Kunos Marco Massarutto Responds to Assetto Corsa Console Criticism

[Paul Jeffrey]

Kunos Simulazioni's Marco Massarutto has offered a lengthy response to criticism from some sections of the sim racing community, regarding the perceived asumptions that Kunos plan to "water down" Assetto Corsa to appeal to a more broader console audience.

Although a move to consoles for Assetto Corsa is widely considered a good thing for the sim racing genre, allowing the hobby we all enjoy to spread to a wider audience and perhaps inspire players who wouldn’t normally consider serious driving sims, Massarutto has felt the need quash several common assumptions and worries of a section of the Assetto Corsa fanbase.

Massarutto took to Facebook with a lengthy retort explaining how Assetto Corsa for PC will not be diluted in any way by the move to console, and perhaps more interestingly he stated that the console version of the game will be every bit as simulation as its PC relative. Kunos are looking at the console market to see how popular a thoroughbred racing simulation can be, and personally I think that can only be a good thing for the sim racing genre as a whole.

One other interesting item came from the post by Massarutto, a sneak preview cockpit shot of the Porsche 911 RSR 3.0, due to join as part of one of three Porsche DLC packages in the coming weeks.

See the full Marco Massarutto quote below:

"Some thoughs and answers to assumptions and theories I read on forums about the launch of Assetto Corsa on console, the future of AC, the neverending question “will Kunos turn it in an simcadish on PS4/X1 to sell more?”, or -even better- “will Kunos turn the PC version in a simcadish to please a wider audience?"

Usually I don’t get bored to read hundreds (thousands?) of times the same questions people ask me, since I understand that everyday lot of people hear about Assetto Corsa for the first time. But when the same people ask the same questions or they underline the same points, sometime can be boring. Even because, no one needs to believe us. Just see and evaluate by yourself what there is out there.

Assetto Corsa console -> will be a simplified/simcade version of AC?
Since last January, on the internet there are a lot of “hands on” and previews of the console version, always played using a steering wheel. We showed it during the European tour, during the Vallelunga event last May, and the conclusions of the players/journalists have been always “it feels like the pc version”.

Another clue: what is the most known and appreciated characteristic of Assetto Corsa? Its car handling, and driving feeling. Which is the best reason why console gamers may decide to play Assetto Corsa, rather than Forza, or Gran Turismo? The number of cars? The graphics? I would say the fidelity of the simulation, the unique handling, the laserscanned tracks, the depth that a PC simulation can perform. If we subtract these factors, Assetto Corsa can’t compete with these titles, because it couldn’t offer nothing more these titles (created by talented people) feature at their best since years.

The most annoying question: now that AC console is ready for release, is going Kunos to make the PC version of AC more arcadish?

The console version of Assetto Corsa has been announced in mid 2015, the team started to work on it in late 2014. Since then, the PC version has been constantly improved, updated, expanded, with 7 major builds, several new tyre models (now we are at version 10 – TEN) adding features asked from SIMracers, and now we are going to release the 1.8 version on August 26th. The popularity of AC on PC is at the maximum level, it’s often in the Top chartz on Steam, people love it and enjoy it everyday, and they support us each time we release new features and content. Please give me a logical reason why we should change this, after 18 months of HUGE development brought ahead on PC after the 1.0 release. Simply, there is no reason why we should do this. So, ask yourself: in the last 18 months, on PC, did we converted AC 1.0 in a simcade, or we gave it even more depth?
We decided to bring AC on console to give ourselves THE answer to the question: “there is any potential on console market for a simulation like AC?”. As company that runs in this business, we have to know it. And we’ll know it soon. And the only way to answer this question is to bring on console the same experience people appreciate so much on PC, at the best we can. Period.

So, keep calm, don’t worry. The only way we can change the soul of our most successful creation is to make it even stronger."
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Assetto Corsa will be available for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on 26th August (EU) and August 30th (NA). Check out the recent console trailer here.

