The appeal of low grip driving

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> I do see hard to believe that I'm not alone on this predicament. I love to keep my digi-S2K tuning as minimum as possible, using only bolt-ons & confort-series tires/tyres only.

Do you ever see a 450 PP lobby with no tyre restriction and shake your head?

I play GT5 for the enjoyment above all, not to go as fast as possible all the time.
The most enjoyable driving experiences and some of the best races I've had has been with slippy tyres.

^ Amen brother, AMEN!!! 👍

Take this video for example.

 

[diegorborges]

I think most GT players go to low grip/stock grip driving step by step... I never go for Racing tires... only on LM cars, etc... so, I was pretty much using Sports Soft on everything (450pp sports soft is STILL FUN.)

Then I started to define the tires I'll use on any car according to power and usage... but most of time, cars up to 400pp I often use sports hard and comfort soft for the small and less powerful cars, sports medium for 400-450 and sports soft for anything over that.

Tire choices are hard on GT5 if you want to keep realism. I think it really depends on each car. I wouldn't use comforts on a Ferrari or Lambo, even if it can be fun, just look ridiculous imho. Sports hard are minimum for supercars and it feel accurate.

So, using the stock tires that come with the car 99% of time, it's the funnier, for me. And I agree with Mr. Vanishing Boy. I have A LOT of cars with just cheap/bolt on upgrades and stock tires and the S2000 is one of them. Since GT2, I do the same ritual, pick a silver S2000, add ECU and airfilter and go for a ride on Midfield. GT5 broke that tradition because we don't have midfield

The maximum proof that stock tires are fun it's the shuffle races. 99% of time I have the time of my life when " shufflin' "

 

[JDMKING13]

I think most GT players go to low grip/stock grip driving step by step... I never go for Racing tires... only on LM cars, etc... so, I was pretty much using Sports Soft on everything (450pp sports soft is STILL FUN.)

Then I started to define the tires I'll use on any car according to power and usage... but most of time, cars up to 400pp I often use sports hard and comfort soft for the small and less powerful cars, sports medium for 400-450 and sports soft for anything over that.

Tire choices are hard on GT5 if you want to keep realism. I think it really depends on each car. I wouldn't use comforts on a Ferrari or Lambo, even if it can be fun, just look ridiculous imho. Sports hard are minimum for supercars and it feel accurate.

So, using the stock tires that come with the car 99% of time, it's the funnier, for me. And I agree with Mr. Vanishing Boy. I have A LOT of cars with just cheap/bolt on upgrades and stock tires and the S2000 is one of them. Since GT2, I do the same ritual, pick a silver S2000, add ECU and airfilter and go for a ride on Midfield. GT5 broke that tradition because we don't have midfield

The maximum proof that stock tires are fun it's the shuffle races. 99% of time I have the time of my life when " shufflin' "

Comfort tires are perfect for Lambos and Ferrari In my opinion. I don't use any sports tires on my stock car unless it is a special version. If we do shuffle race which is what I do in open lobbies then I use sports hard. It is fun, but not as fun with ABS off with comfort tires. This method really brings the driving out of GT5. I have a Z challenge going on this weekend you guys should really give it a try. 1st place gets a free $20 PSN card code, I have many laying around my room, so I figured I would have some fun.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> I've just opened a room for you guys:

Low-Grip Drivers Only

[No Tuning, 450 PP only, & up to C.Soft only]

^ This room is Live right now!

 

[funkymcmonkey]

Racing soft for me every time, everyone else uses them so why let them get an advantage ? plus i don't really like sliding around a circuit whats the point ? how is that real life like.

 

[davelis]

is it just me, or do Sports Hard handle a little bit similar to Racing Softs from GT5 Prologue???

 

[Xquiste]

I just hate that when you host a Sports:Hard lobby you will probably have to drive alone.
Someone might get in and get out, but most of the time alone. There is exceptions though..

 

[finnracer]

Racing soft for me every time, everyone else uses them so why let them get an advantage ? plus i don't really like sliding around a circuit whats the point ? how is that real life like.

