Automobilista 2 V1.0.5.6 is now live - this is a hotfix to complement and correct a few issues with the latest update.

A setup reset to default on Porsche cars is in order for the latest adjustments.

• Added Nurburgring 24h Endurance Layout
  
• Added support to order Vehicle group filters alphabetically (original sorting)
  
• Fixed class list scroll bar on Vehicle browser
  
• Fixed helper spring implementation bug causing deflection to subtract from vehicle´s suspension travel (fixes issues with Porsches bouncing on bumpstops & AI cars occasionally rolling because of it)
  
• Adjusted Porsche Cup FFB max force
  
• Adjusted engine compression curves for Mercedes GT3, Stock Cars, Montana (slightly reduced engine braking in all)
  
• Adjusted Traction Control base slip to allow for more slip before system kicks in
  
• Porsche Cup AI wet tire callibration pass
  
• Nurburgring / Nordschleife various fixes & adjustments to render and materials; tweaks to outer terrain geometry & grass/terrain texture blending, car park around Youtube corner, LOD distance tweaks, fixed grasscrete material in GP segment; reduced Reduced tire barrier flickering for Nordschleife layout; adjusted some TVcameras to minimise shimmering issues (still more to fix)
  
• Camaro GT4R: Corrected brake and tail lights color
  
• Mercedes 190E: Fixed cockpit red materials
  
• MetalMoro AJR: Fixed head and brake lights
  
• Super V8: Fixed head and brake lights

This update adds the Nurburgring Nordschleife, brings more AI behavior adjustments & extensive physics revisions for GT, Stock Car & Prototype series.

IMPORTANT: The latest physics modifications to GT3 / GT4 cars require a setup reset to default in setup UI to take effect - no need to delete all your settings, just go into the setup screen and click "Reset to Default" when choosing any of the new GT3 / GT4 cars added in v1.0.5.0 (other cars haven´t had setup range changes so shouldn´t need a reset).

IMPORTANT: As previously announced, with the release of the Nurburgring DLC Pack, the Nurburgring layouts included in the previous update are now only available for owners of the DLC or the packages that include it.

Our next game update towards the end of the month will add layouts combining variants of the modern track with the Nordschleife. Next year we also plan to include an historical version of the track to this pack, with no additional charge to those that already own it.

V1.0.5.1 -> V1.0.5.5 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

• Added Nurburgring Nordschleife layout *Part of the Nurburgring DLC Pack (Steam Store Page for standalone DLC should be available soon)

GENERAL

• Fixed reverse grid in Championship mode

UI & HUD

• Added Vehicle Selection filters
  
• Fixed track image anchors on lobby details page
  
• Fixed 'Left Monitor Bezel Width Right' input
  
• Added Credits screen to UI
  
• Fixed various missing / incorrect filters for cars & tracks

PHYSICS & FFB

• Fixed coordinate conversion when reading SETA contact patch offset
  
• Fixed curbs pulling inverse way on cars where steering arms are "behind" steering axis.
  
• Fixed minor road noise confribution being partially unequally handled on front right wheel
  
• Fixed issues with Mini FFB using new profile
  
• Adjusted tire treads for additional longitudinal slip in GT / Stock Car / Prototype tires & adjusted load damping to minimise hysteresis
  
• Adjusted tire treads for adittional longitudinal slip in rain race tires
  
• Corrected front tire tread width in GT / Prototypes (305mm / 315mm)
  
• Adjusted default diff settings & roll bar values for Porsches
  
• Revised low rev band torque curves & suspension rates for GT cars
  
• Adjusted Porsche Cayman suspension travel & helper spring deflection length
  
• Fixed error in main driveline syntax (potentially improves rear differential functionality)
  
• Corrected Porsche Cup engine power figures to latest specifications; adjusted FFB Max force & CoG height
  
• Reduced engine inertia in GT3/GT4 cars
  
• Slightly increased engine inertia for Group A cars
  
• Reduced engine inertia & spring rate range for Metalmoro MRX (all variants)
  
• Various weight and engine power adjustments for better BoP accross GT3 / GT4 classes
  
• Further revised suspension rates on all GT3 / GT4 cars
  
• Fixed Mercedes AMG GT3 camber range for front wheels
  
• Minor adjustment to StockCar 2020 CoG height & aero
  
• Copa Fusca FFB Max force and raised stactic ride height by 1cm
  
• Reduced F-Reiza FFB max force

AI

• Further improvements to AI Lateral player avoidance and line selection when side-by-side with players
  
• Improved AI player avoidance in situations where more than one player is present (MP)
  
• AI callibration pass for GT / Stock / Prototypes
  
• Adjusted AI lateral movement smoothing values to minimise aggressive weaving in some types of cars
  
• Reduced aggression scalars for tintop series

AUDIO

• Porsche GT3-R: Set tranny whine to cutoff sound in neutral; fixed missing onboard sound for AI cars and in replays
  
• Fixed McLaren 570S GT4 missing sound in Chase view.
  
• Increased bottoming sound effect for GT3s & GT4s

TRACKS

• Velo Citta: Rebuilt pitlane triggers & adjusted far corridors in pit lane at U-turn (remove corridor over lap, possible source for pit lane DQ issue) calibrated some brake marker spacing/distance (dynamic/static road line markings); Minor performance pass
  
• Imola: added DRS zones triggers as per latest GP configuration
  
• Added drone animations to Velocittá, Velopark, VIR
  
• Fixed rain blockers at VIR
  
• Adjusted Nurburgring GP TV cameras

VEHICLES

• McLaren 720S GT3: added five new liveries; fixed collision mesh bug; Added cockpit vibrations, dirt / damage effects + dangling damaged parts
  
• Mclaren 570S GT4: Added dirt / damage effects, dangling damaged parts + new colliders + carbon material fix + carbon material UV mapping fix + mesh changes (Rear bumper/lights); Adjusted cockpit POV so it doesnt clip driver model
  
• Camaro GT4R - Corrected samll sidewindow material
  
• Fixed Porsche Cup 4.0 rear tire dimensions
  
• Added damage, dangling parts & dirt map for Fusca (all variants)

V1.0.5.1 is now live on AMS2 Beta - it is a hotfix to address a bug with non-linear bumpstops and helper springs, which led to Porsches being particularly bouncy on previous release.

