Nürburgring Nordschleife announced for Assetto Corsa

[DennS]

Nürburgring Nordschleife announced: http://www.racedepartment.com/forum...cement-on-24th-dec.79549/page-11#post-1603263

 

[Simon Roberts]

You're a pussy if you think the Nords isn't raceable.

He's just a troll don't worry, he started abusing me via pm the other day.

 

[Matej Lakota]

... just ... almost every racing game has it, there is no need for such a drama.

Grand Prix Legends = Nords
GSC 2013 = Nords
FTruck = Nords
GTL = Nords
GTR2 = Nords
RACE Series = Nords
netKAR Pro = Nords
pCARS = Nords
rFactor = Nords
rFactor2 = Nords
Forza = Nords
Gran turismo = Nords
and now
Assetto Corsa = Nords (September 2014)

Except for AC, they are not laser scanned, but I didn`t mention that in my previous post. So, @Chris James , I will ask really and very politely, because there is a lot of angry AC belevers around, what is the meaning of your "disagree"?

Otherwise, I was probably one of the first buyers of AC (bought it first minute when appears on Steam) and I will buy all DLC˙s for it, as I did for every racing game in the past, but some reactions here are really too childish and reminds me COD: Ghosts vs BF4 immature polemics all over internet.

Peace, racers .

 

[LazyBug]

I always wonder why a serious sim racing game like AC which need at least 5 x efforts + resources sell the same price like NFS arcade game, also curious how many AC fans still willing to buy the game if AC cost USD75 or USD90
If i a businessman next time i wont do sim racing game business, way too many efforts but almost guarantee lost money, somehow i believe Kunos people are crazy
Arcade racing game is much more easier to develop, any sci-fi stunt physic will do & i never heard game like that need laser scan

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

The reason the guys at Kunos do what they do is very simple: They have passion. They have passion for motorsports, they have passion for cars, they have passion for bringing the most realistic simulation they can to the pc. Stefano could make way more money using his skills in the private sector.
Aris is a rare jewel that has the skills behind the wheel to push a car near its limits; he can drift very well also; and he can take what he feels and understands about car physics and transfer them into code that becomes what we feel when we drive the cars. He would be highly sought after in the private sector.

Marco has proven with the impossible deals he has brokered that he would be very valuable to many different businesses.

The graphics artists and sound guy put in mind numbingingly long hours not for the overtime on the check (i bet they don't even get overtime) but because they have a passion that is shared with the group.

They don't make this sim for purely financial reasons, they do it because they truly love it and you can feel their passion with every lap you make; or at least I can.

 

[LazyBug]

I just hope they not another company which go bankrupt for this passion thing, i bet Codemaster has the same kind of passion 3 / 4 years ago
Yeah Codemaster still here but i believe their passion is gone .. or at least going

 

[Marcel Pfister]

Grand Prix Legends = Nords
GSC 2013 = Nords
FTruck = Nords
GTL = Nords
GTR2 = Nords
RACE Series = Nords
netKAR Pro = Nords
pCARS = Nords
rFactor = Nords
rFactor2 = Nords
Forza = Nords
Gran turismo = Nords
and now
Assetto Corsa = Nords (September 2014)

Nearly all the Games you listed have the same inaccurate version of the Nordschleife. You will notice the huge difference when Kunos release their version. The ring is one of the most difficult tracks to model and laserscanning is the only way to do it right, to get all bumps, bankings, elevations, corners, curbs etc. as accurate as possible.

 

[Matej Lakota]

Marcel, I know. I just said, a lot racing games already have Nordschleife. Why somebody must disagree with that fact .

 

[Requiem84]

Agreed, but how many games of those have a Nordschleife that is made by the creators of the game? AFAIK, most of the sims you list above (inlcuding netKar Pro) have a Nords that is made by a modder. They all more or less have the same version of the track.

I did 1 lap around the Nords with my motorcycle, and having played some of the versions you describe above, I can tell you my simexperience did not help me much!

 

[Matej Lakota]

I know, English is not my native language and that must be a reason, why somebody still don˙t understand, what I want to say. So, be it. I will not disturb you anymore, because my expression is probably not as it has to be .

 

[Senad Subasic]

Sure they understand, it's just that what you're saying doesn't make much sense. No other game has a laser-scanned version of Nordschleife. I'd guess that fact alone would be a pretty big selling point.

I'm the first one to mock 'laser-scanned or nothing' people, but even I think this is awesome.

