AC: Formula Championship ALPHA-v0.2.7

Hey all! I have just finished the update with some new features and improvements! Here's what you can expect from version Alpha v0.2.7:
New

• The app now scans loaded cars to see if they are supported and displays an error when unsupported cars have been found. It currently scans the RSS_Formula_Hybrid_2022 and 2022s for advanced CSP physics which are unsupported.
• A discord invite link button has been added to the main menu for easier access.

Optimizations

• The version checker of the app has been refactored and improved for better performance.
• All JSON files are now formatted correctly to improve visibility.
• Some code clarity improvements have also been made.

Bugfixes

• Incorrect track downforce requirement images being incorrect have been fixed.

With the addition of car support scanning in this update, You will no longer need to worry about loading unsupported vehicles into your game sessions accidentally.

Additionally, adding a Discord invite link button makes it easier for us to connect, talk about the app, and resolve your issues.
Progress and updates will increase in the future as development for v3.0 has started and I have more time and energy to work on the app due to less work-load at my full-time job.

Cheers!
- R

Patreon post
Hey all I am here today to give you a small update on the progress of the app, roadmap, and discord.

These past 2 weeks have been extremely busy for me at my job, due to this I have not had a lot of energy to continue development on the app. This does not mean I have been sitting still however.

I have been made aware of an issue with the 2022 cars made by Race Sim Studio. The app is unable to support the advanced CSP-physics provided with the download from Race Sim Studio. (The physics that enable porpoising etc)


Unfortunately I am not able to convert these advanced physics configuration to the app and will be unable to support the RSS formula Hybrid 2022 with the CSP-advanced physics enabled.
Fortunately the default physics work as expected and are fully supported by the app. So make sure you do not install the "optional CSP physics" provided by the Race Sim Studio download when you want to play a season featuring the 2022/2023 grid.

The next update will give you a message whenever these CSP physics are detected to notify you that you will need to change them to continue.


Progress on the discord has been coming along nicely. I am almost finished with setting everything up and the right channels are created for people to find the information or discussions they are looking for.
I wish to finish the discord up this week and share an invite link with everybody so that I can interact more with you guys and work on the app together with your feedback and testing.

Cheers

- R

Patreon post: https://www.patreon.com/posts/80524341

Now that the release is more stable I can start top reflect on the release and the processes approaching it.

I have worked very hard to deliver the second large update to the app and took a little time off from developing to make sure I don't burn-out. I will keep doing this as this works for me to keep a clear head continuing.

Unfortunately I did not have the right resources set up to give me room to do this as evidenced in the weeks following the release of the Alpha-v0.2.
The update was unplayable and broken for almost 2 weeks, and I apologize for the inconvenience.

The double whammy that made the issue take so long to address was that RaceDepartment stopped giving me updates and notifications from the discussions thread, making me believe that everything was fine and working.

This could've happened due to an error on my side or RaceDepartments side but that isn't important.
What is important that the channels for discussion and interaction with you guys are not enough and need some additions.

Before the release of Alpha-v0.3 I will start work on a Discord server to interact with you guys and make sure these issues are found before release with test-builds to find any major issues before official release for now.



Now for the next steps for AC: Formula Championship.

Continuing from this points I want to clear up communication of the app's progress and plans. I will do another pass over the roadmap over on trello and update it to the current app state and plans for the future.

There is also another update coming for Alpha-v0.2 with a fix for the Track Downforce Level images being incorrect. I will keep testing around to check if I can find other issues and include them in the update.

When this is done development for Alpha-v0.3 will begin, and I will start work on multi-season progression. This update will add the functionality of continuing the save file past a single season, giving you the option to take another pass on the regulations and start the next season with the same teams, funds, and preparation for the season.

So expect some news on the Trello roadmap, Discord, and updates on Alpha-v0.2 in the next weeks while I continue the design process of Alpha-v0.3.

Cheers!

- R

I managed to recreate the bug and fix it so I am 99% I fixed thue issues that made the app unplayable.


Sorry for the rocky release. I'll make sure this does not happen again when the next big update arrives!

Cheers!

Here is the first attempt at fixing the large amount of issues people have.
You can remove the cardev folder from the previous installations.

Let me know if this works, and if you're still having issues.

Cheers.

ALPHA-v0.2.5
- Fixed missing dependencies
- Refactored the way windows and images are loaded in all scripts
- Cardev folder is no longer needed for the app.
- Fixed first new team's starting values not being set correctly when Previous Season Finishing Position was unchanged.

Hello everyone. Looks like something went wrong.

Racedepartment decided to stop giving me updates and notifications from the discussion board. So that's nice.


I see that there have been some issues regarding the newest update and I will be checking out what has happened and what has been going on.

