I think I should probably make a new thread about this, but this game is a perfect example of diminishing returns.
To graphic whores like myself, I can see many improvements. First off, the specular highlights are amazing. Not only in this shot, but in all of the others.
Compare those highlights to Forza 1's or GT4's and you'll see that neither game compares in this regard.
Secondly, I notice the amazing resolution of the game, far greater the GT4's SEGA Genesis-like resolution, and better than Forza's. Textures are of course, just as sharp.
Next up is the apparent smoothness of the motion blur, it's a far smoother implementation as compared to other next gen games.
Fourthly, look at the geometry, even the doors are modelled seperately! If you look close enough, you can see some specular highlighting on the edge of the car frame before the door kicks in! Some poster here said they saw little difference in GT4 compared to this, and that is a perfect example of diminishing returns. I noticed that the doors were modelled seperately, as is the hood, and that the tail-lights are modelled rather than textured, but this person obviously didn't.
Another very important aspect of this game is the lighting on a micro scale. The lighting inside the door handles, between spokes of the rim, and on the opposite side of the car (where the shadow of car on the ground is also "reflected" on the car...summed up: The other side is a good deal darker).
And with it running at 60 fps, it's just going to be completely awesome to play.
And now onto some critique. A critique that's a bit more realistic, Che
The lighting is excellent, color palette is spot on, but there are a few things preventing this from looking it's best.
The texture quality of the decals on the car is a bit low, in comparison to the resolution of the screen. So it's noticably blurry.
Secondly the texture filtering doesn't look that great, adding to the blurry look of the textures on the car. It's noticable in other shots when it comes to the grass textures.
The reflection in that shot looks awesome btw.
If those were fixed on that shot, it would look pretty damn real. Unfortunately they are both technological barriers rather than an art direction problem. But y'know, if they were 8-bit/4-bit textures they'd take a lot less memory and you can have super high res textures, isn't that correct? Those decals are only a few colours max...
