Why Play Each Gran Turismo?

If you never played any Gran Turismo game and want to try some, let me try to sell you on the GTs I have played. This post will be different. Instead of GT in general, it's why you should play each one. So what you will get from me is a look at why you should play (and hopefully enjoy) each of the Gran Turismo games I make mention to. This is all based on GT games I have played. And as a bonus, I'll even include... another Polyphony Digital title towards the end. Consider this my thanks and appreciation to you for taking a look at my blog and even caring to visit. With this said, let's get it!

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Why Play Each Gran Turismo

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The Gran Turismo series has been the basis of "John's Race Space" as well as for my very first blog. Through my time gaming, I have played most of the major Gran Turismo games. What I decided to do for this blog post is share with you why should play each individual GT that I have played before. That is correct- not why play the series in general, but why play the individual ones. I will share each segment discussing each of the Gran Turismo games I have played and why you should too if you haven't already. The posts will follow reasons based on the following:

• General reasons why to buy/play
• Vehicles, tuning, and customization
• Locations, racing, and license tests
• Summary


With all of this said, let's begin with the O.G.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 1.

The biggest reason why you should play Gran Turismo 1 is to simply enjoy what no racing/driving game has ever done before its inception. This game brought a level of challenge to racing while also introducing a great car culture. Even while the lineup of vehicles is very Japanese-biased, there still were some quality American and British vehicles for some diversity. Modifying and tuning cars you own is also a great experience. You may also be able to turn your street cars into full-on race cars with the Racing Modification. If you do not want to take a street car into racing spec, then do window shopping with the six "Special Model" cars readily available at the Japanese manufacturers for 500K Credits. If anything, get Gran Turismo 1 simply to gauge the potential this game would have towards its future. Remember that this game impacted racing/driving games as a whole; not just for Sony or consoles. It helps you appreciate the humble beginnings of this franchise leading up to the status this franchise enjoys today. All of this... beginning with Gran Turismo 1.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 2.

Gran Turismo 2 should be played because this began the maturation of the Gran Turismo franchise and further establish its identity to gaming and car culture. You can collect a variety of cars across different levels of performance and across different decades. The vehicles also come from many more car companies new to Gran Turismo. It further proves itself as an "encyclopedia of cars." The racing is faster and more intense than what you experienced in Gran Turismo 1. Since Gran Turismo 2 would be the swan song to Gran Turismo on the PlayStation 1, play this game to experience the evolution of the Gran Turismo experience before taking its appeal to the upcoming PlayStation 2.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec.

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec offers one of the most exciting and intense racing experiences ever in a Gran Turismo game. What resulted from the "Gran Turismo 2000" project was a game with impressive visuals at a greater frame rate that would elevate the Gran Turismo experience to new heights. While this game has a lot less cars than GT2, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec has most of its manufacturers return along with some new companies. Have you the money, you could race Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec with the new (at its time) Logitech Driving Force steering wheel for greater precision and realism. This game also debuted racing on wet tarmac. This provided both a new challenge but also some extra focus on the graphical capabilities of Gran Turismo on the PS2. GT3 is both a visual powerhouse and and a mind-blowing racing experience. While Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec may seem like a letdown in some departments compared to GT2 (and even GT1 to an extent), this game still is worth a play to see the evolution from PlayStation 1 to PlayStation 2. I later looked at Gran Turismo 3 as a prettier Gran Turismo 2. This also happens to be a more capable GT title than the others before it despite its faults.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 4.

Get Gran Turismo 4 because it represented the biggest quantum leap in appeal and performance for the Gran Turismo series. Gran Turismo 4 was even becoming intriguing for having online play... until online play was later scrapped. A greater variety of this game's 600 or so vehicles and races means this game will keep you busy. You even can drive some of the very first motorized cars dating back to 1886! Variety in locations let you take on everything from original Gran Turismo tracks to a handful of real-world tracks and real-world locations. If you love your vehicles so much that you want to show them off to the world, try the new Photo Mode. Take pictures while racing or at a number of real-world locations exclusively for photography. While controversial, try B-Spec in most of the races if you are not a good racer or do not have the ability to complete a race on your own. You still have to send commands to your B-Spec racer to properly race. It essentially makes you play the role of race strategist. Races lasting from one lap on a long track to 24 hours on end await you in your quest towards immortality in GT4. The way future Gran Turismo games would shape up, Gran Turismo 4 represents the Gran Turismo experience at its peak. No Gran Turismo before it has delivered on so much hype and anticipation. You may not have online play. You may not have (certain specific auto makers). You still have no real damage. Even without these things, you still have a Gran Turismo experience in GT4 that is as complete and as in-depth as possible. These reasons alone are enough reason to give Gran Turismo 4 a try.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 5.

For its foray into PlayStation 3 power, Gran Turismo 5 delivers on more impressive visuals, greater automotive detail, time and weather variable events and races, the first proper damage model for vehicles, and online play among reasons to play GT5. Influence from NASCAR, the World Rally Championship, and BBC's "Top Gear" play roles in the Gran Turismo 5 experience. The big news with the vehicles in Gran Turismo 5 is the inclusion of three companies finally making their first appearance in a major Gran Turismo- Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Bugatti. Some of the cars come from Gran Turismo PSP, released between the time of GT4 and GT5. For an exclusive experience, this game even features the Red Bull Prototypes offering the most incredible (and sometimes surreal) pure race car experience. You can experience much more docile vehicles like the series debut of go-karts. While your tuning options are deeper, guess what returns (to an extent)? Racing Modifications! Later enhancements to Gran Turismo 5 include collect racing suits and racing helmets to customize your appearance to the Gran Turismo world. Races range from short lengths to 24 hours of racing. A-Spec and B-Spec make a return. The latter now makes you take on the role of a race strategist rather than B-Spec controversially doing races for you. Gran Turismo 5 now let you save during longer races. This is helpful to try to win the long races. I personally think Gran Turismo 5 could have been a much greater game than what we ended up with. However, just to savor the experience of racing and tuning and car collecting, Gran Turismo 5 is definitely worth the purchase and worth wanting to play. The biggest fault is the discrimination of Premium and Standard Cars. It is otherwise still worth your time and money to play.

Why Play: Gran Turismo 6.

Gran Turismo 6 did not do too much to set itself apart from GT5, but it mostly righted some of the many wrongs of GT5. This game delivers what seems to be a more elegant package than Gran Turismo 5. GT5 seemed like too many ideas without great execution. GT6 is not as detailed. I find Gran Turismo 6 to be more inviting to casual racing gamers as opposed to the more adept sim racing set. Now don't get me wrong- the sim-oriented crowd still will get a kick out of this game. It is just that GT6 provides an easier experience for the casual or inexperienced racing gamer. As an extra perk, you even can enjoy playing Gran Turismo 6 with a proper style of astronomical simulation for night races. Gran Turismo 6 is not as fixated on licenses as any other GT. Yet still, you have a bunch of races to choose from across multiple skill levels. You can even take part in events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The endurances are now way more condensed than in past GT titles. This may disappoint veteran fans of Gran Turismo but help out new and casual racing gamers. As with GT5, a lot of Gran Turismo 6's racing appeal mostly lies in online racing. If you want to try something unique, take part in the Lunar Missions, whereas you compete in different challenges simulating operating a lunar vehicle on the moon. You also could make your own generated courses like in Gran Turismo 5. Only now, you have just a bit more control than in GT5. Gran Turismo 6 basically is worth the play if you were disappointed with Gran Turismo 5 and wanted something better than what GT5 eventually became. Or if you are not as experienced as a simulation racer, this game is much easier in entry into the franchise than past titles. While this description does not sound too exciting from me, this is still a game that warrants a play and has room for your game collection. It just did not do too much to differentiate itself from the other Gran Turismo games before it. Even still, this provides a marginally better experience than Gran Turismo 5.



Okay. So you made it this far. Congratulations! Let me give you a bonus "Why Play?" to close out this post.

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Why Play: Tourist Trophy (BONUS!)

