(I'm really responding to all the "2d trees" comments on the Quick look section.) So I bought GT5...The trees can look pretty crappy (2d) in some races.  They're more detailed in city races (for example London). 
 
But to make all of us feel better:

OMG I feel so much better about the trees because another game also has crappy trees! 
 
Seriously, who the fuck cares?

Or just buy a Codies racing game ^_^

So with this we can all say without any shread of doubt: 
  
"Gran Turismo 5 is better than Forza 3!" 
 
And GT fanboys throughout all of Giantbomb celebrated, united in happiness. 

Leaf it out.

I can understand why, trees are some of the trickiest thing to render on a decent speed if good looking, all the polygons went to the cars

Technically all game trees are 2d. The leaves at least. 

I'm stumped if I know what this is about.

" Or just buy a Codies racing game ^_^ "

Can't we just leaf this discussion alone? I don't tree the point in arguing about plants.

I always play Forza 3 from that perspective. 
 
 
.

The sooner speedtree is implemented in racing games, the better

Uh... was this necessary at all? Way to be a scrub.

" Can't we just leaf this discussion alone? I don't tree the point in arguing about plants. "

Why don't you make like a tree, and get out of here?

Yeah we knew this back in October 2009 when the game came out, I am really stumped by your argument.

I dont see what you are getting at here? 
  
Why not stop beating around the bush and branch out, let us know how you really feel

" Yeah we knew this back in October 2009 when the game came out, I am really stumped by your argument. "

" I dont see what you are getting at here?   Why not stop beating around the bush and branch out, let us know how you really feel "

" I always play Forza 3 from that perspective.   . "

If I had Forza, this is what I'd say :P

But really I got the impression that it's not just the trees. It's the terrible textures on everything, the buildings, backdrops, grass, pretty much everything that isn't the cars. So I don't know why you're singling the trees out. Oh, and Pancake Dog.

I feel it worthwhile to reiterate myself, FM and GT have nothing on Codies games, I don't see why people even bother to get hyped up about their graphics. 

" @ez123 said:

" I always play Forza 3 from that perspective.   . "

If I had Forza, this is what I'd say :P

But really I got the impression that it's not just the trees. It's the terrible textures on everything, the buildings, backdrops, grass, pretty much everything that isn't the cars. So I don't know why you're singling the trees out. Oh, and Pancake Dog.

"

So you justify one game having crappy trees by showed that another game has crappy trees as well?
 
I'm not following the logic here.

" So you justify one game having crappy trees by showed that another game has crappy trees as well?  I'm not following the logic here. "

I don't understand what people see in codemasters graphics. F1 2010 looks fudgy, bland, and nowhere near sharp enough when it isn't raining or at night. Also which track is in the OP? It looks like Le Mans...

He's just mad because forza 3 has a better metacritic.  :P

I personally don't see how the look of trees is all that relevant in a realistic racing game, when i was playing GT5 the trees were the last thing on my mind. 

Dirt 2 wins on treegregate.

" @crunchUK:  It's because Codemasters games are still coming out on PC while Forza and GT aren't on PC.  Then think about who's posting about those Codemasters games. "

" I feel it worthwhile to reiterate myself, FM and GT have nothing on Codies games, I don't see why people even bother to get hyped up about their graphics.  "

" @crunchUK:  It's because Codemasters games are still coming out on PC while Forza and GT aren't on PC.  Then think about who's posting about those Codemasters games. "

Now if only GT5 was not retarded bullshit that came out a year later and doesn't even include things like damage models or Forza's unlimited decal options...

Peoples expectations were WAY to high for granturismo 5, beyond reality they make it seem. So people are just hating and bashing super hard.

I don't think it really counts if you go out of your way to change the camera angle. If you have to do that, that tells me it's barely noticeable when you're actually playing. Going by them at high speeds even i assume.

How much does it really matter how good anything in those games looks in screenshots?  Shouldn't their graphics be judged by how good they look when you are going really fast since going really fast is kind of the point?

" Now if only GT5 was not retarded bullshit that came out a year later and doesn't even include things like damage models or Forza's unlimited decal options... "

" @Diamond said:

" @crunchUK:  It's because Codemasters games are still coming out on PC while Forza and GT aren't on PC.  Then think about who's posting about those Codemasters games. "

The console versions look better than GT and FM as well. The only thing GT has going for it in terms of graphics is the car models, and even that is debatable.   Seriously, Codies has no competition in the visuals department for racing games. Dirt 3 is only in pre-alpha and its visuals already shit on everything. It baffles me why people get all excited for "zomg teh realism" of GT when it's easily trumped by games that came out years ago.  "

" @Detrian said:

" Now if only GT5 was not retarded bullshit that came out a year later and doesn't even include things like damage models or Forza's unlimited decal options... "

...dude, it's already been shown on video that GT5's damage is better in the premium model than other racers.  The only problem is that it doesn't unlock until level 20. "

" I personally don't see how the look of trees is all that relevant in a realistic racing game, when i was playing GT5 the trees were the last thing on my mind.  "

My life has been changed.

" @Vigil said:

" I personally don't see how the look of trees is all that relevant in a realistic racing game, when i was playing GT5 the trees were the last thing on my mind.  "

Lets break this down to see how it does matter to alot of people... while i dont really care for racing games....
 
 " ....... the look of trees .....relevant ....realistic racing game......  "  immersion "

" @Geno said:

" I feel it worthwhile to reiterate myself, FM and GT have nothing on Codies games, I don't see why people even bother to get hyped up about their graphics.  "

This.  Dirt 2 is their most arcade like racer and it's still more of a proper simulation than any GT game.
   

If it makes you feel better, the only reason I like Forza better is because of the decal creator. Both games are pretty much the same boring simulation to me.

" I feel it worthwhile to reiterate myself, FM and GT have nothing on Codies games, I don't see why people even bother to get hyped up about their graphics.  "

I'm willing to bet there are no racing (only) games with 3D trees on console. But then again I don't own any racing games at all, so whatever.

" My life has been changed. "

" @SeriouslyNow said:

" @Geno said:

" I feel it worthwhile to reiterate myself, FM and GT have nothing on Codies games, I don't see why people even bother to get hyped up about their graphics.  "

This.  Dirt 2 is their most arcade like racer and it's still more of a proper simulation than any GT game.
   

Have you played Dirt 1?  I think it's more arcade-y than Dirt 2.   I'm not sure which one has more realistic car handling overall (Dirt 1 or 2), but in Dirt 1, breaking seems *far too effective.*     "

I find it funny no one has mentioned Criterion. In terms of graphics I think they're the best.  

" @bellmont42 said:

" @Vigil said:

" I personally don't see how the look of trees is all that relevant in a realistic racing game, when i was playing GT5 the trees were the last thing on my mind.  "

Lets break this down to see how it does matter to alot of people... while i dont really care for racing games....
 
 " ....... the look of trees .....relevant ....realistic racing game......  "  immersion "

Yes, realistic racing, not realistic vegetation, i would much rather have had the developers working on the mechanics and physics involved in the driving of the cars than on some peripheral oak trees.  "