Hello gamers in the Giant Bomb forums

Welcome to my blog!

A day after Gran Turismo 7's State of Play Deep Dive showcase in February 2022, this inspired me to share my theory on these two of my beloved 1st party Simcade racing game franchises are Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport.

Gran Turismo:

• The original game started development in 1992 for the unspecified platform.
• When the original PlayStation was announced, the developer decided to work on it.
• When they were searching for a publisher, then Sony Interactive Entertainment picked it up, made an agreement to share the ownership and released it on December 23rd, 1997.
• In 1998, Sony Interactive Entertainment acquired Polyphony Digital.

Forza Motorsport:

• Turn 10 was founded in 2001 and funded by Microsoft as they wanted them to develop a 1st party Simcade racing as Xbox's answer and equivalent to the PlayStation's Gran Turismo series.
• The first Forza Motorsport launched on May 3rd 2005

So why do I love these two so much? because I'm a car lover and I really enjoyed playing these two during my childhood and teenhood so I still respect them both as I can tell that the developer worked so hard.

Sidenotes:

• Square Soft, Sega and Konami did release their own driving game as answers to Gran Turismo are Driving Emotion Type-S, Sega GT and Enthusia Professional Racing respectively, to me, Drive Emotion Type-S and Sega GT's driving models are both inferior to Enthusia Professional Racing, Gran Turismo 4 and Forza Motorsport.
• I have been repeating so many times why do Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport have to remain as Simcade? because in order to get the controller pad and racing wheel optimized together as their part of marketing strategy while what if they were proper Sim Racing games, then the controller pad optimization will be a total disaster.
• In the past, I've tried using controller pad on proper Sim Racing games like Assetto Corsa for example, the controller pad optimization is so bad as if I steer the car, the player steers the wheel way too fast so that's why I much more prefer to use the racing wheel with force feedback for Sim Racing, Rally Sim and Simcade in general.

Hello and welcome to my blog again!

Nearly about 2 weeks ago, I've made a blog to do with my theory on how this game is released before Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport Reboot.

Now this time, I'm going to bring up, how this game quickly becomes the most played and popular driving game of 2021, not just only Xbox Game Pass service users would play it, this also attracts several car lovers as they love to virtually drive their performance cars on the roads such as Exotics, Tuners, Muscle, SUVs, Pick-Up Trucks and many others.

This game also features a beautifully recreated Mexico landscape, weather effects, season & time cycle, hidden collectibles, and several other things included.

Articles:

• Forza Horizon 5 Passes 6 Million Players Less Than a Week After Release | RaceDepartment
• Forza Horizon 5’s amazing intro shows why it’s a huge hit on Game Pass - Polygon

Sidenotes:

• I guess that Open-World Arcade-Style Driving Games have officially surpassed Simcade and Sim Racing in terms of popularity even though it's an apple to two different kinds of grapes. Not to mention that back in late February 2021, I've made a thread asking Giant Bomb users which Forza series they prefer, most voted for the Forza Horizon series, this means that in this site, more users prefer open-world driving games.
• Even Forza Horizon 5 has received a lot of great reviews, I don't want Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown to fail in terms of development.
• If I want to play this game, I'd personally choose to buy it in the near future.

Dear my followers and visitors on my page

It's almost time to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Xbox brand which had an incredible lineup of 1st and 3rd parties for a generation to one another.

The first party that attracted me to this brand is the original Project Gotham Racing which is a legendary arcade-style racing game that takes place in urban's closed public roads where the contestants bring their performance cars to compete to determine who is the best racer.

However, I'm not happy with PlayStation fanboys trolling on the Xbox and other products that they hate on (No matter how well are these other products made), because the real problem is they're being wildly immature while giving PlayStation fans in general, an extremely bad name and reputation.

P.S No matter what's your favorite products, you see anyone trolling on them, please avoid them at all cost.

Dear followers and guests

On this website, I currently watch their videos such as podcasts and quick look gameplays, also I use their forums to discuss and theorise on games.

