iRacing's Upcoming Releases

[Yoeri Gijsen]

Let's keep a little thread going about what iRacing has in store for us in the (near) future. Some things have been announced, some targets have been rumoured and who knows what you have picked up in the darkest recesses of the net...

Below I will put up some things I find or found. Please post any news, rumours or hints below so one of the moderators can update this thread.

Cars

• McLaren MP4-12C GT3 - Next up, but time unspecified
• Lotus 49 - Next up, but time unspecified
• RUF Rt12R - October 2012
• Honda Civic BTCC - May/July 2013
• Honda HSV-010 - May/July 2013
• NASCAR Sprint Cup 2013 models - TBA

Tracks

• Auto Club Speedway - To be scanned (confirmed!)
• Circuit de Gilles Villeneuve - To be scanned (confirmed!)
• Hongaroring - Plans
• Kansas Speedway - To be scanned (confirmed!)
• Lukas Oil Raceway - In production
• Rockingham Speedway - October 2012
• Interlagos - To be scanned (confirmed!)
• Miller Motorsports Park - To be scanned
• New Jersey Motorsports Park - To be scanned
• Long Beach - 2013
• Oran Park Raceway - October 2012
• Tsukuba Circuit - In production
• Willow Springs - Scanned but on hold

Features

• Crew chief & spotter functionality - February 2013 at the earliest, but probably later
• Driver swaps - February 2013 at the earliest, but probably later
• DirectX 11 and x64 support - Long term project
• Dirt and oil build up on windscreen - Side project
• Enhanced sounds (DirectSound > XAudio2) - Groundwork in next build; the rest later
• Exhaust fire - Side project
• Teams - February 2013 at the earliest, but probably later
• Time transition - Long term and after DirectX 11

Your turn!

 

[Jamie Shorting]

I bought all the road tracks last year to run the Star Mazda season. I was excited to see that Star Mazda was getting the NTM because I felt like I had to really throw the car around and drift the corners to be fast. I felt that was unrealistic on the OTM. Now it has swung around to other end of the spectrum where if I slide the car at all, and try to counter stear to hold or stop the slide it just snaps around way to fast with no hint that its going to happen.

The Star Mazda is a piece of crap at the moment. I've tried so hard to like that car. The car is still sliding around with no ill effect to the tires and the FFB is now numb. The new tire model is a failure in my opinion. At the rate iracing does their development it will be a couple of years before they get the bugs in this new tire model figured out.

All the fanboys that are in love with whatever iracing does doesn't help either. iRacing needs to be told that they have major problems.

Iracing needs to put less money into advertising and more money into development.

 

[Jayblue]

I disliked the NTM on the Star Mazda too initially. But then i drove the car at Oulton Park using a setup Samuli Vahonen had posted in the forum and for the first time i found some feedback and feel driving the car again and actually enjoyed driving it. Try getting the setup i mentioned from and giving it a go - i was pleasantly surprised!

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I disagree with Jamie. Sure the first release of every NTM car has been bad but the versions coming after has been mindblowingly good.

The HPD, Riley, MX-5, Ford GT, Vette all feel so insanely good right now that i´m wondering how they are going to improve on the feel.

Right now it´s just small things that needs investigation like the fact that cold tires provide the most grip right out of the box etc.

But apart from that, i´ve never driven cars that feel this real, this engaging, this alive ever in a simracing game before.
FVA and NKPro are close but right now after the latest build i´d say iRacing is at the very top right now.
Assetto Corsa will have an even better physics engine so that will be awesome!

If you can´t feel the cars in iRacing now then it´s 100% your wheel settings or setup that is causing problems.
(for NTM cars that have gotten an update)

 

[Scott Malcolm]

i love the NTM feels so realistic especailly the Skip and the MX5 i've tried the F1 car but theres no way I can drive it i expect that dont think anyone can just jump striaght into it

 

[David Jundt]

I disliked the NTM on the Star Mazda too initially. But then i drove the car at Oulton Park using a setup Samuli Vahonen had posted in the forum and for the first time i found some feedback and feel driving the car again and actually enjoyed driving it. Try getting the setup i mentioned from and giving it a go - i was pleasantly surprised!

I think I used that too. It got better, but not to the extend of before...

@Hampus: Funnily enough, you don't mention the SM as one of these good NTM cars, hmmm...

 

[Hampus Andersson]

@Hampus: Funnily enough, you don't mention the SM as one of these good NTM cars, hmmm...

Forgot the F1 as well, Hmmm..

