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- Ridley-X4
1. Notes on the FIA Manufacturers Series
I have realized that there are a few factors that are considered when it comes to which manufacturers are eligible for the Manufacturers Series:
-The marque must have at least one Gr.3 and one Gr.4 car. I believe this is why some Gr.3 VGTs aren't under the actual VGT tab, while some VGTs that aren't necessarily in Gr.X are still under the VGT tab. Examples of the former include the VGTs for Toyota and Peugeot, while examples for the latter also includes Peugeot, but also Dodge.
-These two classes (Gr.3 and Gr.4) are also comparatively uniform compared to Gr.B, Gr.2, Gr.1, and the N-Series, which can vary a lot in which cars are in each group. Gr.1 has VGTs, LMP1s, and Group C racers. Gr.2 was added post-launch and is only represented with three automakers at the moment. Finally, Gr.B has a mix of modern made-for-game rally cars, and historic rally machines, with the Pikes Peak-spec Audi Quattro being in the latter group. In comparison, there's a much narrower window of what cars are in Gr.3 and Gr.4, even if Gr.3 includes both FIA GT3 and GTE.
-Because of this factor, and because we've also heard that PD wants to focus more on adding real-world race cars versus the made-for-game models (see: Ferrari 458 GT3 vs. Alfa Romeo 4C Gr.3), this will likely limit what automakers could become eligible for the manufacturer series, if at all. Interestingly, two automakers seem to have potential as far as I can see: Maserati and Lotus, wherein both have GT4 cars, and the latter has had a GranTurismo GT3 car while the latter has the Evora GTE. In addition, if PD ends up adding Bentley, a made-for-game Continental Gr.4 could make Bentley eligible, too, if the Continental GT3 is also added. Similarly, if PD were to create a made-for-game Gr.3 car for Bugatti, Alpine, Abarth, and KTM, and if the latter three have made-for-game Gr.3 cars added, these brands could also be added to the manufacturers series. However, if any these automakers were to be added to the manufacturer series, I think it would be most likely seen in the next GT game, and in that game's iteration of GT Sport and the FIA Manufacturers Series.
-I also wonder if we'll see any real-world GT4 cars be added, as there's only a few at the moment. Granted, most of the made-for-game Gr.4 cars would make some GT4 cars superfluous, but I'd love to see stuff like the Nissan 370Z GT4.
2. BoP and the Potential Splitting of Groups, and/or Formation of New Groups
I'm unsure how BoP should be best-done. My idea would be that it ought to be done by time set on a given course - and perhaps have BoP itself be determined by course - but that also sounds like it could be a real hassle, especially if there's a ton of cars & tracks to potentially combine together. For the sake of PD and/or whoever is doing the BoP adjustments, I think it's a bit better to have a more uniform BoP application like we see monthly.
However, I did want to pose a question. What if some of the groups we see were split, insofar there's overall less cars in each group for PD to balance? But on the other hand, the unusual fields of cars also makes GT Sport appealing to watch, and if the field were less radical and more like reality, then perhaps audiences will decide just to watch the real-world WEC and whatnot. So perhaps it'd be better to have more specific rulesets within these groups in addition to the BoP application, like limiting players to a very particular grouping of cars. For example, an N100 event that has a specific ruleset limiting players to Kei cars.
At the end of the day, however, I did want to propose some new groups for the next iteration of GT Sport, as it will likely appear in the next GT game, where I presume tuning and upgrading will be more orthodox. This will be to avoid Gr.X from turning into a "wastebin" class.
-Gr.D, for D1GP cars such as the BP Falken RX-7 FC, the Turn 14 BR-Z, and the Blitz Skyline. These will be limited to drift attack events.
-For the N-Series, I'd limit each N-class to cars that are already in that class as stock. In other words, if you have a car with 300HP, but can be tuned from 200HP to 600HP, then I would only allow it to be within N300, with BoP only changing its power insofar that it's still within N300. I also would allow all cars that have below 100HP stock to have their HP raised to the maximum N100 value at the least, so they can potentially compete with other N-class vehicles. In addition, I think the N-series should only allow stock cars, while only permitting weight/power changes for BoP purposes. I am unsure what ought to be done if a player has upgraded a car in numerous ways like in other GT games, though, like with the aero parts we've seen in GT6. Perhaps a group for tuned cars should be added?
