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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Rome Circuit (Classic)

While the ancient Romans had the Circus Maximus where contests of speed were contested among chariots, modern racers battle on the streets of Rome in modern horseless carriages at Rome Circuit. This track in Gran Turismo 2 and Gran Turismo 3 is one of the finest racing courses in any Gran Turismo game as well as being one of the finest city courses in GT history. It has a Grand Prix racing feel with its unique rhythm and style. Rome Circuit bears significance in the Gran Turismo series as it was the first GT track in a real-world location. I at least say it's the first because I seen it first featured in a Gran Turismo 2 demo. A key part of racing this course involves racing around the Roman Colosseum. In Gran Turismo 2, the "Millenium in Rome 2 Hour" event takes you around the streets of Rome, Italy for an intense endurance around lovely Rome. The same two-hour endurance would return for Gran Turismo 3, but that would be a proper timed endurance. With this look at Rome Circuit, I provide this blog post.

This blog post ONLY concerns Rome Circuit, not the Rome Short Course, not the Rome-Night course, and not Rome Circuit in Gran Turismo 5 (which I will refer to as "Neo-Rome Circuit"). That's why I am using "Rome Circuit-Classic" to describe this course apart from the GT5 variant.

--- Rome Circuit-Classic ---

As gladiators of old battled at the Colosseum many centuries ago, modern warriors battle on the streets of Rome in this classic course.

From the very first corner, its Grand Prix-type character shows itself in its layout. A series of sweeping corners start off the first portions of Rome Circuit. As you go uphill heading into the Colosseum, you'll need to start thinking about braking in what feels like a double-apex corner. A speedy section follows and leads into a very slow right-hand corner. The next corner after a slight uphill climb is a slightly less sharp right-hand corner. A fairly sharp left-hand corner follows going downhill. This left leads to a sweeping right that decreases in radius and bends left as part of a backstretch run. After a quick left kink, a sharp and wide right follows.

This track was designed for great high-level racing. Everything from touring cars to GT and even formula-type racing can be enjoyed at this wonderful course. It will test your handling limits for the most part with its many rhythm-based sections. Can you tame this great course?

--- Rome Circuit-Classic: Videos ---

Here is some video insight into the classic Rome Circuit in Gran Turismos 2 and 3.

Gran Turismo 2.

(WARNING: This video was recorded at a loud volume. Turn down your volume or mute the volume.)

Gran Turismo 3.

Gran Turismo 3's version features better graphics and even various road surfaces, allowing for a more realistic representation of Rome. The course is featured on a partly cloudy day for both the Normal and Reverse variants.







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Kart Space

Kart Space is one of the newest tracks for Gran Turismo 5. It is a neon-lit racing facility meant for kart racing. This would a dream kart track for a family fun center with its appeal and charm. However, it is also a menacing Gran Turismo challenge. It is one of the first tracks offered as downloadable content for Gran Turismo 5 gamers along with Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This is a small track that can still be driven quite hard.

This blog post is a look at Kart Space for Gran Turismo 5. And by the way, I'm pretty sure "Kart Space" was NOT named in honor of or inspired by "John's Gran Turismo Space!" :) ...but it would be pretty cool if it was, though. ^_^

--- Kart Space ---

Normally, I'd have a track layout to show you to start. However (and since I don't have any downloadable content (DLC)), these are just pictures of what Kart Space is like:


^ Don't let the simplicity of Kart Space knock you out of orbit.


^ Lights, colors, and speed- Kart Space is a neon-lit paradise providing an experience unlike any past Gran Turismo course has ever provided.

Kart Space has two layouts. It comes across as the kind of track you'd expect to see in some arcade racing title or in some children's racing game. It has a beautiful showcase of lights and colors to make it incredibly attractive. As a racing track, this is a course that is very much made for karting. However, it can also be driven hard enough for the most aggressive of GT racers in almost any machine. This course is only very difficult if you're trying to race this track aggressively without committing an error that gets your time disallowed.

Kart Space I.

