Yamauchi Responds to GT5 Track Editor Rumors

yamauchi-ign-sema-interviewMost of the Kazunori Yamauchi interviews from “mainstream” gaming sites are generally pretty weak, but I’ve got to hand it to IGN editor Ryan Geddes for asking some direct, important questions during his time with the GT series creator at SEMA. Although Yamauchi’s ability to talk his way out of specific answers remains strong, Geddes’ latest interview drew some interesting comments. Watch the interview above (look out for replay interior footage of J.R. Rocha’s G37), or keep reading for complete analysis of all the high points

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The first highlight comes when Geddes tries to dig deeper into the often-debated “20 locations, 70 variations” comments regarding the number of tracks in Gran Turismo 5:

“As I mentioned before there will be 20 different types of scenery the game will be set in, and in those 20 different locations there will be 70 different layouts of tracks that will be available to play.”

vlcsnap-00001As always, when evaluating quotes, remember to take the issue of translation into consideration. Regardless, “20 different types of scenery” appears to support a more narrow interpretation of the word “location”. Geddes continued digging deeper, addressing the track editor:

IGN: “Have you finalized plans for a track editor?
Yamauchi: “Things like that I can’t really discuss yet. This can be said about all the GT development. Until we’re very close to release we won’t have a finalized decision on a lot of things.”

IGN: “If there is a track editor, that will make your job easier, right? Because you can make fans design the tracks instead of your team.
Yamauchi: “[Laughs] A lot of the courses we set up, we take a long time fine-tuning the details and building the track, so it would probably be a bit different than the types of tracks the users will set up in the game.

The key word in Yamauchi’s response to the last question is, of course, “will”. I don’t want to focus on this too much (once again, within the context of translation), but it is an interesting word choice given the recent track editor rumblings… He also provided a hint at where Polyphony Digital is at in the decision-making process regarding dynamic weather and lighting:

“Technically it’s already possible to do in the game, it’s just how we’re going to have that have meaning in the game.”

It also seems Yamauchi got a chuckle out of the excitement and interest around the mysterious Gran Turismo 5 packaging which a GTPlanet reader originally noticed in a video by Mercedes-Benz:

“[Laughs] That’s something else we can’t really talk about yet, but I’m surprised at the level of detail everyone is focused on.”

Oh yes, sensei, we are focused!

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Comments (57)

  1. Sweet

    Nice

    editing a track is win

    concering weather I don’t want rain or snow all I want is dynamic clear/overcast weather

    And dynamic day/night cycles

  2. FlareKR

    Is there anything he CAN talk about? We’ve been going in circles for months now on any new information. I really don’t think it will have just 20 tracks, it just kills the whole purpose of 5 years, when the PSP has 40 tracks (and some missing).

  3. peter

    “Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake.”
    “When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.”
    “There’s a limit to how many times you can read how great you are and what an inspiration you are, but your not there yet.”
    “Everyone is a genius at least once a year; but a real genius has his original ideas closer together.”
    “Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it”
    “The secret of success is to know something nobody else knows.”
    “It is better to be quotable than to be honest.”
    “The backbone of surprise is fusing speed with secrecy.”

  4. MSH

    Somehow I think it’s a translation ambiguity.
    When he talks about the tracks that users will built, that could as well imply that ‘suppose that gamers will make (as in ‘would be able to make’) their own tracks, then the quality of the tracks will not be as good and detailed as if PD is about to make them’

    Definitely a good interview, but I won’t get too high hopes on the track editor. Maybe we’ll be able to move the tyre walls on the top gear test track, but I don’t think it will go any further.

    I am excited to see the Stigs lap times to be in the game though :-)

  5. caasimun_18

    @ LordvonPS3

    Okay seems you know more but it was just my suggestions, and by the way i don’t think driving in the snow in a le mans track will be good if the weather is based on where the track is… it would be good if they just had cloudy, sunny and raining, plus it would make their work easier, having the weather based on (your location) is better and the ambience will definitely be increased.

  6. ICANT55

    Good interview ,it just makes me more blood thursty for the game now… “Jeremy Clarkson” if thats REALLY YOU, LMAO TELL HIM WE ALL KNOW HE HAD HIS TEETH WHITENED….

  7. LordVonPS3

    @ swollenmadman
    * Dreamcast Metropolis Street Racer had appropriate day / night based on the location’s local time *at the start of a race*.

    One of the biggest problems with time / weather is that if you’re regularly playing the game at a certain time of day, the same locations will always be at the same time, so for example, you may never see Tokyo in anything other than daylight – depending on when you play. That’s a problem for endurance races = 24 hours… As with anything, it would be good to be able to toggle & specify what you want in the options.

    As for 24 Heures du Mans (N.B. Test Drive le Mans in the US) check out the review & video at the links below. It’s a great game and having dynamic lighting in GT5 as featured in this game would be fantastic.

    Day/Night cycle: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFh405mw5Cc
    A review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfNYeUa–z8

  8. Sam__ NY

    @Chris

    Yes, your correct. It’s all about first interpretation. Some might see the car as moving forward and some may see it moving backwards due to the quick change in camera from looking forward to looking back. (Like those shape tricks in puzzle books)

    issue resolved now drop that subject.

