Deep Forest Raceway

The challenge of Deep Forest is to "experience racing through a forest" (to quote Gran Turismo 1). Deep Forest has long been a formidable course combining both rhythm-based sections with a lovely forest setting. It has been featured in every Gran Turismo game including Tourist Trophy. This is one of many true original courses in Gran Turismo history. This blog post is about the unique racing challenge known as Deep Forest.

--- Deep Forest Raceway ---

^ (picture from Gran Turismo 2)

"Experience racing through a forest." -Gran Turismo 1

Deep Forest Raceway had always been under sunset conditions. It used to be that Deep Forest was a romp through a forest. The track is not exactly about a thick and dense forest, but it certainly lives up to its billing as being a race track through a forest. High trees and a very natural landscape make this course quite the task to race. The undulations in the road will easily unnerve your car if set up poorly. The backstretch features a tunnel along with a nice little look at the My favorite part of Deep Forest is the final corner, which you could aggressively take at full speed if you got a good line set up. This track can be quite difficult to race on in a mid-engine car, so take this into consideration if racing this course in a mid-engine car.

You briefly head up a hill and come back down as you enter Turn 1. The first corner comes up quickly, but smoothens out as you go further into this left-hand corner. As you head up the hill, the many switchbacks and chicanes heading into the first tunnel will unnerve you and your car. A smooth right takes you into the second tunnel. Coming out of that second tunnel, you'll go downhill and face a left-hand corner followed by a smooth uphill right followed by a seemingly long left-hand corner. Then, another left follows that leads onto the backstretch. The backstretch features a gradual climb in elevation that goes back down as you enter the third tunnel, then slightly uphill heading into the fourth tunnel. After the fourth tunnel, light to moderate braking is needed. You don't need to do any more hard braking unless you have to. Go full speed down the following straight. Depending on your line and how well your car can take high-speed corners, you can let off the throttle a bit and take the final corner at high speed. Climb up the hill and back down, and you've completed a lap of Deep Forest!

Deep Forest: Gran Turismos 1 and 2.

If you go on Gran Turismo 2, Deep Forest is somehow a German race track. Both GT1 and GT2 have this track as a track at sunset with plenty of high trees.

Deep Forest: Gran Turismo 3.

Gran Turismo 3 still has a sunset race around Deep Forest, but only in the Reverse direction. GT3 signaled the current daytime races around Deep Forest. Part of me tends to miss racing this course at sunset. Also, the sunset is more like early evening than a true sunset race. The capabilities of the PS2 allows for some more dramatic elements. A nice touch is how the sun rays illuminate through the trees. You can see a lot more high hills and mountains with many trees on them in the distance. The third tunnel has some openings on the left side so you can have a small glimpse at the trees on the other side of the river or stream. The experience of Deep Forest is more natural and more beautiful than in GT1 or GT2.

Deep Forest: Gran Turismo 4.

Gran Turismo 4 was a huge makeover of Deep Forest. The bad news, however, is that a lot of the trees that gave Deep Forest its character were gone. A good deal of deforestation took form. In essence, the track was slowly starting to feel more like a proper racing facility rather than a fantasy masterpiece. GT3 was the last GT game to feature sunset settings around Deep Forest. In addition to a lot of missing trees, the lines on the road have mostly been removed, making Deep Forest look and feel even more like a proper road racing circuit. The same configuration could be raced in Gran Turismo PSP and Tourist Trophy.

Deep Forest: Gran Turismo 5 (on impressions).

I don't have a PS3 as of this blog post. It seems like Deep Forest in GT5 is mostly unchanged since GT4, only there seems to be even fewer trees at certain points. Is this a sign of the times that even the video game world has problems with the environment?






I think there are a lot of people who hate fantasy courses just because they seem too unreal or because a race track is too incredulous to be believable. Deep Forest is surely a race track that tests you, whether it's a real course or not. It is as much of a staple to Gran Turismo than almost any other course. Have to wonder what the future would hold for a future Gran Turismo with this track. There has NEVER been a Deep Forest endurance. Could it be possible to have maybe a six-hour race going from afternoon to the late evening around Deep Forest? Would Deep Forest actually retain its forest atmosphere, or is this track somehow losing its natural character to where there are more grandstands and fancy buildings than an actual forest? Could it be possible to race this course in wet conditions, or would wet racing be too much a nightmare around Deep Forest? Maybe could some night racing happen around this place (granted you will need a bunch of flood lights)? Either way, Deep Forest will surely challenge you. It has always challenged Gran Turismo racers and Tourist Trophy riders since the late 1990s.

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Tokyo R246

Tokyo Route 246 is based on a bus route in Tokyo. Let it be known that Tokyo is one of my favorite cities in the world, so I was more than pleased to see this track featured in Gran Turismo starting with Gran Turismo 3. It is a three-mile stretch of city streets starting in the Akasaka District of Tokyo starting on Aoyama-Dori street. It can be thought of as a signature race track of Gran Turismo because you can see the Sony Computer Entertainment building going down the front straight. This blog post is a look at Tokyo R246.

--- Tokyo R246 ---

(original picture credit: IGN)

Whoever would have thought that a bus route would make a great race track?

The streets of Tokyo give you some of the toughest bits early, then gets a little faster. The most important aspects to remember in tuning is that there are a lot of high-speed sections along with some slow and off-balance corners. So a little of everything has to go into planning an attack on this course.

The very first corner is the corner that will unnerve you the most. It's best to pay attention to the signs hanging on the left side to get you to find out where you need to brake to get the best possible exit out of Turn 1. You head down a tree-lined street with the National Diet Building in the distance. The next corner is a very abrupt two-turn complex that consists of a sharp left followed by a sweeping right. When you clear this chicane, you find yourself on a high-speed section that seems more like a short oval. In fact, I sometimes imagine if this oval part of Tokyo R246 could be its own track. A very long right follows once you get past the baseball stadium to your left. After the long right, you need to get ready to take on a technical double-apex left-hand corner. Get up to speed quickly as you blast down the tree-lined street. Depending on how fast you're going, you may be daring enough to take the chicane at full speed or just letting off the throttle. The next corner is a sharp right-hander that's VERY easy to screw up if you completely miss your braking point. The road ahead snakes around as you prepare to eventually go underneath a highway. The only thing separating you from the Start/Finish line is a super-slow right-hand hairpin. No excuses after this hairpin- FULL speed down Aoyama-Dori. Don't let the little high-speed chicane force you to slow down. Just go full speed all the way to the Start/Finish line!

Lap times usually last between 1:35 to 1:55. Much faster cars can do this course south of 1:30, and especially in really fast cars or Formula 1 cars, times well south of 1:30 (try 1:18 for instance!) is possible. Here is a VERY old video showing you what Tokyo R246 is like WITHOUT the guardrails:

--- Tokyo R246 in Videos ---

Let's take a video look at Tokyo R246.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

In Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec, this course could be raced on a mostly sunny day (Normal) or on a mostly cloudy day (Reverse). This one is the normal layout:

Gran Turismo 4.

The only difference between GT4's version of this track and GT3's version is how much less saturated the colors are for this track. The same strategies still apply for tackling this course. You can even race this track in Tourist Trophy against three other riders.

