Gran Turismo 4 Online

Infobox VG
title = Gran Turismo 4 Online test version


developer = Polyphony Digital
publisher = Sony Computer Entertainment
designer = Kazunori Yamauchi
series = "Gran Turismo"
engine = Gran Turismo 4
released = vgrelease|JP=June 1, 2006
genre = Racing
modes = Single-player, online multiplayer
ratings = vgratings|CERO=A
platforms = PlayStation 2
media = 1 DVD-ROM (dual layer)
requirements =
input = Dual Shock 2, GT Force, Driving Force, Driving Force Pro

"Gran Turismo 4 Online test version" (グランツーリスモ 4 オンライン実験バージョン, "guran tsūrisumo 4 onlain jīken bāshyon") is a free 2006 PlayStation 2 game by Polyphony Digital.

Gran Turismo 4

This is a limited edition of the 2004/2005 racing game "Gran Turismo 4" ("GT4") featuring extra online services that were removed from the standard game due to some issues and a lack of time as the game had been delayed several times.

Selecting the extra "Online" mode leads to the "Online Home" that features additional game modes, "Quick Race", "Tuned Car Race", "Private Race" (that requires a password) and "Time Attack". "News" inform about the availability for the online courses or special events, with limited date and time.

Public online services ended on September 1, 2006.

5,000 Test Players

This public beta for "Gran Turismo 4 Online" ("GT4OL") was freely shipped to 4,700 selected "GranTurismo.com" members from Japan [ [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/gt4ol/ Gran Turismo 4 Online official website] ] and 300 from South Korea to collaborate as "test players" [ [http://www.paperboots.net/index.php/2006/07/08/gt4-online-starts/ "GT4 Online Beta 본격 시동" Jinoopan, July 8, 2006] ] .

Online services lasted three months from June 1 to September 1 2006 and included 6-player "Competition" (対戦, "taisen"), Time Trial, chat (mail message and microphone communication), and an Internet ranking chart was available in the game's website. [ [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/gt4ol/ Gran Turismo 4 Online official website] ] .

This test was not intended to precede a "Gran Turismo 4 Online" full scale release but instead to be used as a way to develop and test online features and structures for the upcoming "Gran Turismo 5" on the PlayStation 3 system.

Top Racer Battle

Besides the 5,000 test players, seven special guests were invited to test Gran Turismo 4 Online.

First, a special event named "Top Racer Battle" (トップレーサーBATTLE) was staged in the Polyphony Digital headquarters in August 17. Six drivers from the JGTC Japanese championship entered the game's online multiplayer "Competition" mode: [ [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/sp/d277.html "Top Racer Battle" event in the game's official website] ]
*flagicon|Japan Satoshi Motoyama (本山哲)
*flagicon|Japan Yuji Ide (井出有治)
*flagicon|Japan Daisuke Itoh (伊藤大輔)
*flagicon|Japan Naoki Hattori (服部尚貴)
*flagicon|Japan Ryo Michigami (道上 龍)
*flagicon|Germany Michael KrummMotoyama won the test round, a 5-lap Fuji Speedway 2005 race with the drivers' respective JGTC GT500 cars. The actual Top Racer Battle though, a 10-lap Tsukuba Circuit one make race onboard a Mazda Roadster 1600 NR-A '04, was won by Ryo Michigami.

Later from August 25 to September 5 2006, Kazunori Yamauchi the Gran Turismo series' producer (re)invited two Japanese and two European professional racing drivers sponsored by PlayStation to enter GT4OL's Time Attack mode Internet ranking chart and, either to challenge him or another guest in a versus race, either to compete with five test drivers in a 8~10 rounds multiplayer online competition called "trophy" [ [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/gt4ol/ Gran Turismo 4 Online official website] ] .

The first guest was Super GT GT500 Nissan Motul Pitwork Z driver Satoshi Motoyama (Top Racer Battle challenger), he entered the dedicated "Motoyama Trophy", a 2-lap 10 races online multiplayer competition, and won three rounds.

Second guest specially came from France, Sébastien Loeb, LeMans 2005 PlayStation Pescarolo C60 Judd LMP Race Car '04 driver and WRC champion, he set a new Time Attack Internet record on the 24 Hours of Le Mans' Circuit de la Sarthe I ("Loeb Special Attack") and defeated Kazunori Yamauchi in their Pescarolo Online Time Attack duel on the same circuit (Internet rank 10th vs 11th).

The last guests were both Top Racer Battle challengers, one is Ryo Michigami, Super GT GT500 Honda Takata Dome NSX driver, the other is Michael Krumm, GT500 Nissan Motul Pitwork Z driver. They competed with each other in a versus battle then entered a special trophy similar to Motoyama's. [ [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/gt4ol/ Gran Turismo 4 Online official website] ] [ [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2l7ac_gran-turismo-4-online-sebastien-loe "Gran Turismo 4 Online (Sébastien Loeb)"] - video (English version)]

References

External links

* [http://www.gran-turismo.com/jp/gt4ol/ GT4 Online official website]
* [http://gt4.playstation.co.kr/ GT4 Korean official website]
* [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2l7ac_gran-turismo-4-online-sebastien-loe "Gran Turismo 4 Online (Sébastien Loeb)"] - video (English version)
* [http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2kzt4_gt4-online-top-driver-battle_auto "GT4 Top Driver Battle (Motoyama, Ide, Itoh, Hattori, Michigami & Krumm)"] - video