Touring Car Classics, Ibarra and Metalmoro AJR Confirmed for AMS

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios have released a new Automobilista roadmap update, with plenty of interesting information and upcoming confirmation of new content.

You can read the full July Development Roadmap post below:

Greetings everyone! We´re back with another Automobilista Development update. After skipping june, there is a lot of good news to share this month

To begin with we´ll be sharing a little more detail about the main features from the recently released v1.4.5, before moving on to the exciting new things due to come up next!

Stock Car Brasil 2017
AMS V1.4.5 has seen the long-anticipated addition of the new 2017 Stock Car Brasil season, featuring the new Chevrolet Cruze bodywork, along with all 30 drivers & liveries from the current season. The Curvelo race track (aka Circuito dos Cristais) which debuted in the series last year has also been added - both the longer layout raced in 2016 as well as the shorter version raced for the very first time just a week ago.

The new update also features revamped Push-to-Pass rules & functionality. Push-to-pass plays a big part in the dynamics of a real Stock Car race, so it was crucial point to get this right in the sim - as per 2017 rules, activating P2P lifts the engine restrictor of the 5.7L V8 engine which equips all cars from 62% under standard operation to 100%, giving the car nearly 100HP extra for 16s. Also per 2017 rules, drivers can´t activate P2P in the 1st lap, and there is a 5s delay between hitting the P2P button and the actual boost kicking in, increasing the strategical dimension of this feature.

The AI will also use P2P now to overtake or defend against other cars - also a new feature from v1.4.5.

AI Developments
We´re still pushing hard to further develop the AI, and in AMS v1.4.5 we have delivered another batch of substantial updates - the more important of which impacts how they assess risk and decide whether to go for an overtake, addressing the age-old issue which would lead them to often hesitating and backing off on straights rather than pulling alongside to overtake.

Other more incremental improvements to their behavior have also been made, such as getting the AI to be more disciplined rejoining the track after a spin and no longer drive into oncoming traffic:

There are still some remaining rough edges to polish and important improvements we want to cover before we call it a wrap on AI for AMS, but generally speaking we feel the AI in v1.4.5 is a substantial step forward, and it´s gradually edging closer to something you can legitimately compete against in any condition.

Track Updates
Several tracks have had terrain & road texture updates in AMS v1.4.5 to bring them up to the standards of more recent tracks, and the brazilian tracks have been updated to include the modifications made since the 2015 season.

Gamepad support
In between developing the new circuit and updating several older tracks, @Alex Sawczuk also found the time to take a stab at revamping the damping system for digital & gamepad controllers. As a result, Automobilista v1.4.5 has become a lot more fun and accessible to users without a steering wheel - turn on a couple of driving aids and it should provide as good a time, and a more rewarding driving experience than your average console racer

Surround sound
Some great news also in the audio front as after a couple of hard working months @domagoj Lovric is very close to cracking surround support - we´re confident we´ll have something to test soon and we´ll be able to merge it in for release until v1.5.

The experience with 5.1 sound is a significant step up from the current stereo - having aural feedback from your opponents approaching and getting beside you, your engine from the back while wind is blowing from the front makes for a much more immersive experience.

Metalmoro AJR coming to Automobilista
We´re happy to confirm we´re extending our partnership with Metalmoro & JLM Racing to bring their new, impressive-looking AJR Prototype to Automobilista:

The AJR is a result of a partnership of the JLM Racing team with Metalmoro, ambitiously conceived to become the most accessible, high performance prototype in the market. Powered with a 600HP Honda K20 Turbo engine, weighing just 820 kg and featuring purpose-crafted aerodynamics, it is expected to achieve LMP2 performance and perhaps even more. While the car is still in development, it is already setting the pace in the local endurance series whenever owner & driver Juliano Moro has taken it to the track.

The Metalmoro AJR will be added free of charge to the base game. We´ll be working very closely with JLM on this one, as the team will be supplying CAD model, CFD data and track telemetry so we have as accurate as possible representation of the car in the sim. Should make for a very fun ride!

