XP and all that jazz

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m0rning-side
Im going to start by saying that I love gt. The series has a great feel to it. However Im going to give my two cents on why GT5 has upset so many people. Its the XP. XP (as you all know) is one of the most addictive things about modern computer games ranging from call of duty to kids games such as Moshi monsters (dont ask!). Maybe its just me but I find that if I have some time to play GT5 i "want to make sure im using it for a reason" aka earning XP or money.

In previous versions of this game id happily just drive around in practice mode (tweaking the steetings etc to go faster) or have great races on the arcade mode. Now we all know that Aspec is kind of flawed withthe lack of restrictions leading to east victories (yes I know we can self control but thats v hard to judge/impose during gameplay). In contrast If you take the time to just race in arcade mode the races are great and pretty well matched (IMO). However, many folks (embarrassinly myself included), often feel the need to be "earning" something from their gameplay and so grind out the lacklustre A spec or worse still press X randowmly to make BOB win it for you. These two modes do have their place mind you however racing fun for me always comes first and this is what arcade delivers.

I remember a time where just playing the game and racing random races in arcade was enough to satisfy us. But this XP stuff is really getting in the way (as it does in other games like COD - I used to play TDM or CTF on older games just for the fun of playing not to gain some XP).

So I ask you all to just leave A spec alone for a day and try the arcade without all the fuss of XP etc. Just enjoy yuor car, enjoy the drive and play for playings sake. :D
 
There is an Arcade part to GT5?.....:)
 
I totally agree. Because there are levels such as in the cod games and the like , the main goal for most people seems to be to get to level 40 as quickly as possible. Just be thankfull that they didn't put prestige mode into the game :lol:. For me this doesn't apply to A spec anymore as there are seasonal events with a lot of xp to be earned being put into it and my limited time to play A spec. B spec on the other hand needs sorting out , I have done 3 of the endurance races so far and after every one I have had to repeat at least one of them to get to the next level to be able to start a new event. Although I don't find this that bad as I can put my driver in my fgt and leave him to his own devices but it's still not a good thing. They have tried to follow other games with this but it obviously does not work in Gran Turismo.
 
I like XP and it doesn't overshadow anything for me. I just don't get why we get so much experiece from those Seasonal Events while A-Spec hardly gives any.
 
I agree with this very much. I do feel the need to gain XP from a race and therefore have neglected one of my favourite parts of the game.
I'm rushing through Aspec and Bspec just to get it over with so I can play more arcade mode and not worry that the time I'm spending should be use leveling up because after I finish Aspec I wont be craving XP anymore.
Good post.
 
Racing in arcade is pretty competitive, also the sounds of impact and damage are more realistic and dynamic then the 1 *kloink* sound in A-spec.
But I want more XP and credits, especially when I see my friends level up, so I play A-spec.
I need to finish a couple of events in A-spec, so I'm not really grinding yet.
 
This is my main problem with XP indeed. There is this need to at least make sure as quickly as possible that you have unlocked every aspect of the game before you go and have some fun with it.
I am completely baffled at the fact that somebody who loves cars much more than games would design a game that limits car enthusiasts in their enthusiasm.
Why PD didn't implement some sort of XP reward for every lap driven in practice mode (based on car and length of track) so people who like to tweak and drive their cars more than they like racing them would get some XP while they are enjoying the game the way they like it is beyond me.
The same could be said for arcade mode. Why not give people XP for actually gaining experience driving cars!?
I have gained as much (if not more) experience (the real thing, not the numbers) by doing various practice laps as by winning the A-spec challenges. I know that XP in many games is leading a life of its own and has little to do with actually gaining experience, but in a game like GT5 it could've been a bit closer to reality, as that is the aim of many aspects of this game.
 
I was joking in my earlier reply... :)

I havent yet played the arcade part of the game because I have been messing firstly with A spec licences and races and had a dabble in B spec.

This whole XP thing is really beyond me especially when people admit to letting it predict how they they play the game.

Ive found it the same with COD as well...my lad and his mates are absolutly obsessed with the Kill/Death ratios they have and what lvl Prestige they are on...same goes for some adult players I know as well...and theres me in a game with my lad and his mates getting absolutly slaughtered...I think I had 3 kills and about 80 deaths.

