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B-Spec = Director Mode
More than a rather abstract equation, B-Spec = Director Mode(2) is a completely new option that takes you out of the driver's seat and into the plush leather swivel chair of a race team manager. Revealingly described as a "Gran Turismo that players don't drive", B-Spec = Director Mode gives you the opportunity to command an AI-controlled driver instead of directly participating in a race.
Interestingly, the B-Spec option sits in tandem with the existing A-Spec (i.e. standard racing) in GT Mode, allowing you to decide when you want to drive and when you want to sit back and dish out instructions from the pits. If you wish, you can actually play through the entirety of GT Mode in a completely non-participatory fashion, which is great news for all of you auto-loving types who prefer to leave the driving to the (virtual) professionals.
Rather than seeing the action from the traditional GT racing perspective, directors will be able to choose from three view types: Broadcast View (replay-style camera angles), On-Board Camera (one for each car) and Race Monitor Screen(3). The latter provides vital information on every competing vehicle, including lap times, split times, the time difference compared to the other racers, and which laps were used for pit stops. All this data will help you get the measure of the competition and judge your driver's comparative performance.
Fine tuning of your vehicle in B-Spec is even more important than when you're participating yourself; you'll have to conduct tests on your settings and tyre selection before each race to ensure that the car is optimised for your proposed strategies in the next race.
Once a race is underway, you'll be able to put your tactics into practice using a variety of command options. Pace Command lets you give your driver pace instructions on a five-level scale, Easy to Hard - the easier the pace, the safer the race. While this will save on tyre wear, you'll have to push hard at times, taking risks in order outpace your rivals. However, any pace commands can be overridden by the Overtake Command, which automatically instructs the AI to prioritise passing the car in front. Finally, the rather self-explanatory Pit In Command orders your driver to enter the pit lane, giving you the option to adjust the tyre selection and the amount of fuel required for refuelling.
Gran Turismo Resort
GT Mode expands to great effect with the introduction of the Gran Turismo Resort, a "Motor Resort City" filled with a staggering range of facilities. Starting at My Home (your garage), you'll have the chance to visit and explore a variety of areas that have been designed to exploit every facet of the driving experience.
You'll need a car before you do anything, so the Car Towns will no doubt be your first port of call. These auto-loving municipalities are divided up by territory and consist of dealerships for GT4's 80-plus manufacturers and 650-plus cars. Although the emphasis will be on cars produced in the 80s and 90s, the full list includes cars ranging from the dawn of the automobile age to the present day. You'll also find Tuner's Village, which offers a selection of famous car tuning shops, and there's even a number of used car dealerships and shops that offer affordable choices for the first-time buyer, as well as vintage models for the seasoned collector.
When you're actually ready to get on the track, a trip to the Race Event Pavilions or suburban Circuit Areas will open up a world of racing events. In traditional GT fashion, these events will be divided up by a number of categories, such as race/track type, vehicle type/model and required licenses.
Speaking of licenses, the License Test Centre returns to frustrate and delight drivers in equal measure yet again, albeit on a much larger scale - pretty much like just about everything else in GT4, in fact. Finally, the Music Theatre allows you to step away from the hustle and bustle of the GT World for a while, giving you the chance to sit back and enjoy choice cuts from GT4's soundtrack.
What may come as a surprise is that these myriad facilities apparently offer a glimpse of what the Gran Turismo Resort has to offer - no doubt all will be revealed closer to GT4's release.
"The heart of a traveller"
A key phrase for the game, it seems; GT4 features the widest selection of tracks in a Gran Turismo title yet, from beautifully realised real-life racing circuits, city locations and natural environments, to a heap of classic fictional GT tracks. The current total stands at 31, although it's promised that more will be announced at an unspecified later date. Here's the latest list in full:
Japanese circuits
Fuji Speedway '80
Fuji Speedway '90
Tsukuba Circuit 2000
Twin Ring Motegi (full course)
Twin Ring Motegi (Oval Track)
Suzuka Circuit (full course)
North American Circuits
Laguna Seca Raceway
Sears Point Raceway
European Circuits
Nurburgring Nordschleife
City Courses
Tokyo R246
Seattle
New York
Hong Kong
Las Vegas Drag Strip
George V Paris
Opera Paris
Cote D'Azur
Special Stage Route 5
Citta di Aria
Nature Courses
Grand Canyon
Swiss Alps
Ice Arena
Grand Valley
Trial Mountain
Midfield Raceway
Snow Lake
High Speed Ring
Amalfee Circuit
Motorsports Land
Tahiti Maze
Autumn Ring
Look out for a more detailed track run-down in a future Gran Turismo World update.