Next Track - Ibarra
As mentioned in the last dev update, the track team is now working hard on the development of Autodromo Yahuarcocha in Equador, aka Ibarra. The development priority was switched to finish Curvelo so that it could make it in with the Stock Car 2017 season release, luckily Ibarra development is quite far along and should be ready to hit Beta within the next couple of weeks.

This old-style track features some of the most beautiful scenery to be seen in a race track. @ilka is leading development of this one and really bringing his A Game on it as the previews below hopefully illustrate:

Ibarra will also be added as free content to the base game, expected for the next major update towards the end of August.

Next DLC - Brazilian Touring Car Classics
The next DLC pack is also expected to be released towards the end of august. As hinted at a few times before, this pack will bring a combination of classic Brazilian touring car series to Automobilista - based on the old "Hot Cars" series from the early 80s as well as other single and mixed-class modern series featuring such classic cars will be represented in the sim. More details on this in the next dev update, but here´s a preview to whet your appetite

That covers it for this month - there are a couple of news still to come, but those are topics for our next, and possibly last AMS development update

We´re now racing towards a couple of final updates to bring AMS to version 1.5, which will represent the finish line for Automobilista development. While the temptation is always high to keep going a bit further and do this or that more, we´re generally feeling pretty happy with how it´s final form is shaping up, and believe it should be both a great base for us to continue enjoying over the months to come as well as a great foundation for us build on towards what will come next. We hope you are enjoying the ride as much as we are!

When we spoke with @Renato Simioni post version 1.4.5 release, Renato was full of praise for the new update and happily shed some further light on what is included in the new build, and what can be expected to come to the sim before development wraps up for good over the next couple of months:

"V1.4.5 update 2017 update features the new Chevrolet Cruze bodywork, along with all 30 drivers & liveries from the current season. It also adds Curvelo as a new track debuted in the last season, along with Velo Cittá and Buenos Aires as Stock Car venues (those tracks already featured in the sim). The series has a growing international profile and with new administration for the 2017 season, it should only continue to expand.

V1.4.5 brings other substantial updates - the AI has been substantially revamped and provided a fierce challenge now, no longer hesitating to pass the player or other AI cars. Several tracks have had terrain & road textures updates to bring them up to the standards of more recent tracks, and the Brazilian tracks have been updated to include the modifications performed since the 2015 season."
​

Automobilista is a PC exclusive racing simulation from Reiza Studios, available via the Steam network.

Don't forget to check out the Automobilista sub forum here at RaceDepartment to keep abreast of the latest news and discussions with regards to the simulation. We have a massive mod database where you can check out and download a selection of cars, tracks, skins, apps and other such third party content, plus of course we host some incredible club racing events on a regular weekly basis. If you want to become involved in the action yourself, check out the Automobilista Racing Clubs and Leagues sub forum and sign yourself up to a race today!

What do you think of the latest development roadmap? Pleased to see the new content planned for the sim? Has AMS met your expectations now development is nearing it's conclusion? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Darius Ramoz]

Will the Uno have a Ladder Rack upgrade?

 

[danracer2000]

what
4+ years since release, its better than ever with long term plans ahead

yeah may be r3e is making the competition interesting, but its no rival to iracing (and i want many rivals to iracing!) and deplorable physics, empty multiplayer servers...a shame. i have the basic pack of r3e bought in steam....and its wasted money... incredible sounds,graphics:good, handling: ice block moving..

But agree with you that it seems to be a long project, interesting.

PD: if they improve the ffb and physics!!! i will play it!

 

[JoelRR]

...That works for me perfectly as I have no interest in improved graphics or VR...

Pff!! That's my whole point of keep on playing AMS over other sims.

 

[Marc Collins]

Pff!! That's my whole point of keep on playing AMS over other sims.

Take the entire quote. I said I have no interest IF it means losing the sim elements. We won't have to make that choice with the next Reiza title, although we do for many other existing titles.

 

[Szymon Olizarowicz]

Take the entire quote. I said I have no interest IF it means losing the sim elements. We won't have to make that choice with the next Reiza title, although we do for many other existing titles.

