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LTTP: Forza 4 AND Gran Turismo 6

Yep, currently alternating between both and thought I'd throw up some thoughts. I haven't played a realistic driver in quite a long time actually, so it's like falling in love all over again.

Gran Turismo 6

+ Even thought the framerate/visuals are inconsistant as shit sometimes, when you're on the right track and playing in 1080p (like say Tokyo), the game still manages to look phenomenal

+ The jazzy presentation still kicks soooo much ass

+ Dem ol' school GT holdover menu SFX warm my heart

+ The UI is daaaamn good. I played a bit of GT5 in the past and yeah, this is an immense improvement

+ I actually dig the minimal tutorial/hand-holding when you start off. It's all still very "you get what you put into it" as far as understanding the game's structure and layout.

+ Game still makes you work for you cars as opposed to Forza 4, which is very happy to constantly give you a new one. Pretty sure I prefer this.

+ Polyphony need to be commended for still throwing out regular updates

- customization is kinda ass and feel like Polyphony threw it in there because it's expected at this point.

- Yep, GT engine sounds, 'nuff said

- OMFG, the patching/installation process is sooo goddamned terrible

- Like others have said, GT feels like a driving simulator at this point, not necessarily a racing game IE: AI is still almost non-existant so you end up deriving you pleasure from mastering the cars/tracks.

= Licensed tests feel like a double edged sword. I love them but also kinda hate them


And now to Forza 4

+ Even though you don't get native 1080p visuals, Forza 4 is still visually consistent as hell. Locked 60fps when driving, vsynced, decent AA. I honestly prefer Forza 4 to GT6 overall because of just how all together it is.

+ The car sounds, OMFG. I dare you not to get a hard-on when driving a Pontiac GTO with you volume turned waaay up. Easily beats the shit out of GT6 in this regard. I mean, I don't know if the SFX are "sexed up" or not, but it still immensly satisfying.

+ A VERY pleasent World Tour/Career mode. The game basically is goddamned determined in ensuring you're having a good time and enjoying the experiencing. This includes always matching the right events to the actual car you're driving as well as constantly rewarding you with free new vehicles.

+ Feels like it's more clear with itself. Things like explaining what driving assists do what, spelling out objectives, etc.

+ Overall driving is just more exciting in Forza 4. AI puts up somewhat of a challenge at times and actually does unpredicable things like spin out and such.

+ Car customization. It's Forza, 'nuff said

- I think Forza overall has done a deservice to itself by constantly changing it's overall aethestic over the years. Every games UI/presentation feels different from the last and I wish it was more like GT IE: identical menu sounds, naunces, OST choices, etc.

- Game sometimes feels like it's too hellbent in making itself as approachable as possible, so it can feel a bit too generous/easy to progress.

So yeah, that's where I'm at right now and I honeslty can't say yet which one I prefer more.
Been playing them both alot of the past few weeks though. I specifically went BACK to Forza 4 (which I never owned before), after borderline detesting Forza 5's "design choices"
 
I love GT for its OBSESSION for perfection about cars, from the details of the leds in the optics to the stitches of the leather inside, to the way the light and HDR are rendered to bounce on the car so realistically. But I hate how everything else feels half assed, not on the same level, poorly thought through...

I really don't like forza communication and marketing, I don't like the look of the game (the lightning and car models look so fake and plastic) but the game is tons more fun, more user friendly and average quality maybe higher than GT. Also, it has a more varied car list. GT has 1000 cars, 80 of thems are variation of Skyliens, R32 and GTR...
 

Arklite

Member
Never had a chance to play Forza personally, but on the GT front I'm really surprised with some of Polyphony's decisions with GT6. Feels like they're constantly running ahead of themselves and not really nailing the pristine polish they used to be known for. I like GT6 a lot but they really need to scale back and dial in the polish for the next game.
 
I love GT for its OBSESSION for perfection about cars, from the details of the leds in the optics to the stitches of the leather inside, to the way the light and HDR are rendered to bounce on the car so realistically. But I hate how everything else feels half assed, not on the same level, poorly thought through...

