Gran Turismo HD Concept

By Tom Bramwell Published 31 January, 2007

It's free, but do you care?

Ah, Gran Turismo. All the other racing games were allowed to go out and play after school, strutting around in the latest Goodyears, spinning backwards through corners. Not GT. Not with Kazunori Yamauchi for a dad, sitting next to a roaring grandstand all evening glaring at it over his horn-rimmed driving helmet. "Do you really need traction control?" "Are you wearing the right tyres?" "You're not going out looking like that."

Sometimes though, he lets GT go outside and play with the other games. GT HD Concept is a good example. Ostensibly a chance for Sony and Polyphony to make it look like they're doing some work, and that PS3 Online isn't a total waste of time, it's actually one of the more entertaining things of the last few years to have that famous GT name hung over it. The graphics are irrelevant - of course they look nice, but they're that boring sort of "nice" that makes you wonder whether the artists have all been spayed or something. The real fun comes after pootling dutifully through Yamauchi's Time Trials. After that, you unlock Drift Trial. This is the fun bit.

I'm not giving Polyphony any special praise for working out that it's fun when cars skid round corners. We've known this for some time. But the implementation here is such that anybody willing to sit and watch 625MB of free demo crawl onto their hard disk will enjoy themselves at the end of it. The idea is simple: instead of trying to go round the track quickly, you have to try and "drift" as effectively as possible through corners, with each one measuring your ability by handing out up to a few-thousand points. Leave the track completely though and your corner's worth of points evaporate. When you're done, the game banks the score and uploads the ranking to the Internet.

'Gran Turismo HD Concept' Screenshot 1

Sideways action so good Paul Giamatti's having a sulk.

Okay, we've been here before. Plenty of times. But GT is typically ruthless about it, meaning success is all the more enjoyable, and it also offers a greater number of handling options, meaning there's more for advanced players to explore. Initially you'll just follow the manual's advice, switch off stability management, turn traction control down from 10 to 2, and equip sports tyres to the rear. This will loosen things up as you fire yourself through each turn, forcing you to negotiate feverishly with the controls before you can settle on a course that doesn't turn you round in a circle and leave you destitute in the gravel. But as you improve, you'll want to experiment more with the options available, reducing traction, making more use of the handbrake, changing tyres and so on. Doing so is the difference between a respectable 7,000 points and the sort of jaw-dropping performances you can review on YouTube at the moment.

Whether drifting ends up being a substantial part of the next "proper" Gran Turismo game is unknown, but on this evidence it wouldn't be a bad thing. More rugged and difficult to perfect than the relatively easy equivalent in Project Gotham Racing - the only other series that does the drift-points thing with this kind of intent - it carves itself a niche. Probably using a special sort of tuned-up knife.

'Gran Turismo HD Concept' Screenshot 2

Did I mention that the wind is loud? Good work, PS3.

Beyond Drift Trial, GT HD Concept is fairly colourless. Eiger Nordwand is a fine set of roads, set on the side of a hill. A Swedish hill with a photograph of some mountains in the background. On the way down, you have to go through a series of incredibly tight downward-sloped S-bends, before scrambling over a bridge and going through a fast and lengthy hairpin, a tunnel, a pair of nippy opposing 70-degree turns, and up into a final, very tight corner through to the finish line. Spectators line the course, waving flags. Views from end to end are crisp and impressive. The PS3 rarely struggles with what's on display, as well it shouldn't since there's only one car to worry about. Once you've done the Time Trials in ten different cars, unlocked one by one, as well being able to drift you'll also be able to play the track in reverse.

For now, that's your lot. It's free, so we can't complain - nor would we, though we half-expected to. Gran Turismo may sell in stupid quantities, but it's often felt like a bit of a ruse. Its distinguishing characteristic wasn't really that it was "the real driving simulator". The biggest gains weren't made because you'd practiced stopping distances in a Mazda; they were made because you'd cunningly shunted a Skyline out of the final turn. You didn't fight your way to the top of the racing ladder by perfecting your line through hairpins; you did it by doing the same winnable race over and over again until you'd bought every car under the sun.

Volume and visuals have always been its real gaming elevators: the volume of things to do, and visuals that are usually beyond compare. The fact that we can talk about it in different terms for once is refreshing, and we only hope Polyphony takes note of the reaction when it's thinking about how best to put Gran Turismo 5 together for 2008. Another endless series of dull races against thick opponents preceded by driving lessons will struggle to excite; a game that focuses more on the amazing things it's possible to do in a car, and replicating those with enthusiasm - as they've done here - will do a lot more for cynical old grumps like me.

In the meantime, PS3 owners, download this. It's ace.

Gran Turismo HD Concept is available to download for free from the US and Japanese PlayStation 3 stores. Polyphony Digital plans to update it every now and then with new features. We'll let you know what happens.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (60) Latest comment 5 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • gizmo #1 5 years ago

    No.