As in which titles? Please tell me, which titles have lost their other sim elements after implementing VR?

It's absolutely stunning to see people in this thread who are afraid of more options and then others, who are openly celebrating, that Reiza has failed to deliver one of their most important kiclstarter goals. I wonder what level of depression or c*ntyness in real life explains celebrating that something many people were looking forward too (and were explicitly promised) isn't going to happen.

You're not happy that the game is better, you're happy that game is worse than it was supposed to be. But it's ok, because it's worse for those people over there, not you. Except having this OPTION wouldn't even affect your experience in any way. Absolutely brilliant.

 

[danracer2000]

As in which titles? Please tell me, which titles have lost their other sim elements after implementing VR?

It's absolutely stunning to see people in this thread who are afraid of more options and then others, who are openly celebrating, that Reiza has failed to deliver one of their most important kiclstarter goals. I wonder what level of depression or c*ntyness in real life explains celebrating that something many people were looking forward too (and were explicitly promised) isn't going to happen.

You're not happy that the game is better, you're happy that game is worse than it was supposed to be. But it's ok, because it's worse for those people over there, not you. Except having this OPTION wouldn't even affect your experience in any way. Absolutely brilliant.

ams is incredible , a masterpiece!, and if its not gonna be continued, ams2 has to be the definitive one! and be the leader to look at. it has to copy the iracing competitive system , and continue its developement for decades adding content and we paying for these addings. Amen.

 

[FeltHat]

ams is incredible , a masterpiece!, and if its not gonna be continued, ams2 has to be the definitive one! and be the leader to look at. it has to copy the iracing competitive system , and continue its developement for decades adding content and we paying for these addings. Amen.

 

[Marc Collins]

As in which titles? Please tell me, which titles have lost their other sim elements after implementing VR?

It's absolutely stunning to see people in this thread who are afraid of more options and then others, who are openly celebrating, that Reiza has failed to deliver one of their most important kiclstarter goals. I wonder what level of depression or c*ntyness in real life explains celebrating that something many people were looking forward too (and were explicitly promised) isn't going to happen.

You're not happy that the game is better, you're happy that game is worse than it was supposed to be. But it's ok, because it's worse for those people over there, not you. Except having this OPTION wouldn't even affect your experience in any way. Absolutely brilliant.

We have known that AMS would not have VR for how long now? The next title will have it, and if I know Reiza, it will be done properly, not a half-assed implementation to satisfy a handful of hard core supporters willing to go to any extent of IT tedium and torture to play with their new toy. Why are you and other VR fanatics continuously posting about the lack of VR as if it is a capital issue?

In terms of giving up simulation elements, I was thinking mostly of PCARS and AC. I was an early supporter of both; own both; but would have preferred that they each take a more serious sim approach than they did. Unlike you, I am smart enough to realize that their popularity is likely directly correlated to them not listening to me and going down the console-orientated path. That's fine. I don't spend my days posting in forums that they should have been more hard core, as they each promised at the outset.

AMS is more hard core. I'd like the next title to be also. It will bring advancements in graphics and VR. I hope Reiza does not compromise the simulation aspects of what they are doing in the name of popularity. Hopefully, they will introduce user-friendly options or make aids better and easier to utilize, but keep the hard core simulation underneath. I could not care less about VR unless it's bolted on to a hard core simulation that otherwise satisfies. That's the long way of saying what I already said above and it has zero to do with your reply or you or your interests.

 

[Alexandre Costa]

Why are you and other VR fanatics continuously posting about the lack of VR as if it is a capital issue?

Because for people who enjoy hardcore sims (as just said) and purchased a VR headset it is a capital issue. Actually I would pay $100 just for VR implementation if needed. This is the most desired stuff in simracing for me ATM.
Peace.

