Automoblista 2

[Duke]

Reiza December 2019 Development Update

So here we are for the final Dev Update of the year!
Many of you will already be in 2020 by the time you see this - we however are still at it in what are the very last hours of 2019 in order to meet our final AMS2 milestones of the year!
It hasn´t been much of a Holiday Break so far - fittingly I get to switch off the figurative lights before I myself get some downtime to celebrate the beginning of what promises to be a great year. Then it will finally be time for some proper rest time before resuming on January 2nd
We aren´t complaining though - or at least no-one has yet to me It is indeed an exciting time as AMS2 is finally coming together it just keeps drawing us back. I have been away from my sim rig for only a few days and I already can´t wait to get back on it
On to the mission at hand then, which is to share what we have been up to all the way to these final hours of 2019!



Endurance Brasil - What a Series!
For the third time this year we have visited an Endurance Brasil race for data research and collecting reference material. It´s always a productive visit and a good time as the Series is incredibly diverse and the participants are almost invariably an accessible, friendly bunch, many of which fans of sim racing as well.
This is a truly sui generis series that stand out relative to other Endurance and Sports Cars championships - part of it is due to the sheer diversity of machinery and the garagist spirit that permeates the pit boxes filled with a mix of state-of-the-art GT3 machinery, daring high-performance, custom build Prototypes and some others so unique they are hard to even describe They all hit the track together for races usually ranging from 4 to 6 hours in duration with 2-3 drivers sharing the same car.
Most of you will already know that AMS2 will continue to feature complete seasons of pretty much all major brazilian racing series and we very much intend to include this one as well - we don´t yet have an official agreement with the series but conversations are ongoing and it should hopefully be a matter of time as we go into the off-season.
We do have agreements for several of the cars present in the series though, with many of them already in-game - and what a mix it is! The regulations (or relative lack thereof) are incredibly permissive and allow for some crazy experimenting - think of 1970s autoracing with 21st century technology and you start to get the idea. The classes ranging from GT4 to P1 Prototypes are sorted on some fairly basic powertrain and weight specs, but within each class there´s a whole lot you can play with.
Want to develop a DRS-type system for your Prototype and use it with no restriction whatsoever, basically as long and wherever the driver dares? Go for it. Want to try your hand at creating your own concept prototype? This is the place to do it. Want to experiment with a variety of electronic systems to improve the performance of the car? There´s not much you can´t do!
You can even buy yourself an early 90s Ralt Formula 3 car, cover the wheels with some extra bodywork, bolt a Hayabusa turbo on the back and go racing - that´s exactly the concept of the Roco 001 - the crazy thing pictured below which competes in the P3 class.



Goes without saying this thing just screams (quite literally) to get into AMS2, so obviously we´re on it
The whole series in fact makes for an immensely compelling subject matter for a racing sim and we very much intend to go the distance with it. We won´t quite have the full 2020 field on release (not least because new cars are expected to make the grid) but we´ll have quite a few and gradually build on that over the initial months to hopefully feature the full series in all its glorious madness!

Audio Development
Endurance Brasil races are also always a good opportunity for some fresh audio recordings given the sheer variety of engines being used accross all classes. From small 4cyl Turbo engines to the V12 on the Aston Martin, with V8s, V10s and everything in between over the various GT and Prototype classes.
Over the course of 2019 we had a couple of new hi-fi recorders and mics doing the rounds on various events in Brazil and Europe to boost our audio database which we then use to sample and create sound sets for the various cars in the sim.
Most of our preview videos published so far feature samples ported from AMS1 - many of them also sampled from similar real recordings, but some admittedly in need of an upgrade. The new material will gradually make its way into AMS2 up to release and beyond in new sets for the new cars as well as updates to older sets in need of a refresh. Audio will indeed continue to be one of the core development focus of AMS2, not only on the sampling side but also as we continue to try maximize the potential of the FMOD engine as well as we´re able.
By next month we hope to have a couple of real x sim comparisons to share so you all can hear how things are coming along and get a better sense of the audio experience we aim to deliver with AMS2.


