Going to POLYPHONY’s, meet with Kazunori YAMAUCHI, try the future Gran Turismo…An unthinkable program, nevertheless… Narrative about an extraordinary day !!
Report by Laurent Deheppe / Photographer So Kuramachi
It’s definitely a PORSCHE 911 GT3 that just turned at the street corner. Behind the wheel, Kazunori YAMAUCHI, father of the Gran Turismo Series. It is 14:15 in the Japanese capital, and the car disappears in a spotless-white building’s elevator. A few seconds later, it joins the two FORD GT owned by the boss on the building’s roof.
One month ago, POLYPHONY agreed in opening their doors to us. Since then, we (really) savor that chance. The PORSCHE just stopped. Jeans, orange T-Shirt, “Kaz” humbly greets us. We learn that at the same time he had to go to an important meeting, and go on holiday after that. But the master is HERE… just for us. We get excited before the studio entrance. Put under stress and suspicious too : will we be able to shoot everything ?? Will the interview with Kazunori last more than a mere quarter of hour ?? Will the program be respected ?? We get in the elevator.
Three levels below, we penetrate in the “saint of the saints”. An industrial, loft-type place. Our photographer, translator and pilot are waiting for us. For the occasion, we asked Benoît Tréluyer, Formula Nippon Champion, SUPER GT NISSAN driver, to join us. “This is the first I ever come to POLYPHONY’s. What a crazy place !!”, he says happily.
The POLYPHONY studio is a one-of-a-kind, that’s for sure. An incredible studio, where all is about cars. Automotive magazines are piled everywhere, shelves are full of books dedicated to four wheel machines, replicas are scattered over all the desks, without mentioning helmets, sketches… A true hymn to the automobile.
VISIT OF THE PLACE
15:00. The tour begins. Kazunori Yamauchi guides us. What an honor !! Through the alleys, we feel we are experiencing something unique. We don’t know where to look first ! In one of the boxes, I notice a “Gran Turismo 5” logo… No doubt about it : they’re not going to hide anything from us !! All the monitors are on, we see the new circuits, the new cars, future packaging... We don’t miss a single bit of this show, totally different from our standard visits : accurate timing, pre-defined planning, a little drink, and back to France with, most of the time, strict directions for the article.
The boss tells us then that the studio can live in absolute self-sufficiency. To prove his word, he opens the door to a big glassed room : music instruments, self-improvement devices on a platform, at the back a library full of books, magazines and DVD... “Everything here is made for the well-being of everyone. Most of the time, at the finish of a game, which is a very difficult period, my teammates choose to stay here. There is a kitchen, showers, rooms, and even a washing machine !!”
The tour continues. Kazunori opens some drawers, takes some flyers and explains that in order to model a car, they rely essentially on the maker specifications.
We learn that all specs of all cars in the world are preciously arranged, classified and stored. From the PEUGEOT 406 to the FORD GT, including the brand-new AUDI TT, all cars are here. Since our arrival, our attention goes to a huge glass cage lighted by blue bulbs. Kazunori tells us that it is a server (the fourth biggest server in all Japan !), processing data on 24-hour cycle. Auto makers come here as well to store and consult. No entry without a pass. Little secret : as this room is permanently air-conditioned, the master, fine wine lover, stores his bottles in it. A weird cave indeed...
As we progress in the building, we notice that every hall is customized. Team members have their own space, with an average of three to four monitors per desk, but also mementos from their numerous travels around the world, such as this shirt, dedicated by S. LOEB, or Eddie Irvine’s helmet...
They are 120 workers here, 120 to conceive the future Gran Turismo. No one abandoned the team.
since the very beginning. On the contrary, the team has bloomed : data-processing specialist (such as this former IBM employee, now technical person in charge), graphic designers, game designers... “This is why we are able to manage a big project like Gran Turismo, explains Kaz. The team is a true family.”
THE CHALLENGE
Time to relax... On purpose, the studio installed two simulators. “Match” of the day : Benoît Tréluyer VS Kazunori Yamauchi. After racing several laps, Benoît found the right rythm, making 1’10. “It’s pretty good, he says. You really feel the difference when putting the tires off-road ! And the graphism is simply amazing !!”. Time to race. Both choose the FERRARI F599 GTB on the GT-HD track; 8/10, advantage Kazunori. Benoît talks with him afterwards. Kazunori often invites SUPER GT drivers to test the game. Thus, he is very attentive to the Frenchman’s speech. In fact, Benoît had a hard time in feeling the braking limit. Yamauchi tells him that the current accessories (controllers and wheels) are not advanced enough yet. We didn’t be able to understand everything, as they spoke Japanese !
