354 replies to this topic

[leon_90]

Some months are passed and many updates (and announcements) have come. Also the Lotus 49 has changed a bit since november/december. For many it has become even more accurate. Driving mostly with a joypad I cannot really say. What do you think lads?

[Fat Rich]

The tyre model update after Christmas made it a bit easier to find the limit of the Lotus 49 and more enjoyable to drive IMO. But it doesn't feel as different to the other non-aero cars in the game as I'd expect which doesn't seem quite right somehow, personally I'd like a tiny bit more slip angle to the tyres (not as much as GPL!) just to make it a little more fun (like GPL!). Maybe I've just not got it set up right or probably don't have the talent to drive it on the limit!

As for the Assetto Corsa as a whole, everything currently in the game seems to be of a high quality except for the AI which still needs a lot of work. I like that they defend their positions into corners, but they do a nasty last minute lunge deep in the braking zone rather than a calm blocking move. Also if you're in their way and not up to speed they'll just drive you off the road, and they do some strange things when they're in traffic. On the plus side they sometimes race very well indeed, I've had some great side by side battles through long sequences of corners with no contact. There's an aggression and an unpredictability that I've not seen before which makes most other AI seem passive and boring roadblocks. It could develop into something good, they're improving it a little with each fortnightly update, but it's going to take some time and might even delay the launch of the full game.

As for the historic angle it's not looking so good for those that want full immersion in the era. There's not going to be much official historic content from the devs and judging by the support forums there's only a small number of people interested in the old stuff. It's going to be up to modders to get behind the sim and produce some quality tracks and cars, they'll have the same tools as the developers use to do this which is good. Hopefully the developers add features like realistic pitstops, weather, an AI with each driver having a distinct character etc. etc. in the not too distant future but until that happens, it won't be a platform to make an amazing sequel to GPL.

However because the physics are so good Assetto Corsa is great fun to drive with a good selection of modern cars, a reasonable selection of tracks, it's well worth checking out if you don't mind risking 30 Euros and have a reasonably up to date PC. There will a demo at some point, probably when the game is finished and released.

Edited by Fat Rich, Mar 10 2014 - 08:04 AM.

[Andy Clegg]

I'm enjoying driving it more now I've got a lot more into hot lapping.

[leon_90]

Fat Rich, on Mar 10 2014 - 08:00 AM, said:

As for the historic angle it's not looking so good for those that want full immersion in the era. There's not going to be much official historic content from the devs and judging by the support forums there's only a small number of people interested in the old stuff. It's going to be up to modders to get behind the sim and produce some quality tracks and cars, they'll have the same tools as the developers use to do this which is good. Hopefully the developers add features like realistic pitstops, weather, an AI with each driver having a distinct character etc. etc. in the not too distant future but until that happens, it won't be a platform to make an amazing sequel to GPL.

Yeah I think the same. Developers won't be doing a lot of historical content. Maybe a DLC but it will probably contain a variety of cars and tracks more than a specific season.
It is up to modders to give this sim wings. RFactor got a lot of "historical attention" from modders and GTR2 also. I quote those games because they were more "modern cars oriented" and still they are capable platforms for vintage cars. Assetto Corsa is being developed to be a really good platform for vintage cars so if modders work equally good we should get something interesting. I have already seen some interesting models, including a Ferrari 125 from 1953 (in which I gave modders some help collecting info about the engine, the chassis, brakes and tyres) and a Ferrari 312 PB which look very promising.

[sky]

Leon, linkage to the 312PB / 125 please . I'd like to have a look at it.

[Stefan Roess]

sky, on Mar 13 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

Leon, linkage to the 312PB / 125 please . I'd like to have a look at it.

http://www.virtualr....rsa-new-preview

[sky]

Thank you Stefan, and already someone in the comments being a d..k. The kid just wants to show what he is doing and the guy goes like "wat u spam us with your progress reports".. seriously? The internet today is full of jerks vying for attention. Anyway, the car looks good. Now if he puts some work into the shaders and materials, that thing could be awesome. Sadly, we don't have shaders, or materials for that matter, but we have the 312PB in game

[leon_90]

sky, on Mar 13 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

Leon, linkage to the 312PB / 125 please . I'd like to have a look at it.

I'm sorry Sky, I didn't read your comment until now anyway I have links from Assetto Corsa's forum (notice that you cannot see them unless you are registered, in case you aren't)
Here they are:

Ferrari 500 F2 (not 125, sorry my bad )  http://www.assettoco...toric-car.1159/
Ferrari 312 PB  http://www.assettoco...301/

Edited by leon_90, Mar 16 2014 - 05:20 PM.

[one2fwee]

Leon, do you have the data for 1951 and 53 500 F2s that you said were different?

It would kind of be interesting to compare!

[leon_90]

one2fwee, on Mar 19 2014 - 10:06 AM, said:

Leon, do you have the data for 1951 and 53 500 F2s that you said were different?

It would kind of be interesting to compare!

It is nothing exceptional just a little difference in horsepower (+5 for 1953's 500 F2, for a total of 185 hp) which resulted in more total engine power (from 1984,8 cc to 1994,8 cc). For tyres I do not have precise data, I have a lot of things about engines instead. I think that for tyres there was a little difference in dimensions but, again, nothing great

[one2fwee]

Okay thanks for the info I'm guessing the 51 version  had slightly less engine power coupled with a smaller engine too

I wonder how accurate all information is on such cars anyway - I remember hearing that when simulation companies actually test tyres and vehicles themselves they come up with vastly different data than those given to them by manufacturers.

