Kunos September Update - Assetto Corsa

[Paul Jeffrey]

Kunos Simulazioni and 505 Games have released an update regarding the ongoing development behind the scenes for the recent console edition of Assetto Corsa.

Much in line with how Reiza Studios communicate with their customer base, Kunos have taken the step to speak directly with the community and address some of the issues currently affecting PS4 and Xbox One players of Assetto Corsa. The studio have again acknowledged issues with framerates and tearing, assuring fans the development team are working to rectify this issue with a view to bringing out an update shortly. Quite why the issue was present in the first place is open to debate, but at least the problem is acknowledged and actively being looked at by the team. Other news from the update shares details about the Prestige Pack DLC, a story we wrote about earlier today, more info can be found here.

Outcry over a lack of multiplayer private server options has also been acknowledged, however no further news other than the studio are "evaluating the available options" has been forthcoming. This is no doubt frustrating for fans as private multiplayer lobbies are the lifeblood of any serious modern racing game.

You can read the full release from Kunos below:

"This time last week, Assetto Corsa began to appear on the shelves of game stores around the world. Firstly, we want to say a massive thank you to all of our fans for purchasing the game on console.

Now we’ve launched worldwide, the comments have started flooding in. There’s a great deal of love and support for Assetto Corsa out there, which is fantastic! There’s also some constructive criticism, which we appreciate and accept with open arms! At the end of the day, our community matters to us and we want you to be happy. We are always open to feedback and suggestions and whilst we cannot promise that we can do everything you ask us to, be rest assured that we are going to do everything we can to build on these foundations! Our development team might be very small, inlove:0 developers) but they are incredibly passionate about what they do and their aim has always been to produce the greatest racing sim on console and PC.

Kunos Simulazioni are 100% committed to ensuring that we build on the foundations we've laid with Assetto Corsa, for our console players! There’s a lot going on behind the scenes and we want to take this opportunity to give you an insight into what’s been going on since launch and our next steps...

WHAT’S NEW?
When we launched Assetto Corsa onto console, it became clear to us that there was some feedback that needed addressing. A number of players were experiencing multiplayer performance issues on the Xbox One connected to voice chat. 2 days ago, we released an update which tackles this issue, so players can now head back in game and enjoy Assetto Corsa.

PRESTIGE PACK AVAILABILITY
Assetto Corsa launched 2 editions… PRESTIGE and PERFORMANCE. The Prestige edition was not available digitally, only physically from selected retailers. Soon after launch, it came to our attention that our community were not too pleased and wanted to be able to own the cars for themselves. So we’ve reacted! We're pleased to announce that the Prestige Pack will be available to purchase from the PlayStation® 4 and Xbox One Store at a later date. The pack will contain the following cars...

• Audi A1 S1
• Audi R8 V10 Plus
• BMW M4 Coupe
• Corvette C7 Stingray
• Ferrari 488 GTB
• Ford Mustang 2015
• Lamborghini Gallardo Superleggera
• Nissan GT-R Nismo 2015
• Toyota GT86

More info on the Prestige pack coming soon! PLEASE REMEMBER! The Season pass DOES NOT contain the above cars! The Season pass contains the Japanese Pack, Porsche Packs, The Red Pack and an exclusive livery. We apologise for any confusion that may have been caused here!

SCREEN TEARING AND FRAMERATE ISSUES
Our developers are fully aware that some of you are experiencing screen tearing on both platforms, with Assetto Corsa. They’re currently working on a fix and we will update our community as soon as we can with more information.

PRIVATE LOBBIES
We know and recognise that this is a massive talking point across all our community channels and be rest assured, we hear you! We respect your frustration and are fully aware of this request. The main priority with the console edition of Assetto Corsa was to launch a super stable game with fantastic driving. Whilst we have no news to share right now, what we can say is we are evaluating the available options. Please be patient with us and we’ll keep you guys updated.

AI DIFFICULTY
This is a tough one… We don’t want to make the game ‘easy’ by any means, but we do recognise that the AI may need tweaking, especially on Easy mode. Our team are aware of this request and are working on a solution. Again, more info on this soon!

