Should AC business model be more like iRacing's ?

[Alexandre Guzu]

edit : A great post by Tom Van Put on page 5 that sums my thoughts pretty well :

The best part about iRacing, in my eyes, are the sanctioned races they organise through their servers.

I really hope AC is considering something like that. They just have to make sure it isn't mandatory.

I prefer leagues over racing on public servers. But I don't always find a league that fits my needs or at timeslots that suit me. Racing on open, unsanctioned, servers is just terrible...

So if AC would impliment some sort of organized and sanctioned races with a championship structure this would be a great ad-on.
They don't have to do this for every car but only for some popular series that would apeal to a big audience. eg:

• Le Mans Series
• GT3 races
• Lotus Racing Series
• Historic DTM Racing
• Formula (1) Racing
• Historic Formula racing

Charge a few euros a month for this for those who are interested and other people can just play the game off-line or in leagues.

One thing a lot of people always seem to forget when they are on the internet is that a company needs to make a profit to create new content or new games. You can't get everything for free or at a cheap price and expect the best product/game ever.

so yeah, I agree thoroughly with this post. In my opinion, fixed schedule races are very convenient, people can plan their evening knowing they'll take part of a certain race without wondering what servers/races will be up (which often demotivates me from setting up my rig and launching rfactor/netkar/..). So originally I was thinking about something like this :

- you buy the game 40/50 euros with all the cars and tracks they announced so far. You can buy DLCs packs later.
- you can race AI and people on servers you host.
So far nothing changes.
- (optional) you pay a small monthly fee (5/10 euros) to access high speed servers with iRacing-like services : series, events, licenses and eventually leaderboards. The irating system is awesome too, it keeps people avoiding mistakes and wreckages.

I'm aware many won't agree. But seeing how many sims have failed to keep their customers when iRacing succeeds, I think Kunos shouldn't be afraid to copy their system and services. They're so expensive because they have no competition, and Assetto Corsa's potential is huge. If it becomes a cheaper version of iRacing with better physics and graphics, they get to swim in pools of money, and we get the best racing experience. Win-win.

 

[Dinca Andrei]

OFF Topic:
Well a big welcome to Forum Spy ....another Superhero hehehehe

 

[Hampus Andersson]

What the....NONE of what you wrote makes any sense, and it took you a good 2 hours of thinking. And you did not even try answering my question, i KNEW you would post some non-sense comment. This proves you have no idea what you're talking about, let alone "facts", not even one. "Are you sure bla bla?" How pathetic.

This is it, ignore list, goodbye. Go argue with the walls if you want, they won't comment back hehe. Have "fun".

Edited:
You are wrong and you know it, you disregard the obvious facts as if they don´t exist.
You keep saying the facts are not there but that´s because you mentally block them out of your world.
The only person that has failed to show any form of facts is actually you.

 

[Tom]

@Hampus Andersson

Could you please stop insulting others? I know you like to make a point by doing so but we would like you to stop doing this.

You don't have to agree with and can certainly correct someone but please do so in a polite and civil manner.

Tom

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Point taken, better?

 

[Simon Kaminski]

No, worse. Stupid question.

 

[Juris]

Hi all . I'm new on RD but just getting back into sim racing after almost a decade in absence of simming (was there since the Microprose days). Assetto Corsa is one of the reasons that spurred me to return. Basically anticipation of a game which I think can push things onwards.

I'm also getting back into flight simming & as a result I've kitted myself out with a both a TM Warthog & T500rs/Th8rs, which wasn't easy financially. Regards business models TM interests me & perhaps AC should consider it to, although its clear they've been lining up car manufacturers as licenees as they would be required to. TM have come from a hardware side & tied into the SW side. One thing I've noticed in modern simming is the lack of arrogance regards hardware specs, instead of the usual FPS et al, "I have a gtx680 & you only have a gtx675" BS. TM seem aggressive on the tie-in side (DCS & GT5 come to mind) in marketing their high-end HW but is there a chance to get people hooked on lower end HW at cheaper rates to drag them into simming. Its drug dealing for sim gaiming.

