Story, teams, rivals and drama.

[GTracer98]

Dear Mr. Yamauchi,

I'm interested in the future of Gran Turismo and I thought of an idea. Would it be possible to implement a storyline within the GT games? What about the possibility to race for other teams, doing press conferences and interviews, acquiring rivals and friends in the offline carrier, hiring a team mate? Other games have tried this and I'm sure it would make GT more exciting.

Thanks in advance
Ciro

 

[stuff1138]

Isn't that called GT Academy?

 

[GTracer98]

Isn't that called GT Academy?

Hehe, that's reserved for the lucky ones.

 

[TRLWNC7396]

Isn't that called GT Academy?

Yes and no. This is actually not a new idea. Working up from the bottom has been asked for for YEARS.

But, with the introduction of the Kart, Jr, Full car of the Red Bull and Senna events, I think a precedent has been set that should be expanded on in the future.

 

[Johnnypenso]

This is a specific question, but the concept of improving offline by giving it more of the feel of a real racing career is already contained in this question.

 

[stuff1138]

@TRLWNC7396 yeah I'm behind the concept of a bottom up racing sim too. I think that would be pretty awesome. Start with a kart and work your way up from the karting level, or start with a used Miata and do Autocross or SCCA races, etc.

 

[GTracer98]

This is a specific question, but the concept of improving offline by giving it more of the feel of a real racing career is already contained in this question.

I see, you have a point. But let's leave this question as it has more specific ideas.

 

[TRLWNC7396]

I like the idea of starting in an easier car (Miata, Civic, etc.) THEN getting into the Karts.

Many people have complained that Karts are quite difficult (which they are).

 

[Johnnypenso]

@TRLWNC7396 yeah I'm behind the concept of a bottom up racing sim too. I think that would be pretty awesome. Start with a kart and work your way up from the karting level, or start with a used Miata and do Autocross or SCCA races, etc.

You'll be wanting to look at Grid Autosport and Project Cars then, not sure how Forza or anyone else does it. GAS and PCars are both into the career mode heavily, PCars as a more serious, sim-like career, GAS incorporates the whole team aspect, with official teams/clubs, custom team liveries, team challenges and prizes etc. GAS releases in a couple of weeks by the way. I can give you links to narrow the search later if you like.

 

[stuff1138]

If you want it to parallel real life a lot of racers start in Karts when they are just kids. Before they can legally go out and buy a Miata or Civic and race it around cones in a parking lot somewhere or hit up SCCA events.

 

[GTracer98]

You'll be wanting to look at Grid Autosport and Project Cars then, not sure how Forza or anyone else does it. GAS and PCars are both into the career mode heavily, PCars as a more serious, sim-like career, GAS incorporates the whole team aspect, with official teams/clubs, custom team liveries, team challenges and prizes etc. GAS releases in a couple of weeks by the way.

Yeah, GAS will be fantastic. But PD needs to keep GT fresh so we have to help them with ideas. You know, if other games take away GT's throne, sales will go down and it'll be a disaster for PD.

 

[smitty33]

Why do we need to be herded around like sheep. Just give me 100 series of 3 or 5 races, as at present and let me decide which order I race them.

 

[TRLWNC7396]

This could be a separate section, for those who want it.

 

[VBR]

Oh dear...no...just no!


👎

 

[Tenacious D]

Oh dear...no...just no!


👎

I'm not quite as aghast as VBR, but I do agree that a storyline would be a little too Toca. "You killed my father!" Okay, extreeeme example there.

BUT, Kaz did heed one of my requests and gave us named bots, and they have definite racing capacities, as you'll see some names always at the front of the field with certain cars, some in the middle, and the rest always in the rear. What I'm hoping is that he develops my notion of a GT Pro Mode which he teased in an interview or two, and some of us extrapolated into a full blown sim mode, like me, clearly. And I'm hot to see Kaz build something like this into GT7 as a Pro Mode.

Teams? Maybe, but I am happy just being my own boss of my destiny. Rivalries? I'd rather see rivalries develop naturally through the course of a racing "season," which I'm hoping in the pro racing leagues is nice and long, 20 to 50 races with special events and championship runs. Chase the leader, or be chased, and fight for those crucial points. Story? Ehh... we can make our own stories out of our careers.

 

[John_McClane]

Oh dear...no...just no!


👎

+1

I don't want to play a character or a "virtual me".
In GT there is a focus on cars and a storyline would change that.
I like GT so much because it pays homage to cars....no character or story in the spotlight. Just passion for cars.

 

[smitty33]

+1

I don't want to play a character or a "virtual me".
In GT there is a focus on cars and a storyline would change that.
I like GT so much because it pays homage to cars....no character or story in the spotlight. Just passion for cars.

I agree . To further add to my previous comment , what I would like to see at the start of GT7 is 100 series of 3 race or 5 race competitions, all open immediately, and all with a maximum PP limit, 1 free car or 10 free cars of mixed ability if one pays a premium price. Then we could each play the game as we want to. If we choose to enter the World Championship first driving a Honda Civic then that would be our choice. We wont win but so what. Give us a completely free choice of which race we wish to enter and in which car, as long as we can afford to buy that car.

 

[GTracer98]

Oh dear...no...just no!


