Gran Turismo 4 is in stores now...

akira3d · 29 December 2004

...in Japan!

Well, at least it is out somewhere in the world.

As far as I can tell, it shipped minus the online capability, but it does have LAN support. There's a PDF file covering the multiplayer LAN support, but it's in Japanese. Someone needs to grab it from the official website and translate it for us.

I must get my hands on the Japanese version...I've been waiting too long.

NSXLuvr · 30 December 2004

Da*n, you got me on that one. :tongue:

akira3d · 30 December 2004

I had to do it....couldn't resist!

ADNOH · 31 December 2004

you got me too. so when is it released in the US?

canuck · 31 December 2004

ADNOH said:
you got me too. so when is it released in the US?

I have heard May now. Some minor problems, will be un-kinked soon enough.

Honda F1 Racing · 31 December 2004

All these delays and still no online play

I've seen the release date vary for the U.S. depending on the store (Best Buy, etc.) from mid-January to February.

akira3d · 31 December 2004

Honda F1 Racing said:
All these delays and still no online play .

Considering that they originally planned to release the U.S. version within a week or two of the Japanese release, I'm guessing that Sony won't be rushing to release GT4 here until the online component is ready. They have no reason to rush it out now...the only reason people would be crazy enough to buy two versions is if they wanted to get their hands on it for Christmas.

Of course, I'm pretty crazy. I'm hoping to get my hands on the Japanese release so I can start practicing all of the new courses (it's not like I don't already own Prologue)!

On that note, I ordered the Driving Force Pro wheel yesterday...

comquat1 · 1 January 2005

Where did you order the wheel from? I hope you didn't pay list, I just saw it for $110ish on buy.com.
Anyone know where to get it at a better price?

akira3d · 1 January 2005

I got it for around that much on amazon...and there was no sales tax or shipping charges. Total was $112.99 for the wheel. Should arrive by the end of next week. Now all I need is the JDM GT4

NSXLuvr · 1 January 2005

here is the prologue

LINK

Kaz · 1 January 2005

akira3d said:
...in Japan!

Well, at least it is out somewhere in the world.

As far as I can tell, it shipped minus the online capability, but it does have LAN support. There's a PDF file covering the multiplayer LAN support, but it's in Japanese. Someone needs to grab it from the official website and translate it for us.

The PDF says that the LAN support will allow 2 to 6 players to link up in a LAN. All they need is a BB unit, GT4, and a monitor for each player and a hub.

Here is something interesting(p4 of PDF) Looks like you can store ONE car from out side of Arcade mode and Multi-LAN mode and use it in the multiplayer LAN game.

Although I kinda wounder why just one? why not allow for your whole entire garage?

Also there are differnet race setting that can be set like:num laps, tire damage, handy cap and "Slow-ca- Boost" (which I guess gives the guy in last place boost to keep him closer to the pact.)

Also if you have 2 players playing but have 6 other machines idle, looks like you could configure them to display the race from all different angles or have all the monitors act as one big monitor.

Reading this wants to make me play GT4.. but it sitting @ my house on the other side of country! Doh! its going to be a long 2 days before I go home!

paladin · 1 January 2005

I would think they have to have the online component headed for the u.s. version. I mean in today's video game market these giant lag times for different markets are unheard of. I'm used to seeing US games released within a week or two, and Europe another week on top of that.

wctsao · 1 January 2005

Where are all the Ferraris?

comquat1 · 1 January 2005

wctsao said:
Where are all the Ferraris?

I think it has to do with brand rights. That's why you don't see porsche's either, at best they're doing Ruf's. Lamborghini too. Kinda stinks that three of the top brands of sports car's won't license their cars for the best driving sim in the world.

comquat1 · 1 January 2005

Here's a link to a video of a race perspective with an NSX running in it.

ftp://ftp.futurenet.co.uk/pub/dailyradar/sony/granturismo4_284_2.mov

Can anyone confirm if this is playback video or is this what you will actually see when you are driving in the game?

NSX-Racer · 2 January 2005

Thanks for the link - seems to be a playback video because of the lack of data displays.

nsxsupra · 2 January 2005

There are many shops in Southern Cal that have Japanese version of GT4 since Wednesday.

I picked up Gran Turismo 4 at Game X for $79.00

Game X
2327 S. Garfield Ave.
Monterey Park, Ca 91754
323-726-8400

Overall, happy, but also very disappointed.

Pros:
Still the best overall racing game
Slightly improved graphics
Most of old tracks received some visual make over for a refreshed look.
Many new tracks, some new tracks are extremely cool
NITROUS is now available as a modification.
HSC, SLR, new M5, SL65

Cons:
Sense of speed is only slighly better if better at all than GT3
No Ferrari, Lambo, 997, C6. Does not seem like it has anywhere close to 650 cars to me

Very hard to get car you want if it is older model. This is my biggest complaint, older models are only available as used car. The car selection change randomly in used car shop after you race a few times. So for example, to get the right color selection is hard, I have been playing for 2 days, still don't have a White NSX yet.

You will lose a lot of time playing this, quite possibly could hurt your health by staying up all night playing it.

Opening Intro is not very good at all, definitely not Gran Turismo quality.

