News

GT6 Questions and Answer Session

Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

At the “15 Years of Gran Turismo” event which saw the announcement of Gran Turismo 6, GTPlanet joined a small group of other U.S. journalists to be among the first to ask Kazunori Yamauchi questions about Polyphony Digital’s new game.

We covered how GT6 will deal with the “Standard”/”Premium” car issue, the future of the Gran Turismo series on PlayStation 4, and a lot more.

Not all of the questions are my own, but what follows is a complete transcript of the interview session.

Can you explain the game’s new lighting engine in more detail?

It basically means the energy expressed in each one of the pixels is going to be represented more accurately. When the focus on the camera is on a certain item, the blurring and brightness of the area around it and how lights affect the environment will be rendered with more accuracy.

Is there going to be more car customization options? Are you going to be able to swap the engine or put decals on the car?

Both are technically possible, and we might be preparing it (laughs).

Will there be “Standard Cars” in GT6?

We won’t be making all the Standard cars from GT5 into Premium models, and we won’t make all of the GT5′s Standard cars fully “Premiumized”.

Up until now, we used to categorize them as Standard and Premium because there were functional differences between them: some of the Standard models might not have tuning parts, or couldn’t be used in Photo Mode. That will all be cleared so every model can be used in Photo Mode, and every car can have parts fitted for it.

In terms of graphics quality, the bad quality Standard models we’ve updated so they look better.

Will all of the cars have interior views?

No.

(Editor’s note: This apparently does not apply to all of the cars which were listed as “Standard” in GT5. For example, two cars which were prominently featured in the GT6 trailer and its first official batch of screenshots, the Lamborghini Countach LP400 and Alpine A110 1600S, both appeared as Standard cars in GT5 but have apparently been converted to “full” Premium models – with interiors – in GT6.)

While improving the physics model, how do you keep the game accessible to a wide range of players?

I’ve mentioned some of this before but we are improving a lot of the driver assist functions for GT6.

The other thing is that it’s sort of wrong to assume that making it more real will make it more difficult to drive. Everyone here, I am sure you all drive; it’s not that difficult – but people who can drive cars straight suddenly can’t drive in a video game! That’s because the reality isn’t really all there.

Now that we know GT6 is a PlayStation 3 game, can you explain to fans why that is? Do you have any plans for PS4?

We do have plans for PS4, but, of course, we have an order of things.

First we’ll be releasing the PS3 version for the PS3, which has a huge audience already, and we’ll be providing updates every month and DLCs every month.

Once players have played it all out and enjoyed themselves on the PS3, then the PS4 version might come out naturally around that time (laughs). Focus on enjoying the PS3 version.

What’s the reason for the dramatically shorter development time frame for GT6, compared to GT5?

GT5 was really hard to develop, because the PS3 is a really complex piece of hardware, and it was the first time we built anything with an extensive online component.

What was the most complicated thing about developing the first game, and what was the most complicated thing about developing GT6?

It’s hard to look back to GT1 now!

I think the hardest part of GT1 was to make something out of nothing, and to shape it and figure out exactly what a Gran Turismo game was going to be.

The main difference between GT1 and GT6 is the scale of the game, it’s about 100 times bigger in scale. Initially we had 15 people working on the game and now we have 150 working on the game. But i think the one thing that hasn’t changed is that everyone working on it really enjoys the hard work.

Are there other plans to bring the game’s GPS functionality to more real-world cars?

I can’t really talk about it today, but aside from just GPS, we have a lot of different things planned with different manufacturers. I can say you will see a lot of interesting things come up in the months ahead.

What’s the hardest element to re-create in the game: tire dynamics, suspension behavior, or aerodynamics?

That’s actually the three things that are really mystical about creating the physics in a car racing game. Actually the damper characteristics are one of the most difficult to re-create.

What is it like working with different manufacturers to get their cars in the game?

It’s been twenty years since we started developing the first GT, and it’s been 15 since the release of the first game.

We have a 20 year relationship with car manufacturers all over the world, and I think a lot of people who were involved with the first game in the series are still working at those companies today. Our relationships have become closer and closer, and that has given us a lot more access to the information and access to the automotive world.

Gran Turismo 6 Nurburgring Nordschleife Video

Tue, 21 May 2013 03:12:00 GMT

Check out the GT6 video with Audi race drivers at Nurburgring Nordschleife.

Hands Impression of GT6

Sun, 19 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Our friend Jordan from GTplanet (and VisionRacer VR3 owner) had the pleasure of being present at the GT6 announcement. Let's see what his first impressions were.

By participating in the big Gran Turismo 6 reveal at Silverstone, I had the opportunity to be one of the first people in the world outside of Polyphony Digital to get some hands-on time with the game. It was, sadly, all too brief, but it was enough to give me a good idea of what the game’s new physics engine feels like, and to capture some of the first gameplay video footage.