If you had tweaked the default setup at all in v1.0.5.0, make sure to reset your setups before driving (not delete your full settings, just go in garage and reset to default),

The hotfix also features some revisions to the other cars as well as an AI code adjustment to address some poor awareness issues in some circunstances when AI cars were side by side with the player.

• Small improvements to the logic of AI to avoid invading of human line on straights when far from curves
  
• Fixed non-linear bumpstop code
  
• Revised suspension for Porsches
  
• Revised Mclaren 720S GT3 aero, brakes & drivetrain
  
• Revised Mclaren 570S aero & brakes
  
• Revised GT3 / Prototype tire tread for slightly more longitudinal slip
  
• Corrected Mclaren 720S stats & onboard cameras
  
• Updated volumes of all Porsche GT3 / Cup cars and minor improvements to GT3-R sound set
  
• Nurburgring: Smoothed harsh road bumps along the pit lane entrance;conform some overlay mainly in pit lane region (road line, kerb verge, grass verge, road seam) fixed some tyrewall Z fighting & some object LOD popping; reorganized bollard/cone for Veedol chicane layout; Minor Art pass
  
• Goania: Minor art pass

Automobilista 2 V1.0.5.0 is now available, featuring the much awaited GT3 / GT4 car pack and the Nurburgring Circuit.


With the Nordschleife and 24h layouts not quite ready for this release, we have elected to temporarily offer the other modern Nurburgring layouts FREE to all users until the long layouts are added to the package at some point next week.

Please be advised that upon the addition of the Nordschleife & 24h layouts, all Nurburgring versions will revert to being available only for owners of the DLC or packages that include it.


This update adds fresh Force Feedback developments, the most significant being:

- Damping now adjustable via in-game FFB menu *
- Enhanced tyre flatspots **
- Enhanced feedback during braking
- Enhanced road feel (adjustable via FX slider) ***
- Improved scrub effect (adjustable via FX slider)
- Effectively eliminated FFB "deadzone" around center in some cars
- Improved gyro moment accuracy
- Now using SETA patch offset/deformation for mechanical trail (much more "organic" feel on edge of grip)
- Tyre temperature and pressure will affect feedback
- More distinctive oversteer / understeer feedback

* We recommend using damping in game vs on wheel setting. Damping in game scales with vehicle, so roughly same level for all cars. On wheel / driver damping doesn't scale with wheel gain, so if you have gain too low, damping will overwhelm FFB signal.

** flatspots are currently presented in "raw" form. Given tire is split into many small patches, you will receive "impulses" as there are "flat patches" on tire. It depends on amount of wear on individual patch. Hence the note "raw signal".

*** Road feel is based on physical surface mesh roughness / bumps - which on real vehicles would be "fed back" to the driver via vibration "travelling" thru chassis and as a result will be felt on steering rim especially cars and race cars that have racks bolted directly to chassis, without any sort of insulating "rubber mounts" - take note this would only "vibrate", not "move" wheel rim left-right. Given our gaming controllers are effectievly "1DOF" device - ie. able to move only left or right, we are shaping this vibration such that it can be felt on them too.

IMPORTANT: Custom Force Feedback profiles may be affected by code changes to the FFB system and not work as before the update. If you find that is the case consider sticking to the default profile until the author of the custom alternative updates his version.


CONTENT

• Added GT3 series (currently featuring 2015 Mercedes-AMG GT3 & 2016 Porsche 911 GT3 R & 2019 Mclaren 720S GT3)
  
• Added GT4 series (currently featuring 2018 Mclaren 570S GT4, 2017 Camaro GT4-R & 2016 Porsche GT4 Cayman Clubsport)
  
• Added 2020 Porsche Carrera Cup Brasil (featuring Porsche GT3 Cup 3.8 & 4.0)
  
• Added Nurburgring Track (GP, Veedol & Sprint layouts - DLC TRACK, FREE TO ALL USERS FOR A LIMITED TIME

GENERAL

• Added support for overriding default liveries with user liveries (more info for this soon)
  
• Updated Force Feedback system & Added Damping slider to FFB menu
  
• Championship mode: Adjusted Stock Car championship rules to better match real regulations ( refuelling permitted in pitstops; use formation+rolling start; added mandatory pitstop; increased minimum race to to 15 mins to allow AI sensible pitting options

UI & HUD

• Added support for additional UI track filters
  
• Fixed incorrect label on FOV options tab when in unselected state
  
• Disabled 'Reset to defaults' button in main setup screen when fixed setups are used
  
• Fixed RR compound decrease button altering wrong value
  
• Further reduced opacity of disabled menu options on in-game screens
  
• Fixed incorrect current lap in displayed on HUD when rolling start used
  
• Gaps now shown in laps rather than time for lapped vehicles on weekend results
  
• Added lobby detail page to multiplayer browser
  
• Extended MP player interaction dialog to include Vote To Kick
  
• Allowed Player interaction dialog acces to all users (previously host only)
  
• Updated all in-game leaderboards to allow access to Player interaction dialog (left click / Joypad X)
  
• Fixed player name clipping on in-game MP leaderboards

PHYSICS

• Revised tyre treads in GT, Prototypes, Stock Cars, Super V8 for more longitudinal slip & improved force combining
  
• Slight reduction to parking force FFB (all cars)
  
• Fixed missing autolift function in Mini gearbox
  
• Adjusted Max force for MRX (all variants)
  
• Reduced default viscous lock & preload baseline in cars in LSD diffs
  
• Slightly increased speed sensitivity in road tyre tread (60s Classics, F-Vee, Copa Fusca & Uno)
  
• Slightly further reducing lock per clutch in LSD differentials
  
• Corrected rev range error in Group A engines
  
• Adjusted default gear ratios for Group A
  
• Adjusted F-Ultimate sidewall stiffness

AI

• Revised AI code for various behavioral improvements
  
• AI callibration pass to Group A, Procar, kart series & wet performance on GT & Prototype series
  
