GTPlanet Weekly Rewind: The Unquestionable Appeal of Racing Games

We’re moving straight into the goodies this week as this week’s headline is actually a full-length segment that may very well return at some point later in the year with yet another look into what makes a racing game attractive. It’s a question that isn’t as easily answered as you might think, and I know you’re sitting there shouting out answers.

I can’t hear you. Stop scaring your neighbors.

GTPlanet Picture of the Week

This week’s featured image, recommended to us by Sick Cylinder and courtesy of IfAndOr, features the 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe staring down the path of what lies ahead at Willow Springs International Raceway.

Have a suggestion for next week’s featured image? Drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Picture of the Week”, and fill it out with your two choices and they’ll be featured in upcoming Rewinds. NOTE: You cannot elect your own work.

Polyphony Reaffirms Plans for Ayrton Senna Content Coming to GT6

Earlier this week Polyphony Digital shared a brief video on their Japanese website from the Ayrton Senna Foundation to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the driver’s legendary F1 racing career.

The post also re-confirms that they are committed to bringing the Senna-related content to GT6 this coming May.

Ayrton Senna Foundation publish video to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Senna F1 debut

Gran Turismo 6
Non-profit organization Ayrton Senna Foundation has released a video to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the F1 debut of Senna.

During 1984, Senna competed in F1 with the Toleman team. On March 25, they made their debut at the Brazil GP held at the Jacarepagua Circuit in his native Brazil (Rio de Janeiro). Due to trouble with the turbo they did not finish, but [something about Formula Ford/British F3] it was a memorable first race.

As previously reported, PS3 has entered a partnership with the Ayrton Senna Foundation exclusive to Gran Turismo 6″, and we plan to release the content related to Senna in the future.

This site will continue to announce the initiatives of the Ayrton Senna Foundation in the future.

GTPlanet Quiz of the Week

The fifth week is upon us, and the question is and forever will be, how much do you know?

1. Infiniti Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from his second place podium finish at the Australian Grand Prix for what offense?

2. Bruce Wayne used the brute of this charging bull to protect Coleman Reese in The Dark Knight.

3. Harking back to the past, this concept was powered by four with the might of 778 but was ultimately cancelled.

4. The FTO LM Edition/LM Race Car has been featured in every full-length Gran Turismo title to date, albeit with a different shell in nearly every iteration. How many times has the FTO LM’s design changed?

Clues will be provided if necessary. The official thread is up and running but hasn’t been outfitted with the full breakdown of things just yet, so until that happens be sure to drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Quiz of the Week”, answering in the comments section does not count, and share your answers.

What Attracts One to A Racing Game?

This is a question that isn’t as easy to answer as one may think. There are a multitude of factors at play, whether it be to see how authentic the virtual representation of your own vehicle is, to learn a circuit for an upcoming race in the real world, or to get behind the wheel of a car you feel you’ll never have an opportunity to experience in the real world, the sheer number of possibilities are overwhelming.

There’s also the possibility that it’s simply none of those and is instead the sheer amazement at being so removed from the limitations of the real world that it serves as an outlet, a means to live vicariously through a fictional character – an alter ego for each and every one of us by any other definition.

Now, here comes the tricky part: what if everything mentioned up until this point (and I’ll take into account everything I haven’t listed and perhaps what you’re thinking of right this second) only plays a small role in what attracts you or anyone else to a racing game? It’s just as likely, perhaps even more so than anything else, that what attracts one to this type of game lies in the features: dynamic day/night cycle, weather conditions, track availability, the scale of the environment, the audio engine, the physics, the list could go on for as long as the Rewind has been a feature, but the one thing that will always ring true is that racing games are more important than any one of us may actually want to believe.

GTPlanet Member of the Week

The prized status and stardom that only the Member of the Week can bring has once again arrived and thus, it is once again time to acknowledge a member of the GTPlanet community; a member who has stood out among the hundreds of thousands of members already here, both old and new alike for all that they’re worth and all they have contributed to the community.