Kart Space 1 is a 0.48-mile thrill ride for karts. The first two corners are both sharp. Turn 1 comes up as a sharp right. You go over a checker-painted crest into an equally sharp Turn 2. But this time, it's a sharp left. The track goes downhill a bit to set you up for the smooth right at Turn 3. As you exit, a sharp right-hander approaches. A good attack will give you great speed heading into the banked carousel. You won't need to do any braking going through the carousel. After clearing the carousel, all you need is good throttle usage to power your way to the finish line with the final three corners. All of them are fairly smooth and are right-handed corners.

Kart Space II.

Kart Space 2 does away with the first three corners of Kart Space 1. It is almost essentially like a mini Indianapolis Motor Speedway but with the Kart Space carousel. Take the first two corners almost like you would at Indy's superspeedway layout. The rest of the course should be taken like you would if you were racing Kart Space 1.


Here are a couple of videos showing the two layouts (thanks to the channels who allowed for embedding of their videos):

^ Kart Space I


^ Kart Space II


Cool track, huh?





It's been a while since I've done any Race Track posts. Most of my delay in making posts for JGTS lies in YouTube video projects I'm working on as well as more blog posts for this blog on various other subjects related to the Gran Turismo series. So don't ever think that my blog is dead.

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High Speed Ring

(UPDATED: April 11, 2012)

Shaped like Fuji Speedway of the '90s and run in reverse, High Speed Ring is the first challenge for most Gran Turismo racers. This track was very simple to learn while also enjoying high speed racing. High Speed Ring has appeared in every major Gran Turismo game except Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec. The first two Gran Turismo titles featured this track as a high-speed road racing playground. It was simple in nature and great fun for beginners to learn racing in Gran Turismo. This blog post takes a look at High Speed Ring.

--- High Speed Ring ---

^ (picture from Gran Turismo 2)

High Speed Ring is perhaps the simplest track to learn in the Gran Turismo series.

High Speed Ring.

High Speed Ring is not hard to figure out. The only real challenging areas are the S-bend and the final section. The rest of the track is essentially hammer-down fun. In the reverse direction, however, you are faced with this track's toughest sections first. You exit the tunnel being faced with the tough S-Bend. Once it is cleared in the reverse direction, the rest of the track is a high-speed ride to the finish with minimal or no braking. In fact, the reverse configuration of High Speed Ring is Polyphony Digital's imagination of the old Fuji (after Hermann Tilke decided to make the track more like stop-and-go traffic than the high-speed road course it was in the past). Even through the Gran Turismo titles, this track still remains great fun to race in almost any car.


Here is a look at High Speed Ring over the past major GTs.

High Speed Ring: GT1 and GT2.

This was the High Speed Ring as many Gran Turismo gamers were about to be accustomed to. The banking makes this track ride more like an oval. There were some trees and some grandstands to one side. There were a few extra banked corners, especially as you headed into the S-Bend. You had to attack the corners hard, and the banking helped you do just that. Another high-speed blast followed with trees on either side of the road. The final corner had some sufficient banking. A strong entry set you up for a strong finish. It was tough to imagine pit road where it was. Then too, you didn't have to pit here since there was no endurance of any kind here.

High Speed Ring: GT4.

(dry video)

For GT4, High Speed Ring got a serious makeover. No more is there a close wall on the outside on the front stretch. Instead, this track feels more like (no disrespect) a proper circuit. You're still going to pay dearly if you drive on the grass on the outside. The banking in the first corner is still fairly unchanged. The rest of the track, however, has changed drastically in appearance and in flow. Between the second corner and the S-Bend used to be just straight road with some grandstands on the outside. For GT4, there is now a short bridge you cross over water leading into a significantly less banked S-Bend. The banking is less dramatic in GT4's version of High Speed Ring compared to the first two iterations. There was much more forest coming out of the tunnel in GT1 and GT2's versions. In GT4, however, there is a big hill on the outside and a dip in the earth on the inside. Personally, I find the pit entrance to GT4's version of High Speed Ring to be much more useful and realistic than in GT1 and GT2's versions. The negative to this, however, is that you don't have as much inside to use to carve into the corner. You probably don't need so much anyways since you can still ride the far outside or middle groove to clear this corner safely. As a whole, High Speed Ring in GT4 looks and feels more like a proper circuit than GT1 and GT2 provided.

