Less than enamored with PS3/GT5 right now

So I got a PS3 and GT5 for Christmas from the fiancee. Excitedly, I plugged everything in. Then it asked me to update my PS3. Ok. Waited for an hour while that downloaded and installed. Then it asked me to register for the Playstation Network. Ok. Never did get that to work without the console freezing. Then I actually started up the game. I was again asked to sign in the Playstation Network. No, go away. Then I was asked to download an update for GT5. Two hours later, that's completed. Then, I was asked to install the update. That froze three times in a row, so I said screw it, and canceled it. Then I was asked to adjust the viewing area of the screen. Ok, fine, don't see why that's necessary, but ok. Then I played the game for about 5 minutes, because that's all the time I had before I had to go out and actually do useful things.

So I start up the game again earlier. I am again asked to sign in to the Playstation Network. NO, GO AWAY. I am again asked to install the update. It freezes, so I cancel it. I am again asked to change the view area on the screen.

Am I going to be able to play a game, ever, or is the Playstation experience just an endless series of questions and updates? If I wanted that, I would've bought a Dell that runs Windows and some computer game!

The only thing it does well, it seems, is play Blu-Rays, but even then I had to change 13 settings when I switched from RCA video cables to an HDMI cable.

It only does everything...that annoys the E36 M3 out of you. Kiss my ass, Sony, if this weren't a gift, I'd be returning it.

iT'S freezing on the updates because you are not signed into PSNetwork.

Sign in to the damn network fer chrissakes!

The PS3 is awesome. Probably the best Blu-Ray player on the market... downloads and watches movies, plays all kinds of rockin' games that update themselves from the internet to fix bugs or add new levels. Plays music too... but if your network connection sucks most of these things will be painful.

BTW, GT5 is a boring console driving game that looks pretty but is weak compared to almost every other option these days. Get yourself some Black Ops, Rockband, Red Dead Redemption and Drakes' Fortune.

You think thats bad? Get an iPad from SWMBO for xmas, and then try to do ANYTHING without signing in or updating or creating an account or registering or adding your location details or giving your mothers maiden name or updating your 3rd grade teachers dog liscense number. you cant. BERK YOU APPLE!!! Plus, the wife thinks she won christmans (ya know, between the 2 of you, who gave the better gift), and so Im stuck with the damn thing.

...well that is until the factory warranty expires and I jailbreak it
Android, here I come

My new for Christmas PS3 was going along really well for a day or two. Then the circle button and the R1 button ceased working. Makes it hard to navigate the screens without a circle button. I have to just quit the game to get out when I get stuck. No E brake either.

I got mine in trade for the big "V". I've been playing it since May. I don't even rememberwhat I did in the mornings before it. Get online with a group of friends and set up some fun games and it's an absolute ball. WE used to set up "Mexican standoff" with CoD MW2. 44mag pistols only. Fun E36 M3.

I played GT5 at the display in Best Buy today after picking up a new laptop I had purchased and subsequently warrantied on the 26th because of the BSOD.

For the demo version available, I am underwhelmed. The overall feel for driving sucks ass. Way too twitchy, too much controller lag, and immediate brake lockup, three of the biggest problems I have with every driving game out there. The graphics and visualizations are superb.

I just wish there was a wheel to really drive it as it should be.

You mean like this:

One of my friends (single) has this in his apartment in front of his 56" LED DLP.

Damn... sounds like another plus for iRacing... oh well... I guess I'll stick with my old Xbox...

GT5 is no where near the Holy grail of driving games.

It is real enough to seem like actually driving but fake enough that you its best when not taken too seriously.

I can see your frustration... but your behind the times, lol. Both the console and most games are updated to add content and fix problems... It is generally nice, just sucks when you show up late and have to patch everything at once.

But yes, GT5 is particularly aggressive about reminding you to sign in... constantly.

GT5 exactly everything it said it wasn't. It is absolutely farthest from any kind of even remotely realistic driving characteristics, short of Need For Speed (NFS Hot Pursuit 2...really fun game BTW).

1000 cars, well when they randomly are made available to you. Even after beating the whole game you would be lucky to have the chance to play even half that.

Life like damage......in 10% of the game......woooh...

Oh, and it was supposed to be fun....instead thousands are still aww struck at that time spent updating and in load screens.

The install time alone is mind boggling. I have never seen any PC game take 1/3 the time that took to fully setup.....including building the PC and installing the OS!

What an apocalyptic letdown.

It keeps getting better the higher you get your level. Unfortunately, it takes crazy amounts of time to get there. If you have a life outside of games you can probably expect cool damage and that kind of thing by 2012.

