Gran Turismo 3 Advance Preview: Live!
PSX2.com got a chance to check out the Toronto advanced preview of Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec for the PlayStation 2 console.
Published: July 9, 2001
At approximately 12:00 AM today, hundreds entered the IMAX theatre of the Famous Players Paramount complex in the heart of downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, for a sneak-peak at the first 'must-have' PlayStation 2 title of the summer, Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec.
I had the opportunity of attending this sneak peak along side other members of the media, and 100 winners who had entered individual contests with various media outlets. Two individuals would get their shot at playing Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec with the legendary Canadian CART race car driver, and Toronto Molson Indy contender, Paul Tracy.
I had witnessed much of Gran Turismo 3 in the past through video clips and screenshots provided on the internet. But never before had I seen this game, in it's fully playable format. It was GT3, unleashed in a way never before possible: the game would be displayed across a gigantic IMAX theatre.
The IMAX theatre is just one portion of the Paramount theatre complex, one of the biggest entertainment complexes in Canada. As I strolled up giant escalators on my way to the IMAX theatre, my imagination went wild with what would displayed and how it would ultimately play.
As I entered the theatre itself, my expectations for this game rose dramatically. But I am happy to say that this game went well beyond what I would have expected of a driving simulation. As the lights went down, we were treated to the full-length introduction of the game, complete with movie-style credits and photo-realistic cutscenes.
But the game itself would go well beyond that of the standard intro trailer. Paul Tracy sat down to play the game in one-player mode. My eyes were dazzled by the vibrant colors, the smooth textures and the photo-realistic cars and environments. It was then time for a challenger to rise from the seats, to take on Paul Tracy in the game.
The contestant was randomly chosen by representatives for Sony. Local Toronto radio personalities Humble & Fred, who host the morning show for EDGE 102 FM, were on hand to call the initial race. The two-player split screen mode was just as vibrant and dazzling as it's one-player counterpart. Tracy would go on to win this first race.
Paul Tracy would have to risk his 'racing title' yet again against another competitor later on during the presentation. It would end up being a close race, but following a spin-out of Tracy's race car, Matt from Hamilton, Ontario would end up beating the legendary Indy driver.
When asked how close Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec was to to real thing, Tracy replied by describing the game as most realistic racing simulation available on the market, alongside the original Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo 2 for the PS one.
Of course, it wasn't until I actually sat down to play Gran Turismo 3, that I suddenly became vividly hyped up. Watching GT3 is one thing -- playing it is quite another. With it's ultra-realistic control and force-feedback generated from collisions, the gameplay of GT3 seems to be just as real as the graphics themselves. Each and every car in the game has it's own stats and attributes, which can inversely affect your performance within the game.
The pressure-sensitive buttons on the Dual Shock 2 controller have certainly added a new dimension of play, as your acceleration and deceleration can now be controlled by just how hard you press a single button. The analog joysticks react very realistically when turning your vehicle -- traction and steering ultimately depend on the car itself.
I never had the chance to try the game with the GT Force feedback wheel, although the product was on display during the presentation. All I can say, is that the Dual Shock 2 controller provides a very convincing and easy-to-learn control configuration, allowing players to maintain full control of their cars at all times.
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec is currently set for release across Canada and the United States on July 10th, 2001. If you own a PlayStation 2, buy this game. Even if you absolutely hate racing. Buy it. You won't regret it.
I had the opportunity of attending this sneak peak along side other members of the media, and 100 winners who had entered individual contests with various media outlets. Two individuals would get their shot at playing Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec with the legendary Canadian CART race car driver, and Toronto Molson Indy contender, Paul Tracy.
I had witnessed much of Gran Turismo 3 in the past through video clips and screenshots provided on the internet. But never before had I seen this game, in it's fully playable format. It was GT3, unleashed in a way never before possible: the game would be displayed across a gigantic IMAX theatre.
The IMAX theatre is just one portion of the Paramount theatre complex, one of the biggest entertainment complexes in Canada. As I strolled up giant escalators on my way to the IMAX theatre, my imagination went wild with what would displayed and how it would ultimately play.
As I entered the theatre itself, my expectations for this game rose dramatically. But I am happy to say that this game went well beyond what I would have expected of a driving simulation. As the lights went down, we were treated to the full-length introduction of the game, complete with movie-style credits and photo-realistic cutscenes.
But the game itself would go well beyond that of the standard intro trailer. Paul Tracy sat down to play the game in one-player mode. My eyes were dazzled by the vibrant colors, the smooth textures and the photo-realistic cars and environments. It was then time for a challenger to rise from the seats, to take on Paul Tracy in the game.
The contestant was randomly chosen by representatives for Sony. Local Toronto radio personalities Humble & Fred, who host the morning show for EDGE 102 FM, were on hand to call the initial race. The two-player split screen mode was just as vibrant and dazzling as it's one-player counterpart. Tracy would go on to win this first race.
Paul Tracy would have to risk his 'racing title' yet again against another competitor later on during the presentation. It would end up being a close race, but following a spin-out of Tracy's race car, Matt from Hamilton, Ontario would end up beating the legendary Indy driver.
When asked how close Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec was to to real thing, Tracy replied by describing the game as most realistic racing simulation available on the market, alongside the original Gran Turismo and Gran Turismo 2 for the PS one.
Of course, it wasn't until I actually sat down to play Gran Turismo 3, that I suddenly became vividly hyped up. Watching GT3 is one thing -- playing it is quite another. With it's ultra-realistic control and force-feedback generated from collisions, the gameplay of GT3 seems to be just as real as the graphics themselves. Each and every car in the game has it's own stats and attributes, which can inversely affect your performance within the game.
The pressure-sensitive buttons on the Dual Shock 2 controller have certainly added a new dimension of play, as your acceleration and deceleration can now be controlled by just how hard you press a single button. The analog joysticks react very realistically when turning your vehicle -- traction and steering ultimately depend on the car itself.
I never had the chance to try the game with the GT Force feedback wheel, although the product was on display during the presentation. All I can say, is that the Dual Shock 2 controller provides a very convincing and easy-to-learn control configuration, allowing players to maintain full control of their cars at all times.
Gran Turismo 3 A-Spec is currently set for release across Canada and the United States on July 10th, 2001. If you own a PlayStation 2, buy this game. Even if you absolutely hate racing. Buy it. You won't regret it.
