Slick's First Impressions

M

mrslick151

29
Hey guys, been lurking the GT4 forums for quite some time, but I guess I'll be a poster for TT! I love bikes much more than cars anyway!

I ride a SV650s in the real world and I'm just a bit peeved that my bike ain't in the game! But in all honesty, kudos to Polyphony for making it!

Got the game yesterday at work, couldn't wait to get home and play it! After gettin all hyped up on the intro movie I was ready to rock!

I got my introduction to the game by playing through the license tests and just learning the physics of the game. I finished all the way up to Expert with relative ease, and got a good feel for things.

Physics
The physics are pretty damn good! Leaning and transitions feel pretty good, and the general effect of gas and brakes is close to correct. One thing that bothered me is the weak acceleration in the lower gears, and somewhat, the lack of the true tendency of a bike to STAND UP when leaned on the brakes. Grip is definitely higher than reality, but I think they struck a good balance between making the game realistic and making the game playable.

I know quite a few of the things I got away with in later testing, like flicking the bike side to side with full braking applied would have resulted in disaster in reality - but once again, they erred on the side of making the game fun and playable - no fault there. However, I did have a nice highside on the 999r in the expert test trying to downshift too quickly in that crested left-right transition area! Of course, a real highside at that speed would have been MUCH MORE painful!!

Question: In Pro mode, are the physics tighter at all? Less room for error? Or is it simply a change to the control scheme? I'll be trying that out tonight and I was wondering if you guys could give me an idea.

Structure
As far as the structure of the game goes, I'd honestly prefer the buy-a-bike approach, and more tuning/customization options. It's superficial, but I guess I miss the GT-ness (I know, I know) of the GT series in this game. Otherwise the interface is extremely well-designed, clean, and easy to understand. Nice work, PD.

Rider
I love the rider gear and especially the rider positioning feature. My favorite feature by far! I set up my Form A to be identical to ol' Elbows, AMA Superbike racer Ben Spies, which is way off the bike, knee way out there, elbows high, an "out" style. I then used my Form B to set up a style that mirrors my own. slightly off the seat, more rotated around the tank, and knee closer to the bike. It's lazy but it works. So far in the game it has worked well, but I want to compare lap times with the Spies style and see if it could benefit me in real life. THAT is a cool feature!

Graphics
Beautiful! The replays, cockpit views, and camera mode just look awesome! PD killed it! No problems here AT ALL!

Sound
I've only ridden the bikes in the license test and the GSX-Rs (Suzuki man here), but for the most part, sound is spot on! They messed up on the 999R, way too high pitched, but everything else I've heard, especially the two-strokes, is fantastic!

Bikes
Great selection of modern sportbikes with just a few notables missed. 500cc two-stroke GP bikes:drool:
Big-bore motards like the CRF450, KX450, and SM650/525
Where's my SV?!:grumpy:
Duc Monsters, Zuki TL series, etc...

Overall Tilt
The biggest thing that makes me like this game is the parallels that I can draw from real riding. That fact itself is enough to make me call this game a great achievement! Looking through corners in cockpit view to spot the exit, downshifting to enter the corner, stepping out the rear, wheelies out of corners on the throttle, man this game is FUN! When I compare the riding experience with bikes I've ridden in real life, they came pretty damn close to replicating the experience in a video game! Good work!

Since my bike's down right now with a blown engine, this in the only thing I can do to get my fix for the next month! I'll be playing this game A LOT and giving more impressions soon!

Slick:tup:
 
good review slick. sounds like you did some introspective comparisons in there and that is interesting to read about. 👍 all i can say more is that tourist trophy is a great game.

you didnt mention the sense of speed! i thought that in the cockpit view the sense of speed it amazing. why would you choose another view? i dont know.
 
Thanks for the props.
Absolutely on that cockpit view! If you're not using the cockpit view, you're wasting the best part of the experience!

My buddy is playing in the background right now, so I should have a review on some head to head action pretty soon!
 
mrslick151
Thanks for the props.
Absolutely on that cockpit view! If you're not using the cockpit view, you're wasting the best part of the experience!

My buddy is playing in the background right now, so I should have a review on some head to head action pretty soon!
Click to expand...


OMG!!!! your right.....never rode a bike before but damn the game has a exhilarating feel......
 
Slick! Thanks for the thorough review 👍 Was just wondering about one thing, in the Chinese and Japanese version of the game there is some lag when changing gears. The rider animation isn't in sync with the actual revs. Could you tell us if this has been solved in the American version?

Thanks!
 
Excellent review. I began playing in the 3rd person view, then remembered how much better 1st person worked in all the Gran Turismos. Same here. 1st person is the only way to play this game...
 
