The eagerly-awaited v1.6 update for Automobilista 2 is still eluding sim racers, but it might be closer than ever before - at least a new video preview by developer Reiza Studios could hint at this.
"1.6 when" is a comment that we have seen multiple times in Automobilista 2-related posts and threads plenty of times all over the internet now that 2024 draws to a close. The enormous update to the sim may or may not release soon - we don't know any specifics either - for sim racers to enjoy, and a new video preview by developer Reiza Studios once again sparks hope of 1.6 being deployed soon.
Either way, the insight into what is to come is quite interesting. The hour-long video is relatively basic, with Reiza Founder and Lead Developer Renato Simioni showing several developments of the update and narrating them in text form. The video opens up with a bold claim, too, stating that it is "a presentation of several racing simulators we have been working on over the years. Which are soon to be simultaneously released." This refers to the multitude of classes and eras in AMS2, of course, as is explained immediately afterwards.
Now, the idea is not entirely new, as rule presets were already in AMS2, but the 1.6 presets are more than that. Pick one, and you will notice that the main menu images and style changes slightly to reflect the series you selected - so the IMSA preset will give the menu a different look than, say, a Formula Vintage preset.
These presets then, like before, automatically feature certain values for race lengths, dates, and rules, and they condense the available tracks to ones that pertain to the series. Say you choose the IMSA preset, and the selectable tracks are reduced to nine, all located in the USA and Canada. This also includes the layouts the tracks use for the selected series - a nice addition that could help whith period-correct circuits for historic classes. Disabling the preset filter is also possible, however, so you can run the selected series at any track you like.
The main menu in its new UI look without a preset applied.
Back to the UI, however, and you will notice that this preset filter also applies to the cars available. Remember, the Alpine A424 is set to join the AMS2 car roster in the LMDh class via update 1.6, but it does not race in IMSA. If you want to run an IMSA GTP grid without the Alpine, the preset makes this possible.
Could this open the door for custom presets in the future? It could be helpful for a few car classes, such as the Formula Retro Gen 2, which portrays the 1978 or 1979 Formula 1 seasons. However, the 1980 Brabham BT49 C is also part of the class, which does not quite fit - so a custom preset could take care of that easily. Currently, reducing the AI opponents by two should have the same effect, but for multiplayer races, excluding the BT49 C might be desirable as it is a bit faster than the rest of the class.
The Brabham BT49 C netted Nelson Piquet his first F1 World Championship in 1980.
Meanwhile, the reworked physics - the core of the update - are, of course, hard to observe when not feeling them yourselves, but an obvious example of the changes is provided via an outlap in the Lamborghini SC63 at Sebring. When leaving the pits, the car is still cold, and as a result, it is difficult to brake and turn, which is very reminiscent of the Hypercar behavior in Le Mans Ultimate.
Interestingly, the video is dubbed "Pt1" - so expect at least one more in-depth preview video from Reiza. In the meantime, we keep our fingers crossed that v1.6 is actually just around the corner.
What do you make of the video preview to Automobilista 2 v1.6? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our AMS2 forum!
"1.6 when" is a comment that we have seen multiple times in Automobilista 2-related posts and threads plenty of times all over the internet now that 2024 draws to a close. The enormous update to the sim may or may not release soon - we don't know any specifics either - for sim racers to enjoy, and a new video preview by developer Reiza Studios once again sparks hope of 1.6 being deployed soon.
Either way, the insight into what is to come is quite interesting. The hour-long video is relatively basic, with Reiza Founder and Lead Developer Renato Simioni showing several developments of the update and narrating them in text form. The video opens up with a bold claim, too, stating that it is "a presentation of several racing simulators we have been working on over the years. Which are soon to be simultaneously released." This refers to the multitude of classes and eras in AMS2, of course, as is explained immediately afterwards.
New UI & Presets
To kick things off, the new UI is in the spotlight. Compared to the previous interface, the new one has been substantially revamped and is a bit sleeker, but not always revolutionary, like in the car and class selection screen. It does, however, come with a new feature that organizes things more neatly based on the series selected: Presets.Now, the idea is not entirely new, as rule presets were already in AMS2, but the 1.6 presets are more than that. Pick one, and you will notice that the main menu images and style changes slightly to reflect the series you selected - so the IMSA preset will give the menu a different look than, say, a Formula Vintage preset.
These presets then, like before, automatically feature certain values for race lengths, dates, and rules, and they condense the available tracks to ones that pertain to the series. Say you choose the IMSA preset, and the selectable tracks are reduced to nine, all located in the USA and Canada. This also includes the layouts the tracks use for the selected series - a nice addition that could help whith period-correct circuits for historic classes. Disabling the preset filter is also possible, however, so you can run the selected series at any track you like.
The main menu in its new UI look without a preset applied.
Mosport Confirmed - Sort Of
Keen-eyed observers will notice that Mosport is part of the track list - which is not really new info, as it has been seen in various previews over the last few months, but it also has not officially been confirmed yet. Also known as Canadian Tire Motorsport Park since 2012, the track remarkably never changed its layout since it opened in 1961.Back to the UI, however, and you will notice that this preset filter also applies to the cars available. Remember, the Alpine A424 is set to join the AMS2 car roster in the LMDh class via update 1.6, but it does not race in IMSA. If you want to run an IMSA GTP grid without the Alpine, the preset makes this possible.
Could this open the door for custom presets in the future? It could be helpful for a few car classes, such as the Formula Retro Gen 2, which portrays the 1978 or 1979 Formula 1 seasons. However, the 1980 Brabham BT49 C is also part of the class, which does not quite fit - so a custom preset could take care of that easily. Currently, reducing the AI opponents by two should have the same effect, but for multiplayer races, excluding the BT49 C might be desirable as it is a bit faster than the rest of the class.
The Brabham BT49 C netted Nelson Piquet his first F1 World Championship in 1980.
AI Behavior & Physics Shown
There are more interesting details visible, such as the ability to scale the amount of mistakes the AI makes or the plan to have different classes qualify separately for multiclass races. Plus, the video offers plenty of opportunity to observe AI behavior, both in multiclass and singleclass races.Meanwhile, the reworked physics - the core of the update - are, of course, hard to observe when not feeling them yourselves, but an obvious example of the changes is provided via an outlap in the Lamborghini SC63 at Sebring. When leaving the pits, the car is still cold, and as a result, it is difficult to brake and turn, which is very reminiscent of the Hypercar behavior in Le Mans Ultimate.
Interestingly, the video is dubbed "Pt1" - so expect at least one more in-depth preview video from Reiza. In the meantime, we keep our fingers crossed that v1.6 is actually just around the corner.
What do you make of the video preview to Automobilista 2 v1.6? Let us know in the comments below and join the discussion in our AMS2 forum!
