Graphics Rework & Classic DTM: RaceRoom Launches Enormous Update

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RaceRoom is looking set for one of the sim’s biggest updates ever: On September 4, sim racers can look forward to reworked graphics, as well as multiple content premieres.

Images: KW Studios

Despite its large selection of unique content, RaceRoom tends to get overlooked in 2024. One of the main points of critique of many sim racers is the outdated graphics engine – but the announced September 4 update should take the wind out of the “visuals are meh” sail.

In fact, the graphics update does not just contain higher-res textures, but actually packs quite a punch. In the preview images, the lighting already looks much more up to 2024 standards, the trackside vegetation is a far cry from its former version, and the difference in overall looks is massive.

RaceRoom-Graphics-Update-Hockenheim (1).jpg
RaceRoom-Graphics-Update-Nordschleife.jpg


In fact, almost no stone has been left unturned by developer KW Studios, as the list of changes is rather long. We have added the full details of the graphics update below – just click ‘expand’ to read all of them.


RaceRoom Graphics Update 2024 Performance Enhancements​

  • Optimized frustum culling: By optimizing the frustum culling system, we can now skip rendering of a lot more objects that are not in the view. This results in significant gains, especially on large and complex tracks, such as the 24 Hours layout of the Nordschleife
  • Rearview mirror and reflection optimization: The improved frustum culling system now allows us to render only what is necessary for the rearview mirror and dynamic car reflections. Furthermore, we have improved the looks and efficiency of the lowest car reflection setting significantly, which makes it a great option for those looking for extra performance.
  • Time Progression: Performance of the time progression feature has been significantly enhanced, which means the performance difference to static time is now almost negligible
  • Color System Upgrade: Transition to a LUT (Lookup Table) Color System. This change allows for more accurate and vibrant color representation, enhancing the overall visual fidelity of the game.
  • Cloud Coverage Selector: Added a new feature to the game menus and dedicated server allowing players to select cloud coverage options. You can now choose from clear, few clouds, scattered clouds, and overcast skies, adding a dynamic and realistic touch to the racing experience.
  • Improved Shadows Rendering: Shadows have been significantly improved, providing more realistic and dynamic lighting effects across various environments. This includes soft, anti-aliased shadows, with higher resolution and much longer draw distances. Shadows are now also rendered in the rearview mirror.
  • Auto-Exposure Feature: Introduced an auto-exposure feature that dynamically adjusts the brightness based on the scene's lighting. This feature enhances visibility in different lighting conditions, ensuring a more immersive experience.
  • Improved car paint and car parts materials rendering: Better support has been added for all different types of liveries and paint found on racing cars. Most notably, chrome, matte and metallic parts can now be represented much more accurately.
  • Improved Car Cockpit: Improved lighting inside the cockpit, to achieve a much more realistic and immersive view.
  • Improved Car Reflections: Car reflections have been enhanced to better mimic real-world reflective surfaces, adding depth and realism to vehicle reflective parts, such as windows.
  • Improved Specular Reflections: Specular reflections have been fine-tuned to provide more realistic highlights and shine, especially under varying light conditions.
  • Improved Track Surface Lighting: The track surface lighting has been improved, giving a more accurate representation of light reflection on road surfaces and built-up rubber.
  • Improved Depth of Field Blurring: Depth of field effects have been refined for more realistic background blurring, enhancing the sense of speed and focus.
  • Improved Motion Blur: Motion blur has been updated to provide a more natural and immersive sense of movement and a reduction of artifacts.
  • Improved Rendering of Headlights and Taillights: The rendering of headlights and taillights has been improved, making dawn, morning, noon, afternoon, and sunset racing more visually striking and realistic.
  • Improved Vegetation lighting: Trees are now blending in much better in the lighting environment.
  • Track Grass normalmaps: Our normal maps are now properly reacting to orientation of the light
  • Track material specular: Until now, only a few objects had specular around our tracks. This is now addressed so all objects reflect strong lights.
  • Performance mode through Vulkan rendering pipeline: The vulkan-based implementation of d3d9 by Philip Rebohle was already a popular rendering mod among the RaceRoom community, providing a significant performance boost. Our engine is now supporting this mod more officially as we addressed some visual glitches that had been impairing the experience. A start-up option in Steam will be available to start RaceRoom using Vulkan.
  • Eliminated Z-Fighting: We have completely eliminated z-fighting artifacts by adapting the engine to use the more modern ‘Reversed-Z’ approach to handle depth in the rendering.
  • Particle lighting: Particles now properly react to different lighting conditions
  • Sharpening: This effect increases the visual crispness of the game, making textures and fine details stand out more prominently. However, because the visual experience is based on individual preferences, the default setting will be off.
Click to expand...

