PD visita España: Discussion about Ronda, Gemasolar, and Ascari Track!

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CarBastard

CarBastard

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Hello GTP'ers :gtpflag:


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Too Long, Didn't Read Version here​

With the two trailers PD has shown us so far, we can confirm that the spanish town of Ronda will be in the game wether as a course-maker location or a photomode location. Today, with the E3 trailer and the pictures released by PD, we got further evidence of Ronda in GT6 (Credits to Johnnypenso for identifying the pictures above) and PD has also confirmed a photomode location, the Gemasolar solar powered plant, which is located quite close to Ronda, in Andalucia.

logo-nuevo-ronda.jpg

All this got me thinking. Why Ronda? I'm sure it's a fantastic location, pintoresque enough for photomode and course-maker, but why specifically Ronda? Well, the same reason why Ahrweiler and San Galgano were featured in GT5: Because a site of automotive relevance is nearby. Ahrweiler, pretty as it is, was featured because it's located near the Nürburgring. San Galgano is there because PD spent some time in Tuscany so we could have it as a course-maker location and a Tuscany rally track. What's nearby Ronda that matters to us gearheads?

Well...


The Ascari Race Resort. A multi-million dolar complex that has it's own racetrack and a "high-security garage" for the members of the Ascari Club to store their precious and expensive sets of wheels. Accordint to Ascari's website, Ronda is 7 just seven minutes away from the Resort.

ascari.jpg

I then googled the terms "GT6" and "Ronda" and found an onslaught of articles which confirm the Ascari Race Resort Race track. Furthermore, they claim that Ascari is asking PD that the game release event should take place in Ronda.

This specific website says:

CharryTV.com
El pasado verano un equipo de Sony compuesto por alrededor de medio centenar de personas de nacionalidad japonesa se desplazó hasta Ronda para tomar imágenes de la pista e instalaciones de Ascari y los principales monumentos de la ciudad, como el Puente Nuevo o la Plaza de Toros, que sobrevolaron en helicóptero y que hoy ya han podido contemplarse en el vídeo promocional que Playstation 3 ha hecho público a través de la plataforma Youtube. El juego incluye además una visita virtual a las instalaciones del circuito Ascari y, según ha dado a conocer la franquicia, la herramienta de diseño de circuitos mejorada ofrecerá paisajes increíbles que abarcarán, entre otros enclaves, la Serranía de Ronda.
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Or, translated:
"Last summer a team from Sony made of at least fifty people of Japanese nationality travelled to Ronda in order to take images of the track and facilities at Ascari and the main monuments in the city, like the Puente Nuevo ("New Bridge") or the Plaza de Toros ("Bullfighting Arena"). They flew over the locations in a helicopter which could be seen today in the promotional video made public trough YouTube. The game also includes a virtual visit to the Ascari Circuit facilities and, according to the franchise, the improved track-maker tool will offer incredible landmarks that will include, among others, the Ronda mountain range."
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This other website further confirms such information. It includes a video interview with a man named Melchor Durán, a spokesman for Ascari. A google search for his name lead me to a LinkedIn profile (here) that confirms he works as Director of Operations at the Ascari Race Resort. Here's a translation of the entire video but for now I'll translate this tidbit from the article:

​


Melchor Dúran
"Tenemos mucho que ganar con nuestro entorno, pero el principal problema es la escasa capacidad hotelera de la ciudad, porque 400 periodistas de todo el mundo deberían pasar una semana entera aquí para la presentación. Estamos trabajando en ello, por lo que esperamos que GT6 se presente mundialmente en Ronda”, declaró a RONDA SEMANAL Melchor Durán, responsable de Ascari. Según descubrió además Durán la participación de Ronda en este proyecto se gestó el verano pasado, durante una visita a la ciudad de Kazunori Yamauchi, el legendario creador de Gran Turismo. Estuvo en las instalaciones del circuito rondeño y conoció la propia Ronda, y fue entonces cuando dejó firmado un contrato que se materializó este octubre pasado con una impresionante filmación en Ronda que, sólo en el circuito Ascari, tomó más de 86.000 fotografías: “Era un equipo de 38 japoneses, equipados con impresionante material técnico, que sobrevolaron el propio circuito y el entorno del Tajo de Ronda, y también otras zonas como el Cerro Tavizna o el Hacho de Montejaque, porque les gustó la zona. Con cámaras y un escáner impresionantes lograron las recreaciones que ya hemos visto en la promoción y que veremos después en el videojuego”, relató."
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Translated:

"We have a lot to win with our environment, but the main problem is the low capacity of hotels in the city because 400 reporters from around the world would have to spend a whole week here for the reveal. We're working on it, because of this we are hoping that GT6 will be worldwide revealed in Ronda" Said Melchor Durán, Ascari representative, in interview with Ronda Weekly. According to Durán, the participation of Ronda in this project was decided took place last summer during a visit from Kazunori Yamauchi, the legendary creator of Gran Turismo. He visited the circuit (Ascari) and got to know Ronda itself, he then left a signed contract that materialized last summer with an impressive filming in Ronda that, in the circuit alone, took more than 86,000 pictures: "It was a team of 38 japanese, equipped with amazing technical material, that flew over the circuit and the surroundings of Ronda as well as other zones like Tavizna Mount, because they loved the zone. With impressive cammeras and scanners they achieved the recreations that we've already seen in the trailer and that we'll see in the videogame", he (Ascari Rep.) added.
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So, :gtplanet:, I guess we can definitely confirm the Ascari Race Resort in GT6 as well as a Ronda town photomode location and course-maker location, in addition to the already confirmed Gemasolar photomode location. Furthermore, it's apparently in the cards that the game will be revealed in this town. Feel free to discuss my sources and let's cherish this great addition to the GT world!

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I'm hoping beyond hope, but I wouldn't quite confirm that the circuit is in GT6. Even if it is scanned, it may not be ready or may be DLC. I hope it's in the original release and we can break the circuit up into it's various shorter loops. Looks epic!! At over 5 km the full circuit is the longest in Spain but can be broken up into smaller layouts.

Here's a Google Earth image of the full facility:

circuitoascarisl.jpg
 
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Can someone help me embedd this youtube video?

http://youtu.be/uJybJhtmOaA

It appears in one of the websites and has the interview with the Ascari representative. I'll translate it tomorrow if I have time. It has received very few views and the article that contains it has no comments, apparently few people have noticed this golden-nugget of information! :gtpflag:

Johnnypenso
I'm hoping beyond hope, but I wouldn't quite confirm that the circuit is in GT6. Even if it is scanned, it may not be ready or may be DLC. I hope it's in the original release and we can break the circuit up into it's various shorter loops. Looks epic!!

Here's a Google Earth image of the full facility:

circuitoascarisl.jpg
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Your skepticism is quite reasonable Mr. Penso, but I honestly don't think an Ascari representative would go on Spanish television making up phoney-baloney. He's putting at stake the reputation of a very wealthy and powerful man. And if that very wealthy and powerful man has it his way, GT6s reveal party will be in this fantastic looking spanish town!
 
SagarisGTB
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=282266

I already posted in the other thread, but was ignored. It's a course maker location.
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I already saw that thread, but my thread goes beyond: I discuss Ronda's inclusion as a course maker location like that thread, but I associate it with the new info released at E3, like the pictures of Ronda and the confirmation of Gemasolar, and dig a bit deeper on the very likely possibility of the Ascari Race Resort being included in the game. What I wanted to discuss here is not Ronda alone but all the Ronda/Andalucia-based content that is confirmed for GT6 and the possibility of Ronda hosting the big GT6 reveal party. I thought this diserved it's own thread but if a mod thinks otherwise, I'll obey :sly:.
 
Samus
What is? It's a course maker location, not a photo mode location.
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I think it's safe to assume it'll be included as a photo-mode location because, where PD makes a course-maker location they almost always model a photomode location that's nearby. Think Ahrweiler/Nürburgring, Tuscany/San Galgano, Eiger, etc.
 
