With changes to tire physics, AI behavior and certain tracks, Reiza Studios has delivered a significant update.
Photo credit: Reiza Studios
The premier Brazilian racing sim Automobilista 2 has just received a major update from developer Reiza Studios, including physics and AI changes as well as a host of fixes to rectify issues from the last major update on December 31. Not only that, but there has also been a significant update to various circuits, including a fan-favorite track in the form of Spa.
#AMS2 has been updated to v1.1.0.4 – this is a complementary update to the last release featuring improvements & corrections for Spa, tire & driveline physics along with new AI logic for multiclass races – full changelog here: https://t.co/6DOF2A3EYi
— Reiza Studios (@ReizaStudios) January 13, 2021
Physics
Headlining the physics side of the update is the addition of “several new gearbox, clutch, crankshaft and wheel bearing models”. These additions will allow the game to more accurately simulate a wider array of drivetrains and therefore cars as well. Lesser changes to specific vehicles on both the mechanical and aerodynamic sides of performance are also plentiful in this update.
Aside from these changes, there have also been alterations made to the characteristics of certain tires within the game. F-Classic and F-Retro tires have had their carcasses revised, while other classes such as GT1 and GT3 have had their tires’ sidewalls stiffened. This may not sound like much, but nailing the behavior of a tire as accurately as possible is critical to the realism of any sim racing experience, and these changes are undoubtedly designed with that in mind.
AI
Artificial intelligence is notoriously difficult to perfect, and tweaks are often required to polish the behavior of in-game competitors. Reiza Studios has included a series of AI changes in this patch, some of which are more significant than others. Some are simply bug fixes, such as a fix for the large variance in simulated times set by the AI, but others are more like balance changes.
First and foremost is the addition of “new overtaking logic” which is designed to help the AI to better navigate its way through slower traffic. Another improvement to the AI can be found in their increased speed on wet circuits while running slick tires, and also in the fine tuning of their braking performance. In contrast, a reduction in AI performance during qualifying sessions is designed to take the computer players down a peg or two, though their practice performance has been improved.
Tracks
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in the Ardennes forest in Belgium has been granted some significant upgrades. Most of the alterations are graphical ones, including more trackside objects, fixes to tree shadows and an updated pit fence. However, there are also a couple of changes which will directly affect racing at the circuit. New AI paths for the track should allow the AI to set faster lap times more efficiently than before, while adjustments to corner cutting and track extension boundaries ought to keep players on their toes.
Aside from Spa, several other circuits have received slight graphical updates, with Imola 1988 being the only other circuit to receive a proper balance change in the form of a “minor AI grip increase”. Finally, weather probability ratios in all locations have been tweaked, which will essentially amount to slightly less wet weather in the game.
What do you think of the new Automobilista 2 update? Tell us on Twitter at @overtake_gg!