How is sliding around realistic? How isn't it? In just about every race series the drivers/cars slide around if they get on the power too early, take too much speed into a corner or even getting unsettled under braking, you even see F1 cars slide when they get on the power too early out of slow bends!! Also, how is putting soft slicks on a road car realistic, even trackday cars tend to use semi-slicks (Sports Tires on GT) so they can be legally driven to and from the desired circuit.

Unfortunately its the people who 'use Racing Softs because everyone else does' that miss out on the best of GT, and if they took an alternative approach/attitude to their tire choices they would probably enjoy driving more and there would be more people to race against who don't use Racing Softs all of the time!!

 

[shirakawaa]

Just had a couple of races with Comfort Medium tires (which I dubbed "Vintage tires") and 470 PP Vintage Muscle cars. Not a lot of people, but loads of fun as usual, especially with all aids off (ABS included, though I didn't enforce this).

 

[JDMKING13]

Just had a couple of races with Comfort Medium tires (which I dubbed "Vintage tires") and 470 PP Vintage Muscle cars. Not a lot of people, but loads of fun as usual, especially with all aids off (ABS included, though I didn't enforce this).

Excellent man I know you guys had alot of fun wish I was racing with you guys. ABS off takes GT5 to another level the driving feels so much better!

 

[finnracer]

Tip for all: The Toyota GT86 is way over-tired on SH and still too grippy on CS, CM however turns it into one of the most fun cars to drive standard in the game. Took one for a lap of the 'ring the other day and it was fantastic, easy to slide and predictable when it does!!

 

[Forgetful]

Our league runs a lot of Tuning Prohibited races on default tires. We've started with a lot of small cars on CS tires and next we're moving in to some mid level sports cars on SH tires. The challenge is part of the fun!

 

[s15240drifter]

Tip for all: The Toyota GT86 is way over-tired on SH and still too grippy on CS, CM however turns it into one of the most fun cars to drive standard in the game. Took one for a lap of the 'ring the other day and it was fantastic, easy to slide and predictable when it does!!

The ft 86 II concept is the same way if not a bit more fun on cm. In my 450pp cs rooms that's my car of choice. Don't always win but I have an absolute blast trying.

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

-> Last night I was waiting for some people on my 450PP C.Soft room for 2 hours last night and nobody showed up.

 

[s15240drifter]

-> Last night I was waiting for some people on my 450PP C.Soft room for 2 hours last night and nobody showed up.

But once they do nine times out of ten it leads to epic races. I have made a few friends now on psn that are very close to my driving skill (which isn't that good) and now it don't take as long to get a race going.

 

[watermelon punch]

-> Last night I was waiting for some people on my 450PP C.Soft room for 2 hours last night and nobody showed up.

For comfort tires, pub lobbies are a crap shoot, and most people just find shuffle rooms, or spec rooms (Recommended Garage), I think. If they want to race on comfort tires. Generally.

Seems once people start tuning for 450pp - they're doing it with sports tires.
Because that's trendy, & what everyone has prepared in their garage.

I'm afraid if you want something specific that goes against the random pub lobby player's norm, you have to join or make an organized race here.
Find the other people who want to tune to a PP, & use comfort tires.

 

[OK8]

For comfort tires, pub lobbies are a crap shoot, and most people just find shuffle rooms, or spec rooms (Recommended Garage), I think. If they want to race on comfort tires. Generally.

Seems once people start tuning for 450pp - they're doing it with sports tires.
Because that's trendy, & what everyone has prepared in their garage.

I'm afraid if you want something specific that goes against the random pub lobby player's norm, you have to join or make an organized race here.
Find the other people who want to tune to a PP, & use comfort tires.

The scene must be different over there then. Whenever I host a 400-500pp Nordschleife room (abs or sometimes not) with comforts it never takes long for people to join.

 

[watermelon punch]

The scene must be different over there then. Whenever I host a 400-500pp Nordschleife room (abs or sometimes not) with comforts it never takes long for people to join.

I was talking about general rooms with various tracks.

Perhaps it has something to do with Nurburgring. There is a certain sect that will drive nothing but, in any various ways, and just seek out rooms specifically that run only nurb... and that is their only point of choice - none of the other things matter, so long as it's just nurburgring. (ie: some of these people will run with track grip low, or real, aids on or off, whatever pp - they just look for nurb rooms)
And many of those people will want to run nurburgring on anything all the time, and never do much of anything else.