Gran Turismo 5.

Glorious sunshine and sunny skies make up GT5's version of Tokyo R246. The challenge still remains as intense as ever.



It is a great race track and an invaluable asset to Gran Turismo. Maybe it isn't the street version of Grand Valley in terms of complexity and challenge and appeal, but it is a great track for racing.





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Seattle Circuit

The Emerald City of Seattle, Washington, USA is the first American city to be featured in a Gran Turismo game. This Pacific Northwestern track is a technical street course complete with many elevation changes, fast straights, and more. This track has been in every Gran Turismo except GT1 and GT5. You can even race it in Tourist Trophy, but unable to race against three other riders. This American city provides a formidable challenge. According to what I've been reading, where the Kingdome is after the backstretch is nonexistent. Though the Kingdome was imploded back in March 2000, it is added to this course in Gran Turismo as a styling touch. The course began as an afternoon drive in Gran Turismo 2. Since Gran Turismo 3, however, the race takes place around sunset.

--- Seattle Circuit ---

(map from: Gran Turismo 2)

Prepare for elevation changes, blind corners, not many curvy roads, high speeds, and a few of jumps on this classic GT course.

Seattle Circuit begins with a high-speed left-hand kink. Take it at full speed, but be ready to slow into just about first or second gear for the very slow, double-apex hairpin. You then go under the highway to make your way uphill after the next corner. That left-hand corner can be taken at full speed, and you can do the same for the next left-hander that has Smith Tower on the right. Three uphill jumps will follow. By the time you reach the second jump, you'll need to think about where to start braking hard so that you don't fly into the wall coming out of the third jump. The next order of business is to negotiate a right-hand kink followed by a fairly wide right-hand corner. The corners between this point and Intermediate 2 consist of a sharp right, a sharp left, and then a very sharp left going downhill. The undulating road will test the balance of your car. It is then full speed as you go uphill through Intermediate 2 down the backstretch. After coming up to where the Kingdome once stood (meaning that the Kingdome was imploded by the time GT3 rolled around), you need to think about where to start braking... and brake hard. You need to carve a smooth racing line that allows you to negotiate five straight 90 corners. Treat the first two 90 corners (right and left respectively) like a wide hairpin, then treat the left-handed corner like a chicane. The fourth and fifth corners should be treated like a smooth chicane. On the way to complete the lap, you must then negotiate a very sharp right-hand corner that leads under a freeway. A left-hand kink follows. Either stay straight to go into the pits, or you have to properly negoiate a very tricky 90 chicane which can completely make or break your lap. Blast ahead to the finish line to complete the lap.

Seattle will absolutely test your suspension and handling limits with its undulating roads and technical corners. It is a course that offers you no breaks. You have to be alert and consistent at all times to land the best lap times on such an abusive course as this one.

--- Seattle Circuit in Videos ---

This is a look at Seattle Circuit in GT games past. Check it out:

Gran Turismo 2.

(NOTE: Turn down or mute the volume for this video because it is loud)

Gran Turismo 3.

This is a racing video around Seattle:

Gran Turismo 4.

The :





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How Far We've Come to GT5

The journey to Gran Turismo 5 has been a long and arduous one, but we made it. From the promise of Gran Turismo 4 to a few different titles from Polyphony Digital, from PlayStation 2 to PlayStation 3, this is somewhat a text and video journey involving GT4 on the road to GT5. This is my own look at how far we have come based on what I tend to recall about the journey from GT4 to GT5.

--- Gran Turismo 4 ---

Since Gran Turismo 3, we've waited some three to five years for Gran Turismo 4. Lots of promise was abound for Gran Turismo in being the ultimate Gran Turismo title. Most of that promise was shattered with word that online play was scrapped for GT4 despite being long-promised. Also, many were disappointed at the lack of evolution in AI and not enough interesting cars (as in Ferrari or Lamborghini interesting). Gran Turismo fans still enjoyed GT4 for what it was. There were even plans to come along with a mobile version of GT4 for the PSP. It was something to look forward to, if it ever did materialize.



Now, let's look at what has happened since.

--- Gran Turismo 4: Online Edition ---

A lack of online play was a deal-breaker for most GT fans who reluctantly wanted to do online racing. This didn't bother me, because I'm not an online gamer to begin with. So a prototype was set up to try a few different features. This was referred to as "GT4: Online Edition." In addition to an online suite, there were certain features like changing driving numbers along with the possibility of more convertible top cars with the tops down for racing.

--- Tourist Trophy ---

^ (WARNING: may be a bit loud)

Tourist Trophy should have been looked at as a gaze into the future for Gran Turismo 5. Granted Tourist Trophy was a solid title, not as many people saw this game as anything special. Some just saw Tourist Trophy more like a Gran Turismo 4 (if I may use this term) total conversion to feature motorcycles. If we learned ANYTHING from Tourist Trophy (or should learn anything), let's look at some of the key features...

* visible racers
With motorcycle racing, the driver's body and helmet and such are visible all the time. This was an element that would tie into Gran Turismo 5.

* interior views
The view as you ride is very detailed even for PS2 standards. You note the tachometer and such acting realistically.

* damage
Okay, TT didn't have any real damage model, but you know you could wreck your bike by not taking control of your two-wheeled rocketship.

--- Vision Gran Turismo ---

The premise of Vision Gran Turismo 5 was presented in a new light with Vision Gran Turismo. It was at E3 2006 when VGT appeared on screen. The biggest highlight was how the GT4 engine was used to show more than six cars on a track. In fact, there were about 16 or so cars on the track at once. Even one scene featured several pit stops at Twin Ring Motegi Superspeedway as the respective crews went over the wall to service the cars.

In its most basic sense, Vision Gran Turismo was simply a tech demo to help set the tone for Gran Turismo 5.

--- Gran Turismo HD ---

A look into what the PS3 has to offer for Gran Turismo was demonstrated in Gran Turismo HD. In it, ten cars were featured along with ten tuned versions of those cars. A new track was unveiled called Eiger Nordwand. This was a track used for a two-lap race or a two-lap drift trial. The biggest news about this was the long-awaited arrival of one car company getting some face time- Ferrari. The Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano was the first Ferrari featured in any Gran Turismo game. It gave several fans something to be happy about, especially those who felt like Polyphony Digital either couldn't acquire a big-name company like Ferrari, or that Gran Turismo was somehow too good to feature a marque like Ferrari.

--- Gran Turismo 5: Prologue ---

Going solo at Eiger Nordwand was fun for only so long. Many people just want to go race. That wish was granted as Gran Turismo 5: Prologue was unveiled. In addition to the anticipation for Gran Turismo 5, fans here in the United States and abroad wanted their own Prologue. The arrival of GT5 Prologue in the United States marked the first-ever time a Prologue of a Gran Turismo title was available on U.S. shores. I, personally, never played a second of GT5 Prologue. A good 100+ cars were offered including more Ferraris. The track list mostly consisted of old favorites faithfully brought back, but also provided some new venues like Daytona (superspeedway and road course) and London among other courses. Even the first-ever real F1 car was featured. The Ferrari F2007 car was featured in GT5 Prologue.

