Rethinking Progression - Ideas for a Creditless GT Game

[LeGeNd-1]

So unfortunately, as many of you have already known, the economy in GT7 is quite stingy. With the latest patch (v1.07), PD have reduced the grinding races' payouts even further. Now you can all argue why this is and whether it's good or bad. This is NOT what this thread is for. All this frustration with money just got me thinking - why does Gran Turismo always feel the need to have a credit system? Even in minor games like GT5P and GTPSP there is credits. After 25 years surely this game mechanic has run its course. Is there a way to do things differently whilst keeping the traditional GT RPG sense of progression, car ownership and achievement?


I set out 3 main rules:
1) No form of credits allowed in the game at all.
2) All features that are previously bought with credits are still there (e.g. tuning parts, customization).
3) The new game structure has to prioritize freedom/flexibility for players, emphasize fun & meaningful events and minimize grinding repetitive races.


I came up with 3 main ideas:

1) Cars are now earned by doing Manufacturers Events (similar to GT2 and GT4).
All events are open from the start of the game. You want to start with a clunker? Head to the Daihatsu Brand Central. You want to try out the 917K straight away? Head over to Porsche. The choice is yours. Events are tailored to the car and highlights their history or top features. For example, the Ford GT40 event has you racing against Ferrari at Le Mans. Prius event is an eco driving mission etc. If you win, you get the car and you unlock a more detailed "Showcase" page with pictures, videos, specs and history (similar to the Showcase in old NFS games). Every car is special and will make you appreciate it more when earning it, but none of it is forced upon you. Of course, you can replay the events and earn multiples of the same car. You can't sell cars (because there's no credits, duh), but you can remove them from the garage if you want.

2) Tuning and Visual customization parts are tied to your car Mileage/Wins.
Once you finally acquired your favourite car, you want to drive it right? Good news is the more you drive, the more the car grows with you. In GT7 there are 83 tuning parts. So let's say for every kilometer you drive you earn 1 part, starting with lower end parts and progressively going up to more extreme ones. The final 3 parts unlocked would be engine (which you can swap into any other car unlimited times), racing modification (turn your car into a works race car) and offroad modification (if we can have an NSX Gr.B, we can turn anything into an offroad monster). You can take the parts on and off freely as many times as you wish. Visual customization works the same way but with wins instead of mileage (wheel rims and paints are unlocked as a batch, not individually because of their large number). The goal here is to keep the "grind" fun and to a reasonable amount, but not forgo it entirely. Around 86 km and a handful of wins to fully upgrade a car, I think that's reasonable (and you need to do it for every car remember). If it's a car you really like, those kilometers will fly by in no time at all. Whatever you do after that, is up to you.

3) GT League's Flexible Restrictions.
Next, the races. In keeping with the freedom theme, you can choose whether to enable/disable restrictions in the GT League races (and all events are open from the start). If you want to take things serious and race against cars in the proper category, you can. If you want to go crazy and dream up outlandish match ups, you can. Back in GT2 I often took a GT300 car to a GT500 race, or a Subaru 360 against Muscle cars in Seattle The point here is, you can earn the mileage/wins anywhere, any way you want. You're not forced to grind just one race for credits. You race because you love driving your favourite car > you get rewarded with upgrades > your car's abilities are improved, which allows you to be competitive in even more events, and so on. Can't find an event that suits you? Go make your own custom race. Your imagination is the limit really.

Of course, licenses, missions, circuit experience and online/sport mode are all still there as well. I'd also bring back Course Maker and Sierra Time Rally style events. Maybe make the Home Map free roam-able as a bonus (think of the possibilities - cruising, cop chases, massive photomode meetups). Again, the choice is yours if you want to do them or not. But nobody is pressured to do certain events just to earn credits. You drive because it's fun, not a chore.


THAT is my dream Gran Turismo. Anyone can drive Anything, Anywhere, Anytime. Because we all LOVE cars and no one deserves to be left out.


Any feedback and critiques are welcome. Or even suggest your own ideas, go nuts. 👍

 

[Blayney]

I think you have a pretty good idea here tbh. In particular unlocking parts - this is kind of similar to a first persion shooter (like COD) mechanic for unlocking attachments - which is basically what tuning parts are in this game... they modify the base stats of your car (weapon) to make it better. So yeah have them attached to mileage, or race victories for special items. I actually think that's a pretty good idea really.

 

[tankuroded]

For their part, Tourist Trophy was completely creditless - to get bikes you had to complete (often frustrating) challenges or races.

But when people imagine creditless game I thought something like Project CARS/AC where everything is available from get-go (except in respective career modes?).