This track looks the same for Gran Turismo PSP.

High-Speed Ring: GT5 Prologue and GT5.

(dry video)

(wet video)

The beauty of GT5 is that this track can be raced on in the rain. This track looks even more like a proper Grand Prix racing facility with the various facilities around the track. There are now grandstands on the far inside heading into Turn 1. Turn 2 has some extra grandstands as well. Anyone who has played or seen this track in GT5 knows there is now much more water to cross along with a second bridge. The bridge that makes up the actual race track is now a nice looking, cable-stayed bridge. The water view is spectacular and even more so in replays. Its challenge heading into the S-Bend, however, is unchanged from GT4. The tunnel is a bit more fancy now compared to GT4. The entrance to pit road is after the tunnel now, and to the outside, there are more grandstands. What was a dip in the earth on the inside is no more. More hills and trees make up the far inside heading into the final corner. This course is infinitely more beautiful than ever.





This is a classic facility in Gran Turismo lore. Enjoy your racing to the max when you challenge High Speed Ring!

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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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London

In light of the London 2012 Olympic Summer Games, I figured I would blog to my Gran Turismo fans about London. This is the first-ever real British venue of any kind in Gran Turismo history. This compact 1.19-mile (1.92-kilometer) course debuted in "Gran Turismo 5: Prologue" and is a decent challenge for any GT gamer. How about we take a look at this course in this fabulous city? Welcome [back(?)] to "John's Gran Turismo Space!"

--- London ---

The streets of London are for you to race on in Gran Turismo 5. Being so compact in length, there are not many opportunities to enjoy full-speed racing or not many places to go crazy drifting. What you WILL get is quite a workout on a mostly narrow course. Courses that are so short means that you will need to make your passes and your moves in a short amount of time to have a chance to win. The fastest of cars will be able to quickly breeze through this course. A course like this would suit mostly peppy compacts, touring cars, and low-level GT-spec cars.

One-Lap Description.

London begins abruptly. Maybe not as abrupt as Tokyo R246, but worse (in my opinion). You are blasting down the front stretch on A401 or Shaftesbury Avenue in London as you approach the abrupt hairpin. The very first corner is a super-tight right-hand hairpin. The following road features a very long right-left chicane followed by a somewhat sharp right-hand kink. A moderately sharp and long right-hand corner follows as Trafalgar Square is to your right. After that is a brief straight that follows into a tight right-left-right complex. If you are a drifter, this is a great complex of corners to get sideways with your car. The first right is really just a sharp kink with the Sandwich Centre to your left, and the next two corners are tight 90 corners- a 90 left followed by a 90 right. Blast down Regent Street to prepare to take on the final set of corners. The final corner has two parts to it- the corner itself, followed by a quick and tight left-right chicane. Take this final section just right, then set up a proper racing line so you can negotiate the quick chicane that follows. All that remains is a road that bends to the right leading to the Start/Finish line.

Video Lap.

Gain some video perspective of racing London by looking at this video (click on the link if you are unable to view Flash):


^ "Lap of London in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue"


Now you have some ideas and perspectives about racing London.





London has become one of my favorite cities in the world recently. I usually liked New York City, Paris, and Tokyo; but London is becoming one of my newer favorite cities in the world. Salute to any of you all from London who may be reading this post. Thank you 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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Circuito de la Sierra

At 16.78 miles (27 km), Circuito de la Sierra is the longest original course based on a real-world location in Gran Turismo history. It isn't the longest original course, however; that honor goes to the 18.82 mile (30.283 km) Special Stage Route X. Circuito de la Sierra is a trip around the Spanish countryside of Andalusia whose length surpasses the 15.76-mile (25.36 km) Nürburgring 24H course by a full mile. The Spanish countryside is the vista as you take your favorite cars in Gran Turismo 6 to take on the many twists and turns of this intense course. This blog post takes a look at this fine Spanish course in Gran Turismo 6.

--- Circuito de la Sierra ---

While it is not the first original course to go longer than 10 miles, it is one of the more challenging courses for its many twists and turns. You can practice and learn this massive course by taking part in the Sierra Time Rally. Learn the course in a piece-by-piece manner. Or if you so incline, try out the full-length challenge with a car given to you. No matter what, this is an entertaining country road course.