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Let me see if I can convince you to add Tourist Trophy to your gaming collection. Check it...

For all intents and purposes, Tourist Trophy is basically Gran Turismo 4 with motorcycles. Despite this, Tourist Trophy operates a lot differently than any Gran Turismo. This game lets you ride and race a handful of motorcycles ranging from scooters to motards to many different sport bikes. Even with a maximum of four motorcycles to a track (including yours), the experience is still a challenging and engaging one. Learn proper riding technique if you intend to win. Remember that riding a motorcycle entails different techniques than in racing a car. You can even intricately set up your rider with elements like height and lean angle. You can also collect gear to outfit your rider. On street bikes, you can have some casual riding clothes to wear. If you're the racing type, collect the different racing suits and helmets. Each bike is featured in great detail from the in-bike view with working gauges and other intricate details. For the ultimate challenge and sense of accomplishment- try to win all five of the Eight Hours of Suzuka motorcycles featured in this game. While most of the tarmac tracks from Gran Turismo 4 return for Tourist Trophy, not all tracks allow for a full field of motorcycles. For the ones that do offer a full field, you still can ride the wheels off of your motorcycle across most of Gran Turismo 4's tarmac tracks. Some of the courses have been modified to include their motorcycle layout. You also get a course exclusive to Tourist Trophy- Valencia (the Ricardo Tormo Circuit). Even if Tourist Trophy is mostly Gran Turismo 4 with motorcycles, it is still a great game to play. This game will let you enjoy the thrill of motorcycle riding and motorcycle racing even if you are not as big a fan of motorcycles.



I tried to include most of the major titles. The ones I have not played or played enough of I didn't review. Those include:

• Gran Turismo PSP
• Gran Turismo SPORT (I may skip this title)
• Gran Turismo 7


Maybe if I get to play them more in depth in the future, I will provide my own thoughts on why you should play these titles.

This blog post is completed for the most part. You may either take part in the next section or skip it entirely if it does not interest you. Your call.

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Finding These Games Online

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If you enjoyed my post so much as to wanting to find the mentioned games online, use the links to material in this section. Your involvement here is voluntary- meaning it is not required but would be appreciated. Try searching for Gran Turismo games from these services and retailers:

• Amazon and Amazon (video games)
• eBay and eBay (Video Games)
• Walmart (video games)
• Target
• GameStop
• Gamefly


Happy shopping! :)





I hope I have convinced you on why you should play each of the aforementioned games in this blog post. If you liked this post or any of my other work, please Subscribe/Follow my blog(s) in any capacity if you love my work. Share my blog post(s) with others if you enjoy my work. Support me further by connecting with me on social media; and if you are inclined, feel free to donate to me (donations are voluntary but would be appreciated). Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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How I Will Remember Each Gran Turismo

Of the six Gran Turismo games, there are things to remember each one by. I have never played Gran Turismo Sport, so I will only focus on the major six GT titles in this blog post. This will give you an idea of what I think of when I am given each Gran Turismo. Perhaps your visions will be similar or different to mine. Having said that, let's go to work!

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How I Will Remember Each Gran Turismo

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It is time to begin taking a look at how I will remember each Gran Turismo game. It is not about how everyone should view each GT, but more like how I remember each Gran Turismo and how I will remember each Gran Turismo.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 1.

Gran Turismo 1 was the catalyst to blaze a fire that would change racing game history. Though Gran Turismo 1 is a sim, the game has its fun factor in being so loose. Kazunori Yamauchi didn't even think his game would become any kind of great success. So therefore, I will remember Gran Turismo 1 mostly for being a relative unknown capable of almost anything. It is this sort of unknown status that makes GT1 capable of almost anything and mean almost anything in the minds of others.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 2.

Upon the success of Gran Turismo 1, GT2 was to try to expand upon what GT1 started. And did it ever! I personally didn't enjoy GT2 as much as I did GT1, but the fun factor and charm are still there. Many more cars would surface into the roster of automobiles in the GT2 lineup. This even includes cars of differing speeds across different decades of automobile. In addition to more car types, Gran Turismo 2 also debuted rally racing. So this was about Gran Turismo trying new things and offering new experiences. It also meant a lot more endurance races and some more longer races.

Gran Turismo 2, then, is how I will remember for diversity and maturity. With Gran Turismo evolving and maturing from GT1, it was time to take on some new character and personality in slowly becoming an "encyclopedia of cars." It was now the time for Gran Turismo to take itself seriously as it has something special going with its portfolio of automobiles. No more of a mostly Japanese-biased franchise. It is now about trying to see the world and race the world. This game would slowly start the coming of age for Gran Turismo as a franchise. It was Gran Turismo recognizing itself as offering a world of automobiles to individuals who may otherwise never get to drive or use any such cars offered.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 3.

It was time for the Gran Turismo series to get a complete overhaul in going from PlayStation 1 to PlayStation 2. It began with the prototype of Gran Turismo 2000. GT2000 later would slowly evolve into "Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec." Though GT3 had about 1/3 of the available cars in GT2, most of the manufacturers remained intact. GT3 was met with smoother frame rates and faster racing action than what GT2 provided. That said, GT3 still sort of felt like a prettier-looking GT2. Longer races and championships made up the character of racing in Gran Turismo 3. Also among the features was a curious Special Stage Route 5- all soaking wet. It also meant Gran Turismo 3 would need some more advanced physics to provide a new driving experience that will blow the minds of GT1 and GT2 types. This even means trying out a specially-made steering wheel to get the most performance out of Gran Turismo 3.

I would like to look at Gran Turismo 3 as being a game that looks back while moving forward. I would equate this to how GT3 has aspects such as oil changes, more Le Mans style prototypes, and more importantly- the fantasy Formula 1 cars. Gran Turismo 3 still felt like Gran Turismo 2, but GT3 is a touch more mature than GT1 and GT2. It also felt like more could have been possible if a good amount more time was put into making more vehicles available for GT3. Still, we enjoyed GT3 and anxiously awaited what Gran Turismo 4 had to offer. Speaking of which...

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 4.

Gran Turismo 4 marked a significant quantum leap to the character and the style of Gran Turismo. Many more cars and locations were added, even including the legendary Nürburgring Nordschleife and the also legendary Circuit de la Sarthe. It also meant some deeper varieties of car ranging from different eras of automobile. This even marked much more detail in 3D modeling as well as driving physics. Its own game changer was controversial- B-Spec. There was also the ability for you to take pictures of your automobiles.

Was Gran Turismo 4 destined to become the greatest GT ever? Not everyone thought so. For one, there still wasn't any Ferrari, Porsche, or Lamborghini. People even complained that there was still no damage to cars. Let us not forget the real reason most people were looking forward to Gran Turismo 4- online play. So while GT4 didn't deliver in these respects, there are a few respects I do see Gran Turismo 4 in. Among others, I see GT4 as a see the world through cars and locations kind of game that is even more a jump in maturity and evolution from GTs past. You can compete in a number of different locales as well as race in many different exotic locations. Some real-life locations and countries are raced on for the first time in Gran Turismo history with GT4. Among others- New York City, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas (drag strip and photos), Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul among others. There was a lot to do in a game as massive as Gran Turismo 4. Lots to see as well. Even if you can forgive what Gran Turismo 4 could have delivered but couldn't, there are still those who consider GT4 the greatest GT of all time.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 5.

Now it is time for Gran Turismo to go from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3. This meant even more overhauling. It means even more tinkering to evolve the franchise. It began with Vision Gran Turismo and continued with Gran Turismo HD. Really, not many people cared about Gran Turismo 5 until the arrival of one manufacturer appeared in Gran Turismo HD- Ferrari. It was a long time coming for Gran Turismo to finally feature the Prancing Horse of Ferrari. It would later be a part of of the roster of cars with Gran Turismo PSP. GTPSP would feature another long-time coming car company- Lamborghini. Lamborghini WAS in Gran Turismo 3, but never the full brand and never any proper autos. Gran Turismo 5 would feature more game changers- variable time and weather. But most of all, damage! There was also a handful of online action. In a number of respects, some people see Gran Turismo 5 as what Gran Turismo 4 could have been to be the absolute best GT. If any one element of Gran Turismo 5 was supremely controversial, it was how some of the cars were handled. The prejudice involving the combination of Premium and Standard cars is borderline atrocious. Standard cars are basically carry-over cars from Gran Turismo 4 and retouched for Gran Turismo 5. Only certain modifications and characteristics apply to certain cars. Certain cars could receive amounts of damage. And for the first time, you can take paint chips of cars and re-color certain cars to your heart's delight. It is just so much a hodgepodge of different cars and races with no real complete package.