A picture of the AMG Merc GT3 taking one of our hairy hifi recorders out for a few laps

Art Development
This month we have pretty much wrapped the environment art standards we will be aiming to retain for initial release - these include developments to the various shaders, callibration of climate settings and various predominant textures which serve not only to improve the visual quality of the sim but also optimize resources and performance.
These standards will now be propagated to all tracks currently in the sim so that they remain consistent accross the board.
The climate settings are particularly relevant so the various locations look their actual part - from the typically british green of Donington Park or the relatively arid equatorian look of Ibarra.




The track art passes also include plugging all the extra temporary objects - crowds, tents, fast-food stands, portaloos, rescue vehicles, cars, vans, flags, and all other elements that typically compose the environment of an active venue during a race weekend - not forgetting to observe reasonably accurate placement and design styles according to the track´s location and era:



Naturally these standards are ever-shifting as the team continues to find further room for improvement through code tweaks, new techniques and ideas - once enough of these accumulate it will be time for a new art pass in order to bring all tracks to this same upgraded standard - the point of this wholesale approach being to retain as well as possible a level of consistency accross all tracks in the game so that they continue to belong to the same virtual World.

Car Livery Updates
On the car art front, one area that users have pointed out we should dedicate more attention to is the design of fictional liveries for the various fictional Reiza Series in the Sim, something we intended to address when we announced we were looking for a designer to fill the position.
Following applications from several talented designers, we are happy to confirm the team has recently been boosted in this particular dept. and the results are already beginning to show.
These include the development of various fictional sponsor logos which will be used accross the various Reiza series - they will also vary to match the era of the cars they´re being plugged into.



Below is a preview of the results in action with a couple of sexy-looking F-Classics:


For now the work is concentrated on the newer models but there will eventually also be a revision of older models which may be in need of some fresh paintjobs.
Timely reminder that you can also join AMS2 Early Backing Campaign and get the opportunity to become part of Automobilista 2 by creating your own livery for any of the various fictional or semi-fictional series in the sim.

Mount Panorama Coming For Automobilista 2!



We are thrilled to announce that the unique Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst is another World-class race track confirmed for AMS2!
The announcement follows one of the polls we have launched in the Reiza51 forum for Backers to influence our choices with regards to the tracks, cars and game features we should prioritize for AMS2 - the polls are still open for backers to vote but Bathurst is already the runaway leader on the Track Poll, so we were more than happy to follow that lead to get the agreement signed before the end of the year.
The track should enter production soon but it´s unlikely to make the initial release in March - it should not be long after release though for it to be added in for all AMS2 users to enjoy!
Once again Early Backers have played an essential role in granting us the means to secure this license before initial release. We have some other tracks and cars lined up so if you wish to see some more major licenses there is still a few more weeks left to join the Campaign!

We are Hiring!
We are looking for developers to join the team in both full or part time positions - more details about the positions and requirements here. If you fit the bill and wish to start 2020 in full throttle mode alongside a team of passionate people we´d love to hear from you!



Automobilista 2 is scheduled for release in March 2020. You may pre-order Automobilista 2 through the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign - 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 instead to add the game to your Steam wishlist via the AMS2 Steam Store page. to receive email notifications upon release and other relevant news.



That´s all for December and 2019 - AMS2 is now on the final stretch with only two more Dev Updates before the game is due for its official release. We are very much looking forward to it!
In the meantime we wish you all a great 2020, may it be another great year for sim racing!

[Dr. Pain]

That first pic...

[norbs]

Did no one pick up on Bathurst????

[petey]

You're a Bathurst lover in denial aren't you?

[Bails MacKenzie]

Nah, it's gotta have Calder Park short layout or nothing.

