AMS2 Beta Now Live | Development Roadmap

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios have revealed the future development plans for Automobilista 2 in their latest 'Development Roadmap' posting.

As many of you will already know, the full 'version 1' build of the much anticipated Automobilista 2 is set to release this March 2020. For those of us who backed the original Reiza Simracing Bonanza crowdfunding campaign above level 5, or purchased one of the many early access packs for the simulation - this Friday 28th will mark our first opportunity to lay hands on the new racing simulation from Reiza Studios.

With plenty of hunger from the community to learn more about what's in store both short and long term for the new title, Reiza Studios have released their latest roadmap posting giving gamers plenty of ideas about what we have to look forward to in the months ahead:

....

So it´s finally there! AMS2 Beta has now been released to Backers as we enter the final month of development before Automobilista 2 is officially release on March 31st - we are very excited to be able to share what we have been working on all this time

In this final stretch we can finally begin sharing a little more not only about what the plans are for release, but also going forward - let´s get to it.

Beta Available - Proceed With Caution
So the first build of AMS2 Beta has been deployed - always a big satisfaction and relief to reach this milestone.

Although the gameplay, content and general functionality of the Beta builds should be pretty representative of what its release state will be like, the game is very evidently unfinished - there is a lot still to be a lot bolted on over the coming weeks.

With the imminent release of AMS2 Beta we´ve had a huge influx of new people through the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign over the past couple of weeks. While it´s great to see the interest in AMS2 - and the revenue boost this late in development is by no means unwelcome - we do want to stress that this is still an unfinished Game: there are bugs, compatibility issues with certain hardware, missing features and other such rough edges still to be ironed out. If you are looking for a seamless user experience we strongly recommend you hold out until March 31st when the game will be officially released.

Automobilista 2 FAQ
There's been a lot of questions posed over AMS2 development and we are finally at a point we feel we can offer reliable answers - check our AMS2 FAQ here. More will be added in the coming days.

Cars & Tracks - What's In So Far
Looking to give a bit more insight into the game and what it will feature, we have started this All Cars & Tracks topic showing all the content featuring in the current build of the game.

Please observe that the artwork illustrates cars and tracks which are present in the game now - not what there will be on release and beyond. We will continue to update it as we progress through the next BETA builds and continue on from release onwards.

Development Roadmap - To Release ad Beyond
As we´ve been regularly stressing in these dev updates, AMS2 is a long term project - the release next month will see development pick up even more pace as we enter and aggressive development plan that will see game updates along with new cars and tracks released in a monthly basis.

To give you all a glimpse of how things are going to pan out, here is what´s on store for the first 3 months following release:

Upon release we hope to be in position to expand our public roadmap to cover the initial 6 months - that´s when things get really interesting

We will continue to provide this foresight at least until the end of 2020 so users can have an idea about whats coming and when.- with the obvious caveat that roadmaps aren´t set in stone and things can always move around or change slightly.

Early Backer Campaign Wraps February 29th.

As previously announced, the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign will close tomorrow 23:59 GMT. You will still be able to buy the combo of AMS2 + AMS2 Beta + AMS2 Season Pass for US$ 119.99 through our forum store, but the discounts for old backers and other perks from the EBC will no longer be included.

Pricing for the base game on relase has been confirmed @ US$49.99, bumped vs previously suggested US$ 39.99 as considerable additional base game content has now been confirmed.

In order to keep it a bit more affordable for early buyers, we have decided to launch AMS2 with a 20% discount over the first week from release, so at least for a little while the pricing will be inside the original plan.

That´s all for this month - it´s been a thrilling (and exhausting!) ride to this point and we are happy to finally be able to share with you a little more about where we are going with AMS2 - exciting times ahead!

Original Source: Reiza Studios.

Automobilista 2 will launch March 2020, with beta access starting February 28th.

Got questions about the sim? Be sure to start up a thread in the RaceDepartment Automobilista 2 sub forum and let our awesome community be your guide!

 

[MarkR]

Although the AMS2 Beta AI is still a work in progress I'm impressed with how they put up a real fight and behave in general. I captured a few clips to show how different they are to the PCARS2 AI some have claimed them to resemble. I've added some similar footage from PCARS2 for direct comparison, I was looking at the AI but the sound difference is also stark. For the avoidance of doubt, it's the AMS 2 Beta Caterham 620R that sounds realistic (a quick look at YouTube will confirm if you don't know what a 620R actually sounds like). In al the clips I started the race from last place to see how I got on overtaking the AI and how they behave.

