Automobilista 2 V1.0.4.0 Update Released, now updated to v1.0.4.1

Yes. Every hotfix or update is like unwrapping a present!
Keep up the good work, Reiza!

 

Whilst I do live me some AMS2 I would not be surprised if the madness engine is just inherently flawed. There were issues that were never fully ironed out in PC2 and I am seeing the same things here. A couple off the top of my head are the menu bugs where some things aren't selectable until you go to a different part of the menu and then go back to what you want to change then you can select it. Also on some tracks at night there are these weird dark patches that appear in the middle of the track, almost like that spot is not receiving any light.

 

what I find most annoying, apart from being totally unrealistic and taking away a big part of driving pleasure, is the total impossibility of recovering the car when going out on grass/gravel. it just comes down to luck, it is unrealistically slidy.

 

@Marius H I fully agree with you. The general 20-60min league race should happen with minimal issues but it is indeed in the longer sessions that issues from pC2 creep back in.
Thanks to m00lean's pC2 TF#2 scripts, I have a Touristenfahrten server ready to go and reboot itself if the session gets thrown into postrace from a buggy host migration. Having this single issue fixed will allow for longer sessions both on a trackday and in sessions with many track and host changes since it will eliminate the need to reboot a DS or make a new lobby.

The other issue I have yet to test out on a Trackday server is if people stop loading in for older players on track after a couple hours when pitting back to the garage. (They show up as hovering drivers above the start/finish line inpC2).

In any case, we will be here to report such issues when the time comes
With a quality team like Reiza, a fix or a workaround will come.

Edit: Cheekily dropping the discord link for the Touristenfahrten servers
Join the Touristenfahrten Discord Server!

 

This. Releasing properly tested updates is so crucial. The last week has seen various sim racing influencers panning the game for obvious bugs that shouldn't have been released, coupled with the usual "well it's just the Madness engine that can't ever be fixed blah blah blah" nonsense. Most of those people won't go back to revisiting their reviews and the damage is done.

If this patch had been delayed a week and released yesterday, the reception I think would have reinvigorated AMS2 as the best all-purpose racing sim under active development.

 

I'm not going to lie, I'm a little concerned for this month's planned content. The GT3/4 cars, although not everyone's choice here, are the most popular classes in sim racing and expectations are especially high where they're concerned.
I hope for the sake of AMS2 that these will be thoroughly beta tested prior to release to prevent adding more fuel to the influencer's fire! In fact, I'd be happier if they were pushed out to November as we're already a third of the way in to October. That said, I don't know the current state of those classes, perhaps they are in a good place already, time will tell.

 

I really like the new cars, especially the M1. but what for me is nothing short of strange is still the MP4/12. with this F1 it is really difficult to spin, you really have to work hard to succeed. it almost seems that there is a hidden TC, I hope it will be fixed soon

 

Some evidence to back up that the Mini isnt handling right. First article is a really good read.
For those that cant find time to read the whole thing:

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/jan-dec-66.pdf
http://www.cckhistoric.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/CCK-spring-2012-v3xxx.pdf

 

Yeah, and it's just cruel enough where you think you're gonna save it. And then it just slides and drifts, even when you've almost come to a full stop...

 

Brake bias on the 190E is too far rearwards. I put it a bit more towards the front (71-29 I think) and it was like driving a totally different car, felt far better that way.

EDIT: Also, dirty air vs the AI is still far too strong in some Formula cars. I'm losing up to four seconds (!) per lap (!) whenever I get close to AI. With default setup for Formula Reiza on Silverstone 2001, I'm easily doing 21,5 - 'till the moment I close up to traffic, where the times drop to around 25,5. Not quite sure if it's my bad driving in dirty, but it's a bit too drastic to be just that.

 

While the hood of the MB Evo II has the correct color now, the fender and window frame still has the wrong color:

 

To me Reiza have been doing a wonderful job so far improving at every update and in some cases fixing significant issues. There are still many things that have to fall into place yet though it's no secret.
I agree that it is better that the GT3/4 content is released only if it is in shiny conditions as it will be subject to much scrutiny. I also have to say that honestly as a user I find that most of the reviews are way off the mark compared to my experience of the game. It feels like the streamers have barely spent an hour or two in the last 3 months on the sim, likely they are unaware of the latest recommended settings and don't even touch the car setup, but they speak as experts of the game. You see their content library and in most cases there is at best one video a month with AMS2 content (after the update). In case something is not right when AMS2 is involved, the best explanation they usually come up with is "that's because of the Madness Engine yada yada yada".

I saw one review of the DTM content basically bitching the entire first part of the video over AI hitting each other on a given track and basically marking the entire update as trash, rushed out to get the maximum money SMS/Codemaster style because of that. I wonder if that guy tried any other tracks by the way or knew the update was free. Almost nothing was said about how the DTM cars drive.
That's before moving to review M1s and commenting them as some of the best sim experience out there (apparently M1s are still running Madness Engine).
Like I said before Reiza need to start having affiliated streamers who will offer a less superficial yet unbiased review than the average ones, maybe also capable to provide some info on the fixes or workarounds or whether or not Reiza is aware of certain issues. So basically a true reviewer that actually uses the sim and reads this forum...

