2024 iRacing Season 2 Patch 1: Better Stability, Improved Rain Lights

As iRacing Season 2 2024 has just gotten fully underway, the first patch has been deployed. The update addresses poor rain light visibility, as well as server stability and more.

Image credit: iRacing.com

The 2024 iRacing Season 2 is just a few days old, and the first patch for the simulation has been deployed. It includes two key fixes that sim racers have been asking for ever since the addition of rain as part of the Tempest weather system.

For one, being able to see other cars while following them in their spray should be better as of iRacing Season 2 Patch 1. The shader for rain lights has received an update, meaning that the lights are now actually visible. Previously, racers could not see anything but spray for the most part. Executive producer Greg Hill had provided a preview of what the new lights might look like shortly after the Tempest release already.

iRacing Season 2 Patch 1: Farewell, Server Issues?​

While the new weather coming in via Tempest added new depth to the simulator and has generally been implemented very convincingly, it also seemed to have put quite a strain on servers.

We experienced this issue ourselves when taking part in Laurence Dusoswa’s Potaytona 10-hour charity race. Not only did we struggle with what seemed like a poor connection (even with the live stream running fine), but also with random crashes or disconnects. Several other teams were also affected during the event.

It seems like these issues were indeed caused by the weather system. The release nots for iRacing Season 2 Patch 1 list “Improved Race Server processing for checking and updating the track surface wetness values.” Apparently, this process overloaded servers from time to time due to the number of servers running in the rain simultaneously, exceeding their CPU capabilities.

There is more in the iRacing Season 2 Patch 1, of course. Find the full release notes below!

2024 iRacing Season 2 Patch 1 Changelog​

iRACING​

iRacing Weather System​

• Fixed an issue where all Official Series Sessions throughout the week were having the exact same weather progression whenever Forecasted Weather Mode was in use.
  • As a reminder, with the iRacing Weather System each Official Series utilizes a single weather forecast for each race week – this can be found in the Race Schedule. However, this is only a forecast, and the actual weather during the Session may shift as time progresses. This means you may see the progression of the actual in-Simulator weather differ between the 9:00 Session and the 11:00 Session. Each split that is launched has an identical weather progression (ie: All of the 9:00 Sessions will have identical weather).

General​

• Fixed an issue where the maximized state of the application did not save correctly.

SIMULATION​

General​

• Fixed an issue where the Simulator would fail to launch for users with a Windows account name that utilized Unicode characters.

AntiCheat Software​

• Updated the script (.bat) file that can be used to repair the Epic EAC installation to cover additional circumstances.
  • – – If you continue to have unexpected issues with the AntiCheat Software, please contact Customer Support so we can provide you with a solution.

iRacing Weather System​

• The lighting shader for rear rain lights has been updated.
  • This should allow rear rain lights to be seen more easily through aerospray effects.
• Improved Race Server processing for checking and updating the track surface wetness values.
  • Due to the popularity of the iRacing Weather System, this frequent process was bogging down our Race Servers when dozens of Sessions with rain were in progress. This change should alleviate some of the Race Server processing demand and keep their CPUs above water.
• Length and density of aerospray and tire puffs are now more heavily weighted by vehicle velocity.
• Windshield water effects have been updated.
• Improved the rendering of wetness on a variety of off-track non-porous surfaces, especially their reflectivity.
• Some rainfall effects have been updated to be more representative of the active falling rain rate.
• Raindrop translucency has been adjusted.
• Fixed an issue where rain effects were not appearing on windshields at very low levels of rainfall.
• Fixed an issue where rain was not showing up on windshields when Medium or Low shaders were in use.
• Fixed a Simulation crash issue that could occur whenever a user was required to reload rain effects.

Tires​

• Fixed an issue where tire compounds would not appear correct after a driver change.

AI Racing​

• Fixed an AI memory lapse where AI Drivers could sometimes pit excessively early at Ovals.
• AI Drivers have been retrained on pacing speeds and behavior at short Ovals.
  • This fixes an issue with their pacing speed after the pace car had entered pit lane.
• AI Drivers have improved their skills at the Nürburgring.

Oval Racing​

• Improved the visual accuracy of opponent cars utilizing various levels of tape.

Dirt Oval Racing​

• Dirt Oval track surface parameters have been adjusted to reduce the likelihood of a highly bumpy surface developing over time.

Graphics​

• Improved the visual appearance of curbs from a distance.
  • This applies to both 3D curbs and traditional “flat” curbs.
• Fixed an issue where motion blur effects were appearing less precise.

Spotter​

• The Joker Lap reminder message will now only play during Race Sessions.

Spotter – Foreign Language​

• Updates have been made to the Italian-Marco_Arcidiacono spotter pack.
  • Molte grazie, Marco!
• Updates have been made to the Italian-Renzo_A_Olivieri spotter pack.
  • Molte grazie, Renzo!
• Updates have been made to the Russian-Dmitry_Eniseev spotter pack.
  • Spasibo, Dmitry!
• Updates have been made to the Spanish-Ari_Cejas spotter pack.
  • Muchas gracias, Ari!

