--- General Synopsis ---
The Gran Turismo series is focused on cars and driving. Many have criticized how there's no personality or realism in racing dynamics in Gran Turismo titles. Gran Turismo 5 will probably change that completely. As for the ToCA Race Driver series (meaning, all the games before GRID), their games are more predicated on believable racing championships. Their merits are based solely on racing and racing cars than some kind of car collecting deal.--- What Does Gran Turismo Bring? ---
Try asking this question in 1997. Since 1997, we know full well what this game brings to the racing game table. Gran Turismo HD was always about the drive and the experience of driving. It was about giving and encompassing a collection of cars while also giving others a chance to race cars many of us will likely never race. For people who look deep at Gran Turismo games, the games have not possessed any sort of true Career Mode or any true sense of belonging in a proper racing game. This has led to most true critics of GT games to question the overall character of Gran Turismo.Many people would fancy games like GTR or something on the basis of actual gameplay and actually feeling like part of a true racing game with true racing cars. Most other critics usually like thinking Gran Turismo games are more about Japanese cars than most cars most gamers care about. There has been a steady progression of race cars featured in Gran Turismo games. Gran Turismo 1 featured the first rally car in the series with the Subaru Impreza Rally Car. Gran Turismo 2 debuted faster touring cars, GT cars, and even some GTP and GT1 cars. Gran Turismo 3 debuted formula racing cars. Gran Turismo 4 debuted Le Mans Prototypes and a greater variety of touring cars and GT cars past and present. Gran Turismo 5 looks to feature more formula cars and NASCAR stock cars.
Gran Turismo, then, is more about the drive and more about an overall and complete experience. GT games have the right balance of everyday driver, dream cars, and dream racing cars in one package. There is never any compromise. It is a whole experience very few games have been able to meet or beat.
--- What Did the ToCA Race Driver Games Bring? ---
This area is focused on Pro Race Driver, ToCA Race Driver 2, and ToCA Race Driver 3. The ToCA Race Driver series, however, features more real racing cars and much more believeable championships. Its focus was more on believable championships. A big plus for the ToCA Race Driver series pertains more to actual racing machines and machines tuned for racing. You feel more connected to actually racing than you do with the Gran Turismo games. You had team names and driver names to make it feel like an actual racing series instead of just an AI race against nameless drones. There were even facilities to help you keep in mind where you are in the championship rankings. ToCA games are all about realistic championships.Pro Race Driver only offered so few series. Where this game shone, however, was in how believeable and credible each championship was. The second tier featured more powerful cars as well as some actual series and cars, such as the DTM and Australian V8 Supercar Series. Everything was executed in a smart way on the racing front. Too bad that the game had such thug AI.
ToCA Race Driver 2 expanded upon what PRD had to offer. And in it, you get a vast variety of racing machines and racing types. You can race everything from a Formula Ford to a semi truck to some fast single-seat cars. You can race on everything from road courses, to ovals, to a four-stage rally course. The ToCA series' realistic character was enhanced with the races. Selecting a car to use now allows you to pick a car, choose a team, and pick a team driver. The championships are structured beautifully. Let me give you an example. One of the series in ToCA Race Driver 2 is the Bridgestone Street Series. Only the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VII and Subaru Impreza WRX are used, and they are only raced on street courses in Sunset conditions. Since there is no night racing, city streets in sunset conditions is a nice tradeoff. Codemasters did very well in coming up with a variety of races and race types for this game.
ToCA Race Driver 3 featured an absolute quantum leap in realistic and believable racing action. Rather than various series scatterbrained, you have series divided among motorsports disciplines. What makes this game unique and gives it its character are things like flag systems unique to each motorsport as well as various Practice and Qualifying formats. In some series (like DTM), you can actually compete in a realistic qualifying session which has the top qualifiers competing in an extra session to round out the grid for a race. What this allows for is the most realistic and believable experience for which to enjoy racing. Whether you're racing a go-kart, any classic car, an Indy Car, or whatever... the most realistic racing experience was at your fingers. There was even an upgrade system designed to enhance certain elements of cars in the game. One more thing to include so I don't forget, there is also class racing in ToCA Race Driver 3. All cars can compete at once, but you were only responsible for winning in your class.
The real key for the ToCA Race Driver series was in going from so few cars to 20 cars to a track for most series. More cars to a track makes for the most realistic racing experiences.
--- Gran Turismo and ToCA: Fundamental Likenesses ---
The respective Gran Turismo and ToCA Race Driver series have their own fundamental likenesses. The true merits for both series lie in giving gamers multiple cars to choose from in going racing. Both games feature a variety of cars and tracks to go racing with. Both games deliver their own intense racing experiences. They are as intense as the respective makers see fit.--- Gran Turismo and ToCA: Fundamental Differences ---
Despite their likenesses, there are elements that completely divide themselves apart. Actual Racing... Who Has the Advantage?
