Automobilista - September Development Update

Discussion in 'Automobilista - News & Announcements' started by Renato Simioni, Sep 30, 2016.

  1. Renato Simioni

    Renato Simioni Administrator Staff Member

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    Greetings folks :) Here´s our customary review of the work done in Automobilista development over the past month. We´ve been hard at it, both in the development of v1.1 update as well as production of the Brit Pack, both of which are expected for release at some point next week.

    V1.1 Development

    The major new feature for AMS v1.1 is the inclusion of Radio Spotter as developed by @gongo . This had been a very popular addition to the sim and now with native integration Dan has been able to take it a step further with more info and better accuracy from your race engineer.

    Dan has also been doing some work to improve integration with the new Logitech drivers - v1.1 should hopefully see some proper support for their latest G29 / G920 wheels.

    On the graphics front, @Alex Sawczuk and @Sandro Kholodkevich have done some great work on new car shaders and materials. Below is a shot of the flashy Ultima GTR featuring these latest developments:
    AMS_BH_Ultima5.jpg

    We also introduced a new AO mapping technique with seamless textures, which result in both optimized use of textures as well as improved cockpit details. The improvements are very noticeable on the new cars as you can see in this tasty cockpit from the Ultima GTR Race version:
    AMS_OP_Ultima.jpg

    Further good news is that performance not only has not been affected by these updates, but rather the continuing optimization work has led to some more previously troublesome cars to be now running smoother than ever in pretty much any respectable system (so long as you keep to the designated car count limit).

    A not so positive note is that Steam Achievements unfortunately will not quite make it in yet in v1.1; we´re not far away from finalising these but unfortunately developing the system & protection for the new content has kept @Luis Miguel busy for longer than we anticipated after v1.0 release.

    Brit Pack

    The core focus this past month has of course been finalizing the contents of the Brit Pack, our first DLC pack for Automobilista.

    This is actually a significant release for us and for those who have been with us for a while now as the Brit Pack will be the first time we´ll be charging long-time users for a new release since Game Stock Car 2013 came out back in September 2013! Fortunately we´re confident the Brit Pack (along with everything else that´s still to come for AMS) will justify that extra investment as the new content are some of the best stuff we have ever produced.

    On the track front, as is known we´ll be adding 3 british classics with Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park and Oulton Park - these tracks were hand-picked due to their classic style and heritage and preserved natural flow which are so nicely suited for the rich british club racing scene we´re looking to sample in this pack. All tracks are officially licensed and extensively researched in loco (with the aid of laser scan data in the case of Brands and Oulton Park). They are also excellent venues to stretch the legs of other default cars, exception perhaps taking the more powerful cars around Cadwell unless you´re really looking for a test of reflexes and precision :D

    The cars were produced in close collaboration with the manufacturers and we´ve also had input from several of their respective real world drivers during development - this is a claim we hear all the time of course to the point it has become a tired sim racing cliche, the proof as always will be in the pudding and we´re very satisfied with how these new cars have turned out :)

    Beyond the data and the resulting accuracy of the models, fundamentally it all rides on the nature of what´s being simulated, and here is where we feel the Brit Pack will really shine - just glancing through some Youtube videos of these cars being driven on these tracks in anger should be enough to see the fun factor involved is off the charts :) These are all very different animals and tracks compared to the default content of AMS, and as such they add a whole new dimension to the sim. I´ll go out on a limb and say there will be at least one combo from this pack that will make towards the top of your list of favorite simracing experiences :)

    Here are some fresh previes of the new content:

    Ultima GTR (road & race version)
    AMS_BH_Ultima3.jpg

    F-Trainer (Novice & Advanced versions)
    screenshot_branding_amsbrit_2.jpg

    MCR Sports 2000
    AMS_CP_MCR2.jpg

    Here you can see Niels taking the MCR out for a spin:


    The Caterhams

    To begin with, we´ll be offering the 270R (with a race variant for Academy series), the 360R (with Superlight Series), along with the mental road version of the 620R, as per the preview below:
    AMS_Cat620R1.jpg

    There will be more variants though along with some optionals which we aim to add along with a new upgrades interface - unfortunately this feature won´t make it in time for v1.1 but the upgrades menu along with more optionals are sure additions for v1.2 within a month or so from now. In any case we´ll supply options for both left and right side driving seats for these Caterhams (also for the Ultimas).
    AMS_Cat620R2.jpg

    All new tracks and series with the exception of the Caterhams are now available in fairly advanced state in AMS Beta which is now up to v1.0.8 so if you got the DLC Season Pass - if you haven´t grab it now and get on racing!

    Future AMS DLCs

    Of course, the Brit Pack is not the end of the road for upcoming AMS content - it is in fact just the beginning!

