While a lots of the driving games shown off at this year's Entertainment Electronics Expo (E3) leverage the vast power of the new Xbox One and Playstation 4 consoles, Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 6 will attempt to squeeze one more round out of the venerable Playstation 3. After playing a short demo version of GT6 here in Los Angeles, we can see both upside and downside with that strategy.
On the positive side, though we don't know the official release date just yet, it's extremely likely that Gran Turismo 6 will be available to play before 2013 is out. That means more racing fun around this year's holiday season; most likely, we'll all be digging into the best ever rendition of GT, with new tracks, cars and a revised dynamic modeling. A list of some of the new cars is highlighted in the press release below, but the C7 Corvette is heavily featured (there was one on the stage next to GT's play area), and the Nissan DeltaWing might be the first car we have to save up for and buy.
As is the franchise's wont, the physics behind car and track are powerfully realistic in GT6. Developers worked with Yokohama on a new tire model, KW Automotive on a new suspension model and refined the aerodynamic model to boot. The result, at least in our ten minutes at the helm, is remarkably true to life; satisfying to get right, and sometimes quite frustrating during the hard bits.
The bad part of sticking with the PS3 hardware is that, of course, GT6 doesn't have the raw power of new titles on next-gen systems – most notably Forza Motorsport 5. The E3 crowds have been all but inundated with the rendering capability, speed and flawless online capabilities of the driving games for PS4 and Xbox One. We'll have to wait for the full version of the game to be sure (the pre-alpha GT6 we sampled is not fully baked), but it'll be a tough go in early 2014 when the newest software starts to hit. Scroll down below to see the Gran Turismo 6 concept movie or to read the official press release.
E3 - 2013: Latest Gran Turismo 6 Information
06/11/2013
At 6pm local time on June 10, 2013, the PlayStation® E3 Press Conference was held and the latest news regarding Gran Turismo 6 was released. Here is an overview of what was announced:
Inclusion of popular cars beginning with FIA GT3 machines
Gran Turismo 6 will feature a huge number of the world's most popular cars, including the latest and greatest machines from the exciting FIA GT3 category. The GT3 cars shown at E3 2013 include the following:
Nissan DeltaWing Race Car '12
With an extremely narrow front end and a wide rear end, this car's revolutionary triangular styling has sent shockwaves through the racing car design world. After appearing for the first time in the 2012 LeMans 24 hour race, the car also participated in the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta of the U.S., where GT Academy Winner Lucas Ordóñez and his fellow drivers achieved 5 th place overall, proving the potential of this concept beyond doubt.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C7) '14
Gran Turismo has followed the development process of this car from the introduction of the camouflaged Test Prototype, to the pre-production Final Prototype. And at E3 2013, the production model will finally make its appearance. Drive and enjoy the new Stingray that will soon be delivered to eagerly awaiting Corvette fans around the world.
BMW Z4 GT3 '11
BMW introduced this car in the FIA GT3 category after the great success of the M3 in races all over the world. Based on the production Z4, the car has been made lighter, the centre of gravity has been lowered, the tread width widened and the aerodynamics improved. The engine is a 4 litre V8 that carries the DNA of the legendary M3. Its long nosed, short deck proportions and aggressive facia give this car the visage of a true fighting machine.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 '11
The SLS AMG GT3 achieved its first victory in the Nürburgring 24 hour race in 2013. While keeping the dedicated SLS AMG aluminium space frame and 6.3 litre V8, modifications have been made to make it a racing machine meeting FIA GT3 regulations. Its unique pulsating exhaust sound gives another special flavour to the car which inherits the gull wing doors of the legendary 300SL.
Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 N24 Schulze Motorsport '13
This is the racing machine that Kazunori Yamauchi, producer of the Gran Turismo series, drove in the 2013 Nürburgring 24 hour race. Though based on the production car, the tread width is greatly expanded, with its drive train changed from four wheel drive to rear wheel drive, shedding a lot of weight in the process. It was the first Japanese car in Nürburgring history to lead for a sustained period during qualifying, showing its extremely high potential as a racing car.
Audi R8 LMS ultra (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) #3 '12
This is a GT3 machine born from the R8, Audi's flagship sports car. Their famous Quattro system has been shelved for this model to adopt a midship rear wheel drive drivetrain. The performance of the ultra version has been greatly enhanced by a number of improvements, including changing the door panels to carbon and upgrading the exhaust and aerodynamics. Car #3 is the car of Team Phoenix, and is the champion machine of the 2012 Nürburgring 24 hour race.