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Check out the Assetto Corsa forum here at RaceDepartment for the latest news and discussion items regarding the simulation. Have a look at our new Modding Discussion forum, a place for modding teams and those interested in the world of content creation for AC to come together and discuss the process. Looking to download? Check out the Assetto Corsa mods section, a vast archive of top quality Assetto Corsa cars, tracks, apps and skins!

If all that isn’t enough, come visit us at the Assetto Corsa Racing Club. We have loads of informal racing events and serious top quality leagues for you to enjoy.

Does the latest statement from Kunos give you confidence in the ability of the team to still deliver a top quality PC product despite the move to console? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Austin Ogonoski]

Thinking outside the box, I wouldn't mind if Kunos made a mid-season report of sorts saying they were indeed going to make changes to the base game now that the console version is a thing that matters to them. In that situation, at least people know what they're getting. Might still upset the hardcore guys, but they were upset to begin with.

What bothers me is that they act like this is all some giant conspiracy fueled by "lunatics." The two versions of the game clearly aren't the same, photographic evidence prominently displays the spontaneous downgrade the PC version received, modders who once built portions of official DLC have discussed legitimate physics shortcomings, and yet random accounts with barely any post history aside from pro-AC comments treat us as if we're denying the holocaust. And rather than allow ALL owners of the game to chill out on the official forums to discuss the future of the franchise, basically anyone who didn't like the game was booted out.

That's an awful lot of damage control for a game they swear hasn't been adjusted for the console crowd.

 

[RC45]

I am in shock ... I came to Racedepartment a few months ago, and was so pleasantly surprised about the nice tone here. People were talking to each other in niceties and a very civil tone and respect, was what I saw here. I turned premium member at once - and now I see threads turning facebookish. People loosing all sense of reality.

What in the name of... something, is going on? Is this the way people with enthusiasm treat each other? Then I may as well turn elsewhere.

Get a drink, get laid, or get a grip people. Please.

I think the rabid toned responses some people have posted might even be fueled by the just plain angry and vicious position the AC devs seem to take in their communications. I have to admit I have never seen devs attack customers in this way before - well I take that back, that whats-his-name bloke over at Fanatec also lets rip into paying customers every now and again - I know he once attacked me for publicly questioning the long delay and day-1 failure the $800 wheel/pedal/shifter kit I purchased, had suffered.

Perhaos if the devs toned it down their fans would too

 

[TobiasR]

I wonder what the internet would've been like after Geoff Crammond scrapped the entire weather system from GP2 before the release. Would've been one hell of a party.

 

[Christian Moreau]

Yeah Chris, it was taken with NGM weathers at the old Monaco track mod but I tweaked the PP filter quite a bit to my liking... like glare settings, different dof settings, some color correction via SweetFX and all sorts of crap. Not using NGM now though, using Peter Boese's good and bad weather's thingy because damn the new clouds he included just destroys Kunos stock clouds ten times over.

Also jeez, apparently my screenshots post angered that guy. What a time we live in, the abundance of NaCl is unreal.

Nice, I'm using WagnumPI's settings right now. He packaged Peter Boese's clouds and they look amazing, definitely a huge step up over the Kunos clouds.

 

[RC45]

Nice, I'm using WagnumPI's settings right now. He packaged Peter Boese's clouds and they look amazing, definitely a huge step up over the Kunos clouds.

And these types of tweaks, add-ons and mods will be unknown to all the console users
Part of the concern of the PC crowd might be that one day an update will quash the ability to mod the core game, the same way they put the kabash on the mod forums when they became too much of a distraction.

 

[Brandon Wright]

Very well written well though out response, but you did keep comparing a 7 year old PS3 game to newer XBone and PC games.

Right, because that's when I was playing on console. If there had been a quality port to PS3 of rFactor or LFS or GTR back then I would have been all over it and kissed GT goodbye. Same difference.

