Laguna Seca Laserscan Complete, Release for Assetto Corsa Expected Late 2017

[Paul Jeffrey]

Marco Massarutto has confirmed laserscanning of the epic Laguna Seca Raceway has been completed, suggesting the track may appear in game before the end of 2017.

Already widely acknowledged to be making its way to Assetto Corsa sometime in the reasonably near future, the noise around Laguna Seca and the simulation has died down somewhat in recent months, leaving fans of the game to wonder exactly what is happening with the famous American venue.

With something of a well timed update post on his personal Facebook page Marco Massarutto, Product Brand Manager of AC developers Kunos Simulazioni. has gone on record to state that the laserscanning element of the track creation has now been completed (albeit later than anticipated), and the track is in the works to be completed and released to the game by the end of the current calendar year.

Long anticipated by fans of both Assetto Corsa and American themed race tracks, Laguna represents one of the most impressive driving experiences in the United States and has been host to numerous high profile national and international level car and bike racing events throughout its illustrious history.

Well known to sim racing fans thanks to its almost ever present representation in games such as Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, finally PC players will get the opportunity to sample a fully lasterscanned version in Assetto Corsa.

Despite the delays Massarutto confirmed scanning completed just this week after unexpected delays, with the following statement made via Facebook released by the Italian Kunos founder:

"After a pile of burocratic and logistics issues that resulted in a sensible delay of our operations in US, [finally] Yesterday we have completed our laserscan survey at Laguna Seca, so the track should be completed and available for Assetto Corsa within the end of the year."

Exciting times ahead for fans of the track and simulation as it should prove to be incredibly interesting to drive a full scanned version of a track that has been so popular in racing games over the years. At this stage it is not clear if the track will be a free bonus content addition or form part of a future DLC release for the game, however it is expected that more details will be released in future as development back at Kunos HQ continues to progress.

Assetto Corsa is available to purchase now for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

More fun happens at the RaceDepartment Assetto Corsa Racing Club, so sign up, head over get racing today! Its a blast and you won't look back once you've been bitten by the bug! If you just want to catch the news or hang out with fellow AC fans then fear not, we accommodate that too! We have a thriving Assetto Corsa Sub Forum where you can do exactly that, or even check out and download some of the great mods on offer and upload and share custom car setups! Its all here at RD, what are you waiting for?!?

Laguna! Anyone else excited? What are your memories from this track in other racing sims / games? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[natedogg1867]

Elevation changes can be done correclty without laser scan and no, that's not what I'm talking about on the winter or summer part, I'm pretty sure you are intelligent enough to realise that.

Every sim/game that offers Spa that has messed up Eau Rouge/Radillon or T1 at Brands has determined this was a lie. Just as 2 very brief examples.

You are so far off base with the benefits of laserscanning, it's laughable.

 

[melanieuk]

Mod Edit: i did warn you in the post to leave the personal stuff out of here and stay on topic.
But you seem to ignore my simple request.

Do not do it again in any other thread, as this one is now out of bounds to you.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Peoples opinions may differ on a subject, that does not mean it is wrong, learn to accept this and stop the bullying or harassing of fellow members.

now back on topic...

 

[Radu Oros]

@Will Mazeo @hitm4k3r

The point of laserscanning tracks is not about being up-to-date with the real track on a monthly basis. Is about offering the correct replication of the real track in one moment of its history; that history starts in our present that with time becomes past. On the other hand non-laserscanned tracks are never right compared to the real track, but at least using laser scan we know Nordschleife, Monza, etc. are right, even if the real track changes today, the laser scan "took a photograph" of the moment, so we are sim driving on real tracks, even if some of them today are outdated. There's always the possibility to rescan them in the future on their new versions.

 

[hitm4k3r]

@Will Mazeo @hitm4k3r

The point of laserscanning tracks is not about being up-to-date with the real track on a monthly basis. Is about offering the correct replication of the real track in one moment of its history; that history starts in our present that with time becomes past. On the other hand non-laserscanned tracks are never right compared to the real track, but at least using laser scan we know Nordschleife, Monza, etc. are right, even if the real track changes today, the laser scan "took a photograph" of the moment, so we are sim driving on real tracks, even if some of them today are outdated. There's always the possibility to rescan them in the future on their new versions.

That's just about your opinion and even based on some things that I consider a bit naive. I still don't know how you come to the conclusion that non-laserscanned tracks are never right, even considering that you are driving on a fraction of the actual pointcloud and data optained by a laser scan. All we drive in sims, are models - aka approximations - and that's valid for both laser scanned and non laser scanned tracks. As was explained earlier on, the actual laser scan cannot be processed in real time on a current PC. Stop dreaming ...

