New iRacing Damage Model - Behind the Scenes

[Paul Jeffrey]

iRacing have been busy developing a much improved new damage model as they today share a very interesting behind the scenes video of the current progress...

Rather than resting on their laurels as many would expect for a simulation that's been out for several years now, iRacing continue to develop and improve the title as they look to add further upgrades and refinements as they keep the experience fresh for the many thousands of subscribers to the online racing simulation.

With time of day and offline single player AI both confirmed as in development already, the online simulation have taken to YouTube to show off some of the other stuff that's been happening back at base, namely a significant overhaul to their current damage model that promises to bring a much more detailed and unforgiving outcome to any contact experienced by the player.. with the early preview images from the new model looking very impressive indeed..

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 Do you like the look of the new damage model? Do you think this will improve the racing experience in iRacing? Let us know in the comments section below!​

 

[Wedge]

iRacing permadeath mode soon (tm):
you die on a crash, your account gets deleted, you can't use the same credit card to create a new one, and names wont be able to have numbers like John Doe 3 any more, instead you'll have to go full roman like John Doe III or The Third or even kill the possibility of your son race in iRacing in the future with John Doe Jr.

oh, and no refunds.

 

[randMracer]

This is interesting, but once you hit the wall it's pretty much game over, no matter how well you model it. So I guess it will make the crashes look cooler. I'd be more interested about the bumping and rubbing with other cars. Will it cause body panels to rub against your tires and eventually shred the tire? If you have a panel rubbing will you be able to feel it in the wheel or hear it?

Even though I'm not currently subbed, I hope my $600+ investment in cars and tracks is helping a little bit with the programmer's salary. I also hope they're still working on the AI, because I definitely think that would increase their subscription base.

 

[sjb266]

Can’t wait.. looks amazing!

 

[MarcG]

I saw this Damage Update a while ago and I applaud iRacing for improving what for me is an essential area lacking in most Sims to date, as much as Devs don't like cars breaking fact is in motorsports crashes happen. Whilst I know some Licensees don't like their cars getting damaged in game (fair point) I think for more generic racing this area needs to be developed further for other Sims, not just mechanical damage but all sorts of visual as well. Whilst Carbon Fibre shattering may be difficult of course there are plenty of other visual areas that can be improved, simply crumple zones, wing mirrors dropping of through wall contact...the list goes on.

In the meantime I'll renew my iRacing Sub when the AI hit as I'm very keen to see what they have come up with.

 

[whip]

this looks good, i think far too many ppl underestimate the importance of a damage model

its the difference between an online "race" and an online "bumper cars" session

 

[Boby Kim]

I really dont care a single bit about outside damage visuals. I would like to have more non visual car damage on tires, the complete suspension system, gearbox, electronics when misbehaving the car. In every sim i can abuse a car by smashing them over the yellow "bread" kerbs.

 

[RichardHessels]

Well if you rub another car and panels or bumpers start to hang or swing, and parts break off later in the race is much more interesting as that you just see a small deformation and a darkened texture.

 

[FeltHat]

waiting for crash montages

 

[OZ67]

Announced now, ready in 5 years. Can't wait to get it, hopefully straight after the AI in 4 years and the dynamic 24 hr weather and time in 3 years , Looks like ill have to re-sub in 2021 and defenitley have to catch up to get my 100% Cars & Tracks discount back ($$$) ? Keep up the great work

 

[elloLeo Kinnunen]

(Non-iRacing member)
Has there been any discussion about what's going to happen with all of those lovely pieces of debris on Johhny_TooFast crashes into a barrier at 150mph? Will drivers have to dodge the nose he left lying in the middle of the track? If so, how long does that stay like that? I don't know much about how Yellow flags work in iRacing - will there be a non-visual "track cleanup" after a major crash that has strewn debris around?

From the Iracing forums:

"So what happens to all of those parts in a cautionless road race? Do we just kick them around the track for the remainder?"

Tony Gardner (staff) says

"No, they will go away after whatever time we choose. It will require some testing and feedback to pick the time. Say 5 or 10 seconds or something. The cones do that now. I don't remember what time they are set for"

Iracing doesn't have good safety car implementation for road courses so this is probably what we're stuck with for the time being. Still pretty happy with the developments... I wonder what it will do to the weird occasional accidents that seemed to be caused by my 300+ antipodean ping.

 

[cupra_abf]

One thing I haven't really seen mentioned in this thread: With implementation of the new damage model cars will absorb energy properly. So no cars bouncing around like crazy and everything. That is huge for racing and far beyond just visual. It'll improve the racing experience.

To the person complaining why they'd prioritize this over weather and flat spots...completely different dev teams. The people that worked on the crash system literally don't know how to work on the tire model. The tire model is extremely complicated and they can't just put a random dev on that. They are working on rain, AI, day-night etc...this just was the first project to reach a stage where it can be shown off.

One last thing I noticed...all the people that tend to complain about iR FFB tend to praise AC FFB. While in my eyes, AC has about the worst FFB of all the current titles...what the steering wheel is doing in there has nothing to do with what a real steering wheel feels like and I've tried a bunch of settings. RRRE is already better, but rF2 (and in my opinion also iR) are lightyears ahead. They don't have a FFB that feels like it's made to simplify driving without gforces, they just have a FFB that makes your wheel act like a real wheel...minus the speed, strength and fidelity, at least as long as you're driving without a direct drive wheel.

For me, the best FFB is the one that makes it the easiest to jump from a real racecar into a sim. And that's definitely not AC, it feels the most "off" and counterintuitive I my opinion.

But hey, it's just my opinion. I'm glad we have that much variety to choose from these days!

 

[CC]

Really really impressive that damage model I must say

 

[NoseyGuyy]

Impressive, but knowing iRacing it won't arrive for about 3 years. "Here's what we've made, but you'll not see it for a while lol"

 

[Deleted member 13397]

umm,
Race07

surely not the same, but ten years ago

deformation an parts falling apart

 

[FeltHat]

umm,
Race07

surely not the same, but ten years ago

deformation an parts falling apart

carmageddon 2- car deformation, parts falling off and apart and even car splitting
20 years ago

 

[ricerracer]

(Non-iRacing member)
Has there been any discussion about what's going to happen with all of those lovely pieces of debris on Johhny_TooFast crashes into a barrier at 150mph? Will drivers have to dodge the nose he left lying in the middle of the track? If so, how long does that stay like that? I don't know much about how Yellow flags work in iRacing - will there be a non-visual "track cleanup" after a major crash that has strewn debris around?

Mario will come onto the track and bounce on top of the debris, which will then disappear

 

[osyres]

Tiremodel 7, night/day, damagemodel is in work now for over 1-2 years and we don t even talk about dynamic weather in the next 3 years maybe ? Rfactor 2 with isi was the slowmo joe of simracing but iracing really tops this now. Im very concerned about the future of iracing it seems like every new feature takes even longer and longer. Now the damage model can be special even if it comes in 1 year from now because there isn t coming much from other sims. That is the chance for rfactor 2 and ACC to overtake iracing with a good multiplayer system.

 

[ricerracer]

umm,
Race07

surely not the same, but ten years ago

deformation an parts falling apart

yes but that was terribly done only certain parts could fly off and the physics did not make much sense. If you saw the iRacing preview properly a lot of thought has been put into the damage system

 

[Deleted member 13397]

thats why i written
>> surely not the same

 

[Epic Gamer Dude]

I wish I could afford Iracing This looks so good