Assetto Corsa: Spa License and Pre-Order Info

[Bram Hengeveld]

Bram Hengeveld submitted a new blog post:

Assetto Corsa: Spa License and Pre-Order Info

Kunos Simulazioni have announced a new track addition for Assetto Corsa as the legendary track of Spa-Francorchamps is now officially licensed.

After Yesterday news where Steam Greenlit Assetto Corsa the development team thanked...

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Guys really... think about it this way: everyone compares game made by bunch of italian guys (and one greek) in their little office somewhere in italy but nobody knows where, to the game with reputation of being legendary racing game made by army of heavily paid japanise cream of crop with tens of milions at their disposal.
And in the end everybody compares them very, very seriously.
So I think that shows the scale of Kunos' achivement.

Apart from the ancient PS3 vs high end gaming rig that´s a good point.
I guess even with that in mind it´s still extremely impressive for AC.

 

[Sebastian Wolff]

.

 

[DennS]

Shadow Explorer

While the Steam statement about the release could sound like that to any hardcore sim racer who doesn't care where or how to get it. They will make so much more money from just being on steam because when people see a racing game with great looking graphics and for example Ferraris the chance is quite high that they buy it, even if they race with a gamepad... Steam has millions of users who see this game without even ever hearing about AC or Kunos before.

You couldn't get this more wrong could you? So far you have no idea on pricing what so ever but you already critize it, if they announced the game costs 100Euro + 25Euro for Spa I would get what you a trying to say but just ranting about how you read a statement without facts... You can buy the game and enjoy all the content that is included, they give you the choice to get additional top notch laserscanned or licensed cars modelled with manufacturer data for years to come, who do you think should pay for that? They have to life from selling their software, it is a business. And by the way they said at gamescon that there will be free DLC too.

Sure they could just release v1.0 with what they got and never bother about new content (and release AC2 in 5 years) but I for one love being able to buy additional Ferraris, BMWs or whatever if I like that car, if not then you simply skip it, it is that easy... You know from the beginning what you get and what you don't get, it is far from a rip off as you make it sound (there are pre-order/special deals for pretty much everything in this world).

Nobody ever said that it is Steam only (it could be though, I agree on that but I doubt it), you try to make it sound like everything is bad what they announce which is quite sad actually...

PS.: I am not an AC Fanboy, far from it I bought netkarPro at release (and let's say it was quite interesting ), I am just a simracer...

 

[Shadow Explorer]

We see things from a different perspective.
But I understand you.

They could also team up with GOG for the weird people like me,who doesn't like DRM.
They didn't though....

I will tell you something, I'm not interested at what AC has to offer by default.
I happen not to like paganis and ferraris,
nothing wrong with them,I was never into that kind of cars.


So the stock content doesn't really interest me that much other than the Z4 GT3.

It is great for those who like them,
and understandable for Kunos being an italian team.


It's their marketing choices that kill it for me.
Spa is the only big track along with monza that they will offer so far.
and see it locked behind a paywall (early pay or extra later) is sad.

This kind of DLC creates a 2 tier customers,those who want and can buy it as a preorder and those who wait.

In case you wait you will get something less for the same money.
I see no reason why this has to happen.Someone who doesn't buy a preorder or wants to wait a bit,why he should be considered a lesser customer...?


The price doesn't matter, it is the monetizing model that I find wrong.


I'm disappointed,more disappointed that angry, of course my post could be written better,but then I would have to sensor my thoughts,and it is not something I like to do.

I dislike those practices not because it's Kunos doing them,but because I dislike those practices in general...

I love AC as a game, it sounds like it will be great.

I still find it hard to support a team that does the same things I'm crying foul to big dinosaurs of this industry...
Especially If i have to embrace steam, something I don't want to.

 

[DennS]

Shadow Explorer

When you say it like that is does make a lot more sense (to me ).
If the V1.0 of the game is solid (for everybody not only simracers) then content is what it's all about, that is why people other than harcdcore simracers will be interested in it. It wouldn't even be close to what it is now without all the licenses. So when you say it like in your second to last post where it sounds like a bad thing for everybody which is simply not true...

I get what you mean about the Spa pre-order (now ) and yes it might be annoying if you don't pre-order because you want to wait to see what the community says about the game/sim for example.
They could also say ok Spa will be in the 1st DLC pack and everybody can buy it then, it is just a little way of getting more people to pre-order it of course... But for me the simracers will pre-order it nonetheless because they know Kunos/AC and they get Spa/premium pack for free. That is why I think Kunos did it like that, they love sim racing, simply as that. But you also need casual players to make more money because the sim racing market is so small..