[Duke]

FeaturedReiza January 2020 Development Update

Hello again folks, here we are for the first development update of 2020!
The year has started for us just like the last one ended - working flatout, with long night after long night testing everyone´s sanity
It has been another incredibly productive month, with further developments made in all fronts from vehicle to track art, Audio, Physics, AI, User Interface - all had one major development or another which is at once very exciting but also stressful as every time there is a breakthrough it demands some amount of rework to re-assemble related parts around it, and there´s so much the schedule will allow until we get to a stable build for release.
The details of what´s going on in all these fronts would be enough to fill two articles and bore many of you to death - the important thing is that we have managed to reach the end of the month just inside our planned milestones so things continue to move decisively towards release at some point late in March.
So let´s look into some of the most exciting stuff to come together this past month:



User Interface Preview
It has been a long time coming but we are finally able to share a glimpse of the AMS2 User Interface - click on the thumbs to preview some of the main game screens:






Like all other areas, the UI is being developed with conservative short term goals in mind considering the relatively tight 16 month schedule since we started working with the Madness engine - further & more in-depth developments are planned for post-release, in any case we believe this to be a solid baseline for what is to follow .
Please keep in mind that while the design is fairly definitive, some of what you see in these previews are still to be considered WIP - background images, panel artwork and texts specially are still mostly placeholders, and elements may still move around a bit.

Initial DLC Packs Confirmed - Hockenheim & Silverstone
Very happy to confirm the classic Hockenheimring - host of the German GP 34 times will again feature in Automobilista 2 as the very first DLC Pack.
Just as in AMS1, the Hockenheimring Pack will feature the 1977, 1988, 2001 and modern versions of the track along with the most relevant layout variants.
This is the only AMS1 DLC that will be re-released again in AMS2 as a DLC - all other AMS1 DLCs will feature as AMS2 base game content on release.
Another World Class venue that we are thrilled to confirm for Automobilista 2 is none other than the spiritual home of British motorsports - the historical Silverstone Circuit is inarguably one of the tracks of richest heritage in motorsports, being the host of the very first World Championship GP in 1950 and having hosted 50 of them since and continuing to be one of the major venues for the most important series today.
Silverstone has received many reforms over the decades with major changes to the original layout - all of them however managed to keep the track´s trademark high speed nature, and each featured their own unique charm which is one of the reasons it´s such a great subject for this line of AMS2 DLCs. The Silverstone Pack will feature the 1975, 1991, 2001 and modern versions of the track.
On top of these two packages - both to be released within the first 6 months of AMS2´s initial release - three more tracks are already confirmed as subjects of similar DLC packages over the following year. We won´t spoil all surprises just yet so feel free to speculate what these may be
Some may understandably find odd that DLCs are being announced before the game is even released - the reason being that we want to give a better idea of how base game content may differ from the DLCs and why they´ll (hopefully) be worth the asking price. Mainly, it is something we owe to the Backers who already commited to the full AMS2 pack before they even knew what they were getting with it - it´s in large part thanks to them that some of these major licenses are already materializing at this stage.
This should also be a hint there are some major, not yet announced plans for AMS2 in terms of content you can look forward to - a lot more of this iceberg than what has appeared over the surface so far



Rest assured however we don´t plan to hold the suspense for much longer - by next month we will confirm the full content list to feature on initial AMS2 release. Similarly to AMS1 we will again have a large content roster ranging from historical tracks and cars to complete modern series, karts, trucks and a whole lot in between - altogether adding to up just under 40 unique venues and classes and over 60 car models - some official, some fictional - with more to come still in time for release and a lot more beyond it. We also hope to outline to some of the main gameplay features (for single and multiplayer) we are working on.



Final weeks to join the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign
Automobilista 2 is scheduled for launch in March 2020, and for a few more weeks you can still pre-purchase through the Early Backing Campaign. - as mentioned above the revenue we raise from the Campaign sales contribute to securing new licenses as well as to the development of the game itself.
In addition to a good discount over the complete game package including the various DLCs and Expansion Packs that will be launched in the coming years, Backers also get access to our private forum to influence various development decisions, the opportunity to create their own car paintings and enter in the game as official drivers, and soon also Early Access to the game itself during the final weeks of Beta Testing!
You can find more information about the Campaign and how to participate here.



By this time next month Backers will already be able to hit the track as Automobilista 2 Beta is scheduled to become available to them on Steam in February 28th. We are pushing hard to deliver a solid and functional build for this Open Beta period, although naturally it shouldn´t be expected to be quite the finished article yet and some teething issues will inevitably pop up once we have a few thousand users testing the game rather than a few dozens.
In many ways V1.0 will also be a long way from final - it is rather just a baseline for what will follow. Automobilista 2 is a long-term project with a development plan that already goes well into 2022. Day 1 is just the opening lap of a very long race, and we are eager to get going!

