuking the speedometer in EPR. We all know that it is RPM linked, unlike GT4's. Correct me if I'm wrong, but not once did he reply to someone's (I forgot) post that the speedo behaves this way. Not once has he looked at the possbility that excessive wheelspin (not a "burn out") will read an increased speed on which is really a phantom reading.
Deathclown, if you ever read this thread agin or maybe somebody that knows him, I would suggest that you test a completely neutral car. One that has no unknowns in simulation programming (like the CVT issue).
In closing, several of my friends tried GT4 when I first bought it and they said rubbish, and went back to GT3. They also said rubbish when they tried Enthusia... So clearly GT3 is the real driving simulator....
Seriously though, whatever floats your boat. But at least play a game for a while before critiquing it.