CONTROLLER / WHEEL CONFIGS
We hear you and we are addressing this! We are also working to improve the controller functionality in Assetto Corsa.

SEASON PASS
For those who don’t know already, there is a Season pass available for Assetto Corsa. Right now, there aren’t any packs to download, but there will be in the near future! Should you decide to purchase a Season pass, you’ll be able to download the following packages at a later date...

• Japanese Pack
• The Red Pack
• Porsche Packs
• Exclusive Livery

SUPPORT
If you are experiencing issues with the console edition of Assetto Corsa, we want to help! Please follow the below steps in order to help us help you...

1 - Firstly, we encourage you to search the CONSOLE LOUNGE and the sub-forums for a solution to your issue.

2 - If you are unable to find the answer you are looking for, then please check out our FAQ's. This will be updated as and when required.

3 - Should you wish to speak to someone directly, please head over to the 505 GAMES SUPPORT portal and log a ticket. A member of our Customer Support team will be in touch to help you.

TEAM WORK MAKES THE DREAM WORK
Let’s wrap things up for now by saying a massive thank you again to our community for their support. We are excited to build on the foundations we’ve laid. Whilst it’s practically impossible to reply to each and every one of you individually, please know that we do hear you and we are listening.

All we ask is that you stick with us, be patient with us and show us the level of support you always have done."

Well its good to see the studio are listening to the often underwhelming response to AC on console, and even better that they intend to action some of the issues that have been reported. Although not a glorious debut on PS4 and Xbox One, things can only get better with further time and development. Time will tell to see if the team over at Kunos can put right the bits of the game that are currently so very wrong. I hope they can, for the sake of console players worldwide. Sim Racing is awesome, and if that message, via Assetto Corsa, can spread to a wider audience, then everyone wins.



For more news of Assetto Corsa, drop by our Assetto Corsa sub forum here at RaceDepartment. We do chat, mods and best of all online racing! It's fun, you'll love it I promise!

Did you like the Kunos announcement? Having trouble with AC on console yourself? What do you think of the game so far? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Jockey]

• Exclusive Livery

'-.-

 

[Tr3voRR]

I would like them to concentrate on the PC version more... I play 4k max out and full AA and yet there's still some Aliasing... also there's a lot of issues with shadows ! and some clipping on the hood of certain cars. So how about fix that please.

 

[Blimey]

Now we’ve launched worldwide, the comments have started flooding in. There’s a great deal of love and support for Assetto Corsa out there, which is fantastic! There’s also some constructive criticism, which we appreciate and accept with open arms! At the end of the day, our community matters to us and we want you to be happy. We are always open to feedback and suggestions and whilst we cannot promise that, we hear you! We respect your frustration and are fully aware of this request.

Right, so they are honest and show love to the ultimate fanboys, when it comes to criticism they're like ""we appreciate it" - but not really, p off". Just ridiculous. Makes me cringe.

 

[natedogg1867]

I would like them to concentrate on the PC version more...

You do know that different people on the team are working on the console port and that this doesnt affect PC improvements right? "But but but... If those people didnt work on the console version, they could be working on the PC version!" Well... what if those people were hired specifically to work on the console version? AC 1.0 shipped with a staff of 15, that is now up to 30. I imagine a handful of that 30 was hired to specifically work on the console version. At least, I know someone will complain that those people could be doing other things...

also there's a lot of issues with shadows ! and some clipping on the hood of certain cars. So how about fix that please.

You also realize that there was literally a patch yesterday that improved the shadows right?

Perfect shadows that have no faults have never been a thing in AC, however from where they were when 1.8 released last week, they are vastly better again.

Beside that though, if you want better shadows, that is going to take time away from features and improvements that other people want. Perhaps they have better things to code than perfecting shadows in a graphics engine that may just never allow for perfect shadows

 

[ronniej]

I'm not surprised by the announcement at all, These guys are a proud bunch, and dedicated to this idea called Assetto Corsa. I only wished other companies reacted in such ways. For example, when Codemasters released F1 2015 on PC it was a complete mess.......Still is.

 

[Colin Knowles]

What date is the red pack coming to consoles ?

