Thursday 20 March 1999 ZAGE Campus USA.
At this moment, Zaboru was at the ZAGE Campus in Silicon Valley, preparing to hold a critical meeting regarding the next major assignment for Team Tempest.
He stepped into the designated meeting room located on one of the upper floors of the campus. The room was already buzzing with anticipation. Present were key members of Team Tempest, including respected figures like John Carmack and Peter Wayne. They had just completed development on Rampage: Universal World Tour, which was set to launch in two days—Saturday, March 22, 1999.
Zaboru entered the room with a calm confidence and offered a warm smile. "Good morning, everyone. I hope you're all doing well! So, without further delay, let's begin our meeting. The main item on the agenda today is the assignment of a brand-new project for Team Tempest. As you've just wrapped up development on Rampage: Universal World Tour right on schedule, let's take a moment to applaud your tremendous effort."
He began to clap, and the rest of the room quickly followed, their applause filled with genuine excitement. The mood was upbeat—not just because of the successful project launch, but also because they knew what usually followed: generous bonuses from Zaboru himself, a tradition that made every successful game feel even more rewarding.
Zaboru smiled broadly, his eyes scanning the room with energy as he began pacing with his hands loosely clasped behind his back. "This next project," he began slowly, building anticipation, "isn't just big. No—it's massive. One of the most ambitious concepts we've ever attempted here at ZAGE." He let his voice rise with excitement. "This idea has required a lot of planning, preparation, and groundwork from multiple departments across the company. Now, can anyone guess what it might be about?"
There was a moment of quiet curiosity in the room. Then John Carmack raised his hand, his brow furrowed thoughtfully. "Could it be connected to those 3D car models based on real-world brands you asked us to mock up a few months ago? You said it was mostly for helping the newer designers get used to modeling, but I've always had the feeling there was more to it."
Zaboru pointed straight at him with a playful grin. "Bingo, John. Right on the nose. It's exactly that."
He turned to the rest of the team, eyes gleaming. "But not just any cars. We're talking real-world vehicles. Licensed, modeled down to every curve, line, and sound. This isn't about Twisted Metal, Hot Wheels, R.C. Mini 4WD, or Carmageddon, or even any of our other in-house racing franchises. No, this time, we're venturing into new territory."
"The IP and Licensing team has successfully secured deals with some of the most prestigious automobile brands on the planet," Zaboru continued. "With the legalities out of the way, and the tech foundation already in progress, we're officially greenlighting what may very well be the most technically demanding and expansive racing simulator ZAGE has ever tackled. And Team Tempest—" he gestured at them with pride, "—you've been chosen to bring it to life."
He stopped at the front of the room, then leaned in with a conspiratorial tone. "The title of this game, the one that's going to redefine driving simulations and maybe even the entire genre, is... Gran Turismo."
Zaboru then handed out sleek, professionally bound folders to every meeting participant, each one stamped with the title "Gran Turismo" across the cover in bold silver lettering. As the attendees opened their folders and flipped through the documents, they were met with early concept art, design blueprints, target feature sets, and technical outlines. Murmurs of amazement filled the room as everyone began to grasp the scope of the project and envision how such a high-fidelity driving experience might run on ZEPS 3 hardware.
Zaboru smiled with satisfaction, sensing their excitement, and then began to speak. "What we're setting out to build isn't just a game—it's an experience. A riding and racing experience that will feel authentic, grounded, and unlike anything we've done before. We want players to feel the weight, traction, and resistance of each car they drive. This means making the controls deep, rewarding, and yes—challenging. Mastery will take time. New players will struggle. But skilled drivers? They'll shine instantly. There will be a real, tangible difference between a newcomer and a veteran behind the digital wheel."
He walked slowly around the room as he continued, his voice calm but impassioned. "More importantly, we're pursuing true realism. Every licensed car will be represented as accurately as our hardware and artists allow—from the handling physics to the sound of the engine revving. We want the player to feel that they're inside the car—not just controlling it. This will be our love letter to automotive engineering, and it will redefine what people expect from driving games."
Zaboru continued with growing excitement in his voice, "As you might have noticed, one of my core goals for this project is to achieve the absolute best car graphics in the entire world right now—no compromises. We want Gran Turismo to be the benchmark, the gold standard when it comes to how cars are rendered in video games."
He paused for a moment, then resumed, pacing slightly as he spoke. "We're pushing the ZEPS 3 hardware to its very limits, and I believe we can do it. Now, I know what you're thinking—racing games are incredibly fast-paced. That's true. But here's the trick: we don't have to make every part of the environment look hyper-detailed. Instead, we'll focus all of our processing power and graphical fidelity on the cars themselves. Every detail—from the way the sunlight reflects off the hood to how the tires react to the track—must look near realistic."
He gestured toward one of the concept sheets. "The environments can have reduced texture quality, simplified assets, and smart motion blur. When players are speeding at 180 kilometers per hour, their eyes won't register every detail around them. Instead, they'll be focused on what's directly ahead and the feel of the car. That's where we win. That's how we create the illusion of realism while maintaining high performance."
Zaboru's tone became even more confident. "In the end, players will come away feeling like they've driven something real. And that's the magic we're aiming for."
Zaboru grinned, his excitement building as he continued explaining. "Not only that, but we will also allow a deep level of customization for the tires, something that will actually affect the handling and performance based on track type, weather, and driving style. But that's just the beginning," he said with a sparkle in his eye. "This game will offer a wide variety of race types and numerous game modes to keep players engaged for months, maybe even years."