👎

Well, I guess it's not for everyone. But why do you oppose so much to a storyline?

 

[Johnnypenso]

I agree . To further add to my previous comment , what I would like to see at the start of GT7 is 100 series of 3 race or 5 race competitions, all open immediately, and all with a maximum PP limit, 1 free car or 10 free cars of mixed ability if one pays a premium price. Then we could each play the game as we want to. If we choose to enter the World Championship first driving a Honda Civic then that would be our choice. We wont win but so what. Give us a completely free choice of which race we wish to enter and in which car.

I think we need to get away from the mindset of a fixed path of any kind through the game, that's a huge part of the problem now. I want options, options and more options from day 1.

Want a classic GT Aspec Career? No problem.
Want to be an online warrior? Here you go.
Want a fully simulated career offline? Voila.
Want to just hop in cars and drive? Easy peasy.
Want all your modes separated by garage and bank account? Why didn't you say so.

The last thing I want is for PD to try and come up with a new one-size-fits-no-one mode of playing the game. The power is there on the PS4 to make all of this easily possible. Whether they have the sense and the manpower to do this remains to be seen.

 

[Johnnypenso]

Double...dam phones!!

 

[stuff1138]

I didn't give this a like because of the story line idea. I think that's a bit off the mark when it comes to GT. However starting a career is not and having a career mode is not and like Johnnypenso's post there should be options.

 

[TRLWNC7396]

True. Story=movie, and this isn't one. However, career is!

 

[VBR]

why do you oppose so much to a storyline?

Because I wanna race cars online with real people, not have to sit through some 3rd rate cringe-worthy voice acting with multiple Jeff Gordon zombie look alikes!

PD need to stick to what they do best, making awesome looking cars & tracks. They also need to focus on what they don't do so good, plenty of advice for them on these here forums.

 

[gitslautriv]

I personally liked TOCA/V8 Supercars/Pro: Race Driver's gameplay, layout and story concept. But it's just not Gran Turismo, no offence.

Not sure how I'd feel about an offline spin off using the same game engine and progressing through the formulas instead of owning cars.

GT is about choosing your car and tuning them to your desired level if you wish. A story would take this away.

 

[Johnnypenso]

I personally liked TOCA/V8 Supercars/Pro: Race Driver's gameplay, layout and story concept. But it's just not Gran Turismo, no offence.

Not sure how I'd feel about an offline spin off using the same game engine and progressing through the formulas instead of owning cars.

GT is about choosing your car and tuning them to your desired level if you wish. A story would take this away.

Multiple career modes = problem solved

 

[gnorman]

Because I wanna race cars online with real people, not have to sit through some 3rd rate cringe-worthy voice acting with multiple Jeff Gordon zombie look alikes!


PD need to stick to what they do best, making awesome looking cars & tracks. They also need to focus on what they don't do so good, plenty of advice for them on these here forums.

So you don't think there is any room for something in between GT Dallas starring Big Jeff Gordon and driving online with your friends? You've taken the OP and taken it way beyond anything that I'm sure was intended.

All Games have always been about progression from nothing onwards and so having a more immersive setting for the career gives more realism and real world drama to the experience. It doesn't imply dodgy cutscenes and voiceovers. There is plenty of room for a focussed career mode that doesn't have to be at the expense of anything that we have at present, though it would need the race ui and chase the rabbit formati be changed.

+1

I don't want to play a character or a "virtual me".
In GT there is a focus on cars and a storyline would change that.
I like GT so much because it pays homage to cars....no character or story in the spotlight. Just passion for cars.

Homage to cars, or homage to the driving of them as well?

A good career mode would be about driving them in an alternative setting/scenario just like Senna event, moon stuff, GT academy, online, time trials, races etc are different settings/scenarios. It doesn't have to be a fixed scenario either, if it was done properly it would give far more variety and control to the player about what they drive and race than any career mode/gt life of any past GT.

As a game, GT Is going backwards against opposition with sales going down as a result and career mode is weaker in GT6 than pretty much any other GT.

 

[TonyLomas]

I personally do not GT to have a storyline. I think it's too big and it already has race series and events that act like storylines. For example, the Redbull challenge where you start with karts and work your way up to Fan cars, the senna content, even the goodwood event kind of has a story of being invited back every year (few hours if you're playing lots)


You're the driver, not a character, you make up the story by doing whichever events you want, from the Sunday cup to the Le Mans 24min race. lol

Personally, I see the story as being you going through the ranks from novice to expert etc and getting the licences too. I use my imagination too, when doing the Red Bull challenges, I imagined that the RB Junior races were the year after doing the karts. Then when I came second in the championship. I imagined that I did it another season to win the championship before going up to the standard cars. Even though the game had already unlocked it. I didn't feel the need to be spoon fed a story and drama.


I just don't see what a story mode adds. Perhaps its more specific features...

Do you want extra cut scenes before and after races?

Do you want some of the opposing drivers to keep appearing as some kind of rivalry?


As for the mention in the OP about driving for another team, I just pick another car.

I do think that for a lot of the championships (i.e. GT3, GT500 etc) it would be good to have two cars in the same livery with different numbers though. Perhaps even a constructors championship so that you're sweating on the AI keeping up with you. That might be too frustrating though.