Still, with old cars, it's not like you can test out the original rubber to get data! Well you can... but i imagine the results won't be representative because the rubber will have degraded?

Hmm i wonder, is it still possible to get companies to manufacture "authentic" tyres to the same specs and compounds / methods used back in those times? Then those could be tested.

[Andy Clegg]

From memory Longstone tyres advertise in Motor Sport. I don't have a copy here at the moment.

[leon_90]

one2fwee, on Mar 20 2014 - 09:05 AM, said:

Okay thanks for the info I'm guessing the 51 version  had slightly less engine power coupled with a smaller engine too

I wonder how accurate all information is on such cars anyway - I remember hearing that when simulation companies actually test tyres and vehicles themselves they come up with vastly different data than those given to them by manufacturers.

Still, with old cars, it's not like you can test out the original rubber to get data! Well you can... but i imagine the results won't be representative because the rubber will have degraded?

Hmm i wonder, is it still possible to get companies to manufacture "authentic" tyres to the same specs and compounds / methods used back in those times? Then those could be tested.

I can say that for engines I mostly rely on a book written in 1968 (it's a rare copy) that used authenthic data taken directly from manufacturers.
For tyres, as I said in Assetto Corsa's forum, I could only give them some data I have but it's nothing solid like the info I had for the engine. I suggested to them that best thing to do was contact directly Pirelli (or Englebert if there is a way to talk to them or retrieve their catalogues) and ask them the coefficient of friction to have the most important (and only I may say) value to realistically simulate the original behaviour of the tyres. For what it concerns degrade, that should be simulated by the game itself basically in base on the coefficient value (and also other values like the nature of the asphalt, temperature, humidity, weight, driving style, all things which should be calculated, again, by the game from a given starting value). All this if the sim engine is valid, otherwise results won't be realistic (as much as possible they could be with modern technology, which still has it's limits).

Edited by leon_90, Mar 20 2014 - 10:41 AM.

[one2fwee]

Oh wow thanks Andy, i will have a look at their site!

Leon, what i meant by degrade was not degradation over a race but degradation of "period" tyres that are still fitted to old historical vehicles - a car with unused tyres made 60 years ago will feel very different from the same car, 60 years ago with the same brand of unused tyres.
Rubber goes bad over time, or so i hear :$

So what i meant is that although you can test historical vehicles "now" for performance, such testing may still not give you accurate results. I guess engines can lose power too, but probably less so than the degradation of the tyre rubber?

[leon_90]

Sorry for the misunderstanding

well, for tyres, of course! It would be insane to drive even at low speed with 60 years old tyres, even if never used. You'll most probably kill or injure yourself. You would need new "old" tyres, so tyres made now based on old projects and blueprints. For engine it would not even start if it stay shut for long time. Pistons get soldered to cylinder and you'll need caustic soda at really high temperatures to free them This, of course, if the engine has not been used at all. If it has been used, and proper maintenance has been done to it over time, there should not really be any lose of power

[leon_90]

Lads Assetto Corsa is on sale on Steam until Monday for a 50% discount (17.49€). Grab it while you can

Edited by leon_90, Aug 22 2014 - 02:34 PM.

[Saiph]

leon_90, on Aug 22 2014 - 02:33 PM, said:

Lads Assetto Corsa is on sale on Steam until Monday for a 50% discount (17.49€). Grab it while you can

Too busy with GPL, sorry.

[leon_90]

Keep playing then

My notice was for people actually interested in this sim (or maybe on the fence if try it or not). Given your (I guess) sarcastic answer, you are not interested in it so why even bother to reply?

[Fat Rich]

Also worth mentioning that buying Assetto Corsa Early Access entitles you to a discount on the first DLC Dream pack which includes a laserscanned Nordschleife and 10 additional cars from Audi, Alfa, Nissan GTR, Corvette and more.

Blasting round Longford in a Lotus 49 or round pretty much anywhere in the Lotus 78T or Ferrari F40 is probably worth the 17.49 Euros. But you will need an up-to-date powerful machine to get the best out of it.

Edited by Fat Rich, Aug 23 2014 - 02:15 AM.

[sky]

While graphically not quite up there with Pcars, I still quite like it. And at this time, it's what I waste the occasional 15 mins it takes to do 2 laps of the Nordschleife in either an M3 GT2 (E92) or an MP4-12C GT3. It's actually mighty good fun, I get quite good fps (say about twice of another title). For a time I was stuck in the '49, then I had a long go at the 599, 458 and F40. Man, did I have a ball in the F40 around some tracks (old Monza), Mugello and some other track I forgot. The 98T is fun, but too fast for my controller. If you master it around the Ring, you'll be good to go anywhere in any (slower) car

For anyone interessted, I would recommend getting a few add-on mod tracks:
The aforementioned Longford is nice enough (is there even a GPL version? I don't think so), Fuji Speedway (a blast from the past, can't remember which introduced me to this one), Road America, Mid Ohio (for those who fancy some CanAm trackage), Le Mans (for obvious reasons, not the 1971 version though), Brands Hatch and of course... the Nurburgring (Snoopy v1.1, must have really).
As for cars... there are not that many add-ons yet, but if you want to make the ground shake, get the Corvette C6R (I had someone come by asking where the big truck was - it was just the Vette idling in the pits, phsysics need a touch up though). The Cobra is fun and looks great, but slowish and I haven't tried the Civic yet, so can't comment.