The RaceDepartment Podcast (S1, E5)

Paul Jeffrey · Apr 17, 2019

The latest episode of the RaceDepartment Podcast is now ready to download!

For episode five we have quite the treat for you all... Paul Jeffrey isn't in it! Jokes aside, the latest release from RD podcasters Paul Glover, Joseph Wright and Davide Nativo contains plenty of content from the world of real and virtual motorsport.

This week we cover off the racing return of a Formula One legend, the latest state of Assetto Corsa Competizione, a new truck driving game, developments in sim racing and plenty more besides!

So, what are you waiting for? Get yourself over to your podcast streaming service of choice, download, listen, subscribe and help us spread the word amongst the podcast listening racing community!

To help you access the various locations of this latest podcast, you can check out the useful list below of just some of the places you can listen to and download the new episode. Of course, if you missed the RD Podcast excitement last time out, you can still catch up with all out broadcasts too…

Podcast Links:

Do you have any special requests for future episodes? Do you want to share your thoughts, comments and feedback on what direction the show could take going forward? Please do let us know in the comments section, and at the RD Podcast sub forum location.

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Alex Townsend · Apr 18, 2019

Been looking forward to this for what seems like ages.
Listened to the first 20mins on way to work. Great discussion about ACC. Looking forward to more on the way home!

o Tiger Feet o · Apr 18, 2019

So @Paul Jeffrey's favorite dodgy shirt designer goes out of business... He doesnt turn up for the pod cast but is spotted in Italy wearing a plain white shirt!?

I think we need to send help....

Looking forward to tuning in on my commute

Craig Dunkley · Apr 18, 2019

Another great listen, thanks Paul and the team

Alex Harkett · Apr 18, 2019

Enjoyed this very much once again. On the subject of Sim racing hardware. My Sim racing journey began years ago playing Nascar Racing 2 on PC with a keyboard. I advanced to making my PS3 controller work with my pc and last year bought myself a second hand logitech G27 wheel and pedal set.

For me, buying the wheel completely changed my experience, and in most my sims I had to learn how to play all over again after being used to the pad. I'd love to upgrade and get a newer wheel and pedal set with more feel but i would advise anyone who's new to or just scratching the surface of race sims to definitely invest in a wheel and pedals, even if it's just a second hand set.

ears · Apr 18, 2019

Biggest sim racing development for me was VR.

Before VR, I dabbled with a few sims but never really spent any time on them. I played a lot of games in the past on consoles and PC - TOCA RD2, Project Gotham, Geoff's GP etc.

But VR was the gateway to sims for me. Without it, I wouldn't be playing now. And I don't buy / play any racing sim that doesn't support VR.

ears · Apr 18, 2019

After listening a bit further.....

I guess I was lucky with VR in a sense in that my first experience of it was with an Oculus DK2, maybe back in 2015, before the Touch and the super refined Oculus Home that we know now.

So back then it was a case of plug it in, turn it on, run Assetto Corsa. Then, as now, the Assetto Corsa menus weren't rendered in the headset, so you set up your event on the monitor, set it off loading, then put the headset on.

So my first ever experience of VR, and I remember it so well, was sitting in the Formula Corsa GP2 car.

I'm not sure I giggled but I was certainly awe struck. It made my heart beat faster. It gave me a rush of sheer joy. I was in that car. I could look around it.I just sat in the pit lane for 10 minutes. I didn't need to drive, I could just look at the thing.

Absolute. Game. Changer.

Bram Hengeveld · Apr 18, 2019

Downloaded it and will take it with me on the bike this weekend. Thanks again chaps, didn't know I would enjoy podcasts but I am converted

Jonathan Young · Apr 19, 2019

Thanks for another episode. Not going to lie though. I think it needs @Paul Jeffrey on to really come together. You were missed sir!

Paul Glover · Apr 19, 2019

Jonathan Young said:
Thanks for another episode. Not going to lie though. I think it needs @Paul Jeffrey on to really come together. You were missed sir!

Ouch.

Paul Jeffrey · Apr 19, 2019

Boom

Jokes aside, this is the first one I've really listened to all the way through and I must say, I really enjoyed it chaps - great stuff.

Looking forward to being back for the next one though, enjoyable as £5 per pint London beer was....

Alex Townsend · Apr 20, 2019

Paul Jeffrey said:
Boom

Jokes aside, this is the first one I've really listened to all the way through and I must say, I really enjoyed it chaps - great stuff.

Looking forward to being back for the next one though, enjoyable as £5 per pint London beer was....

A fiver? That was cheap when I left the UK over 5 years ago... try a pint of Peroni in Canary Wharf at £9.50....
Glad to have you back though sir!

Listened to more of the podcast and it would seem that Mr Glover and myself had very similar entries into racing.
PGR was constantly played by myself back on the old Xbox and got every game that came out. Initially it all began with Playstation and Dreamcast with GT series and arcade racers respectively.
The consoles fed the need for more.
Getting a wheel on the consoles was the biggest thing for me. Other games I enjoyed playing started taking a massive back seat when I felt the immersion of a wheel and pedal set. Started out with the G27 but knew after just a few months that this was what I needed in my life and quickly upgraded to Fanatec.
Having a family has slowed down my hardware upgrades but I am looking to build an 8020 rig at some point soon with racing seat etc.
Then looking for ultrawide or triples, I know VR is the big deal for a lot of people but it's still too expensive for me right now

PickledAvenger · Apr 20, 2019

For me personally there were two things, first descent broadband allowing good wheel to wheel racing against other enthusiasts and joining a league. Then getting a FFB wheel, this changed it from gaming to driving. I've not tried VR yet, but suspect it will be the next significant thing

Shovas · Apr 22, 2019

Another good episode, guys, and interesting talk! Some volume issues for certain speakers. Would be nice to get you all at the same level.

As to the biggest change in sim racing, if I was being objective about it, it would probably be going from single player to multiplayer: I think that has allowed everything else to push forward because there's money available now. Everything you can think of had the chance to progress because more and more people got onboard due to multiplayer.

A little less objectively, I'd say the biggest chance in sim racing, proper, at least in the last 10 years, is the return to proper car and environment simulation: Tire models, clutch simulation, transmission torque characteristics, chassis flex, and most recently the return to day-night cycle and dynamic weather. Those last two are huge and fill in the biggest *immersion* gaps that have existed since GTR2. I'm so glad those are back in most modern sims under development.

There are other aspects of simulation, such as tire flex, flatspotting, dynamic tracks and trackside objects, damage model, vehicle interaction phsyics, and more, but these help fill in smaller gaps than the aforementioned systems.

All that said, I still look forward to filling in more and more of those gaps.