Is Assetto Corsa dying?

[Mike85]

No updates at all.... This sim is dying slowly? There are still so many things to improve like AI and multiplayer....

 

[bazingaracer]

It will die, eventually. Have been systematically losing players.
http://steamcharts.com/app/244210
The 2 things that could made a game like AC to maintain player base is Mods and Multiplayer.
Mods have been killed when they allowed monetization, most of players will not waste money in user made mods and those who got it obviously want to make use if it. Huge player split with this unreflected decision.
Multiplayer does not exist for 2 reasons. First the netcode is a perfect fail. Second is a bit complicated to play online with other players, instead of all the work to create a server the only step should be, create a lobby, players join, it's done, let's play.
The fact that they are working on a console version is the proof of the failure of AC as a Racing SIM.
And from what we have seen, AC will become "console friendly", good luck with that.
And good luck competing with PCars, in console. Unless the game code and concept (MP included) is rewritten from scratch, there is no way for AC to be a serious competitor.

 

[Radu Oros]

Only mods that cost money come from the URD modding team. They usually releases cars in a pack of other several cars, so is a different approach that the rest of other modders.

Probably AC will pick up its pace and improve from it after v1.2 release.

 

[Fernando Deutsch]

It will die, eventually. Have been systematically losing players.
http://steamcharts.com/app/244210
The 2 things that could made a game like AC to maintain player base is Mods and Multiplayer.
Mods have been killed when they allowed monetization, most of players will not waste money in user made mods and those who got it obviously want to make use if it. Huge player split with this unreflected decision.
Multiplayer does not exist for 2 reasons. First the netcode is a perfect fail. Second is a bit complicated to play online with other players, instead of all the work to create a server the only step should be, create a lobby, players join, it's done, let's play.
The fact that they are working on a console version is the proof of the failure of AC as a Racing SIM.
And from what we have seen, AC will become "console friendly", good luck with that.
And good luck competing with PCars, in console. Unless the game code and concept (MP included) is rewritten from scratch, there is no way for AC to be a serious competitor.

I usually do not comment on posts like this but:

Netcode is good enough for having leagues. I participate in a league and every Saturday and Sunday I played in about 10 public races each day with no netcode issues at all. Its far from being a "perfect fail".

Saying "The fact that they are working on a console version is the proof of the failure of AC as a Racing SIM." without any futher arguments elaborated makes not sense at all.

The fact that they are working on a console version is proof that they have a good product worth it to be ported to the console universe allowing them to get benefits from their effort. Is a totally smart move that I do not see how it can affect the PC version other than probably improving it. Stephano said they will work on a multithread graphic engine for the consoles, that if better than the PC version, would do the port to the PC.

Next patch update looks promising. I am particulary interested on the server plugin, which will open a lot of possibilities to the racing community in managing driving ratings and leagues.

In my particular case, I just love to drive AC. Being multiplayer, career or hotlaping; the driving experience is the best I have experience on all sims I have used.

 

[gabolifal]

I usually do not comment on posts like this but:

Netcode is good enough for having leagues. I participate in a league and every Saturday and Sunday I played in about 10 public races each day with no netcode issues at all. Its far from being a "perfect fail".

Saying "The fact that they are working on a console version is the proof of the failure of AC as a Racing SIM." without any futher arguments elaborated makes not sense at all.

The fact that they are working on a console version is proof that they have a good product worth it to be ported to the console universe allowing them to get benefits from their effort. Is a totally smart move that I do not see how it can affect the PC version other than probably improving it. Stephano said they will work on a multithread graphic engine for the consoles, that if better than the PC version, would do the port to the PC.

Next patch update looks promising. I am particulary interested on the server plugin, which will open a lot of possibilities to the racing community in managing driving ratings and leagues.

In my particular case, I just love to drive AC. Being multiplayer, career or hotlaping; the driving experience is the best I have experience on all sims I have used.

IMO you are mostly right, that kind of perspective has been my own. BUT, I think it's an illusion if we think that taking this game to console would benefit the harcore-sim-PC side of things. It could at most not make it worse. Because console users are a completely different crowd at their majority. We see this when we look to how popular project cars is on consoles and how this game is not popular among hardcore PC "simmers".
I think Kunos will focus a lot in bringing more content to the game, fix the features we already have and neglect the new features most people have been asking. At least until console versions are released.