Photo Mode
A few new details regarding the previously-announced Photo Mode have been revealed - the mid-race and stage location photography options have now been dubbed "Photo Drive" and "Photo Travel" respectively. In addition, 15 locations have been confirmed for the latter option. These are:
Gion District - Kyoto, Japan
Nanzenji Temple - Kyoto, Japan
Sagano - Kyoto, Japan
Tsumago - Nagano, Japan
Piazza San Marco - Venice, Italy
Realto Bridge - Venice, Italy
Shibuya - Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo International Forum - Tokyo, Japan
Shiga Kogen - Nagano, Japan
Brooklyn - New York NY, USA
Times Square - New York NY, USA
Asian Fish Market
Freemont Street - Las Vegas NV, USA
Louisberg Square - Boston MA, USA
Grand Canyon Pima Point - AZ, USA
"The Human Aspect"
While the Gran Turismo has always excelled in portraying cars and their surrounding environment in increasingly meticulous detail, there's always been one element conspicuous by its absence: people. GT4 rectifies this situation, replicating the movement of the driver, pit crew and spectators with Polyphony's now-trademark panache. This vital inclusion completes the triumvirate of "cars, people and nature" that Polyphony has always strived to achieve, bringing the GT series one huge step closer to reality.
The drive of your life
Naturally, a number of important enhancements have been made to the actual driving experience to ensure that GT's ever-present 'Real Driving Simulator' tagline is more relevant than ever. The car physics simulation is now so accurate that GT4 can be used for practising sports driving in real life - if you achieve a certain time in a specific car on a specific circuit in GT4, you can guarantee that you'll achieve almost precisely the same time were you to recreate the conditions in real life.
This will be particularly noticeable when you start modifying your vehicle; changes you make will effect the car's performance more subtly and hence more realistically. Superchargers and NOS (Nitrous Oxide Systems) have now been added to the selection, which will allow you to turn your ride into a fearsome speed machine.
Beginners will be delighted to learn that the Driver Assist Functions - anti-lock brakes, traction control systems and active stability control - all make their welcome return, along with the brand new active steering function. If your skills aren't entirely up to scratch yet, the DAFs ensure that you'll still have an enjoyable drive.
Mission races
Another new concept to be debuted in GT4 is the mission-based racing event. Much like the 'scenario' modes seen in a number of football titles, these mission races won't necessarily begin at the starting grid. For example, you may be required to win a race from a few seconds - or even a full lap - behind the opposition. Polyphony has introduced this option to give you the chance to instantly experience typical dramatic racing situations, as well enjoy the challenge of trying to clear the mission objectives.
High scores
Finally (yes, really), there's the newly-implemented high score system. Typically, races in GT have imposed all sorts of race regulations - tyre types, maximum horsepower, etc. - which has restricted the variety of cars allowed to compete in certain events. GT4 omits many of these regulations in favour of a high score system which lets you earn points from successful races based on the vehicle and modifications you use.
Win a race at a disadvantage - driving a 200hp car in a 400hp race, for example - and you'll earn more points than, say, winning the race in a 600hp motor. In effect, this gives you the chance to play through the game as you wish, whether you prefer to progress quickly at the expense of points, or to take the risk and drive at a disadvantage to send your scores soaring.
That's it for now, but keep your eyes trained on GranTurismoWorld.com in the coming weeks for more news, screens, downloads - and much, much more besides.
They also say that the game will be released on 12/14 in the US and Europe.
