Automobilista 2 | New Update And Historic Spa Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios have recently dropped another new build of their Automobilista 2 racing simulation to Steam, adding a wealth of new fixes and the 1993 variant of the stunning Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

• New update 1.1.2.0 released.
• Spa 1993 added as free content for owners of the original track.
• Many fixes, tweaks and improvements deployed.

The new build dropped right at the very close of February, and with it a very nice collection of further tweaks, updates and improvements have been deployed to the simulation on Steam - with plenty of tasty changes that are sure to excite both offline and online players of the title.

In terms of content, the new build includes both the 1993 Spa Francorchamps circuit layout, and the 1999 Stock Car Brazil Opel Omega Series and Sauber C9 and Porsche 962 cars of the Group C variety.

Game wise, the latest build also addresses some further force feedback and AI improvements, tweaks to the UI interface and various physics improvements, as detailed below.

CONTENT

Tracks

• Added Spa Francorchamps 1993 layout

Vehicles

• Added Group C class featuring Sauber Mercedes C9 & Porsche 962C
• Added Stock Car 1999 Omega series

GENERAL

• Implemented new LiveTrack wet weather rubber washing (rubber is now gradually washed away from track surface as it gets saturated with water)
• Expanded available opponent classes to 9 (10 total)
• Bumped headlight range from 160 to 240m for all cars
• Corrected number of opponents in Championship mode to match the series current total number of opponents
• Added function to set different presets of rubber depending on type of session (making option available to player will soon follow)
• Added new functions to control when vehicle headlights & tail lights should remain on and DRS rules remain disabled based on track wetness threshold (previously was solely based on environment light levels)
• Replaced Spa 2020 with Spa 1993 on the calendar of pre-2005 championships

UI & HUD

• Re-styled event rules & regulations page
• Re-styled single player opponent settings page
• Added help texts to online Opponent settings screen
• Fixed wrong value link on gear 7/8 assignments
• Fixed redundant adjustable wing setup option being available for cars without such aero components
• Corrected tire names for various cars using street or semi-slick compounds
• Fixed missing French & German localization for track limits setting
• Adjusted font size on track limit warnings labels for Rules & Regulations UI screen

FFB

• Introduced routine to reset FFB in case of FFB loss (game detects the loss and reset FFB automatically, should be seamless for player)
• Adjusted default FFB profile for more accurate self-aligning torque, milder force spikes over big bumps and other such sudden tire oad.change; adjusted effect from braking torque (should provide better feedback during lockups); split FX signal from Low Force Boost setting

PHYSICS

• Added slow damping function to all tires (generally improves tire damping & fixes bouncing effect at very slow speeds previously proeminent in formula cars)
• Added intermediate & extreme tyre compounds for modern protos, GTs & formulas
• Adjusted tire tread for 60s touring cars, Opalas, Copas Fusca, Uno, Truck, Caterham Academy & F-Trainer
• Adjusted semi-slick tire tread (F-Trainer Advanced, Caterhams, ARC Camaro)
• Adjusted F-Vee, Opala 1979 & Old Stock tire treads
• Increased RPM threshold for reduced engine life in 2-stroke karts
• Moved Metalmoro AJR diffuser center of pressure rearwards by 2cm (slightly rebalancing overall aero distribution)
• Slightly falloff rates in rain for all slick tires (addressing issues with tires losing all adherence beyond a certain saturation point)
• Minor stifness adjustment to GT / Proto / StockCar tire carcasses
• Added minor preload resistance to open diffs in cars with more powerful engines
• Adjusted Porsche 911 GT1 engine compression curve
• Adjusted default gear ratios for Mclaren F1 GTR & Mercedes CLK in GT1 class
• Minor crankshaft mass adjustments to F1 cars
• Corrected 720S GT3 negative rear toe setting (setup reset recommended)
• Moved default brake bias slightly rearwards for Copa Truck, F-Trainers (requires setup reset recommended)

AI

• Various AI behavior improvements, adding car-specific parameters to improve their overtaking assesments both against human player and AI vs AI
• Added car-specific overrides for previously global parameters controlling the amount of lifting off the throttle AI would do while running over puddles, & introduced new car-specific parameter controlling the amount of lifting while on wet tires (generally less than on dry tires, improves their straightline performance when going through large amounts of standing water)
• Added several car-specific overrides for previously global AI parameters such as brake and reaccelaration distance thresholds, start reaction times, distance triggers for defending position
• Reduced likelihood of AI crashing into wall when side by side with human
• Increased AI drivers performance range
• Minor AI callibration pass for performance dropoff with tire wear
• Azure: Smoothed corridors in several locations
• Slightly increased AI grip @ Bathurst, Nurburgring GP & Velocitta