The graphics overhaul is far from everything RaceRoom is cooking up, though.

DTM95 Hockenheim (13).jpg


Historic Tracks Debut In RaceRoom​

Instead, it would appear that KW Studios have read our article from May 2023, in which we were wondering about the unused potential of RaceRoom’s plentiful classic car content without period-correct tracks to accompany them. With the September 4 update, vintage tracks will be available within the sim for the first time.

Sim racers can look forward to classic versions of the Hockenheimring, AVUS and Diepholz as they were in 1995 – a perfect fit for the title’s DTM 1995 class. Oh, that is also set to expand, by the way. The AMG-Mercedes C-Klasse DTM that is already in RaceRoom will be joined by the other two cars that competed in that season, namely the Opel Calibra V6 4x4 and Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI.

DTM95 Diepholz (9).jpg


The full 1995 DTM grid will be available as a result – an era that is usually not found in first-party content in sim racing. Neither are the 1990s AVUS and Diepholz, for that matter. While most will know the legendary Berlin circuit that was used in a (very) shortened form until 1998, Diepholz probably is a relatively unknown airfield track that actually was a staple in Germany’s domestic racing scene until 1996.

The first races already happened in 1968, and the DTM came to the military airport in Lower Saxony between 1984 and 1996. Diepholz has appeared as a mod track in several sims, but this would mark the first time a first-party version is released.

DTM95 Diepholz (13).jpg


Come to think of it, the same is true for the AVUS, at least in the modern era of sim racing. Spirit of Speed 1937, released in 1999 on PC in the UK and in 2000 on Sega Dreamcast in the rest of the world, does feature a version of the track in its most fearsome form, including the enormous banked Nordkurve and long straights. The game was not received particularly well, however.

The three vintage tracks will also be a perfect fit for the full grid of 1992 DTM cars that is already available in RaceRoom.

DTM 24 Norisring (1).jpg


2024 DTM Pack Set To Include Lamborghini​

Speaking of debuts: RaceRoom will also release a DTM 2024 pack – and this time, the grid is going to be complete. The final manufacturer to join the sim’s eclectic vehicle roster is Lamborghini, which was missing from the 2023 DTM pack despite taking second place in the championship with Mirko Bortolotti behind the wheel.

This will not be an issue in the 2024 pack, which is set to include the Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2. As there are five Lambos on the grid this season, a good chunk of the DTM competitors would have been missing. Since the car was already running in 2023, we would think that it will get added to the 2023 pack in time, as well as RaceRoom’s GT3 class – similarly to the Ferrari 296 GT3.

Alongside the Lamborghini, the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo will make its RaceRoom debut, too. Starting with the 2024 season, Dörr Motorsport fields two cars for Ben Dörr and Clemens Schmid. Thus far, only the non-Evo version of the 720S GT3 can be raced in the sim.

However, patience is needed: The 2024 DTM Pack is not going to launch on September 4 just yet - we will let you know once a release date has been determined.

DTM 24 Norisring (3).jpg


More Updates To Several Tracks​

To really make the September 4 update worth sim racer’s while, RaceRoom will also see updates to several tracks. This has already happened earlier in 2024 for Bathurst, Imola, Most, Portimao and the Sachsenring, and now, multiple circuits are set to follow suit.

