Assetto Corsa | News and General Discussion

[Wardez]

Lots of new screenshots, and something I forgot to post about from the previous interview I linked and quoted to... so... more links and quotes - and screeeeens!

So, this is a link to the full interview with Kunos on SND:

http://www.simnewsdaily.com/assetto-corsa-exclusive-developer-statement-interview

There's this tidbit in it about modding that I hope you find quite interesting.

Q:
When Assetto Corsa was released you mentioned it would feature an open architecture allowing the title to be easier to access for modders. What features and tools can modders expect with the open architecture of Assetto Corsa

A:
We think community input is very important for a niche market product. Nevertheless watching forums and blog comments is not always enough, because you can’t be sure as to how many people will eventually use a feature, a car or a track, everybody talks about. Modding gives the power to the community to express its creativity but also its preferences to whatever they like best. It makes a product more interesting to everybody and it gives developers the time to work on core features while the modders take care of “content”.

So yes, Assetto Corsa is going to be totally open and user will be able to create new content, new UI’s even new features if capable. The tools are not yet fully defined and we need far more time and space to explain how modding works on Assetto Corsa, but we are trying to keep everything as simple as possible and document every line we write on the various open files.

More information and documentation, about the tools will be available when the tools are going to be ready for release.

And can you imagine this?

Q:
Will there be a system that discourages wrecking? Such as the equivalent of iRacing’s iRating/SR?

There are going to be penalties for various driving behaviours. We are well aware of the iRacing rating system and we think it’s a great implementation and feature. We also noticed though that you can’t make everybody happy with such systems. Considering that we are an indie software house with small budget and resources, we must be very careful on where we spent those resources. That’s why we think it is better to give communities and users the ability to create the rating system that they prefer. Assetto Corsa will be moddable even for such advanced features, and so maybe with a bit of luck, some talented user might come out with the perfect rating system for everybody, or quite more probably, every league will create a personalized system that better fit their necessities.

And this is from their website, describing the modding power they're giving out.

Every day simracing enthusiasts write to us asking for us to add support for modding and customisation to our products. We recognize that in the simracing community there are a lot of talented people able to recreate cars and tracks with accuracy and passion, often to a better standard than commercial products. As such, we have decided to design Assetto Corsa as a modular simulation system that allows players to express themselves at their best by creating the mods they desire.
Therefore, within Assetto Corsa the interface, overlays and the core software are designed to be fully customizable allowing additional mods made by the simracing community to enhance the simulation, allowing it to thrive. Can’t find your favourite car or track? With Assetto Corsa, you will be able to make it yourself! Also, Assetto Corsa will include several racing, practice, and competition options in order to satisfy any need for fun and entertainment.

and the pichurs:

 

[HKS racer]

Well, and it was also a case of cross-semantics.

When I hear "singleplayer" I think of a career mode. 'cause I assume that of course every sim technically has a singleplayer mode in that you can drive offline by yourself, so just adding AI to the mix really doesn't constitute singleplayer to me, just another option, like the bots in Counter-Strike Source.

To me single player mean being able to decide everything: the car, the opponents, the track, being able to create a championship, liveries, and why not the advertisment on the track. You know, that kind of stuff we can do in GTR2/rF and we can't in GT5.

If you enjoy taking part on another Japanese 80's festival, go ahead feel free. I rather create my own events. Imagine the same things we can do in rFactor in Assetto Corsa, simracing paradise here I come!

 

[sesselpupser]

Having seen those screenshots I'm now pretty sure ignorance is bliss when it comes to games and sims. I want that immediately, like right now... E30 M3! Combined with the 2-Eleven posted a while back AC looks like it'll have quite the car list, I wonder which tracks it'll have though? Then again with mod support and DLC it doesn't even matter, I guess!

 

[G.T.Ace]

It looks good indeed, not on pCARS level, but better than rFactor 2 so far. Physics should be great too and mod support is awesome!

 

[CC570]

This is the sim I am waiting for. No doubt.

 

[Bigbazz]

I dunno, I think the graphics look pretty much "pCARS level". The quality of the textures on the road and the lighting are exceptional, I've played a lot of Project CARS and personally find that the screenshots often make the game look considerably better than it looks/feels while playing it. I don't know how much that really applies here because I haven't played it but the graphics are certaintly reaching a completely new level with both Assetto Corsa and Project Cars, in comparison to anything before it.

Project CARS really shines with different time of day settings and the way the lighting changes, the way that can be used for artistical effect especially in screenshots makes it look like another level above this, but in terms of actual quality and detail I think AC is there abouts at the same level.

