The "Feel" of GT1 Compared

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Hi guys.

Lately, I've been playing a LOT of GT1 recently. While I was playing to day, I noticed that GT1 has a different feel than the other 4 installments. It seems like its a little more "lighthearted" & much less sterile than the 2-5. GT3 seems to recapture a small amount of the GT1-ism, and makes it much more enjoyable. The things are small, and subtle, but they make a HUGE difference, which leads me to my next theroy. Which is that people see a little GT1 in GT3, and the nostalgia, on top of the high polish in that installment, make it many peoples favorites. If you haven't played GT1, or wonder what the heck i'm rambling on about, listen to the music in the following videos.

GT1 Main Sim Menu Music:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8wP23uibK8&feature=related

GT2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rqNs0nUzs

As you can see, completely different sound and feel. Here is another example:

GT1 Toyota Theme:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsO1q4NWIN8

GT2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjhKR1wChaA

And here are the intros:

GT1:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ASmIlmgTbE

GT2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e701QHyCr0o

See what i'm saying?
 
I would agree GT1 has a different feel from all the others, it was PD getting their new gaming engine figured out, and at the time there was no other game like it on the market. PD's first racing game (Motor Toon, I think it was called) was a cartoonish effort which was supposed to compete with Nintendo's Mario Kart. I've never tried Motor Toon, but I imagine PD simply took the physics from this game, and then transferred them to the first GT (with lots of tweaking, of course).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motor_Toon_Grand_Prix

This could be why you describe GT as "lighthearted", because it could have physics originally designed for a cartoonish videogame.

I've driven at least 2 dozen cars which appear in all 5 GTs to date, which is the best way to really compare from game to game. In other words, the FC-series RX-7, Toyota Supra MKIV generation, the Vipers, the Camaro Z28, Honda Civic hatches, and several others appear in all 5 GTs. After driving each of these from game to game, I've noticed

>the first GT's cars have a very "slotcar-ish" feel to them.

> GT has virtually zero understeer, in cars which should exhibit some or lots of understeer

> GT's oversteer is wildly overstated. You can totally toss a car way past its limit, and then gain it all back in a flash with little effort or consequences.

> For these reasons, the first GT is definitely fun, but not very realistic.

I would disagree that the later installments are "sterile". If you wanna use that word (which to me translates as "boring") GT3 in my opinion is actually the most sterile. PD removed a lot of the little bumps in the road that made driving GT & GT2 courses exciting. PD took away the chances for our cars to catch air, or to lose aerodynamic downforce when following another car into a corner.

GT3 removed some of the chances for a rear-drive car to oversteer, too. And GT4 virtually killed all this. There are tons of FR cars in GT4 which one could oversteer and drift in earlier games, but now it was near-impossible to get this to happen without an impending accident. But at least GT4's tracks felt more exicting to drive.

I feel like I have to defend GT5 a lot lately, which lots of people criticize here (but don't forget, the same people criticized GT2, GT3, and GT4 for various reasons). It's the most exciting of the series, physics-wise. An example: taking an old '69 Camaro around Autumn Ring, turning off the ABS system, and then roaring off, feeling and hearing all the minute abberations of each tire rotating at different speeds. I press the brakes and they actually lock up for a change. The Camaro gets sideways!

I have about a half-dozen options now. Create an extreme drift, or create more of a grip-situation, or create something in-between.

don't get me wrong, I'm not bashing the original GT, it was load of fun/awesome for its time. But it is unrealistic in lots of ways. I'd rather have realism (as long as it's done RIGHT) than a slotcarish videogame, in which I'm always getting my cornering perfect with little effort.
 
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"Sterile" may have been too strong of a word, can't think of a replacement off hand. :dunce: I do agree about the ABS thing, however. It makes it feel like a whole different game, and its for the better really.
/off topic Have you ever driven a manual transmission, no TCS, no ABS, Nascar (worst car in the game in my opnion) at La Sarthe in the rain? /end off topic
 
off-topic continued. Hee hee, no I haven't. I only got a NASCAR vehicle last week, just to race against a friend of mine from work online. He only races (like most NASCAR fans) at Daytona Speedway. I'll try your suggestion, though. I'm sure it'll be murder.

By the way, I forgot to mention last nite that I get what you're saying about the music. GT's menu music sounds like a garage band rocking out, wheras GT2 sounds like this smooth-jazz band. It always made me nervous as I'm trying to shop for parts and whatnot. :scared:

Same goes for the intro. GT's intro gets me all psyched up to race. GT2's intro is fine visually, but the Cardigan's song (as much as I like it) does bum me out. Who wants to lose their favorite game?
 
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No one does wants to lose, now do they? I must say, I didn't expect anyone to reply (without insulting me anyways). I'll have to try those cars in each GT, Must be a VERY good way to compare the physics. Did you do the games in order at first, then did, say GT1 then GT5?

/off topic again
I can't get past the A Lisence, Test 3. Normally I don't have much trouble, but the PSP Controls are FAIL!! The GT5 tuning shop song bothers me (HATE 70s MUSIC!):yuck:
 
I think everybody agrees that GT5 has the best physics so far.
It's just so awesome with GT1, the WHOLE feel of the game is so nice.
Sure, the physics are outdated as hell but there were so many small things I just love about GT1.
Even thinking of getting a Driving Force Pro (I think it is) and go through the game again.
 