From a business point of view it just makes sense. In my opinion they simply can't get Spa ready in time to include it in v1.0 as well as other cars they have licenses for. They don't want to and probably can't push the release date just to include everything because that would take forever... well they could but that makes other people a lot more angry . So they will give you the chance to get it for free which means pre-order (which is fine for most as long as you don't have to pay right away).

You always have to remember they don't have any publisher who gives them 10Million Euros and says go do something (or rich individuals who finance it), they are an incredible small team of 14 people or so who have a small budget to get things done... They need to sell AC to as much people as possible and make money with it and from all we know they won't charge you an arm and leg for it. There is not much you get for free nowadays...

PS.: Beside Monza there is also Silverstone and Imola as big tracks, all of which so far are in no other racing game as a laserscanned version... Same goes for Ferrari (sim wise) , no matter if you like it or not it is crazy how they can pull it off... It wouldn't even surprise me if Marco can get the Porsche license even if it is Forza exclusive

 

[Shadow Explorer]

First of all you are correct about silverstone.I missed it.
Yes this is what I don't like. It's always about money...

Most preorders in other games,are little perks, like different character costumes,skins,maybe a car or two etc.
Having the whole circuit and one of the most important in your package is a big deal.
It is like having an extra chapter in an RPG game....

Also keep in mind that the preorder will last for sometime because of the deal, so most likely it will be ready at release.


Yes they are a small team with no publisher, this is exactly what hits me REALLY bad.
They do not have to do any ofthat stuff,no one is forcing them,yet they have chosen to do so.


And being a small team as you say... they should be much much closer to their audience.


In case of those industry dinosaurs I mentioned, you might have a studio of cool guys and a publisher that forces them to use all that crap.

If you end up not buying the game,you punish the studio for the same of the publisher even if they do not deserve that,because they were force to use such gimmicks.

 

[Arkadiusz Wawrzyniak]

Spa is the only big track along with monza that they will offer so far.

Nurburgring GP, Nordschleife VLN.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

Will those be part of the first release?, not that it changes anything if they are.

 

[Shadow Explorer]

Shadow Explorer
PS.: Beside Monza there is also Silverstone and Imola as big tracks, all of which so far are in no other racing game as a laserscanned version... Same goes for Ferrari (sim wise) , no matter if you like it or not it is crazy how they can pull it off... It wouldn't even surprise me if Marco can get the Porsche license even if it is Forza exclusive

I'm definitely not judging the game itself. content likes and dislikes are a matter of preference.
Nothing more, what means the stars for me might be garbage for someone else.

 

[Arkadiusz Wawrzyniak]

They were in AC at Gamescom 2012 so... I believe they will be in first release.

 

[DennS]

Nurburgring GP, Nordschleife VLN.

right there is also the Nürburgring GP track which should be in v1.0 I guess, completely forgot about that . Nordschleife proably not, but who knows...

...Most preorders in other games,are little perks, like different character costumes,skins,maybe a car or two etc.
Having the whole circuit and one of the most important in your package is a big deal.
It is like having an extra chapter in an RPG game....

It is not only Spa you get for free when pre-ordering it is a whole pack, we just don't know what is included beside Spa yet.

Just think about it there might be even better deals in the future, like a christmas sale or whatever when version 1.0 is 30% off or something. Or a premium pack 50% off... There will be deals like that from time to time. Do you think that is fair to people who paid full price? Sometimes you are lucky sometimes not. I am sure you will get an even better deal if you don't buy it at release, so for me personally it really isn't a big deal...

It happens with everything if I buy something at Amazon today, the next day it can be 10Euro less. Does it bother me? Yes but there will always be deals to get customers...

If you are really that disappointed about this, I got two 20% off discount codes for AC from Gamescon last year. Shadow Explorer just write me a pm and I'll send you one code. I am not sure if I will use the other one myself, if not I will also give that one away here when we know about the release...

 

[MarcG]

Seems to me Kunos might be leaning towards Content over Features with v1.0, get the masses in with fancy cars and tracks then develop and add features thereafter. Nothing wrong with that but I'd personally prefer it the other way round (Pit Stops, Real Road Tech, Weather etc first), afterall the community will make Content as well.

