Project CARS General Discussion Thread

  • Thread starter Terronium-12
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Speedy__17
Thanks. That really sounds great. đź‘Ť
But as you said "at the moment", does my idea still have a chance? Maybe if more people like it and have the same suggestion. Because creating my own racing series has always been one of my most beloved features in racing games. :)
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Theres still sections of the menus with "not available" as place holders.
 
Alright then, here's the weekly build notes as promissed.
Build 837 (27/10/14)
Next-Gen:
* XB1: Added code to propagate game state to players that just joined the online session via JIP.
Render:
* Limit DynamicEnvmap generation down-to 32x32
* DX11: Shadow Depth Format fix for high/ultra shadows (D32)
* Code to expose track centers to live edit so we can tweak for the horizon.
* Corrected processing of occlusion test for objects with height test flag set
* Clouds: Reinstating the lighting with the emaps, rolling back culling changes to combat odd popping issues.
Effects:
* Dirt build up utilises weather, proximiity and ground surface to increase build up rate
* Dirt build up logic moved to physics and integrated into metrics for replay / MP integration
Cameras/Replays:
* FIX AR-2136, longer time duration for replay, replay time made platform dependant
* Photo mode: PP filter additions, tweaks and display names changed. Names will be redone once we have the final, reduced set in place.
* If a tracking camera is tryign to track the cockpitt positions of a car but the car does not have one it will track the default position
Online/Multiplayer:
* AR-1843 App Leaderboard - Stop using online leaderboard to populate PB
* Fix crash on JIP by making sure timings is initialised when CAppWorker() is true
* Added missing unregister for derived scenes to fix the crash from MP testing session
Characters/Animations:
* Pitcrew: Added new textures
* Added 3d crowds and staying billboards.
* Pitcrew exports: Added meshes to liveries
* Pitcrew ART: Charcomposition with mclaren livery
* Pitcrew exports: Added new exports with Mcalren livery
* Driver male ART: Char composer, 1pv and CNM using LADX
* Pitcrew exports: Fixed headsock error missing mesh. Fixed exported charcomp file
AI/Pitstops:
* Fix Time Trial positioning
* Bug/assert fix for not enough pit progress slots available (since the pit engineer uses 1)
Career:
* Career Championships: Kart 1 - Updated all series, removing pre-race sessions due to some kart tracks no longer having pitlanes, updated grid placement criteria and bonus points awarding to match.
Physics:
* Renault Clio Cup: Collision model update
* Renault Megane RS: Collision model update
* Added control over lights on detachable body parts.
* Tires: GT/LMP/DTM rain tire rebalancing, various other tires get minor updates
* Ariel Atom3, Lotus 72D: AI handling balance. Fixed Ariel Atom understeering heavily. Lotus 72D similarly tweaked, but needs some more work with traction control. YawDampening paramter added to both CDF's and dropped from hard coded default
Vehicles:
* Ginetta GT3: New cockpit display
* Pagani Zonda Cinque: AI tire tuning, Increased aero drag a bit.
* Audi R18/BMW 1M: Assigned detachable components to lights mounted on them (for Audi R18 and BMW 1M).
Tracks:
* Azure Circuit: Merge latest work, fix bugs
* Imola: Placement fix for grandstnad lamps and some trees
* Jin Ding: Tweaked pole texture, new texture maps, added new txt for a8 building
* Cadwell: Updated broad terrain, wet weather setup and custom textures for kerbs, sorted the scene for all 3 version (armco, csm mesh, overlays), fixed CSM issues, fixed overlay issues, crowds and barriers placement fixes