3 PS3's and screens is the cost of a pretty decent gaming PC, even as used PS3's.

Sure, if I bought them retail. But I already had one PS3 and a dedicated tv for it that I had been playing on for a couple years. Managed to score two used tv's of the same size for about $100 total from a co-worker and scored two used PS3's for about $150 total. Can't get a decent gaming PC for $250. Eventually, when I could afford a PC I already had all the other bits in place and just needed the tower.

And as far as how 'customers treat the devs' - the reality is the customers have just forked over money to buy a product, a product that in many countries can't even be returned for a refund if it turns out to be rubbish. Not sure why the AC devs are so angry though

If someone lives in a country where the game can't be returned and they are concerned about it then they should wait for reviews before purchasing, that has nothing to do with the devs. The devs are upset because people constantly badger them with questions that have been answered a thousand times (and usually in juvenile tones), they are being accused of things that are false, and are having their name/product slandered across multiple outlets. I'm sure most people would be a bit pissy if they had to deal with that stuff day in and day out, I know I am (I have to deal with similar crap all day every day and as a result I've become quite the a**hole ). They really don't deserve to be treated the way they are, nobody does........except maybe SMS.

Again, not being argumentative, just trying to provide civilized, semi on-topic, responses to your points.

 

[Christian Moreau]

And these types of tweaks, add-ons and mods will be unknown to all the console users
Part of the concern of the PC crowd might be that one day an update will quash the ability to mod the core game, the same way they put the kabash on the mod forums when they became too much of a distraction.

People have their concerns, personally, this is one I never see being an issue. Countless multi-platform games support mods on PC and still support them to this day. Non-issue.

 

[RC45]

People have their concerns, personally, this is one I never see being an issue. Countless multi-platform games support mods on PC and still support them to this day. Non-issue.

Non-issue until Kunos throw a tantrum and pull support because it is a distraction...

 

[David Dominguez]

Hmmmm, I understand the console preview build being called ugly, that rear view mirror sent me flying straight back to the 90s... but come on now people calling AC a bad looking game suffering from these hella downgrades on the PC and here I am going -

There were also very cool pictures like that 2 years ago. Also if you read it carefully, the comments were more focused on tracks.

 

[David Dominguez]

Some of us have had less than pleasant private communication regarding bits of the game, I wouldn't doubt a lot of us keep quiet and just deal with it as we do with other games. Less harassment and you know, just speak with our wallets in the future.

Well, but whappens on private is another thing.

 

[Vincent.C]

Hmmmm, I understand the console preview build being called ugly, that rear view mirror sent me flying straight back to the 90s... but come on now people calling AC a bad looking game suffering from these hella downgrades on the PC and here I am going -





...Yep definitely top 10 worst looking game on PC contender indeed

For real though, the main thing with AC is as long as you know how to work the files you can fiddle so much with this game that you can make it look like whatever you want it to be. IDK if it's just me though, all of my sims look good because I make them look good, just like I learned back in my skyrim days with endless enb and sfx fiddling to make it look just the way I wanted it to. But yeah, like I said you gotta have an fair idea on how to tweak. I always tell people to stay away from stock filters like the plague and get one of the mods like NGM as a base and it just turns exponentially better looking, because the defaults have all bad effects turned up to the max for some reason, is like "your diabeetus riddled borked eye lenses with cataracts simulator".

Also I thought sim racers did not care about visuals. JK JK don't lynch me pls.

Very nice pics. Never try NGM.. Download already done ! Ferrari Laferrari is just amazing.

 

[Austin Ogonoski]

They are being accused of things that are false, and are having their name/product slandered across multiple outlets. I'm sure most people would be a bit pissy if they had to deal with that stuff day in and day out. They really don't deserve to be treated the way they are, nobody does........except maybe SMS.

And how did SMS get to that point, yet Kunos haven't?

 

[AccAkut]

I think the rabid toned responses some people have posted might even be fueled by the just plain angry and vicious position the AC devs seem to take in their communications. I have to admit I have never seen devs attack customers in this way before - well I take that back, that whats-his-name bloke over at Fanatec also lets rip into paying customers every now and again - I know he once attacked me for publicly questioning the long delay and day-1 failure the $800 wheel/pedal/shifter kit I purchased, had suffered.