 

[djdest]

It’s all irrelevant, the whole game model is now to get micro transactions purchased, so don’t expect that to ever go away

 

[Streeto]

While your idea is nice, it's falling on deaf ears. I'm afraid to say that you're wasting your time.

 

[NevilleNobody]

I don't need progression, other than trying to get my driving rating up. Just give me the game i paid for ffs.

 

[o000o]

1) Cars are now earned by doing Manufacturers Events (similar to GT2 and GT4).

Manufacturer events only gave you prize cars like actual events but this extended to all cars (that'd mean not like GT2/GT4)? Otherwise, yeah like said above this reminds of Tourist Trophy.

2) Tuning and Visual customization parts are tied to your car Mileage/Wins.
Once you finally acquired your favourite car, you want to drive it right? Good news is the more you drive, the more the car grows with you. In GT7 there are 83 tuning parts. So let's say for every kilometer you drive you earn 1 part, starting with lower end parts and progressively going up to more extreme ones. The final 3 parts unlocked would be engine (which you can swap into any other car unlimited times), racing modification (turn your car into a works race car) and offroad modification (if we can have an NSX Gr.B, we can turn anything into an offroad monster). You can take the parts on and off freely as many times as you wish. Visual customization works the same way but with wins instead of mileage (wheel rims and paints are unlocked as a batch, not individually because of their large number). The goal here is to keep the "grind" fun and to a reasonable amount, but not forgo it entirely. Around 86 km and a handful of wins to fully upgrade a car, I think that's reasonable (and you need to do it for every car remember). If it's a car you really like, those kilometers will fly by in no time at all. Whatever you do after that, is up to you.

So this is even more of an RPG that the car mileage/wins = the exp. of your RPG characters. This can still take a good amount of the player's time too albeit the progress is static.

Of course, licenses, missions, circuit experience and online/sport mode are all still there as well. I'd also bring back Course Maker and Sierra Time Rally style events. Maybe make the Home Map free roam-able as a bonus (think of the possibilities - cruising, cop chases, massive photomode meetups). Again, the choice is yours if you want to do them or not. But nobody is pressured to do certain events just to earn credits. You drive because it's fun, not a chore.

The reason I'd want for the home map to be brought back is for it to be used as a place to free roam. But eh it's now a terrible UI/UX experience anyway. And there are many more issues they should take first before adding and developing modes like this.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

Thanks for the replies guys.

For their part, Tourist Trophy was completely creditless - to get bikes you had to complete (often frustrating) challenges or races.

But when people imagine creditless game I thought something like Project CARS/AC where everything is available from get-go (except in respective career modes?).

I didn't know that about TT (never been into bikes). Interesting why PD decides to do that only for that one game then.

I thought of making everything unlocked from the start, but then one of the points is people like to have something to achieve in a GT game. Also the feeling of car ownership cannot be replicated if everything is basically given to you for free. So that's why I came up with the Manufacturer Events as a compromise. You still have to earn the cars (but in a non grindy way) and you still get the feeling of owning something.

I don't need progression, other than trying to get my driving rating up. Just give me the game i paid for ffs.

Fair enough. I can't please everyone, but I tried to make the initial phase of the game as freeform and non-intrusive as possible. You can pretty much do 1 race to earn your car of choice, and then jump online immediately to improve your DR. By the time you finished your first session, you probably have already unlocked all the upgrades. Can't get any easier than that.

Manufacturer events only gave you prize cars like actual events but this extended to all cars (that'd mean not like GT2/GT4)? Otherwise, yeah like said above this reminds of Tourist Trophy.

So this is even more of an RPG that the car mileage/wins = the exp. of your RPG characters. This can still take a good amount of the player's time too albeit the progress is static.

The reason I'd want for the home map to be brought back is for it to be used as a place to free roam. But eh it's now a terrible UI/UX experience anyway. And there are many more issues they should take first before adding and developing modes like this.

Yeah Manu Events give prize cars. You're loaned the car for the race itself. I know it's not exactly like GT2/4 where you have to buy the car beforehand, I'm just putting the link there to show what the events could look like.

Yes it's inspired by RPGs. Also similar to NFS Most Wanted 2012 in online mode, you're given tuning parts for completing certain milestones with each car (e.g. distance, drift, takedowns, jump distance, etc). I tried to keep the grind as little as possible, but not zero. 86 km is just over 4 laps of the Nordschleife so it's very doable in just over half hour. Really a steal when you compare to the grind in GT7 now.

Agree the free roam bit is low priority. I just need to vent all the ideas in my head after all the frustration yesterday