Why do I keep doing this to myself!? RE: GRAN TURISMO 4.

Inspector Hammer! · 02-28-2005, 02:16 AM

I just picked this up on Friday night at a place that releases games early, days at a time in most cases, and once again I have made a royal mistake.

I have always sucked at most driving games as I can never control the car to save my life (which is why I don't have a license, it's just better for all involved that I don't). I'm a reasonably intelligent guy, but I don't seem to have the retention skills needed to learn to drive these games. With every popular driving game that's released, I somehow think that this time it will be different, i'll learn this one so help me! Nope, not the case.

It was apparent from the start that I just blew 50 bucks, this freaking game is harder than all hell! How in the world do the designers expect people to play this thing, I can't drive 10 feet without banging into a wall, and the turns, forget it, they're usually a tire-screech-fest followed by me kissing the wall, despite my best efforts to brake, it doesn't help me in the least, i'm hopeless, folks.

The game is undeniably beautiful to look at, big time!

But the designers seem to think that i'm Mario Andretti or Dale Earnhart Jr. You shouldn't need to be an expert stunt driver to play a game.

Bottom line, I don't have a prayer with this one, shame too, it looks so darn good that I really would love to be able to play it.

PerryD · 02-28-2005, 08:27 AM

John, have you tried Burnout 3 or any in the Need for Speed series? That may be more up your alley.

Chip_Slattery · 02-28-2005, 08:41 AM

John,

One suggestion: B-Spec Mode

Quote:

One of the new additions to the Gran Turismo gameplay is the B-Spec Mode where players don't even need to drive at all. Here the player instead directs the action from afar. Once the race begins there are five different speeds that can be selected that vary from taking it safe and easy all the way up a hard push that has the larger possibility of the driver losing control on the turns. In addition the driver can be given the instruction to overtake cars if at all possible.

More details here: IGN GT4: B-Spec Mode

Obviously not the same as actually driving, but may make you feel better about spending the $50.00!

Christ Reynolds · 02-28-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

I can't drive 10 feet without banging into a wall, and the turns, forget it

you have to pretend you are really driving a car, which you are. since GT4 is a simulation, the game has real world physics. if you get in a car in real life and you drive like you did in GT4, you'd crash just as often.

i forget who it was, but there was this pro race car driver who was the main driver of one of the actual NSX race cars in GT4, and he took it for a couple laps on a track that he drove in real life, and he said the GT4 performance was disturbingly accurate.

GT4 is not for everyone, simply because so many people are used to arcade video games, when you can jam on the throttle and go, when nothing really behaves like real life. if you can get used to the fact that you are the closest to driving the real car without actually doing so, then GT4 will become much more fun to you.

CJ

Michael Warner · 02-28-2005, 03:54 PM

I have to agree with John on this one. For some reason I just can't get the proper sensory feedback from Grand Turismo to make my driving at all realistic. I have driven high-performance cars on closed tracks and certainly understand the physics involved. In GT I wind up crawling through turns, spinning out into the grass, and bouncing off the walls. I do just fine in games like Burnout or Project Gotham Racing that don't try to be hyper-realistic. I guess given the limitations of what you can see and feel on a video game I'm better off with the more arcade style drivers.

That being said I still bought GT4 to ogle the cars and I manage to have fun in the Rally modes.

**HTF Ads**

Carlo Medina · 03-01-2005, 11:32 AM

Have you guys tried a wheel, rather than the gamepad? I find the gamepad to be overly sensitive. You don't drive a car w/ a pad/thumbstick.

I know some people are good at playing GT4 w/ a pad, but maybe for those that can't, the controller is part of the problem.

Good luck!

Christ Reynolds · 03-01-2005, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Have you guys tried a wheel, rather than the gamepad?

i have the driving force pro wheel (the one designed for GT4), and it makes a world of difference.

CJ

Inspector Hammer! · 03-01-2005, 12:15 PM

Thanks for the advice, guys, I think i'll try that wheel.

I fully realize that GT4 is a simulation, but I was in Arcade mode, I would think that it would make the game easier to drive?

And yes, I have played the Need for Speed and Burn Out (not the 3rd one though) games and am generally good at them. I had to ditch NfS Underground though because I got to this one race about 63% in that I just could not win, even after months of trying!

As for the Burn Out series, considering that the one thing I seem to excell at in these types of games is crashing, it fits me like a glove!

PerryD · 03-01-2005, 04:06 PM

I was considering purchasing the Driving Force Pro wheel, but I play on the couch, and don't really have a place to mount the wheel. How do the people here use the wheel?

Instead of getting a desk to mount the wheel, I am thinking about purchasing this seat to use with the Driving Force Pro if the quality is good:
PlaySeat at Outpost