Everything you say is how it should have been on console, I agree what you describe would have been the ideal outcome for everyone. Sadly what the console audience got was nothing like the Assetto we know and love on PC. Let me be clear before I get shot down by the AC super fans I think the PC version is superb, it was early access done right and grew into something truly special, the handling, FFB, cockpit detail and excellent VR. I accept it is the pinnacle of the Kunos's work and it pains me to have had to point out many times the console version just isn't up to much. So with that in mind here is as objective an assessment of the console version as I can manage after many moths of disappointment.
Let's start with the one shining bright point:
- The same superb car handling and wheel FFB (and for that matter game pad control) was carried across from the PC version. The cars feel superb no questioning that, when the game works on console it is unsurpassed in that regard.
The current issue:
- The PS4 version is pretty much broken, crashing the console in many scenarios from practice sessions to races, especially when using the new free Laguna Seca content and cars. Even the most loyal and long believing PS4 AC fans are up in arms.
-Xbox players are still waiting for the update....soon...
Here are a few of the issues from early days to now:
- Single digit framerate. Xbox version launch with single digit framerate, the whole game stuttered along. The console tech was blamed but other games seem to work just fine.
- The 'retail launch' version released at £40 was actually more like PC early access code from 2015 missing many of the cars, tracks and other features already added to the PC version.
- Frustratingly many of the bugs that had already been fixed on the PC version were reintroduced to the console version and took months to fix.
- Mysteriously the console version of career and special events asked for faster lap times than the PC version. The AI in career were totally unbalanced. Career progress would mysteriously delete itself from time to time.
- There were no track limits or penalties working and this took months to fix, none of the console leagues could or would use a game in this condition.
- Car setups could not be saved for many months and some still say they disappear.
- There was no 'private online multiplayer' leaving players at the mercy of the console online lobby chaos.
- When private multiplayer was introduced it was clunky and time consuming with players having to reset the entire room to change cars and tracks, this often leads to multiplayer connection issues too.
- There is no in game recording of any lap times (this has been in the PC version for a long time now), or any form of leaderboard - we forget how many of the missing features of AC we make up for with the excellent mods available. Ok AC on PC does not have internal leaderboards but it does have RSR Live Timing available. Console players are used to leaderboards, rivals style events and AC includes none of this, pen and paper or screenshots to record times are it. In this respect Kunos failed to understand the console market entirely.
- The update system on console has been slower than any other game I've encountered. Kunos blame MS and Sony but the reality is other games manage parity far faster and without the update troubles. At each update on Xbox to date paid DLC has failed to unlock. In one case Kunos took so long to update the DLC unlocking process on Xbox (about 3 weeks I think) the DLC had been reduced in a sale to less than 1/2 price before full price paying customers ever got to use the content. Shocking behaviour towards loyal and often pre-order customers.
- On the PS4 version a bug that caused wheel DOR on the Logitech G920 (by far the most popular PS4 wheel) to incorrectly detect the DOR remains (this was introduced several patches back), the only solution is to restart the game.
- There have been consistent claims of PC version parity, the latest in Marco's interview with RPS
https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/09/the-flare-path-rubber-blubber/ yet too many aspects to list remain unaddressed from as basic as broken car setups to custom key mapping.
I think Kunos have done more damage than good to their reputation with the console version, initially a broken game was launched, there have and continue to be multiple broken promises, glacial update cycles. No doubt they have made money, their accounts show a ratio of about 3:1 profit from console vs pc, but that is perceived as having been spent on the continued development of the PC version. As this is the end of the console game development cycle I can understand why people are still fed up with broken promises.
Personally and from many interactions with 'The Lord' himself, I believe the problem is that he and most likely the rest of the key talent at Kunos was never truly bought into producing a console version of the game. The console team is tiny and working at the very edge of their competence judging by results. Economics of the console player base and a lucrative sale to Digital Bros meant the console version was a necessary evil. When the boss doesn't care and is downright arrogant about consoles and console players why would anyone else in the company care? Bottom line, the console version of AC was a cash cow to continue development of the PC version.
Assetto Corsa remains the worst console release I've experienced in terms of missing features, game performance, glacial updates and broken promises. Such a contrast from the great game that it remains on PC.
The first post had it right, the game should have remained on PC only and I hope any follow up game does exactly that.
I think that about sums it up.