TRACKS

• Adelaide: reduced road mesh noise; smooth curb at entrance to T13
• Imola: Fixed camera man pop up
• Kyalami: removed glitchy helicopter animation
• Silverstone: trimmed 3D grass clipping walls in some places; fixed a few object pop ups; consolidated some grand stands into larger objects (same materials); optimized shadows
• Revised "Max AI participants" for various tracks, correcting when this differed from available garage slots
• Disabled DOF blur in all trackside VR cams for tracks that have them (currently only Grade A tracks)

VEHICLES

• F-V10 Gen2: fixed visual tire tread not corresponding the actual tire when switching from wet to dry
• F-Classic (all gens): added Dirt/Scratch map + New UV channel 3 mapping for carbon fiber cockpit material
• Copa Montana: added Dirt/Scratch map
• BMW M6 GT3: Fixed red carpaint issue in cockpit view (car #91)
• F-V10: Fixed visual glitch with windscreen in rain
• Gol Classic B: Fixed front splitter glitch
• Ultima GTR: Fixed oil pressure needle
• F3 F309: corrected RPM bars range
• Lancer R & RS: Livery override entry added for windscreen and wing
• Corrected cockpit POV in Metalmoro AJR, Mclaren 570S, Ultima GTR
• Corrected rain tire tread for F-Retros

Original Source: Reiza Studios

AMS 2 - available now exclusively to PC.

Want to know more about the sim? Got a trick or tip to share with the community? Fire up a thread in the AMS 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and share that knowledge!

 

[Badwheels]

I was in ACC and switched to AMS2 apparently after the update. The FFB felt very light with my settings. I had to increase the FFB to able to get the road feel again. Love how different games feel when you go straight from one to the other. I think next time, I will start in AMS2 and go straight to ACC and see what happens.

 

[Jason Chamberlain]

I would love to see Sebring on AMS2.

Folks are already complaining about the ride being too bumpy. Sebring would be a good test for whether they are smoothing that out

 

[RaceNut]

We need to keep in mind that there are different issues involved regarding perceived "bumpiness".
Actual track mesh aside, there are aspects of the tires / suspension / head physics / view settings that play a part in how the player experiences the ride.

AMS2 is still very much WIP.

This fact also applies to the audio, as it is commonly one the game development aspects that lags behind most others.

From my observations, some of the older content has yet to receive updated sounds. The overall game audio and environmental audio have yet to be fully fleshed out. Some audio details have yet to be added or refined. Some of the more recent cars added, feature improved samples but, may be somewhat constrained by some yet-to-be implemented, sound features.

While it is completely understandable that we would all like to have ACC / RaceRoom level audio in AMS2, we should recognize that both of those studios have had much more experience with the sound-engine in use, as well as access to the real cars for recording high-quality samples.

In time, Reiza should be able fill in the gaps in the audio but, it really is too early (imo) to expect top-shelf audio results at this point. It's also worth mentioning that ACC and RaceRoom set a very high bar in terms of the overall audio experience although, certainly provide excellent targets to aim for.

 

[Dady Cairo]

AMS2 is still very much WIP.

...and it is a long time project!!!!!!

 

[Tarmac Terrorist]

I am over the freaking moon with this new update! The FFB improvement for me is game changing, im not sure if thats to do with a combination of FFB and certain tire physics improvements but im leaning towards it being FFB, because the tire tread improvements have made that cars act even better (in relation to the cars they are applied to), but ALL the cars FFB feels better overall, the huge spikes seem to have leveled out.

In terms of the new content, its all amazing, but I was particularly looking forward to the Chevrolet Omega A.K.A. (in the UK) the Vauxhall Carlton.
I have particular intertest spaning back to childhood in this car because of my love of the ledgendary Lotus Carlton varient (I will leave a link on my profile that goes more in depth into that and the differences from the Chevy). Now this version is not exactly tha, but it is the same shape and has the big arches and similar features. Having driven it now I must say I absoloutely love it! Very predictable, should make for some good wet weather driving.

I would like to ask how many of you would like to see the road going 177mph capable Lotus version in the game? That version has an LSD and is a real sidways monster aswell as a damn fast car. Reiza have said they will bring out a road car pack, and they keep their ear close to the ground on what their user base want. Im thinking they already have Lotus, GM (all varients of course coming under GM) and other varients in the game, I wonder if then it would be possible to get the (Vauxhall) Lotus Carlton in there.

