RaceRoom's brand-new graphical overhaul is finally here for sim racers to dive into. Of course, this also benefits virtual photographers - here are some helpful tips.
Raceroom has been an underdog in the world of sim racing for years. Bigger budget titles like iRacing and the Assetto Corsa franchise have overshadowed it for many years. However, over the past year, the team at KW Studios has ramped up its offerings monumentally.
First came the new and exciting tyre model players had been calling for. Once implemented, it was a great step forward for the sim's physics and subsequently had players flocking back to the title, at least for a little while. This latest update is a huge step forward for RaceRoom as well: Not only has it improved the graphics monumentally, but there is excitement and buzz around the sim again; something RaceRoom needs to capitalise on.
RaceRoom video and graphical settings menu.
The most important thing is to fine-tune your settings. Play around with the sliders and do FPS comparisons, it is no good running with the most beautiful-looking graphics, but racing is below 60 FPS. The best way to do this without sacrificing too much graphical quality is to reduce the number of cars visible at any one time, as well as shadow quality. RaceRoom also has handy diagrams showing the impact on CPU, GPU and overall performance for many graphics settings.
This does not necessarily apply to photo mode. Or, well, free cam in replay mode. Make sure that you change your settings to maximise what the game offers when you go into photo mode. Your FPS should not suffer with the replay being a file you play rather than new information your PC has to process.
When in free cam mode, make sure that you assign controls to each of the ‘Free Move’ cameras. These ‘Free Move’ cameras are essential for creating and forcing new angles with the camera that you will not be able to attain with the default setups.
Comparison between RaceRoom pre and post-update. Image: KW Studios
RaceRoom’s ‘Photo Mode’ is only accessible through replays, so make sure you save any races that you want to experiment with. These photos were taken from two different time trial sessions in the ‘competitions’ mode.
The first image was taken pre-update with the same settings applied as post-update. The obvious difference between the two images is the texture quality, however, the shadows and the motion blur on the wheels are much clearer, and the quality is undeniably better. The improved depth of field is also quite noticeable in the post-update shot, adding to the overall quality.
RaceRoom’s photo mode is very user-friendly so if you are just starting with your photography and want to learn how to compose a photo, RaceRoom is a fantastic place to start. If you are after a more complex photo mode, check out our Six Racing Simulators to Practise Your Sim Racing Photography article.
What do you think about the new RaceRoom's new graphics? Let us know on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
Raceroom has been an underdog in the world of sim racing for years. Bigger budget titles like iRacing and the Assetto Corsa franchise have overshadowed it for many years. However, over the past year, the team at KW Studios has ramped up its offerings monumentally.
First came the new and exciting tyre model players had been calling for. Once implemented, it was a great step forward for the sim's physics and subsequently had players flocking back to the title, at least for a little while. This latest update is a huge step forward for RaceRoom as well: Not only has it improved the graphics monumentally, but there is excitement and buzz around the sim again; something RaceRoom needs to capitalise on.
Which Settings To Change
It is important to note that you can still adjust and fine-tune exactly what your game looks like for this update. For example, if you are running on an older system, you may not want to sacrifice your FPS for the sake of better graphics. If your hardware can handle it, here are the best settings for the new RaceRoom update.RaceRoom video and graphical settings menu.
The most important thing is to fine-tune your settings. Play around with the sliders and do FPS comparisons, it is no good running with the most beautiful-looking graphics, but racing is below 60 FPS. The best way to do this without sacrificing too much graphical quality is to reduce the number of cars visible at any one time, as well as shadow quality. RaceRoom also has handy diagrams showing the impact on CPU, GPU and overall performance for many graphics settings.
This does not necessarily apply to photo mode. Or, well, free cam in replay mode. Make sure that you change your settings to maximise what the game offers when you go into photo mode. Your FPS should not suffer with the replay being a file you play rather than new information your PC has to process.
When in free cam mode, make sure that you assign controls to each of the ‘Free Move’ cameras. These ‘Free Move’ cameras are essential for creating and forcing new angles with the camera that you will not be able to attain with the default setups.
Comparing Pre-update To Post-update Shots
With RaceRoom’s new lighting and shadows, your placement of the camera is very important. RR‘s photo mode is certainly not the most sophisticated, for example, the lack of photographic terminology of Shutter speed, Aperture and ISO is very apparent once you start trying to perfect your photos.Comparison between RaceRoom pre and post-update. Image: KW Studios
RaceRoom’s ‘Photo Mode’ is only accessible through replays, so make sure you save any races that you want to experiment with. These photos were taken from two different time trial sessions in the ‘competitions’ mode.
Pre-update
Post-update
The first image was taken pre-update with the same settings applied as post-update. The obvious difference between the two images is the texture quality, however, the shadows and the motion blur on the wheels are much clearer, and the quality is undeniably better. The improved depth of field is also quite noticeable in the post-update shot, adding to the overall quality.
RaceRoom’s photo mode is very user-friendly so if you are just starting with your photography and want to learn how to compose a photo, RaceRoom is a fantastic place to start. If you are after a more complex photo mode, check out our Six Racing Simulators to Practise Your Sim Racing Photography article.
What do you think about the new RaceRoom's new graphics? Let us know on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
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