Category: Gran Turismo Sport

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Thrustmaster Unveils T300RS GT Edition

In the latter half of the year control in virtual reality (VR) has become quite the discussion point. HTC revealed reworked prototype controllers for the HTC Vive, we’ve got the release of the much anticipated Oculus Touch around the corner and even Merge VR (who have had a busy couple of weeks on their own) are releasing a new controller.

When it comes to controllers however one of the biggest names in the industry remains Thrustmaster. We’ve reported several times this year on one of their forthcoming releases, the T.16000M FCS Flight Stick (and Pack) with which the company partnered with VR space title Elite Dangerous. Now the company have announced another new peripheral is to be released, although in this instance it is more of a reworking of an existing favourite.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT 1

Thrustmaster have revealed the T300RS GT Edition, which partners the wheel with Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) and Polyphony Digital’s Gran Turismo franchise and is hence compatible with both the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 in advance of Gran Turismo Sport. Gran Turismo Sport, already delayed until 2017 a few months back is set to feature a VR Tour Mode. Although the levels to which such goes is somewhat up for discussion.
The set, with an RRP of $399.99 (USD) comprises both the licensed racing wheel – featuring Force Feedback, upgradable firmware and 1080° degrees of rotation. And a uniquely designed metal 3-pedal set consisting of adjustable clutch, accelerator and brake. The latter of which will also offer progressive resistance. Are both designed to increase the immersive experience for avid race fans.

VRFocus will be bringing you more information on VR compatible control schemes in the near future. Be sure to check back regularly for the latest news in VR.

Thrustmaster T300RS GT 2

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This Week in VR Sport: Intel Becomes A Player, Gran Turismo Sport May Not Be So Grand

We might be into November now, with the spectre of a cold winter on the horizon. (Certainly if the temperature inside my office from the last few days are anything to go by.) But even as another week ticks by there is still some virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) news connected to the field of sport. The first of which is, if you pardon the pun, a potential game changer.

Intel Acquires VOKE to Become A VR Broadcasting Player

You’d be forgiven for not expecting chip manufacturing powerhouse Intel to be a part of the VRFocus Sports rundown but that certainly is the case after announcing on Thursday that they were the latest company to acquire a VR related studio to expand their business portfolio and increase the Intel Sports Group. A relatively new part of the organization dedicated to innovating new technological solutions for broadcasting.

Founded in 2004, VOKE will be a familiar name to many VRFocus readers, and as with the likes of nextVR and Jaunt have been busy all year both growing and restructuring internally and securing partners to produce new content. Most recently VOKE looked into a new venture in India, announcing a partnership to bring the Kabaddi World Cup to VR.

Speaking in a press release James Carwana, the General Manager of  Intel Sports Group welcomed VOKE into the fold: “Together, we can innovate and scale our new immersive sports business faster to bring fans the most personalized, fully immersive VR experience ever imagined and change the way networks, sports leagues and teams engage with their audiences.”

At NYFW, an Intel experience powered by VOKE’S TrueVR platform and Intel data center technologies, creates a natural viewing environment, transporting viewers from their couches to the runway. (Credit: VOKE)

 

Gran Turismo Sport Will Have VR… But Won’t Have Full Support

Moving on to some sad news, it seems that racing fans who were hoping to take their PlayStationVR for a long drive with Gran Turismo Sport look set to be disappointed after Videogamer.com revealed that whilst the title will support a VR Tour Mode. According to a conversation the site had with Kazanori Yamauchi, the President of Grand Turismo Sport‘s developer Polyphony Digital, it will not be ‘fully playable’. Which would suggest some kind of limited VR racing mode or, as some other outlets are suggesting, perhaps more form of virtual flyover or VR variation of the model viewer.

Grand Turismo Sport was originally announced at 2015’s Paris Games Week, and was previously thought to be fully compatible with PlayStation VR. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) also went on record to assure that the title would not be a mere prologue.

 

This is a developing story and VRFocus will bring you more in the coming days.

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VRFocus will be back next week at the same time for another round-up of everything sport and VR.

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Despite Earlier Reports, Only ‘Part Of’ Racing Sim ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ Is Playable In VR

Despite Earlier Reports, Only ‘Part Of’ Racing Sim ‘Gran Turismo Sport’ Is Playable In VR

Cool your engines, folks. It looks like Gran Turismo Sport may not be the VR racing game of your dreams after all. Despite earlier reports from franchise creator and Polyphony Digital CEO Kazunori Yamauchi, only a very small portion of the game is actually going to have support for PS VR.

Back at Paris Games Week late last year, Yamauchi stated (via translation) that, “We’re of course planning to be compatible with the PlayStation VR and through various testing that we’ve performed so far it looks like the experience will be something very good that feels very natural.” It was then later confirmed the VR features would be available from launch.

Furthermore, in an interview with VideoGamer in May of this year, he elaborated that, “My plan is that Gran Turismo Sport will be compatible to allow all aspects of [the game] to be experienced in VR,” he continued. “We’ve been compatible with 3D before, in GT6 we’ve been compatible with Oculus, so it’s just a continuation of that.”

But alas, that was not meant to be. In an interview with Eurogamer that was published today, Yamauchi is quoted as stating the exact opposite. “It will be one part of the game,” he said. “One thing we discovered in developing and doing the VR, to do the whole game playable in VR is going to be a strain on the players. You can see in the demo downstairs, there’ll be a VR Tour mode that’ll be included in the game. That showcases the VR effects.”

This comes as a shock and huge blow to the anticipated lineup of PS VR games. Driveclub VR is fully playable on Sony’s headset currently, although it is mostly just a ported and slightly expanded version of the previous game. Gran Turismo Sport was, for all intents and purposes, poised to become the premiere racing simulator available on the PS VR. As it turns out, just a small fraction of the game will actually be playable. Popular VR racing games on other devices include Project Cars and DiRT Rally, proving a large market exists for this type of game.

It’s also unclear what Yamauchi means by, “a strain on the players.”

Ultimately, this means Gran Turismo Sport is the latest in a long line of games adding small, vertical slices of VR gameplay to their otherwise non-VR architecture. Rise of the Tomb Raider, Star Wars Battlefront, and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare all come to mind as other recent examples.

Gran Turismo Sport releases next year in 2017. Do you still plan on picking this racing sim up when it’s available?