AMS 2 v0.8.2.0 Available Now!

[UMC 22]

A new patch for AMS 2 is available for download now on Steam. The official announcement is as follows:

V0.8.2.0 is now up on Steam, introduces several substantial updates to Physics & AI along with the new Photo Mode.

IMPORTANT: In order to ensure you completely reset your build to the latest changes, it´s strongly recommended to delete your MyDocs/Automobilista 2 settings folder and start anew - make sure to callibrate your controller, and that your pedals are callibrated to the complete 1-100 range (some users have reported needing to callibrate pedals twice for it to register - we´re still investigating it).

V0.8.2.0 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

• Added Snetterton 100 layout
• Added Velocittá CD layout
• Added Interlagos Historic External Ring layout

GENERAL

• Further updates to rain spray (longer life, draw distance, smaller from front wheels)
• Reduced threshold for track limit penalties (still subject to further tuning)

UI / HUD

• Implemented initial version of in-game Photo Mode
• Added back Random Weather option
• Added vehicle statistics to track loading screen
• Updated car class colour definitions & added short class name icons
• Multiplayer Browser: Player count corrected to sort numerically instead of alphabetically; fixed incorrect
• Lobby Screen: Fixed activation of "Invite" button; added class and vehicle name to driver table column headings; fixed private/password icon showing for all servers
• Removed redundant session time acceleration button from Multiplayer monitor screen

PHYSICS

• Corrected error in fast damper rates incorrectly applying to cars without 2-stage damping (resulting in overall incorrect or altogether broken dampers in some cases)
• Updated semi-slick treads on various Caterhams for more accurate performance on a wet track
• Adjusted carcass load stiffness for F-Vee / Copa Fusca / F-Uno / Copa Truck / F-Classic / F-Trainer / F3 / P4 tyres
• Removed excessive rolling resistance from wet tarmac & concrete (AI & player)
• Further revised MRX aero, suspension rates & default setup
• Adjusted ideal temperature ranges in several compounds (correcting sizeable errors in P4, F-Classic Gen1 tyres
• Fixed wrong tread width on F-Vee front tyre
• Fixed F-Classic Gen3 Model1 7th gear
• Updated rental kart physics (narrower track, rear tyres)
• Applied Balance of Performance for cars in P3 class

AI

• Implemented new AI Aggression logic
• Fixed AI suspension rate issue that could cause AI cars to vibrate violently
• Slightly Increased AI smoothness when moving laterally (both calm and urgent) & AI simplied tyre peak slip angle, combining to slightly more natural changes of direction

TRACKS

• Interlagos Historic: Complete art pass
• Incremental art passe to Oulton Park, Spielberg
• Updated night lights & fixed flags for Brands Hatch, Imola, Goiania
• Added period-accurate night lighting to historical tracks
• Updated Kansai trackside cameras

VEHICLES

• Copa Uno: Added missing lower LODs
• ARC Camaro: Full field livery update
• F-Classic:Fixed needle vertex AO, mirror material on LODs of G1M!; Added rear light to G1M2, G2M3; Fixed gearshift lever animation for G3M3
• Updated wet and inter tyre textures for F-Classics & F-V12
• Caterhams: Fixed carbon material
• Roco 001: Fixed gearstick animation
• Sprintrace: Added windscreen reflection, corrected drift gearshift animation (paddles instead of sequential
• AJR: Added Tubarão #5 2020 Chevy V8 livery; added chrome parts to v
• F-Reiza: fixed duplicated livery
• F-V12: Added new Community Skins
• F-Ultimate: Updated liveries for Reiza / Milano / Groove teams (logos/materials)

AI & PHYSICS UPDATES

This build features some major physics and AI improvements - it is recommended to reset your setups and AI Aggression setting.

On the AI side, the AI Aggression system has been completely revamped, changing the way the AI evaluates passing opportunities and how that blends with the AI Aggression setting - 50-70% is a good starting point, with 100% almost sure to result in at least some AI-to-AI crashes.

The AI performance range has also been adjusted but as overall callibration is still in progress you may still observe inconsistencies against player performance as you go from class to class and through different sessions and weather conditions - this should be evolving consistently as we progress through Early Access. AI performance on the run-down to the 1st corner and generally over the first lap likewise will still be callibrated further in upcoming builds.

On the physics side, the biggest change is the addressing of an error that was causing fast dampers not to be disabled in cars that didn´t have suspensions with 2-stage damping (pretty much all cars in the game except the F-V10, F-Reiza, F-Ultimate and SuperV8) - this effectively meant dampers would not work right at certain speeds or were broken altogether, fixing this has gone a long way towards rectifying some of the handling anomalities reported since Beta began. While not all will have substantial handling differences, pretty much every car is worth revisiting with this update.