In addition to all of these cars and tracks, some insight was brought into featuring amazing interiors of cars. These Premium elements would help set the tone for what many would hope become a stout car list for Gran Turismo 5.

--- Gran Turismo PSP ---

With a little cut into GT5's development, Gran Turismo PSP was seen as that title that probably wasn't going to arrive or happen. It wasn't until GT5 shown up at the 2008 E3 show. Word was that over 850 cars would be included in the game. Gran Turismo PSP was to be a front for which Gran Turismo 5 car sharing would happen. Ad hoc multiplayer was also included so that four PSPs can do battle at one time at any such track. Gran Turismo PSP was never truly seen as a traditional Gran Turismo title because it was basically help you to trade and buy cars.





Now... we've reached GT5. It was a long journey, but GT5 is here waiting for all GT fans to adjust to GT5 after having been playing GT4 and GT5 Prologue. It's taken multiple different games and videos to eventually get to this point. So enjoy GT5, players! :) Just know that while it's taken so long, it's all been worth it for the most part.

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Races of Tourist Trophy

Tourist Trophy has 22 Championships for you to compete in. Prepare to embark on an international voyage with a world of motorcycles to use at your pleasure. You'll be doing your handful of wheelies and leaning trying to win all of the championships and Race Events of Tourist Trophy. Nothing you're already used to, right? This blog post takes a look at the different Race Events that comprise the lineup of races in Tourist Trophy.

I may update posts like this to reflect proper changes to everything.

--- Races of Tourist Trophy: General ---

Your Tourist Trophy career will take you around the world while racing many motorcycles and competition in many races. It is an epic championship voyage for you in becoming world champion of Tourist Trophy racing.

You are demonstrated on your ability to properly operate and race a motorcycle in Tourist Trophy. Every bike is different. Every bike has different capabilities. How you are able to make due with what you have is the difference between winning each race or having to re-do races. What are you reading here? Well, you are looking at each of the individual Race Events that make up Tourist Trophy's lineup of races. Each event is featured with a description as well as all the different races.

This is a look at how each Race Event will be featured:

Single Race (S/R)./Championship Race(S/R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• (restriction(s))

"In-Game Text"
Description

RACES:
• (track) - # laps


There is incentive to clear each championship. You can unlock a host of motorcycles and unlock lots of riding gear. You can use some of those prize motorcycles to compete in any number of the races in Tourist Trophy. The most rewarding aspect of your Tourist Trophy career is in unlocking five unique racing motorcycles. Five of these championships let you unlock five motorcycles that raced in the 2005 8 Hours of Suzuka. I'm not telling you which ones, though! I'm leaving that up to you to find out. :P So let's begin!

--- Races of Tourist Trophy ---

Ready to ride? Here is a key to all 22 Race Events of Tourist Trophy. Each Race Event is featured in the order they appear. Any restrictions will be noted so you can properly plan to race each event. The kinds of motorcycles allowed are in parentheses. "S" means Street bikes, and "R" means Racing bikes. Championships have exclamation points rather than periods. Championships allow you to race each stage individually or race them all in one championship. You can also qualify in Championships to try to get an edge by racing higher up front than back in the pack. It is recommended you complete each race as a championship to clear the events efficiently.

Here are the championships for you to take part in. Good luck to you in clearing all of these:

1: Street Machine Cup Stage 1 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 250cc displacement

"This is a Beginner event comprising of 3 races, using Street bikes below 250cc."
Welcome to the world of Tourist Trophy! Your first order of business is to take on this set of three single races. Learn the nuances of motorcycle racing in this game by competing in these three events. Because the bikes are neither overly powerful or fast, you shouldn't have to worry about going too fast or riding something too powerful. Just learn as you go along.

RACES:
• Grand Valley East - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 4 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps

2: Street Machine Cup Stage 2 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 750cc displacement

"The ultimate race event featuring bikes below 750cc, in the Normal (road) class of machine. 3 races are available in this event."
Time to step up in weight class. Motorcycles with about 750cc displacement is what we call the Supersport (also known as Middleweight) class. These are faster motorcycles that are a bit more nimble. In this set of races, you will be racing slightly faster motorcycles. Make the most of these middleweight bikes to win these races.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit: East Course - 3 laps
• Suzuka Circuit: West Course - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps

3: Street Machine Cup Stage 3 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes up to 1000cc displacement

"A race event featuring high-spec Street bikes below 1000cc in engine size. 3 races are included in this championship."
Superbikes are the most capable and fastest sport bikes on the market. With their amazing power and speed, you need to be careful going too fast into corners to where you risk being thrown off of your bike trying to stop. In this set of races, you will be racing with some of the finest superbikes in Tourist Trophy.

RACES:
• Trial Mountain - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps
• Autumn Ring - 3 laps

4: Street Machine Cup Stage 4 (S).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Street bikes only

"This championship is reserved for Street bikes, with no engine size limit. A total of 3 races are included, with a duration of 3 laps each."
There is no limit to engine size, but you must race a street bike. Here is the ultimate street bike challenge. Show your prowess by racing any street bike that tickles your fancy. You may want to use a bike at or above 1000cc displacement to win here. This is the last of the street bike events.

RACES:
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• High Speed Ring - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps

5: Sunday Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes under 750cc

"A race event featuring 750cc or below "Racing Modified" machines. A total of 3 races are on offer."
From this point forward, the remaining Race Events all require Racing bikes. So your first challenge with racing bikes takes place with motorcycles 750cc displacement or less. Anything from racing scooters to middleweight bikes are fair game here. The courses are none too difficult for you to race on. You should be able to win all three races without too much effort. If not, you can always practice your riding skills or even tune your bike to your own liking.

RACES:
• Autumn Ring Mini - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 4 laps
• Suzuka Circuit: East Course - 3 laps

6: Clubman Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes only

"Challenge 3 races of 3 laps each, using "Racing Modified" machines with no engine size limit on entry."
Any Racing bike in your collection can be used in this championship as long as you're able to use it. The courses are pretty tough for motorcycles, so you can't afford to make too many mistakes if you figure to win. You should be able to win these races without too much an issue.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit West Course - 3 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps

7: TMAX Cup (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Yamaha TMAX RM

"This one-make race features the Yamaha TMAX model exclusively. A total of 3 races are included, with a duration of 3 laps each."
Welcome to your first championship in Tourist Trophy. This championship is exclusive to the Yamaha TMAX RM- the motorsports variant of the Yamaha TMAX scooter. Don't let the fact that this is a scooter make you think it is no fun to ride. All three courses are fairly long allowing for you to twist the throttle for extended periods of time. So you can enjoy some speed here. Just make sure to pass those other three bikes en route to the finish line.

RACES:
• New York - 3 laps
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• Tokyo R246 - 3 laps

8: 2-Stroke Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1984 Honda NSR250R RM
• 1993 Honda NSR250R SE RM
• 1983 Suzuki RG250 RM
• 1980 Yamaha RZ250 RM
• 1985 TZR250 RM
• 1995 TZR250 SPR RM

"A race event featuring famous 250cc class, 2-stroke engines. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
As much as I'm sick of the '80s, this championship consists of some of the '80s finest racing bikes. Get ready to race some two-stroke Grand Prix motor racing bikes in some incredible action. This is the first Race Event where events are run for five laps instead of three. Keep your cool and ride hard to win.

