Gran Turismo 5 (GT5) Prologue Hands-on: Update Nightmare

After reporting early today that Gran Turismo 5 was perfect for Sony PS3 online gaming and that we were going to start a hands-on review of the game today, we have spent three hours with the game so far. First of all let’s point out the first problem, the game needs an update already and after trying 9 times I still cannot download it. I guess it’s because so many people are trying to download this update.
The problem with this is without the update downloaded, you cannot play online games and it keeps saying something about the date and time being incorrect and needing to download an update (which you cannot complete)…I guess we will get there soon when less people are trying.
The range of cars is great at 60 and the graphics are fantastic, the first tip you should know is to turn the traction control to “0” from the default “5”, this gives you much more speed out of corners. The lack of damage is really disappointing (although the full game out next year is rumored to get full damage), when you head into a corner at 80 MPH you can crash into a car and take them on the bend…the graphics look real but lack of damage makes things very unreal.
The game started very easy and the six tracks may get boring in time, but this may take a while as we spent over an hour trying to come first on one track, with one car and in just one of the many races. Once the update is compete we will be racing online with friends and other gamers, will post again on how the gameplay is online. Join our Gaming RSS Feed to keep updated.
In Summery: GT5 looks stunning and when you get into the game it can get addictive, I would imagine trying to raise all the credits to buy all 60 cars is going to take hundreds of hours (so that’s lots of weeks) and this is a game that I think is mainly for online gaming. As I write this I see the update has just downloaded, so lets try online gaming.
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The game does look great, and the graphics are way above any other racing game. However i have to agree that having no damage really spoils the game. When driving a game and you hit another car, you need to feel that the car has some damage. If your car is damaged and your lap times slow down, i am sure that it will make you a better driver as you will not try and go in too hot into a corner.
Damage doesn’t matter to me. I’m not there to crash, I’m there to race. And I use the clock to guage my laptimes.
Morne
im going crazy i cant update it it keeps saying an error occured
i’ve been trying to update since 3pm now its over 6 o’clock GRRRRRRRRRRRRR
yh, trying to update for 4:30 to 7, still haven’t got it.
mine downloaded at around 8pm and am i relieved
online is okay
And i thought that it was something about my router…
about the “damage rumor”…. i still can remember the same rumor for Gran Turismo 2 for PSX.lol
I dont believe that GT will ever get that, and to tell you the truth, i prefer it this way.
Must be one of the lucky one’s. Got my copy early this morning and only took 2 attempts to d/load the update. Started playing by noon and on line soon after. Online is stunning. No lags and good pings. It’s now 2230hrs and the wife has put her foot down so have to stop. Beats GR4. Look forward to the full game. Did I mention the graphics look stunning on my 42″ plasma.
its now 2:16am on the 29th here in the uk the day after the release and its just got passed the point of preparing to download yay and is downloading slowly i will post bk if it is a success however i now miss Call of duty 4 waiting for update lol.
its now 2:25am on the 29th and i got to be up in 3hours so im off to bed and i will post if a success or failure in 3hours.
woken up it failed
trying again
For those with trouble updating, when it first asks for you to update, don’t. Load the game and do the update from within the game. It’s faster and more reliable. So say all the forums and Blogs anyway. I can’t tell you yet, cos I still haven’t recieved my pre-ordered copy from Play. Oooh, is that the post box I hear? Gotta go…
Lordofruin is right don’t downoad it when the game is starting up, download by clicking on online
i got up and it had failed but set it goin befor work and got bk 2hourws later and it was done online is good. u get money towards your game and u use the cars u own.
anyboby but me find it actually took bloody ages to install the game?
Still waiting for mine from play.com too. Hopefully Monday. Tad annoying as I always thought that pre-ordered games arrive on release date? Will think twice about pre-ordering GTA4 from Play.com
Yeah, I always loved Play, but they’ve gone a bit downhill on the delivery side. From what I hear, everyone who used ShopTo.net had a much better service, so I might change all my Pre-Orders to them in future. What narks me is that I’ve been pre-ordered for over six months, yet some little oink can just walk into a shop, and pick it up before mine arrives, or even download it. Argh!
Oh well, we live and learn.
er.. I don’t think there’s a chance in hell of the full version having damage lol. Sony have said “We won’t do damage until we can get it perfect” Which is a nice cop out…
They need to realise that until there is damage it isn’t much of a ’simulator’. Unless it is trying to simulate something other than real life. Like it or not damage is a part of racing!
Hi, got my game on Friday here in the Lovely sunny, crime invested South Africa. Installed it on Saterday, did the download after the game was installed. No problem with download, downloaded first time. Maybe Telkom ADSL not so bad after all. Love the game, can’t wait for full version. I would like damage as well.
Hi,
I got it in the post on Satrday morning and it took attempts to update.
The cars look absolutely stunning. The reflections on the paintwork make them look so real. Although they are good, the tracks still still need a bit of work to make them stand out from the crowd.
The online racing can be addictive but however, for online racing to work it DESPERATELY needs a damage model. Most of the time THIS ISNT RACING, they might as well call it “Road Wars 7″!!.
Its absolute carnage out there. People are smashing into to you left right and center, you cant brake at a normal brake point cos people just use you for brakes and you find yourself paranoidly braking later and deep into a corner and barely staying on ther track to try and avoid getting hit.
Other people are scraping round barriers on the outside of corners to help them take the corner quicker.
If lucky enought to brake from the pack then you can take your lines normally and if you have any skill pull away, but its that vicious out there this really happens.
Some people may find this fun but for the purist this isnt real and there is no reward!!!
Damage is coming soon. There is an update this year that will fix the online feel too. Nice! Can’t wait.