Track Creator Dream Features

[beezball]

I rather disappointedly discovered the track path editor was completely non-functional this week while trying to show it to my 9 yr old son. Designing tracks on paper or with random stuff around his room is one of his favorite things to do.

It got me thinking about some dream features, though I'm extremely prepared to be disappointed.

- Return of the app editor so you get the benefit of touchscreen, but also in game offline functionality so it won't be impossible to create tracks in 7-8 years

- Getting the long promised GPS track creator app

- The GPS editor would be amazing if it partnered with google earth/street-view to give somewhat realistic roadside features and accurate road width

- A PSVR2 preview and track walk feature, even a live editor if technologically possible.

I think that last one would really be awesome, to be able see things as you lay them out for real, and laying out grandstands, trees and landscape features would be super awesome that way, too.

What would be on your track creator wish-list?

 

[Magog]

How well did the GPS thing work in GT6? It's the only GT I've skipped because I didn't want to play a PS3 game after the PS4 was already released. What a mistake that was.

 

[beezball]

How well did the GPS thing work in GT6? It's the only GT I've skipped because I didn't want to play a PS3 game after the PS4 was already released. What a mistake that was.

Well it never actually came out. A track editor app did come out, but it wasn't GPS, unfortunately. You got preset locations and then had a pretty good amount of customization to make your own track.

 

[Magog]

Well it never actually came out. A track editor app did come out, but it wasn't GPS, unfortunately. You got preset locations and then had a pretty good amount of customization to make your own track.

Wow. That was literally the only reason I felt like I might have missed out by skipping it.

 

[beezball]

Wow. That was literally the only reason I felt like I might have missed out by skipping it.

You're all good then. I remember getting so excited and planning out a couple different routes to drive around my area that would make for a good track. I was definitely letdown on that one.

 

[BigJimmy]

To be complete it would need a good amount of customisation to trackside objects. Something like the Farcry map creator tools would be fantastic and pretty much end my marriage all over again.

 

[GTP_reddevil]

One thing I’d like to see with a track creator is the option to decide the length for the start line straight - I’ve always found it to be slightly irritating at times when trying to recreate a real life circuit for example.

Other things I’d like to see with track creator:

• More seating designs (the ones for GT6 were fairly under-par in my opinion.
• Options to create shorter/alternative variations of an original track design (actually seeing the closed roads from other variations being visible would add more realism to the track creator.
• Can choose where to add specific sector points (useful for drag tracks where a 1/4, 1/2 marks etc can be placed exactly.
• More environmental options such as an actual village/town/city based track with perhaps generic but fairly realistic buildings etc surrounding
• Remove or increase the minimum and maximum track length limit - sometimes 10km isn’t always long enough.
• More themes/locations (dirt/snow locations for example)
• Crossover or bridge options so players can create a crossover which doesn’t defy the laws of physics and realism but crossovers like that of Midfield Raceway or Cape Ring would provide more creative and fun tracks. Also, a tunnel underneath a natural mountain as a crossover just like that of Midfield Raceway would also work wonders.

In hindsight, some of these might be pushing it a little too beyond what’s acceptable and realistic but having these options for track creator would make it more fun for everyone - the hardcore players can make specific tracks whilst more casual and newer players can make fun fantasy tracks, of course any player can make any track they want to.

 

[Freeman_Cruz]

Well it never actually came out. A track editor app did come out, but it wasn't GPS, unfortunately. You got preset locations and then had a pretty good amount of customization to make your own track.

The GPS thing actually was released for GT6 but was limited to time and position recording to display in-game replays of actual laps recorded in certain sports car data loggers from Nissan and Toyota.

A very, very niche feature.

Gran Turismo®6 Manual

www.gran-turismo.com

 

[eran0004]

That it’s possible to mod it, just like in GT6

 

[beezball]

The GPS thing actually was released for GT6 but was limited to time and position recording to display in-game replays of actual laps recorded in certain sports car data loggers from Nissan and Toyota.

A very, very niche feature.

Gran Turismo®6 Manual

www.gran-turismo.com

I didn't bother mentioning that since it was a track creator, just a data logger for people who owned a GT86 and lived near Suzuka, lol. I can't believe they even bothered with that feature!

 

[beezball]

That it’s possible to mod it, just like in GT6

Well everything can (and will) be modded, eventually.