Video Preview.

Here is a preview of this course from my friends over on GTPlanet. It is also a sample of the Sierra Time Rally:


^ Gran Turismo 6: Sierra Time Rally HD Gameplay

In the future, I may highlight on the Sierra Time Rally. For now, this post is just a casual look at Circuito de la Sierra. The only advice I would offer is for you to always be attentive and alert for quick bends and undulations in the road to smoothly race this course. Considering the road undulates a lot here, it's obvious you will need a good suspension and handling setup to take on these roads.

I personally like this track. It is a very fun country road race. It can be great for casual drives or having your own country road rallies kind of like the Targa Florio or the Mille Miglia. This is a very long course that is quite fun to race to me. I could never enjoy racing the Nürburgring courses that use the 12+ mile Nordschleife. And normally, I am not into stupidly long courses. However, Circuito de la Sierra hits in a special way to me. Be sure to enjoy taking on every bit of Circuito de la Sierra.





That's it for this blog post. And again, I may discuss the Sierra Time Rally in a future blog post here on "John's Race Space." I hope you enjoy racing this course and the challenges to Circuito de la Sierra. Thank you so much for reading! Take care and be well.

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Complex String

Complex String is 40 turns and 6.981 miles (11.235 kilometers) of madness. This original racing track will push you and your car to the limit with its various corners and sections. Most of your time here will be spent from the GT3 license tests. You also use this as a test track and as a Time Trial course in GT3 from GT3's Arcade Mode. The most important thing to remember about Complex String is that while it is not a proper race track, it is a very good test track. The blog post you are about to read is my look at Complex String.

--- Complex String ---

Complex String is practical in that it has a pit lane. It is impractical, however, in that this track is more of a test track than a proper racing facility. There are also no grandstands. Laps will be long since this track is long with so many corners. Expect lap times around 5:00.000 to 5:30.000 times in the faster cars. A formula car would lap this course in the 4:40.000 to 4:50.000 range. No matter what you bring here, you will be using this track to test your car's speed and handling capabilities. You also will be using this track to hone your racing skills. So do not overlook this track for testing purposes.

Track Description.

This track can be broken down into five key segments. Let me do so:

• straight and hairpin - front straight with a sharp hairpin.
• chicane alley - slalom-like section.
• right angle row - multiple 90 corners.
• "The Snake" - increasing and decreasing radius corners in succession.
• Corkscrew Lane - chicane section on undulating roads.

When you start a lap at Complex String, your car will quickly climb up to or near its top speed. You then will need to slow it all the way down approaching the hairpin. The next part of the course is a series of chicanes. You practiced this section previously in GT3's license tests. This section is more like a high-speed slalom. Try to find an even balance of speed and handling while not overstepping either boundary. After a quick left-hand corner, a series of right-angle turns follow. Most critical in this stretch of corners is to try to find the quickest line around some gut-wrenching corners. This part of Complex String can be great for practicing dealing with sharp corners on city/street courses. A sharp right that increases in radius upon exit follows after the series of right angle corners. After that is The Snake. This part of the track will drive you nuts as the radius of each corner increases and decreases all the way around. The radii grows greater as you progress through this section. The radii shrinks as you race this course in reverse. The final critical section includes a series of undulating corners. Here, the road goes uphill and downhill, and the corners are almost completely blind. You will need to practice hitting the apexes and driving a consistent line all around. A very sharp left hairpin follows and leads to a brief straight. This brief straight leads to a left-hand kink and two sharp rights in succession. Floor the gas until you meet the sharp right-left chicane. Finally, a very long double-apex right-hand corner leads onto the Start/Finish straight. Continue the madness with another lap around Complex String after crossing the line.

Video Preview.

This almost seven-mile purgatory is showcased in this video lap:


^ "Gran Turismo 3 - Complex String Lap "

Complex String is perhaps the best track in GT3 to test every performance category of your car.





You have now reached the end of another blog post on "John's Gran Turismo Space." Thank you for reading!

