The Future of Assetto Corsa: Exclusive Developer Interview with Marco Massarutto

[Ramosis]

It's live! Downloading!

But it keeps crashing when I press X to start the game...

 

[stenovitz]

Really nice finally having some official news from Kunos itself on AC2, thanks!

However, maybe a little worried about Kunos' insistence on their own graphics engine. But as long as it doesn't become as heavy VR-wise as the ACC's version, fine with me - myself on occations using Oculus Quest 2 with Ryzen 5 5600X/AMD Radeon RX 580 ACC is almost impossible getting satisfactory while AC with SOL, CSP and lots of CM tuning possibilities runs perfect even in heavy open world mods.

And then of course I hope that AC2 will be as open a platform as AC in terms of modding. I've been running AC since its pre-release and still racing it mainly due to I probably use 95% mods and max 5% official Kuno's stuff, even though I bought every Kunos DLC right when it was available. Tools like CM, CSP, SOL, Natural Filter, etc. combined with top notch mods spanning the entire history of motorsport both in terms of racing cars and motorsport tracks provided by extremely skilled and eager modders on a real global scale, I hope Kunos sees this possibility as a huge value instead of regarding the modders as 'competitors'.

Personally, I would be prepared to give a huge amount €€€ for a top tier AC2 sim engine with a worry-free graphics engine and even just with a minimum of content *, if only the platform is easily accessible to all the amazing modders. Then AC2 can seriously take up the fight against the other modern hardcore sims.

I sincerely hope this is the path Kunos will take.

* only immediate desire for content:
1983 WSC Rothmans Porsche 956 @ a realistic 1983 bumpy and non-forgiving version of Nordschleife.
I cannot fathom that other sim developers have not set this as 'standard combo' todo in relation to the well known 6:11,13 to go hunting for by simmers.

Edit: Another combo of my historical wish list: 1959 Le Mans entry list on a historically correct 1959 Le Mans track.

And a third: 1972 Targa Florio, authentic entry list and track.

Just examples I think official developers would never go for, since it's not exacly the paddle/gamepad modern GT market, but still a planet of modders willing to do that for free or almost free. So please have that in mind Kunos ❤️

 

[pburford]

I guess I am very dumb as I cannot get ACC to recognise my CSL elite and pedals. GT Sport see's them fine but even when I select them (in the very ambiguous settings screen) when going to race only my controller is active.


What am I doing wrong ??

 

[TheCrazySwede]

I dont see how they can match modded AC with all the content. Graphics as well as improved physics are surely going to have to be the usp, and sound of course. What's interesting was Marco's comments on career mode. They need to find a way to allow mods on console too, at least for tracks.

I don't think AC will be far from being competitive with AC2 in terms of graphics and sound by the time of AC2's prospective release. Short of features like ray-tracing and leveraging capabilities of newer hardware (DLSS?), I think we are going to see a lot competition between the two. There's also the prospect that AC2's engine will feed more mods to AC1, as modders find ways to port assets and features over, like they have already done with ACC. We have ACC car models, tracks and lighting effects in AC - given how close this updated proprietary engine will be to the original, we might see a whole lot more ported assets this time around as opposed to AC's Unreal driven counterpart.

One thing is clear - this is all fantastic for consumers. AC is only getting cheaper and more accessible, alongside an ever expending library of features. AC2's trick up its sleeve will have to be far exceeding surface level eye candy, like graphics and UI improvements, to be competitive. If AC2 can deliver the mod support we know and love from Kunos, alongside dramatic changes to the physics engine - AC2 will rightfully earn its place in the market; not above AC1, but alongside AC1 as a viable alternative for players who have the ability to benefit from its updated set of features. And for everyone else, AC1 will still be there - for many years to come.

 

[BalsBrother]

It's live! Downloading!

But it keeps crashing when I press X to start the game...

Are you on PS5 and upgraded from ps4 version?

I have seen this reported elsewhere and some folks have reported that when they deleted saved replays it solved the crashing issue. Other have said deleting save file works too but that would mean starting over fresh so last resort option?
(I can't say if they work from personal experience as I am on a series X and not had the problem.)

