RaceRoom Racing Experience | Massive Update, Loads Of New Content

Paul Jeffrey · Dec 22, 2020

Sector3 Studios have released a mega new December update for the RaceRoom Racing Experience simulation - adding plenty of fixes, new physics, new cars and new tracks - it must be Christmas!

5 new cars released.
2 new tracks.
New tyre model and physics updates.

Big dose of happiness for fans of RaceRoom Racing Experience fans today as Sector3 Studios have released a massive new update in time for the holiday season, bringing several pieces of premium DLC content alongside a healthy dose of fixes, tweaks and physics developments.

In terms of content we've already shared links to the various announcements, but just to recap briefly the new releases as part of today's build are as follows:

Audi R8 LMS GT4 (2020)
Audi R8 LMS GT3 EVO
Audi R8 LMS GT2
Volkswagen Scirocco Group 2 (1976)
Volkswagen ID. R
Brands Hatch Grand Prix layout
Watkins Glen International, with four layouts.

The update itself weighs in at a healthy 5.3gb in size and comes with a nice range of new features that arrive within the simulation for the first time. Chief amongst these are a brand-new tyre model that has been applied to a number of vehicles within the simulation, including several of the older cars loved by the community.

Also very cool for the latest build is the addition of engine and throttle maps for various cars, something that has been requested for a long time by the R3E community, and many improvements to the audio on a number of the cars.

You can check out the full update notes below:

Physics engine:

Physics engine - Added support for engine maps. Cars featuring these will have special settings in the car setup menu. Control bindings are also added to alter the map from inside the cockpit, which not all cars support.
Physics engine - Added support for modifying the amount of Engine Braking from the car setup.
Physics engine - Added support for throttle maps. Those are not tweakable in car setup but are specific to each car.
Physics engine - Revamp of the turbo simulation for better realism of spool / throttle management.
Physics engine - Added support for Energy recovery system, which is adjustable for electric & hybrid engines in the car setup menu as well as through a key bind from the cockpit.
[Read More about those physics engine updates here]
Physics engine - Revamp of the aerodynamics simulation of the diffuser to better simulate diffuser stalls when too close to the ground.
[Read More about the diffuser stalls here]

Tyre model updates:
The following cars are brought to v4.1:
[Read more here about the full details on tyre models in RaceRoom]

Audi Sport TT Cup
Audi TT RS VLN
CUPRA eRacer
DTM 1992
Formula RaceRoom 90
Formula RaceRoom Junior
Group 2 (new class)
Group 4
Group 5
GT2
GT3
GT4
GTE
Hillclimb Icons
Mercedes DTM 2003 and 2005
NSU TTS
Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport
Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (sprint & endurance specs)
Porsche 911 Carrera Cup (964)
Silhouettes
Touring Classics
Volkswagen ID.R
WTCC 14-15-16-17
WTCR 18-19

Engine maps
The following cars are featuring engine maps:

Audi TT RS VLN
CUPRA eRacer
Formula RaceRoom 90
Formula RaceRoom U.S.
Formula RaceRoom X-17
Group 5
Group C
GT3 classes
GTE
GTR2 class
Nissan Skyline (Touring Classics) has 2 engine maps
P1
P2
Mercedes DTM 2003 and 2005
Volkswagen ID.R

Dedicated server:

Added “Skip Qualifying” option. If this is enabled, the server will fetch leaderboard laptimes of all connected players for the current track layout and the performance index of the car they’re driving. The starting grid of the race will be defined by those lap times.
Added “Prevent false start” option. If set to off, players will be able to jump the start of the race and receive a penalty for doing so.
Added support for race duration in laps.
Added an option for rolling or standing starts for each race session. A rolling start is right now still AI controlled, but we aim for human control rolling starts in 2021.

Changelog:

New replay menu
Spectator - New data is available through the API. All changes are listed on the github page.
New data in shared memory API for Traction Control level, Engine Map and Engine Braking settings.
Unification of cut detections between the reputation system and the cut corridors. Previously, an incident point for an off-track would not always result in the invalidation of the lap.
Added a key bind to override traction control and allow for that quick 180 recovery from a spin.
Pitstops - WTCR car classes are now using the same pitstop timers as the GT4 car class.
Physics - Tweaks to behaviour of gravel and grass.
Physics - WTCR car classes now make use of the Anti-Lag System that had been developed for DTM 2020.
Physics - Fixed tyre pressure that wasn’t being set properly on preheated tyres which affected leaderboards.
Physics - Launch control logic change where it will now disengage when upshifting from 1st gear.
Sounds - ALS sound effects added to WTCR cars
Sounds - New external sounds for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR (18&19)
Sounds - New external sounds for the Radical SR9 AER
Sounds - Improved external sounds of the BMW M4 DTM 2020
Sounds - Improved external sounds of the Peugeot 308 TCR
Sounds - Improved cockpit and external sounds of the Porsche 962C
Sounds - Improved external sounds of the Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport
Sounds - New cockpit sounds recording for the Audi RS 5 DTM 2020
Sounds - New cockpit sounds recording for the Chevrolet Dekon Monza
AI - Countless tweaks and improvements to AI behaviour and their racelines around tracks
Added support for 32:9 monitor ratios
Art - Bathurst updated to 2020 specs
Art - Imola updated to 2020 specs
Art - Portimao updated to 2020 specs
Art - Oschersleben - Added a missing brake marker at turn 1 and a bump in the road that was missing after turn 3.
Added support for manual inlaps at the end of the race session. This option is currently accessible through Gameplay Settings, but we eventually plan to make it a server option just like driving assists so it can be forced on or off.