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Tahiti Road

Paradise for Gran Turismo fans is Tahiti in French Polynesia. The road racing version of paradise was Tahiti Road. This course was a fairly simple romp around the island with very few challenging corners. It is a very beginner-friendly racing course that yields high speed thrills with only smooth corners. Of all the corners, only one requires heavy braking. The rest of the course is just smooth sailing for the most part. This blog post is my introduction to Tahiti Road. It's a one-hit-wonder, having only been in Gran Turismo 2.

--- Tahiti Road ---

Welcome to paradise:

French Polynesia's most popular island is your paradise of speed in Gran Turismo 2.

In my view, it was strange not to include a proper French venue. It was smart, however, to include Tahiti. Tahiti is the most popular of the islands which comprise French Polynesia. So therefore, it's smart that French Polynesia was featured to represent France. Tahiti Road is used as the site of the French Nationals in Gran Turismo 2. The thing that still spellbounds me is... Gran Turismo has featured Tahiti, but NEVER any Australian or New Zealand venues. That doesn't sound right.

One-Lap Description.

The track itself is nothing too challenging. If anything, a car with a poor suspension setup will find it difficult to go around this track. The first three corners are a smooth set of uphill right-left-right corners. The road from Intermediate 1 to Intermediate 2 is a chicane followed by a sharp right. As you enter the chicane, the road dips downward and has a little banking as you make the right-hand corner followed by an uphill left to complete this chicane. The sharp right hander does not really require braking- just good throttle control is just as effective as braking here. Heading into Intermediate 2, the road ahead is a very long sweeping left that leads to the toughest corner on the entire track- a very sharp right-hand corner. There are NO turn markers to help you here, so you'll need to properly judge your distance to attack the corner properly. After this decisive turn is a straight leading to Intermediate 3. An uphill left-hand kink is connected to an uphill right-hand kink. Once you go over the crest of the right-hand kink, you get a glimpse of the final corner. All you need to do here is left off the throttle and steer hard to the right. This track is all about speed. Perhaps not Test Course or Super Speedway speed, but you'll only have to do so much braking if you are in a very fast car or a powerful race car. It is very simple to learn your way around this high-speed paradise.

Video Demonstration.

Here is a video lap of this course. I must warn you- you may need to turn down the volume:






You know, I really think it's a shame this track hasn't returned for any other tours of duty. The only Tahiti action you'll get in future GTs is on the two rally courses. This track is actually quite fun. I often imagine how this would look and ride in future GT titles, and perhaps even if this was in Tourist Trophy. Yeah. Tahiti Road. Give her a try and enjoy paradise!

Thank you for reading!

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Special Stage Route 11 (GT1 Version)

Gran Turismo 1's ultimate challenge besides Grand Valley was Special Stage Route 11. It was a long race course that dared test you to go fast around the tricky city streets and highways properly while trying to stay away from those walls. GT1's Special Stage Route 11 challenge involved going underneath the Start/Finish highway to take on a tricky bus stop chicane. Because GT1's version of SSR11 is different from GT3's version, this blog post ONLY focuses on the GT1 version of this course.

--- Special Stage Route 11 (GT1 Version) ---

Special Stage Route 11 is below:

^ from: gtplanet.net, by way of holomedia.com

The highways and streets of Special Stage Route 11 are the ultimate challenge outside of Grand Valley. You are in for quite a fight when you race here.

(Thanks to a loyal reader for correcting this error for me)

This is a race track for primetime performers. The action happens during blue hour- the sun has gone down, but the skies aren't totally dark. The city opens itself to a nighttime festival of speed that Special Stage Route 5 has absolutely NOTHING on. The corners are slow. The speeds are fast. This is a no-holds-barred street fight. How do you attack the course? Do you go all out by going with aggressive powerslides? Do you try to race this professionally and properly? Or... do you combine (but not compromise) both styles? SSR11 is meant for the Gran Turismo adept. Go hard or go home.

One-Lap Description.