The centerpiece of the revamped tracks is certainly Oschersleben, which will be upgraded to a laser-scanned version to achieve maximum accuracy. The track is set to replace the current version, which will vanish from the store. However, as the laser-scanned version is essentially an all-new track, sim racers will have to buy it separately. A discount will be available during the initial release period.

Those who own Mantorp, Nogaro, the Nürburgring-Nordschleife, the Red Bull Ring, Sepang or Slovakiaring will be happy to know that all of these circuits will receive free upgrades to bring them up to 2024 specifications.

Could this be the update that puts RaceRoom back on the map for more sim racers? Time will tell, but it certainly looks like it will substantially improve the sim in several areas. We here at OverTake are already looking forward to battling it out in the 1995 DTM cars on the period-correct tracks – that should be an excellent blast from the past!

DTM95 Avus (8).jpg


What are your impressions of the incoming RaceRoom update? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
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About author
Yannik Haustein
Yannik Haustein
Lifelong motorsport enthusiast and sim racing aficionado, walking racing history encyclopedia.

Sim racing editor, streamer and one half of the SimRacing Buddies podcast (warning, German!).

Heel & Toe Gang 4 life :D

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Comments

Slapped
Trebor901 said:
Its almost like they're scared to switch engines. There's only so much more they can do with this one. Although the whole night/day cycle and rain being absent makes absolutely no sense to me as even rf1 had night/day cycle and race07 before raceroom had wet weather
Click to expand...
Too much technical debt.

The game, physics, and graphics code bases are probably so intertwined at this stage, as a result of numerous updates, patches and bodges to make the code do something it wasn't originally designed to do, that separating them for the purpose of changing the graphics engine would be a task so mammoth it would make much better time and financial sense to rewrite the game from the ground up.

So why don't they do that? Well the answer is cost, or more importantly the return on investment of that cost. The only way that could even potentially work is if KW wrote RaceRoom 2 where you'd have to buy all of the content again. However the truth is that RaceRoom's current customer base is way too low for KW to recoup that investment, and that's assuming all of them would rebuy the content, which they wouldn't for, well, obvious reasons.
 
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manu68
Premium
Raceroom is a great simulation, and I apreciate every improvment for what it is.
It is free, and I appreciate it.
Looking at the presentation video, it looks like an attemptg comparable in some extent of SOL/PURE for Assetto corsa.
I mean , attempt to modernize the game , as PURE/SOL has modernized assetto corsa.

Soory for the haters, but this game has a lot more regular users as LMU, and comparable to AMS2 or Rfactor 2.
Many open minded simracers will found an interest in such an update.
Plus , from what I have heard, the game runs very well in VR (I am not a user myself)
 
Richirichi007
kart1 said:
is this their huge update?
So exept from 2 or 3 extra graphical effects, with a reshade :roflmao:
it saves me a reinstallation thanks!
Click to expand...
Seriously, some people are never satisfied, and will whine and complain anyway, instead of acknowledging the incredible effort that has been done here, with some excellent content. Honestly, selfish racers like you, are welcome to stay away, because you simply have no idea, how lucky we are with the choices we have today, when it comes to simracing. You summed up this huge update in one sentence, which may indicate some limitations on your part, in reading and comprehending what has been done here; your pathetic emoji didn’t help your painfully dense comment, either.
 
Andi Goodwin
well ive been driving this update for a while , the dtm95 cars are a blast , and the graphics dont munch any extra resourses for me

the new osch / ive always had difficulties with this track , possibly a lack of skill on my part ,but it looks good and feels good with the laser scan , just to clarify, the old osch will be removed from store , not the game as far as i understand

if you own raceroom , its worth waiting for the update and having a go as its a free update to so much content , i suggest running at dawn or dusk with scattered clouds...

Andi
 
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M D Gourley
Premium
Hallelujah, Praise the Sim Lord.:geek::D.

Must have taken years chipping away to get this massive update, thoroughly looking forward to this:inlove:
 
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S
Looks good but I wish updates were focused more on the driving physics and physics "features". Eg. : underlying damage model, underlying ICE model, underlying tyre model, underlying audio engine, underlying drivetrain model, underlying rain model, underlying wet track model, underlying track rubbering model, etc. etc. etc.

