What's the Difference between the Japanese and the US/EU versions?

[zimba]

This might have been discussed a thousand times, and you guys probably don't know the answer to the question at all, but I'm trying to ask anyway.

What is the differences (major) between the just-released Japanese and Chinese version of the game and the March 2005 US release of the game? Apart from language of course. I mean are there going to be added new cars or tracks? Enhanced visuals? Fixed bugs, if there are any of course?

Because I am thinking about ordering from playasia.com, and I don't know if I should wait the extra three months for the european version. I'm from Denmark, in case you were wondering.

Thanks for reading... 👍

Oh, and "hi!", I've been lurking around for a long time, and now I'm ready to post.

 

[m7ammed]

I think its just naming diffrences and translation ,as I read some where in another post that for example the renulate is called some thing else in japanese version.

 

[zimba]

But why take three months for a translation? That just seems...uncalled for.

 

[m7ammed]

because they are doing spanish ,dutch ,protugese ,english ,french ...ect all these languages are being translated I think thats why its taking along time.
rember you have to translate every thing .

 

[GeeUK]

Ive got the japanese version and its great. By the time the PAL comes out I will be far through the game. Not sure if I should get the english version and start all over again, but I will be able to get involved lots more, like tuning etc as it will be all in my lanuage. Anyone else doing the same?

 

[zimba]

Right, but why didn't they do all that *while* developing the game. I mean they must've known what text should go where, some sort of script must've been written for the game. That huge text file could've just been sent out to translators, who would have translated as the game are being developed.

Now I could understand the delay, if Polyphony was to put in extra american/european cars, like more Ford's, Mercedes, Volvo, perhaps some Saab, Alfa Romeo, Audi, you know. I mean they have practically a gazillion billion Japanese cars like Nissan, Honda, Mazda, which I don't particularily like to drive. But maybe that's just me, and I definitely understand why the Asian car-lovers must love the intense amount of japanese cars.

Why no Skoda by the way?

 

[k2racer]

Fixed bugs are the only advantage for a later release.

So, talk about them in the thread that is already open for it! It saves us who play later a lot of trouble

 

[Koolad]

Don't forget:

1) PAL conversion is not a trivial job if you want nice results. Of course you can do it faster, but...

2)... PAL conversion carries timing isues. NTSC runs 60 fps and PAL 50 fps, so overall speed of the game changes, and licenses times must be readjusted. That's why I think versions won't be compatible through network (LAN or LAN emulation).

3) There could be some licensing issues. Some cars may change between versions.

 

[LiNkiN]

i REALLY hope they dont change the music again, the Japanese versions soundtrack is awesome 👍

 

[vipersan]

Well ... we can't talk about differences yet, we can only guess so far (That Renault Lutecia renamed to Renault Clio was my opinion ). So this thread is useless ...

 

[zimba]

Don't forget:

1) PAL conversion is not a trivial job if you want nice results. Of course you can do it faster, but...

2)... PAL conversion carries timing isues. NTSC runs 60 fps and PAL 50 fps, so overall speed of the game changes, and licenses times must be readjusted. That's why I think versions won't be compatible through network (LAN or LAN emulation).

3) There could be some licensing issues. Some cars may change between versions.

Very good argument. But does that mean, that when my games ask if I want to run in 60hz mode, and my tv allows it, that the game will run faster than in 50hz?

 

[GeeUK]

Only if the game has a 60hz option

 

[Koolad]

Very good argument. But does that mean, that when my games ask if I want to run in 60hz mode, and my tv allows it, that the game will run faster than in 50hz?

Just a bit faster and more fluent.

But I think, based on GT3, that GT4 won't have Hz selector.

 

[zimba]

Just a bit faster and more fluent.

But I think, based on GT3, that GT4 won't have Hz selector.

That's pretty cool, I'll try that with the games I have that keep asking if I want to play in 60hz mode. 👍

 

[j8mie]

I think PD should just focus on making the PAL version in English, and forget about the rest And whilst they are at it, they can put Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche into the game, and why not damage.

Cheers

Jamie (The selfish Englishman)

 

[Bomer]

2)... PAL conversion carries timing isues. NTSC runs 60 fps and PAL 50 fps, so overall speed of the game changes, and licenses times must be readjusted. That's why I think versions won't be compatible through network (LAN or LAN emulation).

