GTPlanet

To add some excitement to the launch of 80GB PlayStation 3 consoles in Europe, Sony is releasing a special bundle which includes Gran Turismo 5 Prologue right in the box.  On top of that, you’ll also receive two DualShock 3 controllers for a total of €449.  Considering the cost of a single 80GB PS3 is €399, GT5 Prologue is €37, and two DS3 controllers are €114, the bundle appears to be a pretty good bargain for European GT fans still waiting to take the plunge.

There are some pretty impressive cockpits for driving simulators out there.  You can spend hundreds on a commercial option, or put in time for your own DIY project, but few compare to what Ahmed Al Azmi got his hands on last week.  Ahmed, winner of the GT5 Prologue Middle East Challenge, finally took delivery of his prize: an official “racing pod”.  The impressive structure, used by Sony all over the world to show off Gran Turismo 5 Prologue at shows and launch parties, is made of steel, glass, and a Recaro racing seat.  As if that wasn’t enough, Sony threw in a brand new 40” Bravia, PlayStation 3, and Logitech Driving Force GT.  Finally, Ahmed went the extra mile, modifying his pod further with a Logitech G25 and inverted pedals (hinged from above, just like a real car), making this one of the most unique, best looking, and well-built racing cockpit we’ve ever seen.

See Ahmed’s post for all the pictures!

If you’re too cheap to take advantage of the 99¢ programs on Gran Turismo TV, be on the lookout for some new content headed your way.  According to the press release, a Top Gear “intro” is available now, containing highlights of the show.  It’s free, so go ahead and take a look.  Polyphony is also publishing the in-game video of the new Ferrari California, but if you’re a regular GTPlanet visitor, you saw it a month ago.

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The August 1st update to Gran Turismo 5: Prologue brought quite a few changes.  Although there were many undocumented features, the new peer-to-peer downloading option for Gran Turismo TV is the one with the broadest implications.  Basically, it allows others to download programs directly from your PS3, using your internet connection’s upload bandwidth.  This can help downloaders, as it eliminates the bottleneck generated by the traditional client/server network architecture while alleviating some of the distribution and hosting costs for Sony and Polyphony Digital.  Here’s the official description from GT5 Prologue’s Network Options page:

Advanced Download will allow you to experience faster file transfer rates by (i) connecting directly to users who have already downloaded the Gran Turismo video content, (ii) connecting directly with the media server, or (iii) connecting both users and the media server simultaneously.  By enabling this feature, you acknowledge and agree that the Gran Turismo video content you have downloaded to your PS3 system may be uploaded from your PS3 system by other users requesting the same Gran Turismo video content.  Other users will not be able to upload Gran Turismo video content from your PS3 system while you are playing online.

Due to the nature of peer-to-peer file sharing (and predispositions many people hold against it), you have to wonder how many users will make it past this “User Agreement”.  It’s also one of the first fee-based services which asks to use your own internet connection to distribute their content.  While it could be an effective way for Polyphony to reduce their cost and increase the reliability of the GTTV service, if no one enables this setting, it won’t accomplish either of those goals.

With that said, let’s find out the participation rate for ourselves!  Take our poll now and join in the discussion on our forums.  Have you enabled this option, or do you plan to?  Why/why not?

The big August 1st update has been live for more than 24 hours in most of the world now, and although the download was rocky for some, most everyone has their hands on the latest iteration of Gran Turismo 5: Prologue.  Now, we’re discovering quite a few tweaks and bug fixes that weren’t documented in the press release.  For example, in-game sounds have improved, there’s a lot of new music tracks, Logitech’s G25 handling characteristics have changed dramatically, and online race hosts can no longer leave an online race and disconnect the other players.  Threshold has a very hot thread in our forums right now, as everyone tries to document a full list of changes as they are discovered.  Join the rest of GTPlanet in our GT5 Prologue Forum and share your opinion on all the changes!

When we first learned that the in-game GTTV feature was going pay-per-view, prices were still up in the air.  Today, Sony announced that all content would be available for just 99 cents during the two weeks starting August 1st.  Presumably, programs will be priced differently once this introductory promotion is over, but it will encourage people to at least try out the service.  What do you plan on watching, if anything?  Head on over to our Gran Turismo 5 Prologue forums and join the conversation!

Gran Turismo 5: Prologue has played a prominent role at the 2008 British Motor Show, with rumored circuits like the Nurburgring Nordschliefe and Le Sarthe both making appearances.  The most exciting news coming out of the show, however, is the Lotus Evora.  Shortly after its debut, Lotus allowed show goers to “drive” the new car in – you guess it – GT5 Prologue.  Obviously, the Evora isn’t in the current version of the game, and rumors are flying that it’s coming via a future update.  Here’s the first batch of official screenshots, including a rare look at the new car’s interior.

Now that the GT Academy competition is officially over, GTPlanet user Timppaq has taken on the task of organizing and sorting the international results to see just how close the drivers really are.  A special congratulations go to Timppaq of Finland and spyrrari of the Netherlands, who used their registered GTPlanet names to enter the competition.  Thanks to you guys for supporting our site, I know you will represent us well!  Check out Timppaq’s list of all the times along with a breakdown by country right here in his thread.  Of course, if you are also a finalist, be sure to stop by our forums and make yourself known!

Update: After one of Great Britain’s top 20 drivers withdrew from the competition, GTPlanet member rinkydink is now the third driver wearing the official GTP_ tag to join the finalists.  Congratulations!