How will GT Sport become The Real Driving Simulator again?.
Gran Turismo once ruled when it comes to driving simulators, but nowadays games like Project Cars and Assetto Corsa have long since taken over. Florian checks what GT Sport needs to become The Real Driving simulator again.
Better physics
Gran Turismo was always known for its realism, but if you compare the physics with Project Cars and Assetto Corsa, you can almost call Gran Turismo an arcade game. Polyphony Digital will therefore have to update the physics engine considerably to return to the same level and especially those typical ‘floaty’ Gran Turismo properties may finally disappear.
The cars in Gran Turismo always feel a bit like they are driving on an ice rink. The cars float over the road and can finally find the connection with the road in GT Sport. In addition, Gran Turismo is always very forgiving if, for example, you drive way too fast into a bend. A little upset is the only consequence, but that can all be a lot more realistic and therefore more difficult. Chasing a car at 300km / h on a track is not that easy at all.
If Polyphony can manage to expand the physics system and thereby send more feedback to the players, driving will become a lot more interesting and above all a lot more realistic. Mastering the game is therefore a lot more fun!
Better AI
GT Sport will mainly focus on online racing with the community, but the game will also get an extensive single player mode, as we are used to from the Gran Turismo games. Since a lot can still be played offline, Polyphony must ensure that the AI gets a big kick in its hole. Riding all together in a row is really no longer possible!
Gran Turismo’s AI has always been a fan of driving like a train behind each other and barely taking into account where you drive as a player. As a result, you will be driven off the track without mercy, or you will not get any space during a brilliant overtaking action. Because of this, I always had the idea that I didn’t really have opponents during a race, but rather avoid the obstacles along the way.
Especially Project Cars at a high level shows how exciting it can be when you drive against aggressive AI, which also really reacts to your driving style. Only then does a race become a real fight and it would be great if GT Sport’s AI were also raised to that level.
Better damage model
If you compete in a race, you will take damage, it’s that simple. It is practically impossible not to damage your car at all while racing, but if we are to believe Gran Turismo, you can collapse the guardrail at 200km / h without any problems and get back on the track with a nice bounce and drive on again. And all without seeing any real damage.
Those few scratches and dents in the damage model of Gran Turismo are no longer good enough. I want to see tires flying and debris flying around your ears if you avoid a collision just at the last minute! And while I’m at it, those rubber tires, like in bumper cars, can also disappear.
According to Polyphony, cars kind of always bounce back when they hit each other, like bumper cars. I can tell you from my own experience that this is certainly not the case and I finally want to see that again in GT Sport. A collision should cause total chaos and not be an aid to push the AI off the road in the last corner.
Better sound
Strangely enough, this is perhaps the biggest improvement point for Gran Turismo, because the sound has been crappy from the start of the series. Cars generally barely sound what they sound like in real life and occasionally have more in common with a blowfly in mating time. Super old school and that needs to change.
However, it seems that the sound is getting some attention for the first time in GT Sport, if we are to believe Kazunori Yamauchi. According to him, they have finally captured the sounds of the cars in the right way, in other words, glued the cars with microphones and pedaled around the track. Only then will you hear the real sounds that you can hear during a real race.
While playing the game I immediately noticed that the sound has become much better in GT Sport, so I am hopeful that the sound is finally up to standard.
Better online functionality
Yes, it was possible to play online in Gran Turismo 5 and 6, but the online functionality was very sparse. Even Driveclub was better at launch and that was a mega -up. Fortunately, online racing is becoming a big part of GT Sport and that would be damn time too!
In GT Sport there are constant tournaments for everyone to participate in and there are different levels so that everyone can compete against others in an exciting race online. According to Polyphony, GT Sport will get the most comprehensive online functionality in a racing game ever and I can’t wait to get in on it. Bring on that racing license!
