R3E news and rumors

[Case_]

So we have a general discount thread (though it's often missed), but as far as I know, there isn't a general news thread to post various small-ish pieces of information that have come up, so I thought it might be a good idea to start one?

So information about the upcoming December patch are starting to appear, and we now have a confirmation that three Porsche cars will indeed be coming with it, with first one being...

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup 2017

The latest incarnation of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup is based on the seventh generation of this sports car icon, and it lives up to its calling: uncompromising performance on the race track.
The four-liter six-cylinder boxer unit delivers up to 485 hp.
The drive force is transmitted to the rear axle by six-speed sequential dog-type transmission.
The fate of the 911 GT3 Cup is played out in the Porsche one-make championships, where the only thing that counts is the performance of the individual driver.
While carrying "GT3" in its name, the car has quite different driving characteristics compared to its bigger brother, the GT3 R.
The lack of ABS & Traction control makes it quite a challenge to drive and will put your skills on track to a test.
A special feature of this car are the purple LED lights on the data display, that will warn you about traction loss & locking brakes.

https://forum.sector3studios.com/index.php?threads/porsche-911-gt3-cup-2017.9881/#post-137245

The other two cars should be announced in the coming days according to S3, but it's fairly obvious one of them will be the GT3 R, aka the "proper" GT3

 

[UMC 22]

The 11th has arrived and sure enough, the servers are down for maintenance. Not expecting any surprises, but who knows? Sometimes S3 put out some tasty morsels without any warning.

 

[Kenny Paton]

The 11th has arrived and sure enough, the servers are down for maintenance. Not expecting any surprises, but who knows? Sometimes S3 put out some tasty morsels without any warning.

Looks like some track and controller updates, but also some AI as well.
Would have been n ice to get DTM 2020 but hopefully soon.

 

[EsxPaul]

There is a post over in the official forum with a link to a WIP changelog for those who want to follow along.

 

[Kenny Paton]

Update details:
Download size = 2.9 GB
Client version = 0.9.0.978
Client BuildID = 5396614
Dedi version = 65.0.1170
Dedi BuildID = 5397334

Changelist:

Dedicated Server - Added Scheduling feature, allowing to set up automated spawns on specified dates and times as well as a repeating pattern.
Player Profile - Added “Ranked Multiplayer” tab with the player’s ranked history and statistics.
Controller - Added two alternative FFB profiles for Fanatec DD1 and DD2
Controller - Reduced default FFB slip effect from 5.0 to 2.0 for Thrustmaster profiles
Fixed - Sepang South layout no longer locks the game up when in single race sessions using a web gameplay overlay.

Content updates:
Hockenheim - Updated to 2020 specs. Mostly means walls were moved closer to the track before turn 12 (Mobil 1 Kurve), but many details were updated like curbs, runoffs and environment assets such as the Porsche Experience center.
Lausitzring - Renamed into its new official name “DEKRA Lausitzring”. A new layout is available for free to all Lausitzring owners: the DTM Grand Prix Course. The track has been updated to 2020 specs and that includes a modified pit entry path.
Nürburgring - Minor updates to update the track to 2020 specs. Some curbs, runoffs refinements.
Zolder - Updated to 2020 specs, which mostly means a new and freshly resurfaced track, curbs and updates to the paddock building.
All tracks - Adjusted initial fuel consumption estimates in order to provide more accurate values in the car setup menu before the player recorded actual consumption telemetry laps.
Bathurst - AI improvements
Bilster Berg - AI improvements
Dubai - AI improvements
Imola - AI improvements
Indianapolis - AI improvements
Macau - AI improvements
Moscow Raceway - AI improvements
Nordschleife layouts - AI improvements
Sachsenring - AI improvements
Sepang - AI improvements
Shanghai - AI improvements
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 - Fixed an off-center driving camera
Formula RaceRoom X-17 - AI Improvements

 

[Majuh]

Aragon sounds more likely considering the WTCR intended to drive there this year.

So, I was right, Aragon was added to the game files today.

 

[Case_]

Now we're just waiting for Frodo and Gollum, I guess.

 

[Kenny Paton]

Now we're just waiting for Frodo and Gollum, I guess.

Or the new hill climb track Mount Mordor, which is using the unreal engine.
Maybe I'm getting confused with GTR3

 

[Kenny Paton]

Interesting post from J-F over at Sector 3

The next steps

While the recent public updates may appear slim in features, we’re not slowing down behind the curtains.

We’re almost ready to deliver some pretty solid sound improvements. The update will make the cockpit atmosphere feel so alive, you’ll wonder how you could ever like it before. Word from the beta testers was they can hardly force themselves to drive with the old sounds now that they have had a taste of what’s to come. Expect those improvements to ship with our next update, along with the Audi and BMW DTM 2020 cars. In the meantime, I’ll try and make some preview videos.

