Talk Playstation 3 News

There were rumours floating around the web suggesting that Gran Turismo 5 will have a track editor. People said these rumours are false but e4g.info decided to contact the developers to find out if it was true or not. Now, we have a official answer.

Yes it will have a track editor. You will be able to rebuild a track from scratch or edit the tracks that are already put in Gran Turismo 5.

So there you go, a track editor!

Gran Turismo 5, yes the popular racing game by Polyphony Digital could be made easier to drive and play after Kazunori Yamauchi had an interview with GameTrailers.

Here are the highlights.

• Entirely new code base from GT4 — nothing has been carried over from the old game. Even the GT4 Online code was not used to develop the networked side of GT5.
• New physics in the TGS demo should be immediately apparent to anyone playing the game — it’s actually “easier to drive”, though when the car begins to lose grip, its behavior is more true-to-life.
• Entirely new artificial intelligence. The oval tracks and NASCAR presented a unique AI challenge.

I wonder how much easier the game will be?

Source.

Yes thats right, weather changes and night racing will be implemented into Gran Turismo 5. This news comes straight from Kazunori Yamauchi, the man behind the whole series.

Below is the full document.

FIVE QUESTIONS TO KAZUNORI YAMAUCHI

21jrkoyAudi:  The graphics of GT5 Prologue “is incredible realistic. What can you still in this game improve?
Kazunori Yamauchi: GT5 is a greater choice on motor vehicles and Routes offer. And we provide more features for Online communities to Disposal. We are also working with high live close to a graphic representation for rain and night.

Audi: How do you manage it, the cars as realistic in the game is over?
Kazunori Yamauchi: In order to replicate cars so graphically that they are each model the same position they need we are the real models. At the Audi R8, it was particularly difficult for high-quality materials of the interior to reproduce. Even with the body, it was not easy, level, This incredible precision to express. Not only the cars, as every tree looks at the Nürburgring his real counterpart frighteningly similar. Such influence Details the game behavior? We have the greatest respect for the innate
Power of the cars and also the nature. Therefore we consider every detail very carefully — even if it’s just a bush on the edge of the racetrack is. Our passion and our commitment are perhaps not always immediately, but they seem subconsciously to every player.

2e49ilxAudi:  What games can the fans of GT soon expect?
Kazunori Yamauchi: We are working on it, including weather changes, a race which may affect index. And damage to racing cars we will soon be able to simulate.

Audi:  We dare a glance into the distant future. What is Gran Turismo 9 anything to offer?
Kazunori Yamauchi:  I find it difficult to follow closely the developments so far predict. Gran Turismo is growing with the Automotive industry. When we consider the future of GT, we also consider the future of the Automotive industry.

Source.

The latest rumours regarding Gran Turismo 5 suggest that there will be 94 tracks, yes thats a nine and 4. The tracks are listed below.

Belgium:

• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps
• Circuit Zolder

China:

• The Shanghai International Circuit

France

• Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans)
• Magny-Cours

Germany:

• Hockenheimring
• Nürburgring
• Nordschleife

Italy:

• Monza
• Imola

Japan:

• Fuji Speedway (80s, 90s, F, GT versions)
• Suzuka Circuit (GP, East, West)
• Twin Ring Motegi (Road, East, West, Speedway)
• Tsukuba Circuit

Monaco:

• Circuit de Monaco

Portugal:

• Estoril

Spain:

• Jerez
• Valencia

UK:

• Brands Hatch
• Silverstone Circuit
• Top Gear Test Track

USA:

• Daytona International Speedway (Road, Speedway)
• Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Oval, GP)
• Infineon Raceway (Sports, Stock)

Imaginary circuits in real places:

• Hong Kong
• Paris, George V
• Paris, Opera
• Citta di Aria (Assisi)
• Costa di Amalfi (Capri)
• Tokyo, Route 246
• Seoul
• Madrid
• Eiger Nordwand (Kleine Scheidegg, Bern)
• London (Short, Long)
• El Capitan (Yosemite National Park, California)
• Las Vegas Drag Strip
• New York
• Seattle

