Assetto Corsa Competizione utilizes the Unreal Engine to reach class-leading heights of graphical beauty. Though showing off the game’s gorgeous looks is a tricky task. Here’s how to take the best screenshots in ACC.
Image Credit: Kunos Simulazioni
Assetto Corsa Competizione is a simracing game all about hard, competitive racing. As it uses the Unreal Engine and features some of the best graphics in all of racing, ACC can also certainly put out some gorgeous screenshots.
Amazing online battles, stunning sunsets, hilarious accidents and brilliant liveries. Assetto Corsa Competizione has plenty to warrant immortalising in screenshot form. But there’s a difference between a simple shot and a truly beautiful image. This guide is all about getting the most out of your ACC screenshots.
The Best Button for ACC Screenshots
Throughout sim racing, depending on the game, there are various procedures and solutions to taking screenshots. Assetto Corsa is perhaps the most content creator-friendly title with an in-game app dedicated to all things photography. iRacing on the other hand requires keen knowledge of shortcuts, settings and odd camera controls.
ACC certainly sits somewhere between these two sims when it comes to screenshots. Once you know the little tricks, it is an easy process. But there are a few complications that can trip up newcomers. First, it’s important to know what button to press to take a screenshot.
Assetto Corsa Competizione has its own in-game button for screen captures, F8. But it is widely acknowledged that this compresses the image beyond any possibility to recover the picture quality. So, the majority of users use Steam’s F12 screenshot button. This will typically give a much clearer picture.
Important in-game Graphics Settings
Most sim racers will agree that ACC isn’t the lightest game on PC resources. Even those with the most powerful of computers can struggle to get a perfectly stable framerate. As such, graphical settings are typically run at a much lower level than they could be. But for screenshots, you don’t want to show off a game that looks like it released in the early 2000’s.
No-one needs a solid 100 FPS to take in-game photography, so there’s no reason why you can’t bump up the graphical quality. The great thing about ACC‘s settings menu is that players can save multiple presets. It’s recommended to have one for driving, with lower settings, and a second for screenshots and replays. This preset would maximise everything.
An important setting to bump up is motion blur. Unless you want your car to appear at a standstill in every image, it’s best to get some movement in your shot, and motion blur is the perfect way to do so.
Best Tips and Tricks for ACC Screenshots
Now that you know which button to press and your settings are boiling your PC, it’s time to start shooting. To do so, open the replay of the race you want to take photos of. In fact, it’s pretty much impossible to take beautiful screenshots in a standard session.
Although many players capture their best moments in any of the standard camera positions, the free-cam is the way to get top-class screenshots in ACC. Hit F7 and you will be able to move freely using the arrow keys and mouse. As standard, the camera will follow the selected car. But if you want a static shot, the cinematic HUD allows you to move relative to the track.
In real-life motorsport photography, there are many different types of photo. Static shots and pans are some of the most popular and are both easy to pull off in ACC. For panning shots with motion blur, go to the moment you want to capture in the replay, wait for the HUD to disappear and hit F12 while the replay is rolling at full speed. If a static shot is what you’re after, hit pause on the replay and motion blur won’t feature in the image.
Using the ACC Cinematic HUD
The above mentioned Cinematic HUD is certainly the most important tool for an ACC photographer. It allows players to play around with different visual enhancements that can bring great levels of immersion and realism to screenshots. A tap of the middle mouse button in free-cam mode opens a world of image customisation options.
Two pages are accessible in the Cinema HUD.
Controls changes how the freeroam camera works. One can modify the camera’s speed, its Field of View and whether or not it follows the car. However, and to the community’s despair, there is no simple way to adjust its roll. This can only be done by randomly moving the camera around a car as it goes round the track.
The Depth of Field page features setting most photography lovers will recognise. Once the Depth Effect option is enabled, players can alter Aperture, Zoom – or focal length – and Focus Distance settings. These options add depth of field blur to screenshots which truly enhance their overall look. Thanks to an update in 2022, these settings are much easier to use now and should be more intuitive to newcomers.
Have you ever had a go at taking screenshots in ACC? Tell us on Twitter at @OverTake_gg or in the comments down below!