He gestured toward a visual breakdown in the presentation. "Of course, we'll include classic arcade-style modes for players who just want to jump in and drive as fast as possible with minimal setup—pure fun, fast-paced racing. But the heart of the game, our main feature, will be what we're calling the 'Simulation Mode.'"
"In Simulation Mode," Zaboru continued, "the player will begin with absolutely nothing—no cars, no huge money, just a dream. They'll have to start by purchasing a cheap, used vehicle from a modest lineup, then prove themselves in local events. They'll earn cash by racing and completing driving challenges, slowly working their way up."
He smiled as he imagined the progression. "To unlock new opportunities, players must pass increasingly difficult 'Driving Tests.' These tests won't just be tutorials—they'll actually evaluate the player's driving skill in real, meaningful ways. Their performance will influence which license levels they earn and which events they qualify for. These licenses become the gateway to tougher competitions, better-paying races, and, of course, faster, more advanced cars."
"From there," he added, "players will earn money through success on the track, allowing them to upgrade their existing cars or buy entirely new ones. And they can modify these cars in incredible detail—engines, tires, suspension, even aesthetics. It'll be a true journey, where every race counts, and every decision shapes the player's career."
Zaboru grinned, clearly pleased by the energy in the room, while Peter Wayne practically jumped from his seat—he was beyond ecstatic. As a lifelong car enthusiast, everything about this project spoke directly to his passion. Then, with a knowing smirk, Zaboru added, "And... we'll also have a custom controller developed specifically for this experience. As you can see in the folder, we're not settling for anything less."
The team eagerly flipped to the next section, where a high-resolution render of the controller was revealed. It resembled a premium steering wheel setup with a sleek, futuristic design. The controller featured a gas pedal mapped to R2 and a brake pedal to L2, just like a real car. But it didn't end there—the wheel itself was packed with integrated controls: a D-Pad, a start button, and all the iconic face buttons—Square, Triangle, X, and Circle. Additionally, L1 and R1 were included, with R1 cleverly positioned at the center as the horn and L1 designated for manual gear shifting.
Peter Wayne's eyes widened as he leaned closer to the render. "Holy moly! This controller—wait, is it only for Gran Turismo?" he asked, his voice full of wonder and disbelief.
Zaboru chuckled, enjoying the moment. "No, Peter. This controller will be fully compatible with all ZAGE games that support racing or driving mechanics. But yes, it was definitely crafted with Gran Turismo in mind. It's going to be the definitive way to play the game, and I want players to feel that instantly—just from holding it in their hands."
The Q&A session kicked off with energy, as Zaboru invited the team to ask anything on their minds about the upcoming Gran Turismo project.
John Carmack leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "Boss, considering how important frame rate is in delivering smooth gameplay, especially in racing simulations, what's our target performance goal for Gran Turismo on ZEPS 3? Will we prioritize 60 FPS even if it means cutting back slightly on graphical fidelity?"
Zaboru nodded appreciatively at the question. "Excellent point, John. Yes, our absolute minimum target is a stable 60 frames per second. Fluid motion is critical in a game where player input and visual feedback need to be in perfect sync. We will sacrifice background complexity if needed to maintain that frame rate. The realism we want comes from feel first—graphical details are second to performance." Zaboru know Even on a regular CRT, running the game at 60 makes steering and camera motion feel cleaner, reduces input delay, and keeps the whole driving experience more responsive.
Next, Peter Wayne raised his hand with an eager smile. "How about damage modeling? I know many real-world brands don't like seeing their cars wrecked, but will Gran Turismo have some form of visual or mechanical damage system?"
Zaboru smirked slightly. "You're absolutely right, Peter—licensing restrictions can be tricky. Some manufacturers are okay with light cosmetic damage, while others prefer their cars to look flawless. But here's what we'll do: we'll implement a layered system. For brands that allow it, we'll show scratches, dents, and even cracked windshields. For more protective licenses, we'll still simulate mechanical wear—tires degrading, engines overheating, transmission faults—without external visual damage. That way, realism stays intact, and we respect our partners."
The room nodded in approval, visibly more confident and energized after the session.
After the Q&A session, Zaboru smiled and addressed the room with a calm but determined tone. "This is an ambitious project, and to do it justice, we'll need time—real time. That's why I'm giving Team Tempest exactly one year and two months for development. The target release date for Gran Turismo is May 2000." He paused, letting the weight of the timeline settle in. "Now, I want to be clear—the custom steering wheel hardware will not be your responsibility. That will be fully handled by the ZAGE hardware division in Japan."
He leaned in slightly, a smile playing on his lips. "Specifically, it will be led by Zanichi Renkonan—my father."
As soon as the name was spoken, murmurs of relief and confidence swept through the room. Everyone at ZAGE knew of Zanichi's engineering reputation. He was a hardware genius, notorious for his relentless standards and unmatched technical insight. Though he was infamous for being strict and exacting, he was also deeply respected. When it came to designing physical tech, no one in the company—or arguably the industry—matched his prowess.
Knowing Zanichi would be overseeing the hardware gave the team a huge morale boost. It meant they could fully focus on the software side of development, secure in the knowledge that the physical product would be nothing short of cutting-edge.
And with that, the next chapter for Team Tempest was officially underway.
To be continue
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