Hello again.
Yesterday was a big day - I met a Kazunori San for the first time, I actually saw him driving and then we went to a interview that lasted for 45 mins.
Some facts: The new Italy track ( I couldnt rememeber yesterday) is called Citta di Aria ( " City of Song" or something) and it´s by far the most complex and intriguing course ever in GT Series. It´s a unbelievably narrow track, and it´s some kind of asphalt rally course with ups and downs and unexpected bends. Duels on that track ( and right now I did´t see a two cars option on the track but I hope it´ll be possible) will be crazy. After I get to see Kazunori drive it for himself ( and nobody didnt know who he is; he even get to be pulled away from the driving seat by the staff when show was ending, and it was very funny to watch the situation - he didnt say anything, he just smiled, get up from seat and then we went for an talk), I was amased: he drove it with Nissan Z LM Edition with ridiculous speed and accuracy - later on I´ll foind out that CItta di Aria, by his words, will be the most difficult time-attack and Gold Licence in GT4. So, get prepared
After the interview I spent some time driving GT4 on controller in room where was much less people, so I could even watch some replays. The Grand Canyon Tuweep looks freakin great, NYC track is stunning to drive, and replays are fabulous. Tsukuba will be heaven for memory card battles and duels.
Now the interview. Kazunori have a little knowledge of spoken English, so he used a translator, very cool japanese guy with the red hair.
FACTS ON GT4 BY KAZUNORI YAMAUCHI ON 28-8-03
- the game will be realeased towards the end of the year. He dont know when, but he knows that he will give away the final code to Sony when he´ll be totally satisfied with the build
- the bulid shown here is the latest build interms of car handling. However, he stated that it´s not the final graphic build so maybe that picture with the exhaust flames isn´t mockup. Unfortunatelly, when I asked him about the flames he said that they´re still working on lots of effects at this time and trhat everything is possible
- no Ferraris ( diplomaticlly answered off course). He even said that he doesn´t care much of Ferrari or other expensive sportcars being in the game - he loves the usual cars much more because the wider audince can be more drown into game. However, he was postive about Donkevort and Morgan. A sentence about " being still in talks with many manufactorers" was also said
- NO F1 cars, but " the cars similar to F1 cars" will definatelly be in the game
- LM cars ( prototype and LMP 900) class will be in the game. He didn´t stated which cars, but he said that we can expect LM cars from different years. However, LeMans circut will NOT BE IN GT4.
- he STATED that ALL OF THE TRACKS from previous games will be in the GT4. I even asked him about High Speed Ring and it´ s similaritiy to Fuji Speedway and he said the High Speed Ring is the great learning track, while Fuji is more complex and by that suited for much experienced drivers. He wasn´t positive about the rumor of " track 5 times longer then any other previous track" but he said that he and his team are always working in finding a new way to upgrade the game code into that direction. Intresting was the sentence in which he said that there´ll be minor changes on some old tracks in ways of configuration and surroundings.
- no real time weather effect, but he said that there will be more time of day vatiations and that maybe more tracks will have a wet option
- they´ve been working on AI and he hopes we will be satisfied. Although, the main issue in GT games is to have real people competing with each other and in GT4 and online option thats even more obvious
- As for driving model, he told me a whole story about his philosophy of driving model in GT games. As to GT4 there was only one philosophy - to find a parameters that will ensure that player can think that he is driving exactlly that vehicle - in GT4 he come up to another philosophy ( and he didnt want to talk about it) which he combined with previuos one - the result is a much responsive driving model, and I can tell you taht car handling on the code showed here is GREAT. Turning into corners is different, you must brake like you´ve never brake before, the rear end tends to go away while breaking in high speeds, and driving on grass or sandtraps is now much more unforgiving. However, the steering on high and low speed is great and I just cant wait to get my hands on the final game.
- as for tyre marks, they exesit, but they are not real time
- as for sound, the LM cars sound like the devil himself made them. In the noise of fair you cant hear a lot, but form what I´ve heard, some improvements were made. I didn´t have time to sak him about the sound, though.
- As for GT5 on PS3 ( " or whatever the new hardware will be called", he said, which is intrigiuing) he said that we can expect a major improvements in terms of graphics. He stated that so far the players had a tendency to compare the visuals of the game to the real world and that on GT5 that need will be neutralised. He also said ( but not directly) that his team is already working on some aspects of GT5.
- damage will not find it´s way in GT4
- not sure for dead spot on new wheel cause I had a chance to drive only one race with new wheel ( only two are displayed and row for them is like 100 m long)
- that´s it. We shake hands, I thank him, he smiled and then gone away. It was a day to remember.
So, still not 100% sure to Decemeber release although people on UK Official PLayStation 2 Magazine claim that Decemeber release is certain. I´m staying here till sunday, so later today I´ll try to grab my seat in GT4 configuration with seat, pedals and wheel and to drive all tracks without being pushed by people around. Expect more info soon.
Stay tuned"
lol 