  • kissthestick #2 5 years ago

    looks very nice

  • Concrete #3 5 years ago

    4WD drifting in that Youtube video :(

  • captbirdseye #4 5 years ago

    Is Vin Diesel in this ?

  • Carlo #5 5 years ago

    4WD drifting. Different tyres on the front and back. :D

  • Errol #6 5 years ago

    Is Isla Fisher in this ?

  • HazyUK #7 5 years ago

    It looks nice at 1080p :)

  • space_ace #8 5 years ago

    reasonable price, no doubt :)

  • Eldritch #9 5 years ago

    That first screenshot looks a lot like some awkward montage.

  • skillian #10 5 years ago

    Are those real screenshots? It looks incredible :o

  • FinbarSaunders69 #11 5 years ago

    I've been playing this a bit at work (y'know, research purposes).

    Looks very nice. Plays the same as ever though. Which is to say it's a bit soul-less, although the handling is like what a real car is.
    720p via HDMI makes things shiny.

    The car models are excellent - but I wish Polyphony would mess them up a bit. After 10 laps, your motor still looks like it stepped out of salon.

  • aldo_14 #12 5 years ago

    Are those real screenshots? It looks incredible :o

    Think so, but I believe things like the spectators & trees are simply high-res digitised textures (i.e. cardboard), which rather dulls the impact. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't this whole thing simply an upscaled version of GT3 (or is it 4 they're up to now?) to run at hi-def resolution?

  • Der_tolle_Emil #13 5 years ago

    The graphics are indeed incredible when you watch a replay. The camera angle and the effects work very, very well. When you play it though it is still nice but not really all that exciting. Look for some videos on google, there is a huge difference between playing and watching a replay. But yeah, the replays look incredible.

  • gaselite #14 5 years ago

    'Sideways action so good Paul Giamatti's having a sulk.'

    PISSWEAK

  • jimbob101 #15 5 years ago

    Eiger Nordwand is a fine set of roads, set on the side of a hill. A Swedish hill with a photograph of some mountains in the background.

    Swiss Mountain (That I skied down in December). The buildings are here [link url=http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleine_Scheidegg
    ]http://en .wikipedia.org/wiki/Kleine_Sche...[/link]

  • ishigo #16 5 years ago

    http://worldofstuart.excellentcontent.co...

  • HazyUK #17 5 years ago

    I took this photo for someone of GTHD running at 1080p...
    http://s1 74.photobucket.com/albums/w100/...

  • Steroyd #18 5 years ago

    If I'm not mistaken, wasn't this whole thing simply an upscaled version of GT3 (or is it 4 they're up to now?) to run at hi-def resolution?

    No it's 1080p native, GT4 supported upto 1080i so i guess it isn't that big of a leap... or is it?

  • dsmx #19 5 years ago

    this game is indeed up scaled from gt4, makes you realise what a triumph gt4 was on the ps2.

  • myiagros #20 5 years ago

    Think so, but I believe things like the spectators & trees are simply high-res digitised textures (i.e. cardboard), which rather dulls the impact. If I'm not mistaken, wasn't this whole thing simply an upscaled version of GT3 (or is it 4 they're up to now?) to run at hi-def resolution?

    neither the spectators nor the trees are 2d, some of the people actualy walk around nea the track, waving flags and taking photos.

    I'm supprised the writer of the review didin't mention more about the oniline leaderboards. There are leaderboards for all 60 combinations (forward/reverse, different cars, time trial/drift). Also you can stream replays for any of the top 10.

    I am slightly unsure why Polyphony keep resetting the leaderboards though, seems to happen about once per week (so i have to keep regaining my top 10 place on Lotus Elise, Drift, Reverse).

  • Cloudane #21 5 years ago

    HazyUK, that is one very stunning photograph.

    Perhaps Gran Turismo is still stuck in the past in terms of gameplay but the graphics have always been ahead of the competition and it shows.

  • Darren #22 5 years ago

    The point is you play a game for the gameplay not to look at pretty graphics surely?

    I thought GT4 on the PS2 was boring once I'd played it a few hours and got the best cars. As a package for car enthusiasts it's terrific but as a game it just wasn't all that good. I really hope Polyphony Digital radically improve the game for the PS3 as the PS2 versions were a disappointment in my opinion, showing very little advance over the PSone originals except for those graphics. Shame about the lack of rumble in PS3 controllers though, it really added to the feel of the PS2 games and I suspect many people will miss it in GT5...

  • skillian #23 5 years ago

    In a game that is basically car pornography, graphics are very important I'd say.

  • tonynibbles #24 5 years ago

    Awesome free game.