I really don't like forza communication and marketing, I don't like the look of the game (the lightning and car models look so fake and plastic) but the game is tons more fun, more user friendly and average quality maybe higher than GT. Also, it has a more varied car list. GT has 1000 cars, 80 of thems are variation of Skyliens, R32 and GTR...

concured!
 
I have yet to play GT6, but Forza 4 was pretty much my perfect driving game when it released. I still find myself every now and then wanting to rebuy a Xbox360 just for Forza 4.
 

Omni

Member
- I think Forza overall has done a deservice to itself by constantly changing it's overall aethestic over the years. Every games UI/presentation feels different from the last and I wish it was more like GT IE: identical menu sounds, naunces, OST choices, etc

I don't understand this at all.

like what
 
I think that in terms of highs and lows, GT6 certainly peaks better, but on average and as a whole game, Forza is better overall if that makes sense.

My reasoning for this is the things GT6 does are wildly inconsistent. On the one hand you have a perfectly modelled Quattro S1 that you can throw around rally tracks that Forza lacks, see the game running at 1080p with the fantastic day/night cycle and weather changes, but on the other hand you have cars that are literally unchanged from GT3 and an inconsistent framerate, with windscreen wipers that split into quarters from the awful tearing.

Forza thrives in consistency. Every car has an interior, the game never ever drops a frame, and all tracks have fantastic detail instead of 2D trees and what might as well be 64x64 texture walls, but on the other hand it runs at a lower resolution and the lighting looks a bit flat in comparison.
 

ShamePain

Banned
Forza 4 was the ultimate racer for me, everything fits together so perfectly, great cars/tracks, great UI and music, good overall structure and internal logic. Forza 5 is a step backwards in many aspects, and I'm not talking about the amount of cars/tracks.
 
I recently popped in GT6 after not playing it for 6 months and all the new content impressed the hell out of me. Stuff like Vision GT and the Senna tribute is why Forza can just never compare. It captures that passion for cars so beautifully.

Forza 4 was a fun game for a while but I eventually got bored ticking off the 10,000 boxes on the events list. The game doesn't give you much incentive to keep playing, whereas GT6 is a constantly evolving beast. And I agree that the series is desperately in need of an identity. 5 iterations later and it still just feels like a lesser clone despite its own successes.
 
I don't understand this at all.

like what

Yeah, this is a criticism I think only makes sense if you started with Forza 1 or 2, because there was a drastic shift from 2 to 3. But 3, 4 and 5 have all had this relatively refined, sleek look to the UI that I really like versus the XTREME SPORTS aesthetic of Forza 2.

Gran Turismo is arguably more consistent even so, though. Every game has the same great blend of tasteful jazz fusion in the menus, every game presents the cars in a very similar way, the scoreboard designs and whatnot don't change much, etc. I think they're even using the same style of slightly cartoonish menu icons in the pre/post-race menus from GT3 or GT4. More generally, every single Gran Turismo starts you out with the same basic set of license tests, and then the same initial race progression. Forza's career has changed a number of times over the years.
 

QuikNez

Member
Forza 4 was the ultimate racer for me, everything fits together so perfectly, great cars/tracks, great UI and music, good overall structure and internal logic. Forza 5 is a step backwards in many aspects, and I'm not talking about the amount of cars/tracks.

Forza 4 is hands down the best racing game to-date, I dare say of all time, but I think GT3/4 are still up there.

Fuck I miss my 360.
 

TEH-CJ

Banned
Forza >>>>> any GT game. PD better step it up with GT7 or they are history!

I am amazed they still have a big fanbase after the below average games they they have released since GT3.

Let me list some things that in my opinion make PD and the GT series terrible.

- Non existent tire model
- God awful sound effects
- Cars do not sidestep from standstill acceleration
- Lack of excitement from driving. Driving a car at high speeds is exhilarating. Driving a car
in GT is sterile and boring
- No sense of speed
- Did I mention terrible sound effects?

