AMS 2 | Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit Headlines New Content Additions In Latest Update

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios today deployed a brand new update to their Early Access Automobilista 2 racing simulation - adding new content, improved netcode and a raft of fundamental improvements to the title.

Update time! Yes, Friday, the start of the weekend, for most of us two days to rest and relax and more importantly - Automobilista 2 early access update time!

In this new build from Reiza Studios, the developing AMS2 simulation enjoys quite the array of changes and improvements, not least of which is some gratefully received netcode advancements for those with an online fancying, and AI balancing tweaks to be enjoyed by those that like their racing thrills against computer controlled opponents.

In content news, the latest build adds the impressive modern layout of Kyalami, plus the P2 specification Sigma P1 (with the updated 2020 P1 variant expected to arrive in sim once the real world version races on track). In old school content news, today's build adds the Passat to the Copa Classic FL category - however this car is know to cause a CTD at present, an issue that Reiza are currently investigating and expect to hotfix in the very near future.

Quick note - This is the last weekend to buy Automobilista 2 with the current 40% discount over its v1.0 price - as we have crossed the halfway point in our Early Access roadmap, by Monday pricing will be adjusted accordingly to be 20% off its v1.0 full price, remaining that way until its official release.

V0.9.0.1 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

• Added Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit
• Added Sigma P1 to P2 Class
• Added Passat to Copa Classic FL Class

GENERAL

• Update App Key used in Live Motion SDK

NETCODE

• Reduced Fade Accel parameter to minimise chances of "ghost" car-to-car collisions in a Multiplayer Session

UI & HUD

• Fixed back button on TimeTrial screen
• Amended all brake bias labels to include F / R qualifier and all values to include front and rear.
• Fixed telemetry HUD screen anchors (affects ultrawide positioning)
• Fixed in-game menu anchors on various pages (audio, camera, controls & gameplay options screens, save/load setup, quick/full setup edit screens, VR)
• Added Track Altitude information to loading screen
• Added current time of day to Session Overview / Pause screens
• Added Imola 1972 & Modern trackmaps
• Added Stock Car Driver names
• Updated missing tire names for Caterhams, F-Ultimate, Copa Classics
• Added chat box to lobby page, multiplayer & pre-event screens
• Fixed bug with incorrect engine torque statistic in vehicle selection & loading screen due to reversed metric / empiric system conversion
• Adjusted naming for various Metalmoro MRX models
• Fixed track country label on lobby page
• Added exit confirmation to pre-event screen
• Coodown lap now defaults to manual player control

PHYSICS

• Standardized ranges, adjusted drag & lift increments per setting for cars with adjustable radiator & brake ducts
• Adjusted brake heating for all prototypes & GT cars
• Minor adjustments to Ultima Race, StockV8, F-Vintage tyre treads
• Reduced roll inertia for StockV8, SuperV8, Ultima Race, Ultima
• Slightly reduced grip off the ideal racing line
• Reduced Metalmoro AJR diffuser efficiency
• Adjusted StockV8 diffuser center of pressure slightly rearwards
• Adjusted Roco, MRX, ARC Camaro engine torque curves
• Moved default brake bias rearwards for Sprint Race, StockV8, Ultima Race

AI

• Slightly increased AI awareness of human players
• AI performance tuning for GT3, StockV8, P1, P2, P3, P4, Ultima Race, Sprint Race, F3, F-Vintage classes

TRACKS

• Spielberg: fixed hole in garage floor; replaced incorrect pit building walls & pit doors; remapped garage and pit stall locations; removed excess grid assignments (32 cars supported); rebuilt triggers.
• Brands Hatch. Fixed bug with cars appearing to float over the track; adjusted rolling start location; revised track limits; fixed garage door collision

VEHICLES

• AJR: Adjusted Driver Animation; Added Imperio #175 & Mottin Racing 46 liveries
• MRX: Corrected RPM LEDs for all variants
• Ultima Race: Adjusted collision mesh
• Puma P052: New liveries/updates/redesign for #01 #02 #04 #06 #07 #08 #10 #11 #12 #13 #19 #42 #53 #54 #69; Added community skins #17 #91

Original Source: Reiza Studios

AMS 2 is available now in Steam Early Access.

If you need help and support getting the most from AMS2, start a thread in our AMS2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and let our great community help you out.

 

[Avo77]

and that's wrong how? I've watched them race in real life at Brands and have seen them battle whilst oversteering without "penalty", not really sure I'm understanding your point TBH!

"into the corner"...

 

[Damage Inc]

Sure Don't get hung up on the exact word. Replace it with simcade Either one works to describe it feeling Unnatural.