New Locations with Grander Scale
In E3 2013, new locations included in Gran Turismo 6 were also introduced. Here are the three locations that were announced at the show:
Gemasolar (Photo Stage)
Gemasolar is a massive concentrated solar power plant located in Seville, Spain. A total of 2650 reflector mirrors that are each 9 metres tall and 12 metres wide are arranged in a circular layout, and the facility generates enough electricity to power 25000 homes. This expansive facility covers an amazing 185 hectares (approximately 457 acres) of land, making it a particularly scenic spot in Gran Turismo. This is a truly unique location where the utilization of limitless natural energy is visualized on a colossal scale.
Willow Springs International Raceway
This famous circuit in California is now reaching its 60 th anniversary, and is finally making an appearance in Gran Turismo. The Willow Springs International Raceway is a circuit that is located in a hilly region just outside of Los Angeles. Of its many layouts, the circuit we are introducing this time is the main course, the "Big Willow". At 2.5 miles per lap, it is known for its high speed corners and undulating terrain.
Matterhorn
This is an original track that has been created in the vicinity of the Gornergrat station, which is known for its incredible view of the Matterhorn. This is a mountain course with steep climbs and sharp drops, located at an elevation of over 3000 metres. A sheer rock face follows along the track, but the width of the course is wide enough for overtaking. The sight of the European Alps as you cross over the hill here is simply spectacular. We hope everyone will enjoy the sheer scale of the nature around the track when driving this course.
Introducing a movie showing the highlights of Gran Turismo 6
At E3 2013, the "GT6 Concept Movie #2 2013 E3" was released, showing the highlights and new evolutions made in Gran Turismo 6. In addition to the new cars and tracks introduced above, the movie also shows the progress that was made possible in simulation thanks to collaborations with technical partners such as the Yokohama Rubber Corporation and KW Automotive, as well as the evolution of the graphic engine.
New car physics simulation
The physics model which dictates car dynamics has been renewed completely. Load changes of the car, changes in vehicle attitude, relationship of the surface and the tyres are even more real now, and players familiar to the game will immediately feel the new depth in drive feel the first time they turn the steering wheel.
Tyre Modelling
With the help of our technical partner, the Yokohama Rubber Corporation, a new tyre model has been introduced that reflects the tyre compound, tyre structure, and changes in characteristics under extreme load conditions.
Suspension Modelling
In collaboration with German suspension manufacturer KW Automotive: the precision and reality of the model representing shock absorbers which governs the drive feel of cars, has improved significantly.
Aerodynamics
The down force, lift and air resistance – which continually changes according to the shape of the car – changes in vehicle attitude and its relationship with the ground surface, have all been recreated to a level of precision never seen before. Keen players will probably start to feel the airflow around the car as they drive.
Adaptive Tessellation
Adaptive tessellation is next generation technology in terms of 3D model rendering. Tessellation involves dividing a polygon into multiple geometric tiles, and in adaptive tessellation, the polygons will automatically divide and become finer according to the viewing distance and position. This makes it possible to maintain the quality of the renders very high whether you are close or far from your viewing object.
HDR Rendering Engine
In order to more accurately express the wide dynamic range of real life scenery, the HDR dynamic range in Gran Turismo 6 has been made 50 times greater than that in GT5. This prevents over flaring of highlights and black outs in shadows caused by extreme differences in brightness. It also allows natural blurring effects, better motion blurring which increases dynamic motion effects, and makes the sparkle of lighting more realistic, immersing the player in a truly absorbing atmosphere.
06/11/2013
At 6pm local time on June 10, 2013, the PlayStation® E3 Press Conference was held and the latest news regarding Gran Turismo 6 was released. Here is an overview of what was announced:
Inclusion of popular cars beginning with FIA GT3 machines
Gran Turismo 6 will feature a huge number of the world's most popular cars, including the latest and greatest machines from the exciting FIA GT3 category. The GT3 cars shown at E3 2013 include the following:
Nissan DeltaWing Race Car '12
With an extremely narrow front end and a wide rear end, this car's revolutionary triangular styling has sent shockwaves through the racing car design world. After appearing for the first time in the 2012 LeMans 24 hour race, the car also participated in the Petit LeMans at Road Atlanta of the U.S., where GT Academy Winner Lucas Ordóñez and his fellow drivers achieved 5 th place overall, proving the potential of this concept beyond doubt.
Chevrolet Corvette Stingray (C7) '14
Gran Turismo has followed the development process of this car from the introduction of the camouflaged Test Prototype, to the pre-production Final Prototype. And at E3 2013, the production model will finally make its appearance. Drive and enjoy the new Stingray that will soon be delivered to eagerly awaiting Corvette fans around the world.
BMW Z4 GT3 '11
BMW introduced this car in the FIA GT3 category after the great success of the M3 in races all over the world. Based on the production Z4, the car has been made lighter, the centre of gravity has been lowered, the tread width widened and the aerodynamics improved. The engine is a 4 litre V8 that carries the DNA of the legendary M3. Its long nosed, short deck proportions and aggressive facia give this car the visage of a true fighting machine.
