Thoughts on Le Mans Ultimate

Do the cars in LMU reflect light at night or just absorb it like in rf2?

 

Don't know what you mean, heres a video:

 

I actually think the slightly more faded, blurry look of LMU looks more realistic. It makes AMS2 look a bit "cartoonish".

 

In rf2 if you follow another car at night when your lights or any other lights hit it, it does not reflect off the car, it just absorbs it, it looks cartoony. I was wondering if the cars reflect light off them at night time in LMU.

 

To be honest now that I shift between ACC and LMU when I go to AMS2 the car handling feels very obsolete.

 

LMU looks great. I just have a hard time getting involved with more racing games when AMS2 and AC have everything I could ever need to fill my racing needs.

 

LMU ist very enjoyable for me. IMHO the go to sim for Endu-racing atm

 

I agree that the HY need a few laps to warm the tires so there is grip. Driving on cold tires, even on medium rubber, is like driving on ice. I still think that it's overdone. I also don't like the long track loading times, even on repeat loads. I was so glad when rF2 finally got to grips with that.

Speaking of the HY, some of them, like the Cadillac, don't let me start the engine anymore since the big update a few days ago. Not even with automatic engine start on. Verifying files didn't help, and P2 & GTE work normally. It's also not EV mode, the car doesn't move at all.

Any advise?

 

Played it again last night for the first time since release day, felt slightly better than I remember, but the driving feels to me like I'm trying to find the 'rules' of the simulation, that hidden set of limits in the game that is basically a fancy spreadsheet hidden somewhere deep inside. It left me feeling pretty underwhelmed so I'll have another look in a month or so. It feels to me that if this had been released maybe ten years ago it would be alright, but it just doesn't have much appeal currently to my tiny mind. I'm glad people are enjoying it though, the more sim titles the merrier as far as I'm concerned.

 

Yes, I see it similarly to you. I would have simply expected more from LMU and not just a 1:1 rf2 with a few new sliders that ultimately don't help. It was the easiest way to get this sim to market as quickly as possible. And personally I just miss the variety. I love the old cars and old tracks and the ability to drive with a manual transmission and clutch. But I understand the people who like it, especially because of the MP. Competition stimulates business

 

The game is running a lot well now than it was about a month ago.

 

Since LMU came out, I've been trying to get something out of the game.
Even with early access, I expect a game that is fundamentally complete and the limited functions can be used in a stable manner. Content and bug fixes as well as functional extensions will then be delivered later in order to finally reach the release status.
LMU is far from that. No matter whether GUI, FFB, AI or the driving model. There's still far too little going on here for me to have any fun with the game. However, the sound is absolutely fantastic. Unfortunately, that's not enough for me to celebrate the game as much as others do.

 

I only got LMU a week ago and have been pleasantly surprised with it. I gave up on rf2 years ago after growing tired of it being a slow moving science experiment and promised myself I would not buy LMU until it was complete because I don't trust MSG, but I have found it to be in much better shape than I imagined it would be and it is already a cohesive product. The AI needs a lot of polish though but the FFB is good and haven't had any stability issues, I am purely an off-line simmer.

 

Um, only GUI of those is something I would agree, but even there it's mainly technical/performance related issues that are lacking. FFB is almost same as in rF2 (IMO still at least on par with best AMS2 has to offer) and same with driving model, which IMO is even slightly improved from rF2 (at least I didn't have such lack of grip/downforce in Spa on LMU that I have in rF2 outside the highest downforce cars). AI I don't use in either sim, but from what I have seen from reviews/streamers, it's not like it would be horrible either.

Not sure what you are expecting from those? There are plenty of important features missing, like the promised co-op things, driver swaps (critical for actual endurance racing to work) and official VR support

With just 7 tracks, it's critical that they get the missing features for endurance racing (for all modes sp / co-op and especially MP). In any case, for early access, where I always expect some major features missing (based on my experience with all early access titles), I do find it in pretty good shape already, especially if you enjoy driving shorter races in the multiplayer system.

 

And that's exactly where the problem lies: early access means that a game is not completely finished and that everything is a WIP and/or (many) features are missing. Thought that's a no-brainer.

 

And that's exactly why I presented my understanding of early access (keywords are "FUNDAMENTALLY complete" and "LIMITED functions can be used in a STABLE manner"). Thought it was a nobrainer. ;-)
Even a title that is under development has to offer a functioning basis and, in my opinion, this is not the case at LMU.
(Just one example: How are you supposed to simulate endurance races without a save game function?)
Maybe multiplayer is okay but that's not what I use.
Nowadays it is standard to excuse any criticism with early access. That can't always be an argument.

 

An endurance sim that's fun if you do the opposite and only do short races. Sounds weird.

 

Perhaps our idea of early access is fundamentally different.
I expect from early access that the basic functions of the game work, in the case of a racing simulation that would be driving vehicles on a racetrack. Of course, the physics should be already simulation-like and not feel like I'm playing Wipeout or Mariokart. Everything else is not to be expected in my opinion. Some games are in early access for years. I consider saving during a race to be a feature that not even simulations that have been on the market for years have. It's great when it appears but I would never expect it from a title that has not yet been officially released. I for one wait for VR before I get my hands on LMU and of course I do wonder why it's not already there (because RF2 has it) but the devs will probably have their reasons not to have implemented it yet.

Early access means (at least for me) that you should lower your expectations, but conversely you can already use the game and possibly even help the devs with constructive feedback.

 

We'll this I agree... but while we are at it, neither AMS2 has save / driver swaps and it release endurance content just recently.

Anyway, I have had plenty of fun with it in current shape. The main thing I was suprised was the lack of driver swap, as that is supported in rF2, but I think it might been a limitation in the racecontrol system (and LMU UI would had needed to support it of course too).

 

From my understanding, because of the graphic improvements done to LMU, the VR implementation wasn't providing satisfactory performance yet and requires work before being officially ready.