 

[clemencaman]

I hope they dont forget the pc version, lot of things still to do, missing v10 wheel on gt3 cars, which was announced for 1.8, breaktemps, rift support is still in pre alpha, 60fps with gtx1080 on full aa, pixeloverwrite 1.6 und 2x sgsaa need´s improvment and so on...

 

[Colin Knowles]

I hope they dont forget the pc version, lot of things still to do, missing v10 wheel on gt3 cars, which was announced for 1.8, breaktemps, rift support is still in pre alpha, 60fps with gtx1080 on full aa, pixeloverwrite 1.6 und 2x sgsaa need´s improvment and so on...

It's finished now on pc... You should start to see the final wind down any month now while the console peasants slowly gather to take your fair maiden

 

[Chris]

Should you decide to purchase a Season pass, you’ll be able to download the following packages at a later date...

• Japanese Pack
• The Red Pack
• Porsche Packs
• Exclusive Livery

Wait, are they seriously releasing a DLC pack consisting solely of liveries? I get that console players can't mod their games, but Jesus, that's just insane. I hope I'm reading that wrong and it just means that the season pass will include some extra liveries tossed in rather than a dedicated DLC "Pack".

Enough with the DLC already. Don't get me wrong, the DLC for Assetto Corsa is some of the highest quality content you'll ever find, but for crying out loud, that's all this game is becoming now. DLC after DLC after DLC after DLC, and on, and on, and on it goes. Perhaps it should be renamed to "Assetto Corsa: Your DLC Simulator"

Why not make a DLC pack with actual game features as the main headline?
"Timed races DLC"
"Driver swaps DLC"
"Penalty system and Flag rules DLC"
"Spectator mode DLC"
"Formation lap DLC"
"Safety car DLC"

I'd pay for those.

 

[Colin Knowles]

Wait, are they seriously releasing a DLC pack consisting solely of liveries? I get that console gamers can't mod their games, but Jesus, that's just insane. I hope I'm reading that wrong and it just means that the season pass will include some extra liveries tossed in rather than a dedicated DLC "Pack".

Enough with the DLC already. Don't get me wrong, the DLC for Assetto Corsa is some of the highest quality content you'll ever find, but for crying out loud, that's all this game is becoming now. DLC after DLC after DLC after DLC, and on, and on, and on it goes.

Why not make a DLC pack with actual game features as the main headline?
"Timed races DLC"
"Driver swaps DLC"
"Penalty system and Flag rules DLC"
"Spectator mode DLC"
"Formation lap DLC"
"Safety car DLC"

I'd pay for those.

Spot on

Unfortunately it's a console disease where more actually means less in terms of hardcore or niche areas. My guess it's much more profitable and time efficient to bring more car skins & different handling characteristics than to laser scan race tracks

Why don't they crowdfund it instead ?
They should just ask " Look if we get x amount of people to hand over Y Price and more than Z amount of customers pre order then we will make that feature"

Count me in for
Penalty & Flags DLC
Formation & Cool down lap + bonus full pit lane DLC
Dedicated Server DLC
VR DLC
Cross platform DLC includes Hotlap cross platform times bonus

Not even Walt Disney could make that wish list come true though

 

[Epistolarius]

Wait, are they seriously releasing a DLC pack consisting solely of liveries? I get that console players can't mod their games, but Jesus, that's just insane. I hope I'm reading that wrong and it just means that the season pass will include some extra liveries tossed in rather than a dedicated DLC "Pack".

Enough with the DLC already. Don't get me wrong, the DLC for Assetto Corsa is some of the highest quality content you'll ever find, but for crying out loud, that's all this game is becoming now. DLC after DLC after DLC after DLC, and on, and on, and on it goes. Perhaps it should be renamed to "Assetto Corsa: Your DLC Simulator"

Why not make a DLC pack with actual game features as the main headline?
"Timed races DLC"
"Driver swaps DLC"
"Penalty system and Flag rules DLC"
"Spectator mode DLC"
"Formation lap DLC"
"Safety car DLC"

I'd pay for those.

