AMS 2 | November Development Roadmap

Paul Jeffrey

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Reiza Studios have concluded the month of November in style - plenty of exciting news contained in the latest Automobilista 2 Development Roadmap post.

Sadly December won't see a public release for the much anticipated Automobilista 2 simulation from Brazilian developers Reiza Studios, that one has been pushed back to March next year, but the delay doesn't mean things are slowing down over in Brazil - far from it - as the latest development roadmap release goes to show.

In this traditional end of month news update, Reiza discuss plenty of information about the current state of development for Automobilista 2, including a new preview video from the sim, and news of additional content coming to the base version of the title!

Check out the full November development roadmap post below:

Hello everyone, and welcome again for a new edition of our monthly Development Update!

It´s hard to believe it´s already November! It was afterall around this time last year that we had committed to switching to the Madness engine for Automobilista 2 after a couple of months of experimentation, and what an intense year it has been since
:)


As we approach the end of the road for 2019, we can´t help but be proud of what´s been achieved this year. The whole team has been pushing like mad and even though we didn´t quite make our ambitious plan for an initial release in December and while there is still a lot of work to be done, I feel we can be happy with the progress that has been made and confident that AMS2 will reach its initial release time in the shape we had hoped it to be in 12 months ago.

That doesn´t mean slowing down any time soon - as was the case with AMS1, the initial release of AMS2 won´t be the end of development but rather the end of the beginning. We have an intensive development plan already mapped out through 2020 all they way into 2021, filled a bunch of very exciting things we´re really looking forward to share with you all, but that unfortunately can´t just yet
:p


While we continue pushing, we are getting closer closer to AMS2 initial public release and with that in mind our goal is to wrap for the holidays in December with a solid Alpha build, leading into a solid Beta release in February closed to Reiza Backers, before finally reaching official release later in March.

To that end, here´s a recap of some of the work done over the last month.

Force Feedback Development

AMS 2 November Development Roadmap.jpg


In last month´s Dev Update we touched upon the development of a new FFB system, which I´m happy to say has been wrapped to very satisfactory results. Here are some words from our man @Domagoj Lovric summing up his work on this front:

"What forms the torque we feel on steering wheel? The torque acting on a steering system is attributed to reacting forces and moments on the tyre contact patch such as tyre load, lateral force, longitudinal force. These forces generate moment around steering axis, known also as "kingpin axis".

How much of an "influence" each of these forces has depends on mentioned steering axis, mainly inclination against vertical wheel line in longitudinal direction and inclination from a side view - better known as caster.

Aside from just taking angles into account, we also have (as consequence of this inclination) - steering axis projection on ground offset: scrub radius in lateral plane and mechanical trail (caster trail) in longitudinal. This moment around kingpin axis will transfer a force into the steering rack, via steering arm and tie-rod.

AMS 2 November Development Roadmap 2.png


The Formula V12 Hits the Track

One of our most popular releases in SCE / AMS was the Formula V12. The car was based off 1995-spec F1 regulations which imposed drastic aerodynamics changes following the tragedies of 1994. This led to the first cars of its generation producing far less downforce than at any other point from the early 80s to today. Combining that with a power reduction from 800 HP to around 650 HP as engine displacement was reduced to 3L meant that cars were more skittish, but overall less lethal.

Compounding the downforce loss, the regulation changes also led to mid 90s F1 cars becoming notoriously pitch sensitive, meaning aero balance would tend to shift considerably from front to rear depending front wing height. So the way to drive them fast specially through quick corners was to keep speed as high up and constant as the driver dared so the car´s attitude wouldn´t change so much and with it its aero balance, making it harder for its not-so large slicks to keep the nimble 605kg machines adhering to the tarmac.

That is one of the things that made Michael Schumacher such a standout performer relative to his peers over the course of that decade, as even though his driving style could on the surface appear wild and erratic due to the sheer volume of micro steering corrections mid corner, he was actually managing to keep the car in that higher, thin threshold of optimal aero performance that ultimately resulted in him achieving laptimes that would regularly embarrass his teammates with absurd gaps of 1-2s, specially on faster tracks.

It was an interesting challenge to try reproduce in the sim, and we felt we did a fairly good job of it in SCE / AMS´s Formula V12. A car with such sensitivity to minor inputs was always going to benefit from physics and FFB upgrades, so unsuprisingly it´s become one of the distinct highlights in AMS2 when combined with the more dynamic SETA tyre model, the higher input rates and now with a more unfiltered FFB system, resulting in a notably enhanced experience even with a lower level Force Feedback wheel - with a higher fidelity DD wheel it becomes positively organic.