So how will I remember Gran Turismo 5? With all due respect, I see Gran Turismo 5 as a game with many great ideas but no real coherence or execution, and also a game that could have been so much more than the eventual package featured. It was almost as if Gran Turismo 5 doesn't know what it wants to be. It provided many different experiences, but not many of them seemed polished. There seemed to be fewer or more interesting races. Why so? My theory was that online play makes up for what seemed to be a not-very-good single player experience. Almost as if to say others can come up with better races than the Polyphony Digital team. There were just too many faults that Gran Turismo 5 had that led me to believe Gran Turismo 5 could have been so much more despite the total promise and potential it had.

How I Will Remember Gran Turismo 6.

Gran Turismo 6 seemed more like the game to right the wrongs of Gran Turismo 5. For the most part, it did. There was still a bit to be desired. The game still featured Premium and Standard cars. Thankfully, though, the prejudice among those cars was not as brutal as with the previous title. There was still mostly a lot to be desired. Gran Turismo 6 did have some interesting ideas. The least of which included the likes of the Goodwood Festival of Speed and the lunar missions. Though I love stars and space, accurate starry skies was a nice little perk. A bevy of tuning options made tuning interesting in GT6. You even can go with different styles of wings and even various other modifications. Unlike in Gran Turismo 5, any car color you pick up in Gran Turismo 6 can be purchased for any car at any time. So you can paint any car in Reflex Spice or WR Blue Mica without needing to buy copies of one car for having the same color.

I sort of will remember GT6 mostly for the Vision Gran Turismo cars. The game seemed more casual and accessible with some rather short races. It also seemed easier to go All-Gold. Maybe it is to say this is the most accessible Gran Turismo for a racing game franchise that was mostly accessible to begin with. Gran Turismo 6 may be the most unexciting Gran Turismo in history. Nothing seemed to be overly brash or in your face with GT6. That said, it was still a quality Gran Turismo title to play.


At least... this is how I will remember the different Gran Turismo games.





Thanks for visiting "John's Race Space!"

How will YOU remember Gran Turismos 1 through 6?

Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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Thoughts on 20 Years of Gran Turismo

Gran Turismo was born December 23, 1997. Its impact 20 years since has been outstanding. Many people (myself included) were educated with cars and racing through Gran Turismo. This post is my look at the Gran Turismo series mostly with commentary.

Say whatever you want about Gran Turismo. Regardless, Gran Turismo has been the standard by which racing games are judged by. I think Gran Turismo has made racing simulation accessible without being overly hardcore. Ever tried so powerslide in the corners only to spin out? Didn't think your car was indestructible when you did longer races? Gran Turismo brought realism to console racing games, though not hardcore style realism.

As with any popular series, there will be the fair share of haters. Some of the biggest gripes many people had with Gran Turismo was a lack or many more great manufacturers and damage. There have been countless types who felt Gran Turismo had severe Japanese bias. It was as if people thought Polyphony Digital cared more about Japanese kei cars and certain Japanese sports cars more than the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. Other felt there was a lack of damage that really prevented the GT games from really being realistic. Others could also complain about sound quality of GT games. There were many who criticized the sound quality, even going to the level of calling GT as "The Real Vacuum Simulator." The AI of GT games has also been an element people loathed about GT.

No matter what you think about Gran Turismo, it has done a lot as a racing game franchise as any other before it. Other racing games have come along and have bettered what GT did. It still doesn't mean GT failed to make a mark in the racing game world. We lived with a lot of things in Gran Turismo most other racing games have had in them. GT still remains an accessible and realistic racing game. While it isn't a hardcore sim, people still play and enjoy this great series of games. Many more games after GT1 tried to cash in on the same formula to different levels of success. Even Top Gear- yes, BBC's Top Gear- called Gran Turismo as "the greatest racing game of all time." And if you haven't taken the time to give Gran Turismo games a try, now wouldn't be a bad time to try.

So now that Gran Turismo has been around for over 20 years now, one can only wonder what the future will hold. All I know is that a lot of the excitement for racing games wouldn't have been possible without the Gran Turismo series. That even includes "John's Race Space." So we owe a debt of gratitude for what Gran Turismo has brought as well as making developers step their game up trying to be at or better Gran Turismo.





I am actually sorry I didn't release this on the day of Gran Turismo's birthday (Central Standard Time). However, at least I got it out there and not let this post just sit on my hard drive doing nothing. So you all keep motoring in the Gran Turismo series! Thank you for reading! Take care and be well.

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15 Years of Gran Turismo

Fifteen years of Gran Turismo! Fifteen years of a game franchise that would basically become the gold standard of realistic racing. I have endured a great deal of memories with the Gran Turismo franchise. This blog post is a look at my own experience with GT in this 15th Anniversary. For people who may be visiting "John's Gran Turismo Space" for the first time ever, here is your chance to know my story regarding the GT franchise.

--- 15 Years of Gran Turismo: My Story ---

With Gran Turismo celebrating its 15th Anniversary, I figured it is time for me to share my story with this franchise. A lot of the key points of my GT experience will be separated.

• Back in 1998 or so, I bought a PlayStation at a pawn shop for about $60 US dollars. The first game I ever bought for it was Gran Turismo. GT1 was a game I had play-tested at a Best Buy once. This tour of duty I was about to embark on for GT1 was going to be a lengthy and complicated one. I still remember trying to drive cautiously with rear-wheel drive cars. Certain license tests really drove me crazy (no pun intended). Eventually, I would just buckle down and drive the wheels off of every car I owned in Gran Turismo 1.

• My experience would later shift to Gran Turismo 2. If GT1 was a challenge, I imagined GT2 would be even more so. A lot has changed including the debut of rallying. I kind of didn't enjoy GT2 as much as I did GT1. There was still plenty of fun to be had. I was really loving the enhanced array and appeal of cars in Gran Turismo 2 compared to GT1. I also enjoyed going at speeds faster than what I almost never did in GT1 (except for the Megaspeed Cup). For as much as I liked GT2, I always felt GT2 missed a number of things that would make it better than GT1. I found it the most disappointing GT I've played yet.

• When the PlayStation 2 came out, it was priced at about $300 US dollars. I so wanted to play Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. I got both the PS2 and GT3 for Christmas in 2001. The beautiful graphics and updated play mechanics of GT3 kept me busy for quite some time. After a while, I mostly felt GT3 was more like a pretty GT2... with much less execution. When I won my first Formula car in GT3, it opened my eyes to a new way of thinking of Gran Turismo. It made me envision if the series could possibly explore some new avenues to enhance the series for years to come. That leads to the next title...

• I wanted to follow news on Gran Turismo 4. What I did was join a message board called GTPlanet. I saw a handful of pictures and magazine scans showcasing the latest news on GT4. I joined GTPlanet on December 5, 2003. It has basically been my online home since (as well as my favorite forum). It was much better than some other message board I was previously a part of, where I was mostly treated like chopped liver by a group of people.

• As news on GT4 was coming through the pipeline, a new racing game was coming along when some people seemed disappointed with GT4. This game- Forza Motorsport- looked to woo over GT fans to the XBOX. Part of peoples' frustration with GT4 was in the fact that the much-promised online play was dropped for GT4. Also, people thought GT4's lineup of cars was severely lacking compared to the cars offered in Forza Motorsport. At times, I even had to keep people interested in GT4. I wanted to play GT4 as much as everybody else. I just hated for people to worry about certain things inconsequential to whether or not GT4 really becomes a classic.