 

Glad you mentioned that , thought it was just me being rubbish .
Yes it's more like being on ice than grass sometimes !

 

I don't care about this "reviewers" but here he has a point. I was loving the AI in previous versions (1.0.3.x) and now they behave crazier and too agressive and the agression slider doesn't seem to do anything. I'm not talking about the new cars but old known combinations like F1 classic gen 3 at Imola where previosly they would atack but didnt crash between each other so much. ¿Someone experimenting the same?
Otherwise the update is great, loving the new cars, handling, looks, everything.

 

Presumably, you're talking about Ermin's channel and this video:

Now personally, I'm not a fan of his channel because of his level of hyperbole (eg calling things 'disgusting' in his PC3 videos), but I 100% respect his right to make that content and give his thoughts on it.

a) he mentions that it's a free update
b) if he's driving a race and the AI is doing stupid things, then why wouldn't that be reason for comment? Look at how easily he closes on cars at full throttle after the first chicane, the AI bumping into him, them running into the back of each other on straights

But crucially, if you think this is critical then I suspect you're looking for blanket praise - his channel has been wholly supportive of Reiza and AMS2 right up until release and even this one massively praises the M1s, but mentions that the potential isn't being realised yet. And that's a perfectly justified opinion.

When you say "affiliated streamers who will offer a less superficial yet unbiased review than the average ones" are you looking for someone who agrees with your opinion? I've looked at the above review, as well as Mike from Simracing604's and Billy Strange's, and the opinions vary but nothing that I can say they're factually wrong on? Disagree with their thoughts? That's fine, you're welcome to write/record your own reviews and put your thoughts across too - I'll be a lot more frustrated if Reiza start paying people for positive reviews (which I don't think for a second they'd do).

 

Hermin is not doing his homework.
The review is superficial, imprecise, and conducted in a not very serious manner.
I see him in this moment a lot more interested in to seek sponsorships and create a "youtuber" career. If you like it, fine.

I unsubscribed. Not because of the Ams2 1.0.4 review (let's call it that), but because it is too partial.

I played with Rf2 for a while, after months.... the initial impact of the 90s, graphic horrors, AI banging all over the place, laborious online gaming experience (!) Pachydermic graphical interface ... still the best in many aspects, but I don't think that's the future of simulation right now.

These things Hermin said on various occasions, but as a counterpoint, little things in a joyful experience.
If you judge Rf2 above all for hotlapping and solo use why do you judge Ams2 with the same parameters?
No, you start driving around in traffic with a new car, without saying, of course, not even the Ai and setup configurations.

He takes the wind of the moment, and rides popular judgment without explaining or refuting them with considerations and technical reasons.
In this forum there are a lot of serial complainers, a small part in total (a very noisy part), but the gne gne are based on data and specifications, and are questionable, but with a technical basis. (..and paper documentation from 1969 found in a abandoned office...I'm joking )

I like him, indeed I have posted various videos on this forum, but he has a tendency to make bipolar reviews, and make controversial videos for the sake of making them and to raise the numbers.

The Guy has charisma and is nice. (Hermin if you are an audio expert, because you have never dwelled on those aspects, you could be of help to the community.)

It reminds me of the days of console fanboys.
"The guy bought an Xbo360 and it's fantastic and the best in the world, then he bought a Ps3 ..., and it's fantastic it's the best in the world, then he went back to 360 and it's ... you know."

I wish him a dazzling career as an entertainer, but I don't consider him in other aspects.

 

In the end of the day, it is Ermin's opinion. Nothing more, nothing less. Ermin's opinion is not worth more than yours or mine or everyone else's. We all have our opinion, we just don't all share it on Youtube.

 

I watched that video from Ermin. My only complaint was that his solution was, "Seriously, Reiza, just write a new AI." Sure, that's trivial. After hearing that it's hard to take him too seriously.

I put more weight in Billy Strange's criticisms of it. For example, when someone told him in chat that the Mini JCW defaulted to all-weather tires he changed them and then said what a great experience it was. But then he rightly criticized Reiza for releasing the Mini and not noticing that little bug.

The worst was Jimmy Broadbent's criticisms of 1.0 after not even deleting his Documents\Automobilista 2 folder. Should he have had to do that? Maybe or maybe not. But it was in the instructions for moving from pre-release to 1.0. He was an early access tester after all.

I only race in VR, so I really want this title to succeed. I'll keep buying DLC when it comes out. I'm excited to lap the Nordschleife when it comes out. I would love for them to squash some bugs along the way though. My biggest thing would be an option for tire warmers!