 

[FeltHat]

uhh that didnt answer his question @Marc Collins

Shame there's no vr support for ams, id kill for one Let's wait patiently for Reiza18

 

[Szymon Olizarowicz]

We have known that AMS would not have VR for how long now? The next title will have it

How are future plans, for an unnamed title with no release date, relevant to a discussion of Automobilista? How does it answer the problem of Reiza giving up on VR so quickly given their kickstarter campaign, where VR for AMS was an explicit goal. A goal which was achieved specifically because so many people donated looking forward to playing their hardcore sim in the most immersive and - for the lack of a better word - realistic way possible?

it will be done properly, not a half-assed implementation to satisfy a handful of hard core supporters

The implicit assumption here is that Reiza would only achieve a half-assed implementation of VR at the moment. There is no reason to believe that. Especially, when most people don't ask for a 'proper' VR support akin to iRacing, most of us would be totally satisfied with a solution used by many other developers like Sector3, Kunos or Studio397. Their implementation of VR is by no means perfect, but serviceable and effective.

Why are you and other VR fanatics continuously posting about the lack of VR as if it is a capital issue?

This is a capital issue for many people who pledged their support to Reiza on the basis of their promise of VR. It is also a capital issue for those of us that care about immersion and realism; VR is the biggest development in simracing genre alongside laser scanning for car/tracks, organised online play of iRacing or the introduction of gMotor engine with rFactor 1.

In terms of giving up simulation elements, I was thinking mostly of PCARS and AC. I was an early supporter of both; own both; but would have preferred that they each take a more serious sim approach than they did.

You provide absolutely no reason as to why VR has affected the simulation aspects of those games. This isn't an argument.

Unlike you, I am smart enough to realize that their popularity is likely directly correlated to them not listening to me and going down the console-orientated path.

As far as I am aware, none of the console versions of these games supports VR. It's a non sequiter at best or an attempt at derailing the argument entirely on your part. I did not question your intelligence; although, I believe you did that for me right here.

That's fine. I don't spend my days posting in forums that they should have been more hard core, as they each promised at the outset.

And Reiza promised VR support for Automobilista. Neither of these situations is right and they ought to be criticized respectively.

AMS is more hard core. I'd like the next title to be also. It will bring advancements in graphics and VR. I hope Reiza does not compromise the simulation aspects of what they are doing in the name of popularity. Hopefully, they will introduce user-friendly options or make aids better and easier to utilize, but keep the hard core simulation underneath.

I do not understand what this has to do with the core of the argument, which is the complete abandonment of VR development for AMS, especially the user-friendliness. How is this relevant? I suppose maybe you're trying to make a point about limited resources. I will grant you that I have heard about troubles Reiza experienced after the kickstarter and their failed ambitions with regards to VR. IIRC one of their employees left and there was no one who could implement VR into the game. However, their response was to simply abandon the whole thing entirely rather than use the huge amount of cash they received in kickstarter and outsource the development to a third party. VR for Richard Burns Rally was made in a few days in a form of a mod, it supports Vive and Oculus and is functional if not perfect. Limited resources are not an excuse for a company that has had the source code for more than a year.

I could not care less about VR unless it's bolted on to a hard core simulation that otherwise satisfies.

This has nothing to do with the core issue of whether or not Reiza should add VR support to their simulation.

That's the long way of saying what I already said above and it has zero to do with your reply or you or your interests.

You are right, your entire post is a non sequitur, which makes me wonder why you quoted me in the first place. You might be making perfectly valid points, if somewhat lacking in coherence, but they are completely off the mark with regards to context of this discussion.

EDIT:

Unlike you, I am smart.

Hold on. Have I been trolled? O.o

 

[danracer2000]

i agree with Marc Collins, but i have to recognize that the answers of
Szymon Olizarowicz are heavy!(good arguments and politeness) . Yeah promises should be made reality (VR), when the people have supported with their money,it is a bad move by reiza difficult to defend (decreases credibility as a business).

 

[Alex Sawczuk]

People who backed the crowd funding campaign specifically for VR were able to get a refund. That's all.

 

[Szymon Olizarowicz]

People who backed the crowd funding campaign specifically for VR were able to get a refund. That's all.

I wasn't aware of this. it's a great move on your part.