Best of luck and hope you manage to sort it out or a hotfix is released.

 

[Ramosis]

Are you on PS5 and upgraded from ps4 version?

I have seen this reported elsewhere and some folks have reported that when they deleted saved replays it solved the crashing issue. Other have said deleting save file works too but that would mean starting over fresh so last resort option?
(I can't say if they work from personal experience as I am on a series X and not had the problem.)

Best of luck and hope you manage to sort it out or a hotfix is released.

Yes, I can confirm that deleting PS4 ACC replays makes the PS5 version works. (And yes, I'm playing ps5 upgrade from PS4 version)

 

[Tool1312]

Nice interview, however it's been rushed to release. Again!
Features that worked perfectly fine before are messed up.
Spectator camera controls are gone
Music continues to be played over the menu
Glitchy graphics in places
New video settings menu, which does very little apart from motion blur, plus no return to default if you mess it up
Auto DOR does work if you put your lock as maximum, but this has been discovered, not talked about in advance
BMW M4 lights are like two candles, off centre
Online public servers are inconsistent, some just ending after the leader has finished, some allowing 50 cars?!
Track positions don't show, lap times don't register

 

[bleeder]

Nice interview, however it's been rushed to release. Again!
Features that worked perfectly fine before are messed up.
Spectator camera controls are gone
Music continues to be played over the menu
Glitchy graphics in places
New video settings menu, which does very little apart from motion blur, plus no return to default if you mess it up
Auto DOR does work if you put your lock as maximum, but this has been discovered, not talked about in advance
BMW M4 lights are like two candles, off centre
Online public servers are inconsistent, some just ending after the leader has finished, some allowing 50 cars?!
Track positions don't show, lap times don't register

Yes, some actual descriptions of what settings do would be nice. There's some stuff in both the visual settings and view settings that I don't get.

I also forgot to say my game crashed before I could even start a race, as I was messing with my wheel settings. Hope it's a one-off

 

[EditLater]

Did they ever improve the game pad controls. I played ACC at launch on PS4 but it was basically unplayable with a game pad.

Not heard of any improvement. Biggest gripe.being inability to remap buttons.....being stuck with r2 for throttle whereas many of us prefer right stick for throttle and brakes......and find using hook buttons too frustrating.

 

[Raymondantho]

Loving the update to ps5 but agree some bugs I’m sure they will be fixed patience

 

[rickyboem]

Did they ever improve the game pad controls. I played ACC at launch on PS4 but it was basically unplayable with a game pad.

Its a simulator, so it wouldnt be fair when youre as fast or even faster on a controller when I am using a wheel.

so maybe there is a reason for it

 

[Sjokkomoes]

Its a simulator, so it wouldnt be fair when youre as fast or even faster on a controller when I am using a wheel.

so maybe there is a reason for it

Look at GTS. I believe its excellent on a controller already however a wheel makes for more consistent laps.
Being faster on a wheel doesnt mean that the controller should make the game worse to play on controller.
Wheels are more about immersion and fine tuning controls, not sheer speed.
I am also sure making a racing game on console thats not controller friendly impacts sale by quite a lot.

 

[kjb]

Its a simulator, so it wouldnt be fair when youre as fast or even faster on a controller when I am using a wheel.

so maybe there is a reason for it

That doesn't make any sense. It's game and some people will be faster on controller and some will be faster on a wheel. It's not like using a controller gives some unfair advantage because it doesn't. Besides whether or not some faster than you shouldn't affect how you play the game

 

[civicgsir]

What would be ideal, is that they figure out a way to port AC1 car & track mods into AC2...that would save the world.

 

[Beezer215]

What would be ideal, is that they figure out a way to port AC1 car & track mods into AC2...that would save the world.

Oh no. You have to be kidding. No to tracks especially. Archaic 2 dimensional x-wing trees? 2 dimensional cardboard cut out crowd people? Stagnant non-dynamic objects. Tracks that don't rubber in.
While I can understand if the models of cars could be used, physics modeling has came a long way in ten years. Kunos did a great job with ACC adding even more to the level of physics that can be achieved.

