“Assetto Corsa Needs More Tracks” (does it?)

[Davide Nativo]

Looking into one of the most debated arguments about the Italian sim.

One of the usual complaints regarding Assetto Corsa was that it does not feature many tracks. Criticism usually revolved around the quite heavily presence of Italian circuits, even minor ones, but almost no tracks from the Asian or American continent. European selection is also limited to a handful of renowned locations.

Personally, I see the reasons behind the discontent, as the total number of tracks is of about 15, 16 whether you consider or not Trento Bondone and the historical ones. Adding to that figure are some fantasy venues like Black Cat County or places like the Drag Strip or the Drift pad, which are limited to very specific use. At the same time though, I stand with those who value quality over quantity, and having a decent collection of laser-scanned tracks is preferable to me than having more but with lower grade consistency.

I am also convinced that this issue is mostly limited to the console players. Why I say that is pretty obvious, I believe: Modding. Xbox One and PlayStation 4 users have no possibilities to extend the AC track roster in any way. PC players instead have a fine selection of circuits available at their disposal, and 90% of these are gratis to download for anyone.

Quality is also very high, with many of these recreations being very faithful to the original, result of many hours of work spent on every fine little detail and sometimes started with even LiDAR data at hand. I think that no one can really argue that at the moment of writing of this article, we have many beautiful tracks free for AC, expanding further the possibilities of the sim.

It really is a matter of being able to make the most of the resources available, searching in the download section, looking for what could suit your needs and enjoy it while thanking the author for his/her work. A suggestion I dare give also is - take your time. Unfortunately, we as simracers have become rather spoiled. When we had just a half dozen cars to be run on a handful of tracks in just a couple of sims, almost nobody used to complain that there wasn’t enough to have fun with. Now that we have a half dozen different sims, each featuring quite a selection of different vehicles and circuits, we always pretend more.

I believe the problem lies within the fact that we do not commit to a car or a track for more than a few hours, after which we feel bored and in need of a change. That is not constructive, and makes us unable to fully appreciate what we are given. Practicing, doing some time attacks, developing consistency, should take days. All that should then converge into racing the AI, looking for or hosting multiplayer competitions on that specific venue. Jumping from place to place, vehicle to vehicle, does not help. I maybe take this a stretch further, but isn’t this kind of behaviour also making us unhappy most of the times in our real lives? Commitment is the answer. As I said in another article of mine, having many choices means that you actually have to make a choice.

Allow me to tell that once again I think that simracing can teach us to be a better person, if we use it as a proper tool of personal growth. If used improperly, it can favour bad habits that we already exhibit in our daily lives, and maybe worsen them. If put to proper use, it can become a way to weed out those bad ways and help us find a better balance.

Therefore, look back now at the circuits you have in AC, both official and 3rd party ones, thinking what would happen if you’d decide to spend even just a week on each, perhaps with different cars and in different conditions but always on the same location. With the clear intention of knowing it by heart and learn it in every detail, appreciating all that went behind it, whoever built it. Now tell me you still believe there are not enough tracks for you to have fun with, if you do.

Oh boy do we like mods! If you do too then we have you covered with our fantastic Assetto Corsa modding archive. From downloads to a place for mod discussion, we have it all for you to enjoy, check it out today! If you don't fancy trying out some of the awesome community created tracks and cars then drop in on our Assetto Corsa sub forum to chat about the game with your fellow fans. Interaction and threads make forums fun, so start one today!

Like what you see here at RaceDepartment? Don't forget to like, subscribe and follow us on social media!

 

 

[LilSki]

In my opinion, there are plenty of good quality mod tracks. Theres nearly no track that you can't mod into AC. But what I would really like to see are some new laserscanned tracks. I know that Kunos stopped the development of AC and there will be no further updates, but they could at least add the new laserscanned tracks they used for ACC (Misano, Zolder, Paul Ricard, Hungaroring).

What I would be also very keen about are more historic tracks. I know that we already have Monza 66 and Silverstone 66 (and there are mods from so many other tracks and years, Monaco 66, Spa 66, Spa 92, Monza 88 and so on), but some official old tracks would be real great stuff.
And also some laserscanned US tracks would be real cool. Sure we have Laguna Seca, but what about tracks like... Indianapolis (road and oval), Daytona (road and oval), Road America, Watkins Glen, COTA, Long Beach...