Imaginary circuits:

• High Speed Ring
• Apricot Hill
• Autumn Ring
• Deep Forest Raceway
• Grand Valley Speedway
• East Section
• Speedway
• Midfield Raceway
• Driving Park
• Beginner Course
• Motorland
• Test Course
• Trial Mountain
• Clubman Stage Route 5
• Special Stage Route 5
• Special Stage Route 11

Rally circuit in real places:

• Chamonix
• Tahiti
• Swiss Alps
• Cathedral Rocks (Yosemite National Park, California)
• Grand Canyon

Source.

Gran Turismo 5 could be released around Christmas 2009. Gtplanet received, from a highly reliable sourcce that the game could be released then.

Speaking to to Spanish newspaper El Financiero, James Armstrong, Sony’s chief executive in southern Europe stated that:-

For next year, the chief executive of Sony Computer Entertainment for southern Europe said that they are developing a new game thriller, in which the player may be designing their own history, and the new version of Gran Turismo, which will arrive at Christmas.

This would be good if it came out by then.

Kazunori Yamauchi has said that Gran Turismo 5 will be released earlier than expected laughing at release dates such 2010 and beyond.

Kazunori laughed at the notion of a 2010 release date for Gran Turismo 5, and said it will be released sooner than expected.

For more information and full interview, head over to GTPlanet.

According to PS3 Secrets a new update to Gran Turismo 5: Prologue is available to download. There is no official changelog but after investigation here’s what’s happened.

• New AUDI R8 car has been added
• New scenario for your car parking (the main menu)
• New music has been added to the game

Not a huge update, at least it’s something. Can’t wait for the bigger updates.

Source.

Kazunori Yamauchi, Polyphony Digital boss said that he’s currently concentrating on expanding Gran Turismo 5: Prologue and that the Blu-Ray version of Gran Turismo 5 might not hit before 2010.

Polyphony are going to be adding new cars, tracks and features to Prologue. The one we’re most looking forwards to is the new damage system – first time ever in Gran Turismo.

Yamauchi also stated that the long gone Gran Turismo Mobile for the Playstation Portable is not actually gone, its still actively in development but won’t be released until after GT5.

Source.

An interview with Gran Turismo’s designer Kazunori Yamauchi revealed that all of the car manufacturers will make its way into Gran Turismo 5 including Porsche.

Here is a snippet of the interview:

“OPM:Which manufacturers do you still dream on including? Porche?

KY: I can’t really go into detail at this point, but by the time GT5 comes out I think we’ll have most – no, all of the major manufacturers.

OPM: SO, come on..Porsche?

KY:Probably.

Not only that but Yamauchi gave an update on the damage system that could be included in a future update for Gran Turismo 5: Prologue.

Yamauchi said:

“OPM: Exciting! So how are you getting on with damage modelling so far?

KY: It’s not actually difficult, but there are a lot of different factors, like how many cars are going to be able to race at the same time once we’ve included the damage. There’s going to have to be adjustments made – when you crash at over a certain speed there’s no way you can drive it anymore. So the level of damage applied to the car will be dampened so that you can still have fun.”

Its looking good so far for GT5.

Source.

Sony Computer Entertainment has announced that the Gran Turismo franchise has broke the 50 million barrier as of April 30th 2008. This was achieved in just over 10 years after the first Gran Turismo was released in December 1997.

Producer of Gran Turismo, Kazunori Yamauchi said:

“Initially, Gran Turismo was an ‘alternative’ racing game, kind of an outsider in the genre”

“And we made it thinking that it would be okay as long as it reached out to ‘the select few who would agree with us.’ So this figure — 50 million units — is simply astounding. If you go to a game store and look for a particular package, and pay for it at the cash register, though the time may be very brief, it still takes at least 3 minutes or so. It’s simply mind boggling and hard to believe that this has been repeated 50 million times all around the world in the last 10 years. I would really like to thank all the fans who have supported the Gran Turismo series over the years, for all their passion and love of the game. We’d like to continue making every effort to create cutting edge, high quality games, so that we don’t disappoint anyone’s expectations.”