We deserve a new experience. I'm assuming AC2 will have a high level, a recent level of standards that will require any old content to basically have to be fully reworked to meet those standards. AC is great and all but that stuff needs to remain in 10 year old AC.

 

[Supercededman]

It's live! Downloading!

But it keeps crashing when I press X to start the game...

I've watched a few streams now (Basic Ollie being one), and the PS5 version seems to be very buggy, refusing to recognise updates from PS4, and not being able to start with a wheel if booted up initially on controller.

Ollie admitted to never having played ACC before, and made the comment that there were very little clues on how to set the game up. I have the PS4 version, and have downloaded the PS5, but trying to load the game for me, too, was a nightmare.

This could be the final nail in the coffin for ACC, given the imminent release of GT7 (yeah, I know they appeal to different groups, but I play(ed ) both), and the continued amazing development of i-Racing and other sims.

Personally, I'll stick with the PS4 version for a bit, 'til things get sorted, and may even abandon it forever if GT7 fulfils promises.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

I've watched a few streams now (Basic Ollie being one), and the PS5 version seems to be very buggy, refusing to recognise updates from PS4, and not being able to start with a wheel if booted up initially on controller.

Ollie admitted to never having played ACC before, and made the comment that there were very little clues on how to set the game up. I have the PS4 version, and have downloaded the PS5, but trying to load the game for me, too, was a nightmare.

This could be the final nail in the coffin for ACC, given the imminent release of GT7 (yeah, I know they appeal to different groups, but I play(ed ) both), and the continued amazing development of i-Racing and other sims.

Personally, I'll stick with the PS4 version for a bit, 'til things get sorted, and may even abandon it forever if GT7 fulfils promises.

I've watched a few videos of both XB & PS but trusted Jardier as he's a genuine fan & a bloody good sim racer.

 

[Supercededman]

I've watched a few videos of both XB & PS but trusted Jardier as he's a genuine fan & a bloody good sim racer.

Oh, yeah, Jardier is a man of the utmost integrity. Of that, I'm sure - been following him for some time.

My consternation is aimed at 505. The fact that it was released and ACC experts are even confounded by some of the bugs is just ludicrous.

 

[Monkey Man]

Agreed.

It's so obviously not ready for primetime it's not funny.

 

[lancia delta hf]

Really nice finally having some official news from Kunos itself on AC2, thanks!

However, maybe a little worried about Kunos' insistence on their own graphics engine .

I'm not worried personally. I really like the look of AC, it has a nice clean image. It just lacks assets like on ACC. I'm sure they know it cant look lesser than ACC.

I don't think AC will be far from being competitive with AC2 in terms of graphics and sound by the time of AC2's prospective release. Short of features like ray-tracing and leveraging capabilities of newer hardware (DLSS?), I think we are going to see a lot competition between the two. There's also the prospect that AC2's engine will feed more mods to AC1, as modders find ways to port assets and features over, like they have already done with ACC. We have ACC car models, tracks and lighting effects in AC - given how close this updated proprietary engine will be to the original, we might see a whole lot more ported assets this time around as opposed to AC's Unreal driven counterpart.

One thing is clear - this is all fantastic for consumers. AC is only getting cheaper and more accessible, alongside an ever expending library of features. AC2's trick up its sleeve will have to be far exceeding surface level eye candy, like graphics and UI improvements, to be competitive. If AC2 can deliver the mod support we know and love from Kunos, alongside dramatic changes to the physics engine - AC2 will rightfully earn its place in the market; not above AC1, but alongside AC1 as a viable alternative for players who have the ability to benefit from its updated set of features. And for everyone else, AC1 will still be there - for many years to come.

On console AC2 will have no difficulty being better than AC. For the PC crowd, particularly the modding fans it's going to have to really be a huge improvement. Kunos should look at implementing things like Assetto Corsa Pursuit and free roam maps. They've got a big task bug I just hope it gives me the same feeling as AC and ACC.