PC2 Project CARS 2 Update 2.0 Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

PlayStation 4 and PC versions of Project CARS 2 received a nice new update today, patching the game to build version 2.0 and adding plenty of fixes.

The new update follows relatively hot on the heels of the September 28th update and addresses plenty of the problem areas reported by the community since the game released, most notable of which would be the AI behavioural and race line improvements, hopefully going some way towards bringing the game AI up to speed and able to present a more respectable offline experience.

Other notable changes for this new patch include potential optimisation improvements to a number of the tracks within Project CARS 2, something that will come as a relief to a number of users who have reported less than ideal FPS returns between different circuit and atmospheric conditions.

No news is available as to the potential for an Xbox One update to the game, stay tuned for more on that at as and when it becomes available..

Build 2.0 Release Notes

• Improved driving line assist.
• Various AI behavioural and race line improvements.
• Multiple improvements and enhancements to multiplayer, and lobby handling.
• Improvements and enhancements to audio and sound effects.
• Improvements and enhancements to replays and replay cameras.
• USB keyboard support improved.
• Improvements, enhancements and fixes to Career flow.
• Enhancements to various cars’ handling and standard setup improvements.
• Tweaks and fixes to Achievement / Trophy unlock logic.
• Tweaks and fixes to setup UI and flow.
• Improved default assists for gamepad users.
• Fixes and improvements to headlights and brake lights.
• Fixes and improvements to ICM appearance and functionality.
• Improvements and enhancements to steering wheel support.
• Fixes and improvements to certain weather / tyre combinations.
• Optimisations to tracks across the game.
• Myriad render and performance tweaks and improvements.

Project CARS 2 is available for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 now.

To take your Project CARS 2 experience to the next level, head over to our RaceDepartment Project CARS 2 sub forum and check out the community discussion. We have a place to download the latest Project CARS 2 mods, a brand new Racing Club. Head over, get involved and become part of the community today!

Happy with the new patch? What do you think of the game so far? How do the AI compare following build 2.0? Let us know below!

 

[pretend racer]

Thanks for your help Ryann, I can't find another way to free up some space so I am just gonna delete PC2 and reinstall it, which sucks, because it'll take a whole day to download the game again...

 

[Danneskjold184]

LOL, if we, with 4 full time staff responding constantly to the community, risk losing your coverage for 'ignoring the community' then go for it my friend

So with your moderators banning those sending in bug reports, where can I send in my bug reports? Email them to you? Will you keep an eye on my reddit threads (I create a new one every Thursday / Friday)? ( https://www.reddit.com/r/pcars/comments/74qqbp/danneskjolds_running_list_of_bugs_big_and_small/ I'm not being flippant, I would really like these bugs fixed.)

Lol. 70% want to complain, 15% just get on with it, then we have 14% that understand the shortfalls. EVERY new game has glitches and problems. The 30% that will still be playing, with mates and leagues will be the winners.
I mean just look at the game. Tell me a better total package. None of the other Sims can match it.
They have had more time to FIX glitches.

Note that Project Cars 2 has bugs that have existed in Project Cars 1 since day 1 of Project Cars 1 release. Bugs that I have personally reported (before being unceremoniously banned).

Now that's not to say it's all bad. They seem to have fixed 1 of the 48 bugs I've found and reported so far. (Number 12 on my list.)

 

[TheGrunt]

EVERY new game has glitches and problems.

This is the crappiest excuse ever and still can be found suprisingly often in different gaming forums voiced by enthusiastic 'fans' of said products. So the reasoning seems to be that if others are also selling unfinished, untested and buggy betas as final releases, it generally makes it OK as a business practice especially from the consumer point of view? Well, not in my opinion at least.

While pC2 is far from the disaster pC1 is even today, it still has many issues which at the best hamper the experience, and at worst spoil it making issue a game breaking bug. Yes, pC2 has tons of features in it's list, but unfortunately very few of them work as they should.

Echoing praise or defending the product's completely obvious faults won't help getting things improved and fixed.