Build 838 (28/10/14)
Localisation:
* English fixes and additions
Next-Gen:
* PS4: Added shadow res reset.
* XB1: Kicking session member improvements.
* XB1: Added missing call to sending internal kick message on soft kick.
* XB1: Disable GUI MT (causing black mirror + other broken HUD rendering)
* PS4: Fix for trimmed constant buffer not correctly updating if previous update only did a partial upload. Fix shadow res to a constant.
VR:
* App Props updated to move to Oculus SDK 0.4.3
* Runtime update for API changes in Oculus SDK 0.4.3
* Added Oculus Rift SDK 0.4.3. remove old versions of SDK
Render:
* Impostor Reflection Manager changed to prevent double deletion of imposter objects
* Fixed leaking damage data - a small packet was leaking per vehicle per race round-trip.
* Modified dynamic envmap creation code to delete items in a more reliable order, to prevent risk of accidental thread corruption from writing into an array after releasing it, and also reset pointer to prevent accidental double deletion by subsequent destructor call
GUI:
* FE Photo page DOF
* Photo mode pp filter tweaks
* Fixed black screen for AI ingamemenu quit
* Fix for pp filters on photogame in game not working.
* Removing the gradiant layers from the photomode page.
* FIX AR-2596, allow only selected vehicles on specified tracks
* Off screen text rendering now only occurs if 'SetGlow' is enabled.
Cameras:
* Adding code that is we try to set override camera or indicent camera to an internal camera and the car has no cockpitt it will use the bumper camera.. I have also setup the code to look at a 1 meter up offset from the center of the car when looking at cockpitt offsets on a car with no offset (stop them looking at the ground)
AI/Pitstops:
* AI Traction control improvements
Physics:
* RUF RGT8: Collision model update
* RUF CTR3: Collision model update
* RUF RGT8 GT3: Collision model update
* RWD P20 LMP2: Collision model update
* Lotus 25: Basic engine data for tire testing on the 49.
Vehicles:
* Audi R18: Minor approval fixes
* RUF CTR3 SMS-R: Wiper mask texture file initial checkin.Animation files. Cockpit/Wiper/Suspension animation initial checkin.
Tracks:
* Eiffelwald: Adding advert branding
* Jing Ding: Textures update, added new txt for a2 building
* Cadwell: Added track specific ground cover meshes for MichalB
* Besos: Overlay ammendments, lod and material tweaks, tweaked mips
* Azure Circuit: Merge latest work, fix bugs, Ornate Lamps Flare Colour Tweaks
* Imola: Fix of physicmaterials around trackbarriers, fix of bright grass seams, fix of inner grass to out grass border, fix of single sided tribune stairs, fix of tribune lamps, fix of tyrewall end issue, fix of intersecting trees-barriers, more grass-skids added

