GTPlanet Weekly Rewind: I’m Still in a Dream

Snake Eater! Oh I can see I may have already confused some of you, sorry about that. This week’s title is a direct reference to the song “Snake Eater” from Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. That worked out flawlessly, wouldn’t you say? I’ve been a fan of the series since an old acquaintance of mine introduced me to it a long time ago, yet Snake Eater remains as the only major console release I’ve yet to play for reasons I don’t quite understand to this very day. Alas, all of this will be rectified soon enough as I’ve been on quite the MGS binge as of late and yes that definitely includes Revengeance.

So there’s quite a few things to talk about this week with the first in line being the recent 2.12 update for GT5 that removes and/or resets “illicitly modified game data” that have begun to spread throughout the game’s online network as of late. That move comes after the measures to ban players who have used the hybrid vehicles to set irregular lap times in the Seasonal Event challenges.

Next up is the May 21st reveal of the Xbox 360’s successor, something I’m particularly looking forward to because I’m just a sucker for new hardware so I hope the boys and girls at Microsoft don’t let me down in that regard. I’m not really sure what to expect this year with E3 right around the corner but for some reason I’m just as interested, if not more so, in the designs of these consoles as I haven’t the faintest idea of where the designs could go for this generation. And speaking of E3, Nintendo won’t be having their standalone press conference this year and are instead going for a more direct approach with their own Nintendo Direct channel and two smaller events for the media and their respective partners.

Nintendo’s never been one to follow what’s been established as “normal” so it’ll be most interesting to see how this plays out for them. Here’s to hoping Bayonetta 2 gets a sound release date at the conference or even before then. This tangent, while interesting, could go on for quite a while so we’ll come back to it later on so let’s move on to the meat and potatoes that is the Rewind. Go!

GTPlanet Picture of the Week

This week’s featured image, recommended to us by Fyshokid and courtesy of ShaolinMasta, features the legendary Ferrari F40 at Gion in Kyoto in an amazing edit that’s brimming with detail; from incredible usage of bokeh to color manipulation this week’s image has it all!

Have a suggestion for next week’s featured image? Drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Picture of the Week” and fill it out with your two choices and they’ll be featured in upcoming Rewinds. NOTE: You cannot elect your own work.

Kazunori Yamauchi spotted at Nürburgring

Facebook user Kai Noeske recently spotted Gran Turismo’s own Kazunori Yamauchi driving a Volkswagen Phaeton on the Nürburgring during what I would assume to be a formal track day. What could this mean though? There’s not a lot to go on, but one could wager at guess that perhaps the Phaeton is being tested by Kazunori himself for inclusion in Gran Turismo 6?

Again, there’s not much to go on and the simple fact of the matter could very well be he’s driving just for the sport itself, however, it does stand to reason that someone in Kazunori’s position wouldn’t do something involving cars without some level of bias toward Gran Turismo if even in hindsight. It’s always fun to speculate but given the material set forth there’s very little to speculate on past what’s already been outlined, but a point of interest within the picture is the person sitting beside him, who could that be?

EDIT: GTPlanet user Monastende has brought to my attention that the Phaeton Kazunori is driving around the ‘Ring is actually a rental from the Europcar company owned by French investment compant Eurazeo, which coincidentally was sold to them by the Volkswagen group.

GTPlanet Weekly Race Series (WRS) Week 114 – Indyfinity

Catchy name isn’t it? I bet you can’t guess what this clever portmanteau references though. Give up? This week you’ll be taking the High End Motorsports G37 around Indianapolis Motor Speedway (see how clever that is?!) and make the late JR Rocha proud. Take to a track known for it’s pressing corners and high speed straights and push for every last tenth and prove your worth. With close to 500 horsepower going to the rear wheels don’t expect this to be a walk in the park, but you will have more than enough power under the hood to set some alarmingly quick sector and lap times.

For more on this week’s outing let’s turn to the comments of the Stewards:

This car has been highly requested for a WRS combo for a long time now. I tested a few locations, and I think the wide sweeping nature of Indy Road suits the nature of the car quite well. This should make for a great Time Trial and a fantastic online race.

Stop by the official thread here and remember that you NEED to be registered before officially participating in the WRS, and that can only be done by submitting a time for the official GTP Registry Qualifier.

GTPlanet Member of the Week

It’s that time again, but unfortunately there’s no picture this week because I completely forgot this segment was even a thing until Thursday morning, thus I had to rush the questions out and, well, here we are now… and all you’re really missing out on is a photo of the member in the flesh. At least that’s how things stand at the moment, it could very well change as the weekend progresses.

