Time and Weather Variable

(UPDATED: May 12, 2015)

Time Variable and Weather Variable courses in Gran Turismo 6 offer unique experiences with variations in the time of day and in certain weather conditions for tracks in the game. You have to admit how beautifully time is done in GT6. The weather is also done quite well whether rain or snow. Unfortunately, not all courses have these options available. If it were possible, every course (or almost every course) would have dynamic time and weather. I do still feel a lot more courses can take advantage of changes in time and weather. This blog post features a number of musings and wishes as far as enhancing certain courses with time and weather variations. It is also a post detailing the courses in GT6 that allow for changes to time, weather, and both time and weather.

LATEST UPDATE(S)/REVISION(S):

MAY 12 2015 - added extra tracks to lists

--- Time and Weather Variable ---

One of the biggest evolutions in Gran Turismo is that of changes in time and weather. The ability to race tracks at certain times of day and with some dynamic weather provide unique experiences. Dealing with these conditions helped enhance the appeal of racing these courses. The limitations of the hardware make for real deterrents in all or most courses getting the treatment of time-variable, weather-variable, and time-variable and weather-variable courses. Some courses just haven't been updated to take advantage of these features, which is a shame. I do eventually think all or most courses will mostly adopt time, weather, or both.

Let me explain the different models of variable conditions.

Time Variable.

Courses that are time variable are courses that can be run at different times of day or night. Racing a course at a certain time of day lends itself to a different sort of appeal than your average daytime race. What makes these courses unique is that you can see and race each course at different times of day. Different times of day can yield themselves to factors of how much light impacts each course. Some courses understandably run anywhere between a certain fixed time of day to another. Certain courses aren't really designed to take on dynamic time changes. Some courses run from 00:00 to 23:50- meaning you can race it at any time of day or even compete in realistic endurance racing action with darkness being a possible factor. With the fabulous astronomical simulation in Gran Turismo 6, you can enjoy a starry display (granted it's clear/fair). One of the neatest things about such courses is that you could run a 24-hour race in 24 minutes if the time progression is set to its maximum speed (60 setting).

One of the first examples of time-variable courses was in Gran Turismo 5 when the Toscana rally course featured a cycle from late afternoon into night. In the time leading up to Gran Turismo 6's eventual release, we saw the return of Apricot Hill Raceway with a new nighttime feel to it. Many more courses would get the treatment of time cycles through both GT5 and GT6. A lot of the generated course environments in Gran Turismo 5 could be run at any time of day.

Weather Variable.

Racing a course under weather variable courses means you'll have to contend with the possibility of inclement weather. For tracks with the possibility of precipitation, various courses will have rain while some others allow for snow. It is possible some courses will have realistic dynamic weather conditions. This provides realistic weather as a sunny day could be a rainy mess. Weather also can involve changing temperatures.

Time Variable and Weather Variable.

Tracks that allow for variations in time and weather offer the most realistic experience. You could race these courses at any time of day with the possibility of dynamic weather changes. Time can also change to take advantage of the range of times implemented in the game. This is the dream setting many GT gamers wish every track had.


Let's move ahead and talk about these variable courses.

--- Time and Weather Variable Courses in GT6 ---

Here are a list of courses that are time variable and/or weather variable.

Time Variable.

These are all courses in which time can be adjusted. The items in parentheses () indicate times of day a course can be run. All times are in 24-hour time. I prefer 12-hour time because I am not good with 24-hour time, but yeah. Here are all courses in GT6 that can be time-adjusted and in what times:

• Brands Hatch Indy Circuit (6:00 - 20:00)
• Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit (6:00 - 20:00)
• Goodwood Hillclimb (6:00 - 20:00)
• Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit (0:00 - 23:50)
• Silverstone the Stowe Circuit (8:00 - 17:50)
• Silverstone National Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Silverstone International Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Big Willow (0:00 - 23:50)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Streets of Willow Springs (0:00 - 23:50)
• Ascari Full Track (10:00 - 17:50)
• Daytona International Speedway (0:00 - 23:50)
• Daytona Road Course (0:00 - 23:50)
• Twin Ring Motegi Road Course (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2013 (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2009 (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring GP/D (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring GP/F (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring Nordschleife (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring Type V (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring 24h (0:00 - 23:50)
• Apricot Hill Raceway (0:00 - 23:50)
• Autumn Ring Mini (9:00 - 16:00)
• Autumn Ring (9:00 - 16:00)
• Gran Turismo Arena (9:00 - 16:30)
• Matterhorn Short Track (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Rotenboden (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Riffelsee (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Dristelen (0:00 - 23:50)
• Special Stage Route X (0:00 - 23:50)
• Toscana (18:00 - 21:00)

Weather Variable.

The following list includes courses that have adjustable weather conditions. Weather conditions that can be activated for each track are listed in parentheses.

• Red Bull Ring Short Track (rain)
• Red Bull Ring (rain)
• Brands Hatch Indy Circuit (rain)
• Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit (rain)
• Goodwood Hillclimb (rain)
• Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit (rain)
• Silverstone the Stowe Circuit (rain)
• Silverstone National Circuit (rain)
• Silverstone International Circuit (rain)
• Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit (rain)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Big Willow (rain)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Streets of Willow Springs (rain)
• Ascari Full Track (rain)
• Daytona International Speedway (rain)
• Daytona Road Course (rain)
• Autodromo Nazionale Monza (rain)
• Autodromo Nazionale Monza '80s (rain)
• Autodromo Nazionale Monza (no chicanes) (rain)
• Twin Ring Motegi Road Course (rain)
• Tsukuba Circuit (rain)
• Suzuka Circuit (rain)
• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (rain)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2013 (rain)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2009 (rain)
• Nürburgring GP/D (rain)
• Nürburgring GP/F (rain)
• Nürburgring Nordschleife (rain)
• Nürburgring Type V (rain)
• Nürburgring 24h (rain)
• Apricot Hill Raceway (rain)
• Autumn Ring - Mini (rain)
• Autumn Ring (rain)
• Matterhorn Short Track (rain)
• Matterhorn Rotenboden (rain)
• Matterhorn Riffelsee (rain)
• Matterhorn Dristelen (rain)
• High Speed Ring (rain)
• Eiger Nordwand - Short Track (rain)
• Special Stage Route 7 (rain)
• Chamonix - East (snow)
• Chamonix - Mini (snow)
• Chamonix - Main (snow)
• Chamonix - West (snow)

Time and Weather Variable.

These are courses in which both time AND weather can be adjusted. If a track only allows for time or weather to be adjusted, but not both, it will NOT be listed here.

• Brands Hatch Indy Circuit (6:00 - 20:00)
• Brands Hatch Indy Circuit '80s (6:00 - 20:00)
• Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit (6:00 - 20:00)
• Brands Hatch Grand Prix Circuit '80s (6:00 - 20:00)
• Goodwood Hillclimb (6:00 - 20:00)
• Mount Panorama Motor Racing Circuit (0:00 - 23:50)
• Silverstone the Stowe Circuit (8:00 - 17:50)
• Silverstone National Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Silverstone International Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit (8:00 - 19:00)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Big Willow (0:00 - 23:50)
• Willow Springs International Raceway - Streets of Willow Springs (0:00 - 23:50)
• Ascari Full Track (10:00 - 17:50)
• Daytona International Speedway (0:00 - 23:50)
• Daytona Road Course (0:00 - 23:50)
• Twin Ring Motegi Road Course (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2013 (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuit de la Sarthe 2009 (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring GP/D (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring GP/F (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring Nordschleife (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring Type V (0:00 - 23:50)
• Nürburgring 24h (0:00 - 23:50)
• Apricot Hill Raceway (0:00 - 23:50)
• Autumn Ring Mini (9:00 - 16:00)
• Autumn Ring (9:00 - 16:00)
• Matterhorn Short Track (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Rotenboden (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Riffelsee (0:00 - 23:50)
• Matterhorn Dristelen (0:00 - 23:50)
• Circuito de la Sierra (6:30 - 17:30)
• Mid-Field Raceway (9:30 - 18:30)


The one category of tracks that have the fewest representatives for non-adjustable time and weather settings are the City courses. Only Special Stage Route 7 is the only City course to allow for weather change. None of them can be adjusted time-wise.