[Duke]

I'm worried looking at the FFB UI screen preview. They are the same ambiguous settings that PCARS uses....

[norbs]

I'm worried looking at the FFB UI screen preview. They are the same ambiguous settings that PCARS uses....

That is 1 tab of a few. I am pretty sure there is a bit more in the other tabs.

[Duke]

I'm worried looking at the FFB UI screen preview. They are the same ambiguous settings that PCARS uses....

That is 1 tab of a few. I am pretty sure there is a bit more in the other tabs.

Umm, it's the FFB tab the others are also pretty much the same as PC2...
I'm trying to be optimistic so will have to wait on what the early backers have to say.

[norbs]

So, early backers, thoughts so far a few hours in?

[Cursed]

I didn't hate it. I only ran two different cars at two tracks. The tyres seemed a bit slippy, but that could have been the car/track/tyres/conditions. I can't normally judge sims on those things because they all vary and you need to adjust to each individually.

The sort of things that really piss me off, like control binding (in RRRRRRREEEEE) was not a problem here and the VR implementation seemed fine enough.

[Duke]

Reiza February 2020 Development Update

So it´s finally there! AMS2 Beta has now been released to Backers as we enter the final month of development before Automobilista 2 is officially release on March 31st - we are very excited to be able to share what we have been working on all this time
In this final stretch we can finally begin sharing a little more not only about what the plans are for release, but also going forward - let´s get to it.

Beta Available - Proceed with Caution!
So the first build of AMS2 Beta has been deployed - always a big satisfaction and relief to reach this milestone.
Although the gameplay, content and general functionality of the Beta builds should be pretty representative of what its release state will be like, the game is very evidently unfinished - there is a lot still to be a lot bolted on over the coming weeks.
With the imminent release of AMS2 Beta we´ve had a huge influx of new people through the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign over the past couple of weeks. While it´s great to see the interest in AMS2 - and the revenue boost this late in development is by no means unwelcome - we do want to stress that this is still an unfinished Game: there are bugs, compatibility issues with certain hardware, missing features and other such rough edges still to be ironed out. If you are looking for a seamless user experience we strongly recommend you hold out until March 31st when the game will be officially released.

Automobilista 2 FAQ
Theres been a lot of questions posed over AMS2 development and we are finally at a point we feel we can offer reliable answers - check our AMS2 FAQ here. More will be added in the coming days.

Cars & Tracks - what´s in so far
Looking to give a bit more insight into the game and what it will feature, we have started this All Cars & Tracks topic showing all the content featuring in the current build of the game.
Please observe that the artwork illustrates cars and tracks which are present in the game now - not what there will be on release and beyond. We will continue to update it as we progress through the next BETA builds and continue on from release onwards.

Development Roadmap - to release and Beyond!
As we´ve been regularly stressing in these dev updates, AMS2 is a long term project - the release next month will see development pick up even more pace as we enter and aggressive development plan that will see game updates along with new cars and tracks released in a monthly basis.
To give you all a glimpse of how things are going to pan out, here is what´s on store for the first 3 months following release:



Upon release we hope to be in position to expand our public roadmap to cover the initial 6 months - that´s when things get really interesting
We will continue to provide this foresight at least until the end of 2020 so users can have an idea about whats coming and when.- with the obvious caveat that roadmaps aren´t set in stone and things can always move around or change slightly.

Early Backing Campaign wrapping February 29th



As previously announced, the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign will close tomorrow 23:59 GMT. You will still be able to buy the combo of AMS2 + AMS2 Beta + AMS2 Season Pass for US$ 119.99 through our forum store, but the discounts for old backers and other perks from the EBC will no longer be included.
Pricing for the base game on relase has been confirmed @ US$49.99, bumped vs previously suggested US$ 39.99 as considerable additional base game content has now been confirmed.
In order to keep it a bit more affordable for early buyers, we have decided to launch AMS2 with a 20% discount over the first week from release, so at least for a little while the pricing will be inside the original plan.



That´s all for this month - it´s been a thrilling (and exhausting!) ride to this point and we are happy to finally be able to share with you a little more about where we are going with AMS2 - exciting times ahead!

