I agree with some of the criticism voiced here, and with some other I think it gets overrated, and a few points I cannot share. What remains by the end of the day, is this: that the focus of AC is the car for the sake of the car, and the experience of driving said car for the mere pleasure of the experience of driving a car. And this is what AC most generously delivers, and massively so. All the title's strengths, derive from this focus, and all its features that it neglects in scope and the way they are implemented, also are a consequence from this focus. Hence, you get a simulation with excellent exterior and interior car modelling, extremely subtle FFB, superior physics and thus great driving. Not that FFB depends tremendously on individual taste and expectations, software setups, and used hardware. I have almost stopped to discuss FFB, since it makes no sense. People fire plenty of words back and forth, and most of the time compare apples with oranges. With my completely unspectacular G27, I am fully satisfied. If I would get a 1700 Euro combo from Fanatec, I might see things different. And if I tune the Fanatec FFB settings different, again my view might change tremendously. You cannot compare a 70 Euro wheel to a 200 Euro wheel to a 800 Euro wheel, the motors and effects are too different. The scope, the focus of RRE is different, less exclusive on just the car, more covering the whole showcase that racing as an event is. Seen that way, both titles are quite straight and consistent with what they want to be. I have taken hundreds of hours of pleasure form just hotlapping alone, or driving in trackday setups. That good the driving experience is. But when I want to race in the middle of the pack, dogfight with other cars, have the drama of pitting and speeding in pitlane and so forth - when i want not driving to relax, but race: I pick Raceroom. Kunos should not have named it "Your racing simualtor", but "Your driving simulator", but I think that already was grabbed by Gran Turismo, or not? Yesterday I took some Formula Juniors around the Nordschleife in Raceroom, and it was great fun. The day before I had driven alone several different BMW streetcars on the Nordschleife in AC, in trackday and in lonely hotlapping, and it also was extremely pleasurable, 09:00 or 16:00, and light fog, it adds to the atmosphere. The BMWs in aC are extraordinarily well done in their driving and physics and FFB. Maybe because their physics guru is a BMW fetishist and drives them in real life, too. It certainly helps if your physics guru holds a race license himself. Plus it opens doors for you - they are more easily considering to let you drive their precious toys if they know that you know what you are doing. BTW, many people seem to forget this, time of day and light fog, it makes a huge change in atmosphere and visual appearance. With colour correction to 105 or even 110%, and starting when the sun is low, 09:00 or 16:00, and with light fog, it looks lovely,a dn quite different. And very typical for Nordschleife, which is known for its often fast changing weather and often moist conditions. - Try it, if you haven't!
Hi Mr belowski I know that you had washed your hands of the whole crew chief in AC business. Is there any chance you will consider implementing the features that you did get working again now that your using the game more. You said you could not properly access the telemetry properly, but did you have a working spotter, position, or lap counter working. Like many of us I use your program in all the other race games, and half of the Crew chiefs info is still better than none.
I'm using a Beta version of RS Dash (from the developer of pCars Dash) for R3E and AC. In AC, the timing sheet shows only my own times, no times of opponents. It does remember PB times per car/track though. AC does not send track maps, car positions, no info about who is in front or behind you, no delta times.
I only got a proof of concept working - it had some partially working session state information (so it was limited to the 'green green green' message at the race start, and one or two other things). In its current state it's really not worth using. The AC port isn't 100% dead, but I honestly think it's beyond my patience and Python-fu. Gongo did say me might have a poke around when things settle down with AMS, but it's not at the top of the to-do list. My adventures in VR have also been making it hard to work on Crew Chief. I'm having a bit of a break from it, while I fly round the universe in my space ship etc etc
That's why I said correct me if I'm wrong. I was told that I couldn't set up a R3E server if my computer is in LAN even if I use port forwarding.
The Red Pack is looking ridiculously awesome at this point, here's hoping the AI improvements are as good as the cars.
Played it a bit today, and I appreciate the content more than first time I refunded it. The fake us highway track is pretty cool. Can second what most people say. It is pretty nice and the driving feel has something very precise in it. Enjoyed cars of multiple decades. So a great game to just drive, but doesn't feel as much a race game. Lot's of diverse iconic cars, not so much a nice field. Setting up races seemed a pain imo. There is more track level of detail popping that I don't like, maybe gotta tune settings some more. Tripples and cockpit widgets... all are very slick. Great technology, great drive. Race atmosphere not so much imo. I wish they had more scenic drives actually.