Build 839 (29/10/14)
Next-Gen:
* XB1: Fix for corrupt spotlight shadows at night.
* XB1: Fixed stutter during game play when another user joins the online session via JIP.
Render:
* Fix for missing clouds in rear view mirror.
* DX11: Disable erroneous assert in shadow control
* Code to allow tweakit to be able change rcf inputs.
* DX11: Added/implemented Renderer APIs for FPS capping
* Code to allow us to be able to change the drivers RCF inputs in game.
* DX11: Fix for night-time hang and/or flickering cockpit shadows with -dx11mt
VR:
* Fix for geometry pop-in when running with Oculus Rift
* Fix Oculus VR tracking Reset (only reset Yaw, not PitchYawRoll)
* Add new command-line option -fpscap <fps> to allow frame rate capping
GUI:
* Fix dangling pointer in dialogs
* Pitstop camera interface, that allows multiple cameras for various situations that might happen in the pitstops
Online/Multiplayer:
* AR-2698: Extended the soft-kick subsystem to support kicking by the game logic in cross-platform fashion. Improves kicking behavior on Steam and XB1 which do not have service API to kick session members. Old Steam-specific and XB1-specific code to be removed asap. Bumped the protocol version.
Characters/Animations:
* Adding bone "props_airgun_head" to props rig
* Pitcrew ART: Deleted duplicated pocketpants meshes
* Pitcrew ART: Added kart and GTlow pitcrews. Updated materials and added new presets. Added pcars logo layer to polo, skin updates. Light scale global ON
* PitEngineer: Updated hazard report implementation. Implemented blue flag reports. Replaced damage report implementation. Completed pit stop and penalty report implementation. Implemented Le Mans specific VO. Added distinction between overall fastest lap of race and player's fastest lap. Implemented career moments VO (first race, first win, first championship).
Career:
* Career session advancing at end of race no longer requires a track load, so progression is much faster. Code/Script changes to handle session setup/advancing, and initial career grids/handling grid position updates at session end.
AI/Pitstops:
* Tweak to ai early braking / slowdown on sharp corners for poorer drivers.
Physics:
* Further metrics code
* RUF CTR3 SMSR: Collision model update
* WIP changes for STM spawning for JIPed players
* Ford Focus RS: Fixed 4cm rearward offset on some collision shapes
* Lotus 72D: AI handling and grip re blanaced to new AI traction Control Code.
* If setup uses default tyre, ensure tyre choice is based on weather conditions
Vehicles:
* BMW M3 GT2: LODA Polish
* Vehicles: Adjusted windscreen textures
* Ford Capri Group5: Fixed minor paint bugs
* Pagani Zonda Cinque: Fixed UV mapping issue
* Audi R18: Livery approval fix, added missing Michelin logo
* RUF RGT-8 GT3/RWD P30 LMP1/Ford Capri Group5:: Added 1 senior manager livery
* RUF CTR3 SMS-R: Checked/Fixed AO and Damage deformation. Added Cockpit animations. Updated wipers meshes. Added Wiper Animation/Mask, rain setup. Added Suspension animation (from Ruf_CTR3_2012)
Tracks:
* Azure Circuit: Change ads banner
* California Raceway: Textures for various track buildings
* Monza Short: CSM issues fixed, lowres ad boards fixed, terrain around armco exits fixed
* Cadwell: New ground cover setup, updated broad terrain, wet weather setup and custom textures for kerbs, added missing overlays, new ground cover added

Build 840 (30/10/14)
Next-Gen:
* PS4: Fixed spot light shadows not appearing. Removed EOP flushes on labels.
* PS4: Adds quad draw. Ability to clear target with quad rather than cmask fast clear.
* XB1: Fixed issue that caused players joining an online session via invite to sometimes not join properly and get disconnected eventually.
Localisation:
* TextDB: Modified wireless strings for German and Russian.
Audio:
* Tweaks to the MP4-12C, MP4-12C GT3, Audi R8 LMS Ultra, Audi R8 V10 plus, Ruf RGT8 & Ruf RGT8 GT3 (gear wobble and many other refinements). Fixed the sudden "VTEC-like" transition at higher RPM in the Mercedes Evo2 DTM.
Fixes:
* Fix VehicleDriver compiler warning.
* Fix for command line args support for Gold x86 exe launch failure.
Render:
* Code for fix pure call shutdown crash when trying to free a null material.
GUI:
* Fix some double close of dialog issues
* Additional FFB items added to mainmenu file
Online/Multiplayer:
* FIX AR-2327 MP - Stall when loading a new JIP vehicle
* Fixed most cases on wrong messaging when members are removed by game kick or internal "connectivity problems" kick.
Cameras:
* Code to allow us to generate camera sequences based on data in a hrdf file.
Characters/Animations:
* Added fuel hose compensator (wip)
* Anim assets: Added animated camera crane
* Anim assets: Camera crane - fixed wrong arm position
* Pitcrew ART: Updated skin in poloshirt and created RCFsetups
* Pitcrew ART: Updated skin on legs and cargoshorts and materials parameters
AI/Pitstops:
* Change avoidance to rely more on the Dangerous obstacles array when in passing situations
Career:
* Game is saved when advancing career sessions at end of race
* Career Motorsport Teams: Formula Rookie duplicate teams fixed.
* Added track checking to career data tests, to validate it doesn't change between sessions within a round
Physics:
* Only enable active actors when resetting components
* McLaren 12C & P1: Minor adjustments to prevent front suspension inversions
* Ariel Atom Mugen/V8 - Lotus 25,49,and 76 - AI hasndling (mostly using tire grips and slip angles) rebalanced around the new Yaw Dampening and Traction control features.
Tracks:
* Jing Ding: Added textures, moved marbles and leaves in Jing Ding