I admit I'm pedantic when it comes to the use of language, anything "cade" doesn't work, It's a sim full stop. What SMS lacked (for whatever reasons) was the time to fully tweak each and every car and track. Hopefully Reiza with their long term plans will fully realise the potential of the engine. The Caterhams already sound like they're in a really good place according to MarkR who seems to have real life experience of all the cars he tested, that to me means FAR more than someone saying a race car they've never driven in reality feels different to the same car in another sim (they like/prefer), thus the former game often get's a slagging via subjective opinion not actually based on any fact.

 

[MarcG]

"into the corner"...

Nah mate you need to explain this in fuller detail or better yet provide video evidence of what you're getting at please, slight oversteer "into the corner" is common as is "understeer" depending on the setup.<shrugs shoulders>

 

[ermo]

Yeah but it's the charming way he makes his points, isn't it? It's a graphical glitch nothing more, on the Auto setting on the DD2 the wheel didn't align with the in-game graphics, nothing more to it but he likes to think he's found 'a serious problem with the game', not for the first time. It's no different to the fact that the in-game driver's hand still misses the gearshift, it's why I labelled the video AMS2 EA too.

We can agree that Avo makes his points somewhat forcefully at times.

However, I think he may also be onto something with the ability to overdrive the front tyres at very high slip angle -- if you want to try it yourself, take the 620R and drive it slightly too fast into the corners and then put on way more lock (like 2-3x more) than you'd normally do while stepping on the throttle and note how the fronts keep sticking as opposed to them giving up and serving you with a nice trip head-first into the barriers?

Yes, it requires you to do something that you'd never dare to do IRL, but it can be quite the instructive experience in terms of how the tyre model behaves under extreme circumstances...

As I understand it, if Avo had his way, putting on extra slip angle would make the grip drop proportionally (instead of it staying mostly the same as it might do now), forcing the driver into being more precise around peak grip / peak alpha with their steering inputs.

However, if this hypothesis is correct, it might be a deeper tyre model issue which is likely to need the input of the original STM author to help analyze and sort it out.

To get a theoretical perspective on Avo's objections, this article might provide some insight. IIUC, Avo is arguing that the line in Figure 4 in that article in the frictional part of the tyre regimen is too flat in STM tyres and ought to slope more downwards as more slip angle is added.

 

[Avo77]

Nah mate you need to explain this in fuller detail or better yet provide video evidence of what you're getting at please, slight oversteer "into the corner" is common as is "understeer" depending on the setup.<shrugs shoulders>

If the car goes into understeer (even in high speed corners) you can continue to increase the steering angle in not natural way and make it turn no matter what in AMS2.
The first videos posted here are quite clear about that and it doesn't matter if the wheel setup was wrong because the car physics are obeying just to the in game angle (the same happens on my side with perfect match between the two rotations).

 

[Avo77]

We can agree that Avo makes his points somewhat forcefully at times.

However, I think he may also be onto something with the ability to overdrive the front tyres at very high slip angle -- if you want to try it yourself, take the 620R and drive it slightly too fast into the corners and then put on way more lock (like 2-3x more) than you'd normally do while stepping on the throttle and note how the fronts keep sticking as opposed to them giving up and serving you with a nice trip head-first into the barriers?

Yes, it requires you to do something that you'd never dare to do IRL, but it can be quite the instructive experience in terms of how the tyre model behaves under extreme circumstances...

As I understand it, if Avo had his way, putting on extra slip angle would make the grip drop proportionally (instead of it staying mostly the same as it might do now), forcing the driver into being more precise around peak grip / peak alpha with their steering inputs.

However, if this hypothesis is correct, it might be a deeper tyre model issue which is likely to need the input of the original STM author to help analyze and sort it out.

Thanks for expressing the concept in much clearer way!

 

[MarcG]

If the car goes into understeer (even in high speed corners) you can continue to increase the steering angle in not natural way and make it turn no matter what in AMS2.
The first videos posted here are quite clear about that and it doesn't matter if the wheel setup was wrong because the car physics are obeying just to the in game angle (the same happens on my side with perfect match between the two rotations).

right understeer, when you said "countersteer" I took that as oversteer

 

[ermo]

In my previous post, I've now added a link to an article that has a graph showing what Avo expects to happen when the tyres are sliding fully ("frictional range").

Note that Avo is a vehicle dynamicist and was thus trained to recognise these traits and knows the physics behind them. I don't think he's trying to be antagonistic per se, he's just a stickler for accuracy because his job requires him to be.

 

[Avo77]

right understeer, when you said "countersteer" I took that as oversteer

Yep, I made two posts trying to express two different concepts but in a convoluted way.