The journey begins down the long front stretch. No braking is needed for the right-hand kink that follows, but the sharp right-hander surely requires some braking when you get somewhere between the 100-meter and 50-meter mark. Depending on how fast your car is, you may or may not have to brake heading into the chicane. You can just let off the throttle somewhat. The next two corners are 90 corners with the same level of challenge. It's best to aggressively slide through the corners rather than try to attack the very inside. In fact, this course's design basically makes you try to attack the corners using powersliding. Get up to speed after the second 90 corner because up next is a sharp right-hand hairpin. Go for an aggressive slide or try to attack the very inside mid-turn. Up next is a trip under the Start/Finish highway. It begins with a dip in the road that does not require braking. The second little section may require some braking just to keep the car straight and away from the walls. When you're under the highway, the bus stop chicane awaits, and it can mean the difference between a fast lap time and a slow one. If you misjudge the speed and distance for which to enter and exit the section, your lap time will suffer. You may lose several positions if in a race (or have your leading margin shrink if leading the race. So be absolutely careful here. The best advice I can recommend is to avoid being overaggressive- just take the corner professionally without trying to do any drifting. You go uphill from the Start/Finish highway into a left-hand kink followed by a right-hand kink. Two straight sharp corners are next- a sharp right connected to a sharp left. Powerslide through the right-hand corner and then attack the very inside of the following corner. What follows is a smooth left that has a little banking to it. Outside-inside is the way to go. Swing outwards on entry and hug the inside without getting too friendly with the inside wall. Take the right-hand bend at full speed and cross the bridge into another critical part of the track. Think ahead because once you go over the crest of the bridge, you'll have only seconds to think about how to attack the hairpin. Your car will be off-balance heading into the turn because the hairpin is linked to a brief left-hand kink when entering the tunnel. Try to drift here, and you'll probably see your car get spun out. Get up to speed quickly so you can take on the two sharp left-hand corners out of the tunnel. You can take on both of them individually, or you can aggressively slide to treat both sections as one big corner. Get up to speed a little bit so you can take on the final hairpin on the track. Next, go full speed down the industrial section as you blast down backstretch into the final chicane. The chicane is very blind and dark. Therefore, you will need to attack quickly and carefully to avoid losing too much time. Get up to speed again to take on the long uphill right-hand corner that leads to the Start/Finish line. The laps may be the longest here, but this track is not impossible to tame.

Video Lap.

This video demonstrates a lap of Special Stage Route 11 (GT1) after attempting to describe one lap around SSR11:






Thank you for reading! A post on GT3's version of SSR11 may be in the future. I really need to post more often for this blog to keep it fresh. If you want to offer suggestions, you may either email me directly or post suggestions to my Facebook fan page.

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Ice Arena

The Ice Arena in GT4 is a simplistic race course at 0.64 miles (1.03 kilometers) in length. You can think of this as a course to practice racing on snow/ice. Gran Turismo 4 debuted snow and ice racing. While Ice Arena is nothing exciting, it is still a more than decent challenge to any rally racer in GT. Most people will probably agree that this course is MUCH easier among snow/ice courses than Chamonix in GT4. This post takes a look at the Ice Arena.

--- Ice Arena ---

Ice Arena is one of only two snow/ice courses in Gran Turismo 4. This course is a fairly basic course allowing you to get a feel for racing on icy/snowy roads. None of the corners are terribly difficult as you take on this course. Only thing you have to have are Snow Tires to race this course. Use Ice Arena to practice your snow racing skills because you'll need them for races at Ice Arena as well as at Chamonix.

One-Lap Description.

You begin on a sweeping long right straight. A fairly high snow bank is inside to your left along with a high snow bank on your right. Try to get a good slide into this corner as its radius expands as you go throught it. Get ready to take on a sharp right followed by a fairly sharp left. Then, get ready for the right-hand sweeper that leads into the first of two straight hairpins. The first on is a sharp left hairpin that has to be taken very carefully. After a brief straight, take on the right-hand hairpin with about a similar radius as the other hairpin. What follows is a sharp left-hand corner. While it is sharp, the road is fairly wide, so you can slide nicely without having to worry about not being able to cleanly escape this corner. A long and sweeping left follows. The final two corners leading to the Start/Finish line consist of a sharp right and a not-so-sharp left. Clear this section, and you'll be more than set to take on another lap around Ice Arena.

Video Lap.

Here is a lap around Ice Arena:


^ "Mr P WRS 111 @ Ice Arena"

Now that you've seen the course and read the post, go get sideways around Ice Arena!