  9. VIPERGTSR01

    Matt says: “Look at the video at 1:43 to 1:47. Rewind Confirmed?”

    He is using the look back button while in cockpit view.

  10. swollenmadman

    An old school dreamcast game had the time feature on it including weather conditions. and depending where you raced it would shown the real-time hour. It was called msr. Made by the same ppl that made project gotham racing.

  11. Bank Alexander

    If there is a Track Editor, I’m guessing it be to change the placement of ‘cones’ and ‘barriers’ (etc) across the tracks/maps/courses. And to be able to give penalties accordingly.

    Remember, right now it’s being called a “Track Editor” not ‘Track Creator’
    =D

  12. LordVonPS3

    @ caasimun_18.
    I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood how GT5 is set up to work. An online race would be set during the day or night and have corroborating weather depending on the race location (GMT +/- n hours). i.e. If you’re racing around Piccadilly Circus in London, the race conditions will be based on GMT & the weather channel’s data for London.

    If you’re not connected to the PSN (not playing online), the game can use your system clock as a location reference point & weather would be randomized. Lighting + weather may be preset for certain events / challenges.

    While this is technically dynamic lighting & weather, it is not mid-race real-time lighting and weather.

    The key questions for GT fans on dynamic lighting / weather should be…

    1. Will the time of day + weather change mid-race in real-time, or will they be fixed at the start of a race?
    While it is inconsequential for short races, endurance races would be a relatively novel experience. The only racing game I know of to support dynamic mid-race lighting is Infogrames’ 24 Heures du Mans. While the lighting changes / effects are done in real-time, the race is run in accelerated time and does not correspond to the exact time of day in the North of France.

    2. What types of weather will be supported? The weather channel can provide data on (at least) the following.
    Sunny? Cloudy? Foggy? Snowing? Raining? Hailing? Lightning / other storms? Even with these possibilities, there are additional cases such as where the track may be wet – but it might not be raining anymore (a key point in many a Top Gear episode – i.e. Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car).

    3. Will dynamic / lighting be in the final game?
    As Polyphony Digital hasn’t made up its mind about the quality of its effort yet, we’ll just have to wait and see! Clearly there’s a lot of work involved to do everything to a realistic level and chances are PD won’t include “everything” for GT5.

    After all, then we wouldn’t need GT6, would we? :-)

  13. RS

    “Sam__ NY Says:
    November 10th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
    I didn’t bother watching the video at first, but when I did I was surprised no one said anything.

    When KY says, “I’d like to drive the Tesla Roadster S” THEY FLASH A FISKER???!!! sure there both electric but common people get it right!”

    The car they showed was actually the Telsa Roadster S……it looks very similar to the Fisker Karma and i think they share similar hybrid platforms. In fact there was a legal dispute between the two companies for this very reason, apparently fisker worked on the roadster s and allegedly “stole” tesla’s ideas .

  14. Keitaro333

    Jason:
    Nice one. But seriously, in all honesty, i highly doubt that if there was a track editor you’d be able to do detailed, complex tracks with it. It would be something simple and not really very useful.

  15. jBat17

    come one, Kaz, who’s going to fire you if you leak a few details about GT5?

    all i want is a confirmation night time driving for all tracks.

  16. Cruiz Dwyer

    someone please ask about AI opponents in 2 player splitscreen…

    why oh why does no one ever ask about that?!?!

  17. Sam__ NY

    I didn’t bother watching the video at first, but when I did I was surprised no one said anything.

    When KY says, “I’d like to drive the Tesla Roadster S” THEY FLASH A FISKER???!!! sure there both electric but common people get it right!

  18. Dom

    I think the core element in the interview with Kaz is: “so it would probably be”
    –> I don’t think you can say anything from his words, or to make it more clear, the words he has not used.
    Really, speculate on things like a track editor, but don’t try to confirm it with the Masters words.
    You know, Religion (GT) flies you into buildings, hard technological work flies you to the moon. And some people are even doubtful with that, if you keep the moon landing conspiracy theories in mind. Girls and Boys, relax and wait what Kaz and his team have to offer.

  19. Matt

    Nasadus Says:
    November 10th, 2009 at 7:46 am

    Look at the video at 1:43 to 1:47. Rewind Confirmed?

    I’ve looked and I must say I am a bit stumped now. What IS going on there? It is definitely moving backwards for a second.

  20. Blademask

    “but I’m surprised at the level of detail everyone is focused on.””

    AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH !!@?!@#?!@#?!@#?!@#?!@#?@!#?!@#? Release the game!!!!!

    Ok Ok.. im calm im calm..

    back it down…

    backing it down…

  21. maxpontiac

    What an awesome interview.

    In my opinion, it was basically a PR statement by Kaz in which he says…

    Be patient.

    Oh, I can’t wait to take on Stig’s official times..

