Le Mans Ultimate Patch 2 And Hotfix Improves AI, UI, Works Around FFB Jolts And More

Studio 397 have released an update and subsequent hotfix for Le Mans Ultimate that includes a decent number of bugfixes, improvements to AI and UI, fixes many issues with the car and tracks. The hotfix implements a workaround to the force feedback jolts that users sometimes experience when users join a server.

Patch notes:

General and Code Updates
Integrate crash reporting software to automatically collect crash reports
Fix crashes when no sound devices is available
Fixed an issue that would cause cars to collide if one of them teleported close to the other in an online session – disabled collision for teleporting cars if they end up in other cars
Fix for FFB oscillating during game freezes or change state
Fixed a bug to ensure the game is running at normal speed when exiting the pause menu
Quality of life changes for virtual fuel information display in the MFD and speedometer overlays (See UI for more details)
Fixed issues around fuel estimates at the start of a fast rolling race
Various fixes to AI fuel consumption
Fixed virtual energy usage – MGU deployment and higher gears will no longer drain energy faster
Fix for virtual fuel reporting as 100x the actual value when measured in KW in the pit menu.
AI toggle removed as not performing as this is not currently supported
Fixed some talent files failing to load
Reviewed Driving Aid Penalties implementation
Fixed Blue Flag in cockpit stating LMP incorrectly
Removed some unused cockpit LED options which were causing some crashes

AI
Improved AI ability to avoid other cars by both braking and turn in
AI are more careful in unclear situations (slow, unpredictable cars ahead)
Fixed an error in strategy causing fuel logging to fail along with wrong conditions being used for strategy calculations. This fixes various situations in which AI would behave incorrectly.
Improved AI full grid turn 1 situations – less contact, cars no longer occasionally come to a full stop
AI can predict better whether it is safe to lift before corners in order to carry more momentum for lapping another car on exit
AI can now pick closing gaps on flat out sections of the circuit and predicts whether the car ahead leaves space or not – should help in not-quite-straight situations that otherwise never have enough space in one go to overtake around a specific side
Lapped cars no longer immediately attempt to re-overtake when they get the chance
Much less aggressive overtaking attempts, so AI don’t get out of shape as much anymore
AI no longer brake at the last possible moment when there is a car ahead, instead in situations that require it they’ll be more careful
AI now try to carry a little bit more speed into braking zones when overtaking and lapping
Improved lift and brake logic to avoid getting too close to other cars
AI tyre wear is now hidden from player on HUD

UI
Boot sequence and registration Video is now skippable
First time user difficulty select now better matches in-game settings
Email validation is now less strict allowing “+” and other similar valid email characters
Temporarily removed names being registered with symbols as it was causing backend issues. This will be returned when we have made the required changed

Race weekend
Any session length can now be set
Updated available class UI to be more clear
Changing grid position option now loops from max to low again.
Virtual Energy and Fuel

Garage
Fuel capacity changed to fuel ratio
Fuel carried shows the amount of fuel you will have when leaving the pit

HUD
Virtual energy shows the number of laps you will have with it
Replaced Fuel Capacity with Fuel Ratio for Hypercars
The strategy section now shows the amount of fuel you will have after the next pit stop
Speedo shows Fuel and NRG more clearly
Updated fuel and energy usage on HUD to show to two decimal points.
Removed option for relative refuelling and added fuel units (l or gal) to Pit Menu

Online
“Special Event” cards show correct countdowns
Added a notification for when your race results are ready
Added a notification for when there is a server problem and the event is canceled
Weather forecast should now be correct
Updated available class UI to be clearer
Loading into the race no longer has the standings on the screen until everything is loaded

Race
AI-only cars now show their manufacturer logo in standing

General
Added localisation and descriptions to more setting