This has been another JGTS post regarding a track in a Gran Turismo. Thank you for reading!

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Circuito di Roma

The city of Rome returns for Gran Turismo 5, but in a new form. This 2.16-mile (3.48-kilometer) new Rome Circuit features some more narrow roads and some more elevation changes than the previous Rome Circuit from GT2 and GT3. Get ready for an experience different from the Rome Circuit you may have raced previously. This blog post highlights on what I like to call Neo-Rome (or Nuovo Rome).

--- Rome Circuit (GT5 Version) ---

The Rome Circuit in GT5 (which I call Neo-Rome) takes on a different character than the classic Rome course. Whereas the old Rome Circuit was a technical course worthy of Grand Prix motor racing, GT5's Rome Circuit features more elevation changes and tighter corners than the original course. You are actually racing parts of the classic Rome Circuit when you race in the Normal direction. You still race around the famed Roman Colosseum. What makes this course drastically different from the original Rome Circuit is that GT5's Rome Circuit is more narrow than the classic course. It also boasts more technical corners as well as much more blind sections than the Rome in GT2 and GT3. When you race this track in the Reverse direction, the backstretch leading to the Colosseum is really reminiscent of the trail around the classic Rome Circuit.

According to the Gran Turismo Wikia page, GT5's Rome Circuit utilizes both the classic Rome Circuit (Start/Finish to Turn 4) and the Rome-Night course (Turns 5 through 9) from Gran Turismo 2. Personally, I prefer the classic Rome Circuit. It has more character and is tougher (not to say GT5's Rome is easy by any stretch).

One-Lap Description.

Now a one-lap description. The Colosseum is to your right as you go down the front stretch. You head into a smooth left-right chicane. Halfway through this chicane, prepare to brake hard to set yourself up for two right-hand corners. Actually, this section is more like one very long double apex corner. The proper exit will set you up to go downhill into a fast left-hander. At this section, you'll be going to the far outside as you bank your way inside. What follows is a very sharp right-hand corner. Heavy braking is required to prevent your car from kissing the wall head-on. You'll need to release the brakes briefly before braking moderately mid-turn. A proper exit gives you the best chance to power out of that sharp corner to go full speed down the backstretch. This is the same backstretch in the road leading up to the Colosseum of the classic Rome Circuit. The road ahead will slightly bank to the right and go downhill. As you head downhill, this gives you the best chance to use your car's momentum to properly attack the trickiest corner on the track. A blind left-right chicane with a very sharp right turn follows as you head downhill. Brake hard through the chicane and power out of the corner through the sharp right-hand corner. What follows is a smooth right-hand corner that goes progressively uphill. Before a left-hand corner follows, some moderate braking is needed to keep the car stable. That left-hand corner follows a downhill progression followed by another double apex right-hand corner. Try to keep the car from overstepping the curbing and the white lines on the outside as you navigate this section. Should you survive this, all that remains is a full-throttle run to the Start/Finish line.

Considering the abruptness of the corners and the elevation changes throughout, this is a track that favors a good suspension setup. A setup that allows for efficient use of the tires and suspension. I think a balanced setup for transmission is more than appropriate here. Acceleration is a big key in speed, but this track doesn't require a setting like (for example) Cote d'Azur, where you have stop-and-go driving all the way around. So I would consider a setup that allows for good handling, a smooth ride around the various elevation changes, and with a transmission setup that allows you to properly power through some of the low-speed corners.

Video Lap.

Here is a video lap around GT5's Rome Circuit:


^ "Gran Turismo 5 - Audi R8 5.2 FSI Chrome Line on Rome"

I still think there should be two Rome Circuits in GT5- this one and the classic course. The chances we'll see the classic Rome Circuit is pretty unlikely, but wouldn't you love to see it make a come back?





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Rome-Night

Rome-Night in Gran Turismo 2 is the ultimate example of a perfectly fine track not being utilized. In no way is this track sacred. Its problem lies in just not being utilized in GT2. You know you have to use this course in a Gran Turismo 2 Super License test. Other than that, there are very little ways this track is utilized in-game. So get ready to read this post about this under-utilized course.

