Automobilista 2: June Development Roadmap + Gameplay Video!

[Paul Jeffrey]

Reiza Studios have released their June 'Automobilista 2 Development Roadmap' - and it contains plenty of exciting news about AMS 2...

Having met with huge community excitement when Reiza Studios pushed live their Automobilista 2 announcement back at the end of May, the sim racing community have remained hungry for more news about this much anticipated racing simulation.

Here at RaceDepartment we ran a huge community questions interview with Reiza Studios Renato Simioni (if you missed it, check out Part 1 and Part 2), but despite the sheer volume of questions our readers posted, Reiza still have more to share!

Check out the June 2019 Automobilista 2 roadmap below:

Greetings all!

Happy to finally resume with our monthly dev updates we seem to have started a bit of a sim racing trend with these updates back in the early days of AMS1 development, but for the last year or so have gone a bit quieter and working behind the curtains while the baseline for AMS2 was finally getting assembled.

The curtains are obviously lifted now and you can be sure we´ll have lots to share again from now on - I look forward to bringing you the fresh news over the remaining months before AMS2 release and beyond.

Reiza rF2 Bundle Update

First things first: as previously announced this week we released an update for our Reiza Bundle in rFactor2: Imola now features two new versions, adding to the previously released Imola 1972 and 2018:

Imola 1988, featuring the famous flat-out blast from Variante Bassa, through Tamburello and Villeneuve all the way to Tosa, then the tight Acque Mineralli Chicane and finally the two variantes at the end of the lap of this classic layout, host of many exciting races through the 80s and early 90s.

Imola 2001, with the post-1994 configuration which is similar to the modern track with chicanes at Tamburello and Villeneuve but still featuring Variante Bassa at the end of the lap, and higher curbs adding to the challenge - specially at the high speed Variante Alta where precision is crucial!

If you already own our release of Imola in rF2 or any of the packs that include it, these new versions arrived at no extra cost.

We have another update incoming soon featuring some minor improvements to other items in the Bundle, in terms of content however this update wraps things up.

It was great to have had the chance to dig deeper into rFactor 2 and work with S397 on this project - all things considered we find the Bundle turned out nicely, rFactor 2 itself has considerably improved even within the time we have been working on it, and still has a lot to offer. We very much enjoy racing our content there and hope you continue to do too - we´ll continue to keep an eye on it as rFactor 2 progresses.

If you are interested in checking out how our cars and tracks turned out in rFactor 2, now is a good time as with the Steam Summer Sale both rFactor 2 as well as the the Reiza Bundle are selling with substantial discounts.

AMS1 & its DLCs are also on sale with 50% off, so in the unlikely chance you´re reading this and don´t have it all, do check them out now

Donington & Snetterton are coming for AMS1 & 2!

As previously proposed and now confirmed, we have extended our agreement with Motorsport Vision to license both Donington Park and Snetterton race tracks. Both tracks will be released for Automobilista 1 as standalone DLCs and as part of the Season Pass (so free for those who already own that). They will also be part of Automobilista 2 base game along other MSV tracks released on AMS1 (Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Cadwell Park).

As with Oulton and Brands, both Donington and Snetterton have been developed with the aid of LIDAR scan data which should ensure the same level of accuracy we achieved in those earlier releases.

Here are a few previews of the Donington mesh so far:

It looks very barebones but that´s actually most of the hard work done, as trackside objects are also in progress and will be plugged in soon. We are working hard to get these out for AMS1 ASAP, hopefully towards the end of next month.

Automobilista 2 Development - First Gameplay Video in VR!

After Automobilista 2 announcement there have been some questions about how the change of engine might affect it and whether the proposed December release is a realistic goal. We´ve been reinforcing that in terms of the core elements of the sim - physics, AI, audio and general feel and design of the game, we´ve spent the initial months of development bridging the gaps in tech so we could pretty much up pick up from where AMS1 left off - being able to do that that was in fact a large part of the decision to switch to Madness.