Only good thing is the accurate representation of the Nurb ring track. I want to love GT games but evertime a new GT game is released I immediately go and buy a WRX ingame just to see if they have improved the audio, and to my disappointment the cars still sound worse than my vacuum cleaner at home. No exaggeration. Don't even get me started on how bad the BMW sounds...

I actually was watching some GT6 best of sound clips on youtube the other day and my girlfriend came out of the shower complaining what the god awful noise was. I am not joking.

I very much doubt that will change in GT7.....I have the smallest faith in PD at the moment.

/ End rant
 

DJ_Lae

Member
GT6 is interesting as far as seeing what people obsessed with cars can produce as a videogame, but it's just not a lot of fun to play, and its lows are insanely low.

I appreciate some of the detail that went into certain cars, but also including holdovers from GT3 and GT4 and including tracks that are literally upscaled PS2 tracks is so bizarre.

- God awful sound effects

I swear the tire squeal in the Gran Turismo series has remained the same since the original game, and that singular squeal still sounds like it was sampled from a crying baby. It's ridiculous (to say nothing of some of the engine notes).
 
I recently popped in GT6 after not playing it for 6 months and all the new content impressed the hell out of me. Stuff like Vision GT and the Senna tribute is why Forza can just never compare. It captures that passion for cars so beautifully.

Forza 4 was a fun game for a while but I eventually got bored ticking off the 10,000 boxes on the events list. The game doesn't give you much incentive to keep playing, whereas GT6 is a constantly evolving beast. And I agree that the series is desperately in need of an identity. 5 iterations later and it still just feels like a lesser clone despite its own successes.

I will definetely agree that for some reason, GT6 just has more of an addicting quality/curve to it. It knows how to dangle the carrot so to speak

Also, sorry for all the OP typos :/
Was typing while having a nightcap....
 
GT6 is interesting as far as seeing what people obsessed with cars can produce as a videogame, but it's just not a lot of fun to play, and its lows are insanely low.

I appreciate some of the detail that went into certain cars, but also including holdovers from GT3 and GT4 and including tracks that are literally upscaled PS2 tracks is so bizarre.



I swear the tire squeal in the Gran Turismo series has remained the same since the original game, and that singular squeal still sounds like it was sampled from a crying baby. It's ridiculous (to say nothing of some of the engine notes).

Yeah, the visual consistency (or lack there of) is pretty damn insane sometimes in GT6. Some of those tracks are.... are not very pleasant to look at.. like at all :(

Also wish they would have just optimized 720p mode a bit more. At least give us vsync. City based tracks can tear like a mother fucking at times.
 
- Lack of excitement from driving. Driving a car at high speeds is exhilarating. Driving a car
in GT is sterile and boring
- No sense of speed

I can't say you're wrong for the most part, but then I recall things like driving race cars in GT6 on tracks like Mount Panorama, Circuit de la Sarthe and the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and something about the way they've modeled the road surfaces of the tracks makes going down even straightaways at high speeds TERRIFYING. Forza smooths out the road surfaces somewhat so it never feels quite as scary, at least not to me.

I wonder sometimes if a lot of the problem is that Gran Turismo starts you off in shitbox cars and expects you to crawl your way out over a relatively long period of time. I love driving shitboxes personally, but they definitely don't feel fast. And yeah, something about GT makes racing feel pretty clinical until you're well into the game. Could be the dumb AI; one of my favourite things about Forza 5 is how the AI feels smarter even when they're busy doing dumb shit like taking turns waaaay too wide and eating dirt.
 

Crayon

Member
Anyone know if they fixed that camber bullshit in gt6? I still havnt taken the shrink wrap off mine thanks to that bs.

Hmm... Talking about it now im kinda gettin the itch. Long time no gt...
 