 

[Jav]

I dunno, I think the graphics look pretty much "pCARS level". The quality of the textures on the road and the lighting are exceptional, I've played a lot of Project CARS and personally find that the screenshots often make the game look considerably better than it looks/feels while playing it. I don't know how much that really applies here because I haven't played it but the graphics are certaintly reaching a completely new level with both Assetto Corsa and Project Cars, in comparison to anything before it.

Definitely agreed! Also keep in mind that the majority of the shots we see here on GTP from P-C.A.R.S are specifically showcasing a car or some feature of the car. The shots we have here from Asseto Corsa are showcasing the sim in general with a bit more bias on the track itself rather than a particular texture on a car...

 

[FLX1981]

Sorry Jav, but that doesnt make any sense. Tell me what that E30 screenie showcases, if not the E30.

At the risk of being labeled a fanboy, I have to say that AC looks incredibly good, especially for such a small team and the possibilities they have. But its still nowhere near pCARS, especially regarding car and track detail, besides the real time lighting obviously. Where they are on a similar level is car interiors and track textures.

But I honestly dont care, as its so much more than good enough. Did anybody ever see any damage yet? Will be interesting to see how/if they can manage to implement it.

BTW:That E30 looks wrongly proportioned to me, cabin is too high, lights too big and wheels too small.

 

[Wardez]

I thought the same thing about the E30, maybe it's some weird lighting/distortion effect?

These screens are pretty raw and it's almost like a sandbagging effort on their part. Where other studios would want tight control over what comes out, they seem to be quite laidback. Looking at the official release preview shots from a few months back, they're much better quality.

But I definitely agree that vehicles in pCars is much more detailed and the lighting system will eventually go leaps and bounds beyond not just AC but most games out there period. The only thing I don't agree with really is the track detail. I think AC's on par or even a bit better from what I've seen. It's hard to be so detailed with something like pCars and its 34 tracks when AC's only going to have around a dozen at launch. Even the disparity in team size doesn't make up for it.

It's definitely good enough for most though, I think they're at a sweet spot with the graphical performance in tandem with the software demands for the physics. So, in my extremely laymen mind, I feel like because they aren't going too crazy with the graphics, they have more room with our hardware to demand greater physics, if that makes sense.

I'm so excited to see what modders can someday do with it though.

Look at the premium rFactor 1 mods, they look better than the standard rF2 beta models almost!

 

[FLX1981]

Wardez, I d have agreed regarding AC track detail being better than pCARS until some days ago... but what SMS are currently doing at Bathurst and Spa is straight up phenomenal! Asset details, 3D trees, curb textures - another huge leap forward!

 

[Tired Tyres]

AC tracks are laser scanned for accuracy. SMS can do what they like with graphics. They don't laser scan so I couldn't care less. That's why I'll buy this game and not PCars.

I'd take 12 laser scanned track over any number of "artists impressions" any day of the week. Other's will have different priorities, but that is mine.

 

[FLX1981]

Aha. Nice piece of bla, unfortunately you should have checked your facts first.

1) SMS does laser scan tracks, at least those in GB. Other tracks are built from 1 cm accurate CAD data and fractions of mm correct telemetry data. If thats not enough for you good sir, laserscanning wont be, either.

2) Because unless AC has 10x the physics and FFB refresh rate of NKP you wont feel anything of all the glorified laserscanning accuracy at race speed. Lets say AC has a very good 360 Hz refresh rate and do the math: With a car driving 300 km/h = 300/3.6 = 83 m/s, the physics engine has a resolution of 83/360 = 0.23 m = 23 cm. To be able to make use of the quoted 1 cm resolution of laser scanning, the car should not be driving faster than 0.01*360 = 3.6 m/s = 3.6 * 3.6 = 13 km/h.

 

[MagpieRacer]

AC tracks are laser scanned for accuracy. SMS can do what they like with graphics. They don't laser scan so I couldn't care less. That's why I'll buy this game and not PCars.

I'd take 12 laser scanned track over any number of "artists impressions" any day of the week. Other's will have different priorities, but that is mine.

You don't play many racing games do you. iRacing is the only other one that laser scans so you must live a pretty disappointing sim career. pCars tracks are as accurate as laser scanning.

Aha. Nice piece of bla, unfortunately you should have checked your facts first.

1) SMS does laser scan tracks, at least those in GB. Other tracks are built from 1 cm accurate CAD data and fractions of mm correct telemetry data. If thats not enough for you good sir, laserscanning wont be, either.