• Gran Turismo 4 was well worth the wait. While it may have not seriously blown me away, the amount of action and enjoyment were well received by me. The one thing I hated was how so many people hated that GT4 didn't have supercars. I had to keep telling people- the supercars are there. As if people thought GT4's lineup of cars were Japan-heavy and lacking supercars. So... Pagani doesn't make supercars? The Ford GT isn't a supercar? The Saleen S7 is not a fake sports car? The Mercedes-McLaren SLR is just another luxury car? I was mostly upset that people think Ferrari and Lamborghini and such is REQUIRED for a racing game to be great. Complain about the lack of true online play for GT4, but it was still a great game. People had too many complaints and not enough convincing that this game is really better than what most people made it out to be. I eventually just got tired of GT4, but I still thought it was better than a lot of people thought of it.

• The PlayStation 3 was in kiosks at stores starting around 2006 or so. This (then) nearly $700 USD console was too much for a lot of people to afford. You had a reason to care about this console when a game called Gran Turismo HD was created for the PS3. GTHD stemmed from the Vision Gran Turismo video unveiled at E3 once. The kicker for GTHD was the fact one manufacturer made its debut to the Gran Turismo franchise- Ferrari. How many years have most GT fans wanted to see Ferrari in the game? That opportunity came, and the deal was sweetened when "Gran Turismo 5: Prologue" became the first Prologue us Americans would get. As of this blog post's initial posting, I have NEVER played GT5P.

• I have also never played Gran Turismo PSP- which was meant to be a compliment to GT5. You could unlock cars in GTPSP, then take your earned cars to use in GT5. I played this game one time at a kiosk at a Fry's Electronics store, and I felt this could have been a more complete title. My PSP experience is very limited and poor.

• In the time leading up to GT5's grand debut, there was a time when I played a kiosk demo to GT5. I posted first impressions of my kiosk experience on "John's Blog Space." Little did I know that my blog post would generate extreme amounts of traffic from various sites- including my friends on GTPlanet. I could only hope that GT5 would surpass my modest expectations based on the kiosk demo I played. That post remains one of the most-viewed posts on JBS as well as moments where I've gotten the most traffic to JBS.

• It was November 2010 when Gran Turismo 5 was released. I was still on my PS2 playing GT4 around this time. Any impressions I got on GT5 were from online reviews and online videos. At times, I had my doubts about GT5 before actually playing the game. I didn't get my PlayStation 3 and GT5 until June 2011. After playing through most of the game, most of my fears were confirmed. The more I thought about GT5 over some period of time, the more I began to feel that GT5 disappoints harder than GT2 did for me. Even with online play and a very stacked lineup of cars, something inside of me still thinks this game could have been infinitely better.

• GT Academy [USA] on Spike TV was something I experienced in November 2012. GT Academy is the reality TV show challenge that takes Gran Turismo gamers from gaming to pro racing. I didn't catch every single episode of the 2012 competition, but I got a general idea after I was eventually drawn to seeing this show. It made me ponder a bit more about if elements from GT Academy could possibly make Gran Turismo a bit more fun to play and enjoy.


Regardless, I have been more than proud to be part of this 15-year thrill ride by Polyphony Digital. I enjoyed every car, every mile/kilometer, every Credit spent, every car wash, every wheel change, every tuning part... everything. I wouldn't trade these experiences with anything else in racing games.

--- 15 Years of Gran Turismo: What's Next? ---

I really think Polyphony Digital should think about what GT5 offered and try to make great improvements to make the next GT much better than GT5. GT5 was good, but I hope GT6 can be better. I even explore ways GT can be better here on JGTS. I really think Gran Turismo needs to take a much harder approach on racing and driving. I am not saying "let's make GT into a proper racing sim," but "let's make Gran Turismo just that extra bit better to be a classic." How GT eventually gets to that level depends on PD and some other sources.

My own thoughts are on how to improve the flaws GT5 had so that the next GT will be infinitely better than GT5. Improve on the flaws while also making the next GT as solid as possible. Introduce more racing series. Bring on many more cars. I don't work for Polyphony Digital- all I am hoping for (as a fan) is for the next GT to be several steps ahead... rather than running backwards.





Nonetheless, congratulations to Gran Turismo on 15 years of existence. I only want the series to continually expand and improve. Not sure how long Gran Turismo will last as a Triple-A franchise, but I want this series to last for a long time. How do you feel about 15 years of Gran Turismo? Let me know with some comments. Thank you for reading!

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Endurance Racing Advice

Endurance racing is an intense challenge. It requires you to withstand longer-than-usual racing distances. Not everyone can take on the endurance racing challenges Gran Turismo provides. So therefore, I offer my advice to help out fellow GT gamers with endurances. I hope my advice can be of help to you.

--- Endurance Racing Advice ---

^ Are you in it for the long haul? If not, maybe my advice can help you.

An endurance race in Gran Turismo lore is an extended contest of speed. These are races that last much longer than any average sprint race in Gran Turismo. I used to talk to people about Gran Turismo. Some people tell me that they can't make time for the long endurance races. Even in som championships, some events outside of endurances are very long. Take the Formula GT races in GT3 and GT4 and the "1000 Miles!" events in GT4, for instance. Whether it's one hour or 24 hours, one needs to be ready to log a longer-than-normal session to take advantage of these endurance racing challenges. In so, I have prepared some advice to help out people daunted by the challenge of doing endurance races.

This is what makes me different from most other people. You know, I could make fun of people who don't want to do longer races. I could tell people that they are making too many excuses. I'm not like that. Because I believe in helping out others and offering quality material to others, I am lending my advice to others. I don't have the best advice, but it is still MY advice.

So here are some main points I'd like to share with all of you.

1.) Make time for endurances.

The most important thing to remember about doing any race is that you have to make time for them. Endurance races last more than one hour, so the basic rule of thumb is that in any true endurance race, be sure to have at least an hour of your time to make ready to complete the race. Most endurance races last two or more hours. This is the first thing to keep in mind when doing these events.

Some gamers may even argue that one can make time to do long periods of gaming in any other genre, so what makes racing games any different? Anyone who can make time for a long gaming session in any other genre of games can make the same amount of time for a racing game. So this is the very first thing I would recommend- make time for endurance races.

Sort of think about how long each race can last. One example I will give is that the Grand Valley 300km usually lasts two hours, give or take.

2.) Plan Your Strategy Accordingly.

The "strategy" being discussed here is in selecting tire choice as well as following a certain pit stop cycle. Remember that your tires will wear out over a long period of time in Gran Turismo games. Pay close attention to the the rate of tire wear. Stay away from soft tires in long-distance races. The softest of tires you should have are Medium tires. Be sure to invest in Hard tires in being able to race for long distance. Races that require Sports/Standard tires usually mean you race with either Sports Medium or Sports Hard tires.

It is equally important to have a well-set up car. If you find out you are pitting more often than usual, it means you do not have a properly-set car. Spending more time in the pits than on the track only gives the rest of the opposition plenty of chances to pass you. Make sure to set your car up properly so that you don't have to be stuck with a poor setup all race long. Your tire choices are fixed in GT1 through GT3, so pick a good tire setup that will help you through those endurances. A good rule of thumb is to have Hard tires available. Pick a tire setup that suits your car best based on its performance capabilities. If a race requires a Normal car (GT3) or any setup that disallows Racing tires, your options are even more limited.

Just keep these things in mind as you go through the endurance races of Gran Turismo.

3.) "Marathon, Not a Sprint."

It is a cliché, but it's true. You have plenty of time to make your move. You have to endure the rigors of long-distance racing to win. Think carefully about planning your attack. Here is another racing cliché: you can not win any race in the first corner, but you can certainly lose it. So think before you attack. Remember that endurance racing requires total concentration for long periods of time.

4.) Go For Overkill if Daunted.