Click through for full press release.

(more…)

IGN has stated that GT5 Prologue is to feature damage to cars as early as this Autumn. Kazunori Yamauchi has confirmed that Prologue will finally implement damage for the first time in the racing series as a downloadable upgrade.

Yamauchi goes on to say:

maybe by Fall we’ll be able to implement it

IGN will have a full interview with Yamauchi tomorrow. I will post an update regarding this. Check back soon!

The demo alike racing title has entered the UK game charts at number 1. GT5 Prologue is also the fastest selling PS3 game in a week. The game is sold out almost everywhere in the UK and wherever i go everyone is talking about GT5 Prologue. I can’t think how well the full game will do in terms of sales.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue knocked Rainbow Six Vegas 2 off the top, which is now in second position.

Source: Video Gamer

Here is a video of me playing Gran Turismo 5 Prologue online. I wanted to show you exactly what it’s like playing it online.

Online it’s virtually lag free and it’s simply brilliant, probably the best online racing game i’ve played to date. Not to mention the best graphics i’ve seen in a game. If it’s this good now, think how good it will be when Gran Turismo 5 comes out.

Here is the video.

There is an update already available for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, it’s a damn big one, it’s taking a while to download. So if your trying to get online, you will be prompt to download an update.

The update contains:-

As of Friday, March 28, the free update of “Gran Turismo 5 Prologue” to “Gran Turismo 5 Prologue Spec II” has been started.

The major contents of this update are as follows.

Additional Cars
- 34 Additional Cars have been added, for a total of 71 cars.

Additional Racetrack
- “High Speed Ring (normal/reverse)” has been added, for a total of 6 tracks, 12 layouts.

Additional Mode
- Drift Trial
- 2 Player Battle

New Features
- Performance Points
- Quick Tune
- Real Time Adjustment (RA) feature (Compatible with Driving Force GT)

Event
- All event content have been updated.
- Number of events per class raised from 8 to a total of 10 each.
- Improvements have been made to the user interface

Driving Options
- “AI Level” added
- No. of Laps added
- “Driving line” added
- “Active Brakes” deleted
- “Active Steering” moved from Option (Can be adjusted in 3 levels, effective for wireless control pad as well).

Option
- Added No. of laps setting for “Arcade / 2 P“ (Infinite/2-00)
- Added “Units” (Distance, Power, Torque)
- Added “Demo” (Auto demo start interval, demo duration, demo content settings)
- Added real time adjustment feature related items in “Change Button Assignments”
- Added “Temperature” display settings under “Network”
- Added “Delete Course Records”(offline) under “Utilities”

Online
- Added Free Run (practice run mode) in race events
- Changed so that the host is not always in the 1st place grid position in online race events

Other
- Garage selection added to Event and Online
- 4 stages including Kyoto added to the My Page background
- Measures taken against taking shortcuts in various tracks
- Improved penalty judgment
- Upper limit of credits raised to Cr.20,000,000
- Compatibility with the Driving Force GT steering wheel planned for release by Logicool®
- Improved controllability using the wireless controller pad
- Updated Manual
- Tyre selection in Arcade fixed to S2

Caution
- Key assignments will be reset by the update.
- Ranking will be reset by the update.
- 1,540ＭＢ or more HDD space is required for the update

Not bad for an update.

It’s Gran Turismo week in Europe so i thought i would show some stunning screenshots from in-game. The following screenshots are actual in-game shots and not just mock ups.

Click to enlarge them.

The game looks fantastic. It is already out in Japan, it’s coming out on the 28th March 2008 in Europe and 15th April in America. Want to see things moving? Check out the video i posted earlier.