RaceRoom Racing Experience: New Update and FR90 Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Historic Grand Prix cars are here in RaceRoom Racing Experience!

A new update for R3E has dropped today, and as well as including a nice number of new fixes, tweaks and improvements, the latest build release from Sector3 Studios is probably most notable for the deployment of some new DLC content - the 1990's era FR90 open wheel race car.

RaceRoom: 1990's Formula One FR90 'Talk n Drive' video - Watch it HERE.
(Note, the AI issues I experienced in the video have been resolved prior to public release)

Adding 1990's era top level Formula One style cars to the simulation is a good move by Sector3 Studios, and plugs one of the few remaining gaps in content within a title that is doing wonders to cover a wide variety of motorsport both past and present.

The new cars come with three very different and distinct engine configurations - adding the V8, V10 and V12 power units to the generic early 90's Formula One style chassis, and are available in a significant number of livery designs.

Of course this type of car isn't everyone's cup of tea, and if this isn't the type of content for you then fear not, the new build also includes a number of updates and fixes to R3E, of which you can see the details below:

New Content

• Added the Formula RaceRoom 90 V8, V10 and V12 cars.

Game

• Added a key assignement to Move&Scale HUD elements. Once pressed, the mouse cursor will appear. Left click will drag a HUD element around while a Right click will scale the size of the element up or down.
• Added a key assignement to reset the HUD elements positions and scale.
• Updated to Fanatec SDK 3.8
• Added default profiles for Fanatec Podium DD1 and DD2.
• Added support for the flag LED's on Fanatec rims
• Added a key assignment to turn the displays and LED's on rims and wheelbases off.
• Added Tyre loads to shared memory (using a reserved data holder to preserve backwards compatibility)
• Added support in physics engine for different shift times depending on the gears being shifted.
• Fixed an issue where brake disks were pre-heated to optimal temperatures when spawning the vehicle in sessions other than Time-Attack.
• Fixed an issue where in-game web overlays settings would be lost with every game update.
• Changed the amount of analog input required to register a key assignment from 50% to 25% of the axis range. (this is relevant when assigning an axis to an on/off toggle control)

Content

• AMG-Mercedes 190 E 2.5-16 Evolution II 1992 - Sounds improved
• Porsche 911 Carrera Cup (964) - Tweaked some logos on livery #15
• Volkswagen ID. R - Various visual upgrades to match the final design of the real car.
• Circuit Zandvoort - Fix for a TV camera in the straight that was sitting a bit high.
• Circuit Zolder - New static TV cameras
• Moscow Raceway - Changed 3 trackside banner billboards so they show on both sides. Upgraded HUD track maps for FIM and Full layouts to higher resolutions.
• Zhuhai - New static TV cameras

For more R3E fun, have a gander at our RaceRoom Racing Experience sub forum here at RaceDepartment. Here you can catch the latest news and gossip about the sim, and also take part in our awesome RaceRoom Racing Experience Racing Club - a great place to enjoy organised and clean online racing fun!

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[UMC 22]

These cars are bloody amazing! I'm still not recovered from a bug but couldn't wait any longer to try them out. Just a quick blast, I said. Don't want to overdo it...

... three hours later, I was knackered, I was aching and sore, and I felt a bit sick, yet I was still lapping Imola with a biiiig smile on my face. Hat's off to you S3, excellent work!

 

[UnixRoot]

Am I going crazy or are you not able to race H-pattern?

Only sequential with autoclutch. In real F1 in 1990 almost all cars had manual gearboxes.

 

[Kenny Paton]

Only sequential with autoclutch. In real F1 in 1990 almost all cars had manual gearboxes.

The cars are from the 90's era so by the midway point all of them were using flappies.

 

[UnixRoot]

They shouldn't have called it "early 90s", then.

Don't get me wrong, it's still great fun to drive. Even with paddles and autoclutch.

 

[Kenny Paton]

Don't get me wrong, it's still great fun to drive. Even with paddles and autoclutch.

That's the important ingredient

 

[BrunoBæ]

By underdog i didn't mean the slowest, but the least popular choice.

Sorry my fault.
I took it for granted that your underdog was the slowest

 

[BBKing212]

I've got all three
@Ross Garland, all you have to do is to organize the event IMOLA sounds nice

 

[Dethrone1427]

That's the important ingredient

You definitely do FEEL more involved with an H-pattern though, it's a shame but it's still great. Could of been flawless though!!

 

[RoccoTTS]

Sorry my fault.
I took it for granted that your underdog was the slowest

I'm not even sure if the V8 is the underdog by looking at the official competition (FR90@Imola), all 3 are used evenly i think.

 

[BrunoBæ]

@Rocco
At least on Imola your popularity thing is correct.
No V8 entries - few V10 - and more V12.
But on Road America where my virtual transporter is parked at the moment the situation is the opposite.
Hehe come to Road America folks - the neighbourhood are friendlier.
Grill party in the evenings

 

[2112]

I thought early 90's they were predominantly H-Pattern with the Ferrari being the exception - i know the Williams team were also quite advanced with the FW14, but i thought by and large most teams were still rocking the H-Pat g.box?? You can still see video of Senna in 91 with an H-Pattern.

From what I have been able to find, (and remember), the first sequential stick (Dog Box) was used by Ferrari in '89. They were also the first to use paddle shifters as Bernard thought the sticks could be improved upon.

IIRC, it was in the early 90's that F1 teams went to the sequential stick (Dog Box) with flappy paddles coming soon, on the heels of the stick.