I think its been confirmed by Jordan you can layout a track in that city ^^
So maybe we can on more photomode locations and if thats true thats crazy.
 
Dmarc_Atl
I think its been confirmed by Jordan you can layout a track in that city ^^
So maybe we can on more photomode locations and if thats true thats crazy.
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If they are going to go to the trouble to create such beautiful vistas, I think we can safely bet there will be some photomode locations in Ronda, if not the entire city being available in photomode. Not guaranteed mind you, but a good bet nonetheless.
 
TL;DR Summary:

*Ronda is confirmed as a course-maker location (GT6 Trailers and info posted here).
*Ronda is confirmed to have at least one photomode location (Maybe more given that the articles here quoted mention that PD visited various landmarks and monuments).
*Gemasolar is a confirmed course-maker location nearby Ronda (GT6 E3 Reveal).
*Ascari Race Resort is confirmed as a track. (Ascari Race Resort representative in interview to spanish media).
*An article hints at the possiblity of "The game also includ[ing] a virtual visit to the Ascari Circuit facilities". Wether this means only racing on the virtual track, having it as a photomode location or a new, free roam first person point of view mode, is not clear.
*PD "took a look" at the cars at Ascari (As stated by Melchor Dúran, Ascari rep., though it's a very loose statement and doesn't necessarily means we're getting Ascari cars).
*Ascari is trying to convince PD of holding the worldwide release party for GT6 in Ronda.
 
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CarBastard
TL;DR Summary:

*Ronda is confirmed as a course-maker location (GT6 Trailers and info posted here).
*Ronda is confirmed to have at least one photomode location (Maybe more given that the articles here quoted mention that PD visited various landmarks and monuments).
*Gemasolar is a confirmed course-maker location nearby Ronda (GT6 E3 Reveal).
*Ascari Race Resort is confirmed as a track. (Ascari Race Resort representative in interview to spanish media).
*An article hints at the possiblity of "The game also includ[ing] a virtual visit to the Ascari Circuit facilities. Wether this means only racing on the virtual track, having it as a photomode location or a new, free roam first person point of view mode, is not clear.
*Ascari is trying to convince PD of holding the worldwide release party for GT6 in Ronda.
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That would be awesome. If they announce we will get the Ascari cars or the cars owned by the racetrack, i will have a heart attack.
 
Having this track in game and not having the Ascari cars would be like PD implementing a photomode location in a Porsche dealer.
 
Lotus380
Having this track in game and not having the Ascari cars would be like PD implementing a photomode location in a Porsche dealer.
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Do they even make cars anymore? On the Ascari website there's no mention of their cars whatsoever, it's all about the track and the club.
 
eran0004
Do they even make cars anymore? On the Ascari website there's no mention of their cars whatsoever, it's all about the track and the club.
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I thought they were still making the A10. You know, 'cause no-one wants a manic track car, and they still had stock to shift...
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascari_Cars

Second paragraph under history states that the place and factory where the cars wre developed and built is now occupied by Marussia F1

edit:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascari_A10

This page states that the A10 is still in production, but at the bottom of the main paragraph, it also states that the company "planned" to build the a10 in Banbury England, the original KZ1 production site mentioned to be now occupied by Marussia F1
 
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This is Google Street View's picture of the Ascari factory in Banbury in July 2009:

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Looks like they've been out of business for a while.
 
Lotus380
So this is where the "planned" comes into play. I wonder whether they were able to build all 50 A10's like they wanted to.
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According to this site they only made a total of 15 cars in the 16 year history of the brand. It also says that the intellectual property of Ascari was for sale and that a buyer had already been found, probably in China.

It also says that out of the 15 cars, two were crashed, one sold to a sheik from the Middle East and the rest are owned by the founder of the brand.
 
Nothing to say they wouldn't include the race car as it was raced in the Australian GT i believe, by John Bowe couple years ago.
 

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