• Scaled the pit exit speed by the outlap slowdown factor
  
• Adjusted AI calculations for enforced pitstops in timed races

TRACKS

• Added animated helicopter & drones to Adelaide, Brasilia, Brands Hatch, Cadwell Park. Campo Grande, Cascavel, Curitiba, Imola, Jerez, Silverstone, Montreal, Silverstone 2001,
  
• Hockenheim (all versions): Minor art & performance pass
  
• Montreal: Object LOD fixes & Minor art & performance pass
  
• Londrina: Adjusted triggers & start location
  
• Donington: Object LOD fixes; Minor art & performance pass
  
• Added VR cams for Adelaide, Kansai & Montreal
  
• Goiania: Fixed marbles
  
• Taruma: Minor art & performance pass
  
• Oulton Park: Fixed broken pitcrew/pitbox marker animations in Oulton / Fosters layouts
  
• Added helicopter & drone animations to Granja, Londrina, Hockenheim, Ibarra

VEHICLES

• F3 (F301) - Revised and updated liveries including new community skin; Updated leather textures on head rests.
  
• Metalmoro MRX: Added dirt / damage effects + Dangling damaged parts + new colliders (all variants)
  
• Camaro SS - Corrected LOD D glitch
  
• Added Gol) Dirt/Damage effects + Detachable boot lid (all variants)

Greetings everyone!

It´s great to be back with another Development Update after missing out on our usual catch-up last month, for which I´d like to apologise to anyone who was disappointed by it - a combination of circumstances meant there was neither time nor material to post a substantial update then.

We´re gonna try make up for that now with a slightly early October Development update, to present you all with some very exciting news about what we have been putting together for our next Automobilista 2 update :)


This month marks the completion of two years since Automobilista 2 went into production with the new Madness engine, and a mere 8 months since the very first Beta was release to backers. A lot of ground has been covered in this time, and we´re very proud of what we have managed to achieve in what is by all measures a relatively short window of time in game development.

Although we take pride on the work done so far, we remain aware that we really must continue to push hard in order for AMS2 to keep evolving to fulfill its potential - one that gets closer to being realized with every monthly update.

To this end we have obviously been commited to a very aggressive development schedule, and when you´re moving that fast to try make big strides towards releases on a monthly schedule, occasionally some rough edges will slip into public releases. This is deliberate and we do find this to be the way we can make the game grow better, faster - which ultimately is what we all want. We do aknowledge that approach has on occasion lead to a stumble here and there that has disappointed some users.

We´re also adamant that not all users are aware of this methodology or find it to be the right way to go, and conscious about the fact releases need to grow tidier and more reliable as we tick off the boxes in our dev plan. As always we emphasize that AMS2 was designed to evolve over time - the first version of anything will always be the least developed version, but that won´t stop us from continuing to push to make it better.

With this said, we have been working specially hard in the last couple of weeks to ensure a tidier release for what we believe will be a landmark update for Automobilista 2, with plenty of exciting new content combined with some major core improvements along with the usual round of polish to the existing cars and tracks. Here are some of the highlights:


There is no doubt GT3 racing has grown to become one of the most popular in motorsports, be it real or simulated - and there are good reasons for it: a perfectly balanced power-to-weight ratio packaged with sublimely optimized 21st century aerodynamics and technology, wrapped under virtuoso designs produced by the most prestigious brands in the world make them both uniquely attractive, and despite their impressive performances incredibly accessible for drivers of varying skill levels.

Our goal for Automobilista 2 is to provide the most diverse sim racing buffet we can put together, and that would never be complete without these mighty machines. We are thus delighted to confirm our initial batch of GT3 & GT4 cars will finally come for Automobilista 2 in our upcomign update.

This release will be boosted by the addition of two major licensing agreements - we are very proud to announce two new licensing partnerships with Porsche and Mclaren Automotive, which will see a number of their cars added to the game in the next few releases, adding to the growing list of premium brands and models officially represented in Automobilista 2.

The recent licensing agreements with these prestigious motorsports icons have been a long time coming in what has been a difficult year for businesses all over the world - that only adds to our gratitude for getting these over the finish line.

The deals will see a long catalogue of very exciting cars making their way to Automobilista 2 in the coming months - the vast majority of which will be added to the game as free additional content.

The initial batch in the upcoming release should include the following models:

GT3:

• 2015 Mercedes AMG GT3
  
• 2016 Porsche 911 GT3-R
  
• 2019 Mclaren 720S GT3
  
• 2019 BMW M6 GT3

GT4:

• 2016 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport
  
• 2017 Camaro GT4-R
  
• 2018 Mclaren 570S GT4

This release will also feature the Porsche Carrera Cup cars as raced in the Brazilian series in 2020.




Another major milestone in our upcoming update is the release of the most challenging race track in the World - the Nurburgring , featuring both the modern GP layout as well as the infamous Nordschleife, both developed with the aid of laser scan data.

The track will be available as a standalone DLC, and also as part of both the Season Pass and Premium Track Pack.

This initial release will not however be the extensions of our plans for the "Green Hell" - we will continue to develop new layouts of the track including a Historical version, with a release targetted at some point next year, as a free addition to this DLC package.


The new content is obviously great additions to AMS2, and we hope they will prove a popular boost to the game, but these also call for the game to evolve with it - to that end, we have continued to hard both in developing new features to the core game, as well as fixing issues with existing functionalities and content. Here are some of the highlights to feature in the upcoming release:

Livery custmization will now be possible and template for all models release with the next update, so users will be able to paint their own liveries to replace (but not yet add to) the original ones without needing to fudge with external tools.

We have a substantial Force Feedback upgrade, providing enhanced feedback during braking, enhanced road feel, improved scrub effect, effectively eliminating the FFB "deadzone" around center in some cars, and generally adding a more distinctive oversteer / understeer feedback


Physics revisions of the engine at large as well as specific car models continue to take place, with fuel and tyre wear specially expected to have a full pass in time for release.

We are also continuing our intense AI development program, further cleaning up some poor behavior and doing further performance callibration passes which should see a more consistent and reliable racing jumping from class to class.