  22. caasimun_18

    well i do appreciate the track editor but don’t you guys think thats going abit too far come on to implify a track editor in such a polished game would be realisticly impossible, this is not mod nation racers, its gran turismo with a “G” and furthermore having dynamic weather would be the most utterly amazing thing to come to GT. Why…? because if they do decide to put it i hope they also concider time, lets say i want to play the game at midnight, it would be awsome if the time of day (in the game) was also midnight, its possible all thanks to the internet. Having day and night cycles in online is a big NO because of things i can’t explain, they should just have constant time of day, dedicated to morning, mid day, and night thats it. The users can decide if they want to play at certain scenarios.

    Anyway its just my views on Gran turismo

  23. Mickle Pickle

    On this latest photo of Sensei Kaz, i find him much more healthy and less tired looking…

    Could it be a sign of GT5 being on track for release and less worries/stresses for the PD team?

    Always a good sign to see this man smile ;)

  24. 8@No$

    I think that by “scenery” he means the surroundings and surface of the tracks. Well that means that sceneries may refer to: night circuits (like ssr5/11), desert(like laguna seca) , forest(like deep forest), city(like london or tokyo), classic(like nurburgring or la sarthe), gravel, mud, snow, ice, rally cross, hill climbs(like pikes peak), test tracks(like test track or skidtracks), oval, drag strips, gymkhana tracks, wet tracks, village tracks(like cita di aria), mediterranean tracks(like cote d’ azur), even salt lake tracks and sand tracks.. There you go.. 20 sceneries. Wouldn’t that be interesting?

  25. tameem

    i have a question?????????

    i remember kaz mentioning that all tracks and cars in gt4 will feature in gt5, and now he is saying there will be 20 locations and 70 tracks.

    I BELIEVE THERE WERE MORE THAN 20 LOCATIONS IN GT4 if you look at the tracklist of gt4 im sure there are more than 20 locations. does that mean they have reduced it down?

    very interesting i think only time will tell

  26. Wiretap

    Read the full interview on IGN there and noticed this….

    “For the Top Gear tracks, will you be able to race agains The Stig’s official times?

    We’re trying to plan that now.”

    Now this would be awesome!!!
    But I fear no racing will be alllowed on the Top Gear Test Track due to its figure of 8 layout, only Time Trials will be allowed. :(

  27. kerrak

    I’ll share my opinion (speculation) on the “types of scenery” (TOS) thing, and the difference between 20 types and 70 tracks. There is a general 3.5 ratio for Track to TOS. Some TOS won’t have more than 1 tracks, maybe 2, as it should be with real world competition tracks (Motegi, Catalunya, Daytona, whatever). My bet on this category: 9 TOS, 14 Tracks.

    Some TOS could have 3 fictional tracks (maybe small variations, reverse). 7 TOS, 21 Tracks.

    Finally, what are those 4 TOS, 35 tracks ? Yes, rally tracks. An average WRC event consists of 9-10 different tracks totaling 200 km, driven twice.
    My dream is to have 3/4 full rallies basically depicting asphalt, mud, gravel and snow tracks. If tracks are full length it would be the ultimate realism in Rally games. In fact, most Super Specials have a comparable length to Nurburgring, so technically it is feasible, just “massive”.
    Anyway, if tracks are not full length, i know it won’t be a disappointment.

  28. Mr_Hansen

    Good interview, and I’m looking so much forward for the game to be realeased ;D
    There is one mistake in the video though… Yamauchi tells the interviewer that he would like to try the Tesla Roadster S (I would like that too), but in the video at 1:30 the new Fisker Karma is shown instead. That’s a plug-in hybrid and not a fully electrical vehicle like the Tesla :P

  29. Bank Alexander

    Shit that interview was great! Thank you God for Ryan Geddes of IGN.com
    =]

    All the info in that was pretty damn good.

  30. S3 Racer

    Now seriously, this game will rock my world. When it comes out I will vanish from the surface for quite a while (just going to work and pit stopping @ my girl’s).

    Maybe we’ll get a little x-mas present from PD ???

    I hope nobody will complain in the futur no more (utopia), ’cause Pd and kaz are adding even more featurettes than most of us where asking (hypothesis). And how knows : track editor would create 90% crap, but the 10% done by the sim- community would rock (look at the green hell in gtr2 (made by users))

    Did u know: less than 6 months till über-GT!!!!!

    Good idea for the interview with jordan.100%

    GT, continue to rock my world!!

  31. S3 Racer

    Some even say that he was posing model for …. “Clarkson pause” …. Gran turismo. All we know is that his name is Stig. And on that bombshell…

  32. alba

    I have a dream where one day, Jordan gets to interview Yamauchi himself and having fans input questions and have it here on the frontpage.

    LETS MAKE THIS HAPPEN GODDAMNIT!

  33. RPR101

    i agree homer =) very interesting. it seems that there a lot of very good things to look forward too but of course they are being very secretive about it… i know the wait will be well worth it =)

  34. DaveTheStalker

    Very interesting indeed. At least KY more or less came out and said there is a “gag order” until we are “very near” the game’s release. Hopefully that will be in the first half of April for those of us in the US. A global release would be best for everyone.

  35. Zenith

    FINALLY! A good interview!

    This really reignites my hopes for a feature heavy GT5
    I thought the main event would be the new engine

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