VR Targeted For “End of April” In EA SPORTS WRC

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VR Targeted For “End of April” In EA SPORTS WRC.jpg
PC players, and OverTake community members, have been clamouring for a virtual reality update. Now it seems it is heading to EA SPORTS WRC soon.

At the beginning of March, EA SPORTS WRC developer Codemasters confirmed that virtual reality support for the title was still in development.

Today, 3rd April 2024, the team has published a gameplay preview of VR in action, and it is “targeting the end of April as a release window.”

Created using OpenXR, it will be a free update to all PC players – no, sorry, before you ask, there is n PS VR2 support.

EA SPORTS WRC VR Jon Armstrong.jpg


A much-requested feature, briefly gameplay is shown, with Jon Armstrong – Game Designer, but also rally driver, competing this season in the European Rally Championship – testing out a variety of cars in the mode.

Any indicators of performance levels will wait until we go hands-on, hopefully later this month.

In addition to VR, once again, an esports competition is mentioned, with details expected later. For now, a new menu tab will be added thanks to a new update. Speaking of which...

Season 4 and Patch 1.7 Landing 4th April​



Ahead, then, of VR, will be yet another patch, following March’s 1.6 update.

The next set of fixes includes showing snow and dust behind a car during replays, improved rain effects (which were visually sub-par at times), and the supposed removal of vibration quirks.

Perhaps more pertinently, further work on improving frame rate stability is said to have been undertaken.

In terms of new content, Season 4 will arrive at the same time, which means a new set of quick-fire Moments scenarios and a refreshed Rally Pass to potentially unlock three new fictional livery designs.

EA SPORTS WRC Season 4 Rally Pass.jpg


Provided you haven’t entered one previously, three months of the Rally.TV service (to watch live the real-world World Rally Championship) is once again up for grabs. This time, simply compete in the official Croatia Rally clubs event in-game to claim a free pass.

The full changelog is below, and we’ll also report back when VR is released.

EA SPORTS Version 1.7.0 Update Changelog​

New Content​

  • Added 10 Rally Pass Season 4 cosmetic items, in the Free tier.
  • Added 15 Rally Pass Season 4 cosmetic items, in the VIP tier.
  • Added 5 Rally Pass Season 4 cosmetic items, in the EA Play tier.
  • Added a new Season of Moments, with a new challenge going live every day (~60 in total).

New Features​

  • Added functionality for esports WRC. Esports tab in main menu will go live when the competition is ready to begin.

Key Fixes​

  • Addressed an issue in which controller vibration was constantly applied when not driving.
  • Addressed an issue in which Vibration & Feedback settings were not working as expected on PS5.
  • Fixed an issue in which dust and snow kickup effects were not being generated in replays.
  • Made improvements to rain effects.
  • Made a number of performance optimisations to cloth-based visual effects in order to help improve framerates across all locations.
  • Made a number of performance optimisations to collision-based visual effects in order to help improve framerates across all locations.
  • Made a number of minor performance optimisations across Estonia, Iberia, Mexico, Oceania and Pacifico.

Crash Fixes​

  • Fixed an issue with Quick Play Multiplayer in which a player would experience a game crash after inviting a previously kicked player back to a lobby.
- - - - - - - - - -

Audio​

  • Addressed a number of issues on several cars in which the engine audio did not properly match the vehicle's RPM.
  • Made a number of adjustments to crowd and spectator audio.

Career​

  • Fixed an issue in which WRC2 cars would not appear on the podium.

Cars​

  • Fixed an issue on several cars in which a pink placeholder texture was visible on the windshield banner from interior views.

Graphics & Performance​

  • Made a number of performance optimisations to cloth-based visual effects in order to help improve framerates across all locations.
  • Made a number of performance optimisations to collision-based visual effects in order to help improve framerates across all locations.
  • Fixed an issue on PC in which trees would stretch abnormally when set to Ultra Low.
  • Fixed an issue in which dust and snowkickup effects were not being generated in replays.
  • Made improvements to rain effects.
  • Estonia - Made a number of performance optimisations to foliage in order to help improve framerates.
  • Iberia - Addressed a number of areas in which framerate would drop significantly.
  • Mexico - Made a number of performance optimisations to foliage in order to help improve framerates.
  • Oceania - Addressed a number of areas in which framerate would drop significantly.
  • Pacifico - Addressed a number of areas in which framerate would drop significantly.