Further work on 3D Animations is also ongoing, on the car front with more cars receiving the complete damage model with deformable mesh, flapping & detachable parts, dirt & scratch maps, and tracks beginning to get a bit more life with helicopters, drones and other objects


On the Audio front, and have added a capable extra set of hands to the team to help us get the best of the FMOD engine - that should earn valuable improvements on the longer run, with some already be noticeable on the upcoming new cars.

Championship mode has also received some updates, with further support for official Stock Car rules and the addition of a few new championships due for this update and the next.



Despite the growing list of premium licensed content to be added to the base game over the coming weeks and months and the game itself distinctively maturing into a very competitive package, we have elected to further postpone our planned price bump and stick with the current pricing for the time being, with the goal of boosting the influx of new players and stimulating the growth the active community around it. With seasonal Steam sales incoming you may expect some good deals also for DLC packs.

That covers it for this month and hopefully also for the last one - we look forward to sharing the latest results of our work with you all this weekend!

Automobilista 2 has now been updated to V1.0.4.1 - this is a hotfix to complement last week´s release & fix various issues with the new content.


GENERAL

• Fixed camera jittering when in low head movement slider values

UI & HUD

• Fixed hover activation states on new Championship screen
  
• Fixed incorrect vehicle information for cars added in v1.0.4.0

PHYSICS & AI

• Revised physics & fixed various issues in initial release of M1 Procar, Group A, Mini JCW, Mini Austin 1965 & Lotus 23
  
• Adjusted Group A & Procar tyre tread
  
• Increased engine rev band for Group A cars to avoid triggering overreving bug
  
• Fixed default tyre selection errors for Lotus 23, Mini 1965, Mini 2020
  
• Adjusted engine inertia for Group A cars, Mini JCW 2020, Lancer R & RS, Puma P052
  
• Revised Lotus 23 suspension geometry & fixed tire diameter
  
• Callibrated AI for new series

AUDIO

• Fixed bug with news car sounds overwhelming system and cutting off certain effects

TRACKS

• Imola: Fixed broken pit door collision for door 8,9,10 (garage 15-20); Max AI participants changed from 29 to 31
  
• Adelaide: Minor art & performance pass
  
• Azure: Added "cheatblock" to pit lane track cut mesh.
  
• Bathurst: Attempted fix to floating groove in the Cutting
  
• Cascavel: Minor Art Pass; Updated AI paths
  
• Added VR Cams for Cascais & Jerez

VEHICLES

• Lotus 23: various graphical updates & fxies
  
• Mini JCW 2020: fixed bonnet issue; updated liveries(removed plates and fixed numbers font)
  
• Ultima Race: added dirt / damage effects + Dangling damaged parts
  
• Stock Car 2020: Update Cruze liveries; added new Windshield banner
  
• Corrected onboard camera positions for Lotus 23, Mini Austin 1965 & Mini JCW 2020
  
• F3 (F309) - Revised and updated liveries for the whole grid including 4 new community skins
  
• Added MetalMoro AJR Dirt/Damage effects + Detachable parts (all versions)

The new update adds several Classic cars, brings the popular Mini Challenge JCW as it is in the top class of the UK Mini series, two Kart circuits, along the usual package of new features, fixes & improvements.

One of these features is the initial revision of the HEAD MOVEMENT setting for cockpit cameras (renaming what was before "WORLD MOVEMENT"), although users will still have the option to use the original legacy head movement if they so prefer - please check the descriptions in-game for more details as to how best configure this option to your preference.

V1.0.4.0 CHANGELOG

CONTENT

• Added 1960s Touring Car Series (featuring Lotus 23 & Mini Cooper S 1965)
  
• Added BMW M1 Procar Series
  
• Added German Group A Series (featuring BMW M3 E30 & Mercedes 190 Evolution
  
• Added Mini JCW UK Series
  
• Added Buskerud Kart Track (2 layouts)
  
• Added Speedland Kart track (4 layouts)
  
• Added Hockenheim 1988 Short layout (part of Hockenheimring DLC)*

GENERAL

• Added borderless window mode option (Perfromance Options Screen)
  
• Altered behaviour of helmet/cockpit cameras to prevent locking to world horizon and improve smoothing/damping of camera view
  
• Fixed issue where event date was not correctly set if host changed track via multiplayer lobby
  
• Added 'Start New Championship' flow; Added Select championship type, select vehicle/livery, Pre-allocate opponents Added championship specific AI Skill / Aggression settings to championship overview (can be adjusted mid season as desired
  
• Fixed clamping of range when validating Multiplayer AI difficulty setting on client.
  
• Added support to look backwards when pressing loo left / look right simultaneously
  
• Fixed "dummy" objects unintentionally appearing in reflections at higher settings.
  
• Player now retains control of steering/shifting during pitstops when 'Manual pitstops' setting is enabled.
  
• Fixed issue where sometimes player control was not restored after an AI controlled pitstop.

UI & HUD

• Added Help text to advanced setup screen
  
• Fixed missing center suspension setting heading localisations
  
• Added help text for all setings (subject to further review/localisation adjustments)
  
• Changed 'WORLD MOVEMENT' to 'HEAD MOVEMENT' to reflect new functionality
  
• Adjusted showroom climate brightness
  
• Added French & Spanish localization options
  
• 'Waiting for host' message now also displayed after race sessions in multiplayer when appropriate.
  
• Changed 'EXIT' button to 'RETURN TO MAIN MENU' on post session leaderboard
  
• Added confirmation step when attempting to exit while waiting for host to return to lobby at the end of multiplayer events.
  
• Fixed incorrect activation states on Broadcast Control overlay toggles.
  
• Fixed menu mouse activations and highlight state throughout on Broadcast Control
  
• Added Start New Championship screen for championship and vehicle/livery selection (additional championships to follow)
  
• Replaced "Reset Championship" button with "Start New Championship"
  
• Entering championship mode now opens new championship page if no valid save is present.