From what I've seen the big difference between simming & 'normal' gaming is the expense of doing it. Everyone on a console has a gamepad or on pc a mouse & keyboard. No console of PC manufacturer sells a system without them. Am I an idiot in thinking there could be a benefit in hardware tie-ins (ie discount benefits on basic hardware with trade-in discounts for progression to higher hardware tiers coupled with the licence keys sold by SW devs). Possibly even the funding being directed to a pre-specified selection of crowd-funded HW or SW projects which HW & SW devs can work towards.

Basically a SW dev charges say €50 for a game, then DLC costs extra but is you buy HW from specified manufacturers you get both a discount on the DLC if you have certain affiliate HW or get the DLC discounted/free with affiliate HW, with agreed % of profits from either going to the other affiliate . Or variations on the above. Any thoughts?

I think we all just want the genre to grow, arguments on other issues aside. Its a fanciful dream but a BF3 style full server network wouldn't hurt anyone who loves racing. Sorry for the long 1st post.

 

[Jari Vinnari]

I prefer "old style" business model without any monthly bills for officially-sanctioned racing organized by developers/publishers.

That said perhaps one day they could offer ranked, officially sanctioned "premium service" servers with extra benefits for those who want it. Normal free of charge servers would be run by community but Premium servers would be available for additional monthly fee.

Assetto Corsa is sponsored by Fanatec so in future we could see discounts or freebies for buyers of Fanatec products.

 

[Juris]

I think your right Jari. Personally I don't want to go online until I'm comfortable to do so. It scares the hell out of serious possible new entrants as well. Servers are not a major expense these days (1 of my jobs is in the business) but unlike other business a second downtime causes major backlash as you see with BLOPS & BF3. 1st world problems.

Possibly a locally hosted model could be used but that brings problems in terms of revenue for a dev when you multiply it out. For newbies maybe a local host model with incentives to join a wider online hosted server. What do ya think?

 

[Alexandre Guzu]

I prefer "old style" business model without any monthly bills for officially-sanctioned racing organized by developers/publishers.

That said perhaps one day they could offer ranked, officially sanctioned "premium service" servers with extra benefits for those who want it. Normal free of charge servers would be run by community but Premium servers would be available for additional monthly fee.

Assetto Corsa is sponsored by Fanatec so in future we could see discounts or freebies for buyers of Fanatec products.

Exactly, this is the point I was trying to make in the first post. I really think they should think about it, seeing how desperately unpopulated are the servers nowadays, except iracing's.

It's no surprise really since there is absolutely no consistency in the online experience at the moment in rfactor, netkar or race07 for instance. Either you don't have the right track or car, or the ping is too high, or the races you might like have already started ... It's definitely a terrible experience IMO. It's a bit sad Assetto Corsa is aiming in the exact same direction when there are successful alternatives out there.

 

[Damien Wintz]

It's a terrible experience when you are too lazy to download the required car/tracks or to join a league race. Otherwise, even the older games are still an incredible experience, and the fact that there are so many leagues that stuck to them for so long should be enough to prove that.

 

[Alexandre Guzu]

<removed>

 

[Alexandre Guzu]

<removed>

 

[Tom]

<removed>

Comme j'ai deja dit, RD.com est une site multinationale et nombreux de nos membres ne parlons pas Francais. C'est pas important si tu parle Anglais bien mais Francais n'est pas permis sur RD.com. Comme habitude je vais supprimer toutes les posts en Francais.

En outre, il est extrêmement impoli de répondre dans votre langue au lieu de la langue que tout le monde parle.

---------------------​

Like I previously said, RD.com is a multinational website and many of our members don't speak French. It's not important if you're speaking English well but French isn't allowed on RD.com. As always I'm going to delete all posts made in French.

In addition, it's extremely rude to reply in your language instead of the one used by everyone else.

Tom

 

[Alexandre Guzu]

Sorry about that, these posts were directly addressed to Damien (who's french), I should have send them via pm.

