iRacing | New Update, Grass Previews and Hockenheim Confirmed

Paul Jeffrey

Premium
It seems like Hockenheim is the flavour of the month in sim racing circles, even if F1 didn't quite work out, as now iRacing have confirmed the track is in development for the simulation.
  • Hockenheim confirmed.
  • New grass preview.
  • Huge game hotfix released.

Hockenheim is very much a circuit in vogue of late, with first Reiza Studios having brought the track to life in Automobiilista 2, and now the American development team over at iRacing having confirmed the track is under construction and scheduled to drop for the title in the near future.

Sadly it is unlikely that historical layouts will be included in the iRacing release, however the modern incarnation of one of the most popular venues on the regular F1 calendar will certainly be appreciated by iRacing fans, and should match up nicely with the recently announced LMP2 machine coming to the sim.

iRacing Grass.jpg


Grass - Is it always greener on the other side?

Apparently iRacing think it is, as they are currently developing a whole new way to bring the green stuff to life within the various circuits available in iRacing.

The developers will of course be rolling out the new technology to the various circuits with the simulation over time, the first of which to be on the reciving end of the digital gardening is set to be Weedsport Raceway (nope, the name isn't a joke..).

Stay tuned for more info on everyone's favourite subject as and when it becomes available...

Season 3, Patch 4 Update Notes:

UI:

  • Fixed an issue where users were getting Registered to the wrong Split when Spectating a multi-car event.
Race Control
  • Fixed an issue where a time-limited Race finish could sometimes not triggering at all.
AI Racing
  • AI Drivers have received additional training with the following vehicles:
    – – BMW M4 GT4
    – – Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
  • AI Drivers have received additional training at the following tracks:
    – – Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps – Grand Prix Pits
New Damage Model
  • Adjustments have been made to improve the New Damage Model on opponent cars so that it more quickly matches the actual state recorded by the server.
    – – Most damage states received from the server are now applied to opponent cars immediately.
    – – The exception to this are damage states that would reattach wheels or car parts.
    – – – In these cases, the damage state change can be delayed. The reattachment of wheels or car parts will be delayed if the force involved in breaking the part was above a threshold. There is a low and a high threshold with separate delay times. More severe impacts will cause a longer delay, minor impacts will have no delay.
  • Fixed an issue where some car-on-car contacts were not creating incidents correctly.
  • Fixed an issue where Replays featuring cars that had the New Damage Model at the time and have since been reverted were not loading correctly.
    – – Now, whenever loading a Replay, the Simulator will always use the New Damage Model car if that car had ever used it before.
  • The allowable hyper-extended distance for the front wheels on all stockcars has been reduced to prevent wheels popping through the hood.
  • The allowable hyper-extended distance for the wheels on all open-wheeled cars has been reduced to prevent some odd flipping behavior.
  • The hyper-extended suspension will now be reset when a vehicle with this issue enters a pit stall.
    – – This reset, and possible car hop, should only trigger when there is a hyperextended wheel.
Graphics
  • Removed a restriction in the Graphics Settings that prevented negative monitor bezel widths.
ARCA Menards Chevrolet Impala
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
Audi R8 LMS
  • 2020 Season 3 Balance of Power Adjustments: Minimum weight reduced by 5 kg, and fuel consumption rate reduced slightly.
Ford GT GT2/GT3
  • (Ford GT GT3) – 2020 Season 3 Balance of Power Adjustments: Aerodynamic downforce has been increased moderately, and fuel consumption rate reduced slightly.
Formula Renault 3.5
  • Tire parameters have been updated!
  • The tire grip has been increased.
  • Engine and drivetrain losses have been adjusted.
  • Front wing angle limits have been adjusted.
  • Ride height range adjustments have been reduced.
  • Fixed an issue where the front wing would not load correctly when gating with the rear wing.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
McLaren MP4-12C GT3
  • 2020 Season 3 Balance of Power Adjustments: Fuel consumption rate increased slightly.
Mercedes-AMG GT3
  • 2020 Season 3 Balance of Power Adjustments: Gear shift control parameters have been adjusted to improve down-shift quality, engine braking has been adjusted, fitting bump rubbers is now optional, engine power has been reduced slightly, and ride height adjustment ranges have been reduced.
  • The baseline setup has been updated.
NASCAR Chevrolet Monte Carlo – 1987
  • The iRacing setups for Phoenix Raceway and Rockingham Speedway have been updated.
  • Draft effects have been improved at medium and small ovals.
NASCAR Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Cup Series Ford Mustang
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Camry
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Chevrolet Silverado
  • Draft effects have been improved at medium and small ovals.
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Ford F150
  • Draft effects have been improved at medium and small ovals.
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Toyota Tundra
  • Draft effects have been improved at medium and small ovals.
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Ford Thunderbird – 1987
  • The iRacing setups for Phoenix Raceway and Rockingham Speedway have been updated.
  • Draft effects have been improved at medium and small ovals.
NASCAR Xfinity Chevrolet Camaro
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Xfinity Ford Mustang
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
NASCAR Xfinity Toyota Supra
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
  • iRacing setups have been updated.
Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport MR
  • For the New Damage Model, various parameters have been adjusted, including:
    – – Stiffness of chassis and body has been increased slightly.
    – – Detachable parts have had their hinging break limits reduced.
    – – Overall bumper strengths have been increased to prevent crumpling under light contacts.
    – – Rear bumper damage has a reduced effect on aerodynamic drag.
Subaru WRX STI
  • 2020 Season 3 Balance of Power Adjustment: Engine power has been increased slightly.
[Legacy] Dallara DW12
  • Rear wing adjustment range has been expanded at long ovals.
  • New iRacing setups have been added for the following track configs:
    – – [Legacy] Charlotte Motor Speedway – 2008 – Oval
    – – [Legacy] Texas Motor Speedway – 2009 – Oval
[Legacy] NASCAR Cup Chevrolet Impala COT – 2009
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Cup Chevrolet SS – 2013
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Cup Ford Fusion – 2016
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Nationwide Chevrolet Impala – 2012
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Truck Chevrolet Silverado – 2008
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Xfinity Chevrolet Camaro – 2014
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Xfinity Ford Mustang – 2016
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
[Legacy] NASCAR Xfinity Toyota Camry – 2015
  • The maximum brake torque has been reduced.
  • Tire slip performance and tire cooling have been updated slightly.
Kansas Speedway
  • Fixed an issue with Caution lights disappearing at lower object detail settings.
  • Night lighting has been improved.
Kentucky Speedway
  • Fixed some lighting issues on barriers.
  • Fixed some lighting issues in the pits area.
  • Fixed some lighting issues with Musco lights.

