USA PS3 GT-5 Prologue upgrade to Spec III ver. out now!

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 1:16 am

Just a few minutes ago, I inserted my USA version Gran Turismo 5 Prologue disc and it said that an update was available. It also mentioned that all my old GT-5 Prologue replays and games saves would no longer work with this new update. Proceeded with the d/l anyways. It turns out that the d/l was to upgrade the USA version of GT-5 Prologue into the newest & latest USA version of GT-5 Prologue Spec III. No waiting for the actual physical Blu-Ray disc of it either. I guess SCEA and Polyphony Digital decided it was about time for such an upgrade for USA GT-5 Prologue owners...why so long a delay, I wonder. ^_~

What's new & improved about this new fangled Spec III version of GT-5 Prologue anyways?

And what's this "Gran Turismo TV" feature that I keep hearing about?

I've noticed that on the Japanese PSN site, it costs 4,500 yen to d/l the GT-5 Prologue Spec III version in it's entirety. Not exactly chump change here either. I recall reading somewhere about that PD said that current Japanese GT-5 Prologue owners could upgrade to Spec III version free of charge. Very generous of them to offer that free d/l upgrade but no mention of such an upgrade to current USA region GT-5 Prologue gamers. WTF!?

Checked to see if any of the old GT-5 Prologue replays are available and it isn't. Plus you have to start all the way from scratch again and work with the intial 35,000 credits given to you & buy a cheap-ass low powered car from a reputable dealership...and thus eventually earn more credits to work your way up to the more powerful & faster cars. This is gonna be fun to do all over again from scratch...yeah, right. ^_~

On the positive side, at least, the USA version of GT-5 Prologue Spec III does have built-in support for up to 1080 progressive scan output (1080p) via HDMI format. Same thing can be said for the Japanese version of the same name as well.

Checked on the GT News section and it said that this Spec III upgrade rolled out on back in February of 2008. Whoops...am I behind with the times or what? ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

ReKleSS · Post by **ReKleSS** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:42 am

I thought Spec II was in Feb, and Spec III was around mid year? And I'm fairly sure it didn't cause my career to reset. Also, I think GT5P always had 1080p output.

The changes for Spec III were a few new cars, changed handling (at least for controllers, don't know about wheels) and changed prizes/difficulties for the events. There was a news post with all the details, but the old news seems to have been wiped.

Also, regarding the free upgrades, there a quote from PD that Prologue would eventually match the final GT5 release, but with fewer cars and tracks.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 11:48 am

I got bored of mine and sold it. I can't believe how boring it is going round and round and round a track. Maybe i've gone off racing lately.

The n00b · Post by **The n00b** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 2:44 pm

Please tell me they improved the physics with this latest update. PD also better hurry the hell up because supposedly Forza 3 is coming out in 2009 and I don't want to think about how many incremental updates it'll take PD to catch up to that.

MadScientist · Post by **MadScientist** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:34 pm

neorichieb1971 wrote:I got bored of mine and sold it. I can't believe how boring it is going round and round and round a track. Maybe i've gone off racing lately.

I haven't played GT since the 3rd one. Some of the races on that were so boring that I fell asleep in the middle of them (test track in a Toyota Vitz - snoooooooze). I still liked trying to get golds in all the license tests, but I haven't felt that I'm missing much by avoiding GT these days. I prefer the likes of GRID and DiRT at the moment.

Matsunaga · Post by **Matsunaga** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 10:52 pm

I played the hell out of every GT game, up to this one.. I think I've gotten bored of it at this point. Maybe when the full game comes out I'll get back into it, but I don't know.. Wipeout and Ridge Racer seem much more fun to me these days.

Zeether · Post by **Zeether** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:01 am

Just release the full damn game

D · Post by D » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:01 am

I'm playing Battle Gear 2 now (Tokyo Road Race for pal!) and it's awesome! Pure arcade racing from Taito! Get it now!
gt5p, I litteraly wouldn't think twice about putting that disc in.
Still waiting for new tracks or something awesome. New cars.....better car than the S2000? Doubt it!

LaserGun · Post by **LaserGun** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:49 pm

D wrote:I'm playing Battle Gear 2 now (Tokyo Road Race for pal!) and it's awesome! Pure arcade racing from Taito! Get it now!
gt5p, I litteraly wouldn't think twice about putting that disc in.
Still waiting for new tracks or something awesome. New cars.....better car than the S2000? Doubt it!

I think I saw that game for really cheap once, now I regret now buying it since I'm a huge fan of arcade racers as well.

D · Post by D » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:51 pm

GET BG2 NOW! IT HAS 16:9 mode.

I've got BG3 too which is a little better I guess, but the image quality is fugglied up with al kinds of effects and no 16:9.
BG2 is just simple texture mapped polygons with light mist effects in some levels, but that about it. very crisp looking graphics and more arcadey simple racing action against real tough opponents demmit!
Tokyo Road race even has 60 hz mode!
I've got bg2, my frind on a pal ps2 got TRR

Sonic R · Post by **Sonic R** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 1:56 pm

ZeetherKID77 wrote:Just release the full damn game

D · Post by D » Mon Jan 26, 2009 3:05 pm

Sonic R wrote:
ZeetherKID77 wrote:Just release the full damn game

you know, I once thought the same. After a while you just don't care anymore.
I want Battle Gear 4 and Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 3 DX released!
arcade racing. fuk simulation, there, I said it.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Mon Jan 26, 2009 10:54 pm

D wrote:
Sonic R wrote:
ZeetherKID77 wrote:Just release the full damn game
you know, I once thought the same. After a while you just don't care anymore.
I want Battle Gear 4 and Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune 3 DX released!
arcade racing. fuk simulation, there, I said it.

I recently got an e-mail from Coin-op Express and they're selling a full Namco Wangun Midnight: Maximum Tune 3 SD cabinet (brand new) @ $6,495 USD. Plus they are also selling the Wangun Midnight: Maximum Tune 3 DX upgrade Kit (to suit english PCB) $3,795 USD. Keep in mind that the original WM:MT game runs on the Sega Chichiro mobo setup. Still a damn expensive arcade racing kit setup if you decide to acquire it for your own arcade business or personal arcade hangout.

Perhaps, after Maximum Tune 3 DX has had it's fair run in the arcade scene, Namco/Bandai would be wise to release all three WM:MT games for the PS3 console. It seems to me that all three WM:MT games are pure arcade racing game exclusives for now. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~