[Duke]

Reiza March 2020 Development Update - An Update on AMS2 Release

Greetings everyone! I hope everyone is doing OK and keeping safe.

What a difference a month can make right? A few weeks ago we had just deployed the first Beta build for AMS2 and were still firing on all cylinders pushing through our Beta program to get AMS2 ready for release on March 31st - a lot of work has been done in the 3 weeks we have been in Beta - we have just deployed our 5th BETA build tonight - but a lot remains to be done, and for that we relied on a strong couple of weeks in this final stint to reach a standard we´d be satisfied with for Automobilista 2 v1.0.

Unfortunately the last week has seen the World thrown into disarray, and with it the little chance we still had to get through the remaining workload in time for the 31st evaporated, as even though we already work in a fully remote operation and the Reiza team has not been directly impacted by COVID-19, things like this tend to bring indirect implications which have and will continue to inevitably slow us down a bit - as much as everyone in the team enjoys working hard, this would not be a good time to be pushing developers to their limits. nor would it feel appropriate to be engaging in promotional fanfare for a game release.

Paradoxically, this also happens to be turning into a boost for sim racing as all motorsports activities have grounded to a halt, and they are all turning to what sim racing can offer to help fill the time. We have already seen some huge events being organized in a very short time as fans, drivers and real series all flock to sim racing to engage on a level they never had before, and for us it would be a thrilling opportunity to offer everyone a fresh platform to enjoy themselves during these challenging times.

Taking all this into account, we have elected to go ahead with a soft launch for Automobilista 2 on March 31st as a Steam Early Access Release, offering a 40% discount over the full price of the base game for the duration of the EA phase, which we expect to last between 4 to 8 weeks.

AMS2 Roadmap For Early Access, Release and Beyond
By the time AMS2 goes live on Steam in March 31st we will be publishing a detailed breakdown of what will be the key development goals during this period for AMS2 to reach v1.0 status sometime between April and May - the extended timeline now allows us aim for a more robust V1.0 release, going further than our plans were for v1.0 on March 31st.

Last month we had published our schedule for the first 3 months of AMS2 post-release, featuring plans for monthly game updates along with new content packs (free and DLC) and some key new features - these plans largely stand unchanged even with the Early Access phase, as the Historic GP cars, GT3/GT4 pack, Hockenheim, Bathurst, Silverstone and a few other cool, not-yet disclosed bits of content are all already well under production and will be added to that game within that proposed schedule.



AMS2 BETA - Final Week to Join!
Due to popular demand we have put the forum store live again, where you can buy a pack that grants you AMS2 + AMS2 Beta + 2020-2021 DLC Season Pass.

We emphasize however this only makes sense at this stage for those who were already entitled to a free key or a discount on the package from their participation in previous crowdfunding campaigns, and those who may be eager to participate in AMS2 Beta development process from March 31st onwards as that will no longer be available for new users after initial AMS2 release on Steam.

For those not familiar with AMS2 Beta and how it may differ from the Early Access game that will be available on Steam on March 31st, follows a brief explanation:

Similar to its predecessor (Automobilista Beta for AMS1) AMS2 Beta is a separate AMS2 install on Steam which has been available to people who bought into the AMS2 Early Backing Campaign since Feburary 28th; after the main game is released next week, AMS2 Beta will continue to receive early beta updates and new WIP content (free or DLC) before they are deployed to the main game release, during and after Early Access is over.

If you are interested in AMS2 as a finished product however please hold off the impulse to buy into the Beta unless you really are convinced you want to engage with AMS2 development on the long run and want the chance to be playing already in these final days before the official release - if you want to check out AMS2 but don´t want to make a large financial commitment to it, we strongly recommend you wait 8 more days and get the base game with a 40% discount along with 2h to evaluate it from Steam.



That covers what we wanted to share with you for this pre-release dev update - obviously a bit different to what we had in mind after a gruelling 16-month production period, but we remain very excited to be sharing the results of our labour with all sim racers, and hope it can provide a bit of enjoyment over the next few months while we all take cover from this pesky bug that is doing the rounds...