In my previous post, I've now added a link to an article that has a graph showing what Avo expects to happen when the tyres are sliding fully ("frictional range").

Note that Avo is a vehicle dynamicist and was thus trained to recognise these traits and knows the physics behind them. I don't think he's trying to be antagonistic per se, he's just a stickler for accuracy because his job requires him to be.

Thanks again.

 

[MarkR]

Note that Avo is a vehicle dynamicist and was thus trained to recognise these traits and knows the physics behind them. I don't think he's trying to be antagonistic per se, he's just a stickler for accuracy because his job requires him to be.

Oh, I'm pretty certain he is being antagonistic. That or it's his overbearing manner in constantly claiming fundamental game engine problems and jumping to conclusions about graphical glitches that cause the problems? I've seen the same stuff repeated to the devs a few times on their forums too, I won't comment on what they said I'll just trust in them to do what's right for their game. If engineers are always right Paddy Lowe might still have a job at Williams. Plenty of time left in EA for them to decide and that's before the continued development after release.

For me, AMS2 EA is already great and I play these games for fun and I like the ones that are close to reality. It's a shame the negativity of dissecting one aspect of extreme tyre behaviour, based on one opinion, seems to have overtaken enjoyment of the game.

 

[ermo]

Oh, I'm pretty certain he is being antagonistic. That or it's his overbearing manner in constantly claiming fundamental game engine problems and jumping to conclusions about graphical glitches that cause the problems? I've seen the same stuff repeated to the devs a few times on their forums too, I won't comment on what they said I'll just trust in them to do what's right for their game. If engineers are always right Paddy Lowe might still have a job at Williams. Plenty of time left in EA for them to decide and that's before the continued development after release.

For me, AMS2 EA is already great and I play these games for fun and I like the ones that are close to reality. It's a shame the negativity of dissecting one aspect of extreme tyre behaviour, based on one opinion, seems to have overtaken enjoyment of the game.

To be clear: I like your videos.

I'll try to capture a couple of videos myself to see if I can show you what I'm getting at and so that you can try to reproduce. I'm genuinely curious about this FWIW.

In the case of Paddy Lowe, one might argue that it might not have been engineering issues alone but also (possibly deeply ingrained) culture issues that derailed his efforts of renewing Williams' way of doing things and led to a disastrous outcome (you will note that Williams subsequently did a deep review that resulted in not only Paddy being shown the door). But that's for another topic.

 

[ermo]

If the car goes into understeer (even in high speed corners) you can continue to increase the steering angle in not natural way and make it turn no matter what in AMS2.
The first videos posted here are quite clear about that and it doesn't matter if the wheel setup was wrong because the car physics are obeying just to the in game angle (the same happens on my side with perfect match between the two rotations).

This behaviour is also present in PC2, yes?

 

[MarkR]

I'll try to capture a couple of videos myself to see if I can show you what I'm getting at and so that you can try to reproduce. I'm genuinely curious about this FWIW.

Fab, I hope whatever Reiza decide meets peoples expectations.

For me there are many aspects of the AMS2 that don't match reality - we've discussed a few in previous AMS2 threads. The ability to jump raised kerbs at will without breaking the car, downshifting above maximum rpm to slow the car down without blowing the engine (a pain and cost I know too well for real with the Honda Blackbird engine!) and shaded areas of tracks having the same grip as areas in full sun. Braking in this or any other game will never be that close to real, there is no change in pedal length or braking ability as everything gets hot and worn.

It would be easy to take issue with all or any of the points but I accept these are still just games at the end of the day. It''s good enough for me in EA but I respect that if people want the devs to sort some aspects.

My Paddy Lowe comment was tongue in cheek but the problematic culture issues I can certainly relate to!

 

[Damage Inc]

I'm pretty certain that almost all sims allow drivers to push the envelope so far that unrealistic things happen, although it is good that people can find these issues. But such a a minority will exploit these issues it's often not worth the limited dev time to fully sort out. Although I will freely admit there's a whole massive chunk of subjective opinion in that comment! In short no matter how good modern day sims are....they are still a LONG way from true reality.

 

[Avo77]

I'm a bit lost...
I just found ironic that a video trying to show how realistic a game is, was clearly presenting how the perception can be flawed.

I have no agenda against AMS2, I'm a Reiza backer and I bought two additional copies of AMS some times ago just because I found the price too low for such a good product.

For me the most important part of a SIM is how the car behavior is represented around and above the limit. None is perfect but some are able to click all the right buttons without rising 'WTF' warnings.

AMS2 is trying hard and it's perfectly fine most of the time but it's not there yet in more complex situations: I'm honestly surprised that to some it's not so evident as it should.

