Free Content, Future Development and Stefano Casillo Interview (Part 2)

[Paul Jeffrey]

We spoke at length with Stefano Casillo of Kunos Simulazioni about Assetto Corsa, some new free content incoming and all things racing...

The Sim Racing Expo was a wonderful opportunity for sim racers, developers, hardware manufacturers and the media to get together to celebrate the wonderful hobby we call sim racing. Thanks to the great access and atmosphere of the event we had the opportunity to chat with one of the key figures behind Assetto Corsa, Stefano Casillo, and he was more than happy to give us an insight into the behind the scenes workings at Kunos, plus revealing some exciting new free content coming to Assetto Corsa in the near future.

You can check out the interview below:

Originally planned as part of a standard paid DLC, Kunos scheduled the highly anticipated laser scanned version of Laguna Seca to release alongside a pack of new performance road cars for the simulation. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstances the launch of Laguna hit one or two delays against the original schedule, slipping to much further in the calendar year that was the intention when the announcement was first hinted at several months ago.

In something of a generous gesture from Kunos, the popular Italian developers have decided to release both circuit and accompanying cars to the base game for free, bringing with it a very popular drivers circuit and six new cars to the title.

The confirmed free bonus pack DLC will contain:

• Laguna Seca Circuit
• Alfa Rome Giulia QV
• Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
• Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
• Lamborghini Huracan Performante
• Maserati Quattroporte
• Pagani Huayra BC

No exact release date has been confirmed by Kunos, however it is expected that players will be in receipt of the new content before the end of 2017.

If you missed it earlier, don't forget to check out our previous interview with Stefano where we talk about the new update and Ferrari Celebration DLC.

Assetto Corsa is available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC now.

Assetto Corsa and online racing = Love! Check out our brilliant Assetto Corsa League and Club racing forum for great racing events suitable for all skills and experiences. We host regular events using popular content and guarantee a great time for all. Additionally we have a very active sub forum for the game where players can catch up on the latest news and engage with fellow community members here at RD. You can download mods from our modding archive, discuss W.I.P projects in our Modding Discussion Forum and try out a selection of car setups for a wide range of vehicles. Come on, get yourself involved in the action today!

Happy to see more free content coming to Assetto Corsa? Which car most grabs your attention from the list above? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Damage Inc]

Amazing bunch of devs, I would pay for that DLC!! Is the cat head of finance?

 

[gecco]

delete

 

[ShredatorFIN]

part of me hopes the current AC content will be ported across to AC2 from the get go - I know its unlikely but it would be a great way to boost AC2 content from the off.

They would have to pay again for every license probably. But renewing one would seem more likely to happen, than getting Lamborghini or Porsche license seemed in early stages of AC. Kunos is now well connected.

Car 3D models of AC are already on very good level. Add better damage model where some parts come off, ignition/stall, better and more detailed physics-based sound.. the basis for 3D model is very strong. Tracks and environment graphics are where the age of AC shows. Cars look like from a photo, environments don't.

 

[Andreas Knöpke]

part of me hopes the current AC content will be ported across to AC2 from the get go - I know its unlikely but it would be a great way to boost AC2 content from the off.

pCARS 2 kept pretty much all its content.
I'd call it an industry standard not to launch with less content these days. You'd get ripped apart by media outlets.

Unless of course there is a super huge jump in technology or so.
But not sure if the mere addition of rain and night time would justify this.
My gut feeling here would be 'no' but then again Kunos by size isn't SMS, of course.

So yeah, I guess we can only HOPE

 

[John Chaser]

I think cars are normally only licensed for 1 game, renewing them should be easier than it was to obtain them in the first place though.

 

[Yapci]

If they are to move onto AC2 or whatever their new project is called, I wonder what the game engine will be? Would they make a whole new one? Would they evolve the current AC1 engine? Or would they licence an engine from somewhere else?

Probably a NEW engine because actual engine doesn’t support more than one light resource I’ve heard. Don’t know if its possible to support rain or not, but if they want night and rain I think they have to change the engine. Or maybe it can be developed to add that features, but I think if that were the case they would have already done it even if it were in a very basic way just to shut us up.

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Physics engine and graphics engine are two separate entities IIRC. Hopefully the physics engine won't change too much (maybe more hz because big numbers = good); graphics engines are likely what they are researching.

Can't believe Laguna Seca will be free, that's awesome!

 

[mibrandt]

AC and Kunos are EPIC. They have taken sim racing to another level. Im sure AC will always be looked back at as a milestone for sim racing. The quality is over the top in all aspects. Who would have thought 5 years ago that we would get a real sim with Laserscanned quality tracks, amazing amount of official licensed cars from Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini, McLaren etc etc. All cars are done in the highest standard. Photo realistic graphics, always running smooth and flawless even in VR. You can always find servers which has good solid content with well known cars and tracks which is fantastic and never seen before AC. Most of the time the players online are even fair and crafty racers. Yes most of the time The community and support in their forum is something I have never experienced before - very communicative and very easy to get answers from devs. They have no problem what so ever with acknowledging issues and try their hardest to fix if possible.