I've been able to play it on a system with level 34 and it was still VERY far from any kind of realistic handling.

The realistic damage is only on a hand full of cars, most of the cars do not have damage models.

Rufledt wrote: It keeps getting better the higher you get your level. Unfortunately, it takes crazy amounts of time to get there. If you have a life outside of games you can probably expect cool damage and that kind of thing by 2012.

This is my problem with all of these games. I have no desire to spend that much time playing the game to get to higher levels. I just want to turn it on and play for an hour or so... then shut it off. I don't care about online play... or career mode... or any of that B.S. It's just a freakin' game... How anyone can spend that much time getting to those levels is beyond me.

So you have to play online everytime? Hmmm. I'm not as interested now.

In reply to jrg77:

No you don't need to play online. I still haven't, but going online gives you access to other cars and "museum items" BFD...

Question, am I stupid or is there no way to upgrade brakes??

I haven't played enough to really be able to say anything intelligent about the actual physics or anything, partially because every time I want to play I have to go through 382 different steps. Maybe you guys can answer some things for me:

1. To sign in to this network, it asks for an e-mail. Is that an e-mail I already have, or do I make up a username? It doesn't specify.
2. Is there a way to permanently tell the game what the viewing area of the TV is? Does anyone else get that screen every single damned time you start the game?

Twin_Cam, You need to create a username for psn and password, and supply an email address so that for example, if you forget your password Sony has a means of getting ahold of you so you can change it.

When that's done, you can set your ps3, so that your psn profile signs in every time you turn the system on, that way gt5 doesn't constantly ask you to do it.

All options that are saved within the game, such as the screen readjustment are saved to your profile, (which btw, you can have offline or online profiles if you wish). So the reason it asks you to adjust the screen size every time is because you haven't been saving your settings, because you don't have a profile set up.

PSN isn't quite as user friendly as XBOX Live, since you get what you pay for and PSN is free, but you're definitely making this process more difficult than it needs to be.

Twin_Cam wrote: I haven't played enough to really be able to say anything intelligent about the actual physics or anything, partially because every time I want to play I have to go through 382 different steps. Maybe you guys can answer some things for me: 1. To sign in to this network, it asks for an e-mail. Is that an e-mail I already have, or do I make up a username? It doesn't specify. 2. Is there a way to permanently tell the game what the viewing area of the TV is? Does anyone else get that screen every single damned time you start the game?

1. Use an email you already have. The next screen will let you create a username.

2. Once you have updated (1.05 is the latest) and set up GT5 and saved, it should never ask for screen size again.

After that, you can skip signing in if you want to just play offline for some quick fun.

On a happier Xbox 360 note, the girl friend got me Cabelas Dangerous Hunts with the Top Shot Elite for Christmas and it is freakin addictive as hell! Talk about fun I hope that some more games start taking advantage of this new gun controller...maybe something like Black Ops or a good ol' zombie shooter It actually has me playing with the Xbox more and worked perfect right out of the box.

Thanks guys. Got that working. What a complicated way of doing things!

And now that I've actually played the game for a bit...karting is sweet!

blaze86vic wrote: I've been able to play it on a system with level 34 and it was still VERY far from any kind of realistic handling. The realistic damage is only on a hand full of cars, most of the cars do not have damage models.

Yeah the handling never gets better but the damage gets better, but only on premium cars. The damage on standard cars is pretty awful at all stages of the game, but that only bothers me when I get bored and start ramming stuff.

Ian F wrote:

Rufledt wrote: It keeps getting better the higher you get your level. Unfortunately, it takes crazy amounts of time to get there. If you have a life outside of games you can probably expect cool damage and that kind of thing by 2012.

This is my problem with all of these games. I have no desire to spend that much time playing the game to get to higher levels. I just want to turn it on and play for an hour or so... then shut it off. I don't care about online play... or career mode... or any of that B.S. It's just a freakin' game... How anyone can spend that much time getting to those levels is beyond me.

I'm with these guys, I don't have the time or want to be playing for hours on end. I want to jump in play for a short time and be on with my life.

Not being able to access the mythical 1000 cars sucks too. I had to screw around for awhile before I could buy a pickup truck and finish one of the stages. Just let me play!

I don't understand paying for a game, and not being able to access all its features. It's kind of like purchasing a Porsche, but not being given aceess to all its power.

Rufledt wrote: It keeps getting better the higher you get your level. Unfortunately, it takes crazy amounts of time to get there. If you have a life outside of games you can probably expect cool damage and that kind of thing by 2012.

I agree completely... I was a bit underwhelmed at first, but the more I spend time with it the better it gets. Online is pretty entertaining if you get the right group... of course you could join the GRM GT5 League