They thought it was fantastic that I didnt rage quit (as they call it) when I was getting killed so much.

Why didnt I?...because I was having FUN...and more importanly so were they.
I think I am lvl 13 on COD and played it quite a bit...in the same amout of time my friend went prestige...and is still desperate to keep his ratio in his favour but I am probably having just as much FUN and less stress than he is!

We all need to remember we are playing GAMES and they should be treated as such...not as something that we MUST DO to get more more more! And lets face it...I cant see GT6 exactly coming out before pretty much even the most casual player has had more than their share of the game

:)
 
I wholeheartedly agree with you. The game should be about having fun driving cars.

I have not ventured into Arcade other than to try out tracks I have "created".

I have mostly been playing A spec, but have gone for the fun approach rather than the normal Extreme American Championship Indy grind. I have been using the Extreme European Championship Rome race to try out various cars. Now I enjoy driving cars in the game but do not much appreciate getting entangled in the AI silliness so tend to go a little OTT with the cars. My thought on that? It is my game, I am having fun and in the process gaining money and Xp (the Xp gains being sorely lacking in some aspects of the game as you say). I currently have an Audi S4 begging me to drive it around that Rome track avoiding the mobile chicanes if I go too fast!! There is the promise of a reasonably steady stream of Euro metal in the UCD I can try out in similar circumstances! Also my fun approach has got me to Lv 32 though the Seasonals have helped a little.
 
Oerlikon
I was joking in my earlier reply... :)

I havent yet played the arcade part of the game because I have been messing firstly with A spec licences and races and had a dabble in B spec.

This whole XP thing is really beyond me especially when people admit to letting it predict how they they play the game.

Ive found it the same with COD as well...my lad and his mates are absolutly obsessed with the Kill/Death ratios they have and what lvl Prestige they are on...same goes for some adult players I know as well...and theres me in a game with my lad and his mates getting absolutly slaughtered...I think I had 3 kills and about 80 deaths.

They thought it was fantastic that I didnt rage quit (as they call it) when I was getting killed so much.

Why didnt I?...because I was having FUN...and more importanly so were they.
I think I am lvl 13 on COD and played it quite a bit...in the same amout of time my friend went prestige...and is still desperate to keep his ratio in his favour but I am probably having just as much FUN and less stress than he is!

We all need to remember we are playing GAMES and they should be treated as such...not as something that we MUST DO to get more more more! And lets face it...I cant see GT6 exactly coming out before pretty much even the most casual player has had more than their share of the game

:)
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👍 Agreed. Although it's nice to have a good k/d ratio but it shouldn't ruin the fun of a game. I know people that will never quit a game because it count's as a loss on their statistics it's quite sad imo. Apoligies to the op for going off topic.
 
Nielsen
I just don't get why we get so much experiece from those Seasonal Events while A-Spec hardly gives any.
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It's simple; PD realised that they got it very wrong in so far as the amount of XP A-spec races give you, and they thought of a quick fix so players get a 'boost' every now and then.
 
RikkiGT-R
It's simple; PD realised that they got it very wrong in so far as the amount of XP A-spec races give you, and they thought of a quick fix so players get a 'boost' every now and then.
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You are most likely right about this.
 
And heres me ...Ive not even looked at the seasonal events !

Im not grinding either...just having fun :)

Im Lvl 18 A spec and Lvl 19 B spec...just started three new drivers in B spec last night as well.

1.7 mill in wallet and thats come from just working through the races with both specs.

I have also spent an inordinate ammount of time messing with the one part I thought I wouldnt even look at...the photo feature...lose myself for hours in there!
 
RikkiGT-R
It's simple; PD realised that they got it very wrong in so far as the amount of XP A-spec races give you, and they thought of a quick fix so players get a 'boost' every now and then.
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Yes, and by doing so they made their level system even more useless, since you can get to level 24 in a matter of hours of gameplay. It's about time PD realised that you can increase longevity by making players want to play more by providing interesting events, not by forcing them to repeat the same dumb events over and over by putting locks on them.
 
