[Rick TYler]

Originally Posted by dlavery

And if "leveling the playing field to close the gap" was not one of the intended effects of the game, then why I am not sure why we are debating whether that gap was successfully narrowed or not.

You could, however, credibly make the argument that, "A lot of experienced teams have sophisticated high-powered drive trains that have been refined over years of experience. The inclusion of a low-friction playing surface and standardized wheels may have had the effect of lowering the advantage of these drive trains. Did these factors this year decrease the competitive advantage that experienced teams with these drive trains have had in the past?" This permits discussion of the tactical and engineering aspects without trying to divine the processes and intentions of the devious GDC hivemind.