 

[Marco Massarutto]

Hello everybody

I'm Marco Massarutto, Producer and Licensing Manager of Assetto Corsa. First of all, let me thank you for your kind support, that is the fuel that allows us to continue to do the job we love. Assetto Corsa has been welcomed in a way that exceeded our best expectations, and we'll thank you for this in the best way we can. If you will have a bit of patience.

Here I've read everything and its opposite. When I start to feel disappointed or sad for some comments, I force me to remember how I was at the times of Grand Prix 3, F1 Racing Simulation and so on when, being a gamer, I wasn't directly involved in this business. Therefore I can't get angry with you, because I understand that sometime it's easy to jump to conclusions when you can't know the facts but you can just imagine how they could be.

Therefore, for the first time, let me bring you behind the scenes. Would you like to follow me for few minutes? Let's go.

I'll go straight to the point, so please don't get me wrong, I will try just to explain our point of view in the simplest way.

- Lot of complains about additional contents are not so reasonable, for a simple reason: Assetto Corsa is moddable, and people who don't like to purchase additional contents, can make their favorite tracks and cars or wait that someone else produce a mod that they like to download. For free. Simple, clear, FAIR.

- Assetto Corsa 1.0 will include all the elements needed for a good and complete racing/gaming experience. We'll not force anyone to buy an additional feature or content that is needed to use the game. Nordschleife is not "needed", nor it has never been mentioned or scheduled as part of Assetto Corsa 1.0. I don't understand why to complain about DLC preorder before the availability of the full game, because this is just an unfair lie, not the truth: if I'm wrong please show me the pre-order button for Nordschleife.

- We must collect new licenses before the end of the year, in order to allocate the budget to pay the licensing rights and produce the contents, BEFORE THE TAXES. MORE TAXES, LESS CONTENTS. Simple, clair (not fair, but not depending by us). In addition, each car needs 8-10 weeks to be produced, an average track requires 3-5 months to be produced. That's why we program our production and communication activities (I'll be back on this matter later) with so much advance.

- "Kunos might use the resources needed for Nordschleife for other 2-3 tracks".

Now, just a short digression: I read something like "I'm bored to race on the same tracks in all games, I would prefer to race to some good, unknown and new tracks".

Let me ask you: if you were a developer, and you need to PAY a lot of money IN ADVANCE to create tracks for your game, would you choose those tracks that people knows and - you are sure enough- they will like, or would you bet to invest for contents that are unknown for 80% of your potential audience? Because the matter isn't "In a perfect world I would like to", but "ok, I will risk a LOT of money here: what I will do?"

Yes, because the truth that a lot of people don't know, is that when we talk about licensing rights, royalties and fee to pay, all this money is required to be paid in ADVANCE, BEFORE the game is released, and it doesn't matter if the game sells or not. Money paid, is gone. Even if a licensing agreement is based on a royalty on sales, you must pay an advance minimum guarantee that usually already covers large part of the total royalties forecasted. Now, let's multiply this operation for 36 cars (mmh wait, 36? I knew cars of 1.0 were 35... ) and you get the same money that you might use to buy a mansion in the Pacific Coast: and I'm talking just about rights: after you paid for the rights, you still have to cover the production costs.

Said that:

1. We asked to people about the track they would like to have in AC, Nordschleife has been the most voted track: easy, clear, fair. If you voted for something else, I'm sorry but as developer I must keep my company on the market and I must hear the masses: considering that we make simulations and not arcade games, we have already showed to love the simracing community and we don't have to demonstrate it again each time we do something new. So: 90% voted for Nordschleife and 1% for your favorite one? Sorry pal, see you next time.

"Kunos might use the resources needed for Nordschleife for other 2-3 tracks"

2. People who say the statement above does know the REAL costs involved? Or it's just an estimation based on Kms? Let me tell you that some track companies asked for their license 3 times the amount needed for Nordschleife. If I tell you which tracks I'm talking about, you will never believe me, or you will and you start to laugh for hours.

3. WIth other tracks, the cost asked to rent the circuit for the survey is bigger than how we'll spend for Nordschleife. I can continue for hours, if you like.

Said that, Why a so big announcement about the Nordschleife? Well, where to start..some thousands of people who were at Nordschleife last saturday to save the Ring might answer you. Our answer is: for thousands of race enthusiasts all around the world, this is THE track: maybe YOU who are reading don't like the Nordschleife and no one can criticize you for that. Does everyone like Ferrari? Lamborghini? Monza? No.

But our huge announcement about Nordschleife is for all THOSE thousands of people in the world WHO love it, for all those people who, since when we announced Assetto Corsa in 2011 showing that the tracks included were based on LS technology, started to ask to us about the inclusion of Nordschleife every day.