AndyH · 2 January 2005

Do you have to "mod" the PS2 to play Japanese version? Does it has english menu?

nsxsupra · 2 January 2005

AndyH said:
Do you have to "mod" the PS2 to play Japanese version? Does it has english menu?

you will need a Japanese system or modded PS2 to play Japanese version.

The in game menu is mostly half/half English and Japanese.

Some parts are Japanese only.

Can't believe Sony did not include some more Exotic cars, considering they are making a killing with this game world wide, should of at very least included some older and new Ferrari, Porsche and Lambo models.

605 car is really not 605, more like 200, most of cars on the list are just different variations, like 24 different Skylines, 15 or so different NSXs etc.

Overcall car selection not a lot better than GT3, can't believe this took them 4 years.

I am still more than satisfied even with my unrealistic expectations, there are a few big improvement and many little details I forgot to mention:

second in car view(you can see your hood), it now have 3 view total. This is the only game that have did it correctly, you now actually feel you are drving a car when using in car view, also better sense of speed.

Playing RUF 87 Yellowbird (Legendary Porsche 911 by RUF) in licence mode, you can actually feel the RR setting, tail actually swing out at corner, finally experienced the infamous tail swing of older 911. Can't wait to unlock this car.

NSXBOX · 3 January 2005

I just bought my copy for $US110 which I is a rip but not for a die hard GT fan but I havent gone home to play yet still at work. I was wondering how you would play the B mode in the japanese version probably have to wait for the english one.

Cant WAIT!

akira3d · 3 January 2005

I just read that GT4 supports 1080i and 480p. I didn't even think that was possible of the PS2...but both ign's and game informer's websites are reporting that it does! BTW, they've been uploading tons of clips from the final Japanese version...and, even in their small downloadable sizes, the clips look sweeeeet.

NSXBOX · 4 January 2005

there is a 1080i option but I havent tried it yet.

NSXDreamer2 · 4 January 2005

My freind just let me play his for a day. I had logged possibly 5 hours in it. Here's what I liked:

The realistic physics, at this time without playing it in simulation mode and proper training. I'm not totally crashing but it's more difficult to handle than GT3. Though, if I compared my experiences prior, (from GT to GT2, GT2 to GT3). The learing curve is not as steep as before in case you are not using the steering wheel. Now if you are going to use that, it will take you a while to get used to the wheel and throttle steer the car. I didn't make any clean lap in my first 15 at Laguna Seca.

I liked the bumping, grinding the wall, it's so real that you will get a blurred screen, all in all, it doesn't encourage/ reward stunt driving any more. There's couple incidents that when I bumped somebody, my car resulting a spin. Which not quite the same as in GT3, a beloved overtaking strategy. It also make it more relistic that if you are on grass, sand/gravel, you can't steer the car back out as easy as in GT3.

In general, I liked the game, here's go the disappointment:

1. though the reflection and car's body is much better and cleaner than GT3, What's up with the wheels and tires? It looks way too ugly to me. It give me a feeling that all cars were equipped with snow tires...

2. The Steering wheel is amazing, but the wheel diameter is way too small for a wheel that can turn that much. It's un-natural, if any of you played the Battle gear 3 and Initial D arcade game, you'll know what I mean, the bigger diameter gives you more control.

3. There are still 2 cars only in Arcade battle mode. Is that related to the PS2 computing power? If so, how can you count on having 6 players hooked up together or Online??

4. I have seen they were very serious recording each car's engine and exhaust note, however, I didn't think there's that much difference than GT3. You can relate the distintive note (if there's any) of a specific car, but it's way, way far from the real thing. The Sega F355 challenge had very nice sound.

I'm really interested to find out if Forza is better...

akira3d · 4 January 2005

NSXDreamer2 said:
Now if you are going to use that, it will take you a while to get used to the wheel and throttle steer the car. I didn't make any clean lap in my first 15 at Laguna Seca

Interesting. The first time I played GT4 at E3 with the Driving Force Pro, I was able to cleanly navigate courses I had never been on without any difficulty (although I did have more problems with rally...it's a LOT of work using the Driving Force Pro). That's why I won't be playing GT4 on the Dual Shock 2...I was THAT blown away by the wheel.

It looks way too ugly to me. It give me a feeling that all cars were equipped with snow tires...

Is this different than GT3? I thought the wheels looked decent in GT3 (would have been better had they been fully 3D), but I didn't think they were ugly.

It's un-natural, if any of you played the Battle gear 3 and Initial D arcade game, you'll know what I mean, the bigger diameter gives you more control.

I didn't have any issues with the size of the Driving Force Pro.

3. There are still 2 cars only in Arcade battle mode. Is that related to the PS2 computing power? If so, how can you count on having 6 players hooked up together or Online??

GT4 supports 6 players via LAN...as did GT3 via i-Link hub. This is probably due to not being able to draw as many as twelve cars on screen at once...which would be necessary if you're playing split screen with two players.

You can relate the distintive note (if there's any) of a specific car, but it's way, way far from the real thing.

Oh well...I was hoping that this version would be more realistic...but I have YET to hear a game that REALLY recreates the true sounds of cars realistically.

comquat1 · 4 January 2005

Game informer's website has some sweet videos featuring NSX's running. Other than my track day last year that's the only other time I'd seen an nsx perform it's magic. :biggrin: It's pretty sweet, makes me glad I've got one in my garage.

Gran Turismo 4 is in stores now...

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