 

[bazingaracer]

Not going to happen. For Kunos PC version is completed.
Fixing the existing stuff in the game will not bring profit it's quite the opposite, it gives loss since require manpower without having any income.
They are now focusing on console because of financial reasons, they are expecting to have more income ($) selling for consoles, since for PC they will not get much more.
Why they are moving to console? Because they saw what happened with Project Cars.
The sales With PCars are like 65% of the sales for Playstation, 30% for Xbox and 5% for PC. For the Kunos owners is quite simple to do the math.
Basically console decision is a survival step.
In my personal opinion, seeing AC moving in to console world is a big disappointment, I was expecting a true SIM Racing.

 

[Fernando Deutsch]

So, moving to console world makes AC not a true SIM Racing?
Not sure why moving to console means a survival step? Is Kunos on crisis? Are their financial statements public? On the other hand, I think it totally make sense. If that move makes them get more money why not? It would be foolish not doing it !
Also, I do not see PC version complete. What are your arguments? They are going to release a 1.2 patch soon with new content, fixes and new functionality.

 

[Radu Oros]

Not going to happen. For Kunos PC version is completed.
Fixing the existing stuff in the game will not bring profit it's quite the opposite, it gives loss since require manpower without having any income.
They are now focusing on console because of financial reasons, they are expecting to have more income ($) selling for consoles, since for PC they will not get much more.
Why they are moving to console? Because they saw what happened with Project Cars.
The sales With PCars are like 65% of the sales for Playstation, 30% for Xbox and 5% for PC. For the Kunos owners is quite simple to do the math.
Basically console decision is a survival step.
In my personal opinion, seeing AC moving in to console world is a big disappointment, I was expecting a true SIM Racing.

So you think they stop pc version and only bring new features, content, and improvements to console version? gg logic/common sense.

 

[snyperal]

I think it's a natural evolution for a successful brand. Open up more revenue streams and reach a larger audience. This whole console unwashed vs pc elite is just guff, repeated and recycled. There is very little difference between consoles and pc's hell even the hardware often works for both.

My only issue with the console is the ten year old jacked up on mountain dew screaming obscenities down the line. Thank heavens for the mute.

Assetto Corsa dying? Nope, it's just getting started.

Also don't forget that SIM racing is a niche with 4 or 5 decent titles within. It's mostly consumer preference as to what they play, and most stick to one for one reason or another. Take other great simulations of past, submarines, aircraft and space combat and look at the limited titles available we're lucky to have such coverage.

 

[gabolifal]

Sure it's good to sell more games. But if you want to sell a game to console users you have to make it appealing to that audience. It's not a matter of hardware or any other BS, is a matter of plain simple user profile. Does anyone here think that rFactor 2, SCE or iRacing would sell as much as Project Cars did on consoles? Of course these games would be sold, because you have sim racers in consoles too, but you could never sell as much as a Forza, Gran Turismo or Project Cars.
For me is simple: if kunos wannna sell as many copies as PCars did, they have to make the game look more like it. And if they just wanna sell a few copies just because whatever, then they just release the game the way it is.
But how Kunos will make this game more appealing to console users or if they even care about that, it's not for me to discuss.

 

[paracletus]

a current driving game (that will remain nameless) looks like nothing more than blatant money grab now; releasing numerous little dlcs regularly just weeks after the full-price product - they obviously had those lined up ready to exploit more money out of their customers. that is pretty poor.
sim racers won't put up with that kind of rubbish.

 

[snyperal]

Sure it's good to sell more games. But if you want to sell a game to console users you have to make it appealing to that audience. It's not a matter of hardware or any other BS, is a matter of plain simple user profile. Does anyone here think that rFactor 2, SCE or iRacing would sell as much as Project Cars did on consoles? Of course these games would be sold, because you have sim racers in consoles too, but you could never sell as much as a Forza, Gran Turismo or Project Cars.
For me is simple: if kunos wannna sell as many copies as PCars did, they have to make the game look more like it. And if they just wanna sell a few copies just because whatever, then they just release the game the way it is.
But how Kunos will make this game more appealing to console users or if they even care about that, it's not for me to discuss.