--- Rome-Night ---

^ Rome-Night is one of the most seldom-used race tracks in Gran Turismo history. Because you don't use this track consistently, it is perfectly fine not to know the first thing about tackling this track.

For reasons I am unsure of, this course is seldom utilized in Gran Turismo 2. I thought the point of including certain tracks was for them to be utilized and raced on competitively. You could argue about Motor Sport Land not being used much for anything. However, nothing about Rome-Night suggests this course is sacred or special.

One-Lap Description.

Your tour of Rome-Night begins on the front straight with a river to your left. Two smooth right corners await you as you enter the city after going below a bridge. Keep to the inside through this section. After going under another bridge, a sharp left kink awaits you. That's followed by another left kink and then a right-hand kink. A brief straight follows into a somewhat sharp right-hand kink. After this final kink, a long and smooth right-hand corner leads to the backstretch. As you go down the backstretch, there is an uphill progression. Be ready to start braking hard as the cross under the Texaco sign at the top of the hill. This is because the road goes downhill into a sharp right-left complex. Brake somewhat hard at the sharp right-hand kink to set yourself up for the sharp left-hand kink that follows. Go too far inside the left-hand kink, and your car will tag the inside barrier hard. So be careful here! A series of three right-hand corners await you next. The first of these three rights is the sharpest. The other two just require minimal braking while establishing a solid racing line. You're going uphill again as you head into a blind, yet smooth left-hand corner. A trip downhill leads to an uphill right-hand corner. You start to go uphill as the road smoothly shifts to the right. Then as you head beyond the crest of the hill, a left-hand hairpin awaits. Heavy braking is required here. Try to go far inside while staying in-bounds. Graze some curbing on the inside if you can. The road after the hairpin shifts to the right and is followed by a left-hand corner that requires some moderate braking. Be careful trying not to tag the outside wall as you try to clear this corner. A fairly long straight leads to the entrance to Pit Road and the final two corners- both right-hand corners. The first one could be taken without lifting off the throttle. You may enter the pits after this smooth right, or you could take on the final corner. You'd better brake hard in the final corner because it comes up incredibly sharp. Floor the gas as you exit the final corner to complete one lap of Rome-Night.

Video Lap.

Here is one video lap of this course I just described:


^ "Thurzo_FTO LM Race Car @Rome Night"

--- Commentary on Rome-Night ---

(taken from a "John's Blog Space" entry)

This is one of the most underutilized tracks in Gran Turismo history simply because a perfectly-fine track simply isn't being used much. When you put a track in a racing game, you expect to be able to utilize that course fully (or at least to a great degree). Gran Turismo 2 did very little with the exception of using this in a license test. And it isn't like this course is Circuit de la Sarthe or Indianapolis. It's a city street course that looks perfectly fine as a racing venue. Trouble is, it was never used or utilized in a favorable manner. It's actually quite depressing considering this is a perfectly fine and pretty challenging race course. It was just never utilized to where it can be respected. Hell, even Rome's SHORT course got more attention than Rome-Night. It makes you wonder, why would Polyphony Digital include a perfectly-fine racing course, but not put a series of races together to race this course? It's a shortcoming that I'm sure PD has learned in putting tracks in games.

If you're going to have a track in the game, make sure to utilize it fully. Gran Turismo 2 has too many shortcomings that really make it my least favorite of the GT games. People are likely going to disagree with me all because I didn't praise GT2 well enough. Fact is- too much failed execution to really make me love this game more than Gran Turismo 1. I even went back and enjoyed GT1 even while GT2 could have been MUCH better. I'm saying all of this as a Gran Turismo fan. I'm not some Microsoft "fanboy" who works for Microsoft hating on Gran Turismo any chance I get.

If you're going to market a game with a series of tracks, make sure to utilze all of them and give them the loving attention they deserve. Not utilizing Rome-Night is like not giving a plant abundant sunshine or water. You know what happens when plants lack sunshine or water? They die, and Rome-Night is just that dead plant in the pot. And it isn't likely any water or sunshine will revive this dead plant of a track for the upcoming Gran Turismo 5. So enjoy this track while it remotely lasts in Gran Turismo history...





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