Controls​

• Simucube 360 Hz mode is now enabled.
  • The latest True Drive (release 2024.3) is required.
• Pause is now a bindable control (default to Pause key).
  • This still does not allow you to pause online Sessions – only Time Lords can do that.
• Simagic haptic reactor support has been temporarily disabled while we work through some bugs.
• For iRacing Macros, a new tire change pit stop macro has been added.
  • Type “#tc 1” in the chat window to select the first tire compound.
• Updated some Controls options text.
• Fixed an issue with the new clutch launch control.
  • This system now properly resets after the end of a launch, rather than remaining active for 5 seconds. Also, a new switch to change the mode from a “press-and-release to launch” to a “press-and-hold to launch” has been added to the “app.ini” file; This is named [Force Feedback] clutchLaunchMode=0.

Telemetry​

• Some Tempest-related telemetry values have been updated.
  • Removed irsdk_WeatherDynamics and irsdk_weatherVersion enum defines.
  • Removed “WeatherType” and “WeatherVersion” variables, these are already encapsulated in the session string WeekendInfo:TrackWeatherType:
    • That can be set to one of: “Classic Specified / Dynamic Sky” or “Classic Generated / Dynamic Sky” or “Classic Specified / Static Sky” or “Classic Generated / Static Sky” or “Realistic” or “Static” or “Timeline” or “Unknown”
  • Added irsdk_TrackWetness enum and attached it to the live variable “TrackWetness”, this gives you an estimate of overall track wetness.
  • Added “WeatherDeclaredWet” telemetry variable, this is set to true when the marshal allows use of rain tires.
• The Tire Compound change command has been added to the IRSDK.

CARS​

<Car Class> GTE Class Cars​

• Improved the grounding behavior for these cars.

<Car Class> NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen Class Cars​

• Fixed an issue with the gear ratios for the Homestead Miami Speedway setup.
• Fixed an issue with the aero package in use at Phoenix Raceway – Oval w/open Dogleg.

BMW M8 GTE​

• iRacing setups have been updated.

Cadillac CTS-V Racecar​

• Fixed an issue where mirrors had lost their reflectivity with the 2024 Season 2 Release.

Dallara IR18​

• Aeroscreen and hood have been updated for 2024 Season changes.
• Fixed an issue with war wagon textures not matching the car.
• Fixed an issue where some damaged car parts could appear at the wrong detail level.
• Smoothed a minor vehicle model issue with the front-end.

Dirt Late Model​

• Allowable tire pressure range in the garage has been adjusted.
• Rear tire tread pattern has been updated.

Dirt Micro Sprint Car​

• Setup files may now be shared between the Winged and Non-Winged version of this car.
• Fixed an issue where the top wing adjustment was an allowable in-car adjustment.
• Rear tire tread pattern has been updated.
• Ambient occlusion maps have been updated.

Dirt Modified​

• Allowable tire pressure range in the garage has been adjusted.

Dirt Street Stock​

• Tire tread patterns have been updated.

Dirt UMP Modified​

• Allowable tire pressure range in the garage has been adjusted.

Ford GT​

• (GT2) – Fixed a serious competition issue where all opponent cars were fitted with cloaking devices.

Honda Civic Type R TCR​

• Fixed an issue where some digital dashboard information went missing.

Legends Ford ’34 Coupe​

• (Dirt Tires Version) – Tire carcass stiffness and tread patterns have been updated.
• Fixed an issue where the rear-view mirror had transformed into a sun visor.

Mercedes-AMG GT3 2020​

• Ambient occlusion maps have been updated.

Porsche 911 GT3 R (992)​

• Fixed an issue where opponent cars could appear to have an incorrect setup applied.

Porsche 963 GTP​

• Backfire effects are now hot blue.

Ray FF1600​

• Rain occlusion mapping for tires has been updated.

SRX​

• (Dirt Tires Version) – The driver name banner has been added to the windshield.
• Backfire effects now emit from both exhausts.
• Ambient occlusion maps have been updated.
• Fixed an issue where the car could flip when car damage was disabled in the Session.

Super Formula Lights​

• Ambient occlusion maps have been updated.
• iRacing setups have been updated.

[Legacy] Dallara DW12​

• iRacing setups have been updated.

TRACKS​

Algarve International Circuit​

• Some barrier signage has been updated.
• Some missing grandstands have been added.
• Olive trees have been updated.

Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli​

• Tirestack materials have been updated.
• Barney, Legendary Flagman, has arrived at all needed locations!

Nürburgring​

• Updated some pit lane line colors.
• Some track logos have been updated.
• A variety of billboards, ads, and vendor banners have been updated.

Oran Park Raceway​

• (South) – Fixed an issue where a Yellow Flag could be raised whenever a car left the pits.
• Fixed an issue where a photographer could not keep his focus on one car at a time.

Slinger Speedway​

• Some fence collision shapes have been updated.
• Fixed an issue where some light poles disappear at certain graphics settings.

Wild West Motorsports Park​

• One target catch fence at the final corner may now block vehicles with flying.

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What do you make of the 2024 iRacing Season 2 Patch 1? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!