Now without further ado, let’s welcome this week’s entrant into the Member of the Week hall of fame:  homeforsummer! Church Camp as I like to call him (story for another day!) is yet another one of GTPlanet’s senior members that have proven their worth over the course of their membership here, and the fact that good old CC just happens to be an automotive journalist just makes things that much more interesting. This is an interview you won’t want to miss because there’s a video included that I’m certain all of you will appreciate. For the full interview be sure to stop by the Member of the Week thread and get to know Church Camp better, or maybe even ask him why I call him that. He is, after all, the fourth member to be recognized among his peers. Who’s next?

Anyone you’d like to see recognized as the Member of the Week? Drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Member of the Week” and fill it out with your choices and they’ll be featured in upcoming Rewinds. NOTE: You cannot nominate yourself.

GTPlanet Vehicle of the Week

The Rewind almost never stops evolving and this week is no exception, from this week onward this particular section of the Rewind will now alternate between the vehicles featured in Forza Motorsport 4 and Gran Turismo 5, just as it was pointed out last week. With that said, this week’s vehicle, the absolute pinnacle in the 911 range, the Porsche 911 GT2 RS (997).

Making it’s world debut at the Moscow Auto Show on August 25th in 2009, the GT2 RS is the most powerful road-going sports car Porsche has ever built. The GT2 RS is easily identified alongside it’s more “tamed” GT2 counterpart through it’s use of carbon-fiber-reinforced components in a matte black finish, wider wheels, flared arches at the front, and of course the “GT2 RS” model designations on the doors and rear lid. The powerplant, a 3.6-liter twin-turbocharged six cylinder boxer engine makes 620 horsepower, more than the company’s V10-howling Carrera GT supercar.

Have a suggestion for next week’s featured image? Drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Vehicle of the Week” and fill it out with your two choices and they’ll be featured in upcoming Rewinds. NOTE: You cannot elect your own work.

GTPlanet Tune of the Week

If you’ve never been bitten by a snake before you might want to turn away, but if you have then you’ll surely know that it comes without warning and once it happens all you want is more. Of course I’m not referring to a real snake because that would be ridiculous, I am instead referring to the SRT-10 ACR that’s featured as this week’s tune put together by Dragonthing of RKM Motorsport.

The tune, aptly called “Python” puts you behind the wheel of this 664PP, 1,030 horsepower monstrosity that will bite if given enough reason to and it will not suffer foolishness – you get behind the wheel of this and it’s either all or nothing, there is no in-between. But enough of my words, why not let the tuner’s comments speak of the tune:

Oh look, here’s the RKM Python, a Dodge Viper ACR with a little more bite…

There is something I can’t place my finger on here…whilst this car is not the first choice for proper racing, and whilst it doesn’t really handle like a supercar should, it is still so amazing to drive it. And you will enjoy it until it bites you…which is your own fault. Just remember to be careful with that throttle…you might regret it otherwise.

Again, with 1,030 rampaging horses under the hood, being mindful of throttle application is perhaps the best bit of advice going into this but once you’ve tamed the beast what’s going to stop you? If you fancy obtaining victory in such a poisonous snake looking to devour anything in it’s path then there’s no doubt you’ll want to stop by and see the tune for yourself.

Exactly like the Picture and Vehicle of the Week features, if you have any suggestions for the upcoming Rewinds be sure to drop me a private message, entitle it “GTPlanet Tune of the Week” and let me know. NOTE: You cannot elect your own work.

Super Seven Trophy – From 10th to 2nd in Three Laps

Another enticing video showing on-track action, except unlike the Saudi Falcons video from two weeks ago this one isn’t a mere montage, this is all unadulterated racing all in a Super Seven by KIA. More to the point of the actual video is the progression from 10th place to 2nd all in the span of three quick laps, but such is to be expected of a former GT Academy finalist – oh, did I forget to mention that?

Hugo Araujo is behind the wheel of this nimble and slightly snappy Super Seven and the on-track performance is stellar to say the least. I’ve already watched this a couple of times and it’s still just as impressive as it was the first time, and the one and only contact is no worse than what you’d see in the typical V8 Supercars outing. A stellar performance and close racing action to boot, what’s not to like about this week’s video?

