System Requirements

[Littlefysh]

Basic question: What are the system requirements to run 70-ish car fields on most tracks?

What kind of aspect of hardware is the most important factor for running large fields? CPU or RAM or something else?

If someone can run fields this large, are you able to run fields of modded cars this large (like EEC GT3)? What are the requirements for this?

 

[Jakal31]

Not sure fields of cars that large are possible in AMS.
I think the game engine itself is the limiting factor, not so much hardware. All the base content is restricted to far less cars than that. This can be altered, but it can cause issues like CTD.

 

[Littlefysh]

Not sure fields of cars that large are possible in AMS.
I think the game engine itself is the limiting factor, not so much hardware. All the base content is restricted to far less cars than that. This can be altered, but it can cause issues like CTD.

I should think it's like GTR, limited to 104 competitors or so due to the engine. Plus the massive trackpack includes a version of Road Atlanta that has a 70 car limit, so that's where my hopes come from.

I can run 42 Nascar Sprint Cup cars fine, my game starts to lose framerate at 46 or so. EEC and base game stuff (Marcas touring cars for example) I lose framerate at 36-40 cars.

I'm just wondering because if it is possible to run 70-ish cars then I'd love to. 75 car fields on GTR2 is amazing fun and with the Blancpain Endurance 2018 skinpack I can justify a small upgrade to myself to achieve a Spa 24 hours kind of field in AMS.

 

[Heitor Facuri Cicoti]

AMS isn't x64, so it is limited to use only 4GB (probably less) of RAM. All the stock content is configured so it doesn't go over that number when in full grid.

Maybe you can go that high on a very light mod, or reducing track and opponent details. Try some options while watching RAM usage, and see what helps.

 

[Jakal31]

I'll be following this thread to see what others have to say. I don't spend much time with AI, but I'd read some things regarding limitations because of the way AMS utilizes the game engine. Could be wrong for all I know, never really tested it.

What I do know is that in my league, we often edit the SRS files to accommodate more cars and bypass the number of cars restriction that was coded in, in the base content.
A few additional cars and mostly all is well.
When we start adding more than a few (sometimes, in some cars) we start having issues. Not framerate issues, but issues regarding cars warping and disappearing/reappearing. At times, some connection issues for some as well (I would imagine that is hardware related as it only seems to happen to those with lower end specs)

 

[Littlefysh]

So the Nascar mod will run fine with 70 cars as a spectator, but runs at 3 or less frames if driving. It does this on high player and opponent livery settings but low everything else. EEC GT3 cars has the same result but only if every setting is minimal, livery settings included. The EEC GT3 cars will also show the "Memory usage critical" message, however the Nascars won't, despite running similar frames when the players car is on track.

Are there any bells and whistles on something like the EEC GT3 cars that I can remove to get 70 cars running well now that I at least know it's possible?

 

[alexSchmurtz]

The car models in GTR2 were a lot lighter on resource than any models in AMS or in the EEC mod (they come from games a lot younger too). 10 or 15 years ago, the car models had a lot less details (brakes or suspension were not modeled in 3d like there are now as an example) and the bodies were made with less polygons (just look at wheel arches, you could see a lot of facets). This is probably why you get better results with the nascar mod as the models are older too.

The only thing I can think of is if you are using cars that have LODs: I think LOD means Level Of Distance. Basically you can have several models of the same car: a very detailed one for showroom were you can see the car in its full glory, then a slightly simplified model for the cars that will be close to you on track, then an even simpler model for cars a bit further away (you won't see small details from a distance anyway). So if the EEC mod has LODs, maybe you could try to use only the simplest LODs. But that would required a lot of editing (and I would not be able to tell you how to do this, just that you can probably only do it with mods as the original cars are encrypted). And it will probably look ugly!

 

[Littlefysh]

The car models in GTR2 were a lot lighter on resource than any models in AMS or in the EEC mod (they come from games a lot younger too). 10 or 15 years ago, the car models had a lot less details (brakes or suspension were not modeled in 3d like there are now as an example) and the bodies were made with less polygons (just look at wheel arches, you could see a lot of facets). This is probably why you get better results with the nascar mod as the models are older too.

The only thing I can think of is if you are using cars that have LODs: I think LOD means Level Of Distance. Basically you can have several models of the same car: a very detailed one for showroom were you can see the car in its full glory, then a slightly simplified model for the cars that will be close to you on track, then an even simpler model for cars a bit further away (you won't see small details from a distance anyway). So if the EEC mod has LODs, maybe you could try to use only the simplest LODs. But that would required a lot of editing (and I would not be able to tell you how to do this, just that you can probably only do it with mods as the original cars are encrypted). And it will probably look ugly!

Thankyou for this, it's a good train of thought with a lot of info. I don't know how to do this either but I have seen the effect occasionally when a car gets closer and the detail level changes. I might have a poke about but since I asked the original question out of curiosity more than anything, I probably won't give it a go, at least for a while.

If I ever get bored and try it, I'll post to this thread what happens, good or bad.

Thankyou everyone for your input and assistance in sating my curiousity.

 

[Durge Driven]

Just to remind anyone reading this to select race session only

GTR2 I have run 100's tracks with 100 car but barely any do 60+ garages
Then half are standing start and others rolling start

Beauty with GTR2 is you can run DSR@4K with reasonable hardware

 

[Littlefysh]

Just to remind anyone reading this to select race session only

GTR2 I have run 100's tracks with 100 car but barely any do 60+ garages
Then half are standing start and others rolling start

Beauty with GTR2 is you can run DSR@4K with reasonable hardware

I mean I run a 75 car championship with the FIA GT 2003 Field and the garages work. Just some DIY alteration of the AIW file and the pit garage bit. It shouldn't be too hard to expand that to 100 cars.