 

[Samus]

The GPS thing actually was released for GT6 but was limited to time and position recording to display in-game replays of actual laps recorded in certain sports car data loggers from Nissan and Toyota.

A very, very niche feature.

Gran Turismo®6 Manual

www.gran-turismo.com

No, there were two GPS features. That one, and one that was going to allow you to create routes from GPS data driving somewhere in the world. The latter never arrived.

“This feature, available at a later stage through an update, will allow you to create your own custom tracks that can be driven in the game. Additionally, in another update we will add the possibility to generate a track by capturing the GPS coordinate data of a mobile app while you are driving that course. This GPS-generated tracks will be available in the game as playable content.”

 

[regnar]

I think if it was to ever return, I want user created tracks to be stored locally, so regardless of the game having no more online support you could still use them.
Also though might be more limiting, the ability to create tracks from the PS4/PS5 so creating tracks locally would go beyond the games support, but still having the option to use a pad device.

 

[DefNotJake]

Being able to age the surface of your tracks.

Surfacing aging options: 'Freshly Repaved', 'Recently Repaved', 'Old', and 'Abandoned'. As the surface gets older, the track loses grip and the bumps get larger and more common. Older surfaces will also have less grip, and the surface will degrade the tires quicker.

EDIT: Want to clarify, never got a chance to try GT6's track editor as my PS3 broke before the update ever came, and already had a PS4 at that point. Sorry if something like this was already included, really want to see the track editor return in GT7 though! Sounded like it was a huge upgrade from what GT5 had.

 

[LeGeNd-1]

Something like this would be my dream.



Just drive around in real world and voila, the route is auto generated in game with the correct trackside objects. Obviously not gonna happen though.

 

[Mariangello]

Something like this would be my dream.



Just drive around in real world and voila, the route is auto generated in game with the correct trackside objects. Obviously not gonna happen though.

That's exactly what I meant too... Maybe in GT8?

 

[Imari]

Something like this would be my dream.



Just drive around in real world and voila, the route is auto generated in game with the correct trackside objects. Obviously not gonna happen though.

Honestly, this is something where Microsoft will definitely get to it first because they've already started with the technology. They've got something similar with Flight Simulator, extending it to drivable roads and terrain is very difficult but not inconceivable. I'd imagine between Flight Simulator and Forza Horizon most of the pieces are there, it just takes a lot of work to put them together in a way that isn't buggy as **** and gives a product with sufficient polish to sell to the average consumer.

 

[Magog]

Has it actually been confirmed that the track editor is coming back?

 

[BigJimmy]

Has it actually been confirmed that the track editor is coming back?

No. But since when has that stopped us GT Nerds from fantasising about something.

 

[Vspectra]

Something like this would be my dream.



Just drive around in real world and voila, the route is auto generated in game with the correct trackside objects. Obviously not gonna happen though.

This actually required a considerable amount of work and took him 239 hours to make that. Capturing the footage and images only took 10 hours of work, the rest was actually building the track. The original mesh is too high poly and super unpolished to be used as is, required a lot of separating meshes and objects, breaking up the track into segments so that it actually loads properly, lots of trial and error fixing collision issues, adding new materials and UVs, lots of time cleaning up models, etc. Most game development already uses photogrammetry to build assets.

 

[Magog]

No. But since when has that stopped us GT Nerds from fantasising about something.

Did they ever explain why there was no track creator in GT Sport? With all of the emphasis on photos/scapes and livery creation and sharing it was a really weird omission. I'm guessing it was due to the extremely complicated way they baked the lighting for Sport so I'm hoping the real time lighting of GT7 will let them add that back in.

It would be great if they let you use the decals from the livery editor in the track creator as well. It would add a lot of life to it.

 

[Samus]

Did they ever explain why there was no track creator in GT Sport?

Do they ever really explain anything? No, we have to just second guess and wonder about most of their decisions.

 

[Magog]

Do they ever really explain anything? No, we have to just second guess and wonder about most of their decisions.

Well, reading again through this article about Sport they had to use a rendering farm to create the baked lighting for every Sport track so there was absolutely no way they could do that for every track made by us in a track creator. Assuming they have abandoned this method with their new real time lighting system I have a lot of hope the track creator will make a comeback.