Understandably some lingering concerns seem to remain, and we thought that the best way to address those short of actually releasing the game itself was to offer a pure gameplay video showcasing where we are with it. So here it is:

The combo of AJRs at Imola may seem a bit of a low-key choice as it already features both in AMS1 as well as the rF2 Bundle, but that actually makes them the ideal subjects to showcase how things are coming along in terms of development within the engine itself, as the AJR was one of our last releases in Automobilista 1 and both it and Imola already received updates for the rF2 release.

This is a short 3-lap race alternating between VR gameplay (!!) and TV replay footage, running with 60x time scale and weather going from sunny to overcast and back, as the day progresses from mid afternoon to early evening. We wanted to do a dry-wet-dry demo but unfortunately our wiper / windshield animation isn´t quite there yet, so thats going to be for another dev update

The video is from a pre-alpha build so obviously all WIP disclaimers apply - quite a lot to be done still and the content itself will go under several passes by the time of release, but should in any case be hopefully still be a good glimpse at how things are coming together.

Road Shader Development
One thing we´ve been working on the last couple of weeks which might seem like a relatively minor development, but it´s actually a good showcase of what I referred above in terms of bridging the gaps in tech from AMS1 -> AMS2 both for effiency and better results.

The new shaders integrates Livetrack with AMS1-alike road variations and blending, for a larger variety of track skid marks and surface wear, and seamless transition between roads, pavements, puddles, retaining the native Madness system for 3D marbles. The results are more dynamic and realistic than either were originally, and also speeds up the conversion process of tracks from AMS1.

AMS2 Production Status
Starting next month, we´ll be updating a list of cars and tracks confirmed for AMS2 release in December. This will allow you to keep track of our monthly progress in terms of cars and tracks added to the build as we move towards release.

Automobilista 2 Early Backing Campaign

Following the Announcement of Automobilista 2, a number of people enquired about the possibility of either pre-ordering or upping their backing level from our 2015 crowdfunding campaign to include AMS2-related perks.

We´ve come up with something that will hopefully seamlessly complement & integrate both the crowdfunding campaign and membership packs from AMS1, as well as provide a sustainable growth to AMS Beta / Reiza51 development forum. We´re calling it the Automobilista 2 Early Backing Campaign.

Although this wasn´t originally in our plans, as an independent studio a funding boost is always welcome, and it seems to make more sense to open up for backing from those who like us are most interested in the product itself.

Please note this is not a crowdfunding campaign for Automobilista 2 development, which continues to be funded by our regular revenue sources - the game doesn´t rely on any level of success from this campaign to be completed.

It is also not a standard Early Access program - it will eventually grant backers an early Beta access to the game before its official release, but that will only take place towards the final weeks of AMS2 development.

Essentially this is a pre-order with extra perks, allowing those interested in the sim to buy in early, get a nice overall discount and become more closely engaged with Automobilista 2 development.

Funding from the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign will be completely directed to boost development of Automobilista 2, particularly towards allowing us to acquire some premium licenses at a quicker rate and hopefully in time for initial release.

More information on this program and how to participate here.

If you are looking forward to Automobilista 2 but would rather wait for release, you may opt to add the game to your Steam wishlist via the AMS Steam Store page - Steam will then let you know as soon as it´s released!

Automobilista 2 will release on PC December 2019.

For the latest Automobilista 2 news and discussions, head over to the AMS 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and get yourself involved in the conversation today!

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[tr1v1um]

I have done quite a few benchmark comparisons between various sims on various hardware and also analyzed thread usage between sims, if that counts as "official data" (not that I said it is official, it's still just my opinion, I just think I've seen enough reasonable evidence to have that opinion). From what I've seen, PCars 2 has consistently been the best multithreaded sim (which is very important with current CPUs) and as a result has more CPU headroom than any other sim I've tested (in other words, is noticeably less CPU limited than other sims).