Build 841 (31/10/14)
Audio:
* LMP2 RWD P20 incar and external engine sets, plus an AI version. Includes tranny, turbo, gears, backfires, distant roll-offs and trajectory.
Next-Gen:
* PS4: Only set render target aa state if target is being set.
Render:
* Adding in code to allow us to say how long we want to be in a camera
Effects:
* New fullscreen transition system. Setup to do crossfades.
GUI:
* Fix for duplicated text ids
* Camera cuts updated, presets for animation chosing incorporated
* Fix PresetsFirstLaunchDialog not being closed properly. (because we were opening it more than once)
Cameras:
* Changing the mIsRearView variable to u32.
* Code change so that when we activate rear view the game treats it like a new camera.. This is so we can recalibrate systems that have assuptions about the camera view in place.
Character/Animations:
* F1 pitstop blocking
* Pitstop proxy/blocking scenes
* Added F1 jackup front and lollypop.
* Initial files for lollypop and front jackup
* Pitcrew export: Added Pitcrew GTLow and Kart with its RCFs variatiosn and liveries
Career:
* Career Championships: Entry Karts - intro video speech updated to remove reference to prerace sessions.
Physics:
* Adjusted AI handling with yawdampening and grip/slip adjustments
* AI handling balance on all Audi's, BMW's, BMC Mono. Handling adjusted around new yawdamping paramter and new TC code.
* BMW M3 GT4: Added swaybar, increased rebound travel to fix ill handling on player car. Adjusted AI handling with yawdampening and grip/slip adjustments.
Vehicles:
* BMW Z4 GT3: Tweaked windscreen banners
* RUF RGT-8 GT3: Polish items on headlight IDs and tires
* Reviewed light damage and added new data for part dependency
Tracks:
* Road America: RL branding
* Besos: Repathed textures copied over
* Oschers National: Most funneling of corridors removed for testing
* Azure Circuit: Sitting crowds + initial placement for Azure circuit
* Snetterton: New autograss, CSM tweaks, optimization,viewer updates,bug fixes
* Jin Ding: New kerbs added with custom textures, stitched/remapped where needed, applied new road material, added new emm map for a3 building
* California Highway: Fixed flickering rocks on s1 s2 s3/jira issue WMD-477/popin issues stage3 ends /reorg and updated all xmls static inst crowds dyn lights/fixed csm issues/tested
* Watkins Glen: Control tower of Connectcut hill applied with watkins glen logotype, connecticut hill fixed disconnected fence at start area, fixed AIW related issue on uphill section after turn2, added advert stuff as requested from track owners
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Seeing the game is delayed till March, any word on when or if animations will be aded trackside? The only thing that still bothers me when i see videos from the latest builds is how the tracks all seem a bit empty and lifeless with static crowds in some stands but that's about it.
 
Yes, stands waving in the wind is planned. :P

Really, what kind of thing you'd like to see.. just interested..
 
Timppaq
Yes, stands waving in the wind is planned. :P

Really, what kind of thing you'd like to see.. just interested..
Click to expand...
For starters it seems there aren't enough crowds around the tracks in general, like i said only where the stands are and they look a bit stale in them too so that doesn't help. More pockets of people on hills and trackside roads, extra marshals and a crowd that makes noise, uses airhorns and moves their arms in the stands when you drive past enhances the experience. Then spice it all up with birds flying past, planes and helicopters flying over, fireworks, smoke and flags waving... that kinda thing. These animations might already be present (haven't followed the PCARS nouvelles lately), but if they are i have a hard time spotting them.

