PC2 Sim Discussion Monday - Project CARS 2

[Paul Jeffrey]

First day back in the office for many this morning, what better way to pass the time than have a good discussion about the new Project CARS game?

Now the dust is beginning to settle around the recent release of Project CARS 2, we thought it a good time to look deeper into the game, driven by our community, and share our findings and impressions from the heavily hyped new racing title from Slightly Mad Studios.

Do you have some useful tips for getting the most from the sim? Found a magic setting to really unlock the FFB? Got a trick up your sleeve that helps bring sharper graphics for little FPS trade off? Or do you simply want to share your most / least favourite car and track combinations?

So long as it remains on topic, respectful and mature, we want to know your thoughts!

Mondays be like...

 

[MarkR]

Interesting to see others expressing the view that the AC & PCARS2 force feedback and car feel are similar, nice little video from GM comparing the KTM X-Bow on both games. He's using a Direct Drive wheel too which adds to the comparison.

 

[Skidmeister]

As pretty as this game is, and as fun as it is to drive, I'm having huge buyers remorse right now. Pretty much everything about the MP side of the game is flawed in one way or another.

And your point is..............?

Nothing is perfect out of the gate...deal with it instead of saying EVERYTHING is flawed. It could be a number of things including the box that was serving the game not having enough bandwidth. I would love to see a lag filter to keep out players with a bad ping, as this can cause massive stutters in any sim. Obviously something worked or you wouldn't have gotten that far in. But at least I don't have to go back to DOS to start a dedicated server, like I did in AC when it was released.

 

[Skidmeister]

!
That system is bugged, if i get rammed from behind i still loose points on the licence.
Thats not my fault (Why do i loose points) but the idiots behind me, pushing you off so they can make the corner.
.

This is the same problem you can have on Iracing when you initially join. If you can play with friends or clean racers you can eventually get past it as your then improved rating will get you onto the clean servers. I have also found particular times of day can sometimes be when the crashing kids seem more prone to populate servers.

 

[After_Midnight]

I liked AC a lot when it came out and even got several friends to buy it. But when I went to setup a dedicated server to race them on and had to spend inordinate amounts of time typing in all sorts of things that should have just been pull downs from a menu, I thought to my self, was this written for DOS? That pretty much ended my run with it even though I did like it a lot. AC started with very little content, but I see a lot has been added since. Never raced it online because I did not want to spend hours figuring out how to use the dedicated server, and no intention of simply racing AI so I switched to R3E at that point. In no way am I bitter about AC because of that, I just moved on and now I have moved on to Pcars2.

There is a UI tool to setup a dedicated server very easy in few minutes.
So you can spend more time in setting up your FFB for PC2

 

[ionONE1]

Played 34 hours now, i am at the low score of yellow E1200 something, only because the newb idiots ram me off every single race. In GT3 you expect this alittle, but this is to much, i cant even join U and F servers anymore.
In indy car on an oval they just ram into your back so you fly off the track!
That system is bugged, if i get rammed from behind i still loose points on the licence.
Thats not my fault (Why do i loose points) but the idiots behind me, pushing you off so they can make the corner.
They need to change that asap or i wont be able to drive in normal U&F lobby's.
If i could i would refund only for that. The game is awsome i like it better than raceroom or AC AC gives me 35 to 60 fps, while pcars gives me 70 110 with high settings.

Similar experience, won 4-5 GT3 races by 20-30 sec, next race i try the renault gtr3 and my start is worse. Over the cause of the first lap, someone patently moves into me ... car to damaged to continue. Instantly deranked what was a good 4 hours of finding the right lobby and doing these boring races. So far every race i watched people crashing into each other when looking back. 2 times the lobby host removed me after the qualyifing (probably cause i was 2 sec faster than 2. place?)
There is no racing etiquette like on RD/iracing. Maybe i have to wait another 2 weeks for these guys to leave?!

 

[RasmusP]

Similar experience, won 4-5 GT3 races by 20-30 sec next race i try the renault gtr3 and the start worse. Next to another guy and he moves into me off the track/car to damaged. Instantly deranked what was a good 4 hours of finding the right lobby and doing these boring races. So far every race i watched people crashing into each other when looking back. 2 times the lobby host removed me after the qualyifing (probably cause i was 2 sec faster than 2. place?)
There is no racing etiquette like on RD/iracing. Maybe i have to wait another 2 weeks for these guys to leave?!