Besides, I can safely say that many games, even today, are released in a state where you can enjoy full experience without a single game braking bug starting from the launch. Unfortunately many don't, but as said, it doesn't make releasing incomplete products an acceptable practice. It is strange that gaming industry can get away with this kind of practices, because pretty much in any other field, manufacturers or service providers would be soon out of business either because of competition or by consumers suing companies asses off for selling products that don't work.

 

[Dirk Steffen]

I have a 250gb DD, and I have only installed AC, Dirt Rally, Euro Truck Sim, and PC2. ETS is only about 2gb, and I'm not going to delete Dirt Rally. The only way for me to free up 45gb is too remove PC2. If I do that, then reinstall it again will that work?

Thanks for your help Ryann, I can't find another way to free up some space so I am just gonna delete PC2 and reinstall it, which sucks, because it'll take a whole day to download the game again...

I hope you did not yet remove PC2 to free up space and re download everything again :-(

I have similar issues regularly (only run currently a small 256GB internal SSD and an additional external Thunderbolt 256SSD for fast external storage next to an external RAID farm (which I do NOT use for Windows data access).

If you run out of space on the drive Steam needs to install an update you can actually MOVE the installation of that game through steam onto another drive (simply use a large enough external USB drive or even a USB stick will suffice - 64GB USB sticks are cheap and easy enough to obtain these days just for that purpose.

1) move the game through Steam to the new external drive (temporarily or permanently)
2) update the game through Steam
3) move the game back to it's fast internal drive

Ideally you want to offload seldom used games to external storage to always have a minimum of 50 GB of internal storage for those downloads, updates etc.

I have at times even run an entire Steam library off a SSD, connected via USB3.0 which worked just fine.
Loading times of large content may have been slightly longer but I never found any issues in game or performance wise to my surprise. If you are limited in upgrades and space of internal SSDs that is one handy option that works beautiful with Steam.

Bonus: you can always use the Backup function within steam to temporarily offload unused large installations to an external drive and rebuild them later once you want to use them again.

 

[Nunzio]

pCars 2 has been great for me, no issues and was surprised at how well it ran om my PC. This recent patch definitely made a difference on the FFB for me, and the sounds are better. I've never had any crashes, what little bugs there are really unnoticeable, and am enjoying the heck out of the Group C cars, my favorite cars.

Actually a lot of perceived handling and tire bugs are just that perceived. Most of the community has never stepped into a full race car with the myriad of tire, suspension selection based on how the environment effects those. So if your a good driver you learn to drive around those imperfections and learn how to make the best of the setup and adapt.

I am happy with their product. I've been into race sims since Indy Car, GPL, all the early F1 games and this is a sweet looking and performing "game". None of the current offerings are true sims.

 

[pretend racer]

@Dirk Steffen thanks for the advice! I will make sure to remember for future reference, because I already deleted pc2 and started to redownload it, I have no patience

 

[Deleted member 241736]

I mean just look at the game. Tell me a better total package. None of the other Sims can match it.

That's the point and problem. To be good or best in all disciplines ends with mediocrity in all disciplines. Focusing on the really important things and do it right let yourself be the winner!

 

[Dirk Steffen]

This is the crappiest excuse ever and still can be found suprisingly often in different gaming forums voiced by enthusiastic 'fans' of said products. So the reasoning seems to be that if others are also selling unfinished, untested and buggy betas as final releases, it generally makes it OK as a business practice especially from the consumer point of view? Well, not in my opinion at least.

While pC2 is far from the disaster pC1 is even today, it still has many issues which at the best hamper the experience, and at worst spoil it making issue a game breaking bug. Yes, pC2 has tons of features in it's list, but unfortunately very few of them work as they should.

Echoing praise or defending the product's completely obvious faults won't help getting things improved and fixed.

Besides, I can safely say that many games, even today, are released in a state where you can enjoy full experience without a single game braking bug starting from the launch. Unfortunately many don't, but as said, it doesn't make releasing incomplete products an acceptable practice. It is strange that gaming industry can get away with this kind of practices, because pretty much in any other field, manufacturers or service providers would be soon out of business either because of competition or by consumers suing companies asses off for selling products that don't work.