The thing was a Ledgend in the 90's and really upset the police in their metros.

What you guys think?

 

[Stepy]

...and it is a long time project!!!!!!

and Reiza will make it just as good as AMS 1 lol.

 

[Norbert Sajtos]

Still not enough people playing this game... multiplayer usually feels empty.
Waiting for simracing.gp to start the AMS2 races as well.

 

[BillGuy]

‘Ruh Oh!

I just installed the 1.1.1.2.1 update via steam and got this upon launching the game. The entire remainder of my screen was empty with just the gray background color you see in this image. The button was completely unresponsive as well.

Interestingly, when I hit ctl+alt+del and checked task manager, it showed this….

I’ve never had any involvement with the beta for AMS2. Could an update for the beta channel accidently have been distributed under the standard release?

 

[Tarmac Terrorist]

‘Ruh Oh!

I just installed the 1.1.1.2.1 update via steam and got this upon launching the game. The entire remainder of my screen was empty with just the gray background color you see in this image. The button was completely unresponsive as well.
View attachment 450502

Interestingly, when I hit ctl+alt+del and checked task manager, it showed this….
View attachment 450503
I’ve never had any involvement with the beta for AMS2. Could an update for the beta channel accidently have been distributed under the standard release?

Its ok Renato has already sorted it, reboot your PC or restart steam client, and you're back in the game, litterally!

 

[BillGuy]

Its ok Renato has already sorted it, reboot your PC or restart steam client, and you're back in the game, litterally!

Yessir! Thank you!

There was an additional 326 KB update waiting after I finished reading your reply. I installed that, restarted Steam and all good to go now. The main reason I jumped on it so quickly here was to potentially help others avoid the problem if there had indeed been a more substantial issue.

 

[stenovitz]

I was in ACC and switched to AMS2 apparently after the update. The FFB felt very light with my settings. I had to increase the FFB to able to get the road feel again. Love how different games feel when you go straight from one to the other. I think next time, I will start in AMS2 and go straight to ACC and see what happens.

Well as a newcomer to AMS2 on January 2nd, I had to turn full FFB gain in G27 controller settings to have proper FFB-feeling in the game. I mean, at standard FFB controller values, you could feel FFB, but not at same levels as AC, ACC, rF2, R3E and PC2.
Turning back to AC and a powersteering no-servo mod as the Cobra or the Vette C5-R I had FFB like never before, felt far more than the ca. 2Nm my G27 electro motor on paper should deliver, more like some sort of 30Nm direct drive! Unfortunately that was the final push for my G27 wheel. Although disassembling all to pieces twice did it, it was only for a short time before FFB more or less died.

It's the same story with my T300RS GT wheel (Edit: i.e. the part regarding FFB strenght difference between AMS2 and AC, hopefully my fresh belt-driven equipment doesn't just die).

 

[passenger]

Glad to see most people are enjoying this great update. Loving the 1999 Omega, it feels a lot like the classic old 90s touring cars. And the old Spa
classic layout with the old chicane is awsome too. Great stuff.

Thanks Reiza. Great work. Keep it up.

 

[Tarmac Terrorist]

And a new hotfix already!

 

[Jason Chamberlain]

We need to keep in mind that there are different issues involved regarding perceived "bumpiness".
Actual track mesh aside, there are aspects of the tires / suspension / head physics / view settings that play a part in how the player experiences the ride.

AMS2 is still very much WIP.

This fact also applies to the audio, as it is commonly one the game development aspects that lags behind most others.

From my observations, some of the older content has yet to receive updated sounds. The overall game audio and environmental audio have yet to be fully fleshed out. Some audio details have yet to be added or refined. Some of the more recent cars added, feature improved samples but, may be somewhat constrained by some yet-to-be implemented, sound features.

While it is completely understandable that we would all like to have ACC / RaceRoom level audio in AMS2, we should recognize that both of those studios have had much more experience with the sound-engine in use, as well as access to the real cars for recording high-quality samples.

In time, Reiza should be able fill in the gaps in the audio but, it really is too early (imo) to expect top-shelf audio results at this point. It's also worth mentioning that ACC and RaceRoom set a very high bar in terms of the overall audio experience although, certainly provide excellent targets to aim for.

Agreed.

I do enjoy AMS2 quite a bit, mostly because I use VR and it's fabulous in VR. But with it being a WIP I find myself gravitating to things that are more fully-baked and I plan to spend more time with AMS2 when it settles.

I do buy the DLC every time it comes out though!

 

[RaceNut]

Agreed.