DEDICATED SERVER TOOL

• Limit AI Difficulty slider to 70-120%
  
• Max Grid Size and Max Human Opponents now allowed to be equal in http UI
  
• Replaced AllowableTimePenalty with AllowedCutsBeforePenalty and limit to correct range (1-50)

PHYSICS & AI

• Replaced open Salisbury-based open differential physics with more effective alternative;
  
• Further reduced differential lock per clutch setting
  
• Fixed CTD with Caterham Academy / Supersport
  
• Fixed F-V12, MP4-12, kart shifter & other unreleased cars missing latest minimal AI strentgh adjustment (being too slow below 100% setting as a result)
  
• M1 Procar: Revised tyre construction; Revised Suspension Geometry; Lowered engine inertia; Increased brake torque; Revised tyre constructio
  
• Adjusted AI lateral movement in initial launch off the line
  
• Reduced differential locking increment per clutch setting (all cars)
  
• Slightly adjusted kart tyre treads & FFB max force
  
• Slightly reduced F-V10 Gen2 AI tyre rolling resistance to better match player´s

AUDIO

• Onboard cameras now all use onboard sounds
  
• All cars revised for any persisting inacurate engine sound position (forward-rear, left-right)
  
• Added helictoper & drone sound effect (track dependent, where animation is present as sound effects are tagged to the respective objects)
  
• Puma P052: engine sound offset to side fixed, corrected small click in low-ish rpm loop.
  
• Kart 125 2T: increased internal engine volume slightly, external decreased slightly
  
• Camaro SS: increased external sound volume (both trackside and external on car views); fixed bad on-power low RPM samples overlap and general transition from idling to on-power.
  
• Ultima GTR Race: Adjusted filtering on external audio (trackside).
  
• Super V8: Adjusted SUB-frequencies over RPM range
  
• Puma P052 small adjustment to interior sound.

TRACKS

• Reworked treeline and grass blade shader, added few new types of grass blades & reworked existing ones.
  
• Reworked fog/haze shader with different exponent steps depending on angle you look at, so you can see the sunlit air when facing the sun
  
• Adjusted fog levels in heavy cloud/overcast setting for european tracks
  
• Added custom track animated objects (still WIP) to Spielberg, Kyalami and Buskerud
  
• Small art passes to Spielberg, Bathurst, Kansai
  
• Ortona: Fixed pit speed warning on track over 60kph; Added correct trigger for pit exit on layout 4;
  
• optimized track cut mesh
  
• Fixed VIR South hole after pit exit
  
• Silverstone 2020: Extensive performance pass
  
• Outon Park: Marbles test : less boxes (78->24), bigger boxes, 0.5-1.5 range, no brake zones
  
• Snetterton: Fixed some AI pit lane issues (hitting pitwall, driving onto grass at pitlane to main path merge)
  
• Adjusted textures; fixed some object LOD popping; Adjusted 100 layout pitlane/pitexit/trackcut to prevent a DQ in some cases
  
• Curitiba: Minor optimization & art pass; improved pit lane path merge to main path; remapped garage/pitbox locations; calibrated dynamic brake marker spacing
  
• Spielberg Historic:Restored road patch bumps; minor optimization pass; calibrated brake marker spacing
  
• Londrina: Fixed black treelines
  
• Imola 2001: Added period-accurate ad boards
  
• Silverstone 2020 Intl: Improved AI line.
  
• Added VR Spectator cams to Interlagos, Silvestone 2001, Bathurst, Hockenheimring, Imola
  
• Fixed objects popping in Spielberg, Silverstone 1975, Silverstone 2020
  
• Brasilia: Fixed several object LOD popping; Various object & texture adjustments
  
• Brands Hatch: Upgraded road seam & roadline shaders; Improved brake marker texture and spacing; Minor optimization pass
  
• Interlagos: Fixed object LOD popping; Upgraded road seam & roadline shaders;
  
• Imola: Fixed hole at Acque Minerali; closed some open edges between double sawtooth curbs; fixed some grass glitches; calibrated brake marker spacing; upgraded sign placement to latest references;
  
• Upgrade distance marker shader to rz_basic, rework sign placement based on recent reference video; moved start trigger 5m to align with pitwall starting gantry; added garage door collisions; relaxed road noise slightly; minor optimization pass
  
• Ortona; Minor Art pass; Added new AI paths for paddock area; Fixed broken UV4 groove mapping. Upgraded road seam & roadline shaders; ;New HUD track maps. Optimized track cut mesh; Added starting lights; Fixed wrong way/DQ bug from new paddock pit lane; Updated fast lines for layout 1 and 3; Minor optimization pass
  
• Guapore: Fixed various object LOD issues; Minor Optimization & art pass; Fixed some open edges; added animated drones
  
• Adjusted road noise for Guapore and Ibarra

VEHICLES

• SuperKart: Updated liveries
  
• Added Stock Car 2020 dangling damaged parts
  
• Added Sprintrace dirt and damage effects + dangling parts
  
• Added Super_V8 dirt and damage effects + dangling parts
  
• Fixed Caterham Academy Driver & car animations

Hello everyone! Happy to bring you all another round of our traditional monthly development catch-up.

The month of August has been buzzing with racing again as most series push to catch up with the time lost during the early months of the year due to the onset of the pandemic, and so it has been another productive month of catching up for ourselves as we have continued to push hard to make up some ground from our official release a couple of months back with a continuous flux of substantial core game updates - I dare say that with our latest v1.0.2.7 we have come closer to the standard we were hoping to be at when crossing that milestone.

This of course does not mean the game is already as good as it can be or that we we have run out of things to improve and fix; Automobilista 2 is afterall a long term project and there is plenty of items still on our to-do list for the coming months. There is a long road ahead still, but we hope those that have already come onboard are now properly enjoying the game, and those that haven´t yet become gradually more convinced this is not a ride they want to miss out on :)

Along with all the core game development, there has been some great content added with the Silvertone Pack DLC release earlier in the month along with the Lotus 49C, Brabham BT26A, and later on the awesome Mclaren MP4/12 with its special "brake steer" system as free additional content, rounding up a month heavily focused on classic open wheelers.