Did you try the automatic AI car selection when setting up a race? It should allow you to list cars for the AI that match the car you have chosen for yourself. They recommend to give the AI only cars of the same class anyway, the AI handles things better then. The GT3 class in AC has as many cars as in RR. GT3 is extremely popular not just in other sims, and in reality, but in AC as well. I find things doing better in AC, both the driving and the AI, with the cars tending to be slower anyway. The superfast cars there are, and the slippery ones, I tend to avoid, or to use them for hotlapping only. Street cars, sports cars and GT3 for me work best. And then there is the Abrth and comapring cars at Magione. Slow, yes - but tremendous fun in pack racing that does not automatically lead in collective nuking. One can learn so much when using the slower cars as well. I appreciate tremendously Red Bull track coming with the Red Pack, but the cars they have put in this time , are not so much my cup of tea, for the before mentioned reasons. The Japanese pack some weeks ago however really let me forget the coins I spent on it in no time.
This was never a problem that I noticed before their recent 1.6 update at the end of March. Almost like anisotropic filtering got turned off, no matter what settings you use in game (0x up to 16x). There is tons of stuff that is now blurry, not there at all, or things that LOD in differently now. Although I havent seen an official statement on the forum, something is definitely amiss. I've heard you can hack your own solution by cranking up the AF in the Nvidia control panel, but I havent tried that yet myself. I just wish they would get rid of all those damn turn signs on each corner. There is an multitude more than there should be if they were going for an authentic vibe. Pretty neat and reminiscent of past "Outrun" type games though. Cruising through exotic landscape.
I watched a newer video by Kunos that advertises their track accuracy in general - and guess what sequence I saw in it, just for a few seconds: cars passing through the steep turn, and the only thing I can link that to is historic Monza. That track has been rumoured since two years or longer, and Kunos kept their lips shut. But here is new hope that it is coming, maybe as a bonus Big Bang for the console release, who knows. LINK video at 1:30.
Lately, I keep hearing like AC's physics is not realistic, it is a simplified and it is more like simcade, but no one ever tells what is actually wrong and what makes it unrealistic and how it should be. Can anyone explain to me, what are these things? Of course, I can feel a difference in handling and driving going from a game to another, but I really can't say what is the most realistic one, because I don't know how all these sport or racing cars handle in real life. I'm also not saying that I don't have any reservations regarding AC's overall feel, but it can be said about every other sim out there. So what exactly is wrong with AC's physics, please?
Nothing is wrong with Ac physics, in principle. Complaints about them are as old as the early access first release. Some say that when the cars roll low - real slow, pedestrian's speed - physics suck, and indeed the braking is very abrupt then. Some complain about the tyre physics. Some complain about too much oversteer, too much understeer, too little grip, to easy spinning, and I don't know what. Nonsense. Truth is that AC has some of the most subtle and complex physics there are on the market, maybe even the best ones, not few people would say. But that is what can make driving with them more demanding. Its for this reason that I avoid the real speed monster with less grip and the from start on more slippery cars in AC, and stick more with the bit slower and more grippy cars: street cars, sport cars, GT3, the likes of this. But I do not accuse the game for my faults - I say it is my incompetent driving, the deficits are on my side. To many of these complaints also base on "it does not behave like game X, and so it must be wrong". The physics in RR, by comarison, are simplier, at least as far as the result is concerned that the player can see and feel. RR in general are more grippy, and within one class the diversity of differences between cars is narrower, also the car gives me less feedback and shows less complex behaviour. For racing door-to-door, that feels good because it allows for more, simpler control by the player. I often compared the two Nürburgring GPs in both game, because of the shared tracks in both titles this is the track which feels quite different. If I would take the early turns in the Mercedes arena in aC the way I dare to take them in Raceroom, I would be in troubles, because what works in RR, is too much of daredevil-style in AC. On other tracks like for example Spa, the differences in car physics become much less obvious, so tracks also play a role: Spa I drive almost exactly the same way in both sims, the track feels almost identical. Shows what a good job S3 did, since AC's version is laserscanned, while RR's version is not. In the end you drive it if you like it, and if you do not like it, you drive something else! BTW, every simulator'S physics are simplified, since they provide player with an illusion and are not the real thing. But if "AC has simplified physics" is meant to be in comparison to another simulator, then I can only laugh, sorry. Its one of the most complex, most subtle and most convincing physics suites on the market. The as-subtle FFB, which also some people nag about, also does its share, of course, FFB in AC is now superb, after having gone a long way. Of course that depends also on the quality of your wheel hardware, and individual FFB settings. Some people compare apples with oranges, or simply have weird settings.