So, when everyone posts their times and things for games... including GT series... it means the PAL users are at an automatic disadvantage? Due to having slower games? I don't understand why they made the fps different tbh, apart from to give the Asians/Yanks an advantage over timing games

 

[AdrenalineSRX]

I think PD should just focus on making the PAL version in English, and forget about the rest And whilst they are at it, they can put Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche into the game, and why not damage.

Cheers

Jamie (The selfish Englishman)

Problem is some makers say sure okay, some say hell no. You can't have a game where only half the cars take damage. Unless your planning on booting cars out of the game your stuck with no damage, however this is not the case, I can't remember why GT4 doesn't have damage, I read it somewhere, just can't remember the reason.

 

[barmyclown]

So, when everyone posts their times and things for games... including GT series... it means the PAL users are at an automatic disadvantage? Due to having slower games? I don't understand why they made the fps different tbh, apart from to give the Asians/Yanks an advantage over timing games

It may be slower but we get a slightly higher line count on the telly to make up for it.

 

[Robin]

Whatever they do I hope with the english version they do the grammar properly intead of weird english in the Japanese version.......eg.

German Car - *German Cars / Manufacturers
Real Circuit - *Real Life Circuits
Original Course - *GT Courses
Used Car 90's - *90's Used Cars
Photo Travel - *Photo Mode
Tuner Car - *Tuned Cars

.........you get the idea, They keep on missing plurals out of things and using words together that don't work.....

I never bought an english GT3, was all the writing correct on the english version?

 

[Gravity]

2)... PAL conversion carries timing isues. NTSC runs 60 fps and PAL 50 fps, so overall speed of the game changes, and licenses times must be readjusted. That's why I think versions won't be compatible through network (LAN or LAN emulation).

3) There could be some licensing issues. Some cars may change between versions.

#2 I think you mean Hz which is refresh rate, refresh rate has nothing to do with fps or game speed. NTSC runs at 30 (29.97) fps 60Hz and PAL runs at 25 fps 50Hz, the speed at which the game *runs* has nothing to do with the frame rate, hence why I can play a PAL game on my NTSC console just fine, the console does the hard work there. PAL games with a 50Hz/60Hz switch will also play fine on a PAL system if the TV supports it.

Concerning network issues, Xbox Live (puts on flame suit ) works just fine when I play people on PAL systems while I am on an NTSC system...

#3 I highly doubt that PD has not figured out licensing. Why would they spend the time and money on development of the cars if they didn't have licensing locked in?

Bottom line, PD always releases in Japan first. They want to figure out any major bugs, gather sales data, and try to keep us grumpy types happy.

 

[Rezonance]

Whatever they do I hope with the english version they do the grammar properly intead of weird english in the Japanese version.......eg.

German Car - *German Car's / Manufacturers
Real Circuit - *Real Life Circuits
Original Course - *GT Courses
Used Car 90's - *90's Used Car's
Photo Travel - *Photo Mode
Tuner Car - *Tuned Car's

.........you get the idea, They keep on missing plurals out of things and using words together that don't work.....

I never bought an english GT3, was all the writing correct on the english version?

Well, if we're going to get all picky about grammar & punctuation, you're probably going to want to take those apostrophes out of all of your "Car's". There's really no need for possessives there.

 

[Murdock]

I'd like to know why the difference used to be 11 days between Japan and US release dates. They must have known the whole time that was garbage.

 

[Bomer]

Ah, Gravity's explanation seems better

 

[Gil Abobeleira]

Problem is some makers say sure okay, some say hell no. You can't have a game where only half the cars take damage. Unless your planning on booting cars out of the game your stuck with no damage, however this is not the case, I can't remember why GT4 doesn't have damage, I read it somewhere, just can't remember the reason.

I bet getting "damage" out of the PS2 CPU is a "little" bit hard, hence the no damage in the game... Then again, getting "realistic" damage is very, very difficult i'd think.

Let's hope for it in the next GT5 on the PS3.