[norbs]

Early access is up guys! get it for just over $40 for the base game,

[Duke]

Purchased!!!

With a slight delay, Reiza Studios has released the Early Acces version of the new Automobilista 2 racing title.
The Automobilista 2 EA version is now available via Steam for A$42.95, which is a 40% discount over the full price on release.
Reeza Studios previously stated that they plan to run the Early Access status for as long as 4 to 8 weeks, to further finetune the title.
Currently, the game features Custom Race, Test Day and Multiplayer modes. During the EA period, we can expect to see Time Trial and Championship modes added to AMS2.
Also, a Multiplayer Rating System is in the works, and the development team will further fine-tune the User Interface, AI, Audio, Visuals, and Physics of the game.

Minimum System Specs:
OS: Windows 10 (+ specific versions of 7)
Processor: 3.5 GHz Intel Core i5 3450 or AMD FX-8350
Memory: 8 GB RAM
Graphics: GTX680 or equivalent
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX compatible sound card

Recommended System Specs:
OS: Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i7 8700K / AMD Ryzen7 2700X
Memory: 16 GB RAM
Graphics: NVidia GTX 1080Ti or equivalent
DirectX: Version 11
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Storage: 50 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectX comp

[norbs]

If anyone is keen, we are trying to set up a MP run tonight.

ARSEchat at 8:30

[Dr. Pain]

So I got this title and I like it but I can't help but think that the way it feels is how the base game should have. I am very much enjoying the 1988 F1 cars. I did a race at the old A1 ring and found out that there is a Norbs bot in the game and he got third in my race. Which is far better than the real version would have got!

It's nice to just plug in a wheel and go. I have changed hardly anything to play. Just turned off the auto pit lane stuff. They have to keep the price point low I feel as certain elements like some modelling and textures around wheel hubs scream "Mod!" as the attention to detail is lacking. But the drive ability of the car counters that. The ideal solution would be to put the physic tweaks onto the original release but that's a can of worms. It's not perfect but it's fun.

[w00dsy]

That's because they released it unfinished. The amount of work they got through in the last month was pretty amazing. Give it another couple of months and it'll be hard to find bugs. They only just added setup menus about 2 weeks ago.

[norbs]

So I got this title and I like it but I can't help but think that the way it feels is how the base game should have. I am very much enjoying the 1988 F1 cars. I did a race at the old A1 ring and found out that there is a Norbs bot in the game and he got third in my race. Which is far better than the real version would have got!

It's nice to just plug in a wheel and go. I have changed hardly anything to play. Just turned off the auto pit lane stuff. They have to keep the price point low I feel as certain elements like some modelling and textures around wheel hubs scream "Mod!" as the attention to detail is lacking. But the drive ability of the car counters that. The ideal solution would be to put the physic tweaks onto the original release but that's a can of worms. It's not perfect but it's fun.

Care to explain this Doc? Original release/game?

[Dr. Pain]

Yeah the original version, being PCars 2, should have felt like this. Feels like more calculations are taking place and the vehicles I have tried don't feel like a copy and paste unlike some from PCars 2 and how they felt to me.

[norbs]

Yeah the original version, being PCars 2, should have felt like this. Feels like more calculations are taking place and the vehicles I have tried don't feel like a copy and paste unlike some from PCars 2 and how they felt to me.

Ah ok. Well different company now. And if you played AMS, you'll know they are handy with physics.

[w00dsy]

Yeah the original version, being PCars 2, should have felt like this. Feels like more calculations are taking place and the vehicles I have tried don't feel like a copy and paste unlike some from PCars 2 and how they felt to me.

This last year has made me realise how different game engines can be in different hands. Kunos turned the Unreal engine into a racing game, so did the guys behind Kart Kraft. That's why I was hopeful that Reiza could at least fix some of the fuck ups that were in PC2.

The other thing that amazes me is some of cars in PC2 feel really good, while some feel terrible. PC1 was more hit and miss.

[Dr. Pain]

One car that shits me to tears in PCars 2 is the Nissan R-32 godzilla. I found that thing to be near impossible to drive.

[w00dsy]

My favorites were the Indycar and the BMW M3.

[DarrenM]

Autodromo Yahuarcocha