Gran Turismo 5 Prologue in 2007

[ChongLee]

Su-goiee!!!

 

[akira3d]

Here's a good look at some of the cars (starting with a NSX) of GT5: Prologue

In-cockpit of F430 with Yamauichi-san driving

 

[demigod]

Here's a good look at some of the cars (starting with a NSX) of GT5: Prologue

In-cockpit of F430 with Yamauichi-san driving

Thanks for posting those..looks amazing!

 

[AdnanVCS]

Can't wait to get GT5.
Must be so much fun with that G25 Racing wheel (i got that GT4 Steering wheel great fun)

And the Pit teams have brand logos! cool looks super real!
I have heard that you can now also do body mods (i have seen picks of Hoods)
You can also ride bikes in GT5 (seen picks of scooters to LOL!)

 

[akira3d]

Apparently, some sites are reporting than Yamauichi-san said GT5: Prologue will be made available as free download from the PSN Store (like GT:HD), but I haven't been able to verify if this is true. Also, Sony has not even confirmed if Prologue is coming to the U.S. at all. I can't imagine Prolgoue would pass us by, but no Prologue title has been released in the U.S. to date.

The videos from the Leipzig presentation mention that cars were modeled so that interchangeable parts is possible (each panel is separate and replaceable), but this would not be in the Prologue release (Prologue doesn't include tuning or modification). Damage is also mentioned as being on their roadmap, but most likely will be a download update (or possibly not available until the full GT5 releases in 2008). The demo at Leipzig has 16 car multiplayer, but expect the number of cars allowed per race to be based upon connection quality (12-16 over Internet). Bikes were mentioned as also a possibility for GT5 (makes sense since Polyphony Digital also developed Tourist Trophy), but won't be in Prologue.

October can't get here soon enough....

 

[akira3d]

Here's the official press release from Europe (still waiting for a U.S. announcement):

The real driving simulator that’s sold 50 million units is back: Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) and Polyphony Digital are pleased to announce Gran Turismo™5 Prologue, a prequel title showcasing the forthcoming Gran Turismo™5 for PLAYSTATION®3 (PS3™) – available both on Blu-ray disc and as a download from PLAYSTATION®Network (PSN) at the end of this year. Gran Turismo on PlayStation is one of the most successful global gaming franchises of the last ten years – renowned for its realism, quality of design and in-car physics technology – now, with the power of PS3™ behind it, it’s going to be unstoppable.

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue features over 40 stunning cars – including vehicles by Lotus, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Ferrari for you to race on seriously realistic, real-life tracks: including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City Track and Suzuka – all rendered in incredible High Definition graphics. There’s also all-new driving physics for the most lifelike driving experience ever and new, improved opponent artificial intelligence for the toughest race challenge yet.

But that’s not all – for the first time ever in the history of Gran Turismo, you’ll now be able to race online. Up to 16 players will be able to go head-to-head on some of the world’s best racetracks on PLAYSTATION®Network™ – all you need to get racing is a broadband connection and PS3™. Once you’re up and revving, Global Online Rankings and the My Garage homepage feature will leave the world in no doubt as to just who is the best at Gran Turismo.

And then there’s the Online Dealership, providing a wealth of information on cars and manufacturers and also Gran Turismo™ TV – a dedicated online channel available exclusively from PSN and packed with some of the greatest content that Motorsport, car manufacturers and TV has to offer.

Key Features:

* The first ever Gran Turismo title with online racing: drive online against up to 16 other Gran Turismo aces

* Race a total of over 40 stunning, high-performance cars

* Race on seriously realistic, real life tracks including the Eiger Nordwand, the London City Track and Suzuka – then race them in reverse and with alternative routes

* All-new physics engine means true next-generation vehicle handling

* All-new and improved opponent AI for a nail-biting race experience

* Access to Gran Turismo TV : a world of great motoring TV programming online

* Online Dealership: Access to car manufacturers online

* My Garage - a personalised homepage feature with friends, chat and personal game records

* Quick Tune facility allows you to adjust power, tyres, suspension and more

* All in stunning High Definition at 1080p (race: 1080p-60fps, replay: 1080p-30fps)

Gran Turismo 5 – the full title – launches in 2008. Until then, there’s enough ultra-realistic, high-speed racing in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue on PS3™ to keep your accelerator firmly to the floor for the rest of the year.