Our currently active tasks for the Sector3 programmers are:
Move the remaining Scaleform menus to web (so far car setup and replay menus are done, and the most complex of all is in progress: the options menu). This is part of the steps towards a more modern UI that will allow faster iterations and development of features such as signing up to ranked multiplayer races, etc.
Gameplay modifications to Push to Pass and DRS in preparation for DTM 2020 cars. As you know we currently have a unique button mapping for both DRS and PtP but the DTM 2020 cars have both systems. They also come with specific regulations such as one unique PtP activation per lap or DRS allowed in qualifying that we need to replicate.

Then we do have more long term tasks that have been started, but here we venture into features that I can’t currently put a binding ETA on, as we’re on and off those tasks at the moment. We will try and finish some for our December 2020 update. Those end of the year updates are traditionally more feature oriented, since the holiday break also means a break in esports competitions and community league racing and we are then free to make deeper changes to how the game behaves.

Engine mapping - Ability to prioritize power over fuel efficiency from the cockpit.
Manual inlaps - AI no longer taking control of your car at the end of a race. We currently have this working in single player but still needs work for multiplayer.
Manual rolling starts / formation laps - Still needs a lot of work as we only have a prototype of it right now for single player mode only.
Investigation of driver swap feature - So far it does look like a difficult one for sure and one that will require network code improvements.
AI’s in Multiplayer - We have made some good progress on this but currently still have to add quite a lot of data communications regarding non player cars. This feature will probably have to be on hold as well pending network code improvements.

There are also many things that don’t make it into public changelogs but still occupy us. Things like allowing our servers to force showing certain packs of objects on the track for partners and sponsor logos, or spending some time with our colleagues over at SimBin UK to answer some questions and assist on physics and sounds.

On the content front, we are obviously focused on DTM 2020 cars at the moment and the liveries are being painted. It should only be a handful of weeks before they are released. We also have physics improvements in the works as well as brands new content that is better announced at a later date.

 

[Case_]

"Brands new content", he says...hmmm...

 

[CDwyer]

"Brands new content", he says...hmmm...

Typo or clue? typo....or clue?
I got to stop dwelling on this, it'll drive me nuts.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

Sounds like some interesting things coming, tho I was hoping after 8yrs track rubbering, dynamic track temps and day to night transition would have made it in by now as it's the only modern sim without those features and really adds to the overall driving experience.

If iracing can add them to there ancient engine, I have faith Sector3 can too

 

[UMC 22]

Sounds like some interesting things coming, tho I was hoping after 8yrs track rubbering, dynamic track temps and day to night transition would have made it in by now...

Pretty sure they've quietly hinted at some changes regarding lighting and weather, though I stress it was NOT a confirmation that day/night and rain was actually coming. As for the other stuff, we'll see... I'd bet that even if they're planning them, they won't say a word until it's done, tested, and about to be released. Too much BS from the vocal minority if they do...

 

[UMC 22]

We are going in scheduled maintenance mode to deploy an update.
Good things await you on the other side!

 

[Wilko Jones]

What time is "mid afternoon (CEST)"? On Discord J-F wrote that is when the game should be back up?

Lemme guess, it's "soon"?

(JK) 5 hours in the afternoon because Evening starts at 5pm. Mid way between 12:00pm to 5:00pm is 3:30pm. So around that time is a decent guess.

 

[UMC 22]

What time is "mid afternoon (CEST)"?

CEST is Central European Standard Time, and mid-afternoon is usually considered to be about 3pm. So I guess the patch will be ready around 13:00 UTC, all being well.

 

[balage06]

This topic is worth a read Info about the technical changes under the hood in the December update:
https://forum.sector3studios.com/in...s-throttle-maps-turbo-updates-and-more.16073/

 

[Case_]

Interesting info about throttle application on corner entry. I tend to do that with many cars in sims (even those that do not strictly speaking need it) because I've always felt that it gave me more stability, and at times people were wondering why I do that. Maybe Raceroom taught me that on an almost subconscious level...

 

[balage06]

Interesting, because I started my sim "career" in F1C and single seaters, so I never apply throttle under braking, but I'm not really affected by the issue described there, at least not in RR. The only car I experienced 'uncatchable spins' in is the Cayman GT4, which behaved pretty similarly in the original AC as well, so I thought it was intended behavior.

 

[Wilko Jones]

The Group 5 Fabcar is a tough car for me to handle. Applying partial throttle stopped a lot of the seemingly random spins. Now if I could only get the tires heated up and make the brakes bite a little better, then I'd feel a more confident with it.

 

[Dethrone1427]

Well that all sounds awesome. Cannot wait. Why would you not throttle blip on the way down?! I think as others have mentioned above as soon as I realised it gave me much more stability on corner entry I never looked back.