Gran Turismo 5 - It's finally out!

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Crappy luck with shipping these days for all of us... Do you have the tracking number for your stand? It's probably just stuck in customs or something. Canada customs has been really anal since the whole Yeman bomb scare thing.

I have the tracking number for the stand and it was shipped on the 17th. It still says "USPS was electronically notified...blah..blah...blah". When they shipped the wheel the tracking was updated when it left the US, when it arrived at customs, and when it came into Canada then Canada Post took over. I've checked both and there aren't any updates for anything.

One lady from the Fanatec warehouse in the US said that USPS sometimes doesn't update their tracking. I'm not familiar with the whole process but I imagine they have to scan packages as they move on and when they scan the package, in turn, the tracking should be updated. That's what the USPS rep said when I talked to them anyways.

Originally Posted by Table 5

From what I hear the Clubsport pedals are made really well, so hopefully any new clubsport shifter itself is an upgrade too. I haven't had a chance to feel anything, but if there is one thing that at least looks a little cheap, it's the shifters. It doesn't make much of a difference Im sure but if wish they had those shifters with the loose leather wrap.

Really looking forward to trying it all out! Can't wait to see the look on my gf's face when she comes home from work and there's a whole wheel/pedal/stand setup going. Good thing I just bought her an engagement ring, so I have some goodwill to spare.

The standard shifter is not that bad. The plastic it's made out of isn't like other plastic I've felt. It felts soft and not like regular cheap plastic. I haven't used it because the wheel is not mounted that well on my TV tray so when I shift the whole wheel moves and, for mine at least, you need a bit of force to move the shift knob.

When my girlfriend saw the whole set up she just laughed at it. At first she wasn't impressed about the amount of money I spent but she slowly got used to it.

One thing you should do when you get the wheel is upgrade the firmware. Just make sure you're not running any firewall or virus checking stuff otherwise it might not work. My update was smooth and painless but I have a Mac and I just Bootcamped to a clean Windows XP installation to do it.

Also, make sure to by some velcro (from Monoprice.com). I don't know if the GT3 pedals come with a steel plate to make them more heavier but it would be a good idea to get those pedals secured nicely onto the stand.

Once GT5 comes out we should use this thread to post pictures, videos, and maybe lap times to see if we can beat them (like Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Autoblog....anyone have that for the 360?). My name on PSN (and Live) is CaptainSlow.

[Hack&Lube]

I can't imagine using a TV tray with this setup. It will be much better if you ever get the stand.

As for the clutch, the problem is that clutches are such a rarely used feature by most gamers that many games simply suck and are lazy and don't even implement it.

I don't think you will stall in GT, you'll get up in neutral if you don't clutch right, that's about it.

[amorak]

What recommendations do people have for a cheap seat setup (a la playseat) that's decent, but not too expensive?

[LockedOut]

First review I can find. A somewhat dissappointing 8.5 out of 10 from IGN.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/113/1136103p1.html

More reviews:
Eurogamer 9/10: http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/20...-review?page=1
Gamereactor 7/10: http://www.gamereactor.eu/reviews/5664/Gran+Turismo+5/
Gamepro 4.5/5: http://www.gamepro.com/article/revie...gran-turismo-5

[Table 5]

Woohoo, just got my copy.....too bad it takes an hour to install the data on your hardrive, so here I wait.....

From all the review it sounds like a great game, but that some of the time and attention to detail was not focused in the areas where it needed to be. As much as 1000 cars are great, I'd rather they have 50 good ones, and make sure some of the other deficiencies (ie, damage!) were remedies.

[FlameOn]

Darn you people! How'd you get your copies so early? I have to wait till I'm off work

[Table 5]

I was just lucky enough to have a friend who woke up early to go to BestBuy and get me an extra copy.

[Russic]

I can't believe they worked on it that long and it pulls an 8.5? I realize those are just opinions and shouldn't matter, but some of those claims in the review are pretty telling. This bothered me:

And like bumper cars they're likely to bounce off each other with little consequence. The inclusion of damage is so slight as to be insignificant, and even the most violent of crashes will only result in a polygon shifting slightly ajar. There's an unconvincing lack of weight to the big on-track collisions, and as before in Gran Turismo games it does much to break the immersion its handling model does so well to establish. A shame, as drive into a wall hard and long enough (though you'll have to attack it with the ferocity and persistence of a dog on heat) and the damage model will slowly begin to expose itself – something it will more readily do, we hope, after a future patch.