Yet another ignorant comment about DLC. Tell us please, how would you finance further development of the software then? If they would release those features as DLC to finance it people like you would cry a river too. Go and play another sim that has been in development for a decade if you dislike it so much that simulation developers like Kunos have neither the market, the sales, nor multi-million dollar publisher backing to deliver you the 'perfect' feature-complete sim with top licenced content for $60 with a team of 100+ devs. This kind of work doesn't get magically done for free, you know that exactly. I much rather see them sell additional high quality content as DLC to attract a bigger audience and be able to develop the sim further for years to come than jump to the next titles in quick succession like Slightly Mad or adopting a subscription+individual purchases model like iRacing. And obviously for people like you the content they put out for free since release isn't enough. It's never enough, others always have to do the slave work for your enjoyment apparently. Great attitude, really.

And all this season pass text is saying, which is all we know so far and all you can base your assumptions on, is that the season pass contains a "exclusive livery". Big deal...

 

[Hash_V8]

I much rather see them sell additional high quality content as DLC to attract a bigger audience and be able to develop the sim further for years to come than jump to the next titles in quick succession like Slightly Mad or adopting a subscription+individual purchases model like iRacing.

Both SMS and Iracing have actual race features though, its not like they are flogging DLC after DLC for what is at the end of the day a glorified hotlap sim, also this rubbish about Kunos being a "indy" dev is just that, they have plenty of resources, you also totally missed Chris point about feature DLC, new shiney content is great for the kids that are not really racing, but for ppl that like to put hundreds of laps down and compete competitively AC is so far behind its unreal,like chris says if Kunos needs extra doe for "features" we've been asking for for over a year now, we are happy to pay the "dlc" cost.

 

[Nestoche]

Wait, are they seriously releasing a DLC pack consisting solely of liveries? I get that console players can't mod their games, but Jesus, that's just insane. I hope I'm reading that wrong and it just means that the season pass will include some extra liveries tossed in rather than a dedicated DLC "Pack".

Enough with the DLC already. Don't get me wrong, the DLC for Assetto Corsa is some of the highest quality content you'll ever find, but for crying out loud, that's all this game is becoming now. DLC after DLC after DLC after DLC, and on, and on, and on it goes. Perhaps it should be renamed to "Assetto Corsa: Your DLC Simulator"

Why not make a DLC pack with actual game features as the main headline?
"Timed races DLC"
"Driver swaps DLC"
"Penalty system and Flag rules DLC"
"Spectator mode DLC"
"Formation lap DLC"
"Safety car DLC"

I'd pay for those.

I agree. I'm having some fun with AC doing time laps but really I need a purpose to race these good looking machines!....Why don't they implement a decent career mode? Not that generic career mode they have now. Something along the lines of F1 2016 or Pcars which I don't like that much or better with AI driver/Team change dynamics. I am not a MP type of gamer so really MP updates does not interest me.

 

[Chris]

Tell us please, how would you finance further development of the software then?

Kunos have been incredibly financially successful, they do not need to release a DLC pack every bloody month to try and make a quick buck so they can supposedly "develop their software". It's a compounding positive feedback loop. They need money to create more cars and tracks, and they create more cars and tracks in order to make money. The more money they make, the more cars and tracks they can add.

The licencing costs far and away outweigh the cost of actually coding things, so the inference that they need to release constant DLC packs in order to actually develop the core functionality of the game is utter rubbish.

Go and play another sim that has been in development for a decade if you dislike it so much that simulation developers like Kunos have neither the market, the sales, nor multi-million dollar publisher backing to deliver you the 'perfect' feature-complete sim with top licenced content for $60 with a team of 100+ devs.

Gladly. Automobilista provides a feature complete simracing experience despite the fact that they have an even smaller team and vastly smaller budget. They too are getting in on this DLC-train, but not to the extent that Kunos seem to be doing.

Please don't get me wrong, I very much enjoy Assetto Corsa and I think it's a very good driving game, but it doesn't need DLC every damn month to become a success. It's already a success because of it's content, what it desperately needs is some bloody racing features. What the heck is the point of having the Porsche 919 LMP1 if you can't actually do endurance racing?