It´s something that can only be properly appreciated from experiencing it - video previews are a poor substitute but since that´s what we can offer for now, here are a few laps of the F-V12 having its tyres literally flexed for a few quick laps around Kansai:


Here also you can also check out some of the latest shader developments from the track art team - while there´s much still we plan to achieve with this engine over the ongoing development cycle of AMS2, this is closer representation of what the game will look like on release.

Stock Car V8 - 40 Years of History

This year has been a landmark season for the Brazilian Stock Car series as it completed 40 years since its debut season back in 1979. The championship is still raging on, with the final race of year due to take place on December 15th, as usual at its spiritual home Interlagos.

The series of course is with which 10 years go it all began for us too as it was the subject our debut title Game Stock Car, released in 2011. The series remain one of our flagships and in Automobilista 2 we will celebrate its 40 years of History, not only keeping the original Opala Stock Cars and the current Cruze prototype from 2019, but expanding it with the Chevrolet Omega from 1999:

AMS 2 November Development Roadmap 3.jpg


coming seasons as the series shifts to become more true to its name and use more "Stock" versions of the street cars, albeit still powered by custom mighty V8s.

Below is a preview of what the new car is expected to look like - this and its GM Cruze counterparts are expected to debut at Goiania in March 2020, and you may look forward to making their debut in virtual tracks with Automobilista 2 around the same time
:)


AMS 2 November Development Roadmap 4.jpg


The exciting new cars along with some of the main cars that made up its history in the past 40 years are only a part of what´s in store for this new chapter of the Reiza - Stock Car relationship - more exciting things to come here, so watch this space
:)


Automobilista 2 Community Skins

A reminder that hose who join AMS2 Early Backing Campaign have the opportunity to become part of Automobilista 2 by creating their own livery for any of the various fictional or semi-fictional series in the sim:

AMS 2 November Development Roadmap 5.jpg


Automobilista 2 is scheduled for release in March 2020. You may pre-order Automobilista 2 through the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign - more information on this program and how to participate here.

If you are looking forward to Automobilista 2 but would rather wait for release, you may opt instead to add the game to your Steam wishlist via the AMS2 Steam Store page. to receive email notifications upon release and other relevant news.

That´s it for November - now on to December! We look forward to catching up with you again next month for the final and exciting news of 2019
:)



Automobilista 2 will release on PC March 2020

Excited about the prospect of driving AMS 2 for yourself? Post a thread in the AMS 2 sub forum and discuss the title with your fellow sim racing fans!

AMS 2 November Development Roadmap 6.jpg
 
My worry from watching that F1 car demo is that they will only be able to modify the PC2 physics up to a certain limit instead of throwing them away and starting over.

I have no doubts it will be a massive improvement but will it be enough? I'm not so sure it will be.

David Perel gave his own interpretation of the PC2 physics on a live stream yesterday and summed them up in the best way I've heard yet. Not verbatim but along the lines of "Imagine each circuit was lined with mattresses or trampolines and that's what you were driving on"

AMS2 won't be PC2. I'm sure it will be much better, going by the stellar reputation that Reiza have rightfully earned but I see the DNA is still there and that's worrying.

Before I get my head torn off, I've said this before and repeat that I want my suspicions to be completely unfounded.
 
Not getting a warm feeling when someone feels like they have to re explain how FFB works to explain what they are working on. Sounds to me they are struggling with getting nice FFB feeling from the madness engine, surprise surprise!
Then going on to explain how the car they are working on was a handful undriveable beast in real life but it is better with a DD wheel.
Time will tell, but I will have to test that new game before buying.
 
My worry from watching that F1 car demo is that they will only be able to modify the PC2 physics up to a certain limit instead of throwing them away and starting over.

I have no doubts it will be a massive improvement but will it be enough? I'm not so sure it will be.

David Perel gave his own interpretation of the PC2 physics on a live stream yesterday and summed them up in the best way I've heard yet. Not verbatim but along the lines of "Imagine each circuit was lined with mattresses or trampolines and that's what you were driving on"

AMS2 won't be PC2. I'm sure it will be much better, going by the stellar reputation that Reiza have rightfully earned but I see the DNA is still there and that's worrying.