Above, you’ll see a few (admittedly quite slow) laps around Silverstone’s International Circuit in one of GT6‘s new cars, the KTM X-Bow R, along with a brief replay.

So, what does Polyphony Digital’s all-new physics engine feel like? It’s hard to describe, but let’s just say I think it will be hard to go back to Gran Turismo 5 after having experiencing GT6.

With traction control disabled and ABS set to 1 (I didn’t notice SRF was “on”…ugh, sorry!), it felt difficult to be “quick” around the track. However, the car was also easier to control, as if I had a better sense of the level of grip available at each wheel and exactly what the car was doing. It felt good.

When I play an older Gran Turismo game, I notice a kind of “numbness” or “dullness” in the handling characteristics of the cars, after having become accustomed to GT5. Now, I think I will feel the same way about GT5 the next time I play it.

The audio which you hear in the video was recorded via the television’s line-out headphone jack. It’s mono (single channel) sound, and doesn’t quite represent the sound that I could hear through the TV’s speakers. Although it’s not a radical change, I did notice a rougher, more visceral texture in the engine note that was more satisfying than what’s provided in GT5.

Regardless, Polyphony Digital’s work with Yokohama and suspension company KW Automotive has no doubt paid off, and the changes were immediately apparent to me after having spent only a very short time with the new game.

GT6 Download Coming soon

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:00 GMT

The PlayStation UK site confirms a demo of the game will be available to download on the PlayStation Store in July 2013.

The demo will also be used to host GT Academy 2013, which was also announced at yesterday’s “15 Years of Gran Turismo” event.

Full GT6 Presentation Video

Thu, 16 May 2013 23:51:00 GMT

Polyphony Digital held an announcement day yesterday to release information on the next release of Gran Turismo. The event was held at Silverstone track in the UK. Check out the 25 minute video of the details.

Check out the Gran Turismo details

Thu, 16 May 2013 05:10:00 GMT

Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. today announced Gran Turismo®6 (GT6™), the latest version of PlayStation®’s best-selling franchise, will be released in Holiday, 2013. The news was revealed today by legendary Gran Turismo creator Kazunori Yamauchi at an event held to celebrate 15 years of the 70-million-selling series.

GT6 for PlayStation®3 will bring new levels of authenticity to ‘the Real Driving Simulator’ as well as introducing stunning new tracks and cars and a revised user interface. A new compact game engine will improve operation and increase the flexibility to expand it with downloadable content. Meanwhile, the game is also set for expanded connectivity with other devices such as smart phones and tablets and increased social and community functions.

All of the cars and tracks from Gran Turismo®5, which has sold over 10 million copies since launching in 2010, will be retained in GT6. But notable new additions to the already impressive line-up of historic cars, road cars and the latest race cars, brings the total car list to 1,200 at launch, with new cars set to be continually added online. Several thousand aerodynamic parts and custom wheels will be available for almost all cars, and players can personalize their own custom cars in game to the greatest ever level possible.

The UK’s famous Silverstone Circuit will be just one of seven new locations in Gran Turismo 6, taking the total to 33, with 71 different layouts available, 19 of them brand new. There will also be regular additions of new tracks set to be made available online. The improved course maker function will provide gorgeous scenery spanning several tens of square kilometers including the magnificent backdrop of Andalucía.

The theme of Gran Turismo’s innovative collaborations with partner companies will increase with the inception of GT6. A number of exciting new projects that blur the line between the virtual and real will be announced in the run up to the game’s launch. Not least of these is GT Academy, a collaboration with Nissan to unearth real racing driver talent that first ran in 2008. It was announced during the event that the competition returns for its biggest ever year in 2013, with the entry mechanic set to take place on an exclusive GT6 demo in July.

Other notable partnerships in the development of GT6 have been with tire manufacturer Yokohama Rubber and suspension company KW Automotive. Both companies are active in the commercial car industry and in racing, and they have acted as technical development partners for the game’s new physics engine, for its tire and suspension kinematic modeling, creating an even more realistic experience for GT fans.

“It is amazing to think that it is 15 years since we first released Gran Turismo,” explained Kazunori Yamauchi, during the announcement at Silverstone Circuit. “Things have changed a lot since then and now Gran Turismo 6 is a further evolution of my dream. We’re pleased to deliver GT6 to PlayStation 3 as we have a very loyal community on that platform. However, we have refactored the game to make it very flexible and expandable, with a view to making many future developments. I am very pleased with everything about the new game and the new additions, but the launch will be only the beginning for GT6. The game will continue to develop throughout its life. I already have many ideas for things I want to achieve in the next 15 years of Gran Turismo!”

The celebration of 15 years of Gran Turismo event at Silverstone included a demo of GT6 featuring the famous circuit. Guests were able to play the game in the familiar circular Gran Turismo race pods before having a chance to take to the real track in cars provided by Audi, Ford, Jaguar, KTM, Mercedes-Benz, Nissan and Toyota.

