Q&A with Slightly Mad Studios: Ian Bell [Read OP]

[notanexpert]

One thing I find frustrating and hopefully is addressed is AI balancing from track to track. There is nothing more frustrating than fluctuating +/-5 points between tracks. Well, there probably more frustrating things but this is high up on the list.

 

[jake2013guy]

One thing I find frustrating and hopefully is addressed is AI balancing from track to track. There is nothing more frustrating than fluctuating +/-5 points between tracks. Well, there probably more frustrating things but this is high up on the list.

It could be you who's better/worse at some sort of difference.

 

[wicken]

Really? Got a video of that? Would like to see how it's done.

Is it this that you're looking for?

 

[jake2013guy]

Is it this that you're looking for?

Absolutely. Shame it isn't done with AI but that's a far more complex issue.

 

[AllReD]

Gamereactor talks to Slightly Mad Studios and then goes hands-on

https://www.gamereactor.eu/articles/588803/Project CARS 2 - All Our Questions Answered/

 

[breyzipp]

Gamereactor talks to Slightly Mad Studios and then goes hands-on

https://www.gamereactor.eu/articles/588803/Project CARS 2 - All Our Questions Answered/

Rod's answer about the simulation aspect between 12:45 until 15:35 - This is IMO spot on what is the most important thing in a racing game, even for people like me who play it on the sofa with a controller. The feeling and the immersion of the racing or driving experience has to be believable. And so many aspects of the game contribute to this like the graphics, the sound, the car handling, the authenticity, pit crew, seasons, the right motorsport presets and all that. Project CARS 1 - despite it's troublesome handling with a controller - even had this right, it's together with Dirt Rally the most authentic and believable racing game I ever played on consoles. And this is truly the essence of a great racing game, it's so much more important than all the tracks and cars we might as for. If the very basic core of the game is not correct and feels off, all those fancy cars don't even matter the slightest bit.

That is also the very reason why a game like FM or GT might have stunning visuals, a huge car roster and a first class feeling of polish, in the end it will be a car game that is just fun to play from an entertainment perspective, instead of being a car game that actually feels like it might be the real deal.

 

[Morgoth_666]

One thing I find frustrating and hopefully is addressed is AI balancing from track to track. There is nothing more frustrating than fluctuating +/-5 points between tracks. Well, there probably more frustrating things but this is high up on the list.

It could be you who's better/worse at some sort of difference.

It doesn't take very much experience with the first game to know that this is not the case. It varies widely by car as well(I've generally found they are much more competent in race cars than road cars) but in most cases it just comes down to they lines they are given to drive are made really really poorly on a lot of tracks. In general pCARS AI seemed to be utterly terrible at most of the shorter variants of tracks whether because they don't handle the transition from the "normal" part to the alternate part correctly or they just drive horribly through the alternate route. And of course some tracks they just have certain corners they take completely wrong, most easily seen when they always slow down substantially for obviously flat-out corners(like Daytona Road Course in GT5).

I know we all are better at some tracks than others and some cars than others, but it's not very hard to tell the difference between spending all of practice honing your line to perfection in a car you feel comfortable with and squeezing all of your ability to get the best lap possible and winding up 10th versus driving around on your first lap of an unfamiliar circuit while making mistakes all over the track and not getting a single corner remotely right and then being in first by a couple of seconds -- and watching that time hold up for the entire session even as you improve drastically.

This happens in a lot of games and it's obviously impossible to get perfect, but it's definitely something the first title suffered major problems with. I really hope they've spent a good amount of time on cleaning it up for the sequel(it's an awful lot of circuits to get right). It leads to really unpleasant races where if you are in the pack you just have to wait around for the corners they are atrocious at and then drive off-line while they basically pass themselves(and a lot of contact as you figure out where they are terrible and where they think you are the slowpoke).

 

[DesertPenguin09]

Question: When driving in helmet cam with the helmet visible, will the audio be changed and if so will we have the option to turn that off? I want to enjoy the claustrophobia of a helmet but not at the expense of the glorious sounds.

 

[35mm]

Question: When driving in helmet cam with the helmet visible, will the audio be changed and if so will we have the option to turn that off? I want to enjoy the claustrophobia of a helmet but not at the expense of the glorious sounds.

Good point.

I enjoyed playing with a visible helmet very much in PCars 1, but ended up turning it off because of the muffled sounds.

 

[Jhonatas1981]

Nascar are in carrer Mode?

 

[Northstar]

Nascar are in carrer Mode?

Nope, according to the stream since they have are using a NASCAR spec car they would need the official license in order to have pre-set events.

