Sim Discussion Monday - Assetto Corsa

[Paul Jeffrey]

In today’s edition of ‘Sim Discussion Monday’ we talk about all things Assetto Corsa!

Love it or loathe it Assetto Corsa has quickly become one of the most popular racing simulations of the modern sim racing landscape. Bathed in exotic licences the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini all pitched together on laserscanned tracks, with high quality graphics and physics and a vibrant modding scene, Assetto Corsa from Kunos Simulazioni has very quickly picked up the mantle once held so tightly by Image Space Incorporated and the venerable rFactor platform.

However despite the popularity of the software Assetto Corsa still lacks many of the features considered essential in a modern racing title (think day / night transition, weather and driver swops), leaving many to feel the sim is so close to the top of the mountain, yet just falling short as it scales the summit.

Now in its third year of development, let’s use this article as an opportunity to discuss the game, share tips on optimising the experience on screen and through the wheel, highlight some great content and basically just talk about anything and everything Assetto Corsa!

Mondays be like...

 

[StefanoCasillo]

101 how to avoid answering a question - just give a false reason to it.

TBH I am not surprised that, for you, the reasoning of "I don't have the elements to comment about this topic" is unacceptable.
After all, you are the one that, without any knowledge of the topic is making a fool of himself on a public forum... keep going, it's pretty majorly amusing to watch.

Back to the topic, it's always hilarious to see how (ignorant) simracers attach a negative value to something that is used as standard in the very industry they then use as a "proof" of some kind of superiority or their pet software (including AC).
LUT (look up tables) have been an industry standard for almost 50 years when it comes to simulate things that can be easily measured. For example, using LUT has been the standard for ever for aero.. because you get experimental data (ie. wind tunnel or cfd) and you drop it straight into the sim to get a perfect match between sim and data at a almost-zero-cost runtime.

It gets even funnier for tyre models. Pretty much EVERY multi million dollar simulator uses Pacejika tyre model with data straight from the tyre manufacturers... these are the very same sims that use the "pro" version of our "consumer" sim for graphics and plug their own physics in; and yet, Pacejika model almost turned into a bad word in the simracing universe... go figure.

So, the industry standard for high end sims is LUT+Pacejika but for simracers that "won't do" , nope, "it's not good enough"

 

[CL0NE]

I hardly play AC for one reason and one reason alone. The Multiplayer UI !
It is the worst ever, It is so difficult to join a server.Confusing,messy,ugly,clunky,annoying and slow.

 

[MarcG]

I booted up AC for the first time in a while last night after only loading RF2 since May 1st (VR support added), immediately the smoothness of the VR was apparent that I had known of before but that wasn't why I loaded her up. There's a small group on FB making classic National Hot Rods (UK Short Oval) and Tracks and they're bloody brilliant, driving around Ipswich in a MKII Escort doing the exact thing I watched as a kid just fills me with the most utmost joy & complete satisfaction and that's what I'm leading too...

I'm saying it's not always "What Sim is best?" or "Which Sim has the best physics or FFB?", for me there's too much nonsense thrown around by people claiming to know exactly what they're talking about yet they themselves don't actually have a clue. So ignore the hot air blowing about and just *ENJOY* each Sim for what they offer, if they're different from one another it doesn't mean one is "wrong" or "poor" it's just that they are different.
So quit trying to force an opinion to yourself on which one is most "Real" and drive each Sim for what it's there for in the first place - The Enjoyment and what that sim gives you - Pleasure, for me each one of them in their own way give me just that and I'm forever grateful to each and every Dev for what THEY bring us to enjoy in our own spare time.

 

[Alex Townsend]

I hardly play AC for one reason and one reason alone. The Multiplayer UI !
It is the worst ever, It is so difficult to join a server.Confusing,messy,ugly,clunky,annoying and slow.

You confusing titles here?
Not heard this issue before...

 

[F_B]

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[After_Midnight]

I hardly play AC for one reason and one reason alone. The Multiplayer UI !
It is the worst ever, It is so difficult to join a server.Confusing,messy,ugly,clunky,annoying and slow.