RACES:
• Grand Valley East - 5 laps
• Autumn Ring - 5 laps
• Fuji Speedway '80s - 5 laps

9: 80s Heroes Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1989 Honda VFR400R RM
• 1986 Yamaha FZR400R RM
• 1984 Suzuki GSX-R 400 RM
• 1985 Kawasaki GPZ400R RM
• 1984 Honda NS250R RM
• 1983 Suzuki RG250 Gamma RM
• 1980 Yamaha RZ250 RM
• 1985 Yamaha TZR250 RM

"An event consisting of famous bikes from the '80s, from the 400cc and 250cc class of machines. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
The '80s loving continues with this set of races. Prepare to ride on three intense courses with nothing but bikes from the '80s filling the air with wicked sounds. Three races with five laps each await you. Become that '80s racing hero to win here.

RACES:
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps

10: 125cc Competition Model Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2003 Yamaha TZ125

"This us a single-make competition using a current model, the Yamaha TZ125. This race series consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
You are only restricted to the Yamaha TZ125. This bike is a very fast bike for its class. Use the power of this 125cc racing motorcycle to complete three five-lap races in this championship.

RACES:
• Tsukuba Circuit - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit West Course - 5 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 5 laps

11: 250cc Competition Model Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2003 Yamaha TZ250

"This single-make competition features the long-selling model from Yamaha, the TZ250. This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
If you're fortunate enough to get the Yamaha TZ250 through the challenges, this is your championship to enjoy. You will be running in a three-race championship with five laps to each event. Don't worry about this championship unless you can clear this difficult challenge. Because I haven't earned the Yamha TZ250 as of the initial date of this blog post, I will not share which tracks you race on until I either get this bike or find out some other way what races you run in this championship.

RACES:
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps
• (to be edited...) - 5 laps

12: Super Sports 600 (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CBR600RR RM
• 2005 Yamaha YZF-R6 RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX-R 600 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R RM
• 2005 Triumph Daytona 650 RM

"This competition recreates the popular "Super Sports" category using 600cc class racing bikes. This series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
The Supersports/Middleweight class of racing motorcycles are on parade for this championship. Harness the nimble nature of these capable racing bikes. This is the first five-race championship in Tourist Trophy. Victory won't come easy here. I remember using the Triumph Daytona 650 to win this championship. So I may recommend the Triumph out of all of these bikes.

RACES:
• Tsukuba Circuit - 5 laps
• Autumn Ring - 5 laps
• Deep Forest Raceway - 5 laps
• Midfield Raceway - 5 laps
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps

13: Super Bike 1000 (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CBR1000RR RM
• 2005 Yamaha YZF-R1 RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R RM
• 2005 Ducati 999R RM
• 2005 Aprilia RSV1000R Factory RM
• 2005 MV Augusta F4-1000S RM

"This competition recreates the "Superbike" category using machines of 1000cc. This race series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Superbike racing is what this championship is all about. Enjoy the full fury of superbikes as you take on five races, each lasting five laps. Be careful trying to harness these fire-breathing beasts on each of the five tracks. Do your best to try to win the championship!

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 5 laps
• Infineon Raceway - 5 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 5 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 5 laps

14: Master of Eagles (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Buell Firebolt XB12R RM

"This competition features the unique V-Twin sports bikes from the U.S. manufacturer Buell. The race series consists of 3 races, each lasting 3 laps."
No longer in production today, you will be racing with the Buell Firebolt XB12R RM. The bike is powered by Harley-Davidson engines. Yep- engines from the same Harley-Davidson cruiser bikes you may see on the road. It is a shame Buell is defunct as far as a proper American motorcycle company. However, you'll be racing their fierce-looking racing bike in America and in Spain. Three three lap races await you here. Can you win these three races harnessing the power of these Buell motorcycles?

RACES:
• Infineon Raceway - 3 laps
• Laguna Seca - 3 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 3 laps

15: K1200R Cup (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM

"This is a single-make competition featuring BMW's new K1200R, "Racing Modified." This series consists of 3 races, each lasting 3 laps."
Many people know of BMW for their cars. Not as many know them for their motorcycles. You will be racing one of their latest (as of this game) motorcycles- the K1200R. This racing-spec motorcycle packs 184hp. You'll need to make good use of its power and performance to clear this set of three Single Race events. Use and utilize this motorbike's capabilities to win each of these races.

RACES:
• Suzuka Circuit - 3 laps
• Deep Forest Raceway - 3 laps
• High-Speed Ring - 3 laps

16: Monster Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CB1300 Super Bol D'or RM
• 2005 Honda CB1300 Super Four RM
• 1981 Honda CB750F RM
• 2005 Yamaha MT-01 RM
• 2005 Yamaha XJR1300 RM
• 2000 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana F.E. RM
• 2005 Suzuki GSX 1300R Hayabusa RM
• 2004 Suzuki GSX 1400 RM
• 1984 Kawasaki GPZ900R RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Z1000 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki Zephyr1 100 RM
• 2005 Kawasaki ZRX1200R RM
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM
• 2005 Buell Firebolt XB12R RM
• 2005 MV Augusta Brutale
• 2005 Triumph Speed Triple RM 2005

"A competition featuring 1300 Class "Racing Modified" machines for the ultimate in performance. This race series consists of 5 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Big kids only. Big bikes only. Five races at five laps each will push your riding skills to the limit. Enter beast mode riding these monster bikes to victory. Can you do it?

RACES:
• Tokyo Route 246 - 5 laps
• Seoul Central - 5 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 5 laps
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps

17: Heavyweight Series (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes 900cc or greater

"This is a heavyweight class event with any racing bike above 900cc allowed. This comprises a total of 3 races."
You can use any eligible racing bike to compete in this three-race series as long as it has 900cc or more displacement. The three races are all on some pretty fast courses. Make the most of your big displacement racing motorbike to win here.

RACES:
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 6 laps
• High Speed Ring - 5 laps
• Grand Valley Speedway - 5 laps

18: Euro Star Series.

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200S RM
• 2005 BMW Motorrad K1200R RM
• 2005 Aprilia RSV1000R Factory RM
• 2005 Ducati 999R RM
• 2005 MV Augusta Brutale 910 RM
• 2005 MV August F4 - 1000S RM
• 2005 Triumph Daytona 650 RM
• 2005 Triumph Speed Triple RM

"This competition is designed for bikes from European manufacturers only, the series is comprised of a total of 3 races, each lasting for 3 laps."
If you love European motorcycles, you will love these races. A series of three races with three laps each make up this Single Race series. All three courses are guaranteed to challenge you and test your skill.