I agree. In its current state ac will be going up against established A-list titles with decent feature sets and loyal punters, my only concern.

Will AC remain relatively unchanged until console release? The career, multiplayer, track list and car list all need some attention to make it appealing to the console market. As the main titles are also pushing weather this may also be something they need look at.

Ultimately succeed or fall the increased competition can only encourage the A-listers to up their game and bring the consumer better products.

 

[Stereo]

I think it's puzzling to complain that AC is going to stop being a sim if it goes to consoles, when the devs themselves have said that they're making no changes to the physics engine for the console port, only making graphics run better on the less capable hardware, and change the UI to be controller usable instead of mouse/keyboard.

The console version's going to include all the PC DLC that's released up to that point (which is the 41 included cars + ~50 DLCs in 2015) and they're all top quality, so in reality it compares fairly favorably to GT6, which only had about 100 new cars, the rest just being ported from GT4 or GT5. Slightly less variety since AC doesn't have any minivans or imaginary supercars, but hey. AC's dev team is also 1/50 the size.

 

[Metzger82]

You guys are amazing... the only way a game or sim or whatever can be developed longer is to have regular incomes from it.. You think you can buy assetto for 30 bucks on steam sale and someone will develop and support it for you 5 years after that ?? No fu**** way this can happen.

This is why iRacing has it's current buisness model and it works pretty good for them - limited users but they pay every month and it is good for the users also - less wrammers better multiplayer expirience and good perspective for future evolution. I do not like iRacing physics they are fake not realistic but difficult and this is why I do not do iRacing.

I would love to see the same model for assetto I would pay monthly for it with no doubt...

Good idea also is r3e...

In a company that I work for we usually sell hardware with offered support and mostly the case is that the support for 5 years doubles the price for the hardware itself so the same goes for games i think.

 

[bazingaracer]

There is one thing that can be positive for PC version/gamers.
Kunos will have to develop three (3) different versions of the game because these platforms have different architectures for graphics rendering.
Xbox is with Microsoft API (based on DX11), PS4 is with OpenGL (Linux) and Windows is with DirectX 11.
And because console is a less capable hardware device maybe we can get some optimizations for PC also.
Or better, maybe Kunos drop DirectX 11 introducing DirectX 12 (for PC version) since DX12 is basically out and is the next generation graphics rendering API for games in Windows.
Or even better, maybe Kunos can start to work in a Linux version using Vulkan API for graphics rendering, which is a beast in matters of performance.
And as a bonus Linux servers (paying Windows licences to host games is a nonsense).

 

[Radu Oros]

You can host an AC server from linux. I think it has official support since 2014. Check in AC forum, or make a new thread there, if you are interested in hosting servers. People with more knowledge than me about this subject will assist you.

 

[David Wright]

sim racers won't put up with that kind of rubbish.

I don't think you understand sim racers. Ever heard of iRacing? They charge about 10x more for cars and tracks than SMS, Which PC sim dominates on-line racing?

 

[Constantin Grimminger]

I don't think you understand sim racers. Ever heard of iRacing? They charge about 10x more for cars and tracks than SMS, Which PC sim dominates on-line racing?

Since ages, rF1. And I guess, as soon as rF2 won't reduce it's performance issues any further, it will remain rF1.

 

[Glygoo]

Anyway, after all the speculation, let's just hope that Kunos fixes the AI and multiplayer, it's wrecking a great game.

 

[Matheus Machado]

maybe Kunos drop DirectX 11 introducing DirectX 12

That won't happen because Kunos said they don't want to change the game minimum requirements. So they won't develop DX12.

 

[bazingaracer]

What minimum requirements?
About hardware, DX12 will not require new hardware, graphics cards with 6 years old will support it.
About software, games with DX12 for Windows 10 will work also on DX11 with Windows 7/8.
Also there is Vulkan which is an API basically similar to DX12 in matters of graphics rendering and performance and is compatible even with Windows XP.
What minimum are you speaking about?
Do you have a clue about the massive performance benefits of DX12 or Vulkan in a game like AC?