I am sorry for the inconveniences and the fact that the app was unplayable for a while.
To address this and make sure it doesn't happen in the future I want to stay more in contact with you guys. I will be looking to create a discord so that communication will be clearer in the future

In the meantime while I thought I was not getting much reports on issues which were reported by you guys, I finished the next update and tutorial.
Tutorial Link

For now I will work with you guys to make sure the app is functional and playable for you.

Sorry for the inconveniences and making it feel like I already gave up!
Changelog Release ALPHA-v0.2.3
* NEW *

• - Added Track Required DownForce Level slider
• - App now can read and parse Setup.ini
• - App can now correctly and dynamically set the required downforce levels for all cars on the grid.

* Optimizations *

• - Improved loading times when going to track
• - Improved AI loading times.
• - Improved Championship standings and points awarding loading times

* Bugfixes *

• - Fixes for some crashes with setting AI pers and focus
• - Fixed being able to do private testing while it was not allowed by regulations.
• - Removed debug buttons for R&D facility

Fixed Player Team getting overwritten by an AI in some instances.

• Fixed end of season coming up before the season is over
• End of season finishing position now has the correct text after the poisition number
• Removed reset cars debug button
• Fixed inventory pages being changed when the inventory was not big enough

Hello drivers!
It is finally here: Alpha-v0.2!
Youtube Trailer
The app grew 3 times in size and it has fun creating this for you all! Everything has changed and most of the features have been reworked. This update is aimed at fixing some of the largest bugs that were withelding people from playing, and to aim to improve and simulate the experience of building your team and car over the season by adding team facilities which will let you create, improve, test, and research your car and have a better feeling of Research & Development over the course of a single season.

In this version a new team menu has been added. In the team menu you can access the session controls and your team's facilities. In the team Facilities you can access your Research and Development facilities, your wind-tunnel, and start private testing.

The AI has gotten a full rework to incorperate all the new features into the AI. I wanna keep having the AI use the same functionality and options as the player to have an easier time balancing and keeping it feeling fair to play against. The AI in this update will use their facilities to create, test, and research their parts to compete and develop.

I have made sure that seasons from v0.1 are compatible with v0.2. However I have rebalanced the entire part development process so the stats off your v0.1 car might differ largely from the v0.2 counterpart. Aerodynamic parts which are ported over from v0.1 will have no improvement potential and will have to be remade to be improved within the R&D facility.
The AI will also go through the same process so it should stay balanced according to their season's starting point.
However if you would like to finish the current season within Alpha-v0.1 you should not update the app and finish it in the previous version.

When starting to create this update I had more features planned out in terms of multiple season saves. I quickly realized while creating this update, that while creating the new R&D functionality I had the opportunity to set up a lot for future updates but it would take all my time and effort I reserved for the multi-season functionality. This is why it was delayed and will be coming in Alpha-v0.3. However after this release I will scale down development for a bit to make sure I don't burn-out, and the time to develop Alpha-v0.3 might take a bit longer than this one.

The entire update and changelog is too big to be summurized completely so to get a full idea of what has been changed you can read the full Changelog listed on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/79553056

THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT!
And I hope you will enjoy!
- R.

The next update featuring: Facilities, Research & Development, the WInd-tunnel, and private testing, is nearing completion!

Now in the final stages of the update I will be playtesting and balancing the app during the next week. Making sure that along the season development will feel balanced and fun.

This AI will be put to the test for the next week as well. Making sure all the difficulties feel correct and making sure the AI won't break along the way.

You can read the full write up here: Final phase Alpha-v0.2: AI, Playtesting, and Balance

Sup guys, I have been developing my butt off and the next update Alpha-v0.2 is nearing completion.


Alpha-v0.2 will feature a new team window separating the team's facilities and racing sections of the app. In the facilities window you will have the option to visit your Research and Development facility or your windtunnel.


Each team will have their own R&D facility. And those facilities can gain experience and level up giving each team the opportunity to create better parts for their car.

You can read the full feature write-up here: Development Progress: Alpha-v0.2 Research and Development

ALPHA-v0.1.2 CHANGELOG

- Updated seasonSettings with season prize rewards, and season point rewards
- Refactored prize rewards and participation prize rewards
- Added point-reward screen top new session window for old style and new style of point and prize money alloccation
- Added file updater for outdated json files
- AI minimum part development budget now scales dynamicallu with total prize pool of the season.
- Fixed bug where the total race count would increase when the apps was closed in the points reward window.
- Added info box browse button
- AC Car Folder browse text-box now fills when app is in AC installation folder
- Load times improvement.

HOTFIX ALPHA v0.1.1:

• Fixed AI not updating their cars after 4 races.
• Fixed app version checker.