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG GT3 '11
The SLS AMG GT3 achieved its first victory in the Nürburgring 24 hour race in 2013. While keeping the dedicated SLS AMG aluminium space frame and 6.3 litre V8, modifications have been made to make it a racing machine meeting FIA GT3 regulations. Its unique pulsating exhaust sound gives another special flavour to the car which inherits the gull wing doors of the legendary 300SL.
Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 N24 Schulze Motorsport '13
This is the racing machine that Kazunori Yamauchi, producer of the Gran Turismo series, drove in the 2013 Nürburgring 24 hour race. Though based on the production car, the tread width is greatly expanded, with its drive train changed from four wheel drive to rear wheel drive, shedding a lot of weight in the process. It was the first Japanese car in Nürburgring history to lead for a sustained period during qualifying, showing its extremely high potential as a racing car.
Audi R8 LMS ultra (Audi Sport Team Phoenix) #3 '12
This is a GT3 machine born from the R8, Audi's flagship sports car. Their famous Quattro system has been shelved for this model to adopt a midship rear wheel drive drivetrain. The performance of the ultra version has been greatly enhanced by a number of improvements, including changing the door panels to carbon and upgrading the exhaust and aerodynamics. Car #3 is the car of Team Phoenix, and is the champion machine of the 2012 Nürburgring 24 hour race.
New Locations with Grander Scale
In E3 2013, new locations included in Gran Turismo 6 were also introduced. Here are the three locations that were announced at the show:
Gemasolar (Photo Stage)
Gemasolar is a massive concentrated solar power plant located in Seville, Spain. A total of 2650 reflector mirrors that are each 9 metres tall and 12 metres wide are arranged in a circular layout, and the facility generates enough electricity to power 25000 homes. This expansive facility covers an amazing 185 hectares (approximately 457 acres) of land, making it a particularly scenic spot in Gran Turismo. This is a truly unique location where the utilization of limitless natural energy is visualized on a colossal scale.
Willow Springs International Raceway
This famous circuit in California is now reaching its 60 th anniversary, and is finally making an appearance in Gran Turismo. The Willow Springs International Raceway is a circuit that is located in a hilly region just outside of Los Angeles. Of its many layouts, the circuit we are introducing this time is the main course, the "Big Willow". At 2.5 miles per lap, it is known for its high speed corners and undulating terrain.
Matterhorn
This is an original track that has been created in the vicinity of the Gornergrat station, which is known for its incredible view of the Matterhorn. This is a mountain course with steep climbs and sharp drops, located at an elevation of over 3000 metres. A sheer rock face follows along the track, but the width of the course is wide enough for overtaking. The sight of the European Alps as you cross over the hill here is simply spectacular. We hope everyone will enjoy the sheer scale of the nature around the track when driving this course.
Introducing a movie showing the highlights of Gran Turismo 6
At E3 2013, the "GT6 Concept Movie #2 2013 E3" was released, showing the highlights and new evolutions made in Gran Turismo 6. In addition to the new cars and tracks introduced above, the movie also shows the progress that was made possible in simulation thanks to collaborations with technical partners such as the Yokohama Rubber Corporation and KW Automotive, as well as the evolution of the graphic engine.
New car physics simulation
The physics model which dictates car dynamics has been renewed completely. Load changes of the car, changes in vehicle attitude, relationship of the surface and the tyres are even more real now, and players familiar to the game will immediately feel the new depth in drive feel the first time they turn the steering wheel.
Tyre Modelling
With the help of our technical partner, the Yokohama Rubber Corporation, a new tyre model has been introduced that reflects the tyre compound, tyre structure, and changes in characteristics under extreme load conditions.
Suspension Modelling
In collaboration with German suspension manufacturer KW Automotive: the precision and reality of the model representing shock absorbers which governs the drive feel of cars, has improved significantly.
Aerodynamics
The down force, lift and air resistance – which continually changes according to the shape of the car – changes in vehicle attitude and its relationship with the ground surface, have all been recreated to a level of precision never seen before. Keen players will probably start to feel the airflow around the car as they drive.
Adaptive Tessellation
Adaptive tessellation is next generation technology in terms of 3D model rendering. Tessellation involves dividing a polygon into multiple geometric tiles, and in adaptive tessellation, the polygons will automatically divide and become finer according to the viewing distance and position. This makes it possible to maintain the quality of the renders very high whether you are close or far from your viewing object.
HDR Rendering Engine
In order to more accurately express the wide dynamic range of real life scenery, the HDR dynamic range in Gran Turismo 6 has been made 50 times greater than that in GT5. This prevents over flaring of highlights and black outs in shadows caused by extreme differences in brightness. It also allows natural blurring effects, better motion blurring which increases dynamic motion effects, and makes the sparkle of lighting more realistic, immersing the player in a truly absorbing atmosphere.
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