Before I get my head torn off, I've said this before and repeat that I want my suspicions to be completely unfounded.

You should definitely expect AMS2 physics to have Madness DNA as thats the physics engine its running on. That will mean some of its quirks and flaws may still be present in AMS2, just as some quirks and flaws from pMotor2 remained present in AMS1 or from pMotor2.5 in the rF2 Pack. All sim physics engines have their own inherit issues and limitations, and users will have their own subjective take on whats making the cut and what isn’t.

I wouldnt risk suggesting AMS2 physics will satisfy everyone’s take on what realistic physics should be or that its particular quirks won’t rub some people the wrong way - we live in a world where reality seems to be an increasingly subjective concept, and in sim racing in particular people seem to have some particularly fierce belief systems :)

What I can quite objectively guarantee is that the physics engines have more in common than not, that the new one has a substantial net positive in terms of simulation depth and that our development ethos is the same as it’s always been. Hopefully the results are convincing for most sim racers, and we look forward to giving you all the opportunity to make your own judgement :)
 
Is it only me who is disappointed because there is absolutely no vertical movement of the wheels and suspension components in relation to the chassis.:poop:
In the video it looks like the wheels and suspension components only move up/down when the chassis does it - and not relative to the chassis as in RL (and as in more advanced racing sims).

Check the video again if you didnt realise this issue.:cool:
 
Not getting a warm feeling when someone feels like they have to re explain how FFB works to explain what they are working on. Sounds to me they are struggling with getting nice FFB feeling from the madness engine, surprise surprise!
Then going on to explain how the car they are working on was a handful undriveable beast in real life but it is better with a DD wheel.
Time will tell, but I will have to test that new game before buying.

Speaking of subjective interpretations, that’s not a take I would have antecipated from someone reading what was actually written :p but your conclusion is definitely the right one to have :)
 
Is it only me who is disappointed because there is absolutely no vertical movement of the wheels and suspension components in relation to the chassis.:poop:
In the video it looks like the wheels and suspension components only move up/down when the chassis does it - and not relative to the chassis as in RL (and as in more advanced racing sims).

Check the video again if you didnt realise this issue.:cool:

Suspension arms havent been animated in this car yet so you are right in that they are definitely static. This is just a lack of graphical representation though and not correlated to the actual suspension physics.

A somewhat related consideration is that the driver head physics have some considerable dampening which absorbs most of the vibrations - this will be adjustable to some degree as its highly subjective to taste.
 
Speaking of subjective interpretations, that’s not a take I would have antecipated from someone reading what was actually written :p but your conclusion is definitely the right one to have :)
Can any interpretation be anything else that subjective?:p
I hope and wish for my and everybody else own sake that everything is peachy on the FFB departement, that any delai has nothing to do with FFB and that I will love to drive AMS2 when it eventually become available, as subjective as my opinion of it can be.:)
 
I think the physics definitely can be judged from video, but it is difficult to judge the difficulty of handling, how is it important to thread that right amount of speed and slip and how it is demanding to keep direction right, though you can see how fast the car needs to be corrected as it comes in and out of the slides and so on...

I think AMS2 previews looks good physics wise. There are some things to wonder about, and that will be interesting to try when game is released. This being said IMO every sim (especially new) has to be looked at very critically physics wise, well because thats just an essence of a simulation, and simracing. It just wouldn't be normal otherwise.
 
You should definitely expect AMS2 physics to have Madness DNA as thats the physics engine its running on. That will mean some of its quirks and flaws may still be present in AMS2, just as some quirks and flaws from pMotor2 remained present in AMS1 or from pMotor2.5 in the rF2 Pack. All sim physics engines have their own inherit issues and limitations, and users will have their own subjective take on whats making the cut and what isn’t.

I wouldnt risk suggesting AMS2 physics will satisfy everyone’s take on what realistic physics should be or that its particular quirks won’t rub some people the wrong way - we live in a world where reality seems to be an increasingly subjective concept, and in sim racing in particular people seem to have some particularly fierce belief systems :)

What I can quite objectively guarantee is that the physics engines have more in common than not, that the new one has a substantial net positive in terms of simulation depth and that our development ethos is the same as it’s always been. Hopefully the results are convincing for most sim racers, and we look forward to giving you all the opportunity to make your own judgement :)

Wait, so you are saying that the unreleased game that you are working on (which is not even in alpha stage) is still a wip and the assets you show us are not finalized yet?

Le Gasp!
 
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