Gen X

Trust no one. Eat steaks.
GT6 has the best track selection on console in recent years. Personally I think PD/Sony should've released it as a launch title on PS4 even if they just focused on maintaining locked 60fps.

Then again, no Logitech support. :-/
 

Crayon

Member


So the camber adjustment, which is like the most basic fucking parameter besides tire pressure (tire pressure has never been adjustable in gt,btw. Ha!) is fucked up completely.

I noticed it when i first sat down to try the game right after launch at a friends place. The first thing i do if im going to change any car is "add" a bit of camber. That means setting it to the negative. Well in gt6, any amount of camber will make the tire grip less. Its like negative camber acts as positive camber.

I could hardly believe it and i looked it up and sute enough, many had reported this problem. Most users however will never notice the problem. I decided to wait on playing the game but i never heard any news of this being fixed or even acknowledged. I gave up caring at all months ago.
 
- OMFG, the patching/installation process is sooo goddamned terrible
This is probably my # 1 complaint outside of having those god damned Kart races in the game which you have to use to get through the events. Other than that, yes the UI is much improved over GT5.

I've played Forza 4 but I have to admit it didn't hold my attention very long. Seemed almost identical to 3. But still a very good game.
 

RP912

Banned
I wanted to enjoy GT6, I really did...but the game was a huge disappointment for me. It felt extremely half assed and the star system killed the game for me. Besides that, I enjoyed some of the new additions like driving on the moon, the new courses, and new selection of cars.

GT5 is probably my favorite out of the series.
 
So the camber adjustment, which is like the most basic fucking parameter besides tire pressure (tire pressure has never been adjustable in gt,btw. Ha!) is fucked up completely.

I noticed it when i first sat down to try the game right after launch at a friends place. The first thing i do if im going to change any car is "add" a bit of camber. That means setting it to the negative. Well in gt6, any amount of camber will make the tire grip less. Its like negative camber acts as positive camber.

I could hardly believe it and i looked it up and sute enough, many had reported this problem. Most users however will never notice the problem. I decided to wait on playing the game but i never heard any news of this being fixed or even acknowledged. I gave up caring at all months ago.

Ah, I see

Bummer :/
 

Arklite

Member
I can't say you're wrong for the most part, but then I recall things like driving race cars in GT6 on tracks like Mount Panorama, Circuit de la Sarthe and the Nurburgring Nordschleife, and something about the way they've modeled the road surfaces of the tracks makes going down even straightaways at high speeds TERRIFYING.

I've never agreed with that complaint since GT5. That small but visible trembling of the car the first time I went down a La Sarthe straight in 5 was white knuckle territory. I'm not a fan of games over embellishing visual effects like the NFS Shift series. I do wish GT had a lot more narrow city tracks though, which might also make the speed look more exciting for others.
 
I wanted to enjoy GT6, I really did...but the game was a huge disappointment for me. It felt extremely half assed and the star system killed the game for me. Besides that, I enjoyed some of the new additions like driving on the moon, the new courses, and new selection of cars.

GT5 is probably my favorite out of the series.

I dig the star-system... I mean, it hasn't hindered me yet

Also, is it just me, or is GT6 more strict about what cars you can have in races?

I remembered my 11 year old rolling through most races in 5 with then most OP cars and the game wouldn't restrict it.

Could be wrong tho...
 

Crayon

Member
Regarding the sense of speed; every gt game has done a tremendous job of conveying sense of speed given the hardware it ran on.

There's many serious things to complain about or improve upon in gran turismo but the most common slanders are often bogus.
 

RP912

Banned
I dig the star-system... I mean, it hasn't hindered me yet

Also, is it just me, or is GT6 more strict about what cars you can have in races?

I remembered my 11 year old rolling through most races in 5 with then most OP cars and the game wouldn't restrict it.

Could be wrong tho...

I'm a sucker for a leveling system. That's probably why GT5 clicked with me so hard. I didn't mind the strict approach to cars in races. I hated the idea of driving a 1000 mph Nissan GTR in a mini cooper race...
 

saladine1

Junior Member
Just fix the audio in GT7 and i'll be in heaven.
Heard that they were having problems with sound development though so my faith is at an all time low on that front.