Pick a suitable car for a given endurance. An endurance race with no restrictions basically leaves you free to pick whatever vehicle you wish to use to win. It will also allow you to tune the car up to whatever level you are happiest with to make the most of your racing experience. If you find a certain loophole in restrictions and feel daunted about certain endurances, go use a car much more powerful than your opposition. You may get a negative reaction from others, but at least you feel happy knowing you've brought a car that clearly dominates all of the others.

5.) Use B-Spec and Speed Up Time (GT4 Only).

This advice is for Gran Turismo 4 only. An advantage to Gran Turismo 4 is that you can use B-Spec and speed things up (especially if in a capable car). You won't earn any A-Spec points, but you can still complete an endurance quicker with a capable car. You can run a 24-hour race in B-Spec from start to finish in 10 hours if you run at 3x speed. Just be sure to regularly check on your B-Spec driver in case you need to make some timely changes to your car's setup. Endurance races can be long, but at least you know you don't have to run them in A-Spec if you don't have the time.

6.) Take Advantage of Saves (GT5 Only).

As of this blog post, I have NEVER done an endurance in Gran Turismo 5. All I know is that the latest updates will allow you to save your progress during longer races. So make sure to take advantage of this as you're racing. These saves will allow you to play for as long as you can without fear of you having to do it all over again.


And there you go.





You too can become a champion of Endurance racing in Gran Turismo! This advice is just my own sort of recommendations for all of you in regards to endurance racing in GT. Thank you for reading!

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City Course Racing Advice

The many urban courses of Gran Turismo games offer up a challenge much different from the permanent and proper race tracks. I personally enjoy racing city courses. Why? I'm such a city person for one. Second off, city courses allow you the chance to go full speed on streets you otherwise would just drive slow and do lots of stop-and-go traffic on. It is almost as if you have a chance to enjoy full-speed action on public roads that you otherwise wouldn't get the opportunity to do almost any other time of the year. Also, there is always the appeal of going full speed on any number of real-world locations. Who wouldn't want to go full-speed down Times Square? Who wouldn't enjoy the opportunity to blast down the streets of London with your car humming at full song? Nothing wrong with enjoying a long drive around downtown Tokyo, right?

This blog post offers up some advice for racing on city/urban courses in Gran Turismo and Tourist Trophy titles.

--- City Course Advice ---

^ Urban courses can provide the thrill of racing (legally) on city streets, but they can also be immensely more challenging to race than permanent or semi-permanent race courses.

In Gran Turismo games, racing on city courses can be a daunting challenge. For one- urban circuits can not be practiced on in real life at any time you like. Because this is a video game, however, you can practice on city street courses in games any time you wish. Here is a look at some of the challenges most urban circuits provide:

• no margin for error
Unlike on many permanent race courses, city courses are narrow and don't offer much runoff areas or offer any margin for error. To either side of you are concrete barriers. These barriers may have some catchfences to ensure any vicious crashes don't have too much shrapnel from cars going into where the fans line the barriers. The lack of wide roads on most urban courses means that you don't have enough room to make too many clean passes. So you need to make timely passes at key areas or in any high-speed areas.

• blind corners
Many of these urban courses have blind corners. You will have to properly gauge the right moment to attack the apex of a corner. Try to find the best line around corners without even grazing the outside or inside wall. It is almost as if you have to pretend the barriers aren't there. Can you properly attack the very inside of the apex without grazing the nearby wall?

• bumpy roads
Because urban courses consist of roads that are commuted on daily by city traffic, city courses usually are bumpy and tricky. You may not sense these much in Gran Turismo games, but you have to be mindful of how abrasive the roads can be if you were to race these in real life.

• don't be distracted
It can be easily distracting to be enticed by the scenery of a certain city. The goal, however, is to negate the beauty of a city course and focus on keeping the car on the road and out of trouble. So don't be enticed fully about the bright lights of Hong Kong or the classical appeal of Rome- just race the track as best as you can.

• a good setup doesn't hurt
Urban courses can be more punishing than permanent or semi-permanent courses. Make sure to tune your car or bike (for you Tourist Trophy gamers) accordingly to take on these courses properly.

• watch your head (Tourist Trophy)!
There is a reason why motorcycle racers don't usually race on city street courses- they can be too dangerous. Think about going full speed on a street course in a car and then try to do the same on a motorcycle. You will easily be flown of your motorcycle if you lean too far inside on a motorcycle to where your head hits an inside barrier too hard. Try to find the best way to carve the inside of an apex safely without leaning too far inside.


This was all some advice to help you take on city courses in Gran Turismo and Tourist Trophy. I actually had this only about Gran Turismo but decided last moment to also include Tourist Trophy advice.





I hope you've enjoyed this post. Feel free to share my posts with others if you enjoy my work. Most of all- subscribe and follow. PLEASE show me you care by subscribing, following, commenting, and things like that. Thank you for reading!

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Free Roaming in Gran Turismo?

(UPDATED: October 17, 2013)

Why would you want free roaming in a game series like the Gran Turismo series? For some people, the reasons are understandable- the feeling of an open world, an expansive realm, exploration, simply being able to cruise, and things like that. Gran Turismo has, and always will be about racing. GT is one of few racing game series where one can enjoy just casual driving without feeling the need to race all the time. Think about some other racing-centered games for a moment. Anything besides doing full-on racing seems boring because the focus is squarely on racing. When not racing, you're probably testing out a setup for your car or practicing your skills on a certain track. Therefore, an idea of free roaming makes little to no sense. Why would you want to explore some realm when the focus should clearly be on racing and driving? As you know, there are people who'd rather try some new things out rather than stick to old practices. As a Gran Turismo fan, I often times think Gran Turismo should try some new things to keep its long-running franchise strong. So this blog post is an opinionated and detailed look at a free-roaming environment and what if Gran Turismo had such an environment.

Welcome to John's Gran Turismo Space (if this is your first-ever time here)!

About the Label: "Free-Roaming"

This is a series of blog posts related to the ideas of a free-roaming environment in the Gran Turismo series. There will be more posts devoted to specific aspects of this topic.

--- Free-Roaming at a Glance ---

What defines free roaming? Here is my dictionary-like definition of free roaming:

Free Roaming: a gaming concept that allows one to explore an expansive space where players have free access to just about all of the game's facilities.

Free roaming suggests a realm where people are free to explore all of a game's facilities with little or no limitations. It is where you feel free to do almost anything within the boundaries of a game. A racing/driving game like the Gran Turismo series obviously suggests you will mostly be driving and racing. As any Gran Turismo fan would know, however, GT is also about car collecting. So making a free roaming environment would also mean you can look for cars as well as

--- Gran Turismo Retrospect: GT/Simulation Mode ---

If you have played all five major Gran Turismo games, you may be familiar with each game's GT mode. If not, here is a look back at the GT/Simulation modes of each title.

Gran Turismo 1's Simulation Mode.

^ Welcome to the world of Gran Turismo, all within a big city.

Gran Turismo 1 featured a city that resembles Tokyo. In it, there are ten different dealers (eleven if you count Honda/Acura), Go Race, the License Test place, car wash, machine test, and of course- your home. You have all the facilities in one big map. Just point to wherever you want to visit and press "X" to visit. You did not drive from one point to another- you just basically pick a location on the map and go there.

Gran Turismo 2's Simulation Mode.

^ Gran Turismo 2 categorized everything. Cities help separate the nationalities of car.

For Gran Turismo 2, there was an Arcade Mode disc and the Simulation Mode disc. All of your Simulation Mode goodness was done on the Simulation Disc. GT2's map categorized the nationality of cars into cities. East City featured Japanese cars, West City features French and Italian cars, North City featured British and German cars, and South City featured American cars. The only new facility added to the host of options for Gran Turismo was the Wheel Shop, where you can purchase new wheels for your car.

Perhaps it is GT2's Simulation Mode that has the most potential for a proper free roaming environment. Can you imagine traveling from city to city and exploring all the different facilities? GT2 tends to offer the best model towards a proper free-roaming environment.


I'm sorry I don't have any further pictures to explain the other modes.

Gran Turismo 3's Simulation Mode.