 

[akira3d]

NEW DETAILS FROM TOKYO GAME SHOW 2007

Free downloadable demo of GT5 Prologue will be available on October 20, 2007 from PlayStation Store Japan...no word on other territories just yet.

GT5 Prologue goes on sale December 13, 2007 for 4980 Yen on Blu-ray, 4500 Yen for download...a bit pricey for a game that is essentially a tease for the full version of GT5. Thus far, the only new things I've heard are the inclusion of Daytona...and that car-themed TV shows (including Top Gear and Best Motoring, etc.) will be available for purchase through the GT TV link in the game.

and more

 

[akira3d]

I hope this downloadable content is available in the U.S....I read that GT TV will be localized by region.

 

[akira3d]

I thought I'd bump this thread with a reminder that the free downloadable demo is being posted on Saturday, at least for those accessing the Japanese PlayStation Network Store. And as the 40th Tokyo Motor Show 2007 gets underway, Polyphony will be unveiling new car models in the free downloadable demo!

STILL no word on a North American release.

I'll be at Laguna Seca when people start downloading it...

 

[ChongLee]

Thus far, the only new things I've heard are the inclusion of Daytona...and that car-themed TV shows (including Top Gear and Best Motoring, etc.) will be available for purchase through the GT TV link in the game.

OMG!!! tell me its true! the THEMES!

 

[EvilSTi7]

I played GT5 prologue when i was in japan a couple weeks ago at the Japanese Motorsport Festival. I only could play for a few minutes, but i used the f430 at Suzuka. The physics seemed more realistic, especially braking induced oversteer. The thing that made me really happy was the sound. The ferrari actually sounded similar to a ferrari, which is a change from previous games where all the cars sounded way too similar.

 

[naaman]

* All-new and improved opponent AI for a nail-biting race experience

I'll believe it when I see it...

I would hope that the AI is consistant with each race's license requirements (i.e. class B racers drive crappy, while class S drivers are near flawless).

 

[akira3d]

Has anyone tried downloading it? Still no word on an American release, but the Japanese demo has been out since Saturday. If I hadn't been in Monterey, I would have tried setting up a Japanese account to download it myself.

And this just in:

Top Gear on GT5

Our inbox will be relieved at least. Not a day goes by without somebody firing us a note saying either they - or their amazing old Capri - can lap the TG test track faster than Stig. Next year, on Playstation 3, you'll be able to find out.

Top Gear has hooked up with Sony to make our iconic test track part of Gran Turismo 5. And as an office with the permanent distraction of a Playstation 2, race seat, force-feedback wheel and a copy of the current GT4, it's the best news we've had since Alonso missed out on the F1 championship.

The latest iteration of the GT series will also be fully online - and, alongside lapping the TG circuit, players will be able to download classic episodes of Top Gear via a dedicated motoring channel called Gran Turismo TV on the Playstation network.

So, how long do we have to wait? As with previous versions of the game a scaled-down prologue will come first with around 10 tracks and 60 cars. This will feature the Top Gear TV content but not the TG track. There's no official word on when this is due, but we're expecting it to hit the UK around Spring next year.

The full version of the game is due to arrive around Christmas 2008 and, again, details are yet to be confirmed. We have been told to expect around 900 cars and, of course, our track.

We'll obviously keep you posted on the development of the game, but in the meantime check out our guide to the TG track to find out exactly what you'll be letting yourself in for.

Now we'll have a chance to beat The Stig!

 

[TurboLexus]

I set up a Japanese acct and DL'd it, it's nice but there's only 1 track and a handful of cars (a couple got unlocked today b/c of the Tokyo Motor Show). I had heard the demo was to be released on the U.S. site today but it didn't happen. Anyway, if anyone needs help setting up a Japanese acct, LMK and i'll post up some instructions/translations.

 

[WarpDriveKid]

I set up a Japanese acct and DL'd it, it's nice but there's only 1 track and a handful of cars (a couple got unlocked today b/c of the Tokyo Motor Show). I had heard the demo was to be released on the U.S. site today but it didn't happen. Anyway, if anyone needs help setting up a Japanese acct, LMK and i'll post up some instructions/translations.

TurboLexus: in your own opinion is it worth going through the trouble or should we wait for the US release? IF it is, please do post! And thanks ahead of time for your efforts.

