In 2003 and 2004, Sony Computer Entertainment and Toyota released three demo discs (for each region) based on Gran Turismo 4 Prologue to promote the second-generation Toyota Prius. The demos are called Gran Turismo 4 Prius Trial Edition in Japan and, collectively elsewhere, Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004.
Gran Turismo 4 Prius Trial Version[]
Gran Turismo 4 Prius Trial Version is a demo version of Gran Turismo 4 Prologue featuring the second-generation Toyota PRIUS G Touring Selection (J) '03, and the earliest of the three Toyota demos released, compiled three months before the Japanese retail release of GT4P. Despite being based on GT4P, it features GT4 branding.
This demo, given out at Japanese Toyota dealers, is vastly different from the international demo discs released in 2004, where only the second-generation Prius is available, set to a one-lap race at Tsukuba Circuit. Three race modes are available: a single car time trial, a race against five other current-generation Priuses, or against five first-generation Priuses; these races have no time limit and feature a special HUD displaying the battery status and fuel consumption. (This HUD was present in the retail version of GT4P as well, and was also carried over to the final version of GT4.) A promotional video introducing the car is also available. In addition, Citta di Aria and New York appear as demo replay tracks.
When starting a race, a video will play of the car's start sequence through an engine start button. The game's start indicator on the title screen is also based on the car's engine start button.
Unlike other demo versions, this demo still uses menu music and sound effects from Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec; GT3/GT Concept-style legal screen is also used during startup. There is also in-race music, a feature absent from GT4P.
Hidden content[]
GT4 Prius Trial Version contains the following hidden tracks, in varying stages of development (excluding demo replay tracks):[1]
- Autumn Ring Mini: Derived from the GTC version of the full track; mostly complete. (The regular version of Autumn Ring is absent in the demo.)
- Chamonix: Very early WIP, with only road surface in black.
- Costa di Amalfi: Mostly unchanged from GT4, other than reduced number of spectators. (The replay demo version of Citta di Aria also has less spectators.)
- El Capitan: Early WIP with basic road layout and scenery.
- Fuji Speedway '90s: Mostly unchanged from retail GT4P. Later used in the international demos.
- George V Paris: Mostly unchanged from the version hidden in retail GT4P.
- Grand Canyon: Mostly unchanged from retail GT4P, including all-gravel surface.
- Grand Valley Speedway: A work-in-progress transition from GT3 to GT4 version of the track, evident with work showing up starting from the exit of the first tunnel. Rear view mirror functionality is also incomplete.
- High Speed Ring: Early WIP with barely any scenery.
- Hong Kong: Mostly unchanged from the version hidden in retail GT4P and later present in final GT4.
- Laguna Seca Raceway: GT3-to-GT4 transition work in progress, with Mazda branding being added. Has evening skybox from GT4 version of the track and Wrong Way indicator flashing during the race.
- Las Vegas Drag Strip: Mostly unchanged from the version hidden in retail GT4P.
- Nürburgring Nordschleife: Very early WIP, with elevation partially done and basic road surface. This incomplete version of the track starts at Döttinger Hohe. It does, however, have a track map.
- Opera Paris: Mostly unchanged from what would appear in final version of GT4, barring missing track branding and brighter textures.
- Special Stage Route 5: Features a redesigned scenery that was not carried over to GT4. Has a sunset skybox and wet road surface. Internally named
route5r
. - Super Speedway: Same as the final GT3 version of the track, but with a dusk skybox. Internally called
test
, rather than having the track's name. - Tokyo R246: Mostly unchanged from GT Concept.
- Trial Mountain Circuit: Mostly unchanged from GT3.
- Twin Ring Motegi Road Course: Early WIP with untextured roads and scenery, if there are any; only grass is textured.
There are also work-in-progress versions of two of GT4's photo travel locations, Brooklyn and Piazza San Marco, as well "test2
", a blank void set to Laguna Seca's track map and skybox and non-functional rear-view mirror and some cones.
Gallery[]
Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004[]
Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004 is the official collective name of two demo discs based on Gran Turismo 4 Prologue designed as tie-in to Toyota's participation at two major auto shows in 2004, the Geneva Motor Show, held March 4 to 14, 2004 (full name: Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004 Geneva Version) and New York International Auto Show, held April 9 to 18, 2004 (full name: Gran Turismo Special Edition 2004 Toyota Demo).
The demo discs were originally merchandise from attending the Toyota booth at each respective auto shows. Later, from May to June 2004, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. offered the 2004 Toyota Demo disc to wider public that did not attend the show by simply requesting a Toyota Prius brochure from their website.[2] The disc was only available for a limited time; by mid-June, owing to the high demand of the disc, Toyota ceased offering the disc with brochure requests.[3]
Both demos feature two cars, Toyota PRIUS G Touring Selection (J) '03 and a new car not available in the Japanese demo, Toyota Motor Triathlon Race Car '04, that was revealed at both shows. Two tracks are available: Fuji Speedway and Grand Canyon. Only the MTRC can race at Grand Canyon, and the track was modified to include tarmac segments on the first sector (in order to demonstrate the MTRC's dynamic ride height adjustment feature) and to end at the back straight. On the European demo only, Citta di Aria also appears as demo replay-only track.
While both demos are mostly identical, the US demo (essentially the closest to American version of GT4P to exist) has a major difference: the MTRC has a special HUD. This HUD was not present in the European demo (as it was compiled earlier), nor carried over to the final GT4.
Gallery (US Demo)[]
Gallery (EU Demo)[]
Trivia[]
- On all demos, the pit lane of Tsukuba and Fuji are functional. However, they do nothing other than auto-drive as there is no tire wear in GT4P as a whole (and in the Japanese Prius demo, the races are only one lap long).
References[]
- ↑ Hidden/Beta Tracks | Gran Turismo 4 Prius Trial Version | PAPX-90512 (On real hardware) - YouTube
- ↑ Toyota offering free Gran Turismo 4 demo disc - GameSpot
- ↑ Toyota.com: Request a Brochure (Wayback Machine, June 15, 2004). "The Sony Playstation Gran Turismo 4 demo disc is no longer available."
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