For all of them, the Nordschleife laserscan based IN Assetto Corsa, is THE news. And that's enough for us.

It's like when we announced the Ferrari license and some commented "Ferrari license? Meh, who cares, I like "X"". Well, let me reveal you a secret: the announce isn't for YOU: is for all those people who like Ferraris.

About our marketing strategy and communication:

We don't have a publisher: we are our publisher. Usually, for each Eur spent for the game production, a publisher invests 5 Eur in advertsing. During that development of AC we could not do it. Why? Because if we had spent 5 times in advertising rather than in contents, there would be no contents.

And, as surely you understand, you can make the best product in the world (in general, I'm not talking about AC), but if nobody knows it, you will sell some items to your parents, you uncles, friends, then you close, buy a newspaper and look for job announcements.

How an indipendent company with low resources can make a game like AC and let people to know it without advertising? In 2 words: quality (as best as we can) and communication. At international Auto Expos, Car brands present and show models that will be available 1 or 2 years later. We are not more or less smart the BMW, Mercedes-Benz or any other.

Communication is our strategy, to keep our resources to develop contents instead of banners: you can't find Assetto Corsa advertsing on the internet but a lot of people talk about it. On Facebook, Youtube, and so on. You find videos that compare a game made by 10 people with Gran Turismo 6 and Forza 5, made by companies with budget and resources hundreds of times bigger than KUNOS. Yes, it looks to me that our strategy works fine.

Now, tell me: do you prefer that in 2014, after 1.0 release, KUNOS invests in new contents or in advertsing? Advertsing might be much better for us, let me tell you why:

1. we pay and other people make the job: the game is done, we advertise and enjoy our earnings

2. spending the same money, we reach much more people than with the Nordschleife and 10 additional cars

3. I don't have to spend for production of contents, releases, nor I have to invest money and time in betatesting, manpower and so on

4. Crossed arms, we enjoy our earnings and let the modders do their job.

5. I spend in advertsing today, I will see results in 10 days instead of in 10 weeks or more (contents)

Please note: it's not a threat nor a blackmail. It's a list of available and realistic options.

Now, let me tell you why we want to stay focused on contents rather than in advertsing: because AC is our life. We have done it for ourself and to share what we love with as much as people as possible, and not JUST to make money: if we just wanted to make money, you wouldn't have Ferraris in the game and we'll keep much money in our pockets. AC is AC with or without Ferraris, exactly how iRacing doesn't need Ferrari to be a value sim.

But, and now probably I will shock someone, we need money. YES: I MUST CONFESS and I apologise for that but, as well as 7 other billions of people, we need money for living.

The concept is very simple: without netKar PRO, FVA wouldn't exist. Without FVA, AC wouldn't exist. And, without the mistakes made with netKar PRO, Assetto Corsa wouldn't be so appreciated. And the best is yet to come.

So, at the end: when you don't like a news, an announcement, a feature, a drag race, a car brand, you are absolutely welcome. We are already happy for the simple fact that you might take Assetto Corsa in consideration: but, when you don't like or understand a feature or a content, don't waste too much time to complain for that, because that feature or content maybe is not for you: but for other thousands of people out there.


On our side, we can only continue to do our best: sometime we'll get right, sometime we'll get wrong. But I leave you with these clues:

2011 - "Featuring that kind of graphics, no way for AC to be a simulation"

2012 - "Featuring that kind of licenses, no way for AC to be a simulation" (2012)

2012 - "Featuring the Ferrari license, they must sell milions copies, so let's forget that AC will be a simulation"

2013 - "What I said? AC is an arcade, now it's clear".(after the release of the 458 GT2 video)

2013 - "They will not release nothing this year, typical italian style"

2013 - "They don't release official footage because their screenshots are photoshopped"

2013 - "They had released just the 458, the other Ferrari will be released as DLC, I'm pretty sure about it"

2013 - "No way that they will get the Nordschleife license and that it will be laserscanned"


Now I'm ready to collect other funny stuff on December 31.

Thank you guys, your support is very, very appreciated: we would like to organize a party when we'll go to Nordschleife next Spring and we would love to meet you there, having fun, some laps and then (but only then ) lot of beer together.

HAVE FUN!

 

[Kris Migut]

Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but some opinions are more relevant than others.

For example, if someone says they think Ke$ha is better than The Beatles, that's their opinion and they're entitled to it, but it definitely shows their intelligence level.

I would be careful here. It does show their taste in music, however, it may not have anything to do with their intelligence level. De gustibus.....