Would be a shame if PCARS recreates all those cars and circuits so beautifully, has day and weather changes, great physics and sounds, but it would seem like you are racing on a trackday all the time with a couple of mates and the virtual world seems like it doesn't give a crap about your efforts if you catch my drift ;).
 
mister dog
For starters it seems there aren't enough crowds around the tracks in general, like i said only where the stands are and they look a bit stale in them too so that doesn't help. More pockets of people on hills and trackside roads, extra marshals and a crowd that makes noise, uses airhorns and moves their arms in the stands when you drive past enhances the experience. Then spice it all up with birds flying past, planes and helicopters flying over, fireworks, smoke and flags waving... that kinda thing. These animations might already be present (haven't followed the PCARS nouvelles lately), but if they are i have a hard time spotting them.

Would be a shame if PCARS recreates all those cars and circuits so beautifully, has day and weather changes, great physics and sounds, but it would seem like you are racing on a trackday all the time with a couple of mates and the virtual world seems like it doesn't give a crap about your efforts if you catch my drift ;).
Click to expand...
You make a good point and lively environments do add to an immersion level but over the years the racing games that focused more on "sim" type features, physics, and FFB always had rather dull track environments, the focus (dev time) was different than a more general "gamey" racing game (I understand they're all games!). It's also possibly one reason the "sim" type games were on the PC as they didn't have as much appeal to larger console audience where gamey features are required (trophy's, achievements, collecting stuff, etc.). I hope pCARS can offer all of the expected "sim" features and add some of the gamey features the masses prefer, and on their current course they will meet the goals of a complete sim/game racer.

Example, Assetto Corsa is VERY popular on the PC but the environments are as dull as they come. Doesn't mean I don't like AC though, I do and it makes up in other areas. I don't think AC would sell well on the consoles in it's current state (netKar Pro was their previous title and that was bland also).
 
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FuzzyFassbender
You make a good point and lively environments do add to an immersion level but over the years the racing games that focused more on "sim" type features, physics, and FFB always had rather dull track environments, the focus (dev time) was different than a more general "gamey" racing game (I understand they're all games!). It's also possibly one reason the "sim" type games were on the PC as they didn't have as much appeal to larger console audience where gamey features are required (trophy's, achievements, collecting stuff, etc.). I hope pCARS can offer all of the expected "sim" features and add some of the gamey features the masses prefer.

Example, Assetto Corsa is VERY popular on the PC but the environments are as dull as they come. Doesn't mean I don't like AC though, I do and it makes up in other areas. I don't think AC would sell well on the consoles in it's current state (netKar Pro was their previous title and that was bland also).
Click to expand...
While I am not disagreeing with you, as I actually agree with a lot of what you said, I think the focus on "environments" has become so big because of people using photo mode and posting replays. You go back 10 years and you see very little videos on games. Now there are thousands of videos for a game before it even releases. Seems like half the new people to racing that's come in the last 10 years are more into video sharing and photo mode than actually racing. Its all good enjoy your games as you wish, just how I see it.
 
FuzzyFassbender
You make a good point and lively environments do add to an immersion level but over the years the racing games that focused more on "sim" type features, physics, and FFB always had rather dull track environments, the focus (dev time) was different than a more general "gamey" racing game (I understand they're all games!). It's also possibly one reason the "sim" type games were on the PC as they didn't have as much appeal to larger console audience where gamey features are required (trophy's, achievements, collecting stuff, etc.). I hope pCARS can offer all of the expected "sim" features and add some of the gamey features the masses prefer, and on their current course they will meet the goals of a complete sim/game racer.

Example, Assetto Corsa is VERY popular on the PC but the environments are as dull as they come. Doesn't mean I don't like AC though, I do and it makes up in other areas. I don't think AC would sell well on the consoles in it's current state (netKar Pro was their previous title and that was bland also).
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Good point, we shouldn't have to choose for one or the other though (meaning sim orientated games with dull environments, or simcades that have the atmosphere but not the handling and realistic racing).

I do hope SMS improves this before launch. I don't know anything about developing processes but i figure that these animations are mostly added on in the last months before launch as they aren't priority 1, so hopefully it's still on the agenda.