I rode an EX-500 in real life for a few years, now I ride a GSX-R 600 (on the street and the track)

mrslick151
One thing that bothered me is the weak acceleration in the lower gears, and somewhat, the lack of the true tendency of a bike

to STAND UP when leaned on the brakes. Grip is definitely higher than reality, but I think they struck a good balance between

making the game realistic and making the game playable.
Click to expand...

I agree for the most part about the physics, they are fantastic. Must remember however, that when playing a simulation, certain

things can be assumed, like you will be playing the part of a skilled motorcycle rider. Some things just cannot be simulated,

so instead, they are assumed.

With that in mind; Not ALL bikes have a strong tendancy to stand up on the brakes. Infact, with most pure sportbikes, the

effect is negligable. And in TT, if your on the brakes more than a little bit while leaned over, you will drift wide. Grip

seems to be right on par with reality, bearing in mind that TT seems to simulate warm tires, and perfect pavement ;)

The one thing I dont like, is PD apparently thinks the rear brake is much more important than it really is. On a pure

sportbike, you dont really ever use the rear to slow down. You can use it to stabilize, but its walking a thin line to a

highside. You can use the front brake untill the rear lifts off the ground, then thats your maximum braking. This is a proven

fact for bikes with -short wheelbases-... Other bikes may benifit from a little rear brake, but 90% comes from the front. And

like i said before, 100% on short wheelbase sportbikes.


mrslick151
I know quite a few of the things I got away with in later testing, like flicking the bike side to side with

full braking applied would have resulted in disaster in reality - but once again, they erred on the side of making the game fun

and playable - no fault there.
Click to expand...

Once again, I think TT modulates the brakes for you. In the same vain, slamming on the brakes in real life would instantly lock

the front wheel. In TT, it does not, infact, it slows you very quickly. TT assumes this for you, because hard braking in real

life is very much a 'feel' thing.

mrslick151
However, I did have a nice highside on the 999r in the expert test trying to downshift too quickly in that

crested left-right transition area! Of course, a real highside at that speed would have been MUCH MORE painful!!
Click to expand...

LOL

mrslick151
Question: In Pro mode, are the physics tighter at all? Less room for error? Or is it simply a change to the control scheme?

I'll be trying that out tonight and I was wondering if you guys could give me an idea.
Click to expand...

The physics -are- different. For one, wheelspin is possible. And, wieght shift has a MUCH more pronounced effect... Try tucking

in while exiting a corner, and pulling back on the stick while accellerating hard. Youll find that the tire will 'hook up' much

better with more wieght on it.

mrslick151
Structure
As far as the structure of the game goes, I'd honestly prefer the buy-a-bike approach, and more tuning/customization options.

It's superficial, but I guess I miss the GT-ness (I know, I know) of the GT series in this game. Otherwise the interface is

extremely well-designed, clean, and easy to understand. Nice work, PD.
Click to expand...

Totally agree. I get the feeling that PD is 'testing the waters' and trying to get the physics and gameplay right, before

moving on to more complex things.

mrslick151
Bikes
Great selection of modern sportbikes with just a few notables missed. 500cc two-stroke GP bikes:drool:
Big-bore motards like the CRF450, KX450, and SM650/525
Where's my SV?!:grumpy:
Duc Monsters, Zuki TL series, etc...
Click to expand...

Ill be waiting for TT2... Dont know if we will ever see the 500cc GP bikes, as this isnt a GP sim. But what I am REALLY looking

forward to is the *Isle of mann*... -Drool-


mrslick151
Overall Tilt
The biggest thing that makes me like this game is the parallels that I can draw from real riding. That fact itself is enough to

make me call this game a great achievement! Looking through corners in cockpit view to spot the exit, downshifting to enter the

corner, stepping out the rear, wheelies out of corners on the throttle, man this game is FUN! When I compare the riding

experience with bikes I've ridden in real life, they came pretty damn close to replicating the experience in a video game! Good

work!

Since my bike's down right now with a blown engine, this in the only thing I can do to get my fix for the next month! I'll be

playing this game A LOT and giving more impressions soon!

Slick:tup:
Click to expand...

I totally agree! Its the little things that really impress me... riding over rough pavement leaned over gives you that

butt-pucker headshake. In replays and on-bike you can see the rider fiddling with his fingers on the brakes/clutch and toeing

the shifter. The way the bikes act is phenominal. A slight quick squeeze at the brakes makes the bikes flick left-right-left

just like in real life. The way you can almost -feel- the tires load up when you push them hard. The *satisfaction* of nailing

the perfect line, and getting on the throttle really early, then just blazing through the apex.

PD Nailed it, and im eager for more.

P.S. How the heck did you blow the motor?
 

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