Just started playing GT1 for the first (!) time, having started my GT career with GT5P, then GT5, then a bit of GT3 on a second-hand PS2.

Quite surprised by it. The graphics are (as expected) cr*p, but I love the sound track despite the small number of tracks, the sound is good and the handling still surprisingly good and entertaining.

It comes across even now as a great arcade racer.
 
i have all the gt games as well. personally, i really dislike gt1 and gt3 physics wise. they both share the same tendencies to turn slightly delayed. the new shift 2 has this similar issue. gt2 and gt4 are perfect in that sense and for their specific times had spectacular physics. gt5 is so much better you cant really compare it to the rest of the series.

they dont have many sensitivity options and things of that nature to help adjust so your stuck with it. anyone else noticed this.
 
GT1 is the most fun.
GT2 is also fun, thanks to some epic tracks.
GT3: I'M LOOKIN' FO' NAIL CLIPPERS.
GT4 is meh. The real understeer over-simulator.
GTPSP is pretty good. Much more realistic than GT4.
GT5 I didn't try yet.
 
vk56dehan
i have all the gt games as well. personally, i really dislike gt1 and gt3 physics wise. they both share the same tendencies to turn slightly delayed.
Click to expand...

That's a relief!

I've just started playing the early GTs, first GT3 and now GT1, and noticed the steering lag. I thought it was my Logitech wireless gamepad. I'll be interested to see if GT2 and 4 are different.
 
they are much different. both 2 and 4 are arcadish compaired to gt5 but they dont have lag. in gt4...it is very arcade like with sticky race tires, but with hard race or less feels more realistic.
 
It's funny to call any GT arcadish when you go and see the racing games in an arcade. GT is always first and foremost a sim, and only in comparison with the most recent and more realistic GT's can we call some older GT's somewhat arcadish. But even so, they are still nothing like what you would find in an arcade.
 
jeffgoddin
It's funny to call any GT arcadish when you go and see the racing games in an arcade. GT is always first and foremost a sim, and only in comparison with the most recent and more realistic GT's can we call some older GT's somewhat arcadish. But even so, they are still nothing like what you would find in an arcade.
Click to expand...

You saying this made me think of the Crusin' series. Very arcadeish in comparison to GT1. But GT5 to GT1 makes GT1 seem a little arcadeish, but no where near games like Cruisn', or the F&F Arcade games.
 
jeffgoddin
It's funny to call any GT arcadish when you go and see the racing games in an arcade. GT is always first and foremost a sim, and only in comparison with the most recent and more realistic GT's can we call some older GT's somewhat arcadish. But even so, they are still nothing like what you would find in an arcade.
Click to expand...

which is exactly why i only compared them to the other gt series. trust me, i know what arcade is with my NES pole position and PS ridge racer 1 lol.
 
I have been playing very much GT1, GT2 and G5 lately. Gotta weigh in. GT1 is slotcar-ish per se but within a narrow range the physics are actually quite realistic. What's brilliant about this title is that you can play in a very arcade-ish way by overdriving the car, go way too fast, slam the gas, wall ride, slam on the brakes with no modulation, use a digital pad and still be successful.

BUT, if you choose to use an analog device or wheel, drive with precision, be very smooth on your inputs, feed in the throttle, not jerking the steering, releasing your brake, hit your apexes, etc. you will be rewarded with very fast lap times. You can drive very difficult cars with tons of oversteer and still manage them (stock Griffith). In fact you can trail brake a bit and get the car rotated. Now rotate it a lot and it sort of hits its 'slot' but this 'feature' is very rare in a sim on a console until recently (Forza). Heck even GT5 isn't too much for trail braking. Yeah I would agree that FF cars have very little understeer but you can in fact understeer when you are not patient on the throttle. Can you say turn 1 and turn 7 in Deep Forest?

GT1 compared to GT2: the tire squeal as a tool for driving fast is used completely differently. In GT1 you can really motor and if you keep the tire sqeal to a minimum you will go fast. In GT2 the tires squeal pretty much constantly. I find GT2 a little more watered down in driving experience than GT1 but still good. I think the steering delay that was expressed above has something to do with a pretty big dead zone built into the game. Some wheels have adjustments to get around that and when you calibrate a wheel you can set it with no dead zone. There is no console game of this era that comes close to the fun and realism that can be had. Heck some new games don't. Love em' Long live GT!
 
to first post, i agree with you GT 3 and 4 was badly sterile, but GT2 was as fun as first GT but in a little otherway, the cars felt ''heavier'' specialy on bumps.
But music for first two GTs was insanely good, but again in other way (GT1 electronic, GT2 acid jazz - talking about menu music)

And must not forget that GT2 had much more european cars to choose (which one of that i own right now in my real garage).
GT5 dont have the same european models selection (only GT4 cars - newer than GT2 had).
But sense of speed or feel of driving a premium car is much better (or best) in GT5.
 

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