Original Source: Sector3 Studios.

RaceRoom Racing Experience is available now, exclusively to PC.

Want to get the most from your installation? Start a thread and ask a question in the R3E Sub Forum right here at RaceDepartment!

FeltHat · Dec 22, 2020

Ami_M3 · Dec 22, 2020

Spectacular update. These guys are restless.
Also, let's not forget the new (somewhat hidden) UI. It's outstanding.
Thank you Sector3

Nick Hill · Dec 22, 2020

R3E was one of my go to sims for a long stretch of time but, admittedly, I've left it out of the rotation for a while now. I just happened to have fired it up over the last few days and it's really still very good. This is almost like a phase 3 on the physics side for them, in my mind. From a FFB perspective, it's felt like about 3 different games to me over the years. I'm not sure it's quite got the fidelity of some of the current gen titles, but it's more than adequate and has a unique style. Very grippy and forgiving, but not so much so as to require a suspension of disbelief or making you immune to spins or oopsies.

The content selection is also second to none and, of course, dayum - those sounds!

The leaderboard challenges are a great hidden gem for those of us on a tight time budget - a lot of the many hours I sunk into R3E were participating in those events. Great variety and they always have about a 50/50 split between fixed and open events which, again, is awesome for those of us who often only have a few hours a week to spare for sim racing.

Looks like they've made an effort at getting some kind of ranking system going but, as much as it pains me to say, I haven't found the participation numbers to be very good.

I really hope Sector 3 has plans that will let them live on for a long time - those guys know their stuff and really stick with it, but the R3E engine is closer to the end than the beginning. Whether or not you're an R3E fan, you have to acknowledge sim racing would be a worse place without Sector 3.

BP · Dec 22, 2020

I haven't fired up Raceroom or AMS2 in months, I might do just that as a "Christmas present" to myself this week

Case_ · Dec 22, 2020

The update also includes (as a sort of public beta I guess, since it's not enabled by default yet) another part of the new UI that was already present in car setup screens before. You have to start the game using the -webmenu launch parameter. And it even includes things like this (among many other changes and improvements):

DND · Dec 22, 2020

I like to ask Sector 3 to release some of the notes related to the AI improvements as this is something I find interesting.

M D Gourley · Dec 23, 2020

It always amuses me when Steam schedules game download / updates for a later date, in this case Raceroom is...'Scheduled for Friday, January 1 2021'

.

A massive update is right and will promptly force this download to start...lol

and look forward to trying out everything...fantastic work Sector 3

I would like to take the time to wish all a Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays and a safe Sim Racing New Year

Case_ · Dec 23, 2020

@M D Gourley Just set the games you care about as high priority, they will update as soon as the update is available (or shortly after, at least).

Knoxstar · Dec 23, 2020

Case_ said:
@M D Gourley Just set the games you care about as high priority, they will update as soon as the update is available (or shortly after, at least).

...and or just go to downloads and click the update when it appears.

BTW, has anyone found the default set up now to be very understeery on most of the cars and all of the new content? Or is it me?

John Addison · Dec 23, 2020

I'm a big fan of this sim but haven't been able to run it since that issue cropped up with the steering shaking like hell on the straights. I installed this update but it still does it? I've tried near everything. Thrustmaster unit of course.

Knoxstar · Dec 23, 2020

btw, Thanks Raceroom for all the new stuff. Merry Christmas to all of you.

Cote Dazur · Dec 23, 2020

Well done R3E, a lot of improvements, the game feel much better to me, but the cherry on the sundae, is the unexpected, to me, option menu, very well done, other devs could maybe get inspired.

And the FOV calculator

.What a beauty!
I have no use for it as I drive in VR,

but incorporating a FOV calculator is a very nice touch, classy!

Lurkusmaximus · Dec 23, 2020

Love the new Scirocco. Awesome job guys. Keep putting out content like this, and I will continue to purchase it.

BP · Dec 23, 2020

Case_ said:
The update also includes (as a sort of public beta I guess, since it's not enabled by default yet) another part of the new UI that was already present in car setup screens before. You have to start the game using the -webmenu launch parameter. And it even includes things like this (among many other changes and improvements):

Man that is the icing on the cake right there...I was dreading having to setup my stuff over again by using that long startup code of numbers for triples. Good job, Sector 3!

M D Gourley said:
It always amuses me when Steam schedules game download / updates for a later date, in this case Raceroom is...'Scheduled for Friday, January 1 2021' .

A massive update is right and will promptly force this download to start...lol and look forward to trying out everything...fantastic work Sector 3

I would like to take the time to wish all a Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays and a safe Sim Racing New Year

Yea I just set all my sims in Steam to high priority download and also set a download limiter to about 50 - 75% of my internet speed, never miss an update and Steam won't suck all your bandwidth up.

Happy holidays to you as well!

VirtuaIceMan · Dec 23, 2020

lol I randomly came across this video of RaceRoom back in 2012, with Nigel Mansell having a go. It had Brands Hatch GP back then :-D

Kurupt CDN · Dec 23, 2020

Knoxstar said:
BTW, has anyone found the default set up now to be very understeery on most of the cars and all of the new content? Or is it me?

Ya, I felt all the new Audi's understeered and pushed pretty bad.
Maybe a setup tweak or adjusting to the new v4.1 tire model will help.

avenger82 · Dec 23, 2020

This sim is getting better and better. Latest physics improvements are impressive. I wish other sims would put more effort improving simulation aspect instead of releasing DLCs(looking at you rF2). I also like the ranking system, but participation could be better. Time to make a good use of it.