And another progress report (without preview build)

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Thank you! To try physics, for now you would have to edit car’s data, either with CM’s developer mode to unpack it (click CM version ten times to enable), or pick a car with data already unpacked. Just in case, please keep in mind, you would need to move original data.acd aside for AC to load it from the data folder instead. To allow rain physics, in car.ini change VERSION to extended-1 and add [_EXTENSION] RAIN_DEV=1, iirc, that should work. Hopefully I didn't messed it up, can't check it right now.

What you are achieving in this game is remarkable! Maybe a silly question but how do I enable the physics in wet track? I think I miss this information. Read somewhere is possible.

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Oh, that’s an interesting idea. I think it would suit custom UI better though, so I’d work on it first.

Thank you very much! Please grant us casuals that wish! I wish you a great day!

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Oh, ha, that’s a cool idea! Usually I don’t agree with adding music to racing sims (where restart would mean a song would break), but making it in 3D space, that’s a different thing. Might be especially cool in VR. I’ll try to get FMOD to play custom MP3s, thank you! 😃

Ilja, sorry if I'm being too demanding or troubling. Is there a possibility to add sound systems to cars with CSP extensions? Like, if I want to add music and reproduce it directly from the car instead of an external music player. I don't know if I'm explaining as good as possible but given your talent at this you should be able to understand at first glance. That would be a cool addition for casual drivers!!

In general i like the idea. Having music and maybe even some track imagery tiles animation thing in the background rotating between the different background pictures for the track would be a nice touch. Maybe you could even make it possible to link it to a spotify playlist using the Spotify API. All in all i'd say it isn't super high on my list of requests though.

Josh Kerr

Ilja, several friends and I have been commenting that we would like to be able to listen to a song on the loading screen, while the images are changing, because in some computers (this is not my case) it takes a long time to load everything. I think this could be extended even on the pit screen while pressing the start race button and it will be activated again if you go back to the pits and activate the menu. I know it can be crazy idea, maybe for some people it will take immersion from the simulation, but I think that at least during the loading screen, it would be great. Btw, I propose this theme or something similar. https://www.newgrounds.com/audio/listen/66899

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Oh, of course, will try and add that. I was thinking about that even before starting to work on grass, to distribute more random things like leaves, maybe some trash in areas with people, maybe some rocks for remote landscape. One issue with it though, especially leaves, they need to interact with cars driving by, but at the same time, I don’t want to use particles approach (could be tricky to fill everything evenly as camera moves or teleports). The way grass is generated is much more suitable, but it doesn’t have state to be blown away. So, yes, still thinking about the optimal approach, it might be somewhere in the middle. :) Thank you!

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Seems like it stays, fixed the issues, and it looks like it doesn’t affect performance much. One issue though, I don’t think it can be saved in replays (takes a few megabytes of data for the whole set, saving that every minute, for example, could make replays too heavy), but I’ll try to think of some solution. :)

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Thank you! Definitely, I’d love to try and make something like that. :)

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Thank you! Right now, it falls back to low frequency perlin noise texture for low resolution meshes automatically, but if needed, I’ll add parameters and possibly a different mode (like arranging puddles based on AI line to simulate more puddles in wheel grooves). There is another question how to make sure people won’t cheat editing configs, but there are a couple of ideas for that. :)

Josh Kerr

I have a graphic suggestion, I don't know if it's possible, but it would be interesting (I think) When "seasonal adjustments" is activated, in winter it looks like more or less the snow covers everything. My idea is that when the dates are autumn, you can will see autumn leaves around the trees, in certain areas of the grass and on the edges of the asphalt. Before, I know it was very difficult to achieve, but I think now it can be easier to create and visually it would be very nice. Thank you very much for all your work and the development of so many options and ideas.

please try to keep the drying racing line without using the ai line - for open world/freeroam type maps with no ai line, this will be very nice feature

Ztirom Winter

Absolutely jawdropping! One question/suggestion: Will raindrops on the windshield actually move, and if so, will their "speed" depend on the driving speed or g-forces? That would be awesome if you could implement that! But as always, take your time, no pressure! Great to hear that rain physics are being worked on as well!

Jone Klemo Øverland

Holy crap! reminds me alot of the debug mode in Pcars2.. I was in the Q&A team there for a while. This is going to be just amazing!

Amazing work already! Is there a plan rearding tracks with less high-fidelity road meshes, like non-laser scans? Will those tracks need a config while vanilla kunos ones won't?

Josh Kerr

Oh my.... :O Can't wait to try!! Really AC now with these things, it's a new game at the ACC or PCARS2 level (or more)

Great stuff! Take your time, this will be another revolution for AC.

Ditto that, Max. I'm just blown away by this. Absolutely incredible work. Just nuts.

Max S

Genius work as always! Honoured to witness this stunning achievement take shape

Nice, this is exactly what I was hoping to see! No restrictions offline, no new physics online unless the server operator is running a CSP-required event.

Ilja Jusupov aka x4fab

Good point, we got a plan! Rain and other physics changes (I think it’s time to make Weather FX controller affect physics conditions) won’t work if: • It’s a Kunos challenge; • RSR hotlapping app, or something similar, has been spotted enabled; • It’s an online race — unless server is set in a special way, explicitly enabling either rain or dynamic conditions, and possibly using one of tricks to make sure people without Custom Shaders Patch won’t be able to join (there is already a way with using car with extended physics, there is a bit of API via chat messages, but I’ll add another trick too, something which would be easier to setup). I think there isn’t a need to forcefully disable it for challenges or RSR, as I don’t think reduced traction would give anybody an advantage, but just to be sure. Also, if I missed anything, please let me know.

I’m very excited but a little confused. Does this represent a change in philosophy from avoiding physics effects that could put CSP players at a potential disadvantage against vanilla players in online matches?