Tin top fans should not frown however, as anyone who has seen the dev roadmap in the official AMS2 website can attest, there are plenty of goodies still to come for those who like a roof over their head!


It´s not all about bringing in the new content however, as with Automobilista 2 we continue to strive to keep every car and track up to a reasonable standard, so that the package works as a whole, as this will be important for what will come later on in its development cycle.

Some of this work is already in progress - August has seen the picturesque Spielberg Historic receiving a substantial revision relative to its original release, as you can see from the comparisons below:



More of the "older" content should receive similar revisions as we continue to learn how to get the best out of the Madness engine.

Speaking of exploring the resources of the Madness engine, we have now begun the work on implementing its full damage system to all cars, with scratch & dirt maps along with deformable mesh and a bigger set of detachable parts to all cars in the game - currently only the Ginettas and more recently the Stock Cars from the 2020 are using all of these resources, but by the next update we´re hoping most if not all cars in the game will feature some proper wear & tear looks as per below:


The latest version has also seen the introduction of the Director Suite, to offer more broadcasting tools for leagues looking to stream their races.



We´re working on a new feature that should considerably enhance the experience of watching replays or spectating online with a VR headset, as the usual TV cameras (which most of the time currently aren´t best suited for VR) will be replaced by VR-dedicated cameras placed on grandstands, marshall posts and other interesting positions on the race track one could reasonably access if you were just roaming around trackside with a very special general admission ticket :) It should add a cool new dimension to spectating races in VR, allowing one to get a sense of how it is to sit on the main grandstand at Interlagos or at the top of hill in Mount Panorama, and even get to do some time travel if used with a historical car-track combo, going to sit up close to the fence at Silverstone to hear late 90s V10 cars flashing by!

Here´s a video to give an idea how it will work:


Camera positions, LOD and sharpening settings are all WIP here of course and to some extent so is the audio, for which we have some interesting developments incoming that should really boost the experience of watching a race be it in VR or not - in any case this gives an idea of how it´s going to work We will be gradually adding these VR cameras to all tracks in the game over the coming updates, with the initial batch already coming with the September update.


Since we have touched on the topic of audio development, we´d like to assure again that similar efforts are also ongoing to improve every area of the game - some on the short term, others on the longer term but generally you can expect AMS2 to play, look and sound better with every monthly update, and also become a more pleasant game to use as more quality of life improvements are integrated and further customization options added so users can tune it more to their own preferences.

To give a better clue into this ongoing process, below you have the unusual preview of what our code taskboard looks like, giving you a glimpese into the various tasks we have worked on, are currently working or will come to work in the near future - there are similar boards for every development front in the game, and they are constantly expanding not only to include the developments necessary to fulfill our own plans, but also to attend the more common requests we gather in any of the ongoing feedback topics here in the forum and in other commuinties:


So while can´t promise to deliver on everyone´s personal wishlist within a couple of updates, we can at least assure we´ll be giving our best shot to implementing any reasonable request we come accross towards making the game better.

Then there is the content - as you know from the last July Dev Update there is plenty of cool cars currently in the works, with a number of previously announced Classic Touring Cars to be added to the game in our next update towards the end of September - but we´ll share more from these along with a couple of unnanounced surprised as we progress trough the remaining weeks :)


We have commented before in one our August releases but it´s worth reminding in case you missed it that we have launched two extra Steam packages for those interested in Automobilista 2 and / or its DLC:

The Automobilista 2 Premium Track Pack includes the two Premium Track Pack DLCs already released (Hockenheim & Silverstone) as well as two other to be released before the end of 2020 (Nurburgring & Spa), along with a fifth still TBA.

This pack does NOT include the tracks featuring in the future Expansion Packs or the Historical Track Pack DLC, and it is designed for those with interest in these premium tracks but would rather commit to a smaller, shorter term investment than the 2020-2021 Season Pass.

The Automobilista Ultimate Edition + Automobilista 2 Bundle is a limited time offer for AMS1 fans looking to make the jump to AMS2, or AMS2 owners and want to check how the predecessor compares.

For those who don´t own either, this is the complete Automobilista Experience in one Single Package! Get Automobilista 1 Ultimate Edition (including all DLCs) AND Automobilista 2 with a special 25% discount on overall price! If you already have one or more items of this package, you get 25% off for the items you do not yet own.


This seems like an appropriate time to give a shout-out to Slightly Mad Studios and their considerable contribution in the making of Automobilista 2 - not just for developing a great sim racing engine and licensing it out to a small studio such as our own, giving out well over one year of continuous support to help us get the best of it, but doing all of that without taking a single penny in advance, or even for a few months into its release to ensure we were able to continue developing it to the best of our ability - all this made clear to us that more than anything they wanted us to get as much out of it as we could, and they certainly went out of their way to supply us with the means to do it.

This is most unusual in the gaming industry and for all that we owe them an immense amount of gratitude, as we did to ISI before them - anyone who already enjoys AMS2 or comes to enjoy it in the future as we continue developing it should be able to appreciate their contribution to making it a reality.

Wherever you land in the spectrum of racing game preferences, we should also all try to be happy with the range of great options currently in the market catering for the diversity of tastes that does exist, and recognize the role SMS played from GTR onwards in helping making sim racing what it is today - we are all better off for it :)

That´s all for the month of August folks - we´re back to work now and looking forward to having made further progress and having more good news to share by this time in September!

This update adds the Broadcast Suite for Multiplayer races and complements our release from last week with several other fixes & improvements, wrapping up a productive month of August.

IMPORTANT: Please note that cars with relevant default setup changes (specially differential changes which most cars have had adjusted) requires you to reset your car setup to default in case any modifications were made to the previous default - to reset all setups (autosaved or not) you may opt to delete the contents of Documents\Automobilista 2\savegame\123456789\automobilista 2\tuningsetups folder (noting the bold number folder will vary from system to system); you do not however need to delete your entire user profile folder.

We now move on to the next major update which should arrive late in September - this Monday however you may already get a glance at what is in the works in our Monthly Development Update!