One of the positive side-effects of this correction is that Force Feedback may feel better / more consistent than before, as a result of the suspension now working properly (rather than development of the FFB system per se).

Source

 

[RaceNut]

Great update Reiza.

 

[nangu]

I tested the "Stock Car" at Interlagos with the update. This car still seems to have too little mechanical grip at low speeds as the rear end is pretty slippery through the two very tight slow corners on exit. Its fine once you corner at any speed where some degree of downforce kicks in of course, but mechanical grip is lacking I feel. (I did quite a few laps in order to ensure tires warmed up nicely)

Would be interested to see what others think about this car/track combo in terms of mechanical grip to see if its just me. I didn't play with any car setup.

Edit3: Upped the differential Power Ramp from default 77deg to 82deg. This seemed to mitigate my low speed tight corner concerns in the Stock Car at Interlagos along with a slight bit of right foot dampening

EDIT1: Tried an AI race at Oulton park with the SuperV8. The AI no longer try to turn 45 degrees left and right down the straight any more (they are still pretty erratic in their decision making), but they are still completely brain dead when cornering. You can be side by side going down the straight on the outside of them leaving plenty of room heading into an approaching corner and they still blindly ram into you as they try to take the ideal racing line. (ie they actually turn from straight to the outside line where I already am prior to even entering the corner). I had not even remotely deviated from my straight course. Believe me, I am leaving room on my inside. I am hugging the very outside of the track! Same happens when on their inside approaching a corner. I am not talking about me attempting to dive bomb the AI, but being completely next to them for extended period approaching a corner (I didn't just come out of nowhere).

They are blind. I think this is a fundamental flaw of the underlying engine AI logic that I suspect will not be easy for Rieza to tune out (I hope I am wrong). Luckily, the AI are raceable because when they blindly start bumping into you through the corners, you are not magically thrown off into the bushes as a result, but remain pretty unaffected by their madness (that I am thankful for). Its pretty frustrating that in an age where AI is everywhere and making astonishing progress, we gamers are left with brain dead algorithms. "Hey Siri, please take control of all the other cars in my race" /rant

Edit2: More Observations. Racing Arc Camaro @ Oulton. Heading down the back straight following an AI car (not closely) who is all on his own. As he approaches the quick Chicane he does a quick inexplicable wiggle right then left before then setting up for the 'normal' corner racing line approach by then gently moving to outside. Its these inexplicable wiggles that show there is some underlying issue with the AI routines. No one around them, but they still wiggle before doing what should be a completely predictable smooth racing line action.

Perhaps this AI engine has been so over engineered over time its no longer tuneable to be predictable and not erratic. Thank goodness they use simplified physics as I would hate to think what problems would ensue if they had to also worry about traction or lack thereof caused by such sudden erratic behaviour.

Apologies for all the extra Edits. Just wanted to add info rather than new post(s).
Disclaimer: Despite some frustration with the AI, I am absolutely loving playing AMS2 in VR. Its pretty much all I have been playing since it was released (with the occasional dip into the new X-Plane 11.50 Vulcan beta in VR)

Hi,

I experienced exactly the same behaviour with the "Stock Car" in Montreal. Corner 5 is impossible to me to put the gas pedal down without spinning, I lose a lot of time there. The car suddenly snap oversteer under acceleration, I need to modulate gas a lot there. It's the same at the hairpin on same track.

I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling. The back of the car starts moving up and down, and suddenly a little pedal press, snap oversteer. I think there are some bumps on these corners, so I softened the rear a little bit but it went worse. Then, stiffened a little bit, up diff to 86, and the car felt a lot better on these spots. I'm not yet confident with the car, but it got better. I don't know if it's my driving, or the car/track at these spots. Other places on that same track are fine, only those two corners I'm struggling a lot with oversteer under acceleration. The V8 Supercar feels a lot better there, I can put the gas down normally on these same corners exits, and the bumps feel a lot less.

About the AI, it's the same for me: I give a lot of room to the AI car by going wide on the outside at the end of the long straight at Montreal, but the AI just ram me before corner entry because he want to take the ideal line despite if I'm there or not. It's like the AI doesn't know how to take a corner from the inside, if it's not on the ideal racing line.

Anyway, I like a lot driving AMS2 in VR at this time. The driving feels very good, FFB is good, night and day with PC2 FFB, but I can't feel front tires lock and understeer yet.

Reiza guys are doing an excellent job IMO, so things only can be better in the future.

PS: Sorry my english.