What do you think is the most significant reason AMS2 userbase is so small?

It's gotta be a few months right? Same with the remaining DLC packs. They said they were aiming to release at least the first part of all the DLCs by the end of the year. They need to get that stuff out so they can start on the next batch of DLC that we are all wishing for (Le Mans, Indy, etc.).

However...they can't fully capitalize on the DLC if the player base doesn't grow. So that MP server upgrade is getting more important as the months roll by.

They just need steady growth instead of all the spikes. Then they can begin to preview upcoming content again to build excitement (with less complaining than they get now when new content is discussed).

Yes I'm optimistic but I still think they will have a strong finish to 2022.

 

Not enough "main stream cars " must be one of the reasons. Like prototypes for example. Porsche, Toyota, Audi. Or GTE and GT3 grid.
Also lack of attention to detail. For example most cars have almost completely non functional wheels / dash. Takes away from immersion.
Still love AMS2 though. It's the best sim but interior functionality is mostly rediculously static and terrible compared to ACC for example.
At first glance menus looks a bit home made but they grew on me by now. Multiplayer need most work though. Why for example can we edit multi class grid in SP not not MP? Major omission. AMS2 needs something other proper sims don't have. For example real F1 rules. No other true sim has it that I'm aware of

I know I'm critical here but that's the point of the topic i think... Tough love

 

Yup yup now is the time to enhance the core mechanics on the aspects that were lacking behind. Online being the elephant in the room atm

 

Nearing development yr 3... physics and ffb just improved greatly in the past 2 updates, poor MP and ai incapable of passing other ai and other issues leaves very little to do other than test content and hotlap.

I really enjoy the Brazilian content and have purchased every Reiza title in the past....but it's pretty clear the majority don't feel the same as all there past titles have been great but very low player counts.

I sadly have to agree that more mainstream content is needed for player counts to increase considerably and be consistent.
Right now we're just seeing update hype increasing the numbers for a week or so, than it drops off.

Edit: more brands to fill current GT classes, 90s to modern touring cars, modern F2 & F3, nascar content for the ovals and eagerly awaiting the dirt content dlc.

 

Which specific mainstream content? Some FWD touring cars would get my vote (TCR or some older xTCC, etc.). An MX-5 Cup car would also be nice to have.

Otherwise we just need more brands (Ferrari of course being the obvious inclusion, as it would fit into a lot of existing and upcoming classes) to fill existing classes.

Racing isn't really mainstream outside of F1. Sim racers love GT3 but take a look at the grandstands of real-life GT3 series (or most series for that matter) and you'll see lots of empty seats. It was nice to see so many people at Indycar events this year and of course the big international events (Nurburgring 24, Le Mans, etc) have huge crowds but racing itself is a niche sport.

That being said, AMS2 has lots of mainstream content and a lot of F1 tracks from the current season. Modern Indy will be a nice addition but I don't know how popular it will be.

 

Some cars still seem to feel like beta
Online reset car + people can cut track iin many places & online feels bit odd

Online needs a complete overhaul

 

If you haven't already, feel free to give some detailed feedback about that in this thread:
Automobilista 2 V1.4.1.0 Released - Now Updated to V1.4.1.3

 

AFAIK developers can not get a licence from ferrari (and many other popular brands that missing from AMS2) and then fill various classes with ferrari cars.
each car (ie ferrari 488 evo GT3) need its own licence.
that was confirmed multiple times by a very known dev of a very popular sim racing franchise in his streams and in interviews.

 

In my humble opinion, Reiza released the game far to early. Early access is the death of any game. If it isn't ready, don't release the game on the general public.

Admittedly, in my humble opinion, the game in it's current state is pretty good, but that being said the early adapters, the people that tried it way back when have written it off.

It will take some doing to get the player base back and think of AMS2 as a contender.

The last update did a bit of that, brought back some people, but the numbers dropped off again. They have a lot of work ahead of them still, and I know they will eventually pull it off but the damage has already been done....they should have waited to release the game. Now they are playing catch up to get the players back.