"We" who are "over here" have our share of Nurburgring fanatics hanging out in Nurb-only rooms.

But no, nurb-only comfort tires is not the norm I think 8-11pm US time.

 

[RoadRocket77]

I don't mind crappy tires at low power levels, but don't force me to use the crappiest tires in the lineup to use on a 500 PP car. I like the shuffles, but some cars are absolutely horrible with anything less than sports soft. most of the online rooms I see force comfort hard tires with a 500 or 600 HP limit... REALLY??!! get a clue. In real life, there is NO WAY that ANY car company would give you 500 horsepower to play with and give you some $hitty budget tire that will fail at speeds above 100 MPH. If you have more than 400 HP, you should have (at minimum) Sports mediums.

 

[watermelon punch]

I think one of the issues that comes in when people are racing road cars at 500pp... is that everyone's hopping them up, power limiting them down... to get the most torque/GO! And then if you do that and put them on comfort medium tires...

Comfort soft or sports hard can be completely (or at least fairly) sane on a 500pp car with tuning prohibited.

That said, you would have to be an idiot or a bizarre person with a real penchant for risk, to do a lot of the things in real life that are done in gt5.

 

[AAR_CobraJet]

Our league runs a lot of Tuning Prohibited races on default tires. We've started with a lot of small cars on CS tires and next we're moving in to some mid level sports cars on SH tires. The challenge is part of the fun!

That is too cool! Great video!

 

[OK8]

If you have more than 400 HP, you should have (at minimum) Sports mediums.

 

[rosckolove]

now i'm not knocking those who prefer low grip racing, i find it fun also, but its kind of stupid to say that they should just remove the racing soft tires.
and road camber is extremely important even with racing softs. i'll probably destroy you in your godmode car with my godmode car around the nurb, if you find such things to not matter

now in case you guys haven't noticed, this is a video game..
or a simulator if you will...

i prefer to simulate what kind of racing i would like to do. if i had the money for a 458, i would have money for a trailer, and i would certainly have a set of the stickiest tires i could find waiting to be slapped on it. i know plenty of people in real life that do this.

you guys take your old vintage 66 fastback vette and drive its around with the original suspension. i'm putting c6 suspension in mine, with nice sticky tires and a new stereo

 

[sinbad]

now i'm not knocking those who prefer low grip racing, i find it fun also, but its kind of stupid to say that they should just remove the racing soft tires.
and road camber is extremely important even with racing softs. i'll probably destroy you in your godmode car with my godmode car around the nurb, if you find such things to not matter

now in case you guys haven't noticed, this is a video game..
or a simulator if you will...

i prefer to simulate what kind of racing i would like to do. if i had the money for a 458, i would have money for a trailer, and i would certainly have a set of the stickiest tires i could find waiting to be slapped on it. i know plenty of people in real life that do this.

you guys take your old vintage 66 fastback vette and drive its around with the original suspension. i'm putting c6 suspension in mine, with nice sticky tires and a new stereo

Fair enough, but you could also say that if you were going to be a racing driver you might as well be in f1, so you only drive that in gt5. (exaggeration, not really a fair comparison with your point tbh, :-) )

The argument over whether racing soft is too grippy even for a slick racing tyre is one that I'll leave alone. I'm not in any way asking for its removal either.

The point is that this sim/game offers much more besides "going as fast as you can". Surely nobody drives the x2011 exclusively do they?
We make a decision to "go slower" because it offers something different, a different challenge.

I do find it odd when people make this choice to drive a slower car, and then, imho, remove the fun that goes with it by using such grippy tyres. It's a game/sim as you said.

 

[MOTORTRENDmitch]

Chris Harris is my idol, He is just such an awesome reviewer... 👍

 

[ampire]

I started driving around with stock high end cars and comfort tires this weekend, it makes the game a lot more enjoyable.

Currently I am using a Ferrari F40 with comfort softs, the shorter gearbox, and the nonadjustable suspension. Awesome.

 

[HeXoSKEL3t0n]

Yeah I totally agree man...I hope that PD would soon add tyre restrictions, power/weight/pp limits, tuning allowed/prohibited etc etc to the search function for open lobbies.

This would make it much more easier to find proper fun lobbies