Input Devices​

  • Addressed an issue in which controller vibration was constantly applied when not driving.
  • Addressed an issue in which Vibration & Feedback settings were not working as expected on PS5.

Livery Editor​

  • Removed dark variants of fictional sponsor logos from decal selection menus. Existing liveries using these will not be affected.

Locations​

  • Central Europe - Rouské - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Lukoveček - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Raztoka - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Žabárna - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Provodovice - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Libosváry - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Central Europe - Rusava - Resolved a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Mediterraneo - Asco - Addressed an issue in which a reset zone did not adequately cover spectators.
  • Mediterraneo - Ponte - Addressed an issue in which a reset zone did not adequately cover spectators.
  • Mediterraneo - Monte Cinto - Addressed an issue in which a reset zone did not adequately cover spectators.
  • Mediterraneo - Serra Di Cuzzioli - Addressed an issue in which a reset zone did not adequately cover spectators.
  • Mexico - Addressed a small number of corner-cutting exploits across all stages.
  • Oceania - Oakleigh - Addressed a number of issues in which reset lines were either missing or too close to the road edge.
  • Oceania - Doctors Hill - Addressed a number of issues in which reset lines were either missing or too close to the road edge.
  • Oceania - Taipuha - Addressed a number of issues in which reset lines were either missing or too close to the road edge.
  • Oceania - Mareretu - Addressed a number of issues in which reset lines were either missing or too close to the road edge.
  • Japan - Lake Mikawa - Addressed a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Japan - Kudarisawa - Addressed a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Japan - Habu Dam - Addressed a corner-cutting exploit.
  • Japan - Habucho - Addressed a corner-cutting exploit.

Quick Play​

  • Fixed an issue in Quick Play Solo in which the Automatic Repairs Assist would improperly trigger after receiving damage Shakedown.

UDP & Telemetry​

  • Added new UDP telemetry field to identify when a player is currently in Shakedown - stage_shakedown

User Interface & HUD​

  • Addressed an issue with the HUD in which the handbrake light would not activate. It should now activate once handbrake input is 1% or higher instead of 100%.
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About author
Thomas Harrison-Lord
Thomas Harrison-Lord
A freelance sim racing, motorsport and automotive journalist. Credits include Autosport Magazine, Motorsport.com, RaceDepartment, Overtake, Traxion and TheSixthAxis.

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Comments

Saintbert
I welcome the update but never want to hear "post-launch" again. Granted, it feels like a year but apparently it's only going to be six months after launch that we get VR.
 
Mekonrider
I may buy this now. Not bored of dirt rally as such but .....yeah I'll probably buy it.
 
Large Style
I wonder if OpenXR will be the only supported VR runtime then, or if you can use OpenCompostie to change that to OpenVR / SteamVR?

I rely on Steam's Motion Smoothing / reprojection as OpenXR's equivalent systems are visually inferior due to much worse artifacting on my setup. I likely won't buy WRC (23) as the roads massively lack Roll axis variation, but I've never seen a VR title built using OpenXR so I'm curious if we have other runtime options available.

I've only been VRing for a couple or so months so I don't know if a 5 month delay like this (and the one currently happening in LMU) are becoming the norm or have always been pushed right back in the schedule. Obviously better late than never though.
 
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SharkVA
I'll give it a buy if VR is functional. Love me some DR2, but really craving more and different stages. Assuming S397 can hammer out official VR implementation this year and AC Evo supports VR by the close of the year, 2024 is looking like a good all around time for HMD enthusiasts on top of the already diverse sims and games we've got.
 
Ole Marius Myrvold
Staff
Premium
Eckhart von Glan said:
I would to have everything added that clubs can start proper tournaments across various classes, can't you write them a mail @Ole Marius Myrvold ? And what exactly do we need for our famous RD tournaments?
Click to expand...

