South American indie studio REG Simulations have released their lastest PISTA Motorsport dev log. The Argentina-focused title keeps making good progress and now includes one of the country’s finest circuits.
Following the first three dev logs that were all released in relatively quick succession, REG Simulations gives an update again in PISTA Motorsport Dev Log #4. This time, new content for the closed beta, rain, tire wear and more share the spotlight. Here are the most important points.
PISTA Motorsport: Rain & Tire Wear
REG Simulations have put significant effort into how PISTA Motorsport handles rain. The title now features a fully-dynamic weather system in its closed beta state. Tracks will progressively get wetter as the rain keeps falling, and puddles will from accordingly. Conversely, an accurate drying line will form once the rain stops. Visual elements of the model include fog and raindrops on the car and windshield.
Also related to changing grip levels is PISTA‘s tire model. A new system for wear has been implemented according to the dev log, and it will punish overdriving. This means that the tires will lose grip, but there will also be a visual representation of it – which should be particularly interesting to see in open-wheel cars, as it should be the most visible in them.
PISTA Motorsport Dev Log: Improvements Under The Hood
REG Simulations has additionally made progress under the hood of PISTA Motorsport. Most notably, this includes the cars’ transmissions, so manual vehicles need the clutch to shift gears – uinless players enable the automatic clutch, that is. Progressive damage is also on board in the closed beta now, meaning misshifts can damage the transmission to the point of complete mechanical failure. Manually starting the engine is now also possible.
New Content
Since the last PISTA Motorsport dev log, more interesting content has made its way into the closed beta of the sim. For one, there is the Chevrolet Chevy from the Procar 4000 championship. This adds another type of car to PISTA, as a front-engined RWD vehicle was not present thus far. The Chevy joins the Formula 3 Metropolitana and the Turismo Pista Clase 1 Fiat Uno.
Meanwhile, one of the most modern circuits in Argentina has found its way into PISTA as well. Opened in 2008, the Autódromo Termas de Río Hondo has hosted rounds of the WTCC and MotoGP World Championships since. Rumors about a possible IndyCar race have started to appear in 2023 due to the good rookie season of Agustín Canapino in the series. The Argentinian is a four-time champion in the country’s biggest racing series Turismo Carretera.
PISTA Motorsport Dev Log: Future Plans
While it looks like the sim is coming together nicely, REG are of course not quite done yet. The team is working on a 3D grass system and a garage mode, which is supposed to allow players to work on setups with more ease than usual. Details on the mode are not yet available, however.
Most importantly for many sim racers, though, is the team’s aim to implement VR. PISTA Motorsport will have the system “100% functional” in future versions. Considering that the three main forces behind the project are racing drivers Juan Cruz Gaglio, Santiago Ruiz and Maximo Evans Weiss, this is hardly surprising. The young trio is looking to recreate their experiences from the real circuits as accurately as possible.
Want to know more about PISTA Motorsport? Check out RaceDepartment’s article that answers a dozen questions regarding the upcoming sim! The title is already available to wishlist on Steam, too.
Be sure to also check out or article on why we might be heading into a golden age of choice for sim racers!
What do you think about PISTA Motorsport‘s progress? Let us know on Twitter @OverTake_gg or in the comments below!