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Umm, a laser being able to measure something far more accurately than a yardstick isn't an opinion.

 

[hitm4k3r]

You don't get it don't you. You don't drive on the freakin' point cloud but a model that gets build from that point cloud. But I will just let you believe what you want to believe.

 

[Gergo Panker]

If you think laserscanning makes no difference in terms of track accuracy, the point of this game (and some others) is completely lost on you.

 

[natedogg1867]

You don't get it don't you. You don't drive on the freakin' point cloud but a model that gets build from that point cloud. But I will just let you believe what you want to believe.

I think you just did pretty well to show that from the past few pages in this thread, you havent actually read and understood the points the people you are responding to were making.

They arent saying that a laser scanned track has a road mesh that is superior to a non-LS track, or that the road mesh being derived from point cloud data is better (although it objectively is).

What they are saying is that the accuracy of the track is better. The accuracy of the layout is exact... the accuracy of every corner is exact... the camber in every corner is exact... the width of the track is exact... the length of the track is exact... the elevation throughout the track is correct... Combine all of that with the road mesh having the small bumps in the road that exist in real life, and the overall reproduction is superior to it's non-LS counterpart. Of course, I am not talking about art direction or aesthetic appearance whatsoever. Non-LS tracks can look quite beautiful. But art is an entirely different topic/issue.

Drive on any of the LS Nordschleife's we have available as sim-racers. iR's, R3E's, or AC's and see if you notice a difference. The only thing you will notice is the FFB is different (R3E's track is very smooth, AC's is bumpy, etc.) and the art direction is different. Now, load up Pcars and drive their Nords. If you dont want to pull your hair out after the first 3 corners from how comically inaccurate the layout is... laserscanning is completely lost on you. Yes this last sentence is hyperbole, but the differences are stark, and easily apparent.

 

[nigave]

Really looking forward to this new version. In June 2015 I was on a holiday from Ireland with my wife and son and on a hot Sunday morning realized that we were staying about 15 miles from the track. We set off to visit not knowing if anything was on and whether we would simply meet locked gates. As luck would have it the circuit was hosting an open track day so we went in to the paddock then up to the inside of the Corkscrew and for about 40 minutes we watched various drivers trying their best around one of the best and most famous corners in the world.Then off we went to Carmel to keep herself happy. A great experience...!!
If I am on holidays anywhere and there is a circuit then I will try to visit or if possible drive it as best I can (Montreal and Monaco so far). Anyway here's to the completed track whenever it makes it.

Thanks. Nigave.

 

[Majuh]

You are also able to produce an accurate track with CAD data.

 

[RasmusP]

You are also able to produce an accurate track with CAD data.

If there is CAD data, and the track is 100% built after that plans, then yes.

 

[Emery]

Umm, a laser being able to measure something far more accurately than a yardstick isn't an opinion.

Only when it is properly calibrated and drift from the reference is minimized while mounted on a mobile platform. Photogrammety and old-fashioned surveys using triangles work pretty darn well, too. Lidar's strength is that it generates zillions of triangles rather than a few hundred.

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Only when it is properly calibrated

...

 

[Bazooka_Joe]

It's obvious to me what caused the delay in allowing laser scanning, Laguna Seca track owners read this earlier on and got panicky: http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/laserscanning-to-be-banned-from-july-in-the-uk.133958/

Looks like it's your fault RD for spreading such news!

 

[Tim Meuris]

Yes, a laserscanned corkscrew.
Really curious how much it differs from the race07 version.

More tracks ok, but laserscanned please
idea: no cars but three lstracks a year! sign me up!
(don't think it works that way though)

 

[Metla]

I've stopped buying car packs, Still got some cash for (laser scanned) tracks though.

 

[Teguh Waluyo]

KS should hire specialist who deal with licensing only. Just set the target cars and circuit, and let him do the job.

 

[RasmusP]

KS should hire specialist who deal with licensing only. Just set the target cars and circuit, and let him do the job.

In the ac Forum Stefano said something like "we couldn't scan because of licensing. Why and when we can do it: I don't know. We have to wait until we get good news from the responsibles" which in my opinion sounds like they already have their guys who are dealing with licensing etc.

 

[arthur666]

It's obvious to me what caused the delay in allowing laser scanning, Laguna Seca track owners read this earlier on and got panicky: http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/laserscanning-to-be-banned-from-july-in-the-uk.133958/

Looks like it's your fault RD for spreading such news!

Don't worry. In America, if we don't hear it from Fox News, we assume it's fake anyway.