Kunos End of Year Message Hints at Future Plans

[Paul Jeffrey]

Marco Massarutto of Kunos Simulazioni has released the now traditional end of year message to fans of Assetto Corsa, with some interesting insights revealed...

Launched across the various Assetto Corsa social media channels earlier this afternoon, Massarutto pays homage to the work undertaken to get Assetto Corsa to the stage it finds itself today, whilst dropping the most significant hints yet that a new project could well be under way in the not too distant future... read on for the full New Year message post from Kunos:

Since we started the Assetto Corsa project, each year we have experienced something remarkable: in 2011 we unveiled the new IP, in 2012 we presented the game at Gamescom and announced the Ferrari licence, granted to an independent production for the first time ever. In 2013 the game was released in Early Access, in 2014 we launched version 1.0, in 2015 we introduced the Lamborghini licence and released the first version of the Nürburgring Nordschleife based entirely on laserscan data. In 2016, we released the simulation to consoles thanks to the partnership with 505Games, and announced the Porsche Programme, which brought the very best selection of Porsche cars in a genuine simulation after 13 years. In 2017, we celebrated the 70th anniversary of Ferrari with a dedicated pack that is one of the most successful DLC packages ever released for Assetto Corsa. More importantly, throughout the years our entire team has worked hard to improve every single aspect of the simulation: adding new features and improving physics, performance and the underlying tyre model as well as single- and multiplayer features, with the aim to provide our fans with a driving simulation that can keep high standards in vehicle modelling, sound effects, handling and gaming features. This long-term support has been possible thanks to our loyal user base and all those sim racers and gamers who have purchased our product and given us suggestions and positive criticism day after day with the aim to improve the game. The free Bonus Pack #3 recently released is dedicated to all of them.

Another remarkable event in 2017 was when Kunos Simulazioni became part of Digital Bros, a decision that as founders of the studio, Stefano Casillo and I, made with the objective to consolidate the team, guarantee more stability, strength and resources for the present and future of the company.

Yes, the future: what can you expect now? As I have said, Assetto Corsa has kept Kunos Simulazioni busy for almost seven years, and we have continued to update the game for three years following its 1.0 release. Assetto Corsa is not just a “game"; it is based on a technology designed and developed in-house, which is not a secondary detail, given that this is the technology that will determine and define the quality, gameplay and potential of the games to be based on it down the line. This is why we dedicated years to improve an engine that had originally been conceived in 2011, and this is why during 2017 we also dedicated time and resources to R&D activities that will define what we are going to be busy with in the years to come.

In 2011, Assetto Corsa was conceived to be a moddable platform featuring - possibly - 20 cars, 5 tracks and the basic functionalities typical of a driving simulation. Today, it offers 177 cars in 20 classes and genres, 19 tracks in 35 configurations, an offline career, custom championships, a solid multiplayer experience and much more, not to mention the ongoing support for modding, which has seen improvements through the years and resulted in an incredible collection of third-party content created by a dedicated community. And sometime we still can't believe that Assetto Corsa has gone so far.

But it is not just the software that has changed and evolved throughout these years, but also the company itself. What was once a group of four guys trying to wage war on the most established names in the business is now a bigger team. Finding the "right people" to insert into such a peculiar working environment such as Kunos Simulazioni is not an easy task, and it's something that has kept us busy during 2017 as well. I am glad to say that the results are encouraging and the future looks bright thanks to the new talents we were able to add to our team and that will join the ranks alongside the founders me and Stefano, the guys of the "old guard" who joined us since the beginning and all the other people you've learned to know during this adventure.

All of the above thanks also to our new "Benevolent Overlords" in Digital Bros, allowing us to think and dream bigger than we could only a few months ago.

Talking about the Team, in 2017 we welcomed four new programmers specialized respectively in graphics and gfx, UI and animations, mechanic and physics, online racing environment and ranking, with the aim to improve in those areas that can make your experience with Assetto Corsa games better and better.

There is always a margin for improvement: even after a lot of hard work to reduce this margin throughout a long development period, 2017 was a highly important year to us to define the new basis in the technology we will use in future. Even today, the community keeps asking for something new, and that is great as it means that you continue to keep us involved in fuelling your hobby, passion and training tools. To meet your expectations, and to support the features that our current technology cannot manage, some – actually a lot of – work will be required. So, it's time to move forward.