Bear in mind that "the best optimized" and "I can crank up the settings to the max and have great fps" is necessarily not the same thing. As you yourself have noted, there's more to it, and the overall performance depends on many things. In AC, it's fairly easy to reach the limit of your CPU and have your GPU under-utilized as a result. With PCars 2, you're way more likely to reach the GPU limit before you reach the CPU limit (as mentioned above).

I got to agree. You can say what you want about PC2, but it is very well optimized, especialy running different weather and TOD conditions and even adding a full AI set works fine. No way you will get the same smoothness in other products.

 

[M D Gourley]

I guess the in-game characters have camera lenses instead of actual human eyes.)

...or maybe the driver has their Helmet Visor down...for whatever reason, it is something that I personally like in PC2, especially for screen shot taking

 

[David Wright]

I yet have to meet a man who doesn't love Automobilista. And all it's predecessors.
Guess I should go out more.

Let me introduce myself. I own AMS and all its DLC. Let me make it clear - I don't hate it - but I don't love it either. And its not the dated engine - I still love GT Legends and GTR2.

But I agree its easy to get the impression that everyone loves AMS. Strange then that they don't actually play it much. It seems they are all playing the sim which apparently everyone hates.

On topic. Renato did warn us before that the DLC would be expensive but it comes as something of a shock to see the DLC is several times the cost of the base game. Ouch! Risky strategy?

 

[gamer19]

I have done quite a few benchmark comparisons between various sims on various hardware and also analyzed thread usage between sims, if that counts as "official data" (not that I said it is official, it's still just my opinion, I just think I've seen enough reasonable evidence to have that opinion). From what I've seen, PCars 2 has consistently been the best multithreaded sim (which is very important with current CPUs) and as a result has more CPU headroom than any other sim I've tested (in other words, is noticeably less CPU limited than other sims).
Bear in mind that "the best optimized" and "I can crank up the settings to the max and have great fps" is necessarily not the same thing. As you yourself have noted, there's more to it, and the overall performance depends on many things. In AC, it's fairly easy to reach the limit of your CPU and have your GPU under-utilized as a result. With PCars 2, you're way more likely to reach the GPU limit before you reach the CPU limit (as mentioned above).

Ok, thanks for info.

But I agree its easy to get the impression that everyone loves AMS. Strange then that they don't actually play it much. It seems they are all playing the sim which apparently everyone hates.

Yes, funny stuff, I've noticed that too.
Guess it's cause those people who loves arcade games more just shut up and play, and those who prefer true sims, you know... like to complain on every tiny detail that's not up to their level.
What I was trying to say and I forgot in my last post - I just hope Ams2 will finally be Reiza's first big (financial) hit. Guess they don't need another "my favorite sim but I'll take my money elsewhere" title.

And on more personal note... I've always loved Automobilista but recently thinking about uninstall it cause I play it less and less. But my favorite mod CART Extreme is in it, so how could I ? Which brings me to that famous question - what will Ams2 look like without our beloved mods ? =/ Guess I'll still buy it, but...

 

[David Wright]

...or maybe the driver has their Helmet Visor down...for whatever reason, it is something that I personally like in PC2, especially for screen shot taking

I don't really notice the lens flare - I'm too distracted by that bright thing in the sky that actually dazzles me like it does in real life. I think my first experience of a dazzling sun was Rally Trophy way back in 2001. I think SMS were the first to introduce it to track racing sims with GT Legends back in 2005. But in far too many other sims you can stare at the sun and it has no effect on your vision. Nice to see a dazzling sun in ACC and nice to see a dazzling sun in AMS2 (with or without lens flare ).

 

[fireballr18]

Did my decision. I'm a Reiza-Backer now

 

[François Strat]

Hans on a kart? WTF

Not a hans ^_^ ... Only neck protection

 

[Flip-Flop Driver]

Every sim developer price strategy: "Have you seen the iRacing prices? We're actually a bargain".
Flip-flop user: "But ma broken economy"
Kunos: "OK, just give us a fiver".

