Gran Turismo 7 (also known as GT7) updated the game on February 21st, 2023. The free update changed the game by adding a fully compatible PlayStation VR2. Now, you can experience all the content in the game in VR except 2-player battles. In addition to that, Gran Turismo 7 creator shares challenges of PSVR2.
This can mean two things:
- One person can enjoy the thrill of a high-speed race,
- Another can feel the sensation of a racer, which is something new.
The update offers an experience that car enthusiasts around the world have been vigorously expecting.
In this article, we feature an exclusive interview with Mr Kazunori Yamauchi, President of Polyphony Digital and Gran Turismo 7 creator shares challenges of PSVR2 game. He also discusses the issue of VR sickness and conquering various obstacles.
You would also want to read, How close is Gran Turismo to reality? – Dual Reality Drive Igor Fraga [Interview]
Gran Turismo 7 creator shares challenges of PSVR2
🢆 What turned out to be the biggest challenge while implementing GT7 to be compatible with PSVR2?
Kazunori Yamauchi: At first, the people working on GT7 thought about making it compatible with PSVR2. Gran Turismo SPORT could work with PlayStation VR; however, the development timetables for this game and the last one were not in sync. Therefore, it has fewer features.
But the team worked hard to make sure that GT7 was created from the ground up for PSVR2. The PS5 version of GT7 has stunning 4K60fps graphics, but we added PSVR2 compatibility since it was a must.
🢆 Was it challenging to attain a high frame rate in VR2?
Kazunori Yamauchi:
It took a lot of work to get it done. There are two parts to getting the frame rate right.
- First, it’s about making light data that doesn’t lose any of its quality, and that’s mostly up to the artist.
- Second, it has to do with rendering quickly, which is the job of an engineer.
Without careful optimization, VR technology wouldn’t work as well as it does.
🢆 Since it was already planned while GT7 was being made that it would work with PSVR2, you could get over the serious difficulties.
We knew what PSVR2 could do when making GT7, and it was great that we could make the game based on those capabilities. The result was quite different when it was made for VR from the start rather than making it compatible later.
🢆 I agree that how VR looks is vital to its progress, but have there been any changes to how it sounded during the development phase?
In the VR version of GT7, nothing out of the norm was done with the sound. From the start, we gave the sound quality a lot of attention. To show this, we meticulously placed different sound sources throughout the track and used ray tracing technology to make it seem like the sounds were reflecting.
I also carefully analyzed the engine’s sound resonance from the driver’s point of view. As a result, gamers may rotate their heads in any direction while wearing a VR headset. Users may instantly try out our revolutionary 3D audio technology with this function.
🢆 I believe GT7’s VR makes the most of what the PS5 and PSVR2 can do.
Nope, I’ve done that already! VR has been around for nearly 50 years, but it was always my aspiration to develop a genuine racing game for VR.
Still, it took a lot of work to make a realistic home VR racing game that could be played with utmost satisfaction. I’m proud I could do this and make a VR racing game that gives you experience close to real-time racing.
🢆 What did you want to accomplish most when you turned GT7 into a VR game?
The Gran Turismo series has traditionally been overly meticulous about the quality of the cars. Most of the time, players can’t see these little subtleties while they play. But one day, I wanted to show these things more clearly.
Hence, when developing the game, one of my primary purposes was to provide players with the chance to graze the exterior of the car in VR and enter the interior to take a closer look.
During the first 50 years of VR and the first 40 years of racing games, the main goal was to sit in a chair and move by seeing through the interior. We should be proud that we could do it.
🢆 Are there any courses that you would want to see or replicate with contemporary technology, particularly now that VR is available?
I believe that there are two ways to have fun with VR classes. GT7 has both made-up and real music, but the ones made up let you explore a new world.
I think that those who have raced on the real track previously will have a lot of fun with it. This is because of something called “reliving the exact moment.“
For example, if you raced on the Tsukuba track when it was somewhat cloudy in the game, it would seem like you were racing in the real world at the same time.
I imagine that “GT7” will continue to include both made-up and real tracks, so it will be fun to check out the new ones on VR every time.
How to Tackle VR sickness?
🢆 VR sickness will likely happen, but how does it happen, and are there any game-related things to worry about when it comes to VR sickness?
So far as I know, the brain is always 0.2 to 0.4 seconds ahead of what will happen. In real life, many things frequently impede taking action once something happens. Because our minds can see the future and plan, we can live comfortably.
Our brains send out orders before we are even aware of them. Our brains seem like we are turning the steering wheel in real-time. But we get motion sickness when future projections don’t align with what happens.
I thought about how the brain expects movement and how it should be shown in a game to find a solution. Racing games are less likely to make you feel nauseous in VR since they mostly travel ahead and don’t change direction. A sudden movement in any other direction may cause dizziness within 0.5 seconds.
So, while making VR, stopping this kind of movement is crucial. In this way, racing games are good for VR since the inside, and outside scenes are always the same. This makes it simpler for the brain to expect what will happen next.
But there are several things you can’t do with VR in racing games. For example, if there is a corner with a sharp angle, adjusting the head position to the angle of the corner will make it appear like the car is running on a flat course.
Also, racing and other drivers move their heads differently as they break. So, we chose a point of view in the middle to make sure that all players may enjoy the game without becoming ill.
🢆 Is there anything a player can do to keep from becoming nauseous in VR?
Simply said, if you want to drive seriously, you must keep your eyes on where the vehicle is going. This makes the picture of the vanishing point steady, which makes motion sickness less likely.
It also implies gazing far into the future. I tend to glance about while playing in VR, but I don’t do so when driving in real life. I don’t glance at the inside of the car while doing 200 km/h. (laughs)
First, avoiding motion sickness is easier if you pay attention to driving, brake at the right moment, and look ahead to the apex.
Conclusion on Gran Turismo 7 Creator Shares Challenges of PSVR2
In the interview, the creator of this game told so many important things such as game experience, graphics, the technology of VR, and much more. Follow us for more important and exclusive news about Gran Turismo 7.