Yet another Junior member is among the ranks, and this particular member is one of the more active members in the GT community, so let’s welcome TokoTurismo to the ever-expanding MotW madhouse!

The interview is now live and provides the usual share of laughter, but more importantly provides the medium of getting to know your fellow GTP members a little bit better. For the whole kit-n-kaboodble be sure to stop by the official Member of the Week thread.

Anyone you’d like to see recognized as the Member of the Week? Drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Member of the Week”, and fill it out with your choices and they’ll be featured in upcoming Rewinds. NOTE: You cannot nominate yourself.

GTPlanet Vehicle of the Week

This week’s featured vehicle unveiled January of 1995 at the Detroit Auto Show as “the world’s mightiest supercar”, and was the first to display the “New Edge” design philosophy. Recommended to us by Tokyoracer247, we’re taking a look at the 1995 Ford GT90.

The spiritual successor to the legendary GT40, the GT90 borrowed cues such as a mid-engine layout and doors that cut into the roofline, but little else. The GT90 was built by a small team in just under six months time and, as a result, borrowed heavily from the Jaguar XJ220 – namely the double wishbone suspension and the five-speed manual gearbox.

Powered by a 6.0L 48-valve V12 engine which, if produced, could have produced up to 720 horsepower while being mated to four Garrett Systems T2 turbochargers. It was intended to be lauched in a limited series of 100 cars, but unfortunately this plan was never realised. However, the GT90 did have a significant effect on the future of Ford design, the “edge design” concept later spawning vehicles such as the Ka and Cougar.

GTPlanet Tune of the Week

This week’s featured tune is in the spotlight – the Difficult Car Spotlight, recommended to us by XS and courtesy of oppositelock, it’s time to tame the 1973 Lancia Stratos.

Victory is the name of the game as usual and if it’s a deserving victory that you’re after and you want to do so while taming one of the most difficult and argumentative vehicles in the game, then you’ll want to stop by and see the tune for yourself!

Exactly like the Picture and Vehicle of the Week features, if you have any suggestions for the upcoming Rewinds be sure to drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Tune of the Week” and let me know. NOTE: You cannot elect your own work.

Aston Martin V12 Zagato – 2011 Nurburgring 24 Hours

GTPlanet Photomode Competitions

We’ve reset the counter for the sixth chapter in the Gran Turismo series and the photomode competition is back and better than ever.

In Week 16 of the Standard and Advanced competitions for GT6 you are to put your best foot forth and show the community just how seriously you take your in-game photography. All you need to know is as follows:

Week 016, Standard: Green vs. Purple (Head 2 Head) – “In GT6, we were given two new cross processing filters. Pick your side and shoot!”

Week 016, Advanced 2.0: Painting – Well, this is a coincidence! “There are a lot of people in the GTP photomode community who have a very artistical approach of their photo work and some of their creations look like paintings. For this week I would love to see you all trying to make something of this kind. Use all the tricks you know, and your editing ability to produce a pics which could get confused with a painting. No restriction on car, location, or anything else. Feel free and show us your inner artistical sense.”

For all of the relevant information pertaining to this week’s challenges be sure to stop by here and here.

Closing Thoughts

The 2014 season of Formula One is well underway with the second race of the season taking place this weekend, but a common concern among some are the dampened exhaust notes of the turbo V6’s in comparison to last years V8, and the solution is far simpler than one might imagine: Coandă effect/blown diffuser.

In 2011 the effect was exploited as a means to redirect the exhaust gasses over the rear diffuser to increase downforce and the end result gave the V8 a distinctive throttle when running through the gears.

As I’ve said in the past, I’ll definitely get used to the sound of the new era as time progresses because, truth be told, I’m not anywhere near as opposed to the changes as I was before the season kicked off. However, this would be the easiest way to improve things and with the knowledge on hand it could technically be legalized as early as next year.

Speaking of F1, I need to prepare for the second round of practice that’s about to kick off in a few hours. Until next week, keep racing!

GT6 Photomode images by Kodje, Aleman, and DeathAlley.

See more articles on GTPlanet Member of the Week and GTPlanet Weekly Rewind.