Updated / new graphics in a videogame look good for 5 minutes...then you get used to them...then you actually start playing the game instead of "looking at the graphics" and, if nothing else has been updated/advanced or introduced, it's just the "same ol" game but with a bit prettier dress and makeup.

Then again, it's all about money and "hype" nowadays instead of pure racing so the graphics and vehicle-content list is, sadly, by far the most important thing for all devs it seems, well, besides iRacing. IR continues to put lots of thought & work into the underlying physics properties of the game - soft body physics (at least for the damage model) and quite complex rain and quite complex track rubbering/wettnes/drying model just to name a couple as of late.
 
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Trebor901
Slapped said:
Too much technical debt.

The game, physics, and graphics code bases are probably so intertwined at this stage, as a result of numerous updates, patches and bodges to make the code do something it wasn't originally designed to do, that separating them for the purpose of changing the graphics engine would be a task so mammoth it would make much better time and financial sense to rewrite the game from the ground up.

So why don't they do that? Well the answer is cost, or more importantly the return on investment of that cost. The only way that could even potentially work is if KW wrote RaceRoom 2 where you'd have to buy all of the content again. However the truth is that RaceRoom's current customer base is way too low for KW to recoup that investment, and that's assuming all of them would rebuy the content, which they wouldn't for, well, obvious reasons.
Click to expand...
I understand what you're saying completely but it will come at a greater price eventually when no one will play it because it is so out dated and other sims will do everything raceroom does and more.

I love raceroom I've spent many an hour pounding round in the touring cars on there. The last thing I want to see is it end up completely abandoned one day because the player base has gone because of how outdated it has become.

It would seem too they've created themselves an issue in reworking tracks like oscherschleben because they've said the current version will be taken away completely. And people are already saying even though the new one will be discounted that it's not really the way things should be done. And while it's a licencing issue that the old one can't stay I can't say I'd pay twice for a track no matter how good the new version was.
 
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R
I will say I'm intrigued rather than excited by the update. I haven't played RR in a few years - I enjoyed the offline and online racing but the lack of consistent livery sets always bugged me in their random classes. Might be tempted to try the '92, '95 or '24 DTM sets though, as those look like pretty complete grids.

Graphics overhaul looks better... but still very outdated. Obviously graphics aren't everything but they're a huge part of immersion and, even as someone who isn't excited at all for AC Evo yet, will it feel like too much of a backwards step from AMS2 or CSP-enhanced AC to let me immerse myself? I'll definitely give it a chance to find out.


sKeno said:
really looking forward for this update.



actually the version of AVUS is based on the 1996 layout used by STW as it has the Nordkurve "Chicane" and the concrete walls blocking one lane at the Hairpin. or will there be alternative layouts?
Click to expand...

Traxxion video says there's a '94 and '98 version, for what it's worth

 
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D
instinkt8 said:
how all these people can have problems with performance?
it's basically least demanding supported sim on the market
I don't use VR but seen some streamers using it on some mediocre GPUs like 3060 and it also worked fine
Click to expand...
because people are literally running fm2 platforms and the like
 
R
Genuinely impressed with this! I really hope they keep pumping out historic content, and historic versions of tracks that they've already got in the sim.

Also, really great news that there is an option to add a bit of depth to the weather system. I still find it really odd that one man (Peter Boese) can create a weather system that's far superior to what racing titles have in them - and surely that's with a team working on the title. I've still yet to "upgrade" to Pure as it has the same static sky box implementation as other titles use. Sol creates different skies each and every time you race, with almost endless possibilities, depending on fog, humidity settings you've applied.

Other racing titles need to get onboard with that thinking, seeing the same skies no matter where you race in a title can be a little bit immersion breaking (for me).
 
M
Always found raceroom bizarre until now.

I wanted to begin my road to F1 ladder with the FIA F4 car (you know with that ridiculous belief that I will be the next champion). So I tested it in iracing, rf2 and raceroom based on some youtube onboard videos and my own bon sens.