  • T4RG4 #25 5 years ago

    As in all the GT games the actual 'game' is quite boring, absolutely sleep inducing when racing against the (liminted number of) AI 'competitors'. However, racing around in a car on your own is interesting for a while (which is a repeatable experience with different cars) but the real longevity of GT is racing against people who are as good as yourself.

    Come on Polyphony, maybe spend a bit of time on the AI next? Maybe allow AI cars in two-player events? Maybe do something next time?

  • tonynibbles #26 5 years ago

    Drift Mode mayhem!
    http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=d7pPdEoiols

  • lambtron #27 5 years ago

    Yeah I completed GT4 100% but of the (quite considerable) time that took I would say only 25% of it was any fun. They need to stop forcing you to race stupidly long races in annoyingly crap cars to unlock the interesting stuff - I drive a crap car every day of my life thanks - don't want to do it in games too :/

  • chronom4n #28 5 years ago

    there is so much going on under the hood of gt4. sweet replays, the AI is built like this. if you are an expert than your main challengers are the 2 top cars, i.e. p1 and p2, if you are of medium capability, then you are up against the p3 and p4 cars and if you are a beginner then you're main challenger is the car in p5. Other things is the steering wheel, so much feedback it's unreal.

    Sure, they could have added in trye marks, and damage and improved the AI but at the cost of losing other bits of the game. mostly the quality of the replays. And i have played Forza motorsport which i will say is sweet. I reckong that most likely with all the power available under the ps3, GT5 will come will all the bells and whistles to make it sell. the only thing that pissed me off to no-end was the lack of rumble of the pad. not that i play with the pad, i play using the driving force pro wheel but to remove the rumble is criminal in my opinion and IF forza 2 delivers in all areas (for me it has to be the replays) because i like to see all the effort i put into a race in all its glory then i will stay away from GT5 and also time is an issue. why must i wait for a whole year when i could be playing online from spring 2007 and an established online community.
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/07 @ 14:19

  • Rambaldi #29 5 years ago

    Well it certainly LOOKS impressive.

  • brooza #30 5 years ago

    meh

    sounds like a proper racing game.. I hate those

  • aabyssx #31 5 years ago

    Is my Logitech Driving Force wheel working with force feedback?!?

  • BrokenSymmetry #32 5 years ago

    "Gran Turismo may sell in stupid quantities, but it's often felt like a bit of a ruse. Its distinguishing characteristic wasn't really that it was "the real driving simulator". The biggest gains weren't made because you'd practiced stopping distances in a Mazda; they were made because you'd cunningly shunted a Skyline out of the final turn. You didn't fight your way to the top of the racing ladder by perfecting your line through hairpins; you did it by doing the same winnable race over and over again until you'd bought every car under the sun."

    Some very good observations by Tom!
    Edited by 2 at 31/01/07 @ 13:12

  • WhyMeeeeee #33 5 years ago

    Forza 2 will be the new daddy, then again gt5 won't be out for another 2 yrs

  • SBfistfun #34 5 years ago

    GT ranks up there with Riiiidgger Raacccer and Metal Gear in the "why should I get excited, I've paid for an played this before" bracket for me.

    welcome to the next gen = oooh shiny.

    Meh

  • The-Bodybuilder #35 5 years ago

    Lookes fant-obly-tastic. Looks better than forza 2.

    Whether it will play better is something else all together.

  • Steroyd #36 5 years ago

    GT ranks up there with Riiiidgger Raacccer and Metal Gear in the "why should I get excited, I've paid for an played this before" bracket for me.

    I'm sorry what?

  • SBfistfun #37 5 years ago

    Belm

    That clearer?

  • KD #38 5 years ago

    Everytime i see a GT game i cant get the effort up to play it, the game looks great and always has but the AI is terrible and more like a rolling roadblock. If they sorted that out and made it more like GTR or even Forza then i'd happily buy a ps3 just for it.

  • Steroyd #39 5 years ago

    WTF is Belm?

    /is absolutely clueless

    Ridge Racer and GT I understand where your coming from, and if you said that between MGS1 - MGS2 i would have seen your point but not MGS3 and even moreso MGS4.

  • UncleLou #40 5 years ago

    It looks terrific. There's some magic quality to the graphics of the GT series noone else in the genre comes even close to. Unfortunately.

  • brainbird #41 5 years ago

    Forza is so much more enjoyable than the empty-eyed beauty that GT4 is/was, but give me El Capitan, any car and the amazing Logitech GT Force Pro and we're talking.

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #42 5 years ago

    The idea is simple: instead of trying to go round the track quickly, you have to try and "drift" as effectively as possible through corners, with each one measuring your ability by handing out up to a few-thousand points. Leave the track completely though and your corner's worth of points evaporate

    Maybe this is why they've been advertising it with Project Gotham screenshots!

