Automobilista 2 | Latest Update Adds Hot Cars Series

[Paul Jeffrey]

Friday has become the day of the AMS 2 update, and this week is absolutely no different as Reiza Studios deploy yet another impressive new build for their Early Access Automobilista 2 racing simulation.

As well as entering the world packed full of the usual fixes, tweaks and improvements, this latest build is also noteworthy for the inclusion of three cars from the mighty 1980's Brazilian 'Hot Cars' series - where things go crazy and sideways action is your buddy...

Content aside, Reiza continue to work wonders with the developing title, adding another pleasing pass at AI and force feedback behaviour as they build up to a V1 release. Don't worry though, plenty more has been addressed by the hard working team at Reiza HQ - the details of which you can find below:

.............

This week´s update features further housekeeping, with focus again on the FFB / physics / AI combo as these fronts begin to come full circle for v1.0 release.

Relative to last week, the FFB changes have been a slight refactoring of the way steering arm forces pass on to FFB (should provide a slightly "tighter" wheel around the center), slightly reduced the FFB filters added in previous update & added soft lock for wheels that still didn´t have it.

Further FFB changes from now will be restricted to bug fixes, track/car-specific fine tuning & those resulting from physics adjustments - these can still add up to substantial differences, and we also plan to add a couple of car-specific adjustments so users have some room to customize them to their preferences - but as far as the core system goes however we consider FFB wrapped for v1.0

IMPORTANT: "OLD DEFAULT" FFB profile has been discontinued in v0.9.3.1 - there´s only one default FFB profile (the "CUSTOM" option should only be selected if you have modified your Custom FFB file). An updated FFB guide will be posted soon.

On the physics front there´s been another round of fine tuning with most cars receiving a few updates, most substantial being big fixes for F-V10, Super V8, Copa Trucks, F-Classic G3M3 and Superkart. Brakes have also been further fine tuned, the main change being greatly reduced brake performance when cold (be careful in your first corner exiting the pits). Tyre physics on wet surface have also received attention, mostly fixing the excessive slick grip on a wet track for compounds in which that was an issue. IMPORTANT: As usual make sure to reset your setups if you had any changes from default auto-saved.

AI has received another callibration pass, and performance parameters for practice / qualifying (which before were assigned globally for every car, causing a lot of fluctuation in AI performance for those sessions relative to their race skills) now have customized values per class, offering much better balance relative to their race performance. Balance of speed in slower corners vs high have also been further callibrated to be closer to the player´s performance.

IMPORTANT: Please note that AI performance will probably be a bit faster overall so you may need to lower your AI Strength setting relative to the previous version to get the same performance from before. The AI still works better with settings around 100% Strentgh / 50% Aggression, with lower and higher values not offering the range of adjustment one would expect - revising the AI Strength logic is next up on our to-do list.

The downside in the constant flow of updates over this Early Access period is the inconvenience of having to regularly review & reset settings, so we´d like to thank you all for bearing with us through this development stage and for helping keep it pointed in the right direction - rest assured we expect things to begin settling down from now on, allowing you to stop fiddling and focus on racing!

On the content side, in this build we continue to explore the 1980s Brazilian racing scene, now adding the Brazilian Hot Cars series, based on an early 80s spin-off of the popular Divisão 3 category featuring popular cars tuned up to 11 to race around the old Interlagos and Jacarepagua - those were the days!

There´s even a movie featuring the series as background titled "Os Campeões" - a Brazilian 80s rip-off of the classic "Grand Prix" movie worth checking the snippet below even if just for a glance at the glorious old layout of Interlagos!

V0.9.3.1 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

• Added Hot Cars (Early 80s Brazlian Touring Car Series with 3 models)

UI & HUD

• Fixed missing Adelaide Historic loading screen
• Fixed low-res AMS2 shortcut icon when generated by Steam
• Show disabled text in lobby session info if practice/qual are disabled
• Adjusted opacity of main HUD element containers
• Fixed race over countdown
• Added selected state to in-game chat text entry boxes
• Fixed incorrect vehicle statistics for various touring car classics
• Added missing F-Vee Fin statistic
• Fixed track logos being retained from previous track selection when current doesn´t have one

FORCE FEEDBACK

• Slightly refactored the way steering arm forces pass on to FFB (should provide a slightly "tighter" wheel around center)
• Slightly reduced the filters that added in previous update,
• Added soft lock for wheels that still didn´t have it (WIP).
• Disabled Old Default FFB profil
• FFB profiles with lockstops enabled and new exposed values in them.