I want to make it clear that I have no problem with the occasional DLC. I'll gladly pay for something if it's worth it. The first two DLC's (the dream packs) were great. Fantastic content, and well worth the low price tag (heck I'd have paid double without a second thought), but they were like 5 months apart from eachother. Now it's pretty much every month that a new DLC pack is being unveiled. Combined with the fact that many of the cars already featured in the PC version of AC are now being taken out and added as DLC for the console market (See here), which doesn't really sit right with me.

I absolutely understand why they do what they do from a business perspective, heck if I were them, I too would have gone to the console market, because there's no better way of making money than appealing to a vastly larger audience. I have no qualms with wanting to put food on the table, so to speak.

And obviously for people like you the content they put out for free since release isn't enough. It's never enough, others always have to do the slave work for your enjoyment apparently. Great attitude, really.

That really was not at all what I was saying, so for you to call me ignorant at the top of your post only to then say that is incredibly hypocritical.

 

[Stereo]

They don't make features for DLC because well aside from being really terrible from a "what if you play MP against someone who has no flags" POV, they would have to maintain multiple versions of the game. Instead they have paid DLC that comes with free feature updates, so everybody gets the updates the people who bought the DLC paid for.

 

[Radu Oros]

Enough with the DLC already. Don't get me wrong, the DLC for Assetto Corsa is some of the highest quality content you'll ever find, but for crying out loud, that's all this game is becoming now. DLC after DLC after DLC after DLC, and on, and on, and on it goes. Perhaps it should be renamed to "Assetto Corsa: Your DLC Simulator"

Enough with the dlc already... so we stop at tripl3 pack and don't go for Porsche and the dreampack afterwards (was talked in the livestream with Marco)? This dreampack probably will include a new track from overseas.
You're looking at the season pass list for consoles, but half of that content is already past for the PC. The game has yet to be updated on console to be on par with the PC, that's why content from japanese and red pack aren't in the consoles as physics for cars like r34 and formula1 2015 aren't in their game yet like we have here.

The only way to stop with dlc content is to stop licensing or consider game development stopped. So what will you do then? How much would you play AMS if you weren't looking for their additional content post game release?

I don't know how much this talk of features no features, dlc no dlc has an effect, but I feel like the community is already pushing Kunos for a new AC game. But there's still a period to cross before they can make that decision, which is after the next wave of content and bugs/features work that can come due to new type of content.

 

[ronniej]

I think Chris is trying to say that he would like to see some features brought into the game as he has mentioned this for awhile and it has merit. Maybe with all the pressure and criticism from the console release they will start implementing the details that have been missing. We all know how much Chris likes AMS, and like he said, they will start with the DLC now too, it's just that they decided to have the game feature rich first. However, don't forget that AMS got a pretty good head start with it being a Rfactor spin-off.

Not to mention, licensing is pretty much non existent in AMS.

 

[Birkhoff92]

i have problem in intermediate 2 , on career with sls amg . It's unplayable with T100. I try , also in easy mode but nothing , i lost 1 second a lap versus ferrari and other sls amg -.- I'm playing with all helps off but also with on it's ungovernable

 

[AnklaX]

The gaming community in general have come to dislike some business practices that have put many gigantic publishers and developers on their sh*tlist. With console launch, I'm seeing Kunos is adopting some of these ill reputed strategies and I hope they're not fully aware of the ramifications. Now people also look down upon DLC but for the way AC is developed, DLC is definitely necessary so that is not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about pre-order bonus. What if someone finds out about it after purchasing the game. They will feel let down. I know I would. Also, exclusive livery? Really? I'm being harsh but only because I've supported Kunos from the time of early access and think they're an extremely capable and very honest developer who are just getting started. They've yet to leave the atmosphere and shoot towards the stars. So it is important that they keep a good reputation among gamers. For the season pass, I'd suggest they include the exclusive livery for everyone and try to make the prestige pack free. If you tell a console gamer they've got 3 DLCs for free so shouldn't complain about buying this DLC, they might remain unmoved. Problem is they're likely to see it as a game and fail to see what a gem they have in their hands.