Polyphony Digital Reveals GT Sport's "Iris" Ray Tracing System at CEDEC 2018

Since Polyphony Digital first launched Gran Turismo, the company has been creating some of the most graphically impressive titles in the video game industry. Detailed car models and beautiful lighting has been a hallmark of the series for more than 20 years. It's a bit of a mysterious art, though

www.gtplanet.net

Additional thought: They should let you alter the track width and barrier style so we can recreate older tracks.

 

[MIE1992]

I'd be frankly fine with it not returning in GT7, but if it did, I want to recreate some courses from the GBA and SNES Mario Kart/F-Zero games.

 

[Monkey Man]

The most-critical "feature" for me would be that it'd be possible to create tracks sans-touchscreen.

I've never owned and likely never will own a mobile transmitting device. I can handle BT in short bursts (not continuous), but all the other malarky sends my brain into a spin, causes headaches and complete loss of focus and the ability to carry out complex tasks. On top of that it prevents me from sleeping for at least 2 days from only a few seconds of close-up exposure. Been this way since the '80s when microwave ovens did the same thing to me.

Anyone else here who's had severe heavy-metal poisoning (5 flavours!) might find him or herself in the same boat, I'm guessing. Maybe low immune system, autoimmune, cancer survivors...

Point being that PD did it with GT5 and then wiped guys like me off the table with GT6. Just give us the option to design the "hard way" (via controller) and I'll be happy as a pig in gravy 'cause I know that if we get a new course maker it'll trounce those previous incarnations.

 

[Magog]

The most-critical "feature" for me would be that it'd be possible to create tracks sans-touchscreen.

I've never owned and likely never will own a mobile transmitting device. I can handle BT in short bursts (not continuous), but all the other malarky sends my brain into a spin, causes headaches and complete loss of focus and the ability to carry out complex tasks. On top of that it prevents me from sleeping for at least 2 days from only a few seconds of close-up exposure. Been this way since the '80s when microwave ovens did the same thing to me.

Anyone else here who's had severe heavy-metal poisoning (5 flavours!) might find him or herself in the same boat, I'm guessing. Maybe low immune system, autoimmune, cancer survivors...

Point being that PD did it with GT5 and then wiped guys like me off the table with GT6. Just give us the option to design the "hard way" (via controller) and I'll be happy as a pig in gravy 'cause I know that if we get a new course maker it'll trounce those previous incarnations.

But the console itself and the controllers all use wireless transmission...

 

[Monkey Man]

I map the wheel / gearbox buttons so I'm only using USB.

In the absence of a PS button I use a standby controller for the few seconds it takes to turn the unit off, or I hold the power button down 'til it does so if in a major hurry. In the case of a standby controller it's been USB-connected thus far (I'm only up to PS3) but if I can't do that with the PS5 I hope to Hell it's only BT, which as I said earlier, I can handle in short bursts as long as they don't continue for hours.

You're scaring me now brother.

 

[Magog]

Having skipped 6 I didn't realize how much more robust the track creator was than in 5. I think in terms of added features a track creator is #1 on my list. The community seemingly did an amazing job with creating real and original tracks of their own.

 

[Scaff]

Having skipped 6 I didn't realize how much more robust the track creator was than in 5. I think in terms of added features a track creator is #1 on my list. The community seemingly did an amazing job with creating real and original tracks of their own.

And PD then burnt it all to the ground when they ended on-line support.

Which is both absurd and frustrating, the very least they could do would be to patch in off-line support and the ability to export and share track files manually before they shut down servers for titles, but given this is PD/Sony I don't see that happening.

It's going to be very informative when we see what they do with GTS when they end of life it, as without a patch, when they close down the servers, GTS is going to become effectively unusable outside a very, very small part of the title.

 

[Magog]

And PD then burnt it all to the ground when they ended on-line support.

Which is both absurd and frustrating, the very least they could do would be to patch in off-line support and the ability to export and share track files manually before they shut down servers for titles, but given this is PD/Sony I don't see that happening.

It's going to be very informative when we see what they do with GTS when they end of life it, as without a patch, when they close down the servers, GTS is going to become effectively unusable outside a very, very small part of the title.

Yes, that is disappointing but "video game preservation" has become a big thing since then so outside forces will likely contribute to Sony behaving differently this time around.