Further news about Gran Turismo 6 will be revealed at the forthcoming E3 and Gamescom events.

Cars featured on the GT6 Silverstone demo (* denotes new to Gran Turismo):

Acura NSX ’91, *Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale ’11, *Alpine A110 1600S ’68, *Audi Sport quattro S1 Rally Car ’86, Ferrari 458 Italia ’09, *Ferrari Dino 246 GT ’71, Ford GT ’06, *KTM X-BOW R ’12, Lamborghini Countach LP400 ’74, *Light Car Company Rocket ’07, McLaren MP4-12C ’10, *Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 ’11, Nissan 370Z (Z34) (GT Academy Version) ’08, Nissan 370Z Tuned Car (GT Academy , Version) ’08, Nissan GT-R Black edition (GT Academy Version) ’12, *Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 N24 Schulze Motorsport, Nissan Leaf G (GT Academy Version), *Tesla Motors Model S Signature Performance ’12, Toyota 86 GT ‘12

Summary of new Gran Turismo 6 features announced by Kazunori Yamauchi:

New Game Engine

Refactoring
Compact, nimble operation
Flexible expandability
A new rendering engine that pushes the limits of the PS3

New Physics Engine

New suspension and kinematics model
New tyre model
New aerodynamics model
Technical partnership with Yokohama Rubber and KW Automotive

1,200 Cars, abundant custom parts, and on-going DLC

From historic cars to the latest racing cars, the game contains a total of 1200 cars.
Multiple aerodynamic parts and custom wheels will be available for almost all cars.
Players can create their own personalised custom car in the game.
Cars will be continually added online

33 locations, 71 layouts

33 Locations and 71 layouts will be provided from day1 (7 more locations and 19 more layouts than GT5).
More new tracks will continue to be provided online

New Course Maker

Massive scenery spanning several tens of square kilometers
A new course generation algorithm

Community/Club/Race Organizer

Players can form their own communities
Various community levels from local and domestic to global
Players themselves can create and manage their own online events

New User Interface

Balancing directional key operation and touch operation
Quick response
Shortening of loading times

Multi Device Compatibility

Playstation
Smart Phone
Tablet
PC

At the same time as the PS3 version of GT6 the “Real Driving Simulator” launches, a mobile version and web application version of GT6, will be created to enjoy Gran Turismo’s massive community space.

Real/Virtual “Edge Effect” Activity

A variety of “Edge Effects”, the chemical reactions between the real world and the virtual world for which the Gran Turismo series is famous, are also planned for GT6. Exciting collaborations between various automotive manufacturers and collaborations with brands crossing different industries will be revealed gradually across the next six months.

SimRaceway User Overview Video

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Check out the video overview by Numo Cunha of the online game working through the start of the content.

Asetto Corso - Bootleg Video

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 20:19:00 GMT

He is s splice of footage which gives an overview of the title due to be released Q1 this year. The video is entitled "We are Waiting".

GT5 vs. Project Cars around Spa - GT40 MkIV

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 11:00:00 GMT

We love the video comparison by AdrianF1esp. Check out the GT40 MkIV in both tiles.

Azure WIP Project Cars Video

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 11:00:00 GMT

Check out the BMW Z4 GT3 doing laps. I have driven this track in real life and it does not give an inch. The close walls come up real fast!

GT5 Clocks Up 15 Years

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 11:00:00 GMT

The Gran Turismo series had it's 15th anniversary on December 23, 2012, Polyphony Digital sales statistics show 68 million copies of the games have been sold worldwide.

Total sales for each title, including special editions (such as GT5 XL and GT5 Academy Edition) now stand at:

Gran Turismo: 10,850,000
Gran Turismo 2: 9,370,000
Gran Turismo 3 A-spec: 14,890,000
Gran Turismo Concept Series: 1,560,000
Gran Turismo 4 Prologue: 1,400,000
Gran Turismo 4: 11,600,000
Gran Turismo 5 Prologue: 5,350,000
Gran Turismo PSP: 3,860,000
Gran Turismo 5: 9,190,000

Ferrari 458 Preview in Assetto Corsa title

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

The Italian title has brought out a big card with the licensing of the Ferrari name. Check out the Ferrari 458 video from the title due in the first quarter of 2013.

rFactor2 - Lola T280 Video

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Check out the Lola T280 preview video.

The Lola T280 was a Group 6 beast running a DFV Codsworth making 450 Hp.

Project CARS video on Motion

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Project CARS latest video showing slow motion affects. Glorious detail and affects.

McLaren MP4-12c on iRacing

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Coming from New Zealand every McLaren is of interest. Called the "Bruce and Denny show" McLaren dominated in the early 70's. The legacy keeps up the same standard with iconic cars.

Check out the video around the release of the new iRacing car.