I full heartedly agree on this post.
If in the industry I am working ANY business would supply unfinished products like it seems to be current practice in the software industry, most of those businesses would quickly have to shut down.

I offer a product / service specifically defined to a potential customer (with PC2 the gist basically was smashing lines as "industry leading racing simulation").
My customer orders based on the offered product outlined in the products description (remember "industry leading racing simulation").
The product HAS to perform within the reasonable expectations of my customer (a smashing marketing run over several months of interviews, glowing first impressions of the usual compliment gushing vloggers promising all old issues fixed and more, … industry leading simulation, world best physics, … did not help here to keep customer expectations realistic).
Generally a good business always aims to OVERDELIVER - this is super important for customer satisfaction (so far SMS has not performed well in this regard)

But again, apart from the controversy about banning critics (be it due to impropriate or rude language or constant teasing or due to other more personal reasons, as long as there is a valid report of an issue that HAS to be taken seriously, no matter the tone or language involved), I have the impression SMS is currently working in overdrive to resolve issues.

There are simply so many issues for now that not every unhappy customer will receive their deserved fix in a timely fashion. For many people the initial paid price for PC2, especially when bought as a premium package is not little pocket money.
When I was a kid and bought my first video games (remember the GameBoy, I mean the old large grey GameBoy), I had to buy them often second hand as the official price of a new game back then was a LOT of money. This aspect seems to be overlooked sometimes as many of us are of an older age and have more disposable income, where the price of PC2 does not do any financial harm.

 

[Dirk Steffen]

That's the point and problem. To be good or best in all disciplines ends with mediocrity in all disciplines. Focusing on the really important things and do it right let yourself be the winner!

With the time I have spent with PC2 since release this is a bit how I felt about PC2.
If SMS would have taken a slightly more conservative approach and say would have aimed to deliver PC2 with the same car rooster as PC1 (+ a few new cars as you have to up the numbers on a new release), same for the tracks but would have completely left out certain features in the initial PC2 release, like:
- snow
- Rally Cross
- career mode
- racing license and rating system
- track cut + punishment system
- puddles, running water and even dynamic tracks

… had simplified other features on initial release like:
- multiplayer mode

… and would have focussed on the core features of the game being absolutely solid.
They could have brought those features step by step as free content upgrades to push to users the moment they become solid and ready for prime time.

As a bonus, no user will be as angry about a free feature upgrade that still needs some polish in future patches then they are when a promised feature doesn't perform on release as they expected.

It was great when R3E finally got a flag system.
It was fantastic when Kunos finally introduced improvements to race starts, constantly improved the tire model and provided free DLC content.
It was wonderful when the new owners of rF2 introduced a FREE complete graphics overhaul (currently still beta).

You see, you expect as a customer that what you pay for will perform and not be broken out of the box.
Maybe less people would have bought PC2 initially with a few features removed but surely the customer base would grow on a polished base product that receives follow up feature updates and DLC.

 

[MSKbeans]

If the AI is crap then play online, if you don't want to!!! why buy a SIM. "AI as not real".
May aswell be still playing GT1. Then you could beat the AI in a souped up Skubi on the hardest settings.
Seems like a lot of peeps getting different problems.
racefuel seems to be my worst problem. Rest I can deal with till more patches.
As I said before every single game produced has glitches.
You might not get them but someone with a lower spec or higher spec pc might get.
External programs also can effect the game play.

 

[Andy_J]

If the AI is crap then play online, if you don't want to!!! why buy a SIM. "AI as not real".

That just the most childish thing I have read on here yet.

 

[69Harder]

All those are ffb related.
Personal opinion....ive tried all the jack spades files....yes they improve the amount of bumps/curbs you can feel and adds a bit more weight but found it killed the feedback from the tires and its grip levels.
Reminded me alot of AC.....springy, heavy and lots of road noise vibrations.
If he can figure out a way to eliminate that heavy/springy center they would be great and feel somewhat more natural.

Just turn down FFB volume !

Regarding these updates I can't feel any sort of improvement regarding FFB so I'll keep using the Spades file.