PHYSICS

• Globally reduced slick grip on wet tracks
• Revised aero efficiency losses with yaw for various cars
• Super V8: Fixed error in steer lock range; Adjusted default ARB & camber settings
• Revised F-Classic front & rear wing for more consistent downfroce increments accross proportional changes of wing angles
• Reduced bumpiness over grass & gravel to address collision issues while running off-track
• Fixed rear brake cooling in various formula cars
• Revised restitution values for crashing into walls and barriers
• Moved default brake bias slightly to the front for FWD cars
• Reduced brake efficiency when cold
• Fixed missing 5th gear in Gol / Passat Classic B
• F-V10: Fixed error in fast damper range
• F-Classic Gen2: Disabled redundant engineboost function
• F-Ultimate:Slightly increased carcass load stiffeness
• Adjusted Roco Aero balance & default setup
• Opala: Fixed rear brakes
• MCR S2000: Fixed missing rear tyre warmers
• Fixed Ultima gearbox RPM tolerance in manual shifts
• Fixed F-V10 loud Traction control sound
• Fixed V-10 AI bouncing
• Fixed Opala 1986 redundant rear left damper setting

AI

• AI performance multipliers for practice & qualifying sessions are now customized per car & proportional to their race performance
• Improved AI skill when driving off the racing line & reduced range for factoring cars up ahead (improves their pace on initial laps & reduces hesitation while being passed)
• Further boost to AI awareness when behind human players
• Callibrated peak AI corner grip & grip multipliers resulting in better speed mid corner through slow / mid speed corners, more realistic speeds through fast corners
• Improved AI skill when off the racing line (resulting in less 1st corner slowdowns and better pace over 1st lap)
• Callibrated AI throttle application for all cars to better correspond with human ability
• Reduced AI boost under braking during an overtake;
• Reduced minimum straight lentgh for KERS / boost application
• Improved AI ability through water puddles (less lifting off throttle)
• Slightly bumped up AI speed under yellow & blue flags
• Revised AI paths for Londrina (both layouts)

TRACKS

• Updated TV cameras for Donington & Kansai
• Kyalami: Updated curb textures
• Jerez: Snap revised road noise; updated walls & barriers to latest standards; Add missing garage door collision; fixed garage door mapping/alignment
• Montreal: Fixed bug causing cars to visually appear to float over track surface

VEHICLES

• Added cockpit windscreen reflections to Super V8, Ultima GTR Race, Ultima GTR Road, Touring Car Classics
• Adjusted visual brake glow ranges
• Fixed F-Classic G3M3 RPM bar
• Adjusted various Fusca textures
• F_Ultimate 2019: Added rain light
• F-Vee: Added rain light
• MCR S2000 new liveries / updates / redesign #10 #13 #19 #20 #21 #23 #24 #14
• F-Trainer: new community skins #21 #22 #23 #24
• MRX P3 revised liveries

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.

 

[leclettico]

Didn't hear anything untoward in any car I drove today. Brakes worked fine.

Uh... But... but the squeal is been there since the first release.

 

[UMC 22]

Uh... But... but the squeal is been there since the first release.

I have not adjusted any audio settings other than opponent engines, and I play using headphones. I do not hear any "squeal" from my brakes.

 

[BillGuy]

Try to brake at high speeds. In the first 10 km/h of deceleration you'll ear a squeal. It seems so weird... With approximately any car.

I have also noticed something like this since the first EA release. In my experience it's definitely not anything like “the first 10 km/h of deceleration” though. I drive with a non-FFB wheel so for better or worse I’ve grown to rely on sound clues to indicate lockup under braking. That doesn’t mean I can’t feel lockup at all. I certainly can feel the classic loss of directional control if the fronts lock or the back end trying to trade places with the front if it’s the rears. I very likely may be able to feel lockup earlier and control it better with FFB but I do “feel” something when lockup occurs.

In AMS 2 it very much felt like the tire squeal noise was happening noticeably before any of the lockup effects I am experiencing occur. This just kind of breaks my brain because with my past experience of 1,000+ hours in AMS 1, tire squeal noise = lockup and that just doesn’t feel like it’s the case with AMS 2 to the best of my perception abilities.

Now let me qualify the above paragraph as being applicable for me only through 0.8.3-ish. The significant improvements to braking in the last two or three updates have resulted in my not experiencing lockup anywhere near as often as prior versions. This probably means I can increase the setup brake pressure to more than I was previously using but I’ve just never done that yet. Because of this, I honestly can’t say if the seemingly “early” tire squeal noise is still present or not. It most definitely *was* there for me in prior releases though.