 

[Neils on Wheels]

Will probably pre-order as will support developers making sims with vr support but i'm still concerned it will inherit pcars terrible aliasing.
I'm really enjoying the Reiza pack for Rf2 & great to see it updated.

 

[b)b]

Will probably pre-order as will support developers making sims with vr support but i'm still concerned it will inherit pcars terrible aliasing.
I'm really enjoying the Reiza pack for Rf2 & great to see it updated.

PC2 aliasing is a concern but it will be an updated version of the Madness engine so let's hope there will be improvements on that front.

 

[GTAce]

Just saw the pricing... ouch. All hype gone.

 

[EsxPaul]

Yep, I must admit that the early backer pricing has made me hesitant.

I'm fairly confident that it will turn out well but I'm gonna have to give this one a lot more consideration before handing over that amount of money.

 

[gamer19]

Every sim developer price strategy: "Have you seen the iRacing prices? We're actually a bargain".
Flip-flop user: "But ma broken economy"
Kunos: "OK, just give us a fiver".

Not sure about you but in ma country is against the laws to drive with flip-flops.

 

[ATSSHD]

Looks exactly the same as Project CARS 2. (Same engine yeah i know but still.)
The interesting question is how is the handling?

 

[F1Aussie]

I think he's speaking specifically of the physics used by the AI. I think it's quite common for AI to be programmed against a simplified physics model.

Yes it is but that was not clarified, but I think ACC is the only one that does full ai using the same physics as the player.

 

[blot]

I was never drawn to AMS1, but this looks very promising. Unlike a certain other developer, Reiza fixed the "no VR no buy bug" by actually choosing an engine that can deliver on functionality and visual fidelity that should perform fairly well. Where ACC will probably (and disappointingly) go down in simracing history as what happens when the wrong choice is made in this regard. I will most certainly support Reiza when it comes to AMS2.

IMO the people that are getting the best out of ACC are the ones with O/C'd 9900K's and 2080ti's. My rig is considered mid spec ie: Ryzen 2700, Vega56 (O/C'd and undervolted) and 16GB DDR4 3200mhz ram, ACC runs OK ish, AC and Pcars2 run as smooth as silk and look fantastic on my 32" 1040p display with a 75FPS frame limit, I reackon AMS 2 will look and run as good so i'm in when it's released.

 

[Boby Kim]

I never thought i would be on my guard concerning any Reiza product but seeing the vid im convinced for me it will feel too much like Pcars or ACC.

 

[Jonathan Young]

IMO the people that are getting the best out of ACC are the ones with O/C'd 9900K's and 2080ti's. My rig is considered mid spec ie: Ryzen 2700, Vega56 (O/C'd and undervolted) and 16GB DDR4 3200mhz ram, ACC runs OK ish, AC and Pcars2 run as smooth as silk and look fantastic on my 32" 1040p display with a 75FPS frame limit, I reackon AMS 2 will look and run as good so i'm in when it's released.

Not in my case. I have a decent but not mind blowing system. It’s an i7 and a 1080ti. It’s pushing quite a lot of pixels because I have a 49” ultra wide screen although it’s 1080 and not 4K. I run ACC fully maxed on everything and it looks fantastic.

It’s one of the reasons I don’t play AMS because the difference in graphics is just too stark. Playing AMS is like stepping back in time and it’s an immersion killler for me. I am, like everyone else, excited to see what the combination of a modern engine plus great physics in AMS2 will deliver though.

 

[Naish]

I joined the Early Backing Campaign! Did not have to think about it

 

[Loren Thomas]

Never tried AMS1 but gotta admit I'm intrigued, especially in light of how bad ACC is in VR. If they get some decent licensed content I'll probably give it a try.