Totally agree. It's harder and easier at the same time. Harder because the physics seem truer to life. Easier because those truer physics tell me what's going on and allow me to actually correct mistakes before they go terminal. The amount of times I've spun in R3E or PCars after slightly losing the rear is ridiculous. (R3E has improved though) Once it kicks in you know you are just a passenger and there is nothing you can do regain control. In Assetto Corsa I most always am able to save the spin.
If so, that means imo that you have your FFB wrong and that it has little to do with physics. I have FFB in the three (R3E - AC - pCars) sims set that they produce the same feeling (though they act a bit different) for what the car is doing. It is not because of a different wheel since I see we have the same V2. The only time I feel being a "passenger" (and that goes for all three sims) is when I either mess up big time, or get pushed/nudged by AI. In all other cases it is fairly easy to catch the car when it starts to lose it.
To me, the FFB in Assetto was great around the beta/early access stage, after that it gradually degraded. At this point, it's still intuitive an easy to set up, but completely lacklustre compared to what I have managed to achieve in RaceRoom with my settings. All the quirks aside, in Assetto the FFB either feels too light or too strong depending on the car, you need to tune those setup settings for each vehicle and it never seems consistent. As for spinning, the day when I was able to save almost any spin in AC are long gone and I understand that I am overdriving the car most of the time when I spin out. Now compared to Raceroom, here I can at least feel that I am overdriving the car, so if I cannot save a spin, it's basically the feeling of "you had it coming", while in Assetto it's more like "oh, you turned the wheel 5mm too much in that corner? enjoy your spin M8". Just try the Ford GT with the default setup, other than the knowledge that you turn the wheel just a bit too much, there is no indication in the FFB, that you are doing something wrong. Seriously, driving just by your feelios without applying specific corner knowledge, and that great ride is a piece of crap - completely unplayable. Now, if I compare that to rFactor 2, that is s whole new level of more demanding , yet there is never a situation that the FFB isn't like "I told you so". You always get some indication that you are doing stuff wrong. It was like that in Assetto before release, buy with the new tire models and FFB, all the greatness is gone IMHO. It's still a good sim, or at least it would have been, if not for the worst AI ever! Seriously, on the easiest difficulty they still run away from me on cold tires like it's Tuesday , but never miss an opportunity to bump me so I go off track all pinball mode, while they do not seem to be affected by collisions at all. Here is my problem - Assetto has the looks, the feels and some spectacular cars and tracks, but it does a shit job is emulating a racing environment - the AI does not acknowledge the player's presence on the track, the multiplayer is a chore to get into (how come I can create a game in pCARS and invite my Steam friends and race with them with no hustle, yet Assetto insist on not allowing you to host a listen server, and that stupid online booking mechanics? what year is this?). Anyway, rant over, I still enjoy the occasional hotlap drive in AC, but despite an easier handling model (at least it seems that to me), Raceroom is still my go-to sim, if I want a race. Like, you know, what these games are supposed to be about?
For starters I should say that I never thought I was going to "defend" AC, after the first hours in the game. I even tried to get a refund, but I was too late and I left AC for months without even touching it again. But it serms to be some sort of acquired taste and when you take the time to set it up right it is not so bad at all. Now for a few points in your post: In R3E there is a possibility to turn up or down FFB per car, and in AC you use the FFB clipping app to do that. Very easy and useful. While it's true that the FFB varies from track to track (be it original or modded), once you found the right FFB per car, you can pretty much leave it as it is. While The Ford GT isn't the easiest car to drive (it wouldn't be in real either), it is managable and even enjoyable, just don't compare it to a modern GT car. And since I have not changed the default setup (apart from lowering tire pressure which is too high for all cars and is not correctly working, but that is another story), I drive it like it is. Not easy but that is part of the fun. While AI can always be improved, it is not bad. Maybe it is the level you have them on ? I use 100% and they are very aware if your position, even waving to defend theirs. If you outbrake them they try to avoid contact when turning in. There is some paint swapping sometimes, as is there a possibility of a collision. But they are for sure affected too, even a light touch can unbalance them, but it is true that they are LESS affected than your own car. True... Immersion wise it is not up to standard when racing. Far away from R3E and even a bigger distance to pCars. Track environment is cold, lifeless...not much life in the pits either...after a race you get teleported in the pits, as are AI who suddenly appear behind you...everything feels deserted. This may be my biggest gripe (and I do have a lot of them). AC scores big time (for me) with the triple screen support, which is only important if you do have triples, I get that...