RACES:
• Apricot Hill Raceway - 3 laps
• Mid-Field Raceway - 3 laps
• Trial Mountain - 3 laps

19: 2-Stroke Legend Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1985 Honda NS400R RM
• 1984 Yamha RZV500R RM
• 1985 Suzuki RG500 Gamma RM

"This competition features groundbreaking 2-stroke bikes from the 80's, "Racing Modifed." This race consists of 3 races, each lasting 5 laps."
Two-stroke engine goodness with three different '80s racing bikes. Rock it '80s style with these motorcycles as you race on three tracks with races all lasting five laps. All three of these courses aren't going to do you many favors, so make sure you do your damage proper if you expect to win.

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 5 laps
• Trial Mountain - 5 laps
• Special Stage Route 5 - 5 laps

20: Nostalgic Festival (R).

RESTRICTIONS:
• 1981 Honda CB750F RM
• 2000 Suzuki GSX1100S Katana F.E. RM
• 1985 Honda NS400R RM
• 1984 Yamaha RZV500R RM
• 1985 Suzuki RG500 Gamma RM

"This race is dedicated to the CB750 and Katana models. This nostalgic race features two of the most famous big machines in history. The series is comprised of a series of 3 races, each lasting for 5 laps."
Enjoy some high speed with some potent and capable racing motorbikes. You'll be racing on some rather fast tracks with these classic bikes. Ride smart and don't lose your cool.

RACES:
• New York - 5 laps
• Grand Valley East - 5 laps
• Fuji Speedway '80s - 5 laps

21: TT Classic Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• 2005 Honda CB400SS RM
• 2005 Yamaha SR400 RM

"A classic event featuring the "Single Sports" class of bikes. This series consists of 3 races, of 3 laps each."
Even though this championship features two different classic bikes, both are modern classics. These two cafe racers you can choose from are raced in a three-race championship. You will be racing on three intense courses. Do whatever it takes to harness the capabilities of each of these machines on each of these courses.

RACES:
• Twin Ring Motegi: East Short Course - 3 laps
• Tsukuba Circuit - 3 laps
• Autumn Ring - 3 laps

22: TT World Series (R)!

RESTRICTIONS:
• Racing bikes only

"This championship is dedicated to "Monster Machines," spread across 7 race events."
The Tourist Trophy World Series to motorcycles is like the Gran Turismo World Championship for cars. You are racing seven of the toughest tracks in Tourist Trophy with seven very long races. Any eligible Racing bike is allowed to compete. You may even use some of those bikes that raced in the 2005 edition of the 8 Hours of Suzuka that you earned for these races. This championship challenge is extreme. However, if you can deliver a solid and consistent performance, you will become the World Champion of Tourist Trophy. Victory is not impossible with this final challenge. Just remember to ride hard and ride smart. Don't make too many mistakes. Good luck to you taking on Tourist Trophy's greatest challenge!

RACES:
• Laguna Seca - 7 laps
• Suzuka Circuit - 7 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Road Course - 7 laps
• Fuji Speedway 2005 - 7 laps
• Infineon Raceway - 7 laps
• Twin Ring Motegi: Super Speedway - 10 laps
• The Ricardo Tormo Circuit of Valencia - 7 laps


To my knowledge, when you clear all 22 Race Events, there is one extra championship for you to clear to become champion of Tourist Trophy racing. I'll leave that up to you to unlock and race. But for now... that concludes this blog post!





Thank you for reading! Good luck to you in your Tourist Trophy career.

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Gran Turismo and Tourist Trophy on Amazon

This post is a resource for all of you to shop for games featured in this blog as well as with accessories. If you shop on Amazon and want Gran Turismo titles and accessories, this blog post will help you to scoring your own copies of Gran Turismo games or get Gran Turismo accessories. Remember that this blog features many resources and things for all Gran Turismo fans. I am not saying this is going to be the next best thing. All I'm saying is... this is MY contribution for Gran Turismo fans. So be sure to get your GT fix however you wish. This is for you to purchase these items on Amazon if you're willing to shop for these games online. These resources from Amazon are available for you to purchase. My blog and its content means nothing if you do not have these games to play.

NOTE: All of these items are available on Amazon, and I am providing them to you via Amazon. Please read "An Important Amazon Note" for information on all items featured in my blog(s) from Amazon.

Gran Turismo 1.

^ Gran Turismo 1. My review: Gran Turismo 1 Review

Gran Turismo 2.

^ Gran Turismo 2. My review: Gran Turismo 2 Review

Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec.

^ Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. My review: Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec Review

Gran Turismo 4.

^ Gran Turismo 4. My review: Gran Turismo 4 Review

Tourist Trophy.

^ Tourist Trophy. My Review: Tourist Trophy Review


I have NOT reviewed the games below, but these are there for you on Amazon if you want to buy them.

Gran Turismo PSP.

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue.

Gran Turismo 5.

This game is here! Get it NOW on Amazon if you're a Gran Turismo fan! There are two versions of this- Standard and Collector.

^ GT5 - Standard Edition.


^ GT5 - Collector's Edition.





For more Gran Turismo material on Amazon, please use this widget below. Scroll through the pages to find whatever you are looking in for Gran Turismo:








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Grand Valley Speedway

(UPDATED: April 11, 2012)

Grand Valley Speedway is the signature race track of the Gran Turismo series. Why so? It is a Grand Prix course unique to Gran Turismo as it has its own appeal different from any other racing game. It is home to the Grand Valley 300km endurance race. The Grand Valley 300km is the signature endurance of Gran Turismo. So this blog post is a look at Grand Valley over the years even as Gran Turismo 5 is coming along.

--- Grand Valley at a Glance ---

^ Grand Valley. TOP: Grand Valley. BOTTOM: Grand Valley (East Configuration). Pictures are from Gran Turismo 2's Arcade Mode disc.

In Gran Turismos 1 and 2, we were all introduced to the classic circuit in its lovely form. The full course is over three miles of road racing goodness. Among the exterior features of Grand Valley are the city buildings into the first hairpin, the three tunnels, the bridge on the backstretch, and more. This track was designed both as a beautiful Grand Prix course as well as a punishing race track.

On a club level, the Grand Valley East track takes away the second hairpin area and the other two tunnels. This track still remains intense. Grand Valley Speedway's East track has shown up in every major Gran Turismo except Gran Turismo 3.

The only real change over the different versions of GT has been a re-profiling of the tight chicane out of the final tunnel in GT4. Even on GTPlanet, I noted that the chicane should be a bit more open and not as tight. I think this change made racing the chicane more fun and not as constricting.

--- Grand Valley Speedway History ---

Gran Turismo 1 and Gran Turismo 2 had mostly unchanged versions (except for maybe the signs posted around the track). This is where we saw all the different nuances that made this track so iconic in Gran Turismo lore. It provided one of the loveliest views of any Gran Turismo track when you enter the final tunnel after crossing the bridge. Seeing the view going through the final tunnel gives you a spectacular view. The various lush greens that make up this course was lovely even for PlayStation 1 standards.