I have actually told PJTierney, the CM Social Media Manager for the DiRT/WRC games that I would like:
" To be able to create a club rally from the website again. To be able to choose cars/classes (so it can be locked to the 95 Impreza, or have more than one class) To be able to set how worn a stage is, for each stage, not just the whole rally."
He replied that he had asked the devs about the exact same things, as he would like it for the official EA WRC Club that he runs.
I cheekily (or however it is written) said he should nudge them again, and tell them that it is a big wish from RaceDepartment/Overtake as well :p

And we will need someone to write a nice little app to handle the entries, results etc. Michael who made the DR1 app and DR2 modifications for us, is not active anymore. And it is not possible to use it for EA WRC.
But first I would need to finish the season start in football here. There is so much work to do, and so little time to do it :p
 
Eckhart von Glan
Ole Marius Myrvold said:
I have actually told PJTierney, the CM Social Media Manager for the DiRT/WRC games that I would like:
" To be able to create a club rally from the website again. To be able to choose cars/classes (so it can be locked to the 95 Impreza, or have more than one class) To be able to set how worn a stage is, for each stage, not just the whole rally."
He replied that he had asked the devs about the exact same things, as he would like it for the official EA WRC Club that he runs.
I cheekily (or however it is written) said he should nudge them again, and tell them that it is a big wish from RaceDepartment/Overtake as well :p

And we will need someone to write a nice little app to handle the entries, results etc. Michael who made the DR1 app and DR2 modifications for us, is not active anymore. And it is not possible to use it for EA WRC.
But first I would need to finish the season start in football here. There is so much work to do, and so little time to do it :p
Click to expand...
I have no clue about coding and their code in particular, but for an outsider that seems like a doable list. But what do I know. Thx for being on it.
 
gdubmx
Can't wait for the "cosmetics" yay! *best sarcastic voice*

Cool to get vr but man is take a British rally over 1000+ wack cosmetics shite
 
pz666
Whilst this is great for VR users I haven't been impressed with how this title has been received by other sim racers enough to take the plunge over sticking with DR2...

Both graphically and in the physics the talk has been about steps backwards... I had some hope that the improvements in the surface side would translate to a more visceral physics experience making up for the steps backwards in graphics... Instead there's a lot of "it's an arcade" noise...

I'm happy to wait a bit longer in it's development cycle...
 
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Eckhart von Glan
pz666 said:
Whilst this is great for VR users I haven't been impressed with how this title has been received by other sim racers enough to take the plunge over sticking with DR2...

Both graphically and in the physics the talk has been about steps backwards... I had some hope that the improvements in the surface side would translate to a more visceral physics experience making up for the steps backwards in graphics... Instead there's a lot of "it's an arcade" noise...

I'm happy to wait a bit longer in it's development cycle...
Click to expand...
you shouldn't, you're missing out on easily the best stages ever created, they will blow you away! I wouldn't listen to the moaners, they will moan anyhow, regardless of the product. Enjoy it while you can, life is short.
 
Fleskebacon
Premium
Eckhart von Glan said:
you shouldn't, you're missing out on easily the best stages ever created, they will blow you away! I wouldn't listen to the moaners, they will moan anyhow, regardless of the product. Enjoy it while you can, life is short.
Click to expand...
Agreed, the stages are generally very good and plentiful. Except the winter stages in Sweden/Norway. The snow banks are hard as rock, which is totally off. The same as in DR2. In the real world, snow banks are generally soft, and will pull the car into them if you touch them with the nose. So I reckon this is a deliberate choice, to dumb down the experience, as this can be very frustrating. But that's the way snow banks work, so... I would prefer them frustratingly soft, like in real life, rather than rock solid.

I remember having played a title that got this right, but I can't remember which one right now. Based on which rally games I have played most, it has to be either DR1 or one of the WRC titles from KT.

My impression is that the rest of the stages also kind of have this flaw, that going off road isn't going to wreck your race in any way - regardless of difficulty settings. There's only a very tiny chance of getting stuck, and the car will hold up to pretty much anything without taking any significant damage. Again, an obviously deliberate choice, to make things a bit easier and less frustrating.

But I still think they should have implemented a "really totally badass hardcore mode" which would realisticly get you stuck, wreck your car if you hit anything and so on. I can't see such a mode being incompatible with more easygoing difficulty settings. Rallying is just as much about getting through the stages without damage, as driving fast. Just watch the Safari Rally Kenya, which is living proof of just that.

But even with these shortcomings, the game is absolutely brilliant in its genre! I have been saving most of the stages for VR, so I'm really looking forward to digging deeper into things. With my short experience with VR, using OpenXR sounds like a good choice, both for performance and compatibilty.
 

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