I do enjoy AMS2 quite a bit, mostly because I use VR and it's fabulous in VR. But with it being a WIP I find myself gravitating to things that are more fully-baked and I plan to spend more time with AMS2 when it settles.

I do buy the DLC every time it comes out though!

WIP / beta titles, etc., are not suitable for everyone and there's nothing wrong with wanting to stick to fully developed titles at all. Things are just easier that way, no doubt.

For those of us that have been tinkering on the PC for decades, involved with beta testing, mod'ing, etc., accepting certain issues and limitations just comes with the territory, and can even be part of the fun.

I think AMS2 is getting to a point where things are starting to come together pretty nicely, still some rough edges and missing parts here and there but, it shows more and more potential with each update. Knowing that Reiza are such a hard-working and determined team, I find it pretty comforting to know that they are steadily pushing forward, despite the occasional noise from the peanut gallery now and again.

 

[Jason Chamberlain]

WIP / beta titles, etc., are not suitable for everyone and there's nothing wrong with wanting to stick to fully developed titles at all. Things are just easier that way, no doubt.

For those of us that have been tinkering on the PC for decades, involved with beta testing, mod'ing, etc., accepting certain issues and limitations just comes with the territory, and can even be part of the fun.

I think AMS2 is getting to a point where things are starting to come together pretty nicely, still some rough edges and missing parts here and there but, it shows more and more potential with each update. Knowing that Reiza are such a hard-working and determined team, I find it pretty comforting to know that they are steadily pushing forward, despite the occasional noise from the peanut gallery now and again.

I'm good with betas and WIP. I'm also fine with tinkering. For example, even though I have perfectly-good VR settings in ACC now (well, perfectly-adequate to be fair) I still feel the need to tinker. I've done IT work in various forms for almost 26 years now. I get it and I enjoy the tinkering. I have to force myself to leave well enough alone.

However, I'm not particularly great at sim racing, so I need a stable platform to refine my skills. There's a part of me that wants to get on AMS2 and take every open wheel car for some spins around Monaco. But I know that right now my time is better spent working on my technique and then enjoying the amazing content in AMS2 when I can process it better without messing myself up.

I get excited for every update. I really look forward to the Americas track pack that's on the road map. I also am hopeful that we'll eventually see Le Mans. I love this title and look forward to being able to pour more time into it.

 

[laurent7979]

I wanted to go back to AMS2, however the button mapping for CSL Elite simply does not work for shift assignment. I can't use left shifter (left hand handicap), so in every other game I map shift down to a button - or I switch the wheel for my MCL GT3 one, because you can upshift and downshift with the same hand, rally style.

In AMS2 the UI for button mapping registers the new button input, but in game it does not work. So I have to quick release and plug the GT3 one, restart the game, the CSL wheel I can't use, unless I use auto shift.

I've deleted the settngs folder, reinstalled the whole game. Button mapping for shifters does not work on CSLE.

It's sad because there is so much content and FFB feels good, yet bugs like this plus other annoyances plague the game. For me at least. On the good side, xbox controller support is not too bad.

 

[tonydean2]

When AMS2 1st went on early release I and a few others were constantly defending it. Thank you Reiza for showing us our faith was not misguided. This is rapidly turning into my sim of choice for off line racing. This latest update is superb, great cars and an excellent recreation of 1990s Spa. If you noticed the missing hotel then all I can say is you're not driving fast enough. I'm possibly one of if not the only member of RD who has actually raced on all 3 post war versions of Spa in the real world. For me by far the most demanding was the original that ran through the 60's and into the early 70's. Dammed fast and equally dangerous but exciting as hell on a hot day. I hope that Reiza introduce that version at some time in the not too distant future. As for the on line it may or may not improve. It seems to me in my limited experience of on line racing that to have a successful sim that everyone wants to race on it needs to have 3 things. A full grid of GT3 cars, Spa and Nordschleife as that's all that seems to draw full lobbies outside of i Racing. Reiza offer a good selection of curcuits that most of us have never heard of before and should be praised for that. Same with the car content, a lot of Brazilian and South American Championships which for me at least just adds to the enjoyment level. Keep it up guys IMO at least you're doing a blinding job

 

[Jugulador]

What, did you race them all three in real life?! You lucky basterd!

Ad-hominen.

If you don't know sht, don't question people... but is aways welcome to question ideas.

Cheers!

 

[tomythto]

Great, within hours they patch the patch and a few fixes over some issues. Other companies should take Reiza as an example instead being a greedy fat ass dumps. I don’t want to reveal their names you already know most of them.