Dear my followers and visitors on my blogs

The sub-genres of driving games that I personally prefer the most are:

• Sim Racing
• Rally Sim
• Truck Driving Sim
• Simcade
• Vehicle mechanic & detailing simulator
• Open-World Arcade-Style Driving games
• Traditional Arcade-Style Racing games

While the platforms that I will prefer the most are PC, PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X.

However, I'm not saying Nintendo Switch and mobile phones are bad, they still have a decent library of racing games though, plus I'm unsure how will Steam Deck turn out.

While I'm tired of the infamous COVID-19 as it keeps going on plus electronics, in general, are still in shortage.

So here is something that I would personally love to listen to during night-time this month is:

Hello and welcome to my blog!

Only about 6 more days until the launch of Forza Horizon 5.

In case you were wondering how is Forza Horizon 5 going to be released before Gran Turismo 7 and Forza Motorsport Reboot? so here is my theory:

• Forza Horizon is an arcade open-world driving game series while Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport series are both simcades.
• Open-world driving games featuring performance cars are meant to be more focused on arcade-style handling models like Forza Horizon, Test Drive Unlimited, The Crew, and many others, so the handling model directors and programmers don't have to work so hard to get it so accurate as possible to the real-world car handling plus they're meant to be more focused on the fun factor.
• Simcade is a type of sim racing that features a more realistic handling model than the majority of other sub-genres of driving games (Except for hardcore Sim Racing) which results in the handling model directors and programmers being required to work harder to get the car handling more accurate as close as possible to the real world.

However, I'm not going to compare that to these two because due to different sub-genres that offer different gameplay.

So what are the best comparisons for the Forza Horizon series?

• The answer is always Test Drive Unlimited and The Crew series because they're open-world driving games and feature similar gameplay.

Bonus theory: How did the Forza Horizon series exist?

• Neither Turn 10 nor Playground Games thought of this idea to attract different kinds of car lovers to play because not every one of them likes motorsport racing as they would prefer street racing, or those who love both motorsports and street racing.

P.S. I'm hoping Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown is going to be good too.

Sim Racing:

This sub-genre appears to be more complex than Simcade by having the handling model feel more accurate to the real world of motorsport, harder A.I, timing it right during practice & qualifying sessions, setting up your car (But there are some presets though), tactics on when to overtake your opponents, have the right time to pit-in to refuel the gas tank, change tires, brakes and driver (When it comes to endurance racing event).

However, they don't seem to be really well optimized with gamepads or mobile phones which makes them feel undrivable, plus they're much more recommended and optimized to use the racing wheel & pedal sets that support force-feedback, making it more drivable as the players have more proportion to control their steering, accelerating, braking and gear shifting.

Examples of Sim Racing:

• iRacing
• rFactor series
• Assetto Corsa Competizione
• Assetto Corsa
• DiRT Rally series (DiRT series spin-off but focused on the proper Rally Sim rather than Simcade)
• WRC series (Kylotonn 2015-2021)
• Richard Burns Rally
• Automobilista series
• Race Series (By Simbin)
• GTR Series (By Simbin)
• Live For Speed

Simcade:

This sub-genre is meant to be more accessible for most players, and old-school feel by having a little bit more forgiving handling model, slightly easier A.I, lesser setup options, catch-up/rubber banding being enabled as default, and using fewer tactics when it comes to overtaking your opponents, but still need the right time to pit-in (If it's endurance racing event) plus may not require to have practice and qualifying sessions.

They're great for both on controller pads (With analogue triggers/right stick to accelerate & brake like a radio control car) and racing wheel & pedal set (Better have force-feedback to have extra realism).

To me, this sub-genre felt more like for PlayStation/Xbox consoles and mobile phones in my personal opinion plus not every Simcade console/mobile/tablet player can afford or have room for their racing wheelset and cockpit too.