That is not to say that smaller, less well-financed teams did not stick with H-Pattern shifters well into the 90's.

There is not much out there on this because the sequential stick did not last long in F1.

 

[UMC 22]

@Ross Garland, all you have to do is to organize the event IMOLA sounds nice

Keep an eye on the club. That very event is coming next Sunday.

I'm not even sure if the V8 is the underdog by looking at the official competition (FR90@Imola), all 3 are used evenly i think.

My own times are very, very similar in all three. They feel a bit different in the way they deliver power, but I think all have similar performance overall. I seem to get on best with the V12, very closely followed by the V10. I found the V8 more difficult to drive as fast, but I think that had more to do with the gearing and me being too lazy to tweak it.

 

[BrunoBæ]

I have only some "real" experience with the V8 - the 2 others I have only tested.
But It feels like the power delevery from the V8 is much more difficult to control than the more nice and civilised delevery from the V10/V12.

 

[DND]

FR 90 test server online if anyone's interested. Imola is the track, since that's where we'll be racing these beauties next Sunday. I was too ill to drive yesterday, so I'm off to give these a whirl!

Glad your feeling well enough these can be the fix to what ails you. And you can sign me up now please for next Sunday. nice weather or not.

 

[UMC 22]

And you can sign me up now please for next Sunday.

Done. You've definitely beaten Rad this time.

 

[Dethrone1427]

From what I have been able to find, (and remember), the first sequential stick (Dog Box) was used by Ferrari in '89. They were also the first to use paddle shifters as Bernard thought the sticks could be improved upon.

IIRC, it was in the early 90's that F1 teams went to the sequential stick (Dog Box) with flappy paddles coming soon, on the heels of the stick.

That is not to say that smaller, less well-financed teams did not stick with H-Pattern shifters well into the 90's.

There is not much out there on this because the sequential stick did not last long in F1.

That picture is from wiki, I don't recall any early 90s cars using a sequential shifter. If for instance McLaren HAD used a sequential in the late 80s why would they go back to an H-pattern in 91...pretty much the one of the last seasons anyone really used that config. I know you referenced Ferrari but McLaren were the front runners in tech late 80s to early 90s, all I can find on Ferrari using anything other than a paddle setup was a semi auto box which is a totally different animal. It meant they didn't have to lift on upshift. If you can find me anything about F1 teams using a 'dog box' that would be cool, but I couldn't find anything about F1 cars using them. Apparently a sequential system is rather heavy, hence why it's used more in touring cars. But I'm all ears if you can find me data on it.

 

[UMC 22]

I appreciate realism as much as the next simmer, but it's worth remembering that these cars are fictional. They are based on real cars, but they are not official recreations of the actual real cars themselves. They are S3's own interpretation of F1-style cars that raced during a particular decade, namely the `90's.

There's a whole host of technology that was on F1 cars back then that isn't on the FR 90 either, so this isn't a phenomenon restricted to how they changed gears. ABS and active suspension are two missing systems, off the top of my head.

I see the FR 90 as being similar to the FR X-17. The X-17 is S3's own idea of the "perfect" modern F1 car... all the current tech, but with a screaming V10 instead of the crappy hybrid things. The FR 90's are the "perfect" 90's F1 car... from an era when most "aids" were banned and most cars had made the switch to paddle shift. Looked at like that, you can ignore the little inconsistencies and get on with the pleasure of just driving the things!

 

[UMC 22]

Need to try the leaderboard in these things. The time I set on the server the other day would have me in 3rd on Imola, which would be my best ever. (At least for a few days, until every one else gets a chance to run them. But hey, I'll take what I can get!)

 

[BrunoBæ]

Hehe come to Road America folks - the neighbourhood are friendlier.
Grill party in the evenings

 

[2112]

That picture is from wiki, I don't recall any early 90s cars using a sequential shifter. If for instance McLaren HAD used a sequential in the late 80s why would they go back to an H-pattern in 91...pretty much the one of the last seasons anyone really used that config. I know you referenced Ferrari but McLaren were the front runners in tech late 80s to early 90s, all I can find on Ferrari using anything other than a paddle setup was a semi auto box which is a totally different animal. It meant they didn't have to lift on upshift. If you can find me anything about F1 teams using a 'dog box' that would be cool, but I couldn't find anything about F1 cars using them. Apparently a sequential system is rather heavy, hence why it's used more in touring cars. But I'm all ears if you can find me data on it.

I really do not have a whole lot. There is not much to find out there on the subject. Unfortunately, my memory is hazy other than remembering complaints about the video game manner of driving the cars. Once "Sequential" goes into the search bar all you get is flappy paddle boxes.

As far as the dog box goes, from what I could find the sequential stick is a dog box as opposed to a, say PDK-style transmission (which is a dual clutch). I could be wrong but that seems to be the only info I could find on the subject.

I would love to know more, I just do not know where to look and it seems the info I am finding is not jibing with the info you are finding.

Lol, I am prepared to be totally wrong in this. Now I am going to waste my day trying to get more info...

*EDIT* Did some looking at the Ultimate Car Page.com. I found sequential sticks going back to 1990, Ferrari. In 1992 both Williams and Ferrari (Dallara Ferrari) both used them but Ferrari's other car was a manual. McLaren used manuals both years but changed to a sequential gearbox in 1993. in 1995 cars started going to paddles and at that point all you see for transmission is: "Sequential".
Thus, my statement that "most" cars were sequential sticks was incorrect. It seems some of the top teams used them, for awhile, but most teams (the lesser funded ones?) went straight from manual to paddles.