V1.0.2.7 CHANGELOG:

• Fixed UI issue when creating new Multiplayer game that would prevent selecting a dedicated server when "-selectds" switch is used (allows the first session of a game controlled dedicated server to be created from the client instead of requiring use of the http UI)
  
• Added broadcast control / spectator screens for Multiplayer sessions
  
• Adjusted Lobby to support broadcast role assignment
  
• Updated simulated lap speed logic used in live gap readings & track limit penalty calculations for better consistency
  
• Slightly increased tolerance for momentarily exceeding pit speed limit
  
• Altered title/subtitle text behaviour and position to prevent overlap with block elements
  
• Polished engine sample loops of F-Ultimate. Fixed MRX_P3 engine sound wrong position.
  
• Adjusted Puma P052 turbo sound volume
  
• Tweaked engine sound parameters for better bottom end / subwoofer utilization
  
• Further differential setting adjustments to correctly display available options in setup screen Generally reduced default diff preload values
  
• Fixed error in parameters for hump mode in viscous differentials
  
• Increased brake cooling when static
  
• Reduced heating rate of steel brakes
  
• Increased operating window of GT, Prototype & Stock Car series tyres
  
• Moved aero balance for Montana, Stock Car 2019 & 2020 slighly further rearwards
  
• Adjusted Copa Montana default setup
  
• Minor increase of pneumatic trail for radial Tyres (vintages, road)
  
• Reduced AI rolling resistance for F-Classic, F-Vintage, F-V10 G1 tyres to better match player´s
  
• Minor BOP balancing for P3 class
  
• Minor Center of Gravity and aero center of pressure adjustments to F-Retros
  
• Corrected V12 engine performance for Vintage & Retro series
  
• Added new differential hump values to all viscous rear diffeential variants
  
• Generally reduced differential preload values
  
• Slightly increased AI throttle application range for low to mid powered cars
  
• Bumped AI low range Strength up (to compensate AI becoming too slow below 100% following recent code updates)
  
• Reduced AI lateral field speed distance & effect
  
• Adjusted rolling resistance for F-Vintage, F-Retro, F-Classic, F-V12, F-V10, F-Reiza, F-UItimate, F-Trainer & Copa Classic to better match player´s straightline performance
  
• Brands Hatch: Corrected circuit info
  
• Jerez: Minor optimization pass
  
• Guapore: Updated trackside ads
  
• Spielberg Historic: incremental art pass update; adjusted track cut mesh; start trigger to better align with start line
  
• Added tracklights for Spielberg Historics & Silverstone 2001
  
• Silverstone: Updated 2020 Intl TV cams
  
• Silverstone 2001: Added more accurate ad mapping to cement walls, adjusted track cut limits
  
• Silverstone 1991: Revised track cut limits; Fixed some floating big tents; Adjusted service roads material & texture
  
• Silverstone 1975: Fixed missing buildings on no-chicane layout
  
• Snetterton: Fixed CTD at race end.
  
• Oulton Park:fixed pit exit warning bug (track cut); Track cut mesh optimized, add grasscrete runoff, removed apex curbs; Rebuild triggers. Fixed timing bug (Start trigger was not crossing pit lane)
  
• Kansai: Fixed start trigger not crossing pit lane
  
• Reimplemented BT26, F-V10, F-V12, F-Reiza & F-Ultimate suspension animations (fixed wheels appearing to float)
  
• F-Trainer: Fixed RPM LED & bar scaling
  
• Adjusted F309 Driver animations
  
• F-Reiza: Adjusted Driver animations
  
• Adjusted gear shifter animation parameters on F-Retros, M23 and F-Classics
  
• Fixed driver head position on the F-Classic G3M2
  
• Added exhaust backfires to Stock Car 2020
  
• Increased exhaust downshift backfires for SuperV8
  
• StockCar Corolla -Added damage & dirt maps + deformable mesh

Along with the last major game update of the month and the exciting new car, we have more news to share with you - check it out!


We finally have our official AMS2 live at www.game-automobilista2.com

Still some bits to be added such as specs and infos for each vehicle in the game, but this should already hopefully be an useful overview of AMS2 for those looking to learn more about it, and a good source of info as to what lays in the road ahead for those already onboard!


We have launched two extra Steam packages for those interested in Automobilista 2 and / or its DLC:

The Automobilista 2 Premium Track Pack includes the two Premium Track Pack DLCs already released (Hockenheim & Silverstone) as well as two other to be released before the end of 2020 (Nurburgring & Spa), along with a fifth still TBA.

This pack does NOT include the tracks featuring in the future Expansion Packs or the Historical Track Pack DLC, and it is designed for those with interest in these premium tracks but would rather commit to a smaller, shorter term investment than the 2020-2021 Season Pass.

The Automobilista Ultimate Edition + Automobilista 2 Bundle is a limited time offer for AMS1 fans looking to make the jump to AMS2, or AMS2 owners and want to check how the predecessor compares.

For those who don´t own either, this is the complete Automobilista Experience in one Single Package! Get Automobilista 1 Ultimate Edition (including all DLCs) AND Automobilista 2 with a special 25% discount on overall price! If you already have one or more items of this package, you get 25% off for the items you do not yet own.



We are capping our "Open Wheel Month" with a bang: the beautiful Mclaren MP4/12 from 1997 is another officially licensed car being added to Automobilista 2´s growing roster of classic Grand Prix cars - free for all AMS2 owners!

This car is very special for a few reasons besides its distinct visual and being the first of a long series of silver Mclaren-Mercedes - it was the car that ended Mclaren´s victory drought since the departure of Ayrton Senna in 1993, and earned Mika Hakkinen´s first win in the season finale after a series of DNFs from the lead.

The car had one other thing that made it special... The ingenious "brake steer" system.

What it is: The "fiddle brake", or "brake steer" system was developed by Mclaren originally for the MP4/12 in the middle of the 1997 season, with the addition of an extra brake pedal allowing the drivers to control the inside rear brakes (left or right depending on how it was set up in the garage) independently from the main brake system - the theory behind it being that in a car limited by front-end grip, activating the inside rear brakes could help "tip" the car into corners, and also to aid traction.