AMS 2 Beta AI Clips VR

Clip 1 0-1:15 shows an AI Caterham (70 ability 100 aggro) making a good overtaking move and then defending well as I attempt to make my move.
Clip 2 1:15-1:30 in the Ultima GTR I think shows they fight fair when you get the run into a corner, certainly as good as any other AI.
Clip 3 1:31-3:16 a great final lap battle, even when overtaken the AMS2 AI (68 ability 100 aggro) stay close and prepare to fight back. I make the overtake, then a mistake and the AI is waiting to pounce, this is very different to PCARS2 where the AI tends to drop back quite some distance when overtaken.
Clip 4 3:18-3:38 even when the AI get on the grass they mostly recover, though they do also make mistakes and spin.
Clip 5 3:39 sometimes the AI do get it wrong and I didn't see this one happening at all, this would have hurt for real!

I did notice that anything less than 40 aggression makes the AMS2 Beta AI extremely passive. Even at 100 aggression, they do not ram the player car - occasionally I have had some contact but never race-ending unless I've already got it wrong and been sliding off/back on to the track.

PCARS2 - you've all seen it before but just for the difference in AI and sound, not in VR my eyes were too tired after all the AMS2 VR!

AI set at 105 ability and 100 aggro
At 0:20 I run wide in Clark Curve and the PCARS2 AI makes the move stick, all looks good so far. At 0:40 I lick the stamps and send it up the inside into Druids, here is where I see a big difference. The PCRS2 AI even at 100 aggro quickly drops off in the mirror and does not fight back.
1:50-2:08 some good side by side but again as soon as I'm just ahead the AI drops way back.
2:35 onwards the PCARS2 train without any overtaking between the AI.

For me, the AMS2 Beta AI already put up as good a fight as any AI out there. The ACC AI are what I would describe as the most trustworthy AI at the moment, they are consistent and I know what they will do, like real talented humans on track (for any weakness the AI are often more fun to race than most human players!). Even then the ACC AI, good as they are, tend to drop back after a player car overtakes, the AMS2 AI seem to be able to hang on better and take advantage of any p[ayer mistake more easily.

Is it still a bit of an AI train? Yes for sure but I'm yet to see any game that (multi-class racing aside) has yet cracked good AI vs AI racing. Other than wet or unpredictable conditions or a fast car out of position a lot of racing is a bit of a train in any case. I have seen some good AI vs AI racing in ACC and I've included a couple of examples below.

ACC AI vs AI (92 skill 95 aggro) overtaking 8:50 AI AMG vs AI Porsche, but then struggle side by side with the AI Honda at 10:08, before the AI AMG makes a great high speed overtake through the kink at 11:20, setting up an exciting finish with me at 11:35 (when again much like PCARS2 the AI AMG drops off rather quickly after the clean overtake)

For now, as a work in progress I like the AMS 2 Beta AI, they put up a good fight and hang onto the player car well once overtaken. I'm not suggesting they are perfect and I've seen plenty of minor problems such as cars not rendering in fully. Overall though I think it's a big positive to see something as crucial as the AI with such a good base to work from at this stage.

Best of all this game is already a lot of fun!

 

[brainner]

You have to enter one letter of the word, not the entire word.

Hell, stupid me. Thanx man.

 

[b)b]

Also the more I play the beta with a variety of car/track/time of day/weather combos and the more I'm impressed. I have not tried all cars yet but really enjoying the Stock Car V8, the Sprint Car, the Ultima GTR Race, the Mitsubishi Lancer. My main concern with AI currently is that they are sometimes too slow on the more pronounced corners. This is especially problematic on the first few laps until the field spreads a bit. But nothing that cannot be fixed.

 

[Miguel Batista]

Also the more I play the beta with a variety of car/track/time of day/weather combos and the more I'm impressed. I have not tried all cars yet but really enjoying the Stock Car V8, the Sprint Car, the Ultima GTR Race, the Mitsubishi Lancer. My main concern with AI currently is that they are sometimes too slow on the more pronounced corners. This is especially problematic on the first few laps until the field spreads a bit. But nothing that cannot be fixed.

Which Lancer do you use? I tried the R and was not too impressed. Mind you I am using manual clutch with paddle shifters. I find it hard to gauge the clutch bite point.

 

[b)b]

Which Lancer do you use? I tried the R and was not too impressed. Mind you I am using manual clutch with paddle shifters. I find it hard to gauge the clutch bite point.

The R was the very first car I tested with my FFB not being setup as it is now. I remember it being sort of OK. I need to retest that one to form a better opinion.

 

[TurcoMaldade_]

I have a CSW v1 base and whenever I run a car with paddles stick, it won't recognize it. I can only use my h shifter (th8rs from trustmaster) - even when the car doesn't use it in real life; or choose automatic shifter.

If I try to race a modern F1 car, for exemple, I only have two options: automatic or h shifter.

I was able to configure gears up and down just fine in the config menu.

 

[Greg Latty]

I dont remember the Ultima GTR race car feeling so good. That thing around Adelaide in VR is a treat. So far Im liking what im seeing. Of course there are bugs, and i intend on reporting them in the proper forum, but so far im impressed. Especially with VR. Solid 90 with settings pretty high and steam SS at almost 300. Not too shabby. Ive been a backer since the GSC days and the fact that i can finally play AMS in VR makes me all tingly inside..