NLxAROSA
Yes, and by doing so they made their level system even more useless, since you can get to level 24 in a matter of hours of gameplay. It's about time PD realised that you can increase longevity by making players want to play more by providing interesting events, not by forcing them to repeat the same dumb events over and over by putting locks on them.
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Agree 100% 👍
 
I don't see the need for Arcade when you can get decent racing on-line. Yeah it's a mixed bag, but some of it is quite good. Plus doing on-line racing gets you XP and cash.
 
So far I've enjoyed the XP inclusion in GT5, BUT I'm sure I'll start disliking it soon. From level 21 and up, the amount just to get into the next level is getting just a bit out of hand.
Having said that, It's still a lot more fun than B-spec.
 
If the XP system and level requirements were invisible, things would then spontaneously appear to unlock.
Not only that, but there wouldn't be any shift to place importance in watching an XP total increase.
The focus would be the driving experience and this silly notion of 'grinding' would be forgotten about.

Let's just all pretend this is a driving game.
 
I must say the amount of Xp to get to the next level can be somewhat daunting at times (and I'm "only" Lv 32). Even the Seasonals now only make a slight dent in it!!

I hate to say it but a certain non-PS3 got the Xp thing somewhat better (maybe too easy?), albeit with 50 levels and a prize car each time you levelled. For some of the levels in GT5 it is an achievement in itself to gain the next level and a reward would have been nice.

Also you get Xp for the last Endurance Race which I think is unlocked at Lv 40. Why? It seems a little pointless. It would have been more sensible to unlock that at Lv 39 so that you could benefit from the Xp.

B spec I can understand it as the overall B spec level does not necessarily reflect the levels of your drivers.
 
I agree with OP.

In fact I am mostly just racing online vs friends and in arcade mode now, I just can't express how much I hate the XP system.

The point about racing games is it is your real life skill & experience that counts, not an arbitrary number assigned to a victory.

In fact in GT, XP only provides a measure of time. Basically you could 'earn' your levels by only entering the lowest XP reward race over and over again.

Factor in the length of the race and minimum time to restart it and maybe add a bit for body refreshes & engine refreshes and this would provide you with the upper time boundary for reaching any given level.

You could then calculate the optimum XP route through the game and apply the same factors.

You then have a time window for any given level. It's a complete pile of 🤬 Which completely ignores any real world knowledge and previous game experience, which really do make a difference.

It also of course makes everything else feel artificial. "I am sorry sir you can't buy that car despite your huge fortune, because you don't have enough points on an arbitrary scale that doesn't measure your skill or experience"

For a game that markets itself on its dedication to realism and simulation, it seems to be getting more and more arcade like.

The real problem I think is that the AI just isn't up to the job of providing decent competition. If it was, the previous and more logical reward system of winning money & prizes would be sufficient.

The seasonal events started out being a challenge of sorts, but they still demonstrate how poor the AI is. They made it competetive at first, with restrictions, but still had to use a staggered start, with you roughly 25 -30 seconds behind the pole position. You couldn't really call it a race could you? Just an arcadey style challenge.

The most annoying thing though is the complete silence from anyone at PD. I would love to see some explanations of these inexplicable design decisions, maybe if there were some decent reasons I might be less annoyed.

Anyway - arcade is quite fun. Have a look at the field it gave me to race against my maxed out Caterham seven fireblade....

deepforestracewaysml.jpg


deepforestraceway1sml.jpg


All veyrons and speed 12s !! :cool:
 
NLxAROSA
Yes, and by doing so they made their level system even more useless, since you can get to level 24 in a matter of hours of gameplay. It's about time PD realised that you can increase longevity by making players want to play more by providing interesting events, not by forcing them to repeat the same dumb events over and over by putting locks on them.
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👍 Totally agree with you here 👍
 
^^ you sir are spot on! exactly what I was getting at. What is the point of feeling like you HAVE to repeat "races" over and over to get enough "XP" to do more "races". I just dont get it. It really blows my mind as to what they were thinking and with such a big title they got it so completely wrong! and they wonder why people are overpowering their cars in the Aspec "races" rendering them little more than time challenges in time consumption not racing expertise....because they would otherwise never reach the higher levels because of the dumb XP (that we of course have to attain because....well...its XP for goodness sakes and we need it lol).

Car, track, laps, competitive wheel to wheel racing please....simple!
 
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