NÜRBURGRING
As everyone is doing a pause, I decide to visit the studio another time. I seem to be part of the place, as no one suspects nor even notice me. This reportage is definitely placed under absolute confidence. In front of Kaz’’s office, there are four monitors with one steering wheel. Behind, 10 PS3 development kits and three big computers. The first monitors is about 46-in wide, while the others are a little smaller. They tell me that this is where the boss tests Gran Turismo. The four monitors are of different brands, to compare the game quality. A mate tells me that “When he has some time left, or when he wants to check something, he comes here to play”. I dare ask : “Is there Gran Turismo playing now ?” The answer is right, and I am allowed to sit in the master’s seat on the Nürburgring with a SUPER GT NISMO Fairlady Z. Incredible... I am about to play the new GT !
Of course, at that level of achievement, everything’s not finished yet. And Kazunori told us that there will be not two, but actually four positions of driving, with the ‘bonnet’ view (introduced in GT4), but also a view of the cockpit with the complete instrument panel. That’s a good news !!! I plunge in the curves with an indefinable joy. The wheel reacts perfectly, the car oversteers at the slightest excess of throttle, and the environment is as beautiful as in real life.
The Nürburgring is highly detailed, except in the higher part of the screen, (as said before, the game is not finished yet). Last year, Kazunori had the opportunity to drive in the real Nürburgring. He says that after playing the game, he found all his marks in the real circuit. Perhaps this is why this 22 km-long circuit is the first to offer Full-HD display. Speaking of HD, the next GT will be an enhanced version of GT4 in Full-HD with 750 cars and 50~ circuits, all downloadable. Two versions are planned : Classic and Premium. There also will be an online garage, a Career Mode, one-to-one challenge, and a chat service, equipments for each car, a fully-online Spectator Mode, and many more. Each player will be able to “create” his own GT according to his/her tastes, and even be a member of a club to share his experience. The online feature of GT-HD will be used as a work base for GT5.
Regarding car handling, it seems that the biggest work has been made in the overall balance to offer maximum realism. ~44 km later, it is time to go back the main menu. A mate takes the controller : the image is black, with lines all over the screen, everything in Japanese. Impossible for us to understand anything, except “Indianapolis”. One of the most famous circuits in the world, in the future GT ? The question remains unanswered...
THE ENCOUNTER
The head-to-head with the master is at hand. But prior to answer to all our questions, a little photo session ! We take the “Japanese room”, genuine pot-pourri of the Japanese lifestyle : pure lines, relaxing lights, no needless stuff, no computers, no phone. Yamauchi gladly plays the game. 30 minutes later, we get THE photo. Now : the revelations !! The interview lasted one hour. Kazunori showed incredible availability and patience.
20:00 already... Benoît leaves the studio with a PS3 and a wheel for a daily training. As for us, we leave too, convinced that days like the one we lived today a pretty rare in one’s life...
Many thanks to Greg, Tom, Ben, Mamiko, Tsubasa and Mayumi
ENCADRES
DRIVING SEAT (p. 52)
Lady Luck sometimes smiles at you !! Prior to our arrival, the possibility for us to test GT was not part of the schedule. Nevertheless, we were able to run on the Nürburgring with a GT500 Fairlady Z. On a 46-in Full-HD monitor, sensations are obvious. GT-HD was designed to be playable with a steering wheel; therefore each version is played with different cars, to obtain maximum comparison data. In the same way, four monitors from four different brands are plugged online to rate the game quality on each monitor.
CREATION (p. 53)
Modeling the cars’ cockpit is a very crucial step in making the game. Each developer can rely on the maker data, but on press photographs too.
This will be the first GT ever to offer the cockpit view ; a titan’s work, given the number of cars.
PUTTING IN FORM (p.53)
Last year, when the studio received the PS3 technical specifications, the necessity to remake all car and circuits became mandatory. The power of the PS3 offered a new way to expose the details. The POLYPHONY team have then remodeled every single car, and added the interior cockpit rim. Result : 6-month work for ONE car !!
DRIFTING (p. 54)
One of the new features of GT-HD is the Drift Mode. The goal is to make the car slide for as long as possible to obtain points. This discipline is very famous in Japan, and according to Yamauchi, this mode will be particularly accurate in the future GT. The reason ? It will provide to the game a new breath, as it will not be played only to make time records.
On top of that, you will be able to see the best drifters of the world thanks to the PSN (PlayStation Network).
BENOÎT TRELUYER (p. 54)
Formula 3 driver since 2001, B. Tréluyer decides to go to Japan, where he wins the F3 World Cup in his first year of competition. He next engages to a double program, Nippon Formula and SUPER GT along with the Team Impul.
Nippon Formula Champion this year, Benoît will drive for the third time at the Le Mans 24-Hour Race in one of the Pescarolo-Judd cars.
TEST DRIVER (p. 55)
Kazunori Yamauchi is a perfectionist. He says that throughout the game development, he asks many professional drivers to come to test the various versions of GT. Among the list, we find Japanese drivers racing, like Benoît Tréluyer, in the GT500 class of the SUPER GT Championship.
According to Tréluyer, Gran Turismo is the best simulation racing video game for consoles. He praises the car handling, matching that of real life driving, especially the mechanical grip, as well.
However, Kaz’ was the fastest that day !!
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