iRacing Update News - New Driver Animations and Dirt Footage!

[Paul Jeffrey]

iRacing.com have released a couple of interesting new videos recently, featuring the first ever moving footage from the upcoming loose surface content update, and a very interesting W.I.P. video of new driver arm movement animation, vastly improving on the cumbersome version found in the current build.

The inclusion of loose surface dirt racing was one of iRacing's biggest announcements in recent memory, and represents a huge technical undertaking by the team to bring a wildly different form of motorsport to the predominantly American centric simulation. Little major information has been shared by the team since the announcement, apart from a few thinly spread images of the Dirt Street Stock Car and Ford Fiesta Rally-Cross vehicle, expected to be made available once dirt finally hits the simulation.

In the below video, the Dirt Street Stock Car can be seen piloted by Vice President and Executive Producer at iRacing Steve Myers, circulating around Eldora Speedway, a laser scanned location already confirmed to release as part of the initial build. Keep in mind the below video showcases work in progress footage, as the video may not necessarily represent what the finished product will look like once upon release.

iRacing Dirt in Action Video:

With the obvious excitement about dirt oval racing not to be overestimated, iRacing have seemingly not focused all their development attention to the new surface, with a preview video showing off driver arm / wheel animation having been recently posted by the developers. Driver animation has long been out of date in iRacing, with some very rudimentary implementation glaringly showing the age of the base software, especially in direct comparison to some of the more recent sim racing title's to hit the stores in recent years. As is always the case with iRacing, the developers continue to find ways to update and improve the software and the new Work in Progress video shows considerable improvements over previous implementations.

Now giving a full range of movement, for those iRacers who don't turn off the in game wheel this is a vast improvement over the current standard within the sim. Again the released video shows WIP footage, and no serious indication of when we might see this feature included in the title has been shared by the developers.

iRacing New Driver Animations Video:

Check out the iRacing sub forum here at RaceDepartment for news and discussions regarding the sim. Download or share a setup or two and engage with your fellow iRacing fans today!

Do you like the new driver animations? Looking forward to dirt? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[vegasparis]

Good game, perhaps the best online racing games, but the cost is very to high, and when we see other sim racing title, they should decrease their price % 50
there is less and less people in indy race for exemple

 

[randMracer]

Good game, perhaps the best online racing games, but the cost is very to high,

I totally agree. It's funny no one has said anything about iRacing's pricing model. In this forum during the past two weeks several have complained about Reiza's and Kunos' DLC pricing, but compared to iRacing the Brit pack and Porsche pack are extremely good deals.

My iRacing subscription recently expired after 3 years and I'm not sure if I will go back. After all the content I purchased, I have nothing to show for it. They've increased their membership pricing and cut back on the promotions. If they have the 50% Black Friday sale I might go back, but I'm still undecided.

Personally I think if iRacing would let you do hot laps in the content you've already purchased, without having to go online, that could actually be a good idea.They would probably sell more cars and tracks that way. You could build up your library, practice, learn the setups and when you get tired of doing hot laps then pay for a subscription.

I haven't added it up lately, but I know I've purchased over $400 in tracks and cars, and I can't do a damn thing with them without a subscription. I know the subscriptions help pay for their server maintenance, but I think they've gotten kind of greedy.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

where exactly is the connection between hand animation, dirt splattered on helmet and iRacings pricing model? Beats me.

Back on topic: hands look fine but since I am one of the chaps who always plays with wheel and animation turned off, I won't notice. As for Dirt: I am surprised at how much dirt is picked up from your own car, how about five chaps right in front of you? Will one be able to see anything at all after lap two? Overall: interesting news.

 

[William Levesque]

Not directly useful for most, but for broadcasts and replays it will look far better.

 

[randMracer]

where exactly is the connection between hand animation, dirt splattered on helmet and iRacings pricing model? Beats me.

You're right, I was agreeing with vegasparis and kind of went off on a little tangent. My bad. Carry on.

 

[TS3g]

As for Dirt: I am surprised at how much dirt is picked up from your own car, how about five chaps right in front of you? Will one be able to see anything at all after lap two?

Yeah, this is highly inaccurate. Having raced on dirt for years, you don't get any mud on your visor from your own car with these types of cars because the tires are completely under the fenders . Even cars without fenders (like a modified) won't sling up much mud into your own face. If you are out front or by yourself, it's possible to drive with the visor up on your helmet.

In traffic on the other hand, it can be a different story. Low power cars like the street stock in the video really don't sling all that much mud. A late model though, you'll sometimes have to pull multiple tear-offs per lap. Also, the drier the track, the less mud there is obviously, so you can just wipe the dust off, rather than pull a tear-off.

They still have a long ways to go, but I fully understand that this was a very very early version. I'm excited to see if they can really capture the feel and excitement of dirt racing.

 

[Alex72]

You're right, I was agreeing with vegasparis and kind of went off on a little tangent. My bad. Carry on.

Its true though. Even i would jump on this sim if it was a bit cheaper. Dont know why we cant discuss that on iRacing news. I like what i see but i think its too expensive in the long run, and im sure lots of people feel the same.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

Its true though. Even i would jump on this sim if it was a bit cheaper. Dont know why we cant discuss that on iRacing news. I like what i see but i think its too expensive in the long run, and im sure lots of people feel the same.

I'm following how Kamel GT goes and what may be the future of the Nissan GTP. Too many big news cars have come and gone with leagues quickly drifting away, with a lot of outstanding tracks left underutilized. Too high of a sunk cost risk, especially if you're like me and like the not-so-accessible cars.

 

[Alex72]

I'm following how Kamel GT goes and what may be the future of the Nissan GTP. Too many big news cars have come and gone with leagues quickly drifting away, with a lot of outstanding tracks left underutilized. Too high of a sunk cost risk, especially if you're like me and like the not-so-accessible cars.

Indeed. Im like you - love unconventional combos. So i will probably end up spending lots of money and then have very few or no one to race with. We know how it is in all the other sims. GT3 all the way. But in the other sims i pay reasonable for the main sim and then pocket change for DLC's with a bunch of content in each so it doesnt get expensive to own it all.

I really like the look of the dirt racing. Would love to test it, but i cant spend the cash iRacing wants.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

... Dont know why we cant discuss that on iRacing news.

a) title of the thread? if you want to discuss the pricing, open a new thread. just a matter of forum hygenie, discuss what you want, just let people know what they will get once they start reading the thread.
b) the "discussion" about iRacing pricing has been flogged for so long, you could fill a hangar with all the dead horses it has produced. One of the most pointless topics around (just ahead of: which sim is the most realistic?), hence my touchy response for the second time around.
Sry to interrupt your discussion.