I'm not even sure where it would fit anyways considering there really isn't anything leading up to that style of racing.

 

[jake2013guy]

Nope, according to the stream since they have are using a NASCAR spec car they would need the official license in order to have pre-set events.

I'm not even sure where it would fit anyways considering there really isn't anything leading up to that style of racing.

Could go into Touring as an alternative to V8SC in Tier 1.

 

[Northstar]

Could go into Touring as an alternative to V8SC in Tier 1.

I would rather just have the current line-up of V8SC, plus Volvo and Mercedes (if Forza doesn't have an exclusive license).

I think NASCAR/oval is different enough to warrant it's own career path, but than you would need additional classes like K&N, Trucks and Xfinity plus an extra track or two (short ovals mainly). As much as I would like that, adding to the GT4 and touring car (mainly modern and Super Touring) lineups is what I would rather see.

 

[Jhonatas1981]

Hey Ian, tell us about how NASCAR cars and oval tracks will be explored in the game.

 

[ozwheels]

Will the PSN version launch at midnight local time or is it based on a certain time zone?

 

[Bealdor]

Hey Ian, tell us about how NASCAR cars and oval tracks will be explored in the game.

If I had to guess, I'd say by driving...

 

[OooAhh Cantona]

Will the PSN version launch at midnight local time or is it based on a certain time zone?

I'm also curious if PSN will download the game prior to Sept 22. Then unlock it to play at midnight.

 

[Scaff]

I'm also curious if PSN will download the game prior to Sept 22. Then unlock it to play at midnight.

It has pre release download the same as all digital titles, just make sure you have it selected on your order (go into library and select it and you should be able to check).

 

[RoadRunner36]

Will the Group A Skyline R32 have the legendary Calsonic livery? Here's a pic of the livery I'm talking about.

 

[ozwheels]

I'm also curious if PSN will download the game prior to Sept 22. Then unlock it to play at midnight.

I mean where will it launch first or is it based on your local time.

 

[jake2013guy]

Will the Group A Skyline R32 have the legendary Calsonic livery? Here's a pic of the livery I'm talking about.

View attachment 671957

I've seen this somewhere and can't (be bothered to) find the in game screen.

 

[05XR8]

Since that'll be the first car I drive, can't wait to see how many liveries it gets. So far, it has the Castrol, Calsonic and HKS liveries.
Hope we get these for starters. SMS usually average 25 liveries per car. So, with only 32 cars on track and not 45, hopefully we get 32. Plus, Community Livery Packs.

 

[Bealdor]

Calsonic livery is in the game AFAIK but Nissan is VERY strict with official liveries so don't expect too many paintjobs for this car.
I don't know the exact count but it's definitely below average.

 

[Tank621]

I'll hope for a Mark Skaife livery but TBH I love the R32 enough for me not to care if there isn't one

 

[05XR8]

Calsonic livery is in the game AFAIK but Nissan is VERY strict with official liveries so don't expect too many paintjobs for this car.
I don't know the exact count but it's definitely below average.

I'll accept that reality and still enjoy Group A.

 

[DesertPenguin09]

As long as it's more than the McLaren GT3 had in PCars1

 

[fernandito]

Has this online bug:
http://forum.projectcarsgame.com/showthread.php?42206-Game-freeze-and-crash/page2

..and the wheel rotation bug (you join an online FA race for instance, and instead of the game setting the wheel at 360º for this car and then setting a soft lock too, it rotates the maximum degrees you have your wheel set at. Imagine a FA or a GT3 at 1080º) when online too fixed in project cars 2?. Needless to say that I have my wheel perfectly calibrated or anything basic-else. It's an issue that happens online with wheel users. I'm on a T300RS

I have suffered the first issue since the days of patch 6 or so (I've had this crash twice today too), and the second one since release, which happens in online lobbies mostly.

^These issues sorted already?

 

[fernandito]

^Silence...

 

[F1Racer68]

@IanBell or @The_American

Can you share any details yet around Dedicated Server system requirements? Will they be the same/similar to the current one, or will there be a change? IF there will be a change, what will be the biggest impact?

I am specifically looking for hardware and bandwidth requirements info.

Appreciate any insight you can share on that as we make preparations for our next season of racing.

Thanks!

 

[The_American]

I'll dig something up. You wont need a Cray Supercomputer (do they still make those?)

I can tell you that last weekend we hosted the max of 32 racers using a DS and things held up pretty well. This included guys and Europe and USA, we were able to race each for an hour w/o trouble (of course couple guys had their own internet problems and 1 or 2 disconnected but thats on them and their ISP)