I wish Reiza nothing but good fortune and I know they will get the game to the standards that everyone wants/expects. It takes time. Good luck Reiza, I am pulling for you.

 

Niche games are released "too early" or in early access because the devs don't have the ability to keep developing for years without any income from sales. ACC was released unfinished as well, didn't seem to hurt its eventual adoption by the community.

 

Key word "Eventual". Yes. It will eventually be well loved. Eventually. That does not discount the damage that has been done, the people with short attention spans that move on to other racing games and forget about AMS2.

 

Can't Reiza just model after Ferrari cars and give it a generic name? Maranello 488, for example.

 

They for sure released when they did to make money and I am happy it has worked out for them. Early access was very short as well since you probably can't sell DLC for an early access title. Slow and steady lol but AMS2 will eventually overtake PC2 (which is similar in numbers to RF2 and Raceroom).

Will they catch ACC? Who knows but as long as they can keep doing what they're doing I'll be happy. The ACC numbers will be interesting to watch as Rennsport arrives on the scene...

Will it be MP or AI updates that keep people around and grow the playerbase? Depends who you ask, as the forum represents a small slice of the AMS2 population.

 

They probably don't want to fly too close to the sun since they for sure want to start this licensing relationship eventually.

Of course each car is individually licensed, I just meant there are a lot of classes that could benefit from Ferrari inclusion. Ford would be the other big brand that could fit in many classes as well.

 

I agree with this. Most people (gamers) use the STEAM forum and don't even know REIZA has a 'official' forum for questions and concerns about AMS2. But that goes along with short attention spans and the rest of what I said. Most of the STEAM forum users don't know rF2 has a official forum either...

edit: what AMS2 needs (and rF2 for that matter) is someone on the Steam forums to answer questions, and point the "regular" normal racing game enthusiast to the official forums for each game. That would help.

 

probably yes
but im glad they dont

 

IMO if AMS2 can ever catch ACC (in popularity) this might be after AC2 release.

why do you think the arrival of rennsports will especially affect ACC?
why not affect all sims and not just a specific one?
will not affect AMS2 also? and if not, why?

as it seems (in this discussion and everywhere people talking racing sims), AC and ACC are THE reference points (also in terms of popularity) in the genre and it is not easy for any title (existing or upcoming) to compete with them (or with iRacing)
and this in not only an opinion. it is a fact.
rennsport must be very good to achive what AMS2 didn't (so far): to catch other succesful titles' popularities.

 

i agree
i would add some YT guides too. steel's setups vids was very popular and help lot of people. some vids for workrounds, some guides about (custom) FFB, custom AI, championships, liveries etc could help people, save them time searching on forums and increase popularity.

lol if i was a reiza forum admin i would change the title of the thread "we need some AMS2 videos, guys" to "we need some AMS2 video guides"

 

Yes, but Steelcasts videos of setups are now obsolete more or less since the update to 1.4. And the general public does not even know there is a community out there (this one) , of sim racing enthusiasts other than the STEAM forums, which are, for lack of a better word...worthless. AMS2 needs someone on the steam forums, otherwise the kids will play something else.

I have said this on the Steam forums but nobody listens. If people have questions, they would like a answer on the platform on which the game is sold, that is where most people look for answers. I bought the game on STEAM, you have a forum about your game on STEAM, please answer the questions people have about the game....ON STEAM.

 

I have to point out that is incorrect.
If you take any good quality video, that explains racing sim car setups, at a fundamental level - i.e. it explains the mechanics and principals of each setting, and how to go about adjusting things to account for various car behaviours, then you can apply that knowledge to any (decent quality) racing sim.
I use the exact same knowledge and process to tune cars in rFactor 2, AMS 2, Assetto Corsa and any other decent game that attempts to apply real world physics to a racing game.

Two easy examples of Steelcast's videos that are still relevant are:
ARB's:

Dampers:

I do accept that some of his custom defaults might need updating in relation to version 1.4, but taking my own personal setups as an example (which I saved as screenshots, then reapplied and retuned after v1.4), the differences between what I was using before v1.4 and what I'm using now for most cars are not very different. Small tweaks here and there go a long way.