Sony

discussed in 159 posts, 1995-2008 · overall tone negative

Rally Cross 1997

Posts per month

How the mood changed

Starts at zero. Every post that spoke well of them moves the line up, every critical post moves it down (weighted −2 to +2).

Press releases

Key threads

• Steve Smith's first look at Gran Turismo 4 2005-02-25 · 72 posts
  Steve Smith posted a first look at Gran Turismo 4, praising it as the best console racer while criticising Sony for dropping online play. Others debated the weak AI, gamepad versus wheel use, PC wheel compatibility on the PS2, and the upcoming Forza. Joe62 and Smith argued at length about whether publishers would pay for online play in console games.
• Gran Turismo 4 to ship without online play 2004-09-24 · 47 posts
  A cross-posted IGN report said Sony had announced at the Tokyo Game Show that Gran Turismo 4 would launch without online play, with a new B-Spec mode and a December Japanese release. Reactions ranged from shock to indifference, and the thread degenerated into an insult-filled argument between console posters over the value of online gaming, with some notes on LAN play over FireWire.
• GT4's missing cockpit view and what counts as a sim 2005-03-12 · 42 posts
  A poster asked about Gran Turismo 4's driving views, and it was confirmed there was no in-car cockpit view, only a bumper or hood view. Some argued that a sim without a cockpit is not a simulation, while Joe62 and Dave argued that the dashboard adds little to realism. The debate widened into whether GT4's physics count as simulation and ended in insults.
• GT4 E3 video sparks PS2 versus Xbox debate 2004-05-19 · 60 posts
  An E3 Gran Turismo 4 movie led to discussion about buying a PS2 just for GT, with many admitting they had done so for earlier GT games. The thread became a long console argument over Xbox versus PS2 graphics, sales figures, backward compatibility and the next-generation Xbox's rumoured PowerPC chip, with Steve Smith and Internet User trading barbs. A report that the Xbox outsold the PS2 in the US in April 2004 was posted.
• Sony announces Formula One 2003 with exclusive licence 2003-06-16 · 23 posts
  Sony Computer Entertainment Europe announced Formula One 2003 for PlayStation 2 together with a four-year exclusive licensing deal with Formula One Administration. PC sim racers were dismayed, expecting no more licensed F1 PC games after EA's final title, and suggested boycotts or unlicensed clones. Some noted that console and PC licences are sometimes separate.
• Sony developer previews Rally Cross for PlayStation 1996-12-17 · 49 posts
  Jim Buck of Sony Interactive Studios America promoted the upcoming PlayStation game Rally Cross and answered questions. He confirmed two- and four-player split screen at up to 30 fps but no link-cable support, which angered link-cable fans. The thread also debated the difference between racing games and sims, and Buck said release was due around February 1997.
• Gran Turismo 4 screenshots and console versus PC 2003-05-03 · 92 posts
  Posters were impressed by near-photorealistic Gran Turismo 4 screenshots, though some suspected they were pre-rendered. The long thread debated GT3's handling, poor AI and small fields against PC sims like NR2003 and GTR2002, along with planned GT4 online play and Sony and Microsoft's console strategies.
• Rumoured PC version of Gran Turismo 3 2002-01-09 · 21 posts
  Kirk House relayed a web report that Sony was working on a PC version of Gran Turismo 3 alongside GT4. Sceptics expected a rushed console port and noted the rumour had circulated for a long time without official word. Others debated whether GT3 counts as a sim, with several saying it drives much better with a force feedback wheel than a gamepad.
• NR4 1.3 patch breaks games on HighPoint RAID systems 2001-10-28 · 60 posts
  Users complained that the NASCAR Racing 4 1.3 patch stopped the game starting. Papyrus's Eric Busch explained that the patch's updated SecuROM protection conflicted with HighPoint HPT370 RAID controllers, that Sony and HighPoint were working on a fix, and that older 1.0.3 drivers or moving drives to standard IDE ports helped. Thom j. vented frustration and got step-by-step help, and a brief insult exchange with Biz followed.
• Users demand more ICR2 patches; Papyrus explains IndyCar exit 1997-03-03 · 56 posts
  A user demanded that Papyrus finish IndyCar Racing II with further patches and features. Posters pointed out that CART had signed an exclusive license with Sony, and Papyrus's Jim Sokoloff explained that the IndyCar license had never been very profitable and that Papyrus judged other projects more profitable and interesting, with no plans for ICR2 updates; Charlie Heath denied that Sierra had blocked patches. The thread became a broader debate about Papyrus's priorities after the Sierra acquisition and the effect of the CART/IRL split.
• PS2 or Xbox for racing and sports games 2003-02-11 · 47 posts
  Larry asked whether to buy a PS2 or Xbox for racing and sports. Steve Smith, citing his Motor Trend piece, favoured the PS2 for force feedback wheel support and Gran Turismo 3, while others preferred the Xbox for graphics and Xbox Live online play. The thread turned into a debate about Xbox Live subscriber numbers and Microsoft's console losses.
• Gran Turismo 3 release: sim or arcade? 2001-07-08 · 92 posts
  A poster anticipating Gran Turismo 3 on PS2 called it the next generation of racing sims. Most regulars rejected that, citing the lack of a cockpit view and rubber-band AI, while others defended it as great fun with good physics for a console game. The debate widened into which PC titles count as serious sims and how to judge physics models.
• Randy Magruder's Gran Turismo review sparks PC vs console debate 1998-05-11 · 93 posts
  Randy Magruder posted his Digital Sportspage review of the US Gran Turismo, saying PC racing collections had become 'second rate'. The long cross-posted thread debated the lack of damage, whether replays should count toward the graphics score versus Need for Speed III, and whether GT was a sim or arcade game. It later degenerated into insults between Playstation and PC fans over gamepads and controllers.
• Forza Motorsport 2 screenshots: replay or in-game? 2006-09-05 · 31 posts
  A cross-posted thread showed Forza Motorsport 2 screenshots and argued over whether they were replays or real gameplay. Console gamers compared Forza with Gran Turismo 4's graphics and handling.