Having said that, I can't wait to see what Greenawalt and Yamauchi have in store for us.
I'm guessing no weather or night again for Forza 6?
 

Crayon

Member
Just fix the audio in GT7 and i'll be in heaven.
Heard that they were having problems with sound development though so my faith is at an all time low on that front.

Having said that, I can't wait to see what Greenawalt and Yamauchi have in store for us.
I'm guessing no weather or night again for Forza 6?

Maybe theyre having problems with sound development because theyre actually developing it this time around.
 
Forza >>>>> any GT game. PD better step it up with GT7 or they are history!

I am amazed they still have a big fanbase after the below average games they they have released since GT3.

Let me list some things that in my opinion make PD and the GT series terrible.

- Non existent tire model
- God awful sound effects
- Cars do not sidestep from standstill acceleration
- Lack of excitement from driving. Driving a car at high speeds is exhilarating. Driving a car
in GT is sterile and boring
- No sense of speed
- Did I mention terrible sound effects?

Only good thing is the accurate representation of the Nurb ring track. I want to love GT games but evertime a new GT game is released I immediately go and buy a WRX ingame just to see if they have improved the audio, and to my disappointment the cars still sound worse than my vacuum cleaner at home. No exaggeration. Don't even get me started on how bad the BMW sounds...

I actually was watching some GT6 best of sound clips on youtube the other day and my girlfriend came out of the shower complaining what the god awful noise was. I am not joking.

I very much doubt that will change in GT7.....I have the smallest faith in PD at the moment.

/ End rant

Oh, stop being a parrot. If any of this were actually true/important, then GT wouldn't still have double (triple?) the fanbase of Forza. Obviously one game is lacking something that matters more to most people.
 

Fuura

Neo Member
Just watched the opening of any game in GT series and you would know why people love them. They are pieces art, you can easily feel the passions.
 

Bgamer90

Banned
Oh, stop being a parrot. If any of this were actually true/important, then GT wouldn't still have double (triple?) the fanbase of Forza. Obviously one game is lacking something that matters more to most people.

Number of years it has been around and popularity?

GT5 and GT6 were disappointing games IMO. GT3 was the peak of the series. Blended fun racing in with (at the time) great polish/presentation. The series started to really cut corners during last gen (PS3).
 

SmokyDave

Member
I love Forza and GT. They're like two very similar brothers that excel at different things. Both games have plenty of issues for sure, but they're definitely the cream of the driving / racing crop.
 
Number of years it has been around and popularity?

GT5 and GT6 were disappointing games IMO. GT3 was the peak of the series. Blended fun racing in with (at the time) great polish/presentation. The series started to really cut corners during last gen (PS3).

I wouldn't entirely put that down to PD though. I think they were a victim of the PS3 more than anything else. Regardless, their models for cars are still unmatched, but I think they need better direction in terms of making a game.

GT7 on PS4 will have no excuses when it comes to hardware, so they can focus more on getting everything right.
 
Number of years it has been around and popularity?

GT5 and GT6 were disappointing games IMO. GT3 was the peak of the series. Blended fun racing in with (at the time) great polish/presentation. The series started to really cut corners during last gen (PS3).

CoD was able to eclipse Halo as soon as they went after the console market with CoD4. Yokai Watch came out of nowhere to give Pokemon real competition in Japan. There are more examples.

There must be a reason why Forza has failed to convert the GT fanbase.
 

Bgamer90

Banned
GT7 on PS4 will have no excuses when it comes to hardware, so they can focus more on getting everything right.

Agreed.


________________

CoD was able to eclipse Halo as soon as they went after the console market with CoD4. Yokai Watch came out of nowhere to give Pokemon real competition in Japan. There are more examples.

There must be a reason why Forza has failed to convert the GT fanbase.

