Tracks Algarve (2 Seasons, 3 Layouts) 1.04

[Patrick Giranthon]

Patrick Giranthon submitted a new resource:

Algarve International Circuit (2 Seasons, 3Layouts) - Portamao 3 Layouts for AMS

What a job.

So much time and effort went into this track conversion, with too many changes to list. A massive collaboration from myself and Gringo, pushing each other to reach a higher level.

Thanks to Denis for the loading screens and mini maps.
Thanks to Luigi for his camera work.
Patrick and Greg for MAX work, the latest RZ road shaders and full AMS graphics effects.

The base track model has been extensively...

Read more about this resource...

 

[Eric Rowland]

This is the best thing that's happened to Portugal since Vasco da Gama.....

 

[Marc Collins]

5-star rating already assigned.

However, there is a strange issue where when I drive out of the pit garage, my DynaHUD turns blue (it was normal while sitting in the garage) and stays blue as long as I am in the pit lane. Once I cross the line to leave the pit lane, it pops back to normal. Escape to pit garage and the cycle continues. It also happened briefly at a couple of spots on the track.

The only other issue is the usual Reiza-based pit stalls that have severe z-fighting/flickering on them and one spot on the upper area of the main pit building (facing the main straight) that also flickers.

Thanks for this amazing track. It truly is one of the best tracks in the world for flow and feel of racing.
(I beg of you to finish CMP, too, because it fits the same category).

 

[BillGuy]

Thank you much to Patrick, Gringo, and the entire team that brought us this track! My experience with it so far can be summed up as....

OK BillGuy, you've watched numerous Chris Harris videos from here. You got this.
[attempts first few laps]
You don't got this.

 

[Gringo]

DynaHUD turns blue

Yes I know it. Not sure whats wrong here, but the blue DynHUD happens on other tracks at times too.

 

[Gringo]

Not sure whats wrong here, but the blue DynHUD happens on other tracks at times too.

I found a fix for this and will upload a hot fix to patch V1 in a day or two.

Please let us know of any issue you guys run into with the track.

Cheers

 

[Angelo dos Santos]

Great addition for the collection! Thanks Patrick and the whole crew.

I have a small problem, though. I usually run AMS with all graphics on Max, no problems. With this track, even with my FPS well above 120, with shadows on high or max...Im getting some annoying stutters, micro freezings.
Have no idea why this happens.
With shadows on medium, fps dont go that much higher, and the problem is gone.

 

[Alex72]

I found a fix for this and will upload a hot fix to patch V1 in a day or two.

Please let us know of any issue you guys run into with the track.

Cheers

For me it worked as usual. Sometimes the DynHUD turns blue but if you go out and drive it turns back to normal. At least for me. But this track was good from start. Not sure what makes the blue happen.

I think i have noticed sometimes when just firing up the sim and as soon as i roll out from pits and AI is still in pit and its red light (cant go out on track yet) THATs when DynHUD is blue, and when the light goes green and AI start rolling out the DynHUD is normal again.

@Angelo dos Santos For me i had good FPS on this track, but i lost FPS overall with the latest big AMS update. Its like stuttering often in corners - on all tracks. Really annoying. Algarve/Portimao was good though for me. Maybe the big update messes something up. Try medium shadows. rFactor engine has pretty performance hungry shadows. Medium looks good to me and saves you FPS. Also turn off the softer shadows. I see no difference when racing.

 

[Gasper Zupan]

Great track with nice flow. Thank you

 

[ShredatorFIN]

Great track! Some small criticism, the scenery behind T1 is so close, that it is apparent that it's not 3D. Could the closest hills be changed to 3D? Or divide the background into few parts, so there is some "parallax effect". In other parts backgrounds look very believable

 

[Patrick Giranthon]

Patrick Giranthon updated Algarve International Circuit (2 seasons, 3 layouts) with a new update entry:

Portimao for AMS - Update Only to v1.01

A few things that didn't make the release deadline.

Optimize the VisGroups, Use track detail levels to improve performance as needed.
Attempt to solve blue text in DynHUD, better but still a problem.
Revised horizon with improved lighting.
LOD increase to some objects to improve rear view.
Add "- Summer" to the UI menu.
Gravel is deeper and a little more "sticky"
Some corrections and optimizations to materials and vertex colors.

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[Stephen O'Sullivan]

Fot me i had good FPS on this track, but i lost FPS overall with the latest big AMS update. Its like stuttering often in corners - on all tracks. Really annoying.

AMS was as smooth as silk for me until a few weeks ago, when stutters started to occur. I can't work out what's causing it but an uneducated, wild guess is that it's something to do with audio and/or FFB. I'll definitely download this exciting track (which I know well from RaceRoom) after the next big update.

 

[Alex72]

AMS was as smooth as silk for me until a few weeks ago, when stutters started to occur. I can't work out what's causing it but an uneducated, wild guess is that it's something to do with audio and/or FFB. I'll definitely download this exciting track (which I know well from RaceRoom) after the next big update.

Yeah same here. So im not alone... AMS was also always smooth as silk for me since i bought it when it was released. It seems indeed maybe related to FFB because it seems to happen more in corners where you steer your wheel. If you figure something out please let me know.

Also, thanks to Patrick & team for the update.

 

[Patrick Giranthon]

Patrick Giranthon updated Algarve International Circuit (2 seasons, 3 layouts) with a new update entry:

Shadow fixes

Some microscopic fixes for shadows and marshal huts, in a full track package download.

If you update from a previous version the "Update1.mas" is no longer used and can be deleted from the Algarve folder.

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

[gamer19]

Why these tracks for AMS are more and more bigger in size with every update ? I'm not that good with hard drive space and maybe I'm not the only one. I mean... 322mb zipped, really...
Even tracks for such games as rFactor2 and Assetto Corsa are quite smaller. Something went wrong at some point imho...

 

[Gringo]

@gamer19

What do you suggest we do to meet your arbitrary track size limit?

BrandsHatch.rar 428,439,266 bytes
Hockenheim.rar 573,188,717 bytes
Imola.rar 431,734,017 bytes
Kansai.rar 563,826,353 bytes
Virginia.rar 487,504,384 bytes

If you don't like it don't download it. Easy.

PS Oh... and if you didn't notice Algarve v1.02 is actually 4 Mb smaller than v1.0!

 

[gamer19]

I don't know... maybe it's my old soul.
Wasn't that long ago... tracks were under 100mb.
And they looking good. Great even.
Just wondering... why AMS demands this huge size(s) to be able to look good.
I swear... my Assetto Corsa tracks are quite smaller in size, in average. And we all know how AC look compared to AMS right ?
Sorry if I ofended you in any way... I didn't mean at anyone specifically...

 

[Patrick Giranthon]

Algarve used a really hi res poly count for road (was not really usefull but we did a test and kept it like this). Many grass blades, and different seasons can add 40mb quickly. This is the biggest track we released. Others are smaller.
But you have Mb when uou use good textures, grass, etc...

 

[Gringo]

I do understand to a degree, but its not something that we have complete control. I can say that the encryption of the required files adds 115 Mb to the download.

 

[gamer19]

Ok, all being said... maybe we can conclude that old files structure system doesn't allow you guys much space for experimenting in AMS, so if you want to add some new stuff to tracks - it's all very visible on file size.
Ok, I anyway most drive those US IndyCar tracks. Just don't make them like half a gig and we're fine! No need for updates anyway, they look perfect this way at this very state!

Sorry and thank you for answers.