Now you know what courses allow for time and weather changes.

--- Time and Weather Wish List ---

Not every course is adjustable on time and/or weather. Some courses in Gran Turismo 6 could benefit from some sort of Time-Variable, Weather-Variable, or Time-and-Weather-Variable settings. So I came up with a list of GT6 tracks that I think could benefit from changes in time and weather. These include a number of courses that if they don't get changes in time and/or weather for GT6, I hope they get the changes for Gran Turismo 7. Remember that I noted every course may eventually get either or both time and weather changes.

This is only a wish list of what I would like to see for tracks in Gran Turismo 6 that don't have time and/or weather adjustments. Some tracks have adjustable time, but not adjustable weather. Some tracks have adjustable weather, but not adjustable time. Some don't have either time or weather adjustments. So what you are reading here is my own wish list on what I'd like to see in the future for certain tracks in Gran Turismo 6. None of the tracks are listed in any particular order.


• Grand Valley Speedway East and Grand Valley Speedway - MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
Gran Turismo 3 let you race Grand Valley Speedway in the evening if you raced it in the reverse layout. Of course, GT3 did NOT include Grand Valley East. Since I consider Grand Valley Speedway to be the signature race track of Gran Turismo, I felt it is sad this track isn't given a much greater makeover than it could have gotten. All due respect to Apricot Hill Raceway, but Grand Valley Speedway would be awesome with both time and weather adjustments. I have had visions of Grand Valley playing host to a 1000km endurance or even a proper 24-hour race. Too bad this track doesn't have this kind of makeover like Apricot Hill Raceway does.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (00:00 - 23:50), Weather-Variable: (rain)


• Deep Forest Raceway - MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
The earliest GT titles featured Deep Forest Raceway raced at sunset through a much more dense forest than what the track has become (really) since GT4. The nostalgic person in me wouldn't mind seeing Deep Forest be raced again in sunset conditions. You could race Deep Forest in Gran Turismo 3 if you did the reverse route. The very first Gran Turismo seemed to feature in the opening video Deep Forest at sunrise. It would be cool to race Deep Forest Raceway at any time for a 24-hour period, but I think this track could realistically have a time cycle similar to the Brands Hatch tracks. A wet Deep Forest Raceway would be insane to race on. What would be an artistic sight would be a wet Deep Forest but with the setting sun providing a beautiful sight.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (6:00 - 20:00), Weather-Variable (rain)


• Trial Mountain Circuit - MY WISH LIST: Weather
As tough as it is, Trial Mountain would be a fine candidate for variations in time and weather changes. I always sort of imagined Trial Mountain as having conditions like fog and maybe some rain. I am not sure I'd want to race this track with monsoon-type rain, but I think this track would be great with weather effects. It would be cool to see this track raced in different times of day, but I don't think this track is really meant for racing in times like the early morning, into the evening, or at night. You may disagree with me at will.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Weather-Variable (rain)


• Special Stage Route 5 - MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
Special Stage Route 5 has been the longest-running street course in Gran Turismo history. It was the first track to feature wet roads when Gran Turismo 3 allowed you to race this track either in dry or wet conditions. Unfortunately in the wet, anywhere between two to four cars could be on the SSR5 wet course at a time in GT3. It would be interesting to envision what this track would look like in the daytime. However, part of me says this track should remain night-exclusive. So why am I suggesting time change here? I actually envision this course being run anywhere between the middle or late evening to sunrise. Imagine this course bringing back the wet roads. Just something to envision. Because I see this as a night-exclusive course, the variation in time reflects the transition from evening into night, night into the early morning, and early morning into sunrise.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (20:00 - 6:00)