    We have hinted before what´s coming down the road but haven´t quite gone into the specifics - in fact I can´t quite detail all the specifics for all DLC packs just yet, but for the sake of providing some relevant reference for those who have acquired or are considering buying the Season Pass, here are some preliminary info along with a few hints we can share to give you a better idea (please keep in mind the exact contents of each and the timelines may still be subject to some shuffling as we move forward):

    October
    • Brit Pack

    November:
    • Legendary Tracks Part 1: Imola (1972, 1988, 2001, 2016 versions)
    • New Series - TBA (hint: big and heavy)

    December:
    • New series - TBA (hint: Classic content)

    January 2017:
    • Legendary Tracks Part 2 - TBA (hint: it´s got a long historical variant)

    February 2017:
    • Car pack from a major manufacturer - TBA (hint: it´s awesome)

    March 2017:
    • Legendary Tracks Part 3 - TBA (hint: not a permanent road course)
    • Aussie Racing Car

    As we progress we will naturally be detailing these packs further, but those will be topics for future dev updates - starting next month when I hope to be able to share some of the bigger things, both literally and figuratively :p

    Keep in mind that as more stuff is confirmed, prices for both the Season Pass on Steam & Membership pack here are bound to receive another upgrade - the sooner you get onboard, the more value you´ll get for your buck.

    Not forgetting that there are also a couple of free items still to be added to the base game, like Ibarra and a couple of dirt / mixed track courses before AMS development finally wraps at some point in Q1 2017.

    Worth reminding also that AMS Base Game is currently selling 20% off on Steam. As usual though the best prices for both base game as well as membership packs (including the DLC Season Pass) can be found in our forum store.

    That covers it for this month - now back to work to wrap that v1.1 & Brit Pack :)
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2016
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  2. Matt Beavis

    Matt Beavis New Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Reiza you are awesome. Thank you very much. I have too many words to write so......

    YES YES YES YES YES YES.....and some more YES. Amazing. :)
     
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  3. Pete Richardson

    Pete Richardson Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Now, I wonder if this track is one based in the South East of Belgium somewhere not far from the German border. ;)

    Thank you Renato for the update and your hard work. It's really appreciated by us all.:hurrayreiza:
     
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  4. CCKaren

    CCKaren Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Well we know from past posts what most of that DLC stuff is (F-Truck, Divisiao 3, Hockenheim and presumably Pikes Peak), the major manufacturer pack though. That is in the space occupied by the Group B rally car on the original DLC plan, dare I dream of an 037 or 205 T16?

    As for the closer stuff, an upgrade system is something I've wanted in a hardcore sim for a very long time. Hopefully this ends up being what I want it to be and allows some truly ridiculous configurations. Also delighted to see Caterham Academy and Superlight in there alongside the road cars.
     
    Last edited: Sep 30, 2016
  5. Renato Simioni

    Renato Simioni Administrator Staff Member

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    Remember, things change :)
     
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  6. OlivierMDVY

    OlivierMDVY Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Big and heavy = formula trucks
     
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  7. augiewaz

    augiewaz Warren Schembri AMS2 Club Member

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    Automobilista Development Updates are better than Christmas!!
     
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  8. OlivierMDVY

    OlivierMDVY Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Legendary Track Pack 3 = Monaco or Le Mans
     
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  9. Guilherme Borghezani

    Guilherme Borghezani Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    GREAT!
    • New Series - TBA (FORMULA TRUCK)
    • New series - TBA (DIVISÃO 3)
      • Legendary Tracks Part 2 - TBA (HOCKENHEIM)
      • Car pack from a major manufacturer - TBA (GROUP B)
      Legendary Tracks Part 3 - TBA (PIKES PEAK) :rolleyes:
     
  10. Guilherme Borghezani

    Guilherme Borghezani Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    whats the difference between novice and advanced F-trainer?
    it's differente model ?
     
  11. Paul Fenwick

    Paul Fenwick Member AMS2 Club Member

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    reiza studios....you are AWESOME !!!
     
  12. hex

    hex Damage, Inc. AMS2 Club Member

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    Obviously Hockenheim :) Or naaaaht...
     
  13. DaveS78

    DaveS78 Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Great stuff Reiza! Keep it up! :cool:
     
  14. Professionalsimracing.com

    Professionalsimracing.com Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    big and heavy = 60s and 70s v8 tin tops haha
     
  15. Ziras

    Ziras New Member AMS2 Club Member

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    New Series - TBA (hint: big and heavy)
    - Trucks!

    December:
    New series - TBA (hint: Classic content)
    - Grp5?

    January 2017:
    Legendary Tracks Part 2 - TBA (hint: it´s got a long historical variant)
    - Spa or Nords?

    February 2017:
    Car pack from a major manufacturer - TBA (hint: it´s awesome)
    - interest = piqued

    March 2017:
    Legendary Tracks Part 3 - TBA (hint: not a permanent road course)
    - Bathurst? <- Considering its coming with the Aussie Race Car?
    Aussie Racing Car


    Keep up the good work Reiza! You're making us proud to be Sim-Racers!
     
  16. mister dog

    mister dog Well-Known Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Looking forward to all of it really :D
     
  17. Emerson Meyer

    Emerson Meyer New Member

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    Amazing news! Thanks!
     
  18. P*Funk

    P*Funk Active Member

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    I'm gonna be sad when production wraps for AMS. I know the next Reiza outing follows but the wait will be interminable.
     
  19. Cheesenium

    Cheesenium Well-Known Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Thank you for the update.

    Does the legendary track packs comes with cars? Or it is only the track?

    AMS DLC plan does seemed to be quite intriguing with the new content fit right into the core game.
     
  20. CCKaren

    CCKaren Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Advanced Trainer has an extra 40hp, digital dash and slick tires instead of the Novice's treaded tires.
     
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