Cars will only get better and better and better. Some cars just works brilliantly out of the box but some needs an update to get into the zone. Like Ford GT which you had to re-vamp your whole driving style in order to accommodate the balance of the car.
(still managed to be 0.6 seconds off the WR before the build )

Now it´s been updated and allows for people to really push the car and drive it more like they want.
Rather then how the car wants.

 

[David Jundt]

Wasn't it the "Problem-Car"? I haven't really driven it so I wouldn't have to change my style(I only did 2-3 races at most). It's a different story for the Mazda though

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Wasn't it the "Problem-Car"? I haven't really driven it so I wouldn't have to change my style(I only did 2-3 races at most). It's a different story for the Mazda though

Not sure what that means but yes it was very special in it´s first outing.

I know some people even went to re-calibrate their steering wheel because they could not cope with the 360 degree steering.
Then there was low-speed spins that came from nowhere.

But since the update it´s been incredible imo.
-

Update or information about the DX11 thing,

We're working on migrating to DX11 and 64-bit, but it's gonna take a while. We'll probably support two versions at first, a 32-bit D3D9 version that runs everywhere, and a 64-bit D3D11 version that can't run on 32-bit systems or XP. By working on it, I mean we are in the planning/design phases.

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/25/1815049.page#3814037

 

[Greg Carr]

I raced the F1 car for the first time last night. In my first practice I hated how the wheel felt, there was nothing, I mean nothing. I would turn the car and nothing, hit the curb on exit, nothing. So I usually run the FFB strength in the iracing settings between 9-14 depending on what car I am in. The F1 I cranked it up to 25 and it was much better. I think it also helps that I used a setup posted on the forums. All in all I had a good race, I was about 3 seconds off the leader per lap but seeing as how I just jumped in the car with only about 10 laps of practice I think I did pretty well.

I am going to put the Star Mazda back in the garage till they come out with an update to it. I know the Star Mazda was not the first car to get the NTM but it should have been a lot better then it is.

I have to agree with Hampus, the vette is now my favorite car to drive by far and what ever iRacing does for their improvements they are working. Also the HPD and Ford GT are fun to drive as well, but not on the same level for me as the Corvette.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

F1 seems to have too much grip atm.

In real life you hit around 5g's tops in corners like Maggotts (right hander)
with soft tires and fumes in the tank.

Iracing's car simulates the hard compund from Bridgestone but according to telemetry from a DWC driver he can hit 6-7 g's in corners.
You'd be lucky to hit 6g's in real life with high df, low fuel and softs during braking.

 

[Greg Carr]

F1 seems to have too much grip atm.

In real life you hit around 5g's tops in corners like Maggotts (right hander)
with soft tires and fumes in the tank.

Iracing's car simulates the hard compund from Bridgestone but according to telemetry from a DWC driver he can hit 6-7 g's in corners.
You'd be lucky to hit 6g's in real life with high df, low fuel and softs during braking.

Ya it does seem to have unlimited grip lol.I had a hard time with the base setup, but Jacob Nielsen posted a setup and that's what I used and the car was stuck to the track.

In the few years that I have been racing on iRacing I have given up on the idea that its a "true motorsports simulation." I think their tracks are the best out there by far. But the physics of the cars and there collision models need work. For the NTM cars its impossible to read the tire data and make a setup based on the data it tells you. I run in the MC league here on RD and after our first race I looked at the tire wear, it only wore 10% after an hour race. That I know is not accurate. So I give up on making setups because you can't use logic in making the setup because the base of any setup I think is to read what the tire is telling you and the NTM data is useless IMO.

What keeps me at iRacing is number of people that are on at anytime, the tracks, and for the most part the clean racing that I have been apart of.

 

[Yoeri Gijsen]

A little update based on an interview with Tony Gardner. Thanks Hampus!

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Ya it does seem to have unlimited grip lol.I had a hard time with the base setup, but Jacob Nielsen posted a setup and that's what I used and the car was stuck to the track.

In the few years that I have been racing on iRacing I have given up on the idea that its a "true motorsports simulation." I think their tracks are the best out there by far. But the physics of the cars and there collision models need work. For the NTM cars its impossible to read the tire data and make a setup based on the data it tells you. I run in the MC league here on RD and after our first race I looked at the tire wear, it only wore 10% after an hour race. That I know is not accurate. So I give up on making setups because you can't use logic in making the setup because the base of any setup I think is to read what the tire is telling you and the NTM data is useless IMO.

What keeps me at iRacing is number of people that are on at anytime, the tracks, and for the most part the clean racing that I have been apart of.

Yea that is true. I think i did 25-27 laps around SPA with 120kg´s of fuel in the F1 and had 96% of the tires still left

But these are things being worked on, it´s an immensely complicated job to actually simulate a tire. Or even get close to it.
To make things harder, DK is trying to create a tire model where you just tap in the numbers and out comes a perfect tire for that car.