iRacing is available now, and is exclusive to PC.

Want to know how to get the most from your simulation? Ask our awesome community at the iRacing sub forum here at RaceDepartment.

iRacing Grass 2.jpg
iRacing Update.jpg
 
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I own both ACC and iRacing.

I love iRacing, the best online service for $9.1/month only (for 1 year, $8.3 for 2 years, currently 50% off for new members) and a great community. They need more recent GT cars and more road tracks outside North America, I'm really pleased about Hockenheim .

But when I switch from ACC to iRacing, I feel like I'm going back 20 years (their road tracks visuals).
New grass is a pretty and surprising update, but they really need to upgrade their road tracks (everything outside the track limit) with new textures, more details, better and more realistic rendering.
Their cars are amazing, especially the newest, but their road tracks are still using the same graphics since 2008, when the sim has been released.

It's a small dev team (like Kunos) using an old proprietary engine, I understand that, but I hope they have planned a graphics update for their road tracks. Even Studio 397 has started to update the visuals of their tracks.

Otherwise, I would pay a subscription fee to Kunos for the same online service.
 
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Who looks at blades at grass at 150 MPH + :laugh:?

In fairness you could say that about any of the scenery really.
I mean look, I am all for detail, so long as not at the cost of good FFB and physics.

It is extremely pleasant to ogle at good graphics IMO, it makes you no less a sim racer.

I can't see this going 20mph as it's in field...but its nice to have there...

Screenshot_eb_mazda_miata_koala_ddm_gts_tsukuba_13-6-120-8-30-43.jpg
 
  • Haha
Reactions: CC
In fairness you could say that about any of the scenery really.
I mean look, I am all for detail, so long as not at the cost of good FFB and physics.

It is extremely pleasant to ogle at good graphics IMO, it makes you no less a sim racer.

I can't see this going 20mph as it's in field...but its nice to have there...

View attachment 392633
At least when you pit you can pop in for some cigs and a pint of milk from the Community Plaza shop:)
 
How about grass' physics and "most realistic off-tarmac sim" poll?
Because most of sims are quite off in terms of roughness and traction, and spin and accelerate ability as a result..
PS And then, add some rain and cold temperature into equation ;)
 
Welcome to all the "anti-iracing" and all the "acc" fanboys, have fun in this thread, it's made just for you XD

How is it being a fanboy to point out that the iRacing “updated” grass still doesn’t look as good as what other sims have had for some time? They hype it as a new feature so it’s inevitable that people are going to be critical about it.
 
I don't understand why they are spending efforts on better grass. They should be working on their tyre model instead.

I doubt the guy working in the graphics department has much knowledge in tire physics.
They have multiple departments working on different aspects of the game.

The tire model may not be perfect but since the release of the newest model, there has been updates to it every 3 months along with weekly hotfixes if you check all the build notes like this one.

Slip angle and cooling adjustments on several vehicles.
 
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They hype it as a new feature so it’s inevitable that people are going to be critical about it.

As some who visits the iracing forms somewhat regularly. I ve seen little talk regarding the grass preview and feel the only people "hyping" this is the RD community.

When iracing usually wants to promote and hype a new feature they release a video on there YouTube channel.

Edit: I found a thread on the iracing form, page 3 in general discussion.
The grass preview wasn't even started by iracing staff or official preview.
An iracing member found a Twitter photo from one of the graphic designers tweets.
 
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