The track would see a makeover in Gran Turismo 3. For the first time, this track could be raced in evening conditions if you race the track in the reverse direction. Many of the features from the GT1 and GT2 versions were vastly changed. Instead of a view of downtown buildings in GT1 and GT2, a big rotating billboard made up the area heading into the first hairpin. The grandstands got a makeover as well, feeling more like a Formula 1-style race track. With the PS2's power, much more majestic mountains and hills surrounded this track. The tire walls and tunnels were also given a lovely makeover. My biggest disappointment with GT3's version of Grand Valley was how restricted the tunnel view was in the final tunnel. GT3's version looks more like a proper racing facility than some purely fantasy course. Other than that, GT3's version was a lovely makeover.

The loveliest version of Grand Valley was in Gran Turismo 4. I noted on GTPlanet about what modifications to courses you want to see made happen. Some of my suggestions included offering elements from the very first versions of Grand Valley with the downtown buildings. Well, PD took it further. You can see some of the city buildings heading into Turn 1. More lush greenery came about in GT4's version. Some have complained about how highly saturated the colors are in GT3, so less saturated colors were used in a variety of courses. Also, the course was made more beautiful with more watery areas. You could see this as you're racing the full course where the East section is blocked off. The most beautiful touches can be seen on the bridge and into the final tunnel. You have to see replay views to appreciate the full beauty of Grand Valley in GT4. You see what looks like flower petals on the water from replay views. The bridge itself looks wonderful as well. Gran Turismo 4 outdid itself with the tunnel view in the final tunnel. You see what looks like a little village from outside the tunnel. It is the most spectacular touch to this track in the game's history. While I don't race Grand Valley East, its touches look as spectacular as the full course, though you obviously don't experience the full course and all of its details. This track is the same in Tourist Trophy and Gran Turismo 4, since they use the same engine.

From what I have seen with a Gran Turismo 5 video at Grand Valley, it seems like it is the same version as seen in GT4. Perhaps GT5's version is like GT4's, but with minor changes. Don't mess with success, I guess.


Needless to say, Grand Valley Speedway is the signature race track of Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo racing. While it may be a fictional track, it boasts an imposing and challenging character worthy of a Formula One Grand Prix. It makes for great racing whether for 2 laps with economy cars or 60 laps in the fastest race cars.

--- Grand Valley Speedway in Videos ---

Have a look at the evolution of Grand Valley in videos. These videos are provided for educational purposes.

Gran Turismo 1 and Gran Turismo 2 (both are essentially the same); this is a GT1 video:


Gran Turismo 3:


Gran Turismo 4:


There you are. A look at Grand Valley by me! I hope to make many more blog posts regarding various tracks through the history of Gran Turismo. Be sure to subscribe to this blog to keep tabs on my latest posts!





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Tourist Trophy Review

(UPDATED: April 6, 2012)

This post was taken from John's Blog Space and was edited specifically for this blog. Tourist Trophy- The Real Riding Simulator. Described affectionately as "Gran Turismo with bikes," Tourist Trophy gives gamers the chance to enjoy motorcycle racing in the Gran Turismo universe. Tourist Trophy utilizes the Gran Turismo 4 infrastructure. Many of the courses from Gran Turismo 4 are all back (with the exception of the off-road courses) including the debut of the Valencia road course to the GT universe. A variety of road-going and competition-spec motorcycles are available to race. This is a chance to enjoy two-wheeled racing on a variety of conditions.

--- "Tourist Trophy" at a Glance ---

If Gran Turismo 4 was "The Drive of Your Life," then Tourist Trophy is "The Ride of Your Life!"

Tourist Trophy plays significantly different from any original Gran Turismo game. You can play in Arcade or TT Mode. A variety of motorcycles are available for you to race. These include scooters, sport bikes, some motocross-style motorcycles, and more. You can set your height and customize your own riding style. You have four different options including a motard setup. You can customize the settings of any motorcycle. In addition to customizing settings for motorcycles, you can even customize riding gear featuring actually licensed motorcycle gear and some Polyphony Digital originals. Two racing suits and two streetwear suits are available for you to customize.

Unlike a GT game, however, you can't earn money towards... anything. You can earn items through racing and good progress throughout the game. These can include extra items to add to your riding gear and bonus motorcycles. The biggest way to add to your collection of motorcycles is to compete in the Challenge Mode. You can choose from bikes from many manufacturers including Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Ducati, Aprilia, BMW Motorrad, Buell, and more. In Challenge Mode, a majority of all motorcycles in the game can be earned through this mode. You are asked to compete in challenges. These challenges range from race challenges to one-lap time trials. If you go off course for too long, hit something very hard, fall off your back, or knock off another rider (especially in a Challenge race), you will be disqualified. Some bikes require you to have a license. There are four licenses for you to acquire to compete in various races and earn various bikes.

Unlike Gran Turismo 4's execution of it, Photo Mode is actually executed much better than in GT4. You can go for a ride and take your best pictures. Or after races, you can access the "Best Photo" feature, which allows you to save the best photos to your Memory Card or USB Flash Drive. Here's a picture I took for a friend of mine named Begoña:


^ from: my Facebook profile

There's also a great collection of songs for this game including "I Against a Speed," the theme song of Tourist Trophy by SUNPAULO.

--- "Tourist Trophy" Gameplay ---

You can race in any event. There are about 22 different series to race in. All of these events feature races based on kinds of motorcycles as well as races based on displacement and engine type. The first four series all involve street bikes. The remaining all require racing-spec motorcycles. The final championship, which is equivalent to the Gran Turismo World Championship, is the Tourist Trophy World Series. The best thing about Tourist Trophy (to me) is that this game doesn't keep track of your wins and losses. I feel like I have to maintain a perfect record to feel happy, because I have a bad attitude about losing.

Each bike offers three views. The instrument panel and handle bars are designed beautifully from the bike view. You actually notice digital readouts and some analog gauges. To me, this game's features were a precursor to what future GT games could be like. We're CERTAINLY seen the lovely interiors provided in Gran Turismo games since Gran Turismo 5 Prologue.

You have three different level of handling. You have the original handling, Semi-Pro, and Pro handling. The harder settings give you better control of your bikes and requires you to do much more to handle your bike. How you ride depends on things like your riding stance among other things. So pick something that's more comfortable to you. For one thing, I set my riding stance for speed. One such way to go faster on straights is to tuck down. You go faster with lower wind resistance.

A word of warning: the TZ250 Challenge will piss you off beyond recognition. Do that challenge last.

If you want to feel like you've accomplished something in this game, try winning the Championship races that allow you to earn one of five 8 Hours of Suzuka bikes. Four can be earned through different series while one can be earned by winning the Tourist Trophy World Series. These 8H Suzuka bikes are endurance-spec bikes, meaning these have lights on them for endurance racing. As of the date of this blog entry, I think I have two out of the five (maybe three of the five) 8H Suzuka motorcycles. Each of these bikes have their own riding gear that can ONLY be worn with those bikes.

--- The Racing Itself ---

There are a maximum of four bikes on a race track, which is pretty good considering GT4's graphics engine. There may not be 20 bikes to a track, but TT still gets the job done. Every race is on a Rolling Start. You can only qualify in Championship races. Depending on the race, it may be very difficult to go from 4th to a race victory. You may need to adjust your bike's settings and try to find ways to go fast in such little time. There are NO pit stops at all. Then again, pit stops are pretty rare in grand prix motorbike racing. Unless to change bikes for when there's a Dry or a Wet race.