-(EDIT: A class for electric-only cars would likely be ideal, too.)
-In all likelihood, I can foresee DTM cars being added to Gr.2, while the new Hypercar class - which IIRC will debut in the 2019-2020 WEC series - being added to Gr.1.
-I'd also like to see rulesets for races (or championships) being another creative thing that players can create & share, like liveries/decals/photos/course designs, with a lot of potential rulesets, such as for drivetrains, allowing/banning particular cars, allowing/banning hybrid systems, cost of the cars permitted (a bit like Premium Sports Lounge), DRS/KERS, which metrics can/cannot be tuned, maximum & minimum permitted downforce, and so on.
-Finally, I believe the following should not be options within the menus, but something that either comes with the car when you buy it, or can be added in an upgrade, and subsequently can be either mapped to a button or changed in the MFD: various transmissions (including MT, MT /w/ clutch, AT, CVT, semi-auto), TCS & ABS, brake balance & fuel mapping, KERS/DRS, and other features like power mapping (e.g. NFS Payback and the new BMW M5), as well as the distribution of power in hybrid systems. (I do miss the neat UI for the 2nd-gen Prius and the MTRC in the GT4 Toyota Demo, as examples.) I really believe this would add more personality to each car, as opposed to having a more uniform set of options, and especially if each of these factors reflects a car's real-world options. Plus, I think integrating MT /w/ clutch (like I've seen in Forza Horizon 3) could help mitigate the disadvantage seen in players without H-shifters.
-As one more note, I'd love to see the RM system return as a way to turn a road car into a car in Gr.4/Gr.3/etc., and I could foresee it being for obtaining the made-for-game race cars, like the Focus Gr.B or the WRX STI Gr.3.
I'd like your thoughts on all this as well, @Alpha Cipher.
I have realized that there are a few factors that are considered when it comes to which manufacturers are eligible for the Manufacturers Series:
-The marque must have at least one Gr.3 and one Gr.4 car. I believe this is why some Gr.3 VGTs aren't under the actual VGT tab, while some VGTs that aren't necessarily in Gr.X are still under the VGT tab. Examples of the former include the VGTs for Toyota and Peugeot, while examples for the latter also includes Peugeot, but also Dodge.
-These two classes (Gr.3 and Gr.4) are also comparatively uniform compared to Gr.B, Gr.2, Gr.1, and the N-Series, which can vary a lot in which cars are in each group. Gr.1 has VGTs, LMP1s, and Group C racers. Gr.2 was added post-launch and is only represented with three automakers at the moment. Finally, Gr.B has a mix of modern made-for-game rally cars, and historic rally machines, with the Pikes Peak-spec Audi Quattro being in the latter group. In comparison, there's a much narrower window of what cars are in Gr.3 and Gr.4, even if Gr.3 includes both FIA GT3 and GTE.
-Because of this factor, and because we've also heard that PD wants to focus more on adding real-world race cars versus the made-for-game models (see: Ferrari 458 GT3 vs. Alfa Romeo 4C Gr.3), this will likely limit what automakers could become eligible for the manufacturer series, if at all. Interestingly, two automakers seem to have potential as far as I can see: Maserati and Lotus, wherein both have GT4 cars, and the latter has had a GranTurismo GT3 car while the latter has the Evora GTE. In addition, if PD ends up adding Bentley, a made-for-game Continental Gr.4 could make Bentley eligible, too, if the Continental GT3 is also added. Similarly, if PD were to create a made-for-game Gr.3 car for Bugatti, Alpine, Abarth, and KTM, and if the latter three have made-for-game Gr.3 cars added, these brands could also be added to the manufacturers series. However, if any these automakers were to be added to the manufacturer series, I think it would be most likely seen in the next GT game, and in that game's iteration of GT Sport and the FIA Manufacturers Series.