I didn't played online yet but I can tell you that every rank reset in rocket League is a total carnage after a season starts and you do best to wait a week before playing again.
I think the system will work but it really sorts over time, same for rocket League.
You just have to be really careful I guess. Dodging every driver that could ram you etc.

But I totally get the frustration about it!

 

[RasmusP]

Similar experience, won 4-5 GT3 races by 20-30 sec next race i try the renault gtr3 and the start worse. Next to another guy and he moves into me off the track/car to damaged. Instantly deranked what was a good 4 hours of finding the right lobby and doing these boring races. So far every race i watched people crashing into each other when looking back. 2 times the lobby host removed me after the qualyifing (probably cause i was 2 sec faster than 2. place?)
There is no racing etiquette like on RD/iracing. Maybe i have to wait another 2 weeks for these guys to leave?!

I didn't played online yet but I can tell you that every rank reset in rocket League is a total carnage after a season starts and you do best to wait a week before playing again.
I think the system will work but it really sorts over time, same for rocket League.
You just have to be really careful I guess. Dodging every driver that could ram you etc.

But I totally get the frustration about it!

 

[ionONE1]

Double post
Yes i am careful, it was pole into win everytime.
How many points and why needs be more transparent like +5 qualy +10race.
At the end of last night i tried again, server died to steam maintenance -30 points. A good 7-8h grind to get these points back (if im lucky)
#ad Good thing the RD clubraces start next week^^

 

[José lima]

I'm in sim racing around two years, I've played everything, AC, RRE, AMS Iracing, GTR2, RF2, Dirt and some F1 games.
After testing Project Cars2 for about 10 hours I can say that the game simulates several things very well. Temperature of tires, engine and brakes, tire wear, etc. Some may say that Pcars2 is no good but for those who like me do not waste time creating petty hatreds about SMS or someone who is part of it, then they will have many hours of fun and amazement.
I play with triple screen and a T300RS, I can feel everything that goes with the car, understeer, oversteer, etc. I play in raw, gain at 100, volume and tone I change according to the car, if someone has difficulty knowing what each setting does, just read the help that is next to each setting.
The rating system is spectacular and I am sure it will be much better.
After putting the game to my liking (as I had to do in any other simulator) I'm loving it, especially the older cars, maybe because the tire profile is higher and you feel more the suspension course and the tyre flex. If anyone wants to feel it, just try to do some laps in the Ferrari F40 GTO in full boost at historic Monza, or any track in the Group 5 Porsche.
Thanks SMS for this simulator and I wish that the resolution of the bugs be easy and fast.

 

[Skidmeister]

There is a UI tool to setup a dedicated server very easy in few minutes.
So you can spend more time in setting up your FFB for PC2

Yes you probably can..lol Hopefully once it's setup I never have to tweak it again, because I believe near perfection is attainable just as it was in AC.
I run an Accuforce wheel so I will no doubt setup multiple profiles in Sim Commander as well.
And I consider adjustments a plus, as long as it can all be done from the same GUI I'm already in.
Also glad to hear they finally made a UI tool for AC, hopefully you don't have to still go into your router and open up ports and adjust a bunch settings in there so you can only race if you are an IT guy.

 

[Deleted member 99238]

I return to the situation with engine overheating.
I managed to repeat this situation.
1. It does not depend on the model of the car.
2. In the settings - Damage Type - Off
3. In the settings - Mechanical Failures - On
I purposely crashed into the bump with the nose of the car and the situation with overheating and damage of the engine was repeated.
Now I can explain this by the fact that the radiator was damaged during a collision and the coolant flowed out of it.
This is the level of realism in the game.

 

[Deleted member 99238]

But I also noticed another bug in the cockpit of the ACURA NSX GT3:

Do not you think that the wheel axis in the cockpit does not match the dashboard?

P.S. And tell me all the same how to turn on the virtual mirror in the cockpit of the ACURA NSX GT3 if the screen of the monitor is only half visible?