Unreal. I defended the delays for this game by telling friends that it will have an insane amount of polish ... these reviews lead me to believe it doesn't have that.

I don't mean to rip the game too hard, I was just expecting the reviews to be off the charts.

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by FlameOn

Darn you people! How'd you get your copies so early? I have to wait till I'm off work

The great thing about working close to the airport is that Best Buy and Futureshop are close by. I'm going to pick up Sly Cooper Collect and GT5. Everyone make sure to price match Superstore @ $49.99 or Toys R Us sale.

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by Russic

I can't believe they worked on it that long and it pulls an 8.5? I realize those are just opinions and shouldn't matter, but some of those claims in the review are pretty telling. This bothered me:



Unreal. I defended the delays for this game by telling friends that it will have an insane amount of polish ... these reviews lead me to believe it doesn't have that.

I don't mean to rip the game too hard, I was just expecting the reviews to be off the charts.

Eurogamer gave it a 9/10. I feel they are more hard assed when it comes to dishing out scores. IGN is really hit or miss though I do agree with their negatives about the game. After five years of development one has to wonder what they were actually doing when the folks at Turn 10 can, and this is just comparing Forza 3 to what I've read of GT5, do a better job and have more features in their driving simulator in less than half that time.

I do hope that the GT5 team can make up for their deficiencies by patches and DLC which I'm more than happy to pay.

Though the damage thing doesn't sound great to me, at least, it's not a huge issue. We've played four GT games without damage so I think it's something I can ignore. It doesn't stand well for the game when the competition has it but I can let it slide. As long as I get to drive cars that I'll never be able to afford and I can take sexy pictures of them I'm happy!

[Komskies]

Going to go grab it at Futureshop at around 11 this morning. And wash it down with a nice bowl of Pho. Won't actually be able to play it until 6 or so tonight though.

[KevanGuy]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Woohoo, just got my copy.....too bad it takes an hour to install the data on your hardrive, so here I wait.....

Thanks for the head's up, got my installing now and just waiting to play.

[Table 5]

I've only played it for a bit now....but I can see where the lack of damage complaints are coming from. I've run my car head on into a wall a few times now (mostly because of poor driving skills, ha) and I've yet to really see much of a negative effect.

Otherwise, some good stuff here.....feels like you could waste a lot of time playing this thing. We should organize a CPGT online game one of these days.....you know, once i stop running into walls head on.

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I've only played it for a bit now....but I can see where the lack of damage complaints are coming from. I've run my car head on into a wall a few times now (mostly because of poor driving skills, ha) and I've yet to really see much of a negative effect.

Otherwise, some good stuff here.....feels like you could waste a lot of time playing this thing. We should organize a CPGT online game one of these days.....you know, once i stop running into walls head on.

Have you tried any license tests yet?

[Table 5]

Yes, I'm going through them right now...

[Meelapo]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I've only played it for a bit now....but I can see where the lack of damage complaints are coming from. I've run my car head on into a wall a few times now (mostly because of poor driving skills, ha) and I've yet to really see much of a negative effect.

Otherwise, some good stuff here.....feels like you could waste a lot of time playing this thing. We should organize a CPGT online game one of these days.....you know, once i stop running into walls head on.

Not only organize a league but maybe create a new thread where we can post lap times, photos, videos, etc.

[TopChed]

Originally Posted by Meelapo

The great thing about working close to the airport is that Best Buy and Futureshop are close by. I'm going to pick up Sly Cooper Collect and GT5. Everyone make sure to price match Superstore @ $49.99 or Toys R Us sale.

I don't have any flyers for either store with a GT5 price on it. Is there a link to something I could take in to Futureshop? I'm assuming you would need to bring an advertisement of some sort to get the price match?

[FlameOn]

Originally Posted by TopChed

I don't have any flyers for either store with a GT5 price on it. Is there a link to something I could take in to Futureshop? I'm assuming you would need to bring an advertisement of some sort to get the price match?

Just print the toysrus website price and their 30% off deal and you should be fine

[Raekwon]

I decided to throw caution to the wind and rent this first. Got lucky, went to blockbuster across from Western High School on 17th Ave SW and couldn't find the game at all. I ask the girl and she says they have them behind the counter because they are out of cases. Win for me and they still had about 3 or 4 left to rent. Now I have to wait to play until after work.

[KevanGuy]

Superstore had it for $49.99.

And that review that mentioned the loading waits wasn't kidding - lots of wait times while flipping through menus and cars in the dealerships. But so far the game is fun, pretty much what I expected, the actual racing game play so far isn't really any better than the Prologue.