Personally, I’m not really prepared to make any assertions on whether the tire squeal noise is “right” or “wrong” until I can review telemetry with wheel speed to see if tires have indeed stopped rotating when I hear the noise but don’t necessarily feel it with my non-FFB setup. This may very well be possible right now, but I’ve decided I’m not going to make the effort until 1.0 is released. Too much potential for chasing a moving target until then.

 

[leclettico]

I have also noticed something like this since the first EA release. In my experience it's definitely not anything like “the first 10 km/h of deceleration” though. I drive with a non-FFB wheel so for better or worse I’ve grown to rely on sound clues to indicate lockup under braking. That doesn’t mean I can’t feel lockup at all. I certainly can feel the classic loss of directional control if the fronts lock or the back end trying to trade places with the front if it’s the rears. I very likely may be able to feel lockup earlier and control it better with FFB but I do “feel” something when lockup occurs.

In AMS 2 it very much felt like the tire squeal noise was happening noticeably before any of the lockup effects I am experiencing occur. This just kind of breaks my brain because with my past experience of 1,000+ hours in AMS 1, tire squeal noise = lockup and that just doesn’t feel like it’s the case with AMS 2 to the best of my perception abilities.

Now let me qualify the above paragraph as being applicable for me only through 0.8.3-ish. The significant improvements to braking in the last two or three updates have resulted in my not experiencing lockup anywhere near as often as prior versions. This probably means I can increase the setup brake pressure to more than I was previously using but I’ve just never done that yet. Because of this, I honestly can’t say if the seemingly “early” tire squeal noise is still present or not. It most definitely *was* there for me in prior releases though.

Personally, I’m not really prepared to make any assertions on whether the tire squeal noise is “right” or “wrong” until I can review telemetry with wheel speed to see if tires have indeed stopped rotating when I hear the noise but don’t necessarily feel it with my non-FFB setup. This may very well be possible right now, but I’ve decided I’m not going to make the effort until 1.0 is released. Too much potential for chasing a moving target until then.

Exactly.
Even I do not know if that "squeal" is a blocking. There's no evident smoke behind me, as it used in earliest builds. But it immediately "scares" me leaving me a sensation of a bad brake performance, and so I release the pedal ahead of time.

 

[blot]

Looking forward to putting some time into this tommorow, Just spent the last 6 day's delivering food shopping, I'm friggin shattered!

 

[blot]

I'm pretty happy with the Default FFB as its stands (with changed LFB and LFX Gain etc).

Personally, I am looking forward to some loose surface racing because I actually thought PC2 loose surface (Rally X) felt pretty darn good. Probably in the minority there, but hey, I try to do more racing than analysis..(emphasis on try!) Having said that, modern gaming has become more of a tweak forever and check forums and less about actually playing (Me included). Starting to think that's actually half the fun (My girlfriend thinks so and accuses me of losing interest the moment everything is working as I expect.. Old man syndrome probably)

Rally X was the best thing in Pcars2 mate IMO. That's why it's still on my hardrive!

 

[GaryM05]

Exactly.
Even I do not know if that "squeal" is a blocking. There's no evident smoke behind me, as it used in earliest builds. But it immediately "scares" me leaving me a sensation of a bad brake performance, and so I release the pedal ahead of time.

I haven't tried for myself yet, but is it possible that the squeal is coming from the brake pad on the rotor (common on racing brake pads upon initial application, especially when cold), rather than from the tires/lockup? If you just ride around with slight brake pedal pressure, does the squeal continue even with the tire rolling? If so, they might have modeled the pad/rotor interaction for sound (which I think would just be awesome).

 

[Lefthook]

This is going to cause some debate in our community. Personally I really enjoy the FFB in AMS2, but it's evident in many forums and comment sections that not everyone shares that sentiment.

About 2 updates ago I was in FFB heaven, but since then there is a lot of just weighted numbness that really disappoints me.

 

[GOV47]

I have enjoyed some online races this weekend. Not the biggest fan of the car selection yet, but little by little it is getting.

All I really want at this point is a proper VR replay TV cam or even a Trackside cam that actually works properly.

 

[Harvey Mushman]

With the latest update, I suddenly have NO Player Engine Sound! All the other sounds are normal. Everything works normally in PCars2, so it isn't a problem within my sound system. I verified all my AMS2 files through STEAM. All the audio settings within AMS2 have been double checked. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance...