[~~~ no picture ~~~]

Three major changes were made to the GT Mode map starting with Gran Turismo 3. (1) Rather than cities, GT3 featured all cars as an all-in-one Car Dealer. Each nationality of car were broken up by nationality, and the represented makers are all sorted alphabetically. (2) There was now one Tune Shop as opposed to individual tuning shops. The need to find certain individual aftermarket dealers now came down to visiting just one Tune Shop for all of your tuning needs. (3) Rather than a Wheel Shop and a Car Wash, a new GT Auto was established to handle other tuning aspects of cars. This allowed you to wash your car, change wheels, but also change the oil. This is all a dumbed-down version of GT's Simulation Mode.

Gran Turismo 4's GT Mode.

[~~~ no picture ~~~]

Starting with Gran Turismo 4, Simulation Mode was now called "Gran Turismo Mode." A massive map featuring various dealers any facilities were offered. Car dealers were sorted out by nationality rather than by individual makes. New to this model were individual Used Car Dealers as well as a new Tuning Village. The Tuning Village featured tuner cars as well as parts for various manufacturers. Also new to GT Mode were individual facilities for practicing on certain categories of race track, Driving Missions, testing facilities, the Replay Theater, Music and sound, and Photo Travel. There were also separate facilities for races with the introduction of three series of events, regional events, and endurance events. GT4's Photo Mode is by far the most expansive of all.

Gran Turismo 5's GT Mode.

[~~~ no picture ~~~]

Many people felt disappointed at GT5's GT Mode because of its layout. GT5's GT Mode is simply a mosaic of pictures linking to various aspects of the game rather than an environment that resembles a city or a world. If you considered the previous four GT Mode models to feel like you are part of a world, then GT5's GT Mode is disappointing.

Despite the disappointing all-in-one menu, some cues from other GTs were taken. You can purchase cars from two different dealers broken up between the Dealership and the Used Car Dealer. It was also possible to buy cars from a new Online Car Dealership. The Used Car Dealer and Online Car Dealership feature only Standard models while the primary dealership feature only Premium cars. There is a new Special facility devoted to the game's seven (one has to be unlocked) special events. You can also play online with facilities offered there. Rather than one just racing facility, there were separate facilities to race for both A-Spec and B-Spec.

GT5's model has the absolute least potential at a proper free roaming environment. It is just too basic and plain for a menu.





Now, you have an idea as to past Gran Turismo titles and the GT/Simulation modes. Here is a preview of what the free-roaming discussion entails in further posts:

• a detailed post regarding Free Roaming in Gran Turismo
• what should a proper Free Roaming model should entail
• things to consider when making a free roaming model

I think you GT fans may enjoy this discussion. Feel free to share this blog with others and contribute by posting comments.

--- Free-Roaming in Gran Turismo: Series Preview ---

Here is a preview of the rest of the "Free Roaming" series will feature:

• What would be the ideal environment for a free-roaming environment?
• How do you pattern a free-roaming environment?
• What could/should you do or be able to do in a free-roaming GT?
• What facilities should a free-roaming environment have?

To decrease the workload, I will consider posting on this topic by separating my posts into a few different individual posts. This section is a preview of the topics I have considered. As I make new posts, expect the headings to feature links to the proper blog posts.

Free-Roaming Environment: Cities?

Should a free-roaming environment for Gran Turismo be denoted by a city? Drive around a massive city as you interact with a living, breathing city. Could this be the ideal environment for a free-roaming GT, if there ever was one? Could the city concept be extended further like what Gran Turismo 2 attempted?

Free-Roaming Environment: Island or Country?

Similar to the Test Drive Unlimited Series (and certain other games with environments surrounded by water), should the free-roaming experience be indicated by traveling around a massive island?

Free-Roaming Environment: Virtual World?

The most diverse experience would be if you did your free roaming around a massive country or a virtual world. In this virtual world, the challenge is not so much in trying to find everything, but also in trying to interact with various other virtual environments. As an example, you can be in one environment that resembles traffic laws and driving styles in the United States in one part of the massive area, but another area may resemble most European nations. You will encounter driving on massive roads and highways in major cities, but then have to deal with driving down European country roads. You also have to get used to other driving conditions and roads like in some other places. Imagine having to deal with an environment similar to African jungles or Japanese mountain passes. It would be something to enjoy for both racers and cruisers alike.





These ideas and more will be discussed once I put together all of my posts. I invite all of you reading this blog to offer me your ideas so I can make this more fun and engaging for all of my readers.

If you see that I am not posting anything for a while, remember that there are other blogs I run as well as the fact I'm thinking of new posts for this blog and my others. I am also trying to slowly remodel "John's Gran Turismo Space" by remodeling my primary blog, "John's Blog Space." Thanks to all of you for visiting. Please take care and have an amazing day! Thank you for reading!

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Trial Mountain

(UPDATED: September 14, 2011)

Trial Mountain has long been formidable and challenging in Gran Turismo. This unrelenting race track has long been a fixture of Gran Turismo since the very first game. What makes Trial Mountain so difficult? Well, there are number of reasons. You see, Trial Mountain has elements that combine a temporary street course and an imposing rally course. It has high natural rock walls, vast elevation changes, blind corners and awe-inspiring natural beauty. Some people even believe this track's layout was inspired by the boomerang-like shape of Croatia. I have love for Croatia since I get blog hits from Croatia. Whether you believe this or not, this blog post is about Trial Mountain.

--- Trial Mountain ---

^

"A road runs over this mountain." -Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Trial Mountain is essentially a race track carved through a mountain. It is a rally course that thinks it is a permanent and proper racing circuit. Rock-faced walls and undulations in the road make Trial Mountain one of the most challenging and original courses anywhere. It is also a surreal natural masterpiece. Since Gran Turismo 3, many people have noted a monkey sitting on a tree trunk while a race is going on. Gran Turismo 5 featured a rumored Loch Ness monster sighting in one image of Trial Mountain in GT5. The track is a fictional course, but in Gran Turismo 2, Trial Mountain is the track used in the UK Nationals. So you could say this is a British course when there has never been a true British venue until London shown up starting in "Gran Turismo 5: Prologue" followed by the Top Gear Test Track in Gran Turismo 5.

One Lap Description.

Laps here are imposing whether in a car or on a motorcycle. Many of the corners are blind, so you will have to always be on your guard and drive carefully. The first corner goes slowly uphill and is followed by a mid-speed left kink. The next corner is also uphill corner of about the same radius as the previous corner. Exiting the second corner, the road goes downhill and bends into a smooth left-hand corner with sufficient banking. The road afterwards goes slightly uphill, slowly bends to the left, and leads into a sharp turn through one tunnel. The road gets narrow and blind with rock-faced walls and even less runoff road after exiting the first tunnel. Better think carefully where to brake and how to attack the apex of the following corner. You get a natural assist as the road progresses downhill. Gain some extra speed and get as close to possible to the inside curb without grazing the big rocks inside. Braking is not needed in the upcoming chicane (unless on a motorcycle) where the infamous tree with a monkey perched on it can be seen midway through the chicane. Set yourself up to head into the brief second tunnel to attack a moderately sharp left-hand corner. As you head into the second tunnel, the path to the tunnel is completely blind before you head downhill. In fact, the left is COMPLETELY blind. Attack the absolute inside through the yellow-painted part of the road to set yourself up for the final tunnel. When you enter the final tunnel, get ready for a high-speed rush like no other. You will go progressively downhill through the tunnel. Exiting the tunnel leads to a brief crest in the road as you blast through a forest. Then, the road goes sharply uphill. Over the crest, get ready to start braking hard. Try to attack the inside here as well, with the yellow painted part of the road. Go deep inside and set yourself up for a series of undulating blind corners. Keep a steady and consistent line throughout these consecutive corners. The final of these consecutive corners is a sharp right-hand corner with plenty of banking inside. Graze the outside curbing if you exit this corner too wide. After a downhill dip, the road ahead leads to the Start/Finish straight. A sharp left follows that leads to the Start/Finish straight. This sharp left has some banking. The final corner is a chicane (which many people intentionally cut). But before you reach this chicane, the road progress downhill leading up to the chicane. Drive a good racing line to be able to properly set yourself up to clear this corner guilt-free. Try not to cut too far inside in either part of the chicane, especially not the second part of it. Otherwise, your car will seriously be on two wheels and be a bit unstable upon exit. Straighten the car out and make ready to take on another lap of Trial Mountain.