I feel like they only need to wrap AC up with a few important missing features and the sim is almost perfection. I hope they do this before they move on to the night and rain project

It will be very hard to be the successor to this title but if anyone can do it, its of course Kunos. But I hope they realize they have done something special here and it will be no easy task to take it to the next level when that time comes

 

[Andy_J]

I just want some realistic damage and I'll be very happy with Assetto Corsa. Damage on a par with our older sims, like Race 07 or GTR2 or the current RF2 and AMS. Bouncing off a wall just doesn't look right at the moment.

 

[IMrIMike]

Now that we have some requested features by physics modders in the game, how about some more features in the audio department?

 

[Vincent.C]

A new laserscan track for free... that's a DEAL Thx

 

[Patrick van der Meulen]

I really looking forward to the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadriflogia. Just because it’s a beautifull beast. Would be great if Alfa irl would enter Blancpain with it. A GT3 version would be so insane

And new official tracks in AC are always great (and needed).

 

[Leynad777]

Thanks Slightl..., eh, Kunos for your great generosity

 

[ShredatorFIN]

Damage on a par with our older sims, like Race 07 or GTR2 or the current RF2 and AMS. Bouncing off a wall just doesn't look right at the moment.

Agree, while hitting cars should be avoided. But when the pieces come off in AMS it looks more dramatic and physical while it is quite simple in AMS too. It doesn't need to be crazy detailed to create that sense of physical mass behind the hit, just few predetermined parts and wheels coming off

Hope punctures are realistic in AC2. Not tone it down because getting punctures "suck" for casual driver. They can disable that on damage options. Simulation should have no compromises approach, not just in handling. Even if not everything is visually shown, some stuff can happen just in physics. And if there is checkboxes for that, not just damage % multiplier, then nobody is forced to use it

One thing is windshields, plastic ones in race cars don't shatter like glass (duh). pCars 2 once again has glass windshields on race cars....

 

[guidofoc]

Hahaha it's time for wishlists again!
I think I said it a million times already, sparks! I want sparks!

And really, don't call it Assetto Corsa 2. So boring. Here my ideas for the new name:

• Assetto Corsa Evoluzione (ACE)
• Assetto Superveloce

or..

• Night & Rain
• Kevin (perche' e' un nome che c'ha possanza! Only for @kunos and Italian fellows here)

 

[Monstro]

You Mr Casillo and your team Kunos are not good guys.
After the release of this dlc, the guy who made the F2004 for codemasters is in a big trauma.
he hasn't spoken a word since a week.
You should apologize to this man, and lowered your standard of quality.

More seriously now, i can barely imagine if the Formula one license belongs to Kunos what kind of game we could have.

and imagine a DLC or season pass like that:
"And Kunos presents The 1986 Formula one World Championship with all historic Cars and Tracks"
Would pay a hundred bucks only for that.
The Lotus 98T is already made Kunos, just do the rest

 

[anton_Chez]

pCARS 2 kept pretty much all its content.
I'd call it an industry standard not to launch with less content these days. You'd get ripped apart by media outlets.

Someone needs to tell Codemasters that.......

 

[Brandon Wright]

Four pages into an AC thread and arguments haven't broken out yet?

Nice job chaps.

And thanks @kunos for the freebies!

 

[Rob Every]

Am interested in digging down more about licences.

So, how does it work? Some people think that with say Audi, you approach them, ask for what you want, they come up with a price and then you start to deal. Yes? Do they literally have a price for each car? or do you buy packages? There is not enough call for this to be set up as a business model at Audi surely?

Perhaps you ask for Quattro, TT, R8 race car, R8 road car, A3 road car, R18, TT cup car, new R8 race car.

You are willing to pay x amount for all that, they come back with twice what you want to pay.

So, you do a deal for the basic stuff that we got free, and then the stuff they charged a lot more for is DLC so it recoups some money for Kunos who paid for it? Hence the R18 TT cup, new R8 race car etc.

It must be the same with tracks as you have Brands but no other MSV tracks, where PCARS have Snett and Oulton do they not? They paid for each one? say a £1k each or got all three for £2500 in a deal?

Would love to know how it all works.

 

[garyjpaterson]

Am interested in digging down more about licences.

So, how does it work? Some people think that with say Audi, you approach them, ask for what you want, they come up with a price and then you start to deal. Yes?

Perhaps you ask for Quattro, TT, R8 race car, R8 road car, A3 road car, R18, TT cup car, new R8 race car.

You are willing to pay x amount for all that, they come back with twice what you want to pay.

So, you do a deal for the basic stuff that we got free, and then the stuff they charged a lot for is DLC so it recoups some money for Kunos who paid for it? Hence the R18 TT cup, new R8 race car etc.

It must be the same with tracks as you have Brands but no other MSV tracks, where PCARS have Snett and Oulton do they not? They paid for each one? say a £1k each or got all three for £2500 in a deal?

Would love to know how it all works.

I have no idea but I would expect each interaction with each manufacturer is different.