Clemente

 

[akira3d]

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer. I setup a Japanese account to download GT5: Prologue and last night played around with it for about an hour (unfortunately with the sound off). My initial impressions:

• Car models are stunning. Unlike previous GT games, many of the finer details are actually modeled in 3d (including door handles and the antenna base on the NSX). If you checked out GT:HD, you already know the quality of the models, but remember that this demo puts 16 cars on the track simultaneously. The demo only gives you a handful of cars to drive, but you'll see some of the others during races including the Acura NSX, Audi R8, and the Ferrari F430. The wheel rims are 3D and now have motion blur when the cars are rolling (full screen motion blur and depth of field blur only appears in replays).
• In-car view is gorgeous and very playable...I initially thought I would prefer using the full view of the road as in past GT games, but the dash and a-pillar hardly impact the view of the road...and it adds a ton to the feeling of being in the actual car (that said, there's no glare on the windshield, probably to maximize the look of the cars on the road, but it does feel like it is missing). I also like that the in-car rear view mirror and side mirror are functional (with 16 cars on the track, you'll look forward to seeing a lot of cars in these mirrors)
• Tracks look like straight rips out of GT4, with just a few embellishments (higher res textures, additional planes of grass to give the grass teture some dimensionality). People filling the stands are obviously flat...not an issue while driving, but a distraction during replays. While Suzuka is the only playable circuit included in the free demo, you can view demonstration replays of Fuji, Daytona (new to GT series), and some of the spots that I assume are meant for Prologue's "My Page" (not in this demo) and eventually for photo mode.
• Lighting is really high contrast...really feels like you're under the bright sun. Unfortunately, I'm not seeing any of the dynamic tone-mapping effects that were present in the GT:HD demo (I really liked the change of exposure when going into and emerging from the tunnel). Real-time shadows really make the in-car view (gauges remain lit so they are always readable), but there are artifacts that can be somewhat distracting from time-to-time...nothing major.
• Depth of field effects in replays appear much improved over GT:HD...there no longer seems to be a distinct wall of blur chasing the focused car in replays, the transition is much smoother. The actual quality of the out-of-focus blur could be a little smoother.
• 1080p looks great, but it is slightly aliased. I'm not sure I'd care much if I stay in my normal driving position, but, for some reason, I always find myself inching closer and closer to my 40" screen.
• Can't really comment on AI because I haven't raced enough. I was able to finish first despite making mistakes in the STi...so I know the difficulty isn't cranked up (this is contrary to some reports I heard of the demo being too difficult). I am a little concerned about how evenly spaced the cars are at the beginning of the demo...I don't recall seeing many cars ever get side-by-side, though I did witness a couple of cars going off into the gravel.
• I started downloading the high definition Tokyo Motor Show 2007 video on GTTV. Unfortunately, there are no background downloading or streaming options...and the HD video appeared to download slowly
• Aside from GTTV, there are no online components to the demo. Unlike GT:HD, there's no sharing of lap times or replays.

Before heading into work this morning, a checked out a couple of additional things:

• I watched demonstration replays with sound...and I'm pretty sure the engine sounds have been improved. In the replays, you can toggle which cars are being focused on and from the standard selection of views (but not in-car). There's a distinctly different character to the sound depending on the view you select. The replay cam has too much wind noise. I really need to hear the in-car view of the NSX since that is the car I'm most familiar with, but the NSX is not selectable in this demo.
• I watched Tokyo Motor Show 2007 video....really nicely put together (I don't understand a lick of Japanese, but the production quality is top notch)
• I downloaded and watched the standard definition Best Motoring trailer...too bad the episodes are shot in interlaced video because they'd look so much better in HD.

I haven't had a chance to hook up the Driving Force Pro, but the force feedback appears fully supported. I think the demo is already DualShock 3 enabled as well.

If the US demo is ever going up, it would likely go up on a Thursday. If it doesn't go online today...

I really liked the way GT handled the Tokyo Motor Show unveiling of these cars...too bad the cars themselves aren't more attractive!

 

[WarpDriveKid]

Akira3d: Very good first impressions, greatly appreciated! Now, can someone please post how to create a Japanese account? Also, will this kill my normal account? I really want to see this for myself now! :smile:

 

[akira3d]

First create a new user on your PS3 and then sign up for a new PSN account under that user. After you are done downloading the demo, you'll have access to it from any user on your PS3.

I got all the info I needed here.

 

[TurboLexus]

and last night played around with it for about an hour (unfortunately with the sound off)

Wife asleep? :smile:

Great writeup akira, I agree that the in-car view is really fantastic, it's what I use. Details/res are so good, you can clearly read the nav intro screen in the dash when driving the BMW. As for the aliasing, what set are you watching it on? I'm playing on a Bravia 1080p and didn't seem to get any of that. Had someone stop by yesterday and only when they saw the controller in my hand did they say 'wait, is this a game?' I was just floored when I used the rearview for the first time, immediately I noticed the perforation in the rear seats, the defroster lines in the rear glass, etc. All I can say is fogetaboutit. My single complaint is that from certain angles the gaps separating body panels seem over-exaggerated. I know that sounds crazy, but in certain lighting conditions the line around the door of the car appears overly perceptible.

WarpDrive (and anyone else that needs it), here's a quick writeup on how to create a Japanese acct to DL GT5P, possibly the first demo of a demo . BTW no, this will not kill your normal acct.

- Create a new master acct, select Japan as your country instead of the U.S.
- On the next screen, click the bottom rt button to, uh, agree to the agreeement.
- Next screen is the fields. 1st one is your e-mail, I used my real e-mail for my U.S. acct but used a spam acct for the Jpn acct, LMK if you need instructions for that, super easy. The next 2 fields are password and confirmation of your password. Easy to mess up here b/c all the instructions are in Japanese. Your PW needs to be at least 6 characters w/ at least 1 letter and 1 number, no character 2 or more times in a row, PW must not match sign-in ID. The little box below is to remember your PW on sign-in, just like the U.S. acct layout. The next field is a security question and the last field is the answer to that question. Just put anything there, though the translation of the default sec question is 'where were you born?' Brooklyn baby!
- Next enter your tag, I read that this may check against U.S. lists so you may need to choose a different tag.
- Next are some fields for personal info, put whatever you want. I'm a Scorpio who likes long moonlit walks on the beach. :smile: I think the 1st field is address, just use a 3-character option from the drop down. The last option is to put some Yenjamins in your PS acct, the 2nd one is nothanks.
That's it, LMK if you have any questions.

Jon

PS - It occurred to me you might want a translation of the options screen right before the race starts. Here are the six fields translated...
- Tranmission
- Simulation or Professional (Pro is the 2nd one, definitely harder)
- Active Stability Mgt
- Traction Ctrl
- Front Tires
- Rear Tires

 

[akira3d]

Wife asleep? :smile:

How did you guess?

As for the aliasing, what set are you watching it on? I'm playing on a Bravia 1080p and didn't seem to get any of that.

I'm also using a Bravia 1080p (40" XBR2 set to full pixel). I was standing less than 3 feet away from my wall-mounted set while playing (I guess I like to be totally immersed). Gameplay runs in 1080p, so aliasing isn't bad (pixels are very small), but, to me, it's obvious that the graphics are not anti-aliased. You notice it most in the shimmery high contrast areas (especially the sharp edges between panels), but how can one really complain when the game looks this good?

I was just floored when I used the rearview for the first time, immediately I noticed the perforation in the rear seats, the defroster lines in the rear glass, etc.

Yes! Seriously awesome rear-view detail. Too bad we can't play the F430 or R8 yet, because those rear-views are actually from within the engine bay.

PS - It occurred to me you might want a translation of the options screen right before the race starts. Here are the six fields translated...
- Tranmission
- Simulation or Professional (Pro is the 2nd one, definitely harder)
- Active Stability Mgt
- Traction Ctrl
- Front Tires
- Rear Tires

Does it default to sim or pro? Damn...I was probably playing sim. I figured out the others (first thing I did is select MT, ASM 0, TCS 0).

 

[akira3d]

FYI, GT5 Prologue demo is NOT in today's U.S. PSN Store update. Why?

 

[TurboLexus]

It does default to sim, meant to mention that akira. You must've thought you were the man . Sounds like we're both trying to play on the same TV, both with sleeping wives. Stop standing so close to that thing man.

 

[akira3d]

Stop standing so close to that thing man.

I actually start by sitting roughly 5 feet away (on the bench at the end of our bed). By the time I'm only the second or third turn, I'm standing...and by the finish of the race I'm like right up against the screen. I don't realize I do it...I just do. Weird, eh?

I really need to bring out the DFP.

 

[WarpDriveKid]

TurboLexus and Akira3d: Big thank yous for the info on downloading the new past time! Sweeeeeeeeet!!! Domo! :biggrin:

 

[TurboLexus]

No problem bro, just waiting for my Crysis demo to finish downloading now .