Motegi, New Physics and More in Latest RaceRoom Update

[Paul Jeffrey]

Sector3 Studios have been busy lately, releasing a new update for RaceRoom Racing Experience that contains many improvements and changes to the simulation.

As with any big update we usually have plenty to talk about, and this latest release from Sector3 Studios is no exception to that rule. As well as adding the WTCC hosting Twin-Ring Motegi circuit to the sim, a technical and challenging Japanese track that will surely be well known to sim racing fans, the Swedish studio have also been hard at it behind the scenes, releasing plenty of improvements and changes with this latest build update to R3E.

Despite the sizeable changelog below, potentially one of the most significant improvements to the simulation comes in the form of a very welcome improvement to the behaviour of H-pattern shifting within the game. Added to many of the older cars already released, the move towards a more realistic shifting action something that will no doubt be welcomed by sim racing fans and those of us who enjoy a more historic side to our sim racing endeavours…

Other highlights include revisions to the physics of several cars within the sim and a realigning of the various different racing categories defining the different types of classes of car.

You can check out the full change log below:

Update details:
Download size = 4.3 GB
Client version = 0.3.0.6411
Client BuildID = 2936158
Dedi version = 44.0.684
Dedi BuildID = 2936171

Game:

• Added a Volume slider in Sound Options for Brake Squeal volume.
• Skidmarks left on the track are no longer a fixed width but instead match the size of the tyre that suffered for it.
• Reduced the floating above ground of the skidmark decals when seen from a low angle camera.
• Underbody scraping sounds are now played in replay sessions. Also adjusted volume and fade for them.
• FFB Multiplier in Car Setup menu now allows to go up to 10.0 (was 5.0)
• Autoclutch assist is now forced ON when H-Pattern option is enabled but no direct gear buttons are mapped.
• Modifications to Clutch and H-pattern cars logic, making it required to lift throttle in order to upshift.
• Fixed mini data display in HUD that was using a slightly different logic for rev warnings.
• Fixed a game crash reported upon exiting certain replay sessions
• Fixed Input Meter HUD tool that would wrongly appear at the beginning of a race session.
• Fixed a lack of shift backfires when watching replays and on remote cars in multiplayer
• Fixed so skidmarks left on tarmac are now properly erased when restarting a session or rewinding a replay.
• Fixed an issue reported with replays or ghosts failing to save if a folder did not exist.

Sounds

• 350 new gearshift / backfire / shift backfire samples were added.
• Various modifications to the backfire patterns and speed.
• Adjusted the hearing distance for gearshifts, backfires and shift backfires
• All cars - Brake squeal sounds improved. Better pressure versus volume fading, hearing distance adjusted for external cameras. Pitch adjusted to match recent recordings.
• BMW M1 Procar - Coast transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• BMW M3 DTM 2013 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• BMW M4 DTM 2014/2015- Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Chevrolet Camaro GT3 - Main volume increased in cockpit. Transmission volume adjusted. Transmission pitch adjusted for both cockpit and external sounds.
• Chevrolet Corvette Z06 GT3 - Coast and Throttle volume balance adjusted
• Mercedes AMG C-Coupe DTM 2014 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Mercedes 190 DTM 92 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Mistral M530 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Nissan GTR GT3 - Engine volume increased. Rev blend improvements. Transmission sound in cockpit adjusted.
• Nissan 300ZX - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Nissan GTR R32 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Opel Omega DTM 92 - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Formula RaceRoom X-17 - New traction control external sounds
• Formula RaceRoom 2 - New traction control external sounds
• Formula RaceRoom Junior - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit
• Ruf CTR3 - New sound recordings to match the GTR 1 specs.
• Saleen S7R - Rev blending improved for external sounds
• Volvo 240 Turbo - Transmission volume adjusted in cockpit

Physics

• Pagani Zonda R - Physics upgraded. Moved to a single-make cup car class.
• Saleen S7R - Physics upgraded
• Ruf CTR3 - Physics upgraded, BOP for GTR1 car class
• Koenigsegg CCGT - Physics upgraded, BOP for GTR1 car class
• Gumpert Apollo - Physics upgraded, BOP for GTR1 car class
• Ford GT1 - Physics upgraded
• Formula RaceRoom Junior - Physics upgraded
• All H-pattern cars - Shifting modifications to match the new clutch code implementation
• Swapped the performance index of the Audi TT cup and the Formula RaceRoom Junior

Art

• Ruf RT12R (GTR2 and GTR3) - Updated rev light logic
• Ruf CTR3 - Upgraded to a new data display
• Paul Ricard - Track resurfaced for bumps, swapped old 2D audience, added normal map to guardrail.
• Ford GT1 - Some dimension tweaks
• Mercedes DTM 2015 - #6 (Wickens) showed a wrong cockpit numberplate.
• Saleen S7R - Fixed headlights and brake lights that were not working after a recent update

RaceRoom Racing Experience is a free to play racing simulation from Sector3 Studios.