Well considering you will never see a new official track in AC then addon tracks are all you are going to get. You will have to settle for a free aerial laser scanned Watkins Glen or any other US track I build on such data.

 

[The Flying Hun]

To many players, simulations like IL-2 and AC seem to be more about collecting ever new stuff and having items by the hundreds - while playing a given content item just once or twice, and not in depth, getting intimately familiar with it.

To me, these players miss an awful lot of the inherent quality the sim in question, the given content item, hopefully offers.

The attention span of man's mind today has become incredibly short, and for many it seems to be about speed-consuming new stuff in ever shorter intervals, without really tasting it, without properly digesting it, without fully enjoying it - just biting off the next morsel and wolfing it down as fast as they can.

Well, its at their loss. They maybe will never know what they are missing.

 

[Jempy]

Maybe I'm wrong but most older and newer simracing platforms with modding support have no more tracks than AC has but surely not so many cars. ( I repeat with modding support ).

Except for rain and night ( now created by exceptional modders ) AC will have a life as long as GTR2 had and still has thanks to car modders, track builders and lots of skinners.

As in every moddable platform, there will be very good, good, less good and bad mods or tracks..... Let's be happy with that. We're lucky !

Just a last word: thanks to all modders here ( and elsewhere if they are not here ) to whom I could not find the time to say a simple Thank You.
No names in this case ... but sure they all know who they are ... as I wish to thank them all.

 

[Mascot]

To many players, simulations like IL-2 and AC seem to be more about collecting ever new stuff and having items by the hundreds - while playing a given content item just once or twice, and not in depth, getting intimately familiar with it.

To me, these players miss an awful lot of the inherent quality the sim in question, the given content item, hopefully offers.

The attention span of man's mind today has become incredibly short, and for many it seems to be about speed-consuming new stuff in ever shorter intervals, without really tasting it, without properly digesting it, without fully enjoying it - just biting off the next morsel and wolfing it down as fast as they can.

Well, its at their loss. They maybe will never know what they are missing.

I've got a lot of mods for AC.
A LOT.
I still have a core set of go-to cars and tracks though, and I know (and appreciate) those ones intimately. But sometimes it's just nice to try something different, especially in VR, and every so often you discover a complete gem. Some of my very favourite tracks and cars are anonymous mods that don't seem to register on many other people's radars.
Variety, as they say, is the spice of life. Or rather, it can be, if you give it enough of a chance.

I won't deny that I've also got a lot of scheiße in my collection..!

 

[Tbear]

Sure we have Laguna Seca, but what about tracks like... Indianapolis (road and oval), COTA, Long Beach...

... Mid Ohio, Lime Rock Park, Belle Isle, Summit Point .... the list of important US tracks we don't have is almost as big as what we do have. And I'm just talking about road racing tracks ... not NASCAR or INDY ovals.

I think it would be great to be able to run a complete IMSA 2019 road racing series (or a complete NASCAR season or a CART/Indycar series) race for race, track for track with AC and fail to see a reason why we shouldn't.

 

[kondor999]

All I need is VIR, Road Atlanta and Donington TBH

 

[Zoltan76]

... Mid Ohio, Lime Rock Park, Belle Isle, Summit Point .... the list of important US tracks we don't have is almost as big as what we do have. And I'm just talking about road racing tracks ... not NASCAR or INDY ovals.

I think it would be great to be able to run a complete IMSA 2019 road racing series race for race, track for track with AC and fail to see a reason why we shouldn't.

Mid Ohio is a great mod for AC. Both with and without chicane.

 

[LilSki]

Mid Ohio is a great mod for AC. Both with and without chicane.

No it's far too rough. Same goes with Sonoma. Both taken from simraceway I believe. And because of that fact you will never see them on something like SRS where they try to only run legit tracks.