2) Because unless AC has 10x the physics and FFB refresh rate of NKP you wont feel anything of all the glorified laserscanning accuracy at race speed. Lets say AC has a very good 360 Hz refresh rate and do the math: With a car driving 300 km/h = 300/3.6 = 83 m/s, the physics engine has a resolution of 83/360 = 0.23 m = 23 cm. To be able to make use of the quoted 1 cm resolution of laser scanning, the car should not be driving faster than 0.01*360 = 3.6 m/s = 3.6 * 3.6 = 13 km/h.

^That basically

 

[Bigbazz]

Project CARS has a 600hz refresh rate. Personally I don't think laser scanning is the biggest deal in the world, formula 1 teams don't use laser scanned tracks either, they have other methods.

 

[CodeRedR51]

All I've seen for now:

Sorry for quoting an old post, but I'm just now seeing this.

I've been keeping track of the pCars thread, and I can say without a doubt just by watching the above video that the physics in AC look WAY better than what I've seen in pCars. I know you can't judge physics much by watching a video, but the attitude of the car presented in this video speak the loudest to me.

I'll be keeping an eye on this for sure.

 

[HKS racer]

Gave the video another go and...

come on Kunos give us a bloody beta!

 

[Tired Tyres]

Aha. Nice piece of bla, unfortunately you should have checked your facts first.

1) SMS does laser scan tracks, at least those in GB. Other tracks are built from 1 cm accurate CAD data and fractions of mm correct telemetry data. If thats not enough for you good sir, laserscanning wont be, either.

I did not know SMS did any laser scanning. Thanks for the info.

You don't play many racing games do you. iRacing is the only other one that laser scans so you must live a pretty disappointing sim career. pCars tracks are as accurate as laser scanning.

I've played practically all of them mate. I know what I like and I know what I don't like. iRacing tracks are a long way ahead of any other game in terms of accuracy, I'm just not interested in paying through the noise for the privilege of racing on them. That's why I'm looking forward to AC.

 

[MagpieRacer]

It also only has 10 tracks and a majority of content will come from 3rd party, non laser scanned products.

pCars will have well over 30 tracks, all just as accurate.

 

[CodeRedR51]

It also only has 10 tracks and a majority of content will come from 3rd party, non laser scanned products.

pCars will have well over 30 tracks, all just as accurate.

Doesn't mean they can't add more after it's released. Ah the joys of todays gaming.

 

[NLxAROSA]

What's this, another e-pissing contest? Meh to that, I'm getting both!

 

[MagpieRacer]

Doesn't mean they can't add more after it's released. Ah the joys of todays gaming.

How many is it shipping with? Thats what I am comparing

 

[CodeRedR51]

True.

A bit different for me though. I go with the one that has the best physics. Features be damned.

 

[Samus]

Any true racing game fan will buy them both, simple as.

 

[CC570]

Any true racing game fan will buy them both, simple as.

I must not be a "true" racing game fan.

 

[Samus]

I must not be a "true" racing game fan.

Well i'm not sure, what isn't to like about either game if you like racing games?

 

[NLxAROSA]

Well i'm not sure, what isn't to like about either game if you like racing games?

Well, if one of them would have major drawbacks or crappy implemented features...

But I don't see that being the case (yet, anyway) for either. 👍

 

[G.T.Ace]

What's this, another e-pissing contest? Meh to that, I'm getting both!

Indeed. If you have a PC capable of running Assetto Corsa, or pCARS, there's no reason to miss out on one of them.

 

[CC570]

Indeed. If you have a PC capable of running Assetto Corsa, or pCARS, there's no reason to miss out on one of them.

I'm likely to only use one of them regardless if I own both or not. (Ask my neglected and dust covered GT5 disc about this) So I'm unlikely to buy more than one sim. Mod-ability and the resulting content will undoubtedly tip the scale towards A.C. or rFactor2, all else being equal.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Indeed. If you have a PC capable of running Assetto Corsa, or pCARS, there's no reason to miss out on one of them.

Physics are 100% a racing game for me. If they suck or I just don't like them, I won't even bother. Forza comes to mind.

 

[HKS racer]

Physics are 100% a racing game for me. If they suck or I just don't like them, I won't even bother. Forza comes to mind.

You're right, nobody should be forced, you buy booth if you want booth, not because other people do or because we have a nice jiggling pCars comunity here. I might buy it after AC, if they improve physics, but for now Assetto Corsa is #1 priority. And considering the modding capability it will keep me busy for a long time.