When it arrived, there had been nothing like Assetto Corsa before. We are working hard to replicate this feeling with what there is to come in the future. - Marco Massarutto, Assetto Corsa's Brand & Product Manager

Want to know more about how Kunos go about making cars for Assetto Corsa? Well worth a watch:

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

Check out the Assetto Corsa Sub Forum here at RaceDepartment for the latest news and discussions regarding the sim. We host quality League and Club Racing events, have a selection of fantastic mods to download and some of the best community conversation. Join in the discussion today.

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What do you make of the end of year message from Marco? Looking forward to the future of Assetto Corsa / Kunos? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[guidofoc]

Huh? Somebody said wishlist? Here!
I haven't played racing sims for a while before AC, so I may be mistaken, but my feeling is that AC was the first really good sim for road cars. I mean, everybody does racing cars, but in AC you can also enjoy the nuances of different road cars, so it's driving + racing. I think this is what attracted big manufacturers and many new customers. So:

1. Add some real roads laser-scanned or lidar. At the moment for me one of the best experiences in AC is Transfagarasan or Pacific Coast with a road car.
2. Buy Bathurst, Suzuka and VIR licenses! The first two because obvious, the third one is a great track for all sorts of cars, from road cars to GT.
3. Update the graphics engine so we have night, then rain. Add seasons (we already have mods, just make them official).
4. Add loose surface simulation so we can do all sort of stuff.
5. And keep the moddability because this is 50% of the fun.

I also hope they follow the same "early access" formula because that's the best way to deal with something in "beta" stage without upsetting the customers.

 

[F_B]

Yeah, wishlist thread is wishlist thread.
Here are some things which come to my mind spontaneously.

• Add more vehicles to certain classes to make them more or less complete
• More tracks or work on something like 3PA (rfactor 2) to include the best mod tracks
• Night and rain (if I had to choose just one: day-night-transition)
• Competitive MP system similiar to Iracing or PCars 2
• Reworked AI and more options to make AI fast lanes (perhaps a block path like in rfactor 2)
• Formation laps, manual speed control in pits, rolling starts
• Further VR improvements (in menu, for the rearviewmirrors, adjustable apps while driving etc)
• Include Content Manager, Helicorsa, RSR Live Timing or similar apps as vanilla

 

[M D Gourley]

If AC2 is a thing...what's going to happen to AC1...could AC1 be sold off to Reiza for their next Sim engine...all Reiza's existing content in AMS into AC1...that to me would be a step forward in the graphics area anyway, then Reiza could build on that adding night to day, weather etc....only an opinion, even though over the top thinking...LOL

 

[vegaguy5555]

AC2!!

Is that really happening???

 

[RMR1]

AC2!!

Is that really happening???

???

ACEvolutione is talked over and over round there....

 

[vegaguy5555]

???

ACEvolutione is talked over and over round there....

So...... is that a yes or no??

 

[RMR1]

So...... is that a yes or no??

It’s a ****ing Yes, oh boy

 

[RMR1]

Or whatever Stephano might please...

 

[vegaguy5555]

Or whatever Stephano might please...

@kunos if Stefano will let me buy AC2?

 

[natedogg1867]

@kunos if Stefano will let me buy AC2?

Why do you keep tagging the developers and harassing them on other sites asking them if they will let you do something?

You got banned for good reason from posting on the official AC forum... not from playing the game however you want to, and not from purchasing anything you want in the future.

 

[vegaguy5555]

Why do you keep tagging the developers and harassing them on other sites asking them if they will let you do something?

You got banned for good reason from posting on the official AC forum... not from playing the game however you want to, and not from purchasing anything you want in the future.

That was the first time I tagged them. Someone else did it the first time.

What is the good reason I was banned for? I haven't been told anything. All I did was apologize for everything I can think of. You have been disagreeing with my apologise as if they don't deserve it. Up until just now I wasn't entirely sure who you were angry with. Please fill me in.

 

[Rui Santos]

That was the first time I tagged them. Someone else did it the first time.

What is the good reason I was banned for? I haven't been told anything. All I did was apologize for everything I can think of. You have been disagreeing with my apologise as if they don't deserve it. Up until just now I wasn't entirely sure who you were angry with. Please fill me in.

Just move on mate, i've been already banned too after 1000 posts and helping them since the beggining, it's their way to act, they can't stand criticism, just don't humiliate yourself, this also happened to lots of people...

 

[vegaguy5555]

Just move on mate, i've been already banned too after 1000 posts and helping them since the beggining, it's their way to act, they can't stand criticism, just don't humiliate yourself, this also happened to lots of people...

Thanks man!! It's my first time on social media!!