The iracing one was definitly not in the track. It was on it. And it seemed that all the ffb info was not coming from the rubber of the tires but from some calculations made by the computer behind the scene. I was trying to convince myself that it is like that in real but my brain was not accepting it.

The rfactor one was better. But it seemed that it was a lot of canned information and I was not able to get a proper feeling of what the tires were doing. In some sense rf2 is too much idealistic . My brain was telling me that the Tatuus F4 was a mirage.

To my surprise I liked a lot the raceroom one. The tires were giving me a very good information and pushing the accelerator I was feeling the car gaining speed and pushed against the ground as it must do. My brain was telling me that I was training in a FIA F4. The sound, despite being good, was not coming from the car and I am not sure about the accuracy of the car in terms of speed.
 
N
instinkt8 said:
Nigel Mansell said:
New graphics engine.
Click to expand...
was never on the cards, nobody ever said that
they always said that they want to update and push further the current engine
Click to expand...

You are factually wrong with your statement. Let me correct you. From YouTube interview, I'll quote Tom and Jean-François. From the gfx-engine time stamp.

Tom: Raceroom doesn't have day to night cycles, right, it doesn't have wet weather - so, in the future that's on the list is it?

Jean-François:Well everything is of course on the list of things that we would like to do, and for the anecdote it is something we have tried to make happen in the current engine. Not to satisfying results. Because of the engine, we can't have more than a couple of light sources.

The way we go from here, is that we either look at an engine upgrade, trying to take what we have and improve it, or take some off the shelf engine.

No offence, you just said he never said that? If you refuse to accept the words of someone quoting an interview where the developer himself agrees that an off the shelf engine is one option he's considering, it's seems disingenuous and a lie to say it was never on the cards and nobody ever said it? So, yes, Jean-François did say it lol.

It's not healthy for sim racing devs to hold the genre back, yet 100% see the "business" decision for RRE devs not to spend money and time to bring their game up to date 5 years too late. Like I said before, I'd have paid money to help them drag RRE to a more feature rich sim.

We all have our preferred sims. None of them are perfect. Many are released in a broken state, needing huge work to correct all of the issues. Eventually those sims hit end of life, due to retaining profits and keeping a company financially safe. AC faces lots of hate. But in the industry, and more importantly - for the genre we all love herre, they are almost the only developer who are creating engines for sims. The rest don't have the talent, or don't want to eat into profit margins.

Yet, ppl bash Kunos to high heaven. We all have our opinions, but facts are facts. In May 23 Jean-François went on record to tell fans an off the shelf engine was in the running.
 
N
manu68 said:
Raceroom is a great simulation, and I apreciate every improvment for what it is.
It is free, and I appreciate it.
Looking at the presentation video, it looks like an attemptg comparable in some extent of SOL/PURE for Assetto corsa.
I mean , attempt to modernize the game , as PURE/SOL has modernized assetto corsa.

Soory for the haters, but this game has a lot more regular users as LMU, and comparable to AMS2 or Rfactor 2.
Many open minded simracers will found an interest in such an update.
Plus , from what I have heard, the game runs very well in VR (I am not a user myself)
Click to expand...
We are all different, we want different things from our hobby. Some adore music soundtracks, some disable them as soon as they install a game. I'm disappointed for sure, that this update doesn't go far enough.

It would have been more honest for the developer to say "there's not a cat in hell's chance we can fund a new off-the-shelf game engine," yet all he said was in May '23, an off the shelf engine was one of 2 options he had.

But I'd have paid money to RRE to see them bring a new engine in, and bought content again. But personally, I don't hate them, or Reiza, or Kunos etc., etc. I just don't like the only genre I play to be forced to stay stagnant. In many ways, as people here have already said - when you look back, we've gone backwards in some aspects. Many race titles had weather, rain, night etc, decades ago. Now - those options are gone in some titles. I just think fewer options isn't good for sim racing. Not now, or in the next 5 years.
 

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