Now that GT5 has been out for a couple weeks, and has sold a few million units...and now that people have had the time to sit down and really play it. 
 
I've been thinking about how events and cars are unlocked.  Frankly, I'd rather have the old License based system back rather than the level based.  GT5's grind is too big and too long, and the fact that Endurance Races are unlocked at level 25 rather than unlocking once you get the IA License is messed up.  
 
So, after playing for a while...what do you guys think?  Do you like the level based or would rather have the old License based system back?
 
The following list is the XP requirements in GT5: 

I would have preferred more licence tests (or the same amount of tests, but more difficult), with each licence unlocking new events. It makes more sense that way - gaining the licence to take part in said events. The whole idea of levelling, to me, doesn't really apply all that well to a driving game - licences are just more logical.

License tests were the only thing I didn't like about past GT games, so I definitely wouldn't want more of those. XP based leveling is fine, they just need lower the amount required to level up as you get further in the game.

The problem with License unlocks is that sooner or later, some people are just going to hit a wall when it comes to the license tests.  Some of them can be real bastards and not everyone may have the patience to complete them all.

GT5 is my first gran turismo game. i'm only level 10 now but i think there are a lot of EXP needed to level. from what this thread it sounds like they need to lower the exp needed to level. inorder to get gold it is a bitch to do on some. i am setting my goal for silver right now. i have a few golds that were easy but still. some golds are easy while others are hard to get. back to getting EXP there are a lot of races there.

I never had a problem with license based unlocks, and it seemed a lot less arbitrary. I think the GT games could do a lot with a thin narrative to tie the levels together, like a pay scale or something. Licenses can be completed much sooner than the ridiculous amount of exp required to level up. Im level 15 now, and I need to get 100x more exp to max? Geez! I want the damage now! I swear Im a good enough driver, I just dont have a bunch of spare time! :(

The problem with a license system is that if somebody doesn't or can't finish a certain license, you permanently lock away content from them. With an XP unlock system, they'll at least be able to open up the events eventually.
 
It sounds like the problem here more than anything is that the level requirements for unlocking events is set a bit high, so that you have to grind a bit -- maybe through unique events, sure, but it's still a grind -- to get to the events you want to try. I had this issue with Gran Turismo 4, where I wanted to try endurance events practically right out of the gate, but by the time I opened them up, I was just about sick of the game. I think the leveling should instead be focused more on keeping you from jumping into an event before you'd have the financial capability of fielding a competitive car. If I can't afford a good car for an endurance race, set the level requirement to a point where I'd potentially have enough money.
 
License tests are just a mixed bag. I stormed through the tests in GT2 and 3 quite easily, but I never did get the top licenses in 1 or 4. Too much of a bothersome hassle.

I like the XP system for the reasons that @PsEG has mentioned. 
 
There really should be more events to choose from in the early game, though. When I played it, I found myself in a spot where I ran out of races that I could do with my current cars, and I had to grind races I'd already done. Maybe I was doing it wrong, but that's how it played out for me.

I am surprised that they managed to implement a system worse than licenses.  
the level system is completely broken.

" @Hailinel: That's a fair point. Currently there's ten tests per licence - perhaps if they made the individual tests slightly more difficult, but added more of them, with the player only having to pass X number of tests out of Y to gain the licence? It might make them more accessible, while remaining challenging, with some sort of extra incentive to complete all of them - even if at a later date. "

" @Devil240Z: Asides from gaining inspiration from other games, they should have used common sense in a lot of cases too, and tried to actually innovate. For what it is, I do love the game; but with all the systems, deals and partnerships they already have in place, they could have done so much more with it. Take for example the addition of Nascar this time round. It's not very well integrated at all and the voice over stuff is abysmal. If you watch the behind the scenes video with Jeff Gordon, he actually seems genuinely excited about the inclusion of his sport, and seems willing to offer his insight. Perhaps they should have shot some live-action stuff with him just talking naturally, instead of the dull voice over crap we ended up with, because he says far more interesting stuff in that clip than in the entire game. I dunno, there just seems to be so much potential behind racing games that no one has been able to incorporate thus far. The Gran Turismo series has everything in place (including that massive budget) to be able to build a truly great game, but they just don't seem to care about going a step further. I have to wonder if the higher-ups, and Kazunoru himself, are preventing Polyphony from taking any real risks with the series.  Rant over. "

" License tests were the only thing I didn't like about past GT games, so I definitely wouldn't want more of those. XP based leveling is fine, they just need lower the amount required to level up as you get further in the game. "