The ToCA Race Driver games clearly have the edge in the actual racing department over the Gran Turismo series. Even in ToCA Race Driver 2 and 3, you have a realistic format and schedule of races. Points are paid realistically as well. Gran Turismo games just pay out a certain number of points. Usually, the same number of points for various rounds. The real beacon of light for ToCA is in ToCA Race Driver 3, where you can race in World Tour, Pro Career Mode, and Simulation Modes. The Pro Career Mode of ToCA RD 3 is where you can race a full season going to every track and with various rules enforced. Races and championships in Gran Turismo games don't feel like fully-sanctioned series. Not even the Gran Turismo World Championship feels like some sort of big deal championship. There is much more racing character in ToCA Race Driver games than in Gran Turismo games.
The biggest difference is that ToCA Race Driver games feature point-to-point rally stages and an extremely believeable rally racing system. When you cross the checkpoints, you get an idea as to where you are on the time charts as you clear each section. Spain in ToCA Race Driver 2 and the United Kingdom Rally in ToCA Race Driver 3 offered two lovely courses for which to enjoy rally-style racing.
Imagine if Gran Turismo 5 allowed for realistic paying of points. What I mean is... rather than the usual number of points for each race and championship in GT games, what about some bigger point totals? Look at NASCAR and the spread of points paid out. The only interesting aspect of Gran Turismo from a championship perspective was in the Polyphony Digital Cup in GT3 (and maybe GT4) where you win money ONLY if you win the race.
Cars and Races For Them... Who Has the Advantage?
While 20 cars for ToCA Race Driver 2 and ToCA Race Driver 3 are impressive, Gran Turismo games have the depth advantage. If you look at the ToCA games, you only have so few cars allowed for a series. Let me give you an example...
Compare the Spider and Roadster races in Gran Turismos 3 and 4 to the Convertible World Cup in ToCA Race Driver 2, for example. Even though ToCA RD 2 will have more cars on track than Gran Turismo, your options are only limited to what you are given in ToCA Race Driver 2. Gran Turismo games have only one qualification- it must be a spider/spyder or a roadster. Your options, then, are more varied than with ToCA Race Driver 2.
Let's use another example. Compare the Japan Championship in Gran Turismo 4 to the Japanese Works Car Cup in ToCA Race Driver 3. Polyphony Digital would clearly have the advantage since Gran Turismo is a Japanese title. You can basically bring in almost any potent Japanese car as long as it has Standard or Sports Tires. ToCA Race Driver 3, however, only limits you to the Nissan 350Z and the 21st century Honda NSX. ToCA Race Driver 3 also does not have a single Japanese race track in the game, so you can't even use Japanese cars on their home soil in the game.
I will use one last example. Compare the Aston Martin Carnival from Gran Turismo 4 with the Excalibur Cup in ToCA Race Driver 2. Both series feature Aston Martins, but the Excalibur Cup in ToCA RD 2 features only one Aston Martin- the Aston Martin DB9 Coupe. You are tempted to race almost any Aston Martin had this deal been in GT4.
These car discussions become moot points when you consider that ToCA Race Driver games have many more real race cars than what Gran Turismo mostly provides. This also includes many more kinds of race cars that ToCA Race Driver games have over Gran Turismo. I WILL say this in ToCA Race Driver's defense- I have enjoyed racing monster trucks and the Bowler Wildcat in ToCA games! :)
The long story short is that Gran Turismo games offer more depth in what cars you can race. There may be more cars to a track in the ToCA Race Driver games, but the depth of cars to choose from is severely limited compared to the Gran Turismo games. Where ToCA Race Driver games really shine over Gran Turismo is in having racing series with their own unique character. Rather than certain One-Make races (like in GT games), you have actual championship names that may actually feature just one or two cars (sometimes three or more). ToCA Race Driver games have you feel more like competing in championship series, as opposed to what seems like generated championships in Gran Turismo games. Another edge goes to ToCA Race Driver 3 as you actually feel like you are in actual series with actual rules enforced, compared to Gran Turismo games.
Tracks and Venues... Who Has the Advantage?
I am not really sure. I will give the slight edge to the ToCA Race Driver series because of more real-world places as well as more kinds of venues. There are even variations of tracks that have some other uses. Brands Hatch comes to mind, as you can race the Indy course, the Grand Prix course, or even the Rally Cross/Rallycross course around Brands Hatch. Another advantage for ToCA- point-to-point rally courses.
Fun Factor... Who Has the Advantage?
This really depends on what you want in a racing game. The ToCA Race Driver series is too focused on racing to where it's not really fun to just go out and race any car casually. The Gran Turismo series can be fun either casually or trying to be professional. Gran Turismo hasn't a professional touch, but it can be enjoyable for casual drives rather than always having to race. So by my description, I'd give the edge to the Gran Turismo series.
Action... Who Has the Advantage?
Considering you could damage cars in ToCA Race Driver games, this clearly has the advantage over Gran Turismo games. The damage element is not without thuggish AI in ToCA Race Driver, however.
This has been my more analytical look at both series. I hope you've enjoyed my blog entry as much as I've enjoyed making it. Feel free to comment away if you have something [intelligent] you'd like to share!
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