 

[Koolad]

#2 I think you mean Hz which is refresh rate, refresh rate has nothing to do with fps or game speed. NTSC runs at 30 (29.97) fps 60Hz and PAL runs at 25 fps 50Hz, the speed at which the game *runs* has nothing to do with the frame rate, hence why I can play a PAL game on my NTSC console just fine, the console does the hard work there. PAL games with a 50Hz/60Hz switch will also play fine on a PAL system if the TV supports it.

Of course refresh rate has something to do with fps or speed. FPS affect speed, not only in games, even on movies. In computer games, you can make a distinction on how fast your graphic card calculates frames (FPS) and how many times the screen shows a different image (Hz). But in a console+TV system that's not usually the way that things work, one frame rendered=one frame shown. So overall speed changes, NTSC games a are bit faster. That's why european gamers demand Hz selector on all major titles, because most of the new TV sets sold in Europe (<10 years) can manage 60Hz signals. In many games speed is not crucial, but in racing games or action games it is. You will always find speed issues between NTSC and PAL systems, and not only in games as i said. For example, to convert a cinema movie (24 fps) to PAL, you just let it run faster a little bit (4% faster, some people with sensitive ears may hear the raise in tone). But to convert it to 29.97 fps? You have to make a complicated so called 3:2 pulldown to insert an extra frame every 4 frames. That's why there are no smooth movements in NTSC movies which have been converted from cinema movies. Try http://www.100fps.com for technical info.

Concerning network issues, Xbox Live (puts on flame suit ) works just fine when I play people on PAL systems while I am on an NTSC system...

that's because Xbox live is quite important to Microsoft, and is taken on account when a new game is developed. Network code and in-game timing are independent from the display system in these games. For example, the upcoming Forza Motorsports calculates physics 200 times per second, while GT does this at the same time a new frame is displayed.

I've always thought GT3's PAL and NTSC versions had a very subtle difference in timing, unless in http://www.gt3.gttimes.com times are categorized by PAL/NTSC version. Maybe I'm wrong, if anyone knows this for sure or owns both versions, could tell us.

 

[Gravity]

Apparently you have gotten all of your information from DVD and movie ripping. Considering I run a post-production company and work with video assets every day, I think I know what I am talking about. The correct way to convert 24fps movie to PAL or NTSC is through a pulldown procedure. This is not a complicated idea, it just takes the right tools. Many DVD rippers will use different methods to achieve a "close" result.

Hook an NTSC and PAL PS2 to a VGA monitor... they will look the same.

In the console world, the game will run at the computation level at the exact same speed. This data is then fed through the graphics engine. This is output at whatever rate is needed for the region. The only programatic differences are the actual pixel size of the screen. NTSC is 720x486, as where PAL is 720x576. Just because the frame rate slows down on a computer game does not always mean that the game actually slows down. You will find that most often you have just missed some action. This is known as dropping frames, which is why the fps count will be lower, the game never actually slows down, just the output. When the game actually slows down, it is usually a resource problem.

 

[Koolad]

In the console world, the game will run at the computation level at the exact same speed. This data is then fed through the graphics engine. This is output at whatever rate is needed for the region. The only programatic differences are the actual pixel size of the screen. NTSC is 720x486, as where PAL is 720x576. Just because the frame rate slows down on a computer game does not always mean that the game actually slows down. You will find that most often you have just missed some action. This is known as dropping frames, which is why the fps count will be lower, the game never actually slows down, just the output. When the game actually slows down, it is usually a resource problem.

It depends on how conversion is made. I can tell you of games that actually run slower on PAL systems (and in many cases, poor resolution or black bands due to resolution differences): Devil May Cry , Baldur's Gate, Onimusha, or Final Fantasy - X. Not only FMV, actual gameplay is slower (the documents are in spanish, but you can see timing of intros and different stages). And this is just a little example. This is (or was) the usual way to convert a game. Believe, I have acquired NTSC games living in Spain (a PAL country) because of speed or overall feeling, dynamism.

Now, the trend (not all devellopers or distributors, but a great number of them) is to leave so (poor screen filling and speed) the "pure" PAL version (a poor conversion), and include a Hz selector to switch to 60FPS (many times this is NTSC, other few times is real PAL-60). In the GameCube, for example, it's mandatory to include the selector (Nintendo demands it from developers and distributors)