• Tokyo R246 - MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
Since its debut in Gran Turismo 3, Tokyo Route 246 has been one of the finer street courses with its high speed character. Tokyo is my personal favorite city in the world. Gran Turismo 3 allowed you to race this city under beautiful fair weather conditions (Normal) or overcast conditions (Reverse). The reason why I suggested weather is because of its overcast conditions in GT3. The race is run in the morning according to GT5 and GT6. I'd surely wouldn't mind racing Tokyo at night. The part of Tokyo used, however, isn't as lively as say... Shibuya. I still would fancy racing Tokyo R246 at night.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (9:00 - 21:40), Weather-Variable (rain)


• Cote d'Azur - MY WISH LIST: Weather-Variable
The streets of Monte Carlo make for one of the most intense street course challenges in the world. While I don't know too much about the history of past Monaco Grands Prix, I do sort of recall Monte Carlo run in the rain. Cote d'Azur is brutal as it is- just add rain for an even more intense challenge.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Weather-Variable (rain)


• High Speed Ring - MY WISH LIST: Time
Has High Speed Ring been run in any different times of day? Well in a license test in Gran Turismo 1, High Speed Ring seems to be run in an early evening setting for one or so license tests. High Speed Ring is run at around mid-afternoon. While there are weather changes, I would like to race High Speed Ring ranging from the morning to late sunset.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (8:00 - 20:00)


• Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca - MY WISH LIST: Time
It is rare that I see Laguna Seca with wet conditions, so my only suggestion is time. The reason why I mention time changes is because Laguna Seca has been run before in evening or night conditions both in real life and in the GT realm. Gran Turismo 3 featured Laguna Seca at sunset. The now-defunct American Le Mans Series (merged with Grand-Am to form United SportsCar Racing) held races at Laguna Seca that went into the night. The first-ever night race there was held in 2004 as the ALMS finale that season. So why not bring the challenge of Laguna Seca with some night racing action?

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (12:30 - 20:00)


• (all Cape Ring courses) - MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
Cape Ring will blow your mind, especially the two courses which feature the big circular ring as part of the configuration. Though I'd hate to imagine racing it, I could realistically seeing a course this insane allow for wet roads. Time of day is mostly set for afternoon racing for any of the Cape Ring courses. I could see this track being raced on in the morning or even at sunset. I don't see it as a track good enough for night racing. Because of the length of the full course and the Cape Ring Periphery courses, both could be suitable for endurance racing with loads of cars on the track. But really, I don't see this as a solid 24-hour racing course. So I'm keeping my time thoughts on sunrise to sunset.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (7:00 - 20:00), Weather (Rain)


• (all Eiger Nordwand courses) MY WISH LIST: Time and Weather
Eiger Nordwand has a lone representative in the time and weather category- Eiger Nordwand Short Track. The other Eiger Nordwand courses are just non-adjustable with time and/or weather. I would like to imagine more of the Eiger Nordwand courses to have weather effects like rain and even snow. I'm pretty sure it snows a good bit in Switzerland. Maybe it gets cold enough to have snow fall rather than rain. I wouldn't mind doing some racing in the snow with these courses. As for time, I'd be open to race these courses any time of day or night.

MY SUGGESTIONS: Time-Variable (0:00 - 23:50), Weather-Variable (rain or snow; excluding E.N. Short Track, which already has rain)


At least among Gran Turismo 6 tracks, these are the changes and suggestions I'd make.





What do you think about Time-Variable and Weather-Variable tracks in the Gran Turismo series? Remember that you are free to comment on anything that interests you in my blog(s). Subscribe and Follow to keep tabs on my latest blog posts. Thank you for reading!

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