Mclaren gained competitiveness in the latter part of 1997 thanks in part to the ingenious new system, earning two wins in the second half of the season, including Mika Hakkinen´s maiden win at the season finale (after retiring from the lead no less than three times). The device remained in the car for 1998 but was soon banned as Mclaren begun to dominate the series A more in-depth reading on the system and its development can be found here.

How it works in-game: You activate the system by using the handbrake command in the game (now called "extra brake" due to its multiple purposes depending on the car - it remains a simple handbrake for vehicles that have one). To get the best of the system you´d ideally want to map it to an analogue control, replacing the clutch pedal if you´re looking for extra accuracy as it allows you to modulate the pressure and thus how much 'fiddle braking" is actually being applied.

The mechanics of the system works just as it did with real life, with one exception - in the real car the team would have the option to set the system up either on the right side (typically for clockwise circuits with a majority of right-hand corners) or the left side for anti-clockwise circuits. In the game this switch is done automatically according to the direction of the track, there is no setup control over it.

How to drive with it: The system is worth a few tenths potentially depending on the track, but it demands a lot of feet coordination to get the best of it. The best approach is try to find your pace with the car on any given track driving "normally" for a few laps, and then see how you can use the brake steer system to help flick the car and control traction out of slow corners!

So this cover the new car - now let´s cover what is on the game update - lots of valuable improvements all around as you can see in the full V1.0.2.1 -> V1.0.2.5 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

• Added Mclaren MP4/12 to F-V10 Gen1 series
  
• Added Silverstone 1975 "No Chicane" layout (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )
  
• Added Silverstone 2001 National & International layouts (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )
  
• Added Silverstone 2020 National & International layouts (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )

GAMEPLAY

• Added support for "extra brake" device on Mclaren MP4/12 (shared with hand brake command)
  
• Fixed CTD when returning to lobby after a Multiplayer race
  
• Enabled slight collision pitch & roll damping (greatly reduces issues with over-the-top collision physics)
  
• Adjusted physics tick rate to minimise sync errors in Multiplayer
  
• Fixed bug causing starting grid being sorted by class when transitioning from scoring sessions (Q/R).
  
• Fixed time penalties when a driver fails to or cannot serve a drive through on the last lap
  
• Increased tolerance parameters for track limit violations from going over grass / gravel and after contact with another car
  
• Increased pit speed limit violation tolerance before instant DQ from 60 to 100km/h

UI & HUD

• Added art pass to Replay / Monitor screens, reducing overall size of controls, updating assets/colors of splits unit to improve readability, uses driver display name in splits unit for both, and 'in pit' marker to Replay splits unit
  
• Added toggleable full leaderboard to monitor screen (also available to MP spectators)
  
• Added message to MP session end leaderboard screen when waiting for host
  
• Added more compact controls bar to replay screen UI
  
• Initial updades to Championship UI design
  
• Temporarily disabled time acceleration mid-session (may trigger physics issues) until such are resolved

PHYSICS & FORCE FEEDBACK

• Fixed FFB Caster deflection calculation
  
• Re-enabled FFB scrub effect
  
• Adjustments to default FFB profile (rack force split to low-mid-high, scaling them differently, curbs slightly enhanced among other minor changes)
  
• Reduced adhesive friction speed sensitivity for Stock V8, GTs, Prototypes, Super V8
  
• Minor tyre tread adjustments for Ultima GTR Road, Camaro SS, F-Classic Gen3
  
• Adjusted Weight distribution, Aero center of pressure, adhesive friction for all F-Retro series cars
  
• Slightly adjusted Stock2020 center of gravity height (both models)
  
• Globally reduced aerodynamic effects from drafting & turbulence
  
• Enabled slight collision pitch & roll damping (aiminig to minimise issues with over-the-top collisions)
  
• Adjusted physics tick rate in attempt to minimise sync errors in Multiplayer
  
• Added minor friction & preload to open differentials (Opalas, F-Trainer, F-vee Pumas, Fuscas, MCRS200, FWD Classics)
  
• Rectified several incorrect, unoptimal or conflicting differential configurations & ranges still available from setup screen
  
• Fixed viscous diff incorrectly disabled for F-Ultimate
  
• Balance of performance revision for P4 class
  
• Added viscous differential to Ultima GTR Road
  
• Fixed V12 engine bug in F-Retro / F-Vintage causing car to break in aggressive downshifts

AI

• Improved AI performance in pack (both better pace & less incidents)
  
• Fixed AI performance in practice / quali being slower than race (minor callibration still required)
  
• AI race performance callibration pass for various classes

AUDIO

• Fixed audio gear wobble
  
• Added triggers to support audio engine splutter on downshifts
  
• Fixed Stock Car Corolla referencing wrong sounds
  
• Revised positional audio (engine sound movement when looking left-right) for all cars

TRACKS

• Silverstone 1991: added missing physical tyre barriers, smoothed segments of curb steps vs surrounding terrain to minimise chances of cars launching over it; added missing start light gantry; Added dynamic brake markers; corrected Goodyear advertising to be period accurate
  
• Silverstone 2001: added start light gantry
  
• Silverstone 2020: minor art pass, added missing brake markers
  
• Santa Cruz: Moved start trigger to solve missing first lap for grid slot 1; recallibrated brake marker spacing, added missing dynamic brake markers
  
• Spielberg Historic: Major art pass (WIP)
  
• Spielberg: repositioned pit box and redid pit lane (reducing lateral separation); attempted fix for some AI cars from hitting pit wall when laving pit box.
  
• Added new crane models to various tracks
  
• Added TV cranes & camera men to several tracks
  
• Kansai West: fixed timing bug
  
• Kyalami Historic: Fixed timing bug, moved grid positions back 1 row, delete unused grid line markings; Moved start trigger and start line forward 5m in line with marshal hut
  
• Brands GP/ Indy: timing bug fix

VEHICLES

• Adjusted driver animations for Brabham BT26A
  
• Adjusted driver animations for Ultma GTR Race
  
• Adjusted Ultima race driver gear shift animation
  
• F-Vintage (all models) - Added dynamic redline needle
  
• Added F301 & F309 driver & suspension animations