Here is a video lap of what I've tried to explain (from Gran Turismo 4):

--- Trial Mountain Over Time ---

These are some videos to showcase the evolution of Trial Mountain. Take a look:

Gran Turismo 1 and 2.

Trial Mountain in its original state wasn't as super-realistic in graphical quality.

Gran Turismo 3.

With PS2 power, the track has gotten an incredible dosage of beauty. Big mountains, many trees, lush forests, and many more natural aspects help shape the natural beauty of this outstanding race course. Even seeing the sunlight shine from the trees is a beautiful natural touch. Considering this is Gran Turismo 3, you will see many rich and beautiful colors to accentuate this course. See for yourself in this quick video:

Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy.

The biggest differences between GT4's Trial Mountain and GT3's Trial Mountain is the less-saturated colors as well as fewer lines on the roads. It feels and looks more like a proper circuit here. Here is a look at this track in both GT4 and Tourist Trophy:

Gran Turismo 5.

I am working on buying a PS3 and Gran Turismo 5 as of this initial blog post. So therefore, I am seeing this course for the first time under PS3 power. And to say, it seems like most of the natural character of Trial Mountain is mostly diminished. Almost as if Trial Mountain is much less natural between GT4 and GT5 much like how Deep Forest seems less natural between GT3 and GT4. On the other hand, some beautiful and scenic views are present in this version of Trial Mountain. One of the loveliest views is heading into the Start/Finish straight where a lake can be seen. See for yourself the differences. And by the way, I can NOT guarantee a Loch Ness monster sighting in this video:



Regardless, this is one race track that you just don't mess with or take lightly.

--- Just for Fun: What If Trial Mountain Were a Rally Course? ---

(added: September 14, 2011; formerly a post on "John's Blog Space")
Like Grand Valley Speedway and all the Special Stage Route courses, Trial Mountain is a staple of the Gran Turismo series. In Gran Turismo 1, you could race with the Subaru Impreza Rally Car. Ever wonder what Trial Mountain would be like if it were a rally course rather than a hellishly technical road course? Trial Mountain, is a technical road course nicely inspired by rally racing. It's a best-of-both-worlds course that has a rally feel to it than a traditional road course.

So a few questions:

• do you think Trial Mountain is better off as a rally course (meaning off-road... whether dirt or gravel)?
• would you race Trial Mountain if it were an off-road course rather than a road course?
• do you think racing there would be more exciting if it were an off-road course?

Comment away!





That concludes my look at Trial Mountain. It is a great racing challenge no matter if you race in a car or a motorcycle. Its elevation changes and snaking roads make this an extremely difficult stretch of road to take lightly. The track isn't extremely beautiful, but it is very much a deceptive and vastly imposing course. Its challenge is incredible. Thank you for reading! Race on, friends!

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Special Stage Route 11 (GT1 Version)

Gran Turismo 1's ultimate challenge besides Grand Valley was Special Stage Route 11. It was a long race course that dared test you to go fast around the tricky city streets and highways properly while trying to stay away from those walls. GT1's Special Stage Route 11 challenge involved going underneath the Start/Finish highway to take on a tricky bus stop chicane. Because GT1's version of SSR11 is different from GT3's version, this blog post ONLY focuses on the GT1 version of this course.

--- Special Stage Route 11 (GT1 Version) ---

Special Stage Route 11 is below:

^ from: gtplanet.net, by way of holomedia.com

The highways and streets of Special Stage Route 11 are the ultimate challenge outside of Grand Valley. You are in for quite a fight when you race here.

(Thanks to a loyal reader for correcting this error for me)

This is a race track for primetime performers. The action happens during blue hour- the sun has gone down, but the skies aren't totally dark. The city opens itself to a nighttime festival of speed that Special Stage Route 5 has absolutely NOTHING on. The corners are slow. The speeds are fast. This is a no-holds-barred street fight. How do you attack the course? Do you go all out by going with aggressive powerslides? Do you try to race this professionally and properly? Or... do you combine (but not compromise) both styles? SSR11 is meant for the Gran Turismo adept. Go hard or go home.

One-Lap Description.

The journey begins down the long front stretch. No braking is needed for the right-hand kink that follows, but the sharp right-hander surely requires some braking when you get somewhere between the 100-meter and 50-meter mark. Depending on how fast your car is, you may or may not have to brake heading into the chicane. You can just let off the throttle somewhat. The next two corners are 90° corners with the same level of challenge. It's best to aggressively slide through the corners rather than try to attack the very inside. In fact, this course's design basically makes you try to attack the corners using powersliding. Get up to speed after the second 90° corner because up next is a sharp right-hand hairpin. Go for an aggressive slide or try to attack the very inside mid-turn. Up next is a trip under the Start/Finish highway. It begins with a dip in the road that does not require braking. The second little section may require some braking just to keep the car straight and away from the walls. When you're under the highway, the bus stop chicane awaits, and it can mean the difference between a fast lap time and a slow one. If you misjudge the speed and distance for which to enter and exit the section, your lap time will suffer. You may lose several positions if in a race (or have your leading margin shrink if leading the race. So be absolutely careful here. The best advice I can recommend is to avoid being overaggressive- just take the corner professionally without trying to do any drifting. You go uphill from the Start/Finish highway into a left-hand kink followed by a right-hand kink. Two straight sharp corners are next- a sharp right connected to a sharp left. Powerslide through the right-hand corner and then attack the very inside of the following corner. What follows is a smooth left that has a little banking to it. Outside-inside is the way to go. Swing outwards on entry and hug the inside without getting too friendly with the inside wall. Take the right-hand bend at full speed and cross the bridge into another critical part of the track. Think ahead because once you go over the crest of the bridge, you'll have only seconds to think about how to attack the hairpin. Your car will be off-balance heading into the turn because the hairpin is linked to a brief left-hand kink when entering the tunnel. Try to drift here, and you'll probably see your car get spun out. Get up to speed quickly so you can take on the two sharp left-hand corners out of the tunnel. You can take on both of them individually, or you can aggressively slide to treat both sections as one big corner. Get up to speed a little bit so you can take on the final hairpin on the track. Next, go full speed down the industrial section as you blast down backstretch into the final chicane. The chicane is very blind and dark. Therefore, you will need to attack quickly and carefully to avoid losing too much time. Get up to speed again to take on the long uphill right-hand corner that leads to the Start/Finish line. The laps may be the longest here, but this track is not impossible to tame.

Video Lap.

This video demonstrates a lap of Special Stage Route 11 (GT1) after attempting to describe one lap around SSR11:






Thank you for reading! A post on GT3's version of SSR11 may be in the future. I really need to post more often for this blog to keep it fresh. If you want to offer suggestions, you may either email me directly or post suggestions to my Facebook fan page.

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Your First Car

You may not realize this, but early on, your first car plays a huge role in Gran Turismo games. You have a certain amount of money for which to spend on getting your first car. Granted you didn't get all-Gold for any group of license tests starting out (usually meaning new car), it is best to find the most powerful car for the lowest price in any Gran Turismo. Your car obviously won't be the best starting out. I'll share some of the first cars I can remember buying in Gran Turismo games to give you some insight.