The Nurburgring announcement is revolutionary because it shows 10 Italian dudes working for "the love of the game" in a tiny ass office can blow away the work done by a much older, much more skilled dev team with an unlimited budget. This announcement comes ON TOP of a game that in beta form already plays leaps and bounds ahead of ANY OTHER GAME in the genre.

Honestly, I don't really understand (perhaps it has something to do with my intelligence level, though) all the excitement about this track. There are more iconic circuits to me, such as Road America, Brands Hatch, Watkins Glen, to name a few. I have never really liked it, and now, seeing so many people on their knees drooling, I like it even less . I know, I am evil.

I will, in all likelihood, buy the DLC, perhaps because of the extra cars rather than because of Ze Nord. I will also buy it because I really like AC, I believe it is a new quality in simracing and I wish the Kunos guys all the best. That said, I was disgruntled yesterday because I believe that to finish first, first you have to finish, if you excuse the cliche. Assetto Corsa is already behind schedule and I was expecting an announcement about the current state of affairs like, for example - "We have decided to speed up the sim's development and will give you multiplayer functionality as soon as this year." Mind, the announcement and the clock were set for the 24th, and it was viewed ( and I believe it was intended to) as a Christmas present. Honestly, it was not to my taste. I felt as if I had left my car for service at a mechanic shop, was told to collect it in January, and suddenly received a message from the man saying I'd get a terribly nice surprise on the 24th. Would you not have expected your car to be fixed by then? Instead you are told you may get some fantastic, state-of-the-art, must-have alloy wheels in Sepetember provided you want to pay for them. And seeing your disappointed face the mechanic would say - "Hey, I never promised to fix your ride this year, did I?"
True, you didn't, but...... See?

EDIT: I posted this simoultaneusly with Marco Massarutto's post and only now I am reading it. Thank you for the heads-up!

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

@Marco Massarutto I rated your post as informative even though I have never liked a post as much as that one. Cheers Marco, we love what ya'll are doing and can't wait to see what the future brings.

 

[LazyBug]

Error .....

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Kris, do you really, honestly think the guys at Kunos can simply snap their fingers and multiplayer will suddenly be ready? I'm afraid the real world doesn't work anything like that. I want it as much or more that the next guy but I would rather it work right (no crashing to desktop, no freezing, no wondering if I will be able to connect to my friends that day). I want to host a room or join a room easily, have a stable connection, hopefully have door to door contact because of good netcode (even though this is more dependent on each individual's internet) and overall have an enjoyable experience...I'm sure if you have played the different games that are out there you know that all these things are very rare to find together.

I don't know what the problems or hangups with the multiplayer is but I know if it was ready we would be racing the hell out of each other online right now.....sadly it's not and whatever it is that is wrong might be something they know how long it will take to fix or it could be a problem that they have no idea how to fix and won't know until somebody gets a little light bulb going off in their head.

This train of thought that AC is behind schedule is flawed thinking also...I know, I know that we were told they hoped to be out last year, then they hoped to be out in Spring, and finally they are able to release but as early access instead of full game. They have been chasing a moving target but we have not been owed a damn thing and the only schedule we have is that we get updates every two weeks (and I would not be surprised if they take the next one off).

 

[Terry Evers]

Really excited about Nord making it into AC.. I for one will deff pick up the DLC!

Keep up the good work guys!

 

[Kris Migut]

Michael - I know, I know. Everyone's been doing that - ISI with their sluggish development of rF2, iRacing selling cars with unfinished, wierd physics changed every now and then, so it's no surprise Kunos jumped on the wagon selling a sim in bi-weekly installments .

Perhaps I'm just old and grumpy and need to shut up & die .

 

[Qazdar Karim]

@Marco Massarutto

People drive real cars and still not happy with them ... just think about this !

Your simulation smells high quality,just keep that way ... seems like people's arrogance,nowadays, made them lose the sense of quality !

 

[Fabrizio Corona]

Assetto Corsa is already behind schedule and I was expecting an announcement about the current state of affairs like, for example - "We have decided to speed up the sim's development and will give you multiplayer functionality as soon as this year."

How do you know they are behind schelude ? Do you work there ? No ? Then you don't know anything. Plus you've set up yourself for disappointment, they CLEARLY said no more software updates until mid January, so why were you expecting MP...

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Perhaps I'm just old and grumpy and need to shut up & die .

how about we just agree up until the die part....way too many good things coming worth living for! cheers......and I'm pretty old and grumpy myself so I totally understand I just think we should leave the whining to the younguns