  • T4RG4 #43 5 years ago

    "the AI is built like this. if you are an expert than your main challengers are the 2 top cars"

    Sorry? If you are quite good at GT, there is NO competition whatsoever from the AI cars, they are quite simply rubbish.

  • Tomo #44 5 years ago

    Holy shit.

    That looks fucking amazing. Hazy - that photo is excellent. I can't remember being so impressed by a game before. It's just a shame I don't like the GT series :/

    Still, that is crazy realistic.

  • aabyssx #45 5 years ago

    Logitech Driving Force?
    Force Feedback?
    Anyone?

  • Canadian_Mike #46 5 years ago

    No, FFB in GT:HD. The wheel is supported for steering though.

    The strange thing is the F1 demo supports FFB on the Driving Force Pro 2. I know...weird eh?

    ...oh and currently ranking 24th' ish in the world on the G35. ;)



    PS, Haven't checked if they fixed that with version 1.1, but i doubt it.

  • miiiguel #47 5 years ago

    This has a "TBA" release date hasn't it ?

    Well Forza 2 IS coming out on 2nd / June.


    /wonders how PS-only players cope with the continuous wait... and wait, and yet... more wait... just a few more months... or maybe next year...! yeah next year is the year!/

  • Scimarad #48 5 years ago

    Really enjoying this - Makes me wish they'd do some other tracks...

  • chronom4n #49 5 years ago

    @canadian-mike.... hi. are you saying that F1 championship edition supports full force feedback? i heard through gamespot that it does not. And GT5 HD is not supporting Full Force Feedback. I am assuming that you have played both the games with the wheel. Please fill me in.

  • SeesThroughAll #50 5 years ago

    @ miiiiiiguel:

    /wonders how PS-only players cope with the continuous wait... and wait, and yet... more wait... just a few more months... or maybe next year...! yeah next year is the year!/

    E como o Sporting! ;)

  • JediMasterMalik #51 5 years ago

    lol Xiphos, you are just too clever.

    Since when do they score first impressions? I thought they saved that for reviews?

    /ponders...
    /stops pondering

  • Jamaicangmr #52 5 years ago

    WOW! This game looks amazing, i just called everyone in my village to my straw hut to watch the video's on youtube. This is my favourate game/series and know seeing drift implimented just made my year. I'll be gettin my PS3 soon (For my b-day in May) and this just made the wait seem that much longer. I wonder what other modes and features have been or are planned for this series.

    Many of you claim that your just gamers and not fanboys yet you grasp at straws to find something that makes GT.HD look bad in your eyes. I really pitty some of you...

  • BLACKSHEEP #53 5 years ago

    Free stuff like this could be the hook sony need methinks :D

  • secombe #54 5 years ago

    The dullest game on earth returns, now even more shiny!

    Seriously though, are Polyphony ever going to make this more than 'Car Pokemon' with pretty visuals? I've never understood why the GT series has reviewed so well (generally)

    - GT Legends/GTR/GTR2/RACE all have a vastly superior simulation model
    - TOCA does the entertainment/arcade side of things much better, and the AI for that matter
    - Test Drive Unlimited has taken the 'Garage' concept to another level
    - F1 Championship Edition beats this for the "uncanny valley" effect by a mile, it can't even do the bad things right!
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/07 @ 22:48

  • Scimarad #55 5 years ago

    Yes I know the "GT is dull" crowd are particularly vocal but, believe it or not, not everybody agrees...

    GT has a huge fanbase.

  • freedumb #56 5 years ago

    At least the first GT I remember had a good race model (has fond memories of TVR Cerbera LM). From no.2 they expanded it woth more cars, and it ended up being a collect-a-fest, simulation rather than a game. The arcade modes are actually better for the racing stuff.
    Edited by 1 at 01/02/07 @ 08:39

  • masterson #57 5 years ago

    Aabyssx - i think so - it certainly has an option screen for it. I'll try hooking up the momo a bit later and see if it works.

  • kangarootoo #58 5 years ago

    @Xiphos

    Wow, you got so much info out of the wholly expected lack of a score on a firtst impression? Well done you.

    Your post tells me a thing or two, but I'll keep those thoughts to myself.

  • aabyssx #59 5 years ago

    Thanks for the answers regarding the force feedback.

    But it's still unclear. You can find several videos and forum post about GTHD and force feedback stating that it's actually working.

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=6u8HAgOx2-c
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=6u8HAgOx2-c
    [/link]

    I don't understand why Sony or Polyphony can't do a 3 sentence long press release to clear this case. :/

    Because for me (and I am sure for all who once played with an FFB wheel) it's a laaaarge backstep if FFB functionality is dropped...

  • Downside #60 5 years ago

    Sony in almost-good-demo shocker!
    I like the drift challenges in PG3 with my FF Microsoft wheel, works well.

    I'm sure such delights are but months away for the Sony people too, happy days.