I want my next gen racer to be perfect in every sense.
 
fatkrakr
While I am not disagreeing with you, as I actually agree with a lot of what you said, I think the focus on "environments" has become so big because of people using photo mode and posting replays. You go back 10 years and you see very little videos on games. Now there are thousands of videos for a game before it even releases. Seems like half the new people to racing that's come in the last 10 years are more into video sharing and photo mode than actually racing. Its all good enjoy your games as you wish, just how I see it.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's something I didn't mention, photo mode as you say is a large part of some gamers enjoyment. The importance of graphics quality/fidelity use to be down on list of requirements (features like pitstops, MP league management, physics, FFB at the top) by those that consider themselves "hard-core" sim racers, and you will still see it mentioned today. Actually, some feel that if a developer is aiming high graphically then it can't be a good "sim".
But, while I can make concessions I would like my cake and eat it too.
 
Willfred_1
The plan is to to have the crowd scaled according to tier or type of event.
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This always annoyed me in other games. Who wants to watch 10 Honda Fits drive slowly around a track 2 times? No one and yet there's a huge crowd cheering. You have one car going around the track for a time trail and there's a bunch of people watching. There needs to be more games with scaled crowds.
 
ProjectWHaT
This always annoyed me in other games. Who wants to watch 10 Honda Fits drive slowly around a track 2 times? No one and yet there's a huge crowd cheering. You have one car going around the track for a time trail and there's a bunch of people watching. There needs to be more games with scaled crowds.
Click to expand...
As long as there's full stands during championship races and they take care of giving the surroundings a little more punch i'm all for scaled crowds in PCARS.
 
diesel97
I dont mind the eye candy (crowds,trees,planes,ballons,flags ) as long as it dont drop FPS . I feel PC players shouldnt have problem but i'am afraid PS4 and X1 could suffer

we dont need "waving grass " we need lag free and no frame drop
Click to expand...
From what I've seen and heard its probably the opposite, working to fixed hardware means you can get predictable results, on PC I've seen FPS drop in half when its raining which didn't happen when it rained in the PS4/X1 demos
 
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I think trackside details are a more worthy use of polys than things like intricate turn signal lens patterns, 3D bolt/screw heads, or discretely modelled floor mats. Both benefit the virtual photographers, but you don't have a lot of time to admire the latter details during a race! :)
FuzzyFassbender
You make a good point and lively environments do add to an immersion level but over the years the racing games that focused more on "sim" type features, physics, and FFB always had rather dull track environments, the focus (dev time) was different than a more general "gamey" racing game (I understand they're all games!). It's also possibly one reason the "sim" type games were on the PC as they didn't have as much appeal to larger console audience where gamey features are required (trophy's, achievements, collecting stuff, etc.). I hope pCARS can offer all of the expected "sim" features and add some of the gamey features the masses prefer, and on their current course they will meet the goals of a complete sim/game racer.
Click to expand...
This is one reason I've never gotten very deep into PC sims despite being a stickler for realistic physics. I don't think I'm a member of the "masses", I just want a racing sim with more personality and a bit of narrative incentive to race. Aside from physics, I get my immersion from the overall gameplay design, rather than the whole wheel+pedals and audio/display setup, which is what others seem to focus on for a "simulation" experience. I'm happy with a controller, a console, and an old TV. I just want "sim" features, proper physics, and an engaging career mode. I'm hopeful that PCARS is exactly that.
 
I have to have a real racing game. The closest thing to racing I have on my ps4 is watch dogs. Boooooyyyyy the driving mechanics are great on there.
 
notanexpert
I have to have a real racing game. The closest thing to racing I have on my ps4 is watch dogs. Boooooyyyyy the driving mechanics are great on there.
Click to expand...
WD? That's more Mario Kart than Gran Turismo! Driving Physics are awful on there. Just wait for PCARS or AC (If you have a PC)
 

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