 

[Marg]

TBear wrote my thoughts. It is strange that some others can say it's OK, it' s enough of tracks.
I have NA 1999 mod now, and sorry, but... many tracks are really missing. And Assetto Corsa can simulate 1 mile ovals (Milwaukee) very well. They are closer to road courses than you might think. I do not like GT racing to much. So several CART schedule tracks would be a nice addition.
Toronto streets, Long Beach (I have one which is not so bad... but), a couple of ovals like Homestead, Milwaukee, Fontana.

 

[MANashTTU]

Yes . . . fair point, bsmooth. "Mastering a track" is a bit lofty a description. Among the addictive aspects of quality sims . . . there is always another tenth, a better way to approach a corner, differences in cornering approaches depending on tire wear, traffic, etc. A track is never truly mastered. I think that is why you'll never hear a sim racer reference "finishing the game" like an fps gamer would. I still, from time to time, try to shave a tenth off personal bests set in NR2003 fifteen years ago.

For my meager talents, I consider a track ready for my "mastered" list when I can run an hour-long race at a reasonably competitive speed without a self-induced track departure. That's a lot of qualifiers for the term "mastered"

I'm not quite sure what mastering a track is,

 

[Tim Meuris]

More tracks is always good. Once I had 2 races scheduled for the weekend, same car. One at Spa, the other was here in RD at VIR... did 2 laps at Spa and fell asleep of boredom... went to VIR and couldn't stop driving
Simply skipped the race at Spa and wanted the one at VIR to be 2x longer lol

OP is sooo right about this. Amen to that. Couldn't have said it any better!

 

[Patrik Marek]

if the quality is there sure! but if it's a quite rip then thank you I'm good !

I've been working on a track myself, but very little time due to all the cars I'm still trying to work on, in my oppinon, doing a track is easier then car, but it's way more work though ! I can't wait to share it but yeah, still quite far away from being shareable, since it's missing some kerbs, grass, armcos

 

[Tim Meuris]

I am in simracingheaven when having registered for a biweekly online championship and practising with some friends most evenings perfecting the setup for the car on the specific track for that round.

 

[Blamer]

I'll never be able to spend as much time as I'd like to on the many mod tracks I love and on the many I like.
The least problem with AC (pc) is the number of excellent tracks.

 

[LilSki]

Also doesn't have to be an official track to be ground laser scanned

 

[Will Mazeo]

Also doesn't have to be an official track to be ground laser scanned

Is this Barber?

 

[LilSki]

Is this Barber?

No. It isn't a big name circuit. It's calabogie motorsports park.

Interesting though it is by the same designer as barber.

 

[CobraCat]

To many players, simulations like IL-2 and AC seem to be more about collecting ever new stuff and having items by the hundreds - while playing a given content item just once or twice, and not in depth, getting intimately familiar with it.

To me, these players miss an awful lot of the inherent quality the sim in question, the given content item, hopefully offers.

The attention span of man's mind today has become incredibly short, and for many it seems to be about speed-consuming new stuff in ever shorter intervals, without really tasting it, without properly digesting it, without fully enjoying it - just biting off the next morsel and wolfing it down as fast as they can.

Well, its at their loss. They maybe will never know what they are missing.

This, 1000%. Never fails, as soon as something new is released someone will immediately ask, "Can or will you make this version of such and such car or a this version of this track" ? etc, etc ad nauseam. A modder or modders have spent 6mos to a year or more of blood, sweat and tears toiling over their creation only to have someone barely acknowledge it in anticipation of a variation of the car or track the modders have been working on. It's selfish, self centered, greedy mentality that some exhibit, consuming AC mods like a black hole.

A disproportionate number of people are in a Grand Theft Auto game mentality, obsessed with collecting content with little attention towards learning the minute details and nuances of a particular car or track.

 

[Emery]

and the challenge was higher than racing for the umpteenth time around Spa or just using a single track during a scheduled event.

Ding! That's the reason more tracks are desired!

 

[Emery]

Kunos should implement a feature like I used to know in Counter Strike back in the days, that when you want to connect to a server that plays a map (or a track in the case of AC) that you don't have on your PC yet, it upload automatically on your PC.

You mean a system like the one that's already in use by rF2? There are downsides, such as:

• downloads take time when you want to join the server immediately
• downloads sometimes fail due to connection or improperly configured server
• ensuring paid content can prompt for payment rather than just failing to download

Overall, though, I find it a useful feature.