GTPlanet Photomode Competitions

In Week 126 of the Standard and Advanced competitions you are to put your best foot forth and show the community just how seriously you take your in-game photography. All you need to know is as follows:

Week 126, Standard: Out Of My Way – American Muscle is on the rise in this week’s challenge, all you have to do is hop into a classic American muscle car and snap that perfect shot of your muscle car stalker it’s much smaller vehicular prey; it’s as simple as saying “out of my way!”

For all of the relevant information pertaining to this week’s challenges be sure to stop by here.

Closing Thoughts

Another Rewind (almost) completed and there’s no Forza news as there was nothing that readily jumped out at me for this week. At this point everything is practically said and done, and with Forza Motorsport 5 likely on the horizon that’s where my attention is at the moment. Wouldn’t you know just as I come to the closing thoughts I just thought of something that I could have written. Well there’s always next week, isn’t there?

Right, E3. I’m expecting quite the bombshell this year if I’m to be completely honest and with so many things on the horizon how could I not? Sony and Microsoft are going to be at each other’s necks while Nintendo seems to be dialing things back taking a more minimalist approach this year. I am expecting Microsoft to incorporate some form of tablet or touchscreen functionality into the 360’s successor because that’s increasingly becoming a gold mine in the market today. It could also temporarily quell the need for Microsoft to eventually enter the handheld market by testing the waters with a similar approach to the Wii U tablet. It’s not ideal but it could serve as an important tool in determining whether the investment would be worth all of the hassle, although let’s be honest here: the competition is with Nintendo in that market. They own it.

Once again I forgot to mention that I’m on Twitter now. What was once going to be a bit of parody account (because I don’t use Facebook or Twitter for any reason whatsoever) has quickly turned into me using Twitter rather effectively. So, follow me and suggest all things Rewind-worthy from the comfort of your tablets, phones, or Skynet-linked computers. Remember, when the machines finally rise you’ll need someone to write pieces regarding the matter littered with Armageddon-y undertones and I can be just that guy! What were we talking about? Right, Twitter, so if you’ll follow me here the Rewind can be delivered to you in a timely fashion not seen since snail mail. Wait, that’s not the right thing to say!

You will be showered in Rewind, Seasonal Event and future article goodness courtesy of yours truly though so there’s that worth looking forward to – once I’ve bothered to get the thing up and running. It can also be used to suggest things for upcoming Rewinds, so that’s now two ways you all can keep me on my toes.

With that said it’s time to end, until next week keep racing!

GT5 Photomode images by Qnrad, EDKTVR&Ferrari_Fan, and StrayShadow.

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Comments (55)

  1. infamousphil

    Road & Track NFS and NFS Porsche Unleashed were my two favorite NFSs. I purchased them individually then bought a NFS collection pack and a cheap steering wheel, both for PC, because Porsche and Ferrari were there.

  2. SZRT Ice

    GTPlanet should evolve into a SRPlanet (Sim-Racing Planet) and inevitably include all things sim-racing. With upcoming games like GRiD*, Drive Club, Asseto Corsa, and Project Cars, it would be cool to have news that include all things sim/game related (outside of NFS/MNC/Arcade) in racing all in one place. Or maybe at least a separate section in GTPlanet that has news, caters to, and acknowledges the things happening in these genres outside of the forums, keeping members up to date on it all.

    Just a thought…

    Anyhow, another great read T-12, and nice to see some fresh vehicles in VoTW. Gives Kaz/PD some incentive on Ruf-afying it. That car is beautiful…

  3. Whodoyouthink

    Is Kaz driving in the Nurburgring 24hr this year or not? He should keep the ball rolling! Both being a game director/designer/whatever you want to call his title, AND a race car driver is a pretty ideal situation. Though if he could only choose one, I think he should stick with racing!

  4. sammo85

    Does anyone remember on the ps1, gt, scratching the disc to reveal a tarmac smell? That is how long I’ve loved GT.

  5. HuskyGT

    The Viper ACR doesn’t need more power. Less weight an adjusted suspension, shorter gears and Sport Soft tires make it one unbeatable track-ready beast. Only the McLaren F1 is faster than my ACR.

    1. infamousphil

      A stock Viper series, in an online TT or room, would be ULTRA COOL! It would really help to sooth my hack job woes. ;)

      Join me at HighPerformanceStreet and text me the request.

  6. FuelAirSpark

    Yeah, Metal Gear Solid and Gran Turismo were my first purchase when I got the PS1 after playing the demo that came with the console. Good times. They blew everything else out of the water.