--- First Car Advice ---

Picking that first car is important. You want something you can work with right away. Here are talking points to help you decide what first car works best for you:

1. Find the most inexpensive car of all available cars early on.
   To gain the best advantage, you need to find a car that is within budget to start off with. So look around for a car that you can work with. You don't want a very inexpensive car because they may not be competitive enough to use early on. However, you don't want a terribly expensive car (within budget) because you want to have something you can work on and work towards. And if you simply pick a car that leaves you with very little Credits left, you won't have enough money for which to upgrade it. As an example, having 10K Credits and spending 9,500 Credits on a car leaves you with only 500 Credits. If that 9,500 Credit car is not a great-performing car, you have essentially wasted all of your money and will need to do some tuning to help it better perform. So put this in mind before getting your real first car.
2. Find the most powerful car of all available cars early on.
   A good-performing car with decent power and performance is more than enough if you seek a very decent car for which you can win early races with.
3. If you have enough finances, shop for tuning parts.
   Do some tuning of your car if you found a car you can work with. Don't go for the most powerful upgrades- just get a few basic tuning parts to get your car at least ready for prime time. A safe way to go is with lightening the car and maybe getting a new muffler. Save the bigger upgrades for when you have more money.
4. Think ahead- take a look at what races you'll be racing in.
   You're going to be doing a lot of racing, so make sure you can find a good amount of races for which to take part in with your current car. The reason why I mention this is because your car may be eligible to compete in many other kinds of races. Always be aware of all the different races you can take part in. Your car may be good enough for the early races, but you may want to keep your current car for which if you want to take on more difficult races.
5. Race eaasier events early on to easily build up money.
   You may have a good front-engined, rear-wheel drive car that can compete in the FR Challenge, but it's best to go with the Sunday Cup early on. Don't go with tougher races unless you're really ready. I would recommend you pace yourself and not take on challenges you're not ready to take on early.

This knowledge alone will help you to have the best possible cars to help you through your Gran Turismo career, especially early.

--- My First GT Cars ---

Each heading indicates the cars I'd go with early on. So have a look!

Gran Turismo 1.

Two cars are great to go with early on. The most powerful cars you can go with early are either the 1990 Mazda RX-7 FC Savanna or a Toyota Supra MKIII. The RX-7 FC Savanna is very cost-effective. Your first car WILL be a Japanese car (unless you all-Gold any or all the licenses) as only the Japanese makes have Used Cars. Obvious advice- do NOT go to Subaru for a Used Car early on because every used Subaru is out of your 10,000 Credit budget.

Think of competing in events like the Sunday Cup early on. Or if you want to get some racing action early, try the Spot Race events early on to build finances.

Gran Turismo 2.

Unlike in Gran Turismo 1, you can actually get a "new" car with your 10,000 Credits. Trouble is... you can get a 22hp Fiat 500R. Yeah. NOT a chance at winning any races early on. Go to East City to shop for Used Cars. Not all Japanese car makers have Used Car lots (like Tommy Kaira). A Mazda RX-7 FC Savanna will cost just over 8,000 Credits used. This will give you enough to actually go and tune to your heart's delight. Plus, you can take your RX-7 to go racing in the RX-7 One-Make race if you're interested in holding onto your FC RX-7.

You may think you're out of options if you are considering getting a Kei car as your first car, but you're wrong. There is one race in the Lightweight "K" Cup that does not require a license. So if you don't have a license in GT2 but still want to race, winning that Kei car race around Rome Short yields 5,000 Credits. That's more you can make from the very first race of the Sunday Cup.

So you actually have some options here. It's recommended, though, you save the Kei car races until you make a good deal of money. You need a powerful enough car to get you through most of your racing until you're ready to purchase better machines.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec.

My first car in GT3 was a silver Chrysler PT Cruiser. It was a very potent car for its price. Gran Turismo 3 is the only major Gran Turismo that does not have secondhand cars, and it starts you out with the most amount of money to shop for cars- 18,000 Credits. Either Kei cars or a good FWD car will suffice here. If you are looking for a car you can really utilize, try getting a Volkswagen New Beetle. You can hold onto your New Beetle and consider competing in the Beetle Cup whenever you feel you're ready. Just make sure you have a "B" License or higher before competing in the Beetle Cup.

Gran Turismo 4.

You don't really need a new car as long as you get at least all-Bronze for all of your license tests. Just clearing each set of licenses with all-Bronze will give you five new cars from the outset. This will give you some peace of mind knowing you can just concentrate on winning races. The first car I really used was... I want to say the Volkswagen Golf I earned from getting all-Bronze from one of the license tests. I even remember (sadly) that I lost my very first race in Gran Turismo 4 at Autumn Ring Mini in the Sunday Cup. The first car I really remember started winning in was my 1960s Mercury Cougar.

Gran Turismo 5.

Gran Turismo 5 starts you off with 20,000 Credits. When you start a new game, your choices are very limited in the Premium department. Sure... you can pick up the Honda Civic Type R for a good 19,980 Credits; but remember one of the unwritten rules of racing games- don't buy any car early on without having money left over to purchase upgrades. You want the most bang for your buck. Really, if you want to go get the best car your money can buy, do so. Just remember that it will be a slow go to try to build up funds for your car.

One important thing to remember is that you are on Level 0 in the game when starting out. So your options are mostly limited. Your A-Spec or B-Spec must be at a certain level to purchase certain cars.

So in my first play of GT5, my first car is a 1983 Honda Civic 1500 3-door 25i.

--- Your Second Car ---

You have your first car. Great! What about your next car? That is the basis of this section. There are two methods to help you in landing a better car. One method is what I want to call the "Gamble System," and the other is the "Mother System." I will explain both in this section.

For starters, I want to use the term "flagship" to define a car. The "flagship" is your best car or your best-performing car. I always try to have some kind of flagship for any racing game that allows you to collect multiple cars. Early on, the flagship car is only good for the early races. To be a viable contender, you have to give up your first car to go for a much better car to have the best chance of winning races now and in the future.

"Gamble System" Explained.

What I call the "Gamble System" is where you win as much money as you can, then attempt to sell your car for something better. Remember that you earn nothing back for tuned parts, so you are really selling an otherwise good car in hopes of getting something better. You're taking a huge gamble here. The most effective way to do this method is to do some math. With the amount of money you have, add how much money you have by how much your car will sell for. Remember in Gran Turismo 1 that you get the most money back when you sell your car to the manufacturer of your car. In other words, sell your Nissan S14 Silvia to Nissan for the most money. You won't get as much money back if you sold your S14 Silvia to Mazda. Another way for this method to be effective is if you win a good amount of money before selling your car. Using the Gran Turismo 1 example, I win Pole Position for all three races in the Sunday Cup and win all three races with either my FC RX-7 or my Supra MKIII.

Another thing to consider is if you get bonus cars that you don't think will be effective, sell those bonus cars to increase your winnings. The most you can get for cars not sold from dealer lots is 10K Credits at other dealers and 12K from the manufacturer's car. The method here is all about making the most money as possible, then think of what car you can buy with your money. Just keep on racing if the car you're eyeing isn't affordable right now.

"Mother System" Explained.

This is a method I simply call the "Mother System." This is where you take your best car and keep racing with your flagship car by winning races. Think of this system more like nursing a newborn child. The nursing you're doing is in building up finances in Gran Turismo games good towards having enough money to purchase a better car in the future. This is simply about making money.

The Mother System, however, is mostly about keeping your best car while trying to build up money to get a better car to add to your garage. You are simply racing in events that yield the most money so you can get bigger and better cars in the future.

You could also think of this more like fundraising- raising "funds" to get a better car. Of course, fundraisers involve proper campaigns.

Using Both Systems.

Maybe your flagship car isn't good enough. Maybe you are trying to both earn enough money to get a much better car while having a better flagship car. An example here- earn enough money to purchase a certain car while also building up money to get a much better car in the future, getting rid of a current flagship car. This one is long and long-winded. This is for if you are seriously considering getting a powerful car while getting rid of your current powerful car. Don't think about this until you have a good amount of experience in the Gran Turismo you are playing.





Collecting cars is a trademark of the Gran Turismo series. However, it all begins by picking a good first car to help set the tone for a long career of Gran Turismo racing. So shop smart!

Thank you for reading!

Become a Fan (or Like) my Facebook Fan Page and subscribe this blog (and my others) via FeedBurner (or any other aggregator in the sidebar)! Visit (or subscribe):
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• Subscribe to John's Gran Turismo Space!

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