If you like RaceRoom and want to keep up to date with all the latest news and discussions, head on over to the RaceRoom Racing Experience sub forum. We host a whole range of top quality club racing events in our Racing Club, plus we offer a great place to hang out and discuss the game with your fellow R3E fans. Pop over and say hello today!

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What do you think of the new update? Have the physics changes improved the cars in your opinion? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Ayem22]

@Ayem22 that's cool, everyone is allowed their opinion.

Personally I think raceroom has got plenty of life left with big recent improvements and new features on the way, but that's just me.

i agree.
plenty of life if they upgrade to unreal 4.
and it lacks settings backup or hud placement.
but it's true raceroom have something that others games have not.

 

[Kevin Bradley]

@Ayem22 I would love to see the game upgraded to unreal 4 with the possibility of day/night transitions, different weather conditions and all that good stuff. Hopefully that's something we'll see in the future.

In the meantime I'll still enjoy what we have in raceroom at the moment as well as the excellent variety we have across all of the sims right now. It's a great time to be a sim racer with all the choice and excellent quality titles we have in the genre.

 

[UMC 22]

i can understand but zuhai and motegi are for me low cost track.
easy to make, easy to earn money, not really fun cause there is no beauty landscape or something different.

But this is entirely your opinion, not a fact. Zhuhai in fact produces excellent racing in our clubs, whereas a track like Monaco would just be a procession without any overtaking... just like Macau already is. I'm not saying I don't want Monaco in the game, but I do want tracks that produce quality racing and Monaco simply wouldn't. Also, I don't think any track is particularly easy to make. The quality of R3E's tracks is excellent.

 

[M-Bimmer]

Quite a massive patch...don’t mind that at all

 

[Ayem22]

But this is entirely your opinion, not a fact. Zhuhai in fact produces excellent racing in our clubs, whereas a track like Monaco would just be a procession without any overtaking... just like Macau already is. I'm not saying I don't want Monaco in the game, but I do want tracks that produce quality racing and Monaco simply wouldn't. Also, I don't think any track is particularly easy to make. The quality of R3E's tracks is excellent.

Sepang and Road America were high cost tracks.
All swedish tracks and zuhai and motegi are low costs.
it's what i think.
But the fact is Raceroom is marketing game with strategical releases.
i don't cry about prices i have all content, i have paid 100$ forza 7 and 100$ the crew 2... i just notice tracks for me are well made but it gives to me more prestige to win at monaco (f12017,pCars 2 or Assetto) than at all R3E tracks.
Unknown swedish tracks from R3E can be well made but have no prestige

 

[Rot Teufel]

i feel sad when i finally see a good Motegi track in a game (one of my favourite track) when i always hope for a good rFactor/GTR2 version 8 years ago and it never comes (there was a WIP but it never came)...
Good for RR users...

 

[randMracer]

Yeah we all know the arguments about no rain, no tyre pressure adjustments blah blah blah, but I'd prefer to talk about something positive. For me it's good to see some of the old classes getting some love as well as new content being released.

I tried the formula junior this afternoon at imola. Before today I always felt the car was a bit boring and a bit too planted, like it had some 'hidden' rear areo and traction control going on or something. Driving it today it feels more alive - you have to work the car on corner entry a bit more and it feels a bit more natural and real to life somehow.

Also took the Koenigsegg out for a quick spin.
The physics tweaks have definitely eliminated the pivoting from the centre of the car feeling I was getting before - now it feels like it's a powerful car being driven from the rear axel.

Good job Sector 3. Can't wait to try the new motegi circuit.

I took the Formula Junior out on Motegi to try the updates for the first time. Car had my same settings before the update and I couldn't keep the rear end from coming around. Once the tires warmed up it was better, but the handling and FFB are completely different. Definitely have to work that wheel a hell of a lot more.

I was also running non-VR, which I never do, so my judging of apexes might have been a little compromised. But overall there is a noticeable difference in the feeling of the car. Can't wait to try my other favorite cars.

 

[M D Gourley]

Car had my same settings before the update and I couldn't keep the rear end from coming around.

I think generally you have to reset any saved settings back to 'Default' when a update has been installed and then start again with the set ups....worked for me anyway.
I also used these settings adjustments to the Formula Junior and it gave me great results with no oversteer.

 

[stubs66]

I've just completed my first raceroom race in years. Solid and enjoyable. Still not on par with AMS or rF2 I think. Not even close. But still a very good experience overall! I do feel like revisiting it more often. Oh and since it now has proper triple screen support (thanks Sector3, that only took a decade) I might even buy an extra piece of content or two. How's that for a plot twist?!

I would be really Interested to have specifics? Since AMS doesn't have VR support (i wish) i can't comment, but where do you think RFactor 2 score in it's physics over updated Raceroom? You have some great videos btw.

