Some Stuff and Info

[ImprezaAddict]

Say what you will about Polyphony Digital head Kazunori Yamauchi, but don’t knock the hustle.
Coming to PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system this winter in Japan and America/Europe in 2007, his latest creation, Gran Turismo HD, doesn’t just raise the bar for all automotive simulations. It also offers two unique game modes – Classic and Premium – absolutely bursting at the seams with high-definition goodness.
“Previously, [hardware] limitations dictated what we could do with our games,” confessed Yamauchi at a public presentation of the title today on the crowded Tokyo Game Show 2006 floor. “For the first time, via PLAYSTATION 3, we’re instead able to use a platform to show what can be done.”

The result of his handiwork: A singular racing game destined to define the next-generation console experience that’s simultaneously been subdivided into distinct halves.
Gran Turismo HD Premium features entirely new content designed from the ground up to show off PLAYSTATION 3 system's potential. Although, the distribution method will be announced soon for either exclusive download or packaged disc in North America, think various new cars and tracks readily available, followed with ongoing updates of additional new cars and tracks throughout the year.
All circuits sport a level of detail unrivaled on home consoles, including backgrounds sporting majestic, snow-capped mountains, flags which flutter in the breeze and sun-dappled stretches of pavement. Roadsters themselves are nothing to scoff at either, boasting literally 20X as much detail as predecessors. (It now takes 5-6 months to model a single 3D car, vs. 1-2 as before, says Yamauchi.)

Major strides are being made in the online space as well. Planned features include broadband-ready garages; head-to-head events; time trials; drifting competitions; friends lists; voice chat; team/club builders; spectator options; license tests; B-Spec challenges; and photo albums. A race builder tool is also on the menu, which Yamauchi explains will, for the first time, “grant players freedom of choice and give them the chance to take charge behind the steering wheel.”
Sister play mode Gran Turismo HD Classic retools all existing franchise assets (e.g. past cars and courses) for high-definition visual output, delivering show-stopping views at eye-popping 1920x1080p graphic resolution. You do the math: Boasting 770 cars and 51 tracks, it’s more diesel-powered fun than even the most dedicated of grease monkeys can shake a tailpipe at.
An online storefront will provide fans hungry for still more content the opportunity to instantly purchase and download an unprecedented 4500 items too. “We hope to fill it with as many items as we can to give you the best experience possible,” Yamauchi asserts.
Upgrades aren’t purely aesthetic or functional either. Having sold 45 million units of software throughout the series’ history, Polyphony’s taking the brand in a new direction as well – casual gaming.
Whereas the original Gran Turismo, released in 1997, offered 100 hours of what Yamauchi calls “condensed” play, Gran Turismo HD is meant to be consumed in bite-sized, 10-30 minute sessions. Ideally suited to a quick spin after work or before classes, now, anyone can jump right in and begin motoring down the world’s most prestigious circuits.
“We thought it was time we took a different approach,” explains Yamauchi. “And that approach is greater accessibility.” And just in case you’re wondering, he also adds: “It’s the reason the game isn’t called Gran Turismo 5.”
Additional improvements include more realistic physics and smarter opponents (two artificial intelligence upgrades are planned: one for year-end 2006, another in 2007). Good news for road ragers too: Current designs call, in a franchise first, for the full support of damage modeling. “It’s always been a request from our friends in the U.S. and Europe,” laughs Yamauchi.
Support for showroom models by new manufacturers is also coming – Ferrari being the first.[Confirm Ferrari's approval of this mention] Polyphony’s partnership with the signature sportscar designer will extend beyond simple playable autos as well, with more info on the deal expected to be revealed within the next 6-12 months.
Call it fate if you will – or just the result of enthusiasts’ ardent support.
“These features are the hallmark you, the fans, gave to us,” Yamauchi proudly states. [If you’ve ever requested a major feature be added], we’re working on it now.”

Don't know if its been posted before. Awesome.

http://www.us.playstation.com/News/Editorials/36

 

[Dave A]

It has, and since we've seen that news GT:HD has been cancelled, there's a downloadable GT demo being put up later this month in Japan. The next GT game for the PS3 is GT5, no stops.