    1. HuskyGT

      I second to that. I almost bought a N64 back in the days, but I remember playing that demo disc at a friends house. GT1’s demo had SSR5 and the cars to choose were the Impreza WRX, NSX and Corvette GS. That blew my mind and made me get the PS1.

      I remember that MGS1 was only the part until you reach the tank hangar. At first I thought it was a crappy and generic game… how wrong I was. I must have played that demo like ten times daily until I got the full game. Still have MGS1, still play it along with the other three MGS titles.

    2. infamousphil

      I remember Solid Snake. That’s the dude, whose knees were so bad, the enemy could hear him sneaking about in the shadows. Didn’t he come out of the closer in the 2ND one? ;)

  7. MasterSquidP4

    A friend of mine had his own Super Seven in GT5…

    But that was a long time ago…

    about 4 days ago…

    1. HuskyGT

      Indeed. Would be fun if they added at least one luxury full size sedan to each european manufacturer. Would be awesome to throw these whales around the track.

    2. HuskyGT

      Bentley Turbo R, AMG S class, 7 Series (remember we had the 740i in GT2?), Audi S8, Jaguar XJ (I think we had those in GT2 as well), and many other huge and powerful full-size sedans.

  8. KYD302

    Love the 911! So last night i got into a night racing kick. I started on the Nurb a track which i have memorized in the day time but at night the track is a real beast, you tend to see things differently on the track not to mention the high beams on the 908 are horrid, Second i went to Le Mans and quickly found myself in a world of hurt. I never realized how hard it is to find the braking an turn in points when again your in the 908 at speeds over 200mph in complete darkness, the uneven surface aids in the tracks night time difficulty, I was however very pleased with myself managing to run a 3:27.08 lap time. No it’s not as fast as the laps run by the team in the 2011 24hr of Le Mans a race that was iconic for the #2 Audi R18 TDI team which was running lap times of 3:25.xx in the day time conditions when the track was at it’s stickiest point which made me realize a huge factor GT leaves out an thats the Tracks Road conditions temp changes and the rubber build up adding better grip to the cars tires hopefully we see the push in that direction in the next 2 GT games. For those of you whom have not run Circuit De La Sarth in the dark get into the Audi R10 or the 908 HDI race car and blast threw the Porsche S’s and Indianapolis (corners) Theres alot of challenge to that track in the dark it will keep you entertained for a few hours, Yes it would be better to have Multiple classes with over 50 cars on the track at once but in the meantime It will prove to push you and your car to a steep learning point which will help when racing your friends there in the dark watch as they dart off of the walls and hit sand traps while you drive by laughing to yourself and maybe poking a quick jab at there lack of inexperience with the circuit at its gnarliest point.

  9. Nuuj

    I would literally get on my knees and beg Executives at Porsche to figure out a way to allow a 911 GT2 or Carrera GT to make an appearance in the next Gran Turismo (well that’s a lie, I wouldn’t even take a knee to propose lol), but I’ve been wanting to take one of those around the Nurb for years now, very disappointing to think that I may have to buy a completely different System and Game just to experience it..

    These Business Executives need to realize that selling License Rights/Exclusivity only limits their Company(ies) exposure, and tarnishes their Image as well, that kind of business move absolutely ruined our U.S. Football Games over here in the States..

    1. Pit Crew

      EA controls the License unfortunately, the most Porsche execs will do is refer you to them. Porsche & Electronic Arts have been “Married” for a long time. Remember Road & Track presents Need 4 Speed? that long…

  10. taboaamassa

    Thank for the video post GTP!

    Already spoke to the driver of the white Seven, the one I’ve bumped, and actually it was not my fault. The gearbox of the white seven got stuck in 5th gear, and the driver wasn´t able to downshift to third gear, that’s why his exit was so slow and that’s why I did not realize the speed difference between us.

    Next race in 10th – 12th May @ AIA – Portimão !

    Cheers mates and thanks for posting!

  11. praiano63

    The super seven bump the car in front under strong braking for a right turn at 0:57 and this car don’t even move or induce a light over steer. If this happen in GT5 i think the bumped car spin imediately. Need to correct this for GT6 to allow closer racing without drama.

  12. aronh17

    Whoa, you never played MGS3: Snake Eater? You definitely need to play it, it’s great. Especially with the HD edition only $15 USD on the Store, which is the Subsistence version so it has free camera mode like MGS4, or you can click the stick for classic cam.

  13. Monatsende

    Full headline of Kaz-story:
    “Kaz spotted at Nürburgring in a rental car from Europcar”

    HH and number starting with 7 or 4 are identifying letters for that company.

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