If you hit a wall head-on, you'll face a 5 or 10-second speed penalty dropping you to about 31 mph. There is no damage to your motorcyle, but of course... you don't want to fly off by not going fast enough at speed or whatever. You can always revisit a race to try to win gold.

--- Personal Commentary on Tourist Trophy ---

Overall, this is a great motorcycle racing game. A combination of street bikes and racing bikes is an exceptional one. Every bike is shown beautifully with well-done riding physics and control. This is pick-up-and-play. Too many people thought this was just a cheap way to milk Gran Turismo 4. Not as many people enjoyed this game. But if you ask me, more people should. Okay. Maybe there are four bikes to a race track compared to 20 in the MotoGP games. Maybe people complained that since the game is called "Tourist Trophy," not including the Isle of Man TT course is a fail. Guess what? The same people complained that there were "LM Race Cars" in Gran Turismo, without including the Circuit de la Sarthe for years.

But come on now... where else are you going to get this level of motorcycle goodness where you can still enjoy a street bike as much as a racing bike? It was in this game that I've become better appreciative of Suzuki. Don't even get me started on racing the Suzuki Hayabusa in this game. I even have the racing-spec Hayabusa, and I love going on high-speed runs with that bike. In addition, this game made a BIG leap featuring both Aprilia and Ducati. This was even though people complained that Polyphony Digital couldn't secure big-name manufacturers. Fact is, every Gran Turismo featured some world-class makes. People tend to forget about THESE makes while most only care about Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini. These world-class makes have been featured include (but are not limited to): Alfa Romeo, Lancia, BMW, Aston Martin, Bentley, Renault, Audi, and Volvo among many others. I even thought Bentley was the biggest pickup for GT4, even if it was just the EXP GT that won Le Mans in 2003. Again, Apilia and Ducati were major finds for Tourist Trophy. The game even had a little contest where you could win your own Ducati 999R (another motorcycle I love racing in the game). It was also the game where I had respect for Triumph's beautiful middleweight bike that I used to win a championship race with





This game is great for what it is. With very few outstanding motorcycle racing games on the market, this is a great way to get your two-wheel fix. My Amazon Store (aStore) features Tourist Trophy. Please visit it to purchase Tourist Trophy from Amazon. If you loved this blog entry and want to get Tourist Trophy, please show me your support by buying this game now. Click on the image below to purchase this game or learn more about it:



If you need hints and tips, check out this, the Tourist Trophy strategy guide:



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Motorcycles in GT6?

Do you like your Gran Turismo with motorcycles? If it were to happen, motorcycles could return as part of Gran Turismo 6's lineup. Question is- would you want motorcycles to be along with cars in GT6? Or should the motorcycles be available as downloadable content? Allow me to explain my thoughts on the prospect of motorcycles in Gran Turismo 6, as opposed to being in a sequel of Tourist Trophy.

--- Motorcycles in Gran Turismo 6? ---

Some fans are adamant against Gran Turismo- a car racing game- having motorcycles in them. Part of the reason why GT6 would be a candidate for having motorcycles is the simple fact that those who didn't buy into Tourist Trophy would have a more viable and more visible arena for which motorcycles are showcased. Let me give you a blogging example for a moment, just to express what I am trying to explain.

Most of you know of my primary blog- "John's Blog Space." A lot of what I discuss is featured in my main blog because I want the most visibility. Only someone truly intrepid would find "John's Gran Turismo Space" for a Gran Turismo-themed post if I didn't bring it up in my main blog. Before any blog post of mine becomes successful and popular, it needs to be visible. And to be visible, it has to be featured in my most prominent source of views- which is John's Blog Space.

So what does this have to do with motorcycles in GT6? Simple- Gran Turismo 6 will likely be the most visible and most prominent source for anything featured. Many people doubt there will ever be a sequel to Tourist Trophy. And at the same time, there are those who would lovingly want to race a motorcycle against cars. So if there is an outside possibility of motorcycles returning to the surface of Polyphony Digital racing games, the best visibility would be to feature motorcycles as part of Gran Turismo 6's overall lineup of machines. Hardly anyone complained of karts in GT5, so what's wrong with motorcycles being among the racing machines in Gran Turismo 6?

--- Motorcycles in GT6: What to Include? ---

The lazy answer to this question would be every motorcycle from Tourist Trophy- only all totally revamped and pretty. A longer answer would be to include motorcycles from Tourist Trophy while also adding several more new motorcycles. I would also want Polyphony Digital to surprise me a bit. I am normally a fan of Ducati, Honda, and even Suzuki. I'd be interested seeing some more different motorcycles from companies like Moto Guzzi, MV Augusta, Bimota, Benelli (the motorcycle company, not the shotgun maker), Hyosung, Vespa, and others. Maybe even throw in some odd motorcycles like the Campagna T-Rex, the Peraves MonoTracer, the Piaggio MP3, and dare I say- the BRP Can-Am Spyder.

I would be open to see other kinds of motorcycles featured ranging from dirt bikes to sport tourer bikes. Supermoto bikes would also be cool to see. Also possible would be seeing more real racing bikes. And if PD could, I would be interested in doing sidecar racing.

--- Motorcycles in GT6: Bikes as Downloadable Content? ---

Should any would-be motorcycles be featured right from the retail version or be offered as downloadable content (DLC)? If you dislike a Gran Turismo with motorcycles, you would rather pay for DLC motorcycles rather than have them right away. I have never really believed in DLC unless I really NEED to have it. I mostly see DLC as optional material that could or could not enhance any game. Whether or not I'd want some DLC depends on if I think it will make my gaming experience better. And if I had to choose, I'd rather have the material right away because I'm usually too cheap to want to pay for something *optional*.

Now let's say Gran Turismo 6 includes motorcycles right from the retail version, but offers certain exclusive or special motorcycles that you can buy as DLC. Like, let's say GT6 has one of my favorite motorcycles- the Ducati Desmosedici RR, but Polyphony Digital comes up with a specially-tuned and much more powerful racing version of the Demsosedici RR. Or imagine if there is a specially tuned version of the Suzuki Hayabusa that goes up to 240 mph and handles impressively. Would you want these motorbikes as DLC or be available right from the retail version?

--- Motorcycles in GT6: Other Considerations ---

One of the biggest considerations would be to have motorcycle-friendly courses. Think of tracks like Suzuka for a moment. Some tracks have chicanes and certain modified configurations to better suit motorcycles. Some tracks from Tourist Trophy aren't even raced on to include multiple motorcycles on the track, like Seattle Circuit and El Capitan among others.

With power from the PlayStation 3 (or if it shows up on the PlayStation 4), it would be sad to just race have four motorcycles on track. Gran Turismo 5 has had as many as 16 competitors to a track. So I'd feel sad to not have sixteen motorcycles to a track. Having 12 bikes to a track is alright, but I'd love to see sixteen motorcycles to a track. Sixteen motorcycles is a decent number to include. Some of today's MotoGP World Championship grids feature about 16 bikes.