-I also wonder if we'll see any real-world GT4 cars be added, as there's only a few at the moment. Granted, most of the made-for-game Gr.4 cars would make some GT4 cars superfluous, but I'd love to see stuff like the Nissan 370Z GT4.
2. BoP and the Potential Splitting of Groups, and/or Formation of New Groups
I'm unsure how BoP should be best-done. My idea would be that it ought to be done by time set on a given course - and perhaps have BoP itself be determined by course - but that also sounds like it could be a real hassle, especially if there's a ton of cars & tracks to potentially combine together. For the sake of PD and/or whoever is doing the BoP adjustments, I think it's a bit better to have a more uniform BoP application like we see monthly.
However, I did want to pose a question. What if some of the groups we see were split, insofar there's overall less cars in each group for PD to balance? But on the other hand, the unusual fields of cars also makes GT Sport appealing to watch, and if the field were less radical and more like reality, then perhaps audiences will decide just to watch the real-world WEC and whatnot. So perhaps it'd be better to have more specific rulesets within these groups in addition to the BoP application, like limiting players to a very particular grouping of cars. For example, an N100 event that has a specific ruleset limiting players to Kei cars.
At the end of the day, however, I did want to propose some new groups for the next iteration of GT Sport, as it will likely appear in the next GT game, where I presume tuning and upgrading will be more orthodox. This will be to avoid Gr.X from turning into a "wastebin" class.
-Gr.D, for D1GP cars such as the BP Falken RX-7 FC, the Turn 14 BR-Z, and the Blitz Skyline. These will be limited to drift attack events.
-For the N-Series, I'd limit each N-class to cars that are already in that class as stock. In other words, if you have a car with 300HP, but can be tuned from 200HP to 600HP, then I would only allow it to be within N300, with BoP only changing its power insofar that it's still within N300. I also would allow all cars that have below 100HP stock to have their HP raised to the maximum N100 value at the least, so they can potentially compete with other N-class vehicles. In addition, I think the N-series should only allow stock cars, while only permitting weight/power changes for BoP purposes. I am unsure what ought to be done if a player has upgraded a car in numerous ways like in other GT games, though, like with the aero parts we've seen in GT6. Perhaps a group for tuned cars should be added?
-(EDIT: A class for electric-only cars would likely be ideal, too.)
-In all likelihood, I can foresee DTM cars being added to Gr.2, while the new Hypercar class - which IIRC will debut in the 2019-2020 WEC series - being added to Gr.1.
-I'd also like to see rulesets for races (or championships) being another creative thing that players can create & share, like liveries/decals/photos/course designs, with a lot of potential rulesets, such as for drivetrains, allowing/banning particular cars, allowing/banning hybrid systems, cost of the cars permitted (a bit like Premium Sports Lounge), DRS/KERS, which metrics can/cannot be tuned, maximum & minimum permitted downforce, and so on.
-Finally, I believe the following should not be options within the menus, but something that either comes with the car when you buy it, or can be added in an upgrade, and subsequently can be either mapped to a button or changed in the MFD: various transmissions (including MT, MT /w/ clutch, AT, CVT, semi-auto), TCS & ABS, brake balance & fuel mapping, KERS/DRS, and other features like power mapping (e.g. NFS Payback and the new BMW M5), as well as the distribution of power in hybrid systems. (I do miss the neat UI for the 2nd-gen Prius and the MTRC in the GT4 Toyota Demo, as examples.) I really believe this would add more personality to each car, as opposed to having a more uniform set of options, and especially if each of these factors reflects a car's real-world options. Plus, I think integrating MT /w/ clutch (like I've seen in Forza Horizon 3) could help mitigate the disadvantage seen in players without H-shifters.
-As one more note, I'd love to see the RM system return as a way to turn a road car into a car in Gr.4/Gr.3/etc., and I could foresee it being for obtaining the made-for-game race cars, like the Focus Gr.B or the WRX STI Gr.3.
I'd like your thoughts on all this as well, @Alpha Cipher.
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