Paul Jeffrey
Premium
If you missed our initial First Drive of DRM Revival mod for Assetto Corsa, be sure to check out the link HERE.
Feedback from that short bit of footage suggested it would perhaps be nice to see more of the individual cars in action, so we undertook the mammouth task of taking each of the 17 cars from the upcoming mod out for a drive on the Nürburgring Grand Prix track - all 17!
The result? Over 70 minutes of track action - enjoy
As well as bringing you some video footage of the cars in action, we took the opportunity to speak with the team behind this excellent mod to get a feel for what the future looks like for DRM Revival and the DRM Modding Team. You can read the brief interview below:
DRM Modding Team Interview
RD: The DRM Revival Mod has been in the making for AC for quite some time now. I understand you have had some issues along the way that may account for the delay in release. Can you explain what the team have gone through to get to this point?
DRM: We underestimated the project, it became more and more work.
When we have converted the first cars and they were in-game, we saw that the quality no longer corresponds to our requirements.
We had to revise many cars and details, some of the 3d models we had to improve. At the beginning the constant o Corsa forced us to make corrections over and over again.
Our growing experience of the Assetto Corsa engine and the fmod constantly improved the MOD. Hardware issues, frustration and "german accurancy" often led to delays and discussion topics in the team.
Today the problems are forgotten, we are in the slipstream and turn onto the start-finish straight.
RD: On the subject of the mod, which cars are likely to appear at release date?
DRM: We decided not to use real names. There will be a total of 10 cars, plus 7 variations. They differ in the 3D model, such as rims, wings, bodywork as well as in sound and physics.
RD: Are these cars from a particular season or era, and what inspired you to create these for Assetto Corsa?
DRM: The cars drove the space of time from 1976 to 1981 in the German racing sport mastery "Deutschen Rennsport Meisterschaft", as well as in the American IMSA series.
Assetto Corsa was the only existing engine that corresponds to our expectations of the implementing of the cars.
RD: DRM is obviously close to your hearts, however how difficult have you found the quest for data from the series and how close are the cars, in your opinion, to the real series?
DRM: It was pure horror to find data from the cars. In some cases, the cars were never in identical condition from race to race, constantly in further development.
Technical suspension data are almost impossible to find, many of the information are questionable.
After 10 years of research, we have gained a great deal of knowledge about the cars. In addition we got in touch with some of the teams which drove at this time and so we were able to get important data like the aerodynamics, transmission, G-forces and much more.
How close are the cars to reality? It is difficult to answer and find a comparison. All cars in historic racing sport nowadays are no longer in the same configuration as at the 70’s, as for example the tires, the performance, the boost pressure or the willingness to go to the limit of the car.
Thus, the lap times today are difficult to compare with those of that time.
That's our problem, but I think our interpretation of the "Deutsche Rennsport Meisterschaft" is well implemented in our opinion.
If we take the current lap times of the cars in Laguna Seca, for example, we are in the range of +/- 1 sec, the cornering speeds are right, the braking points ok, it seems very consistent.
RD: When we last spoke you mentioned the actual delivery method of the mod was still under discussion (part free, part paid). Have you decided now how you will release the mod and when it might be available?
DRM: Oh yes, the discussion opened up our eyes. As announced then, it would be a mistake. It would just be a mess.
We will follow the way as the RSS team has done. The MOD will cost about 15 € for the 17 different cars. There will be fictitious skins with fictitious names, done.Later the community can paint the liveries with the templates.
The question when we will release?
I can’t answer, but I'm sure we will not finish it before the end of March.
RD: What sort of liveries will be available when it releases?
DRM: Paintings, logos, brands and names, everything will be fictitious. Unfortunately we have to go this way.
RD: Will each car have its own physics sets, and will you also consider releasing an BOP'd version for league racing?
DRM: Each car has its own physics. On a well chosen track, a low-powered car can beat a high-powered car. The racing duration, fuel consumption and tire wear are important factors.
No, we will not release a BOP version. We leave it to the leagues, as the choice of the right track, the race length and the possible placement weights.
RD: Can you and the team share any particular story from the creation of the mod that makes you most proud / happy / surprised during its creation?
DRM: We were surprised and a little bit proud, when we were asked by a team from the historic motorsport, what damper and suspension parameters we use in our car.
With our adjustment, the newly built car later went well on the racing track.
RD: We've already discussed the contents of the initial release, do you plan on adding more / different cars / versions over time?
DRM: Should we encounter approval from the community with the MOD, we will release two more planned vehicles.
RD: Once DRM Revival is complete and any additional updates / fixes / content have been released, what next for the team? Is that the end of the road, or can we expect more content to come in future (a different series or era perhaps?).
DRM: The modding takes such a long time, which none of us can only dabble in. I think we'll develop one or two things internally and keep on. But whether someone will see a further MOD from us, I cannot answer.
Is there not soon Assetto Corsa 2?
RD: Anything else not covered in the questions above you want to discuss?
DRM: Ask me again in April!
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Looking forward to DRM Revival? Which car do you most want to get behind the wheel of? Let us know in the comments section below!
