rec.autos.simulators

for those of you thinking about buying GT2 for the Playstation.. my advice:
rent it first!!!

Rent it, play it... then see if you still like it.

This game was obviously rushed out to meet the Christmas deadline.. WHICH
SUCKS!!!!

This game just doesn't seem as 'cleanly' made as the first one.  There are
just things that make you wonder .... WHY?!?!

For instance:  you start with 10,000 credits.. the only thing you can buy is
a used Jap car... there are absolutely no other used car manufacturers
available. (wow.. works great in Japan, but no where else)
second... the game constantly wants to show off the damn replays...
third... NO QUALIFYING!!! no matter what.. you have to start last place...
what the hell is up with that??
fourth...  you buy a car for 23,000 credits.. you add 15,000 credits worth
of upgrades to it.. and you can only sell it for 3,000 credits or less?????
WHAT A RIPOFF!!!!   maybe that's the way cars sell in Japan??

so.. like I said, rent it first.  If you never played the first one.. you
will love this.  But if you are looking for something better, just think of
it as.. a movie sequel (it doesn't have the same actors, it doesn't have the
same budget... but it's still the same movie)

I tend to disagree a little. While it is obvious some things were missed and
annoying features added (I hate the constant replays) it does seem like a much
better game than the original, but mostly for reasons that could have been
dealt with in an expansion pack. No physical damage, no drag racing, no love
for any non-Japanese manufacturers all point obviously to little effort put
into the US version. But I do like it better than the original, maybe just
because Laguna Seca is so DAMN cool in a R-34 Skyline :-)

Cheers,
Eric Brighton
You know what to do with the NOSPAM in the reply address
"Have you hugged your Nissan today?"

I agree with you, but I still enjoy it as is.

Yes, an annoyance.  Wasn't it like that in GT1?

This is either my first or second biggest gripe.  The other being the AI
that makes each race a 6 vehicle pack race.

I played the hell out of the first, and I'm playing the second more.  
Yes, it is more of the same, with some elements made worse.  However, I
like the tracks more.  But the real reason to get this game is the
outstanding selection of vehicles.  Other than Ferrari, Lamborghini, and
Porsche (which they sidestep by including Ruf), virtually every
manufacturer is represented.  Some meagerly (no C5 Vette), most
comprehensively.  Where else do you get to drive an S2000, GT40, 551 hp
modified Porsche, '83 RX7, to an Opel Astra or VW Lupo?  Just wish it
had my dearly departed '84 Lude.

This game just really makes me mad.  gee... i finally get to race an Opel
but I can't qualify in races.

You ever notice that out of all 500+ cars you can race... the Japanese cars
seem to have the best sounding engines??

What needs to be changed for this game to be #1??
1.) put qualifying back in.. along with knowing what cars you are racing
against.
2.) fix the starting replays (you only see 5 cars... where's the 6th one??)
3.) the rest of the WORLD would like to buy something other than a used
Japanese car
4.) why is there an entire CD for just arcade racing?!?!  You can't please
the entire audience.. so just please the ones you've already won over.  The
time wasted on the arcade part could of been spent on putting in Qualifying.
5.) there are some bad graphics in the game.. especially when looking in the
rear view mirror... in the first GT, you could make out the front of the car
behind you.  In this 2nd version, some cars' front ends look horrible.
6.) Is Japan the only country that has new models?  Why am I still racing a
96 Corvette? but I can race a Honda S2000 too???
7.) Why does the 'map' screen take up only half of your screen.. and the
other half is the credits????  Some of use don't have 52" tv screens.
8.)  Horsepower limits??! I want to race my 400+ HP Camaro against all those
under 100HP Jap Cars
9.) I want to buy a used car other than Japan.
10.) The manual doesn't explain some parts of the game.  For instance...
what does Convert Data do???

What makes this game better than the first one??
1.)  I like that you can change wheels for your car
2.)  There are ALOT of cars to choose from
3.)  Laguna Seca!!
4.)  Rally racing!!
5.)  individual races for certain cars
6.)  an AWESOME!! intro on the arcade CD!!!
7.)  GREAT songs!!!!  (I wonder what songs the Japanese version has on it?)
8.)  still the same great racing as the first one.
9.)  The AI cars seem to be more aggressive, but not as good as drivers as
the first one.  They really smack those walls in turns HARD!!!!

So.... the question I want is... how does the Jap version compare to the US
version???

Me too.  Some of us are easily pleased, aren't we.
None of the wheels you can buy have spiral pattern spokes, though.

Some of the other new tracks are nice, and the extra Enduros is a
nice idea.  Perhaps not very well executed, though.

Tahiti is really bad, though.  You suffer no apparent penalty for
going off the asphalt onto the dirt shoulder or even the grass.

And the grass is not that high-quality authentic Grand Valley strain.

Adrian.