Without the Spades file the game feels like I have a broken wheel with a big hole in the middle. I hardly feel any road surface with the vanilla version and quite frankly it feels pretty terrible without the Spades file

I am using the ffb_custom_settings - alt mid comp.txt with my Fanatec CSW V1,5 and it feels absolutely great.

If anyone knows FFB it is Kunos, Stefano Casillo and in AC you can really feel what is going on with the car IMO.

 

[Emery]

If the AI is crap then play online, if you don't want to!!! why buy a SIM. "AI as not real".

Realities:
1) Internet bandwidth is not equal for everyone, so some of us have to use the AI (or just do boring hotlaps) between opportunities to race online.
2) Online activity is not equal across time zones. Europeans have it best and those in/bordering the Pacific Ocean have it worst. VERY hard to find online opponents for west coast USA evening times!
3) Other games (AMS, rF2) have managed to present "talented" AI. R3E presents "useable" AI. AC presents "tolerable" AI. The pCARS franchise is seriously lagging in this regard, just like AC seriously lags in number of official tracks & race features.

 

[Emery]

4) When you want to recreate a historical race, you can't find another 20-60 people willing to take the roles of the other cars (particularly the role of the losers!).

 

[RobertGracie]

They still havent patched the unbeatable AI fix on the Mercedes Benz affinity proving ground track yet, eithers its me being picky but you cant get any grip and the other cars scream off into the distance like they are on tarmac and I crash into a wall 30m from the start EVERY TIME!

 

[MSKbeans]

That just the most childish thing I have read on here yet.

Lol wait till the AI is better, but I've raced most of the Sims and the AI is all over the place

 

[pitkin]

If the AI is crap then play online, if you don't want to!!! why buy a SIM. "AI as not real".

You know what the word "simulation" means, right?

 

[Kurupt CDN]

Just turn down FFB volume !

Regarding these updates I can't feel any sort of improvement regarding FFB so I'll keep using the Spades file.

Without the Spades file the game feels like I have a broken wheel with a big hole in the middle. I hardly feel any road surface with the vanilla version and quite frankly it feels pretty terrible without the Spades file

I am using the ffb_custom_settings - alt mid comp.txt with my Fanatec CSW V1,5 and it feels absolutely great.

If anyone knows FFB it is Kunos, Stefano Casillo and in AC you can really feel what is going on with the car IMO.

FFB is completely subjective and I know how to adjust the volumes. Many people have mentioned and tried to eliminate the heavy spring but it's not possible atm and it really kills the tire detail.
Lots of road detail or tire detail?.....choice is up to the user to what they prefer, everyone uses different details through ffb to get around the digital track.
No one's right or wrong.

I feel what AC does very well is translate the sensations you fell through your butt in rl (bumps, curb roadnoise) through the wheel but I prefer the feel of the tire model in pc2 with its more natural feel and detail of grip.
I've spent just as much time trying to dial in the tire detail in ac on my wheel as did trying get to get decent ffb in pc1 lol
I've got 2 buttkickers under my rig giving me the road noise and feel that I would feel in rl.
If my wheel rattled and shaked in RL as much as some like there Sims I would honestly be worried I had a damaged suspension or tires lol
But I understand the importance of needing to feel as much of the road for those without a transducer setup.
Everyone has there own opinions, preferences/setups, favorite Sims play what makes you happy ☺

EDIT: Just fired up the game and steam had another 21.8mb update....anyone know any details?

Cheers

 

[Puduku]

They still havent patched the unbeatable AI fix on the Mercedes Benz affinity proving ground track yet, eithers its me being picky but you cant get any grip and the other cars scream off into the distance like they are on tarmac and I crash into a wall 30m from the start EVERY TIME!

If this is not a tire choice problem I haven't experienced that one. That race went great for me as long as I had ice tires on. In fact it was a lot of fun.

 

[M D Gourley]

Sometimes getting help if there are problems that are out of your knowledge to fix...call the Sim racing Gods, Reiza Studios or Studio 397 to help out on pCars2...in return give them the pCars2 core game code so they can show us what a real Sim is....but I am happy with pCars at the moment.