..out of the dark

I am delighted to confirm that a new functionality update has been made to Gran Turismo 5, which in addition to a number of other enhancements, means that Gran Turismo is now playable from a web browser!

The main features of the update are as below:

1. Remote racing between friends to level up drivers

You can now set the AI drivers you created for B Spec in Gran Turismo 5 to be shared online, and you can host fully automated B Spec races (Remote races) that will grant rewards and experience.

You can either watch the live broadcast of the remote race, or save it to watch later. In B Spec mode the player is the director of a racing team, working to level up your very own AI Drivers.

The races are driven by AI Drivers against each other, and the player does not have to drive the car themselves.

This is a unique racing strategy simulation mode of Gran Turismo that allows you to enjoy races as you would in a live race broadcast on TV.

2. Supporting Remote Racing from the web browser

In “Remote Races” you can log in to the official “gran-turismo.com” website using a standard web browser, to start races, monitor its progress and check the results.

This creates a new playing style that allows you to play “Gran Turismo Anywhere”.

3. Tracks made in the Course Maker can now be used online

You can now use tracks created in the “Course Maker”; Gran Turismo 5′s original course creation tool, in online head to head races (In the open lobby and my lounge).

You can also automatically generate a new course right on the spot.

4. Car rental system among friends

You can now rent cars that are set to be shared online by your friends.

This allows you to co-operate with your friends to advance in the game, loaning or borrowing cars you need amongst each other in addition to those you have acquired on your own.

5. Multi-monitor display compatibility

It is now possible to connect multiple PlayStation 3‘s and multiple monitors to create an ultra high resolution, wide angle playing view.

By operating up to five PlayStation 3′s connected by LAN in parallel, it is possible to create a field of view that covers up to 180 degrees.

We hope that you enjoy these fantastic new features!

There’s sure to be more developments to Gran Turismo so keep checking back on PlayStation Blog and gran-turismo.com for more news.

So to sum up - one of these had to do with the actual driving simulator. That you can now use courses from the custom track designer online. Which obviously is great for running tarmac races or dirt-tracks that are few and uninteresting in the track-selection already there. But the reason why it's there at all seems suspiciously likely to have been connected to the module specifically made for SCEA's "GT Academy" promotion effort.

The rest had to do with:
1. Sony's recent re-reinitialisation of the "web integration" and "platformless games".
2. TV tech and demo-work.
3. Watching the game play by itself.

Or, in other words, features that branding managers and marketing folks use as tools to sell the game to the public at events and so on.

Meanwhile, the patch contained a large amount of other new features and improvements. More sensitive controls for the sixaxis towards the end of the thumbsticks (a more bent curve for the acceleration and braking, making it easier to drive faster without driving aids). Massively improved menu-interface speeds. Introduction of PP, or Power Points, which makes it easier to match cars in an online race. Slightly softer and more interesting weight-transfer animations when in the cockpit view. Better UI during the races, etc.

These are all things that have been talked a bit about around in different places, whether it's on Sony's official boards, or with online "racing leagues" around the net. But in the end it was Polyphony's vision for the game that was enhanced, making the product a much more enjoyable and better experience overall. Unlike the other features, these improvements are great news for everyone who actually play the game. And it would increase the appeal of the game that the game now plays even better than it did.

At the same time - none of the features Sony decided to focus on are trivial to produce, or uninteresting from a certain point of view. Such as for each of the branding managers in the major departments. But for us who play the games, how interesting are they, really? Maybe if I know four others with about identical tvs on their ps3s, we can spend a few days playing the game or something. But really, they're not interesting at all.