Because the series is an exclusive on the less popular console brand -- especially in territories where racing games still do very well.
 
For the sheer amount of content, the challenge and what it attempted to do on the hardware I loved GT5. As a racing game, the car handling (although this is debatable) and it's dedication to maintaining the frame rate Forza 4 was better for me.

I miss some of the tracks from F4 but where it counts F5 blows the older games away.
 

Seanspeed

Banned
Forza Motorsport 4 is still the best racing game ever made, if you ask me.

I used to love Gran Turismo back on the PS2, but ever since Forza, I struggle to warm to GT again in the same way I used to. I still like the games and they do certain things very well, but as a whole package, I just feel Forza is a lot more fun to sit down with. Better controller controls, all the customization(LOVE the customization in a game like this where owning cars is a big part of the appeal), the rock steady 60fps, and I even like the 'art style', if you want to call it that, with the slightly saturated color palette.
 

Flappy

Banned
Put over 100 hours into each of these. Great games. If I had to pick a fave, though. It would be GT6.

As fun as the Forza games are, they are just not on the same level as GT.

GT is a culture. It's grown so big that it's actually part of the motor industry now. It's community is MASSIVE and full of passion. It's this stuff that I love. But to most people, Forza will always be that series that "Just came free with my console".
 

AristoCat

Member
I like both very much but I prefer Forza 4 overall, better car diversity and the customisation, spend like 1200h painting and tuning cars. In GT6 did the whole career and that's it I never came back.

Forza 5 on the other hand feels like an insult after the greatness that was 4.

I ve much hope in GT7 and FM6.
 
GT is a culture. It's grown so big that it's actually part of the motor industry now. It's community is MASSIVE and full of passion. It's this stuff that I love. But to most people, Forza will always be that series that "Just came free with my console".

I kind of get this, for some Forza lacks a real identity outside of being Xbox's GT.

Horizon has gotten one, I wish FM would try harder to become a game rather than a series of races.

Would love to see a PG take on FM, those guys seem to get how a game works, the progression, satisfaction, reward...and hiding shit away to discover. With the already arcadey no-rules racing in place there's no shame in building a fun semi authentic career to bring all of Forzas elements together.
 

Seanspeed

Banned
Put over 100 hours into each of these. Great games. If I had to pick a fave, though. It would be GT6.

As fun as the Forza games are, they are just not on the same level as GT.

GT is a culture. It's grown so big that it's actually part of the motor industry now. It's community is MASSIVE and full of passion. It's this stuff that I love. But to most people, Forza will always be that series that "Just came free with my console".
Just a matter of perception.

They have different strengths and weaknesses, but judged outside the 'popularity factor', I think you'd have a very hard time saying one is not on the same level as the other as a whole. I'd say any difference of opinion is just preference.
 

rjcc

Member
Put over 100 hours into each of these. Great games. If I had to pick a fave, though. It would be GT6.

As fun as the Forza games are, they are just not on the same level as GT.

GT is a culture. It's grown so big that it's actually part of the motor industry now. It's community is MASSIVE and full of passion. It's this stuff that I love. But to most people, Forza will always be that series that "Just came free with my console".


I don't think this is true at all. The people you're talking about, aren't reference GT5, or GT6 when they say that. They're talking exclusively about the first three games.

GT's motor industry tie-ins are business deals
 

SmokyDave

Member
I don't think this is true at all. The people you're talking about, aren't reference GT5, or GT6 when they say that. They're talking exclusively about the first three games.

GT's motor industry tie-ins are business deals
Nah, it goes deeper than that. Kaz has a street named after him in Spain. Polyphony designed the software for the multifunction console in the GTR. The Vision GT stuff is obviously part advertising, but it's also a good example of Polyphony working closely with the industry. The Top Gear stuff in Forza 5 is just a simple business deal.
 
OP, you forgot Livery Editor in the Forza plus column. It is fantastic and the reason why I love the series so much. Making your own car, tuning and painting is almost as fun as driving it
 
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