 

[Tom Van Put]

The best part about iRacing, in my eyes, are the sanctioned races they organise through their servers.

I really hope AC is considering something like that. They just have to make sure it isn't mandatory.

I prefer leagues over racing on public servers. But I don't always find a league that fits my needs or at timeslots that suit me. Racing on open, unsanctioned, servers is just terrible...

So if AC would impliment some sort of organized and sanctioned races with a championship structure this would be a great ad-on.
They don't have to do this for every car but only for some popular series that would apeal to a big audience. eg:

• Le Mans Series
• GT3 races
• Lotus Racing Series
• Historic DTM Racing
• Formula (1) Racing
• Historic Formula racing

Charge a few euros a month for this for those who are interested and other people can just play the game off-line or in leagues.

One thing a lot of people always seem to forget when they are on the internet is that a company needs to make a profit to create new content or new games. You can't get everything for free or at a cheap price and expect the best product/game ever.

 

[Ian Strom]

I would prefer to see sanctiond club races like here at RD rather than only having full-on leagues.

 

[Alexandre Guzu]

The best part about iRacing, in my eyes, are the sanctioned races they organise through their servers.

I really hope AC is considering something like that. They just have to make sure it isn't mandatory.

I prefer leagues over racing on public servers. But I don't always find a league that fits my needs or at timeslots that suit me. Racing on open, unsanctioned, servers is just terrible...

So if AC would impliment some sort of organized and sanctioned races with a championship structure this would be a great ad-on.
They don't have to do this for every car but only for some popular series that would apeal to a big audience. eg:

• Le Mans Series
• GT3 races
• Lotus Racing Series
• Historic DTM Racing
• Formula (1) Racing
• Historic Formula racing

Charge a few euros a month for this for those who are interested and other people can just play the game off-line or in leagues.

One thing a lot of people always seem to forget when they are on the internet is that a company needs to make a profit to create new content or new games. You can't get everything for free or at a cheap price and expect the best product/game ever.

My thoughts exactly, I'm gonna stick it to the first post if you don't mind.

 

[Mapu]

I don't understand why some people have to pull out their good samaritan and act like being offically responsible for a business competing on the market; it's free, unrestricted and dictates the prices - just capitalism. if you feel like you have been given the task to help a company (for being that good smaritan, having no confidence into the experience of that company, fearing that this specific business is going to fail without your generous help and what not), then please do so and send them a extra cheque, maybe you will be even aloud to brag about it. A donation is something else then going on a mission to make people understand that they have to pay more to get what they want; the one is called voluntary - in parts a free will and the other one is called a must; Anyway nobody is expecting something for free in this world, so please stop this hilarious argument already.

 

[Luciano Pacheco]

Totally agree with Alexandre. For me simracing is not just a game I play once in a while, itś my main HOBBY. I have invested a lot in an expensive hardware (T500, triple screens, GTX 680, G-Seat, etc.. ) and would love to see AC offering more of a "professional" or premium service for those who take this very seriously.
The only place you can find this level of commitment is in Iracing, unfortunatelly. Leagues are nice, but is far from ideal IMHO.
Please Kunos, give us something worth it and I would gladly spend 20, 30, 40 dollars/month for a good service so I don have to race 12 year olds who plays AC during a break from GTA.

 

[Simon Kaminski]

Totally agree with Alexandre. For me simracing is not just a game I play once in a while, itś my main HOBBY. I have invested a lot in an expensive hardware (T500, triple screens, GTX 680, G-Seat, etc.. ) and would love to see AC offering more of a "professional" or premium service for those who take this very seriously.
The only place you can find this level of commitment is in Iracing, unfortunatelly. Leagues are nice, but is far from ideal IMHO.
Please Kunos, give us something worth it and I would gladly spend 20, 30, 40 dollars/month for a good service so I don have to race 12 year olds who plays AC during a break from GTA.

I think kids get bored really quick from this game as it's to hard for them. lol

And to the other things: You are free to pay Kunos every month 40 dollars and we other guys are happy to buy it on Steam one time. (+ Support them with spreading the word and getting theird DLCs)