Perhaos if the devs toned it down their fans would too

I see you have not been a member on the LFS forum. Anyone who dared to critizes the 3D modeller basically ended up banned. Kunos likes to respond honest and, well, brutal, but are not silently getting rid of every critique like it happens in other forums...

 

[Paul Jeffrey]

Hey folks,

Of course its great to see folks getting into some discussion about AC and the console release etc, but please, please, please oh pretty pretty please can we keep this civil, mature and above all RESPECTFUL when we post Thank you !

Just a note, I'm not aiming this at anyone specifically, just in general as the vibe from this thread keeps bordering on the out of control

Cheers folks, I'd really appreciate it if we just continue the chat... nicely

 

[Vincent.C]

So great news with console release : Tipl3 DLC for 2€99 according Marco M.
Source : https://www.facebook.com/aristotelis.vasilakos?fref=ts

 

[RC45]

mod-edit: time to calm down a bit

 

[TobiasR]

You might direct this request to the folks over at Kunos... kthxbye LOL

But we're not on the Kunos forums here.

 

[RC45]

But we're not on the Kunos forums here.

No, we are not - but that kunos bloke came over here and did just that, attack his customer base... why do people keep thinking we are making this stuff up? LOL
To be honest, this entire back and forth with the kunos folks is quite humourous. critique - defend - critique - attack - critique - ban

http://www.racedepartment.com/threa...w-trailer-released.125068/page-4#post-2291428

http://www.racedepartment.com/threa...w-trailer-released.125068/page-4#post-2291442

 

[Lorenzo Bonder]

No, we are not - but that kunos bloke came over here and did just that, attack his customer base... why do people keep thinking we are making this stuff up? LOL
To be honest, this entire back and forth with the kunos folks is quite humourous. critique - defend - critique - attack - critique - ban

http://www.racedepartment.com/threa...w-trailer-released.125068/page-4#post-2291428

http://www.racedepartment.com/threa...w-trailer-released.125068/page-4#post-2291442

Then simple question: You can attack, talk, bash, diss, throw destructive criticism as much as you want towards someone and ACTUALLY expect that someone to bow down and say "Thank you for your kind words"?

Let me say what Tobias said:

This ain't Kunos forums, but if Stefano wants to come here and post on the forums, he's totally open to do it, as long he keeps in the Terms of Service boundaries.

Don't like that Stefano & Co. are sometimes more direct and (not always) aggressive in their replies to the critics? Then, stop supporting the company and go play another game. There's more games out in the market than AC. I like AC and I don't care what the criticism are towards Kunos, I'll keep supporting them. Look how much AC progressed when it was released (AND PEOPLE BASHED THE GAME FOR ITS FAULTS), if AC in the consoles has its problems, they'll be fixed. Jesus, people are salty now a days, no game is perfect at release.

 

[RC45]

Then simple question: You can attack, talk, bash, diss, throw destructive criticism as much as you want towards someone and ACTUALLY expect that someone to bow down and say "Thank you for your kind words"?

Let me say what Tobias said:

This ain't Kunos forums, but if Stefano wants to come here and post on the forums, he's totally open to do it, as long he keeps in the Terms of Service boundaries.

Don't like that Stefano & Co. are sometimes more direct and (not always) aggressive in their replies to the critics? Then, stop supporting the company and go play another game. There's more games out in the market than AC. I like AC and I don't care what the criticism are towards Kunos. Look how much AC progressed when it was released (AND PEOPLE BASHED THE GAME FOR IT'S FAULTS) and look at it now.

Uhm - no.

His (Stefano) TONE was very similar to the TONE that got other posters here chastised by the staff. It was PAINFULLY obvious that they avoided asking the kunos bloke to be more civil.

Everyone that critiques AC is not a hater - Sometimes a critique is just that, a critique. So yes, I do expect a company SELLING a product to absorb criticism and gracefully thank the community for their feedback and then move on