 

[GTSpeedster]

I would be really Interested to have specifics? Since AMS doesn't have VR support (i wish) i can't comment, but where do you think RFactor 2 score in it's physics over updated Raceroom? You have some great videos btw.

Thanks mate!

Mod edit: Last warning, stop being deliberately provocative to others. Nobody has a problem with an opinion, but it's the manner and language you use to state it that matters. If you have a problem with your posts being moderated, stick to our ToS. Thank you.

That being said I think it's safe to say that RaceRoom is indeed a good game, worthy of certain praise and of being played on more than one occasion, but it will likely never be more than just "good"; thanks in great part by DLC hungry developers and the culture of appeasing to them and accepting mediocrity as the norm.

Cheers!

 

[GTSpeedster]

That's a ridiculous and false statement. You're a SJW moderator who keeps proving my point probably without even realizing it. The only reason I'm being moderated is because I'm calling YOU out on your double standards. That's why you deleted what I wrote so people won't see it and judge by themselves.

I'll never refrain from speaking the truth and I won't be publicly bullied and threatened by an anonymous and be expected to go quiet. If you can deal with words that's your problem.

 

[Alex Hodgkinson]

Car had my same settings before the update and I couldn't keep the rear end from coming around.

The physics now have nothing in common with the previous generation; you should bin that old setup (sorry!)

 

[randMracer]

I think generally you have to reset any saved settings back to 'Default' when a update has been installed and then start again with the set ups....worked for me anyway.
I also used these settings adjustments to the Formula Junior and it gave me great results with no oversteer.
View attachment 259858

Thanks I'll check it out. Other updates I didn't usually do any changes, but this update is like a whole new ballgame...thanks again. Cheers

 

[stubs66]

In general whilst one might critique RR's purchase model as a little quirky, it still works. (Who knows maybe quietly they are working on this)
Putting this aside, and without wishing to sound elitist. In no way is this to belittle/ invalidate/ usurp opinions of those that are yet to drive a racing car. I would really hate to sound like that, but I suppose i shouldn't be embarrassed to draw on my experiences.
So having raced single seaters (FF2000/F3), GT3 Porsche, BTCC saloon and Radicals;
well to me Raceroom are absolutely on the right track with their physics modelling. Quite honestly as a heavy player of AC/RF2/PC2. RR was somewhat neglected until i revisited only a month or so ago.
And I was genuinely blown away.
The revised Physics of the GTR3 Pack for instance, feel just so so right to me.
Subtle complexities and flex of a slick tyre, the micro slide adjustments, a real sensation of race car grip and actual contact to the asphalt all telegraphed so cleverly through the wheel.
I couldn't stop shaking my head in disbelief, an actual 'expletive ME!' moment.

I would hate for RR to be discouraged, evidently it's become home for some very gifted persons, (artists even).... I imagine it must be pretty thankless and frustrating at times.

So anyway for what's it's worth this is exactly what i have been seeking in a simulation, Sector 3 please keep on the path you're on.

 

[Robertinotje]

Great update.

 

[Zoltan76]

Jesus who painted the stripes down the side of this car

Not the guy who paints the stripes on Rolls-Royces.

 

[randMracer]

I think generally you have to reset any saved settings back to 'Default' when a update has been installed and then start again with the set ups....worked for me anyway.
I also used these settings adjustments to the Formula Junior and it gave me great results with no oversteer.
View attachment 259858

I did some testing last night and your setup wasn't too far off from what I already had. The biggest issue was not using VR when I first tried the update. Once I put the headset back on, controlling the Junior was much easier.

I've used VR so much in the last two years that I didn't realize how much a difference there is going back to 2D screens. I'd have to retrain myself if my Rift ever stop working. Don't want to sound like a VR fanboy, but for me, it makes a huge difference.

 

[UMC 22]

I've used VR so much in the last two years that I didn't realize how much a difference there is going back to 2D screens. I'd have to retrain myself if my Rift ever stop working. Don't want to sound like a VR fanboy, but for me, it makes a huge difference.

To you and me both mate. I can barely drive on monitor anymore, certainly not in first-person. VR is often seen as a bit of an expensive gimmick in gaming at the moment, and that opinion can be quite true... the potential really isn't being exploited in most of the quirky little games being released for it right now. That said, for racing sims and flight sims in particular, VR is an absolute game-changer.

 

[M D Gourley]

Having an absolute blast with the updated Formula Junior with the also updated H-pattern Shifting modifications...the updated physics from Mr Alex Hodgkinson feel very good on my Thrustmaster TS XW Racer...so I thought I would just take the Junior out for a drive around Nordschleife and once I adjusted some settings it was a great driving experience turning lap after lap....Sim Racing Perfection

 

[tlsmikey]

Really like the GT1 FFB. The Saleen and Ford feel really good and are a ton of fun to throw around a track.

I'd dare say that I like those cars now more than I like the GT3 cars.