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Gran Turismo 4

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Gran Turismo 4
Image:Gran Turismo 4.jpg box cover
Image:Gran Turismo 4.jpg box cover
Developer(s)Polyphony Digital
Publisher(s)Sony Computer Entertainment
Designer(s)Kazunori Yamauchi
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
ReleaseFebruary 22, 2005
Genre(s)Driving
Mode(s)Single player, Multiplayer

Gran Turismo 4 (also known as GT4) was released on December 28, 2004 in Japan and Hong Kong (NTSC-J), February 22, 2005 in the United States (NTSC-U/C), and March 9, 2005 in Europe (PAL), and has since been re-issued under Sony's 'Greatest Hits' line. After being delayed for over a year and a half by Polyphony Digital and having its online mode removed, Gran Turismo 4 was still one of the most anticipated console games of 2005, and sold a million copies in its first week at Japanese retail. It featured 721 cars (in the PAL version) from 80 manufacturers, from as early as the 1886 Daimler Motor Carriage, to the Nissan 350Z Gran Turismo edition, a collaboration between Nissan and Polyphony Digital, and as far into the future as concepts for 2022. The game also features 51 tracks, many of which are new or modified versions of old Gran Turismo favourites. Notable track inclusions are the Nordschleife variant of the Nürburgring, Suzuka Circuit, Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, tracks modeled after world famous attractions such asNew York's Times Square, Hong Kong, Paris, and the drag strip in Las Vegas.

A PSP port, entitled Gran Turismo 4 Mobile was previously shown and does not currently have a release date. A Playstation 3 modified version, under the working title Gran Turismo HD was demonstrated at E3 2006, but the title of this game is still unknown, and is likely still "Vision Gran Turismo" as was announced at E3 2005.

Tourist Trophy, a motorcycle riding simulator, is based largely on the Gran Turismo 4 and the line "powered by Gran Turismo 4" is mentioned in the game. The game was also made Polyphony Digital and released on the PlayStation 2 in early 2006.

Features

File:388 Trial EightSix-small.JPG
A photo of a Toyota AE86 taken in Photo Mode
File:GT4 Lancer.JPG
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII taken in Photo Mode

New Career Modes and Photo Modes are included in the game, as well as compatibility with Logitech's Driving Force Pro steering wheel and USB storage and print devices for its photo modes. This game is able to produce a selection of screenshots with variable compression rate (Normal/Fine/SuperFine) and size (up to 1280x960 72dpi) from within the user can choose to save or print with an Epson compatible USB printer. It is also the first game on the PS2 to support 1080i resolution, it also supports 480p and widescreen modes. Compared to its predecessors, Gran Turismo 4 adds a race-manager-style role (called B-Spec, as opposed to 'normal' racing A-spec) in which players attempt to train the game AI to drive progressively better cars and harder races by dictating when the car should pit, pass, how hard to push (on a scale of 1-5), and all the pit-stop options available in A-spec mode (including the option to switch between A-spec and B-spec). B-spec is especially useful in endurance races that can last up to 24 hours in real time, although in B-spec time can be sped-up 3x. The Photo Mode lets the gamer control a virtual camera, taking pictures of their cars on track, or at specific locations, including the Grand Canyon. Another new addition to the game is the Driving Missions, which are similar in experience to the license tests, but come with points to unlock tracks. A PlayStation 2 Network Adaptor can be used to communicate to additional PS2s, in order to create a multi-monitor setup. In addition, the network adaptor can be used to play games on a local subnet, for up to six players, though player customized cars can't be used in a LAN game.

About 5000 polygons are used per car. 500 to 700 parameters define the driving charaterstics of the car physics model.