Problem Resolved!!! I don't know why, but now the sound is back to normal. Sorry for the post...

 

[M D Gourley]

The superb Super V8 at the stunning Kyalami

 

[Glygoo]

did you delete the AMS2 folder in "My documents" if not , do so....

yes I always delete AMS2 folder after an update. I going to try a full reinstall see if that fixes things.

 

[Durge Driven]

Most insignificant thing possible but "Fixed low-res AMS2 shortcut icon when generated by Steam" didn't work for me, still ugly and weird.


Even deleted the old icon and summoned a new one, still ugly and weird.

Don't want to get in trouble so .........

google Automobilista 2 click images at top of page is really good image you see in my pic

Save it as Automobilista 2.png

Drop the png into window here: https://www.convertico.com/

click on download Automobilista.ico

all done first one is the ico

Also name the png or jpg to FOLDER for a folder icon ... set folder properties to picture and tick box

 

[BrunoBæ]

Most insignificant thing possible but "Fixed low-res AMS2 shortcut icon when generated by Steam" didn't work for me, still ugly and weird.
Even deleted the old icon and summoned a new one, still ugly and weird.

I can see DD have a more advanced solution - but I had same blurry icon problem and just manually pointed the change icon to :
\Steam\steamapps\common\Automobilista 2\AMS2.exe or AMS2AVX.exe

 

[DEIC]

About 2 updates ago I was in FFB heaven, but since then there is a lot of just weighted numbness that really disappoints me.

Unfortunately after the last update I feel the same about ffb on my t300 rs got some weighted numbness

 

[Jonathan Young]

Great update for me. I haven’t tried all cars, having spent most of my time with the Caterhams and the Stock Cars, but they feel great. Performance seems fantastic, plagued only by the occasional stutter, once every 30 mins or so.

i only have three requests now - 1) please let me use my sequential shifter. I can map it but it doesn’t work (although it does in h pattern mode!) and 2) let me save different FFB profiles for different cars and finally 3) let me save different profiles for the different rims that I have. I’d love to be able to switch between my Mclaren and BMW Fanatec rims without having to remap everything every time!

 

[Pappa_G_27]

Just tested the new update and finally have decent ffb under braking and on slip on my t300. I did finally test out some different settings and it makes a huge huge difference to get your lfb set up correctly. I'm running with 78/50/45 now and it pretty much spot on.

 

[UMC 22]

Just tested the new update and finally have decent ffb under braking and on slip on my t300.

And this is using the default, unmodified profile? I ask because I'm also on a T300 and as others have mentioned, I just feel weighted numbness now. There is a bit of scrub at extreme angles, but nothing else. I've been using a custom profile for the last few patches, which adds scrub and other effects properly.

 

[Pappa_G_27]

And this is using the default, unmodified profile? I ask because I'm also on a T300 and as others have mentioned, I just feel weighted numbness now. There is a bit of scrub at extreme angles, but nothing else. I've been using a custom profile for the last few patches, which adds scrub and other effects properly.

Default Profile. I also have my Thrustmaster Control Panel Strength on 98. Give it a shot and see what you think. I think there is still some tweaking to be done.

It's the best i've felt in the game, but i must admit i was running quite low LFB (20) previously, which i think was giving me issue of not having much feeling. It's definitely more pronounced now, still not as good as RF2 feedback, but better than what I've had in the past releases (and settings). I feel like with a t300, the game is very picky about Gain vs LFB settings.

I'd be interested to know if the devs have been testing a t300 and what they have been using.

 

[UMC 22]

I already tried the new default profile the evening the patch was released, but it didn't do much for me. It just feels numb, quite frankly. Sure there's weight when cornering and I can feel weight transfer, but road feel, bumps, curbs, and scrub? Pretty much sod all. In my humble opinion the FFB has gone backwards, not forwards. I really rated it a few weeks ago, but not now. At least, not using Reiza's settings.

Instead I'm using a custom profile which feels very, very good at the moment. Weight transfer, road feel, curbs, bumps, scrub on both front and rear tyres and wheel locking... all come through loud and clear. Still needs a little tweaking, but for me it blows the default FFB out of the water.

I'd be interested to know if the devs have been testing a t300 and what they have been using.

All they've said is that they're using a "range" of wheels. So that could be anything from two different models to every wheel out there. However, my bet is that the range is rather small.