It's not the same for every car and, for example, I now found the Catheram Supersport very good at least on dry surfaces.

This was my comment on backers forum after the changes made to the tires just to show how "antagonistic" I am:

"The Caterham Supersport grip levels are now great! Please make it as fast as it deserves (it's very slow now lacking both pick-up and top speed) and consider it done even for the picky bastards like me.
Great job!"

I'm an enthusiast and I passed most of the last 20 years on road or tracks driving over the limit any kind of engine powered vehicle with any number of wheels between one and six or developing control algorithms for them based on race drivers feedback. So yes, I'm prone to over-react to some issues and my scale of priorities may be different than most sim drivers but, at the same time, I'm the first to support and praise a good (in my opinion, of course) work.

This behaviour is also present in PC2, yes?

Yes.

 

[ermo]

I'm a bit lost...
(...)
AMS2 is trying hard and it's perfectly fine most of the time but it's not there yet in more complex situations: I'm honestly surprised that to some it's not so evident as it should.
(...)
I'm an enthusiast and I passed most of the last 20 years on road or tracks driving over the limit any kind of engine powered vehicle with any number of wheels between one and six or developing control algorithms for them based on race drivers feedback. So yes, I'm prone to over-react to some issues and my scale of priorities may be different than most sim drivers but, at the same time, I'm the first to support and praise a good (in my opinion, of course) work.

If I may be so bold, I think perhaps your combination of obvious passion and professional expertise might blind you a little to what people who hasn't got your background would know about vehicle dynamics and thus expect from a sim?

From my particular point of view, I get the sense that the pushback you are receiving probably has more to do with how your passion "heats up" the arguments that you present and the fact that what you understand as "obvious" perhaps isn't quite as obvious to the rest of us?

You will note that I had to rely on a long-form vehicle dynamics article with a Figure taken from Milliken and Milliken to get the point clearly across...

I hope you understand what I'm trying to convey. If not, PM me at your leisure so that I might attempt to explain myself in more detail.

Best wishes to you and your Italian countrymen!

 

[David Wright]

If the car goes into understeer (even in high speed corners) you can continue to increase the steering angle in not natural way and make it turn no matter what in AMS2.

This is not my experience. Try the 79 Opala for example.

 

[Avo77]

This is not my experience. Try the 79 Opala for example.

Yes, it's not happening in all cars and the Opala79 is a good example in this specific aspect.
That said, on 79 car it seems to drive underwater with the yaw movements very slow and dampened and a pervasive resistance in keeping traction on the rear.

The Opala86 is the exact opposite: crank up the steering as much as you want, go full gas and the inner tire will immediately spin freely with no relevant effect on yaw velocity.

 

[ermo]

Yeah I've been saying for years that it's very 1990s to be editing Text Files to make changes to games, even when some of those "hidden" settings are simple yet essential item's (plenty in RF2s player.json for example), but Devs seem scared to put all the Options into an "Advanced Page" with a big massive bright red "RESET TO DEFAULT" option - can't see why they don't just do this myself, their reasoning seems to be let the Power Users find and tweak the hidden settings whilst keeping the Main Game with just the general stuff.

The other plausible explanation is that:

1./ It takes developer time to implement this. If it requires significant new software engineering efforts (design, implementation, testing, bugfixing), then that is a barrier in and of itself.

2./ AIUI, it is well known for people studying User Interaction that exposing too many options in an "advanced settings" page is no bueno because it confuses the less technically adept users and actually causes more issues than it solves, among which is a heightened user question and support burden. According to latest cognitive research I've seen (which may already be outdated!), the human mind can apparently hold up to 4 concepts at a time in its working memory, which means that e.g. exposing more than 4 knobs to the user on a single page is a recipe for confusion.

3./ Changing design and code at a late stage in a project's development is almost never a good idea -- particularly close to the release of a 1.0 version. In this development phase, you generally want any changes to be minimal and be reserved to bug-fixes and very small tweaks to existing subsystems and parameters.

 

[ermo]

Yes, it's not happening in all cars and the Opala79 is a good example in this specific aspect.
That said, on 79 car it seems to drive underwater with the yaw movements very slow and dampened and a pervasive resistance in keeping traction on the rear.

The Opala86 is the exact opposite: crank up the steering as much as you want, go full gas and inner tire will spin freely with absolutely no effect on yaw velocity.

With "yaw velocity" do you mean "the rate of rotation around the vertical axis through the CG of the car"?

I'm unsure what you mean to imply with "a pervasive resistance in keeping traciton on the rear"? Are you suggesting that the rear axle has poor traction and that the car wants to oversteer (haven't tried it myself yet)?