Examples of Simcade:

• Gran Turismo series
• Gran Turismo Sport/Prologue series
• Forza Motorsport series
• Project Cars series (Until the 3rd installment in the series)
• Enthusia Professional Racing (Konami's answer to Polyphony Digital/PlayStation's Gran Turismo and Turn 10/Xbox's Forza Motorsport series)
• Sega GT (Sega's answer to Polyphony Digital/PlayStation's Gran Turismo series)
• F1 series (Psygnosis (1996-2007) and Codemasters (2009-Present))
• DiRT series (Please note that DiRT 5 and DiRT Showdown are both completely arcade racers)
• Colin McRae Rally series
• WRC series (Evolution Studios 2001-2005)
• Rallisport Challenge series
• Real Racing series

Overall: I can see that Sim Racing is more associated with PC while Simcade appears to be more associated with PlayStation/Xbox home consoles and mobile phones.

Want to know more details? please watch viperconcept's evaluation of driving games in general.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sim_racing

Additional notes:

• Two of this sub-genre of driving games are both great for the cockpit.
• Entry to mid-range wheel brands such as Logitech and Thrustmaster wheel for PlayStation/Xbox is good for Sim Racing, Rally Sim and Simcade.
• While the higher-end brands such as Fanatec, Moza, Ascher Racing, Simucube, Simagic and many others are more official for Sim Racing and Rally Sim over Simcades in general IMO.
• For the Assetto Corsa console & mobile version, it had an inferior driving model compared to its PC version counterpart, as the developer required to get the controls easier to be optimized for the controller pad (analogue sticks) and mobile phone/tablet's tilting.
• Assetto Corsa Competizione on last-gen home console versions (PS4 & Xbox One) has many issues.
• The Forza Horizon series is described to be a spin-off from the Forza Motorsport series by having a different sub-genre (Open-World Arcade Racer) to attract different kinds of car lovers, so the best comparison for that is always to be either Test Drive Unlimited or The Crew series because these 3 are open-world arcade racers. And why comparing Forza Horizon, The Crew, Test Drive Unlimited and whichever open-world arcade racers to whichever Sim Racer (iRacing, Assetto Corsa, etc.) and Simcade (Gran Turismo, Forza Motorsport, Enthusia Professional Racing, etc.) wouldn't make any sense? because of different gameplay.
• For Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport series, I would personally treat them as collectible items (Due to my nostalgic memories from childhood to teenhood), the same goes with PlayStation and Xbox consoles too.
• Sim Racing and Simcade don't require to have the best crash physics because they're more designed for pure racing and they're not vehicular combat, plus based on the majority of motorsports' rules in real-life, ramming onto others is prohibited.
• Reiza Studios' trademark: Automobilista, sounds pretty similar to Auto Modellista (An arcade racing game IP published by Capcom).

P.S When I first joined Giant Bomb forums back in January 2021, I was more of a Simcade player because, by that time, I didn't have a proper racing wheel with force feedback until I bought one, mainly to use it to play Assetto Corsa Competizione on PC since June 2021, then suddenly I prefer Sim Racing more these days, also I've played iRacing, it's a pretty good game so far.

Dear visitors on my page

Here are my dot points on each sub-genre of driving/racing games that should be more official and associated with each gaming platform in my personal opinion are:

• Racing Simulator = PC
• Rally Simulator = PC
• Truck Driving Simulator = PC
• Vehicle Mechanic Simulator = PC
• Simcade Racing/Gran Turismo & Forza Motorsport Type = PlayStation/Xbox consoles and Mobile phones
• Off-Road Arcade Racers = All platforms
• Arcade Street Racers = All platforms
• Traditional Type Arcade Racers = All platforms
• Quick Time Event Arcade Racers = Mobile phones
• Drag Racing = Mobile phones
• Futuristic Arcade Racers = All platforms
• Kart Racing/Mario Kart Type = Nintendo consoles

From now on, there are not many new games that I'm interested in for 2021 so what I can do right now is to watch Giant Bomb's videos, and posting news threads for specific games.

I'm done with wiki pages.