Busiest threads

• Steve Smith's first look at Gran Turismo 4 (8 posts about it)
• Gran Turismo 4 to ship without online play (5 posts about it)
• CART signs multi-year license with Sony (5 posts about it)
• GT4's missing cockpit view and what counts as a sim (4 posts about it)
• GT4 E3 video sparks PS2 versus Xbox debate (4 posts about it)
• Sony announces Formula One 2003 with exclusive licence (4 posts about it)
• Sony developer previews Rally Cross for PlayStation (4 posts about it)
• (PS3) Gran Turismo HD soon, Gran Turismo 5 later (3 posts about it)
• Gran Turismo 5 Will Have Damage (3 posts about it)
• F1C isn't am improvement in many ways (3 posts about it)
• Gran Turismo 4 screenshots and console versus PC (3 posts about it)
• Rumoured PC version of Gran Turismo 3 (3 posts about it)
• NR4 1.3 patch breaks games on HighPoint RAID systems (3 posts about it)
• Users demand more ICR2 patches; Papyrus explains IndyCar exit (3 posts about it)
• Feature Input Requested for Sony's CART sim! (3 posts about it)

Sentiment by year

Who talked about them most

Steve Smith · 16 Internet User · 7 the.internet.user@gmail.com · 5 Dave · 5 Xenon · 4 Jim Bu · 4 poo.. · 4 nathantw · 3 Dave Henrie · 3 ymenard · 2 Jay J · 2 Joe62 · 2 whatup · 2 Kirk House · 2 Eric Busch · 2 Randy Magruder · 2 ROSC · 2 maps · 2 Hannu · 2 Janne Hosa · 2

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