 

[BrunoBæ]

Although the AMS2 Beta AI is still a work in progress I'm impressed with how they put up a real fight and behave in general. I captured a few clips to show how different they are to the PCARS2 AI some have claimed them to resemble. I've added some similar footage from PCARS2 for direct comparison, I was looking at the AI but the sound difference is also stark. For the avoidance of doubt, it's the AMS 2 Beta Caterham 620R that sounds realistic (a quick look at YouTube will confirm if you don't know what a 620R actually sounds like). In al the clips I started the race from last place to see how I got on overtaking the AI and how they behave.

Thanks for the 3 video clips.
It was quite funny because I just watched them as two AMS2 and one ACC
Because I didnt bother to read the text.
But when I watched the second (the pCars2) I just thought the cars did behave like the 1st but the quality of the video was lower.
And when I watched the 3rd(knowing it was ACC) then I thought good graphic but the behaviour of the cars was less natural/realistic than the first two.
Just my initial impression.

 

[motoliser]

No, really, what are you referring to?

In other words, SMS will never let another company fully use their engine. They are slightly mad but surely not dumb! They should be the ones asking Reiza for help, but again they are too stubborn and proud!!!

 

[MarkR]

Thanks for the 3 video clips.
It was quite funny because I just watched them as two AMS2 and one ACC
Because I didnt bother to read the text.
But when I watched the second (the pCars2) I just thought the cars did behave like the 1st but the quality of the video was lower.
And when I watched the 3rd(knowing it was ACC) then I thought good graphic but the behaviour of the cars was less natural/realistic than the first two.
Just my initial impression.

That's fair enough and yes unless you see the PCARS2 AI fall away in the mirrors after being overtaken they do look reasonably similar (having since tried the AMS1 AI they also look similar and rarely race each other). The AMS2 AI even at this stage put up a much better fight and especially fight back after being overtaken - it'll be interesting to see what they can do with the AI in time.

The ACC cars really give up the corner once the player car is there, I just watched a GamerMuscle video and each time he dived down the inside the AI-backed off a long long way (not sure what aggression setting he uses though). That said the ACC AI are good enough for me to have some racing fun with from time to time.

 

[Conrad Miller]

Are tracks laser scanned? or just copy/paste from AMS1 ?

 

[General_Failure]

Are tracks laser scanned? or just copy/paste from AMS1 ?

Drone scanned.

 

[Alex72]

90's DTM!

50 bucks seems fair. Standard triple A games are 60-70 bucks and last a few hours. AMS2 will last years.

 

[Alex72]

Do we know about triple screen support yet? Did we hear about it?

 

[Rory Wetherington]

Do we know about triple screen support yet? Did we hear about it?

It will be there but not in the beta. The section is already in the menu, just not active.
There is a work around but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

In other words, SMS will never let another company fully use their engine. They are slightly mad but surely not dumb! They should be the ones asking Reiza for help, but again they are too stubborn and proud!!!

My Tin-Foil-Hat-Meter is beeping very loud...sorry. No offense...

 

[Alex72]

 

[AlexHeuskat]

AHAHAH, AMS 2 have updated the BETA, they have reduced the FFB for about 40% (before release the BETA they have not seen it was so strong that we have to play at 40% ????)......my fist complain that it was too heavy was true....there is always a strange FFB wave, like if the cars was boucing, in a turn when we are at the limit, when we push hard on the tires.....its not very subtle like rF2 at all....
About the AI, always the same train/snake from pCars2, after the first turns, when the AI is in a file with the same gap between each others, I have never seen one AI fighting each others or overtaking each others, how many times to fix that ? (SMS has never succeed to fix that even with cranking the Aggression setting for +200%).

 

[magzire86]

In other words, SMS will never let another company fully use their engine. They are slightly mad but surely not dumb! They should be the ones asking Reiza for help, but again they are too stubborn and proud!!!

What happened?

 

[CrimsonEminence]

What happened?

Nothing...it's just moaning.

AHAHAH, AMS 2 have updated the BETA, they have reduced the FFB for about 40% (before release the BETA they have not seen it was so strong that we have to play at 40% ????)......my fist complain that it was too heavy was true....there is always a strange FFB wave, like if the cars was boucing, in a turn when we are at the limit, when we push hard on the tires.....its not very subtle like rF2 at all....
About the AI, always the same train/snake from pCars2, after the first turns, when the AI is in a file with the same gap between each others, I have never seen one AI fighting each others or overtaking each others, how many times to fix that ? (SMS has never succeed to fix that even with cranking the Aggression setting for +200%).

AHAHAH they're developing their game, how funny...what is wrong with you? o.O

Btw. i didn't noticed any update so far.

When you think, rF2 FFB is subtle, you're doing something wrong, m8.