Reiza November 2019 Development Update

Hello everyone, and welcome again for a new edition of our monthly Development Update!

It´s hard to believe it´s already November! It was afterall around this time last year that we had committed to switching to the Madness engine for Automobilista 2 after a couple of months of experimentation, and what an intense year it has been since

As we approach the end of the road for 2019, we can´t help but be proud of what´s been achieved this year. The whole team has been pushing like mad and even though we didn´t quite make our ambitious plan for an initial release in December and while there is still a lot of work to be done, I feel we can be happy with the progress that has been made and confident that AMS2 will reach its initial release time in the shape we had hoped it to be in 12 months ago.

That doesn´t mean slowing down any time soon - as was the case with AMS1, the initial release of AMS2 won´t be the end of development but rather the end of the beginning. We have an intensive development plan already mapped out through 2020 all they way into 2021, filled a bunch of very exciting things we´re really looking forward to share with you all, but that unfortunately can´t just yet

While we continue pushing, we are getting closer closer to AMS2 initial public release and with that in mind our goal is to wrap for the holidays in December with a solid Alpha build, leading into a solid Beta release in February closed to Reiza Backers, before finally reaching official release later in March.

To that end, here´s a recap of some of the work done over the last month.

Force Feedback Development


In last month´s Dev Update we touched upon the development of a new FFB system, which I´m happy to say has been wrapped to very satisfactory results. Here are some words from our man @Domagoj Lovric summing up his work on this front:

"What forms the torque we feel on steering wheel? The torque acting on a steering system is attributed to reacting forces and moments on the tyre contact patch such as tyre load, lateral force, longitudinal force. These forces generate moment around steering axis, known also as "kingpin axis".

How much of an "influence" each of these forces has depends on mentioned steering axis, mainly inclination against vertical wheel line in longitudinal direction and inclination from a side view - better known as caster.

Aside from just taking angles into account, we also have (as consequence of this inclination) - steering axis projection on ground offset: scrub radius in lateral plane and mechanical trail (caster trail) in longitudinal. This moment around kingpin axis will transfer a force into the steering rack, via steering arm and tie-rod.

In a very simplified summary, these are the forces that are factored in AMS2 FFB - we are basically using complete front geometry to calculate force at steering rack, which makes it a natural successor to the Realfeel system we used in AMS1.

In real life, important additional factors to consider are internal friction and damping of all steering components, as well as potential power steering assistance. These and other factors will eventually compose the system as we continue to develop it over AMS2 dev cycle".

The Formula V12 hits the Track

One of our most popular releases in SCE / AMS was the Formula V12. The car was based off 1995-spec F1 regulations which imposed drastic aerodynamics changes following the tragedies of 1994. This led to the first cars of its generation producing far less downforce than at any other point from the early 80s to today. Combining that with a power reduction from 800 HP to around 650 HP as engine displacement was reduced to 3L meant that cars were more skittish, but overall less lethal.

Compounding the downforce loss, the regulation changes also led to mid 90s F1 cars becoming notoriously pitch sensitive, meaning aero balance would tend to shift considerably from front to rear depending front wing height. So the way to drive them fast specially through quick corners was to keep speed as high up and constant as the driver dared so the car´s attitude wouldn´t change so much and with it its aero balance, making it harder for its not-so large slicks to keep the nimble 605kg machines adhering to the tarmac.

That is one of the things that made Michael Schumacher such a standout performer relative to his peers over the course of that decade, as even though his driving style could on the surface appear wild and erratic due to the sheer volume of micro steering corrections mid corner, he was actually managing to keep the car in that higher, thin threshold of optimal aero performance that ultimately resulted in him achieving laptimes that would regularly embarrass his teammates with absurd gaps of 1-2s, specially on faster tracks.

It was an interesting challenge to try reproduce in the sim, and we felt we did a fairly good job of it in SCE / AMS´s Formula V12. A car with such sensitivity to minor inputs was always going to benefit from physics and FFB upgrades, so unsuprisingly it´s become one of the distinct highlights in AMS2 when combined with the more dynamic SETA tyre model, the higher input rates and now with a more unfiltered FFB system, resulting in a notably enhanced experience even with a lower level Force Feedback wheel - with a higher fidelity DD wheel it becomes positively organic.

It´s something that can only be properly appreciated from experiencing it - video previews are a poor substitute but since that´s what we can offer for now, here are a few laps of the F-V12 having its tyres literally flexed for a few quick laps around Kansai:

Here also you can also check out some of the latest shader developments from the track art team - while there´s much still we plan to achieve with this engine over the ongoing development cycle of AMS2, this is closer representation of what the game will look like on release.

Stock Car V8 - 40 years of History

This year has been a landmark season for the Brazilian Stock Car series as it completed 40 years since its debut season back in 1979. The championship is still raging on, with the final race of year due to take place on December 15th, as usual at its spiritual home Interlagos.

The series of course is with which 10 years go it all began for us too as it was the subject our debut title Game Stock Car, released in 2011. The series remain one of our flagships and in Automobilista 2 we will celebrate its 40 years of History, not only keeping the original Opala Stock Cars and the current Cruze prototype from 2019, but expanding it with the Chevrolet Omega from 1999:


It´s all too fitting then that 2020 will see the series´ first major technical revamp in 10 years with the introduction of a new manufacturer Toyota, with more expected to join the party in coming seasons as the series shifts to become more true to its name and use more "Stock" versions of the street cars, albeit still powered by custom mighty V8s.

Below is a preview of what the new car is expected to look like - this and its GM Cruze counterparts are expected to debut at Goiania in March 2020, and you may look forward to making their debut in virtual tracks with Automobilista 2 around the same time


The exciting new cars along with some of the main cars that made up its history in the past 40 years are only a part of what´s in store for this new chapter of the Reiza - Stock Car relationship - more exciting things to come here, so watch this space

Automobilista 2 Community Skins

A reminder that hose who join AMS2 Early Backing Campaign have the opportunity to become part of Automobilista 2 by creating their own livery for any of the various fictional or semi-fictional series in the sim:


Automobilista 2 is scheduled for release in March 2020. You may pre-order Automobilista 2 through the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign - more information on this program and how to participate here.

If you are looking forward to Automobilista 2 but would rather wait for release, you may opt instead to add the game to your Steam wishlist via the AMS2 Steam Store page. to receive email notifications upon release and other relevant news.


That´s it for November - now on to December! We look forward to catching up with you again next month for the final and exciting news of 2019

 

What I really like is that the video is just clean and nice. No weird overused bloom, lensflares and such.