Coming up with races will obviously give GT6 much more in the way of competing in races by adding some more different events and more ways to race. You can separate car racing from motorcycle racing, adding more ways to race and enjoy racing. I wouldn't want to see motorcycle racing be part of the "Special Events," though. It would be A-Spec cars, B-Spec cars, and then maybe A-Spec and B-Spec for motorcycles (which would be a first for motorcycles in the GT/TT realm).





What do you think about Gran Turismo 6 if it were to include motorcycles? Would you still rather see a sequel to Tourist Trophy rather than GT6 having motorcycles? Or do you even care about racing motorcycles in a Polyphony Digital-made game? Share your thoughts and thank you (again) for reading!

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Trial Mountain

(UPDATED: September 14, 2011)

Trial Mountain has long been formidable and challenging in Gran Turismo. This unrelenting race track has long been a fixture of Gran Turismo since the very first game. What makes Trial Mountain so difficult? Well, there are number of reasons. You see, Trial Mountain has elements that combine a temporary street course and an imposing rally course. It has high natural rock walls, vast elevation changes, blind corners and awe-inspiring natural beauty. Some people even believe this track's layout was inspired by the boomerang-like shape of Croatia. I have love for Croatia since I get blog hits from Croatia. Whether you believe this or not, this blog post is about Trial Mountain.

--- Trial Mountain ---

^

"A road runs over this mountain." -Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec

Trial Mountain is essentially a race track carved through a mountain. It is a rally course that thinks it is a permanent and proper racing circuit. Rock-faced walls and undulations in the road make Trial Mountain one of the most challenging and original courses anywhere. It is also a surreal natural masterpiece. Since Gran Turismo 3, many people have noted a monkey sitting on a tree trunk while a race is going on. Gran Turismo 5 featured a rumored Loch Ness monster sighting in one image of Trial Mountain in GT5. The track is a fictional course, but in Gran Turismo 2, Trial Mountain is the track used in the UK Nationals. So you could say this is a British course when there has never been a true British venue until London shown up starting in "Gran Turismo 5: Prologue" followed by the Top Gear Test Track in Gran Turismo 5.

One Lap Description.

Laps here are imposing whether in a car or on a motorcycle. Many of the corners are blind, so you will have to always be on your guard and drive carefully. The first corner goes slowly uphill and is followed by a mid-speed left kink. The next corner is also uphill corner of about the same radius as the previous corner. Exiting the second corner, the road goes downhill and bends into a smooth left-hand corner with sufficient banking. The road afterwards goes slightly uphill, slowly bends to the left, and leads into a sharp turn through one tunnel. The road gets narrow and blind with rock-faced walls and even less runoff road after exiting the first tunnel. Better think carefully where to brake and how to attack the apex of the following corner. You get a natural assist as the road progresses downhill. Gain some extra speed and get as close to possible to the inside curb without grazing the big rocks inside. Braking is not needed in the upcoming chicane (unless on a motorcycle) where the infamous tree with a monkey perched on it can be seen midway through the chicane. Set yourself up to head into the brief second tunnel to attack a moderately sharp left-hand corner. As you head into the second tunnel, the path to the tunnel is completely blind before you head downhill. In fact, the left is COMPLETELY blind. Attack the absolute inside through the yellow-painted part of the road to set yourself up for the final tunnel. When you enter the final tunnel, get ready for a high-speed rush like no other. You will go progressively downhill through the tunnel. Exiting the tunnel leads to a brief crest in the road as you blast through a forest. Then, the road goes sharply uphill. Over the crest, get ready to start braking hard. Try to attack the inside here as well, with the yellow painted part of the road. Go deep inside and set yourself up for a series of undulating blind corners. Keep a steady and consistent line throughout these consecutive corners. The final of these consecutive corners is a sharp right-hand corner with plenty of banking inside. Graze the outside curbing if you exit this corner too wide. After a downhill dip, the road ahead leads to the Start/Finish straight. A sharp left follows that leads to the Start/Finish straight. This sharp left has some banking. The final corner is a chicane (which many people intentionally cut). But before you reach this chicane, the road progress downhill leading up to the chicane. Drive a good racing line to be able to properly set yourself up to clear this corner guilt-free. Try not to cut too far inside in either part of the chicane, especially not the second part of it. Otherwise, your car will seriously be on two wheels and be a bit unstable upon exit. Straighten the car out and make ready to take on another lap of Trial Mountain.

Here is a video lap of what I've tried to explain (from Gran Turismo 4):

--- Trial Mountain Over Time ---

These are some videos to showcase the evolution of Trial Mountain. Take a look:

Gran Turismo 1 and 2.

Trial Mountain in its original state wasn't as super-realistic in graphical quality.

Gran Turismo 3.

With PS2 power, the track has gotten an incredible dosage of beauty. Big mountains, many trees, lush forests, and many more natural aspects help shape the natural beauty of this outstanding race course. Even seeing the sunlight shine from the trees is a beautiful natural touch. Considering this is Gran Turismo 3, you will see many rich and beautiful colors to accentuate this course. See for yourself in this quick video:

Gran Turismo 4 and Tourist Trophy.

The biggest differences between GT4's Trial Mountain and GT3's Trial Mountain is the less-saturated colors as well as fewer lines on the roads. It feels and looks more like a proper circuit here. Here is a look at this track in both GT4 and Tourist Trophy:

Gran Turismo 5.

I am working on buying a PS3 and Gran Turismo 5 as of this initial blog post. So therefore, I am seeing this course for the first time under PS3 power. And to say, it seems like most of the natural character of Trial Mountain is mostly diminished. Almost as if Trial Mountain is much less natural between GT4 and GT5 much like how Deep Forest seems less natural between GT3 and GT4. On the other hand, some beautiful and scenic views are present in this version of Trial Mountain. One of the loveliest views is heading into the Start/Finish straight where a lake can be seen. See for yourself the differences. And by the way, I can NOT guarantee a Loch Ness monster sighting in this video:



Regardless, this is one race track that you just don't mess with or take lightly.

--- Just for Fun: What If Trial Mountain Were a Rally Course? ---

(added: September 14, 2011; formerly a post on "John's Blog Space")
Like Grand Valley Speedway and all the Special Stage Route courses, Trial Mountain is a staple of the Gran Turismo series. In Gran Turismo 1, you could race with the Subaru Impreza Rally Car. Ever wonder what Trial Mountain would be like if it were a rally course rather than a hellishly technical road course? Trial Mountain, is a technical road course nicely inspired by rally racing. It's a best-of-both-worlds course that has a rally feel to it than a traditional road course.

So a few questions:

• do you think Trial Mountain is better off as a rally course (meaning off-road... whether dirt or gravel)?
• would you race Trial Mountain if it were an off-road course rather than a road course?
• do you think racing there would be more exciting if it were an off-road course?

Comment away!





That concludes my look at Trial Mountain. It is a great racing challenge no matter if you race in a car or a motorcycle. Its elevation changes and snaking roads make this an extremely difficult stretch of road to take lightly. The track isn't extremely beautiful, but it is very much a deceptive and vastly imposing course. Its challenge is incredible. Thank you for reading! Race on, friends!

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