When did you race the AI last time in AC? My experience with the current AI is pretty decent. They bump me almost never, only in really tight corners it sometimes still happens. They are aware of my position and I can easily keep up with them on 95-98 difficulty depending the track and car combination. Currently they don't overtake other AI cars that much, but it should change with the Red Pack patch, since there were done improvements in this regard. What combo you were talking about you can't keep up with them on the easiest difficulty? On the other hand, for the current R3E AI I'm invisible, they crash me on every opportunity and repeatable race resets are common part of the experience.
I'd agree with @Tom Shane about the AI - I've found the current AC AI to be much more aware of my car than the current R3E AI - whereas in the past it was the other way around! I'm still quite a rookie sim racer, so maybe it's different if you're always able to stick to the correct racing line and always brake in the right place, but the AI drivers in AC seem to cope better with my mistakes and manage to avoid hitting my car most the time. I still find R3E more enjoyable, though, for many of the reasons mentioned in previous posts, especially the track environment and overall feeling of immersion. I also don't have space for triples, so AC's better support in that regard is a non-issue for me.
The AI in AC has come a very long way, and now really is quite good, usable, and for the average driver - not the alien - worth to race against. Plus it can be fast. Even its creator once admitted that the current version he mostly cannot keep up with it, if he lets it go unchained. The AI also tries to avoid the player - if it can. It is aware of his presence, and it does react to him. But if you drive to aggressively, you may find that it has too little time to react to what you do. Mind you, in AC all aI cars are subject to the same full physics suite that applies to player's car, this is one of the unique features in AC where it really is set apart from the other titles. The AI will not do what it cannot do without violating the physics. The AI uses no simplified physics, compared to player's car. That is the reason why CPU capacity plays a much bigger role in AC, than in other titles. I often run bumpers and doors with the AI - without spinning. Speed at impact time oft course is the decisive factor. if you slam into another car with too much speed, then see the world spinning. The AI can handle some cars better and other cars worse. With the GT3, sports and street cars, and with most of the other cars, life is fine. One year ago I heavily attacked Kunos for the terrible state their AI was in. I have taken back all that in late autumn or early winter - my criticism was no longer valid, and the problems they initially had (its the first time they ever coded an AI for one of their racing titles), had been solved. What comes now, is finetuning. A newer, more polished version is reported to already be in the starting blocks, but I don't know if the patch accompanying the Red Pack already will show it, or the console release date. Since another thread in Kunos forums once again focusses on it, I remind again of that the ESP setting in the main manu, and the TC and ABS settings in car, are tzwo different things. TC and ABS should be left to "factory", since they mimick system avaialble (or not) in the real cars, but the ESP setting is a general aid that does not represent Electronic Stability System as it is in reality, but it is a "cheat" setting, an aide meant for newcomers who find it too difficult to drive the cars in AC. Recommendation by their physics guru who is responsible for it, is to start with 20%, and then reduce it in steps to 0 while adapting to it. However, if you find cars too easily spinning and you do not adapt to the way they need to be driven, increase it to enjoy the sim in the way you want to drive. In the end you paid money and want to enjoy stuff, so tune it the way that it gives you joy! - this setting is a bit hidden and can easily be overlooked. I strongly assume many new drivers who immediately complain about AC being too arcadish, have this setting active and and too high a value. And this although it has a greater impact on physics than the difference between "Get Real!" physics and the easier physics in Raceroom (last time I tested it, which is longer time ago). So again, ESP in AC is NOT the real world ESP, but an artifical "cheat" aide for beginners. Personally, I use 5-10% ESP in cars I find difficult, in the others - my regular rides - none.