 

[After_Midnight]

Yes you probably can..lol Hopefully once it's setup I never have to tweak it again, because I believe near perfection is attainable just as it was in AC.
I run an Accuforce wheel so I will no doubt setup multiple profiles in Sim Commander as well.
And I consider adjustments a plus, as long as it can all be done from the same GUI I'm already in.
Also glad to hear they finally made a UI tool for AC, hopefully you don't have to still go into your router and open up ports and adjust a bunch settings in there so you can only race if you are an IT guy.

You still have to open ports for this to make it work. But its really not that hard like you believe
All of luck and fun to you with PC2

 

[MPortnoy]

Now if Project CARS 2 could deliver AI as good as the current Assetto Corsa AI it really would complete an unexpectedly improved game. Currently, AC is still king for close, human-like AI racing.

I won't be talking about the AI again until the first patch is released and see what kind of improvements they make, after all the game has only been out for a week but I'd really like @Ian Bell to read what Mark wrote because I think it's the sentiment of many.

Give AI the importance it deserves and you'll have a completely different and improved game.
After all what are shinny puddles and rain worth if I can't have a challenging and realistic race?

 

[Brent Mills]

I was excited for PC2 mainly for what sounded like an alternative to Iracing's online system, organised scheduled races and series. But that was a big let-down.

Without that, some sims do FFB and physics better (RF2 no 1 imo), and others (ok games) do career better (eg F1 2017).

So if it's mainly an offline sim, then doesn't seem like something I would fire up very often over RF2 or AC.
I'm holding out hope for Racerooms online competitive structure, but they've gone very quiet about that.

 

[Emery]

I won't be talking about the AI again until the first patch is released and see what kind of improvements they make

This is SMS. They've had pCARS 1 and a whole development cycle on pCARS 2 (in other words 3-4 years) to make acceptable AI and they've barely managed to make AI not ram you. AI has not exactly been at the top of their to-do list, eh?

I'm willing to bet the AI will not significantly improve after TWO patches for pCARS 2. What I'm looking for:
1) Useable AI on ovals. Right now they can't even circle the track without crashing into each other.
2) AI not cutting corners. We don't find that acceptable for humans, so I'm definitely not going to accept the AI doing it.
3) Smoothed AI paths. What's with the double-file synchronized dodging?
4) Far less AI just blindly driving off the track.

Maybe Ian Bell will take this as a challenge?

 

[Deleted member 99238]

Who knows how to reset the settings of FFB to default?

 

[Andy_J]

Maybe Ian Bell will take this as a challenge?

I doubt it. He has your money now and he's sitting in his London penthouse stroking his white Persian cat. <laughs like Dr Evil>

 

[ermo]

This is SMS. They've had pCARS 1 and a whole development cycle on pCARS 2 (in other words 3-4 years) to make acceptable AI and they've barely managed to make AI not ram you. AI has not exactly been at the top of their to-do list, eh?

I'm willing to bet the AI will not significantly improve after TWO patches for pCARS 2. What I'm looking for:
1) Useable AI on ovals. Right now they can't even circle the track without crashing into each other.
2) AI not cutting corners. We don't find that acceptable for humans, so I'm definitely not going to accept the AI doing it.
3) Smoothed AI paths. What's with the double-file synchronized dodging?
4) Far less AI just blindly driving off the track.

Maybe Ian Bell will take this as a challenge?

I'll take that bet: Up to €15 for a beer of you choice if AI isn't improved AT ALL after two patches. Supply me with your PayPal details once this board has ruled whether there was an overall improvement.

If AI does improve, you shut up and board the clue train, where you not only realise that SMS care about pC2, but that they also put a lot of dev resource into AI (among MANY other things!).

Feel free to screenshot this post.

 

[Andy_J]

I'll take that bet: Up to €15 for a beer of you choice if AI isn't improved AT ALL after two patches. Supply me with your PayPal details once this board has ruled whether there was an overall improvement.

If AI does improve, you shut up and board the clue train, where you not only realise that SMS care about pC2, but that they also put a lot of dev resource into AI (among MANY other things!).

Feel free to screenshot this post.

Only 15 euros, you are not that confident then Ermo?