- 4,383
- Connecticut
- Ridley-X4
There are some factors to consider for these circuits:
-Some courses set in real places but with fantasy layouts could have entirely new layouts, as the actual landscape of the locale may have changed since one of the older layouts appeared. For example, newer buildings in New York City would be a highly likely factor if the NYC city course returns from GT4. I wonder if this is also why Rome had its layout changed when it re-appeared in the PS3 era? (Similarly, could this also be why Eiger Nordwand appeared, as a modern successor to GT2's Grindelwald? In another vein, perhaps Kyoto Driving Park was meant to replace the Driving Park locale from GT4, or Special Stage Route X being a replacement for the Test Course?)
-The courses that debuted on certain systems were likely designed to occupy a certain number of cars. The potential elephant in the room is that the courses that initially appeared before the PS3-era could only hold six cars. (Similarly, I am unsure if there's a discrepancy in how many cars can appear on a course in GT5 & GT6, versus GT Sport.) These courses may require either a radical re-design to best occupy more vehicles, or may have a hard cap on how many cars can be fielded. Alternatively, I wonder if these courses could still stick around, but maybe if they appeared in Sport Mode with a higher number of players, it'd be ideal to have them feature a slower type of vehicle, to make things a bit less chaotic? I'm note sure if something like High Speed Ring or Autumn Ring Mini would be best with a ton of super-powerful cars in Sport Mode, though I'd certainly allow the option within lobbies for the ambitious.
-I'm also wondering, realistically, if one could integrate older track layouts as optional layouts alongside their newer iterations, not dissimilar to how the real-world circuits like Monza or Fuji may have older versions? The courses that come to mind include locales like Rome, and it does seem like it'd be a somewhat simple matter of blocking off different roads. But even I'm not entirely sure about this. I also wonder about if one could "stitch-together" original circuits set in a similar area, creating some sort of "patchwork circuit," which could be applied to both Grindelwald and the Eiger Nordwand locales, or to the various Special Stage/Clubman layouts.
-As another thought, I unfortunately have doubts that we'll see the return of circuits based in a more general locale but without being based on a very specific real-world area. For example, the various original courses from the PS2-era that are stated to be based in a real place, but not a specific part of it, such as the Swiss Alps course. I think this is both a good thing and a bad thing, as it does add immersion to the otherwise original layouts (just look at all the flavor text for some of the courses!), even if I'll personally miss the actual layouts. After all, I think the dirt courses for Eiger Nordwand are arguably a replacement for the Swiss Alps course. I wonder if similarly, the Tokyo Expressway courses were meant to replace the Clubman/Special Stage courses, as well? Now, if only we could have an equivalent for the Tahiti Circuit/Maze....
-Finally, there's the courses that were meant for only two vehicles in GT4, such as George V Paris. I think the layout itself could be scrapped, but the locale can be kept. This way, PD can use the area which likely may've changed since it was last used, and can craft a new layout that may be better for racing. But if they were to keep similarly-narrow paths, I could see these courses being turned into point-to-point rally stages, alternatively.
-Some courses set in real places but with fantasy layouts could have entirely new layouts, as the actual landscape of the locale may have changed since one of the older layouts appeared. For example, newer buildings in New York City would be a highly likely factor if the NYC city course returns from GT4. I wonder if this is also why Rome had its layout changed when it re-appeared in the PS3 era? (Similarly, could this also be why Eiger Nordwand appeared, as a modern successor to GT2's Grindelwald? In another vein, perhaps Kyoto Driving Park was meant to replace the Driving Park locale from GT4, or Special Stage Route X being a replacement for the Test Course?)
-The courses that debuted on certain systems were likely designed to occupy a certain number of cars. The potential elephant in the room is that the courses that initially appeared before the PS3-era could only hold six cars. (Similarly, I am unsure if there's a discrepancy in how many cars can appear on a course in GT5 & GT6, versus GT Sport.) These courses may require either a radical re-design to best occupy more vehicles, or may have a hard cap on how many cars can be fielded. Alternatively, I wonder if these courses could still stick around, but maybe if they appeared in Sport Mode with a higher number of players, it'd be ideal to have them feature a slower type of vehicle, to make things a bit less chaotic? I'm note sure if something like High Speed Ring or Autumn Ring Mini would be best with a ton of super-powerful cars in Sport Mode, though I'd certainly allow the option within lobbies for the ambitious.
-I'm also wondering, realistically, if one could integrate older track layouts as optional layouts alongside their newer iterations, not dissimilar to how the real-world circuits like Monza or Fuji may have older versions? The courses that come to mind include locales like Rome, and it does seem like it'd be a somewhat simple matter of blocking off different roads. But even I'm not entirely sure about this. I also wonder about if one could "stitch-together" original circuits set in a similar area, creating some sort of "patchwork circuit," which could be applied to both Grindelwald and the Eiger Nordwand locales, or to the various Special Stage/Clubman layouts.
-As another thought, I unfortunately have doubts that we'll see the return of circuits based in a more general locale but without being based on a very specific real-world area. For example, the various original courses from the PS2-era that are stated to be based in a real place, but not a specific part of it, such as the Swiss Alps course. I think this is both a good thing and a bad thing, as it does add immersion to the otherwise original layouts (just look at all the flavor text for some of the courses!), even if I'll personally miss the actual layouts. After all, I think the dirt courses for Eiger Nordwand are arguably a replacement for the Swiss Alps course. I wonder if similarly, the Tokyo Expressway courses were meant to replace the Clubman/Special Stage courses, as well? Now, if only we could have an equivalent for the Tahiti Circuit/Maze....
-Finally, there's the courses that were meant for only two vehicles in GT4, such as George V Paris. I think the layout itself could be scrapped, but the locale can be kept. This way, PD can use the area which likely may've changed since it was last used, and can craft a new layout that may be better for racing. But if they were to keep similarly-narrow paths, I could see these courses being turned into point-to-point rally stages, alternatively.