The game includes, as prizes, many cars of historical interest, for instance 1886 Benz and Daimler "horseless" carriages, and a Model T Ford. Because the complexity of their digital models runs into limitations of the PS2 hardware (Emad G. 2005), these cars are not useable in races, but, instead can only be used in single car "time trials", or in photo-shoot mode. Even some modern cars with complex body shapes, for instance the Chrysler Prowler, or the Caterham Seven Fire Blade, also cannot be used in races. Players interested only in the racing aspect of the game might want to sell such cars, and then be disappointed because, while most prize cars can be sold for money, you do not get money for most such "special cars"--instead you must simply give them away for nothing. One car, the Auto Union Streamliner, is only capable of being driven on the Nürburgring, the Test Course, and the Las Vegas Drag Strip. To some players, a goal of the game is to collect all the cars the game has to offer, and so, to them, it is not really important if the car can not be raced. And, in any case, there are plenty of historical cars which can be raced, including a 1961 E-type Jaguar, 1954 Mercedes 300SL, and a 1954 Citroën 2CV.

Some attempts have been made to compare the simulation to the real world like Top Gear at Laguna Seca

  • [1] – Honda NSX Video

or [2]– Ford GT Video

As a conclusion it shows that the most important difference between simulations per se and the real track behavior is the "fear factor".

B-Spec game mode

The new B-Spec mode puts players in the place of a racing crew chief: telling the driver how aggressive to drive, when to pass, and mandating pit stops (by monitoring tire wear, fuel level, and oil dirtying). The speed of the time in the race can be increased up to 3x, allowing for Endurance races to be completed in less time than would take in A-Spec mode (normal first person racing).

B-Spec points are given out for each race completed in B-Spec mode. This increases the skill level of the AI driver in different skill categories. Players can thereby use B-Spec mode in harder races as the game progresses.

Prologue

As GT4 was intended to be released in time for the worldwide 2003 Christmas release but was delayed, in consolidation, Polyphony brought out GT4 Prologue as a sneak preview (including a documentary bonus disc) to the full experience of 'GT4'. Though it was necessary to limit the number of cars and courses included, this product still included some of the main features of the Gran Turismo franchise such as races, time attack and license tests. The sneak preview also expressed the latest technology Polyphony Digital had accumulated over the past two years. Featuring 50 of GT4's 500 cars (which later increased to a massive 720 cars) as well as five courses, this expanded demo was designed for everyone who couldn't bear to wait for the full-version's release.

Criticisms

One criticism is regarding the continued lack of rendered damage, which one rival game, Microsoft's Forza Motorsport possesses. Instead of damage, the cars simply "bounce" off of either walls or each other.[1] The game has also been criticized for lack of online play which had been promised during early development, but was announced as being removed at the time of release.[2]

One reviewer expressed disappointment about some exotic cars which can only be used in single-car time-trial or photo-shoot mode and cannot be raced against other cars.[3]

Trivia

Both the first release of the Japanese and Chinese version of the game was sold with a 212-page reference guide, with a message from famous car reviewer Reychiro Fukuno, an introduction to the physics of racing, lessons on using the GT Force Pro steering wheel, a machine tuning guide and parts catalogue, a tutorial for the photo mode from photographer Chikara Kitabatake, a race course index, a partial cars index and also a complete music index. The game and the guide were cased together in a special box of the same size as a DVD case. A similar guide was included with the first release of the Japanese Gran Turismo 3: A-spec.

The Asian releases of Gran Turismo 4, like its previous releases, features the theme song Moon Over the Castle, composed by Polyphony Digital's Masahiro Andoh, during the opening. The North American and European releases of Gran Turismo has had various different songs, with GT4 featuring Van Halen's Panama.

The Hong Kong course is located in the Tsim Sha Tsui district, which at the clockwise route, starts at Salisbury Road, then through its waterfront and then at Nathan Road.

Due to the tight schedule for releasing the Chinese version, obvious texual errors can be found in the game, like the names for the two 90's used cars section being swapped, and the descriptions for the damper bounce and rebound also being switched. Other minor, but curious grammatical errors can be found.

This was the first of the series to feature trucks, tuning companies and ready-customized cars.

Many players were disappointed with the long waiting times at the beginning of some of the driving missions, saying it would have been better to just start those missions as flying laps.

Advertising for this game was once a task for the two teams to complete on the reality show The Apprentice.

Awards

References

See also

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