We are still very much in Beta-stage in terms of NTM. All i know is that when he cracks the code you´ll have something very special.
People testing the V8 Supercar (IRL drivers) said they could take their telemetry and overlay that to iRacing´s
obviously not the tires but the rest was just spot on!

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Did some laps at Oulton in the Mazda with Jonathan This car is the best car in all of simracing if you want pure racing!

With NTM the car is just MAGIC.

 

[Greg Carr]

Did some laps at Oulton in the Mazda with Jonathan This car is the best car in all of simracing if you want pure racing!

With NTM the car is just MAGIC.

Are you talking about the MX-5 or the SM? If it was the SM what setup and wheel settings did you use if you have a G27/25.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Oh sorry, ment the little rookie car, MX-5

For G25/7 wheel settings search for recommended iracing settings.

they are recommended for a reason but most runs their owns and that´s where problems start usually.

Like FFB strength, that is not a number made up but scientifically that is the strength you should have on your wheel to get maximum FFB without clipping.

(i run T500 so can´t help you on that sorry mate)

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Here are settings Greg, see if they correlate with your own,

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1500238.page

they are from David Tucker, the man behind the FFB among other steering related things in iRacing.
(should probably sticky that one here for people to see)

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I think we are one step closer to seeing Porsche in iRacing some day.

Remember Forza 4 not being allowed the license for Porsche from EA?

That has changed as Turn 10 is launching a DLC with over 20 Porsche´s.

No word yet on if they exclusive license is up now or if Turn10 just opened the wallet.

 

[Greg Carr]

Here are settings Greg, see if they correlate with your own,

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1500238.page

Those settings are really close to what I have, I think I will mess around tonight and see if I can fine tune each car like they recommend because right now I use one "generic" setting for each car. How to you like T500? When I going to buy a wheel I was looking at the Logitech or Fanatec. I was assuming that since it had the Gran Turismo logo on the front that it wouldn't be that good, but now that I have done a little more research it turns out to be a pretty decent wheel.

I think we are one step closer to seeing Porsche in iRacing.

Now the motor sports enthusiast in me says:
I would love to see a GT3, or GT4 one make series in iRacing with the Porsche. Porsche pretty much wrote the rule book on "factory race car" and they need to be in iRacing. Look at all the one make GT series out there and look at how many are Porsches. Porsche has the most successful GT car ever with the 911. Just stick one of them in the game and I will be happy. If you stick a 917 or 962 in the game I will never quit racing, ever

Now the cynic in me says:
I don't see iRacing going out and looking (paying) for car licences. Looking at their future releases they are Cadillac, who we know payed iRacing to put the car in the game(and there is no following of the series that it races in here in the states), Mclaren, who already has a deal put together with the telemetry stuff not sure on who was paying who but there is a relationship already, Lotus is already in the game so I don't see them having to spend money for more licences.

So in conclusion:
I would be very excited to see a Porsche in the game. But I am not going to lose sleep over it, if it never happens. For me why I race on iRacing, is the tracks. They are the best interpretation of their real life counter part in any sim game. The only track that I have been to that is in iRacing is Watkins Glen, and I can tell you that it is very close to the real thing (except their version is outdated ).

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Depends on what Fanatec wheel you had in mind.
CSR or the "older" wheels does not hold a candle to the excellent T500.
(i've owned G25,G27,GT3RS and now T500)

Out of those wheels, the T500 wheel is in a different dimension.
They honestly feels like toys in comparison. Especially when you put your hands around the wheel of the T500.
It might not look like it on pictures but it oozes quality!

Now if you talk CSW E or CSW then you are looking at another step up.
But the gap between the first mentioned to T500 is much bigger then the gap up to the CSW.

I think it was worth paying that money for the wheel alone, the pedals i haven't touched yet because they don't have a loadcell.
The layout of them though is very comfortable.
I run CSP's so next logical upgrade is CST's.

-

Yea the Porsche 911 is not only the most succesful GT car ever, it´s the most succesful racing car ever.
M3 E30 the most succesful touring car ever.

yea one of those insane Le Mans Porsche´s would be nice
As would La Sarthe!! Then modified to old spec

Yea iRacing for the most part don´t pay for licenses, much like Polyphony Digital does.
The reason why Porsche is not in GT5.

Some brands they have said more or less that they would pay some cash or have some other deal that is less profiting for iRacing just to get those cars but no luck right now.

Mclaren deal i think is a no pay thing but could be wrong. It´s just a partnership from my understanding.
Really great to see Mclaren being that aware of the simracing industry. Even Simraceway(?) have a license for the MP4-12C.