Automobilista - July 2017 Development Update

Discussion in 'Automobilista - News & Announcements' started by Renato Simioni, Aug 1, 2017.

  1. Renato Simioni

    Renato Simioni Administrator Staff Member

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    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:


    The tracks previewed above have all been updated in v1.4.5. We hope to revisit some more in time for the remaining updates.

    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:
    Dudu Leal - DUD_8767.JPG

    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:
    AMS_Ibarra_4.jpg
    AMS_Ibarra_5.jpg
    AMS_Ibarra_6.jpg

    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 :)
    AMS_Ibarra_TClassic2.jpg

    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!
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2017
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  2. Schlitty

    Schlitty Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Feels bittersweet being so close to the end of AMS development. Its been a great ride! AMS was my first "true sim" and got me hooked quite easily. Its been great fun to learn and grow with. I chose the right game for sure! Thanks for all the work fellas!

    Ibarra is looking great. Can't wait!
     
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  3. DisarmingBaton5

    DisarmingBaton5 Member AMS2 Club Member

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  4. Maicom

    Maicom New Member AMS2 Club Member

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    That Beetle... :hurrayreiza: Looking foward to the next DLC.
     
  5. Matías Corvino

    Matías Corvino New Member

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    Yessssssssssssssssssssss a Fiat Uno in a game, finally!!
     
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  6. DaVeX

    DaVeX AMSUnofficial Staff AMS2 Club Member

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    No it is a Wolkswagen ;)
    @Renato Simioni thanks for new Metalmoro!
    No more A-B track support, group B rally car and major brand car series?
    Sorry if I ask, but those are some of the updates I was looking forward and I still hope for something like Mercedes Benz Cup...:oops:
    Btw thanks for your hard work guys, I have less time for simracing but when I can AMS is my choice, I love what you did until now, I can't wait for Reiza 17!
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2017
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  7. hex

    hex Damage, Inc. AMS2 Club Member

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    I already love the next DLC and Metalmoro :rolleyes:
     
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  8. Holger Hega

    Holger Hega New Member AMS2 Club Member

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    [​IMG]
     
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  9. mister dog

    mister dog Well-Known Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Impressive how you guys keep on managing to add to this game on such a regular base. And all quality stuff too! AMS is already a true SIM racing gem.
     
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  10. Jan Mikuž

    Jan Mikuž Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Such a shame there's no mp community. I'd be fine with a quick race or two in the evening, but ams can't even manage that much. :(

    Miss the LFS days. That was the kind of sim racing entertainment I'm interested in. Jump in and have a quick race or two with fair and skilled players. Don't understand that from thousands of sim racers there's no regular online club racing here to take part in.
    150 empty servers. Hard fact to swallow, since no other sim runs well enough on my pc atm and I don't really need anything else and I'm fine with ams content.

    Guess times have changed and it's all about scheduled events and leagues nowadays, but I don't have time for that.
     
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  11. mister dog

    mister dog Well-Known Member AMS2 Club Member

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    There's regular scheduled races for AMS on racedepartment no?
     
  12. Jan Mikuž

    Jan Mikuž Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Lol. I've been a regular on rd and here for years now. Of course I know about the rd events. But that's a paid thing.
    Will see, maybe I'll reconsider rd.

    But still, that's the only thing there is on
    a regular basis...

    Don't want to spam this thread with my whining. :)
     
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  13. alexSchmurtz

    alexSchmurtz Active Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Very nice, pretty excited by each and every item in this road map! :) I feel like I still did not explore all the possibilities offered, and there are yet more to come! Both the Metalmoro and the Brazilian TC should be great, and Ibarra looks fantastic! It is great also that you keep polishing what you have: revamped tracks, 2017 Stock cars, improved ais are welcomed! Thank you!
     
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  14. Oscar Hardwick

    Oscar Hardwick Member AMS2 Club Member

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    @Renato Simioni still no news on the manufacturer pack? :(


    I also have no idea whats happening here but it's wonderful in everyway:

     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2017
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  15. leon_90

    leon_90 Member AMS2 Club Member

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    He is talking about the one on the right...
     
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  16. DaVeX

    DaVeX AMSUnofficial Staff AMS2 Club Member

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    Should be a Wolkswagen too, but I think they changed something due to licenses...
     
  17. leon_90

    leon_90 Member AMS2 Club Member

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    I doubt that is a Golf or a Polo. I had a Uno and it looks quite like it. Plus, Fiat always had a big market in Brazil. My father, who worked for Fiat and Magneti Marelli, trained workers in Brazil in their facilities, which were producing Fiat cars under license. Volkswagen never had such market there.
     
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  18. DaVeX

    DaVeX AMSUnofficial Staff AMS2 Club Member

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    Sorry, maybe you are right or maybe not lol, I was thinking to 1980 Wolkswagen GOL (or Golf), pretty sure it is a "modified" golf...or not?
     
    Last edited: Aug 1, 2017
  19. Scraper

    Scraper Well-Known Member AMS2 Club Member

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    It's just like a public server!
     
  20. Matschex

    Matschex New Member AMS2 Club Member

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    Great work ... but, are there any news about VR Support ... this is the last sim without VR support.
    I want do get rid of my monitor ... i only need them to race AMS :-(
     
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