You play AC just for the multiplayer user interface?
Props to you

 

[Deleted member 113561]

wow I'm surprised how good of a discussion we have here, enjoying it

@kunos And again you're trying to distract people by attacking me. At least you provided the information. Assetto Corsa is only using LUTs.
I know that all Sims use LUTs, but PC2 and rF2 don't use them everywhere.

Just enjoying AC the most because it feels best for me.

This is what is most important at the end of the day

 

[StefanoCasillo]

Assetto Corsa is only using LUTs.
I know that all Sims use LUTs, but PC2 and rF2 don't use them everywhere.

This is what is most important at the end of the day

lol I didn't say that

AC uses LUT for aero. Everything else (tyres, suspensions, drivetrain and whatnot) does not use LUT.

But dude.. you are REALLY missing the point here . I guess we all get it by now that reading comprehension isn't your strongest skill but jeezooz... get a grip!

 

[AadHofman]

So what exactly is the problem with lookup tables?

 

[m_mirk]

Every engine uses houndreds of lookup tables. So if you dont like them stop driving your car .


Or get an old one...

 

[David Dominguez]

So what exactly is the problem with lookup tables?

Nothing, it just saves computing power for stuff where going "more complex" doesn't bring much extra value. Let's say you are a racing team and you have complete aeromaps of your car at every wing angle/ride height/yaw-roll angle/etc possible, straight from the wind tunnel, why would you waste more time and resources coding algorithms to match them, when you can simply make lookup tables with those values?

 

[Torcano]

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But yes, back on topic, AC was the first sim that made me start skinning and gave me something creative to do other than just "drive". Much fun was had learning how to make stuff, first 'community' that I actively participated in as well. Well worth the 60 bucks spent over it's lifetime, served its purpose I suppose.

 

[garyjpaterson]

But yes, back on topic, AC was the first sim that made me start skinning and gave me something creative to do other than just "drive". Much fun was had learning how to make stuff, first 'community' that I actively participated in as well. Well worth the 60 bucks spent over it's lifetime, served its purpose I suppose.

Me too man, AC is so much more than just a driving sim for me. Being part of a creative community has been a great experience, no other title has ever enticed me to do so.

Its also been at the core of teaching me everything I know about vehicle dynamics (which is admittedly still not a lot ), so yeah, thanks Kunos

 

[Deleted member 113561]

lol I didn't say that

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I even gonna try out AC right now to see how it feels today, compared to the last time I tried (which was really a bad experience for me).

 

[StefanoCasillo]

lol.. so no LUTs and he'll have another go at it.
Must have a real problem with LUTs ,

Now that he's been proven wrong he calls to the past... of course everybody believes you now

The most ironic part of this all is that none of my sims ever used LUTs.. where this guy got this info he's so convinced of totally eludes me..

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[Deleted member 113561]

I don't do it because of LUTs but because so many people wrote here how much it actually improved since launch. I somehow don't like it when not new technology is used - I want to see progress and improvments. I'm surprised that you don't use LUTs but don't have rain or day/night cycle.

Interestingly a lot of people believe AC uses LUTs only. Some people claimed its the reason why updating the cars took sooo long. I got the info from someone who was always right sofar and is software engineer, but seems like I need to go back enforcing my own rule again - don't believe what you didn't see for yourself.

@garyjpaterson: See it as this: He goes a new way but only in a limited fashion? Its what I admire about rFactor or Project CARS - they push technology and want to simulate as much as possible.
Its for me not 100% logical to go for no LUTs but then leave out rain or night and use fake FFB (at least at release).

 

[garyjpaterson]

I'm surprised that you don't use LUTs but don't have rain or day/night cycle.

 

[garyjpaterson]

Also

its the reason why updating the cars took sooo long.

WTF? The reason it takes a long time to update the cars is because there are so damn many of them, and there is 1 guy doing it all...

 

[StefanoCasillo]

Interestingly a lot of people believe AC uses LUTs only.

actually it's the first time I read such a thing in so many years that I work on sims.. ... I think you should find better people to hang with, especially if you are so gullible to believe everything they say.

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Again.. all this has nothing to do with whether or not LUTs are a good way to go about simulating stuff (as I've said, if you have ALL the data they are THE way to go) ..

 

[Deleted member 113561]

and here the insulting starts again