 

[Arkadiusz Wawrzyniak]

I don't know if 9 (?) tracks can be called leaning towards content.

 

[Incognito]

Big or small, companies have to protect themselves against piracy. If this means Steam, then I guess it is not so bad a solution.

On top of that, Steam creates some great opportunities for Kunos... with some bright sides like Kunos establishing a sustainable business and offering more quality licenses, and some potential dangers like casual gamers representing the bigger audience of AC and lobbying for features that go against the simulation concept.

I wish and anticipate major success for Kunos. I just hope they do not forget their roots.

 

[Requiem84]

Some people really seem to forget that Kunos & co have to buy food, pay for a mortgage, and have some money to spend.

In the end Kunos Simulazioni is a business that needs to make money. If they have all the goodwill in the world by giving everything for free, that will leave them empty and broke. In the end, Kunos Simulazioni that goes bankrupt is not in anyone's interest (bar iRacing and rFactor's perhaps...?).

Getting onto steam, getting the big licenses like Spa and Ferrari is amazing from a commercial pov. The tide is with KS now. Now it is up to them to deliver and keep on delivering.

But most of all, I urge all the complainers to try to zoom out from their own perspective and see the bigger picture.

 

[DennS]

Seems to me Kunos might be leaning towards Content over Features with v1.0, get the masses in with fancy cars and tracks then develop and add features thereafter. Nothing wrong with that but I'd personally prefer it the other way round (Pit Stops, Real Road Tech, Weather etc first), afterall the community will make Content as well.

Yes and no, they will try to squezze as much content in as possible. For example they announced that the McLaren will be DLC but after seeing all those screenshots and reading tweets that they are working on the cars right now, I am fairly sure that those two will be in version 1.0.

But Stefano for example is not working on content from what we know so he will be working on the features I guess...

As I said before the content is what will make sales, not rain or real road tech which I would also prefer though... But I rather have those features in the upcoming years than half finished stuff now...

 

[Shadow Explorer]

The game itself will not be free as far as I know. They can make money from there,they have also deal with fanatec and monetized on the tech demo as well.

They will have DLC as well. So they have plenty opportunities to make money without creating all these problems.

Regarding piracy... Steam is easy to crack...
Actually if you want a cracked copy of a game you better want it to be on steam and be noticed....

All DRM in the world never has stopped and never will, someone who is determined to crack it.
It just takes away freedom from legit customers.While "pirates" enjoy it for free and without limitations.

People will do it regardless,and then only the legit customers will have to go through the hoops.
If you treat your customers as possible pirates then you deserve to be pirated...

I would invite all others to zoom out from their own perspectives and see why they should complain.

Not because they dislike kunos or the game,but for creating a better experience for everyone.

 

[Requiem84]

You are making an awful lot of assumptions;

For instance; what do you think it costs to get a Ferrari in the game? Licencse costs are huge.

Right now, they have 14 people working on the game. That is quite a big increase in contrast to their previous work.

They could make millions by selling AC and DLC's and still make a net-loss.

We don't have a clue about their financial situation. Nor do you, or do you have any inside information? All I need is that I know that it is in our interest when AC becomes a succes. When NKP wasn't a succes, Kunos had to move away his attention from NKP to other commercial projects. In the end, we suffered.

In the end, we all want a game that costs 5 euro, and has all the content that exactly we want and need for our own purposes. Unfortunately, that will never be possible. So I ask you, what is not only good about your perspective, but also realistic?

 

[Shadow Explorer]

what assumptions I'm making?. the game will not be free.the did monetized the demo by requiring to purchase NKPro,the made a special deal.The also announced DLC for 8 years if im right.

Where is the assumption in that. Their financial situation is not my problem as a customer
and no 5 euro game is a bad Idea because the devs have to eat as you say.

what is a good move from my point of view?
fairness.

Release the game in multiple platforms that suits everyones taste. steam for those who like DRM!?!
GOG or retail for those who do not.

No preorder ****.
Spa will have to be paid by everyone or be handed for free.

an apology for the consecutive missed release windows wouldn't hurt as well.

Is that much?

 

[Senad Subasic]

Demo will be available to all, as said by many on multiple occasions.

The game surely won't be only on Steam, where do you see that? And it's not about DRM, as they're not into that, it's about offering their product to a huge market.

An apology? Wat.