Sony Computer Entertainment has announcd the release of Gran Turismo® 4, available from 11 March 2005, exclusively for the PlayStation®2.
Car fanatics will soon be able to own their dream garage, becoming proud owners of an Aston Martin DB9 Coupe, Audi Le Mans Quattro, Nissan 350Z, Ford GT, Mercedes SLR McLaren, plus many more classic and modern day favourites from around the world. Having already sold over 36 million copies of the Gran Turismo series, Gran Turismo 4 continues where Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec left off. Fuelled by game designer Kazunori Yamauchi’s passion for cars, GT4 has taken Polyphony Digital over three and a half years to develop and takes driving simulation to a new dimension. Gran Turismo 4 uses an all-new game engine coupled with revolutionary physics and ground-breaking technology to deliver enhanced game graphics and provide the ultimate driving game experience.
The realistically characteristics of the cars are designed and calculated so that they handle to the real- life physics of each particular vehicle, taking into account weight, speed, friction and wind. To further enhance the driving experience, new technology blends real-time action with a photo-fixed background to immerse the player in environments such as New York City and the Grand Canyon. Highly detailed vehicle and environment mapping create broadcast-quality graphics, from competitor car reflections and light on the player’s vehicle, to leaves on a tree shaking in the wind.
GT4 players will also have the opportunity to race in either an enhanced arcade or simulation mode, displaying how the groundbreaking graphics have been developed to unprecedented levels of accuracy. In both modes, players will have access to drive more than 700 authentic cars, racing on existing closed racing circuits such as the world famous Nürburgring Nordschleife, Circuit de la Sarthe (the location of the 24 hour Le Mans race) and specially designed city courses. In total there are over 50 tracks to experience. The arcade mode allows players to compete against each other, or the AI controlled drivers on select courses, while the simulation mode allows players to start from the bottom and climb their way up the ladder. Competitors acquire driving licences, race to earn money, unlock cars and courses, buy and sell cars, upgrade parts, tune engines and compete in various championships. Playable from both first and third-person perspectives, Gran Turismo 4 offers advanced opponent behaviour to capture the essence of real-life racing. GT4 also brings another new feature to the series - Photo Mode, which enhances the watching/observing mode. “Photo Drive” is included in all GT4 courses, enabling players to take photos of their car on the track.
Players can use real photography techniques, including zoom, depth of field and motion blur. Special and exclusive locations for photos will also be available at “Photo Travel”. Players can travel in their favorite cars to various locations around the world and take photos from a variety of angles. Photos can also be printed on a compatible colour printer or saved to a memory card to share with friends. For the avid GT4 fan, the all-new B-Spec mode offers a strategic option that allows players to take on a managerial role. B-Spec players set the pace for their virtual drivers, deciding on when to time the pit- stop on longer races and when to step up the pace to claim that all-important pole position. Managers are offered an overtake feature, where the in-car driver is instructed to drive harder to overtake. This makes the car advance more erratically but it is particularly useful when stuck behind a vehicle being lapped. Serious B-Spec players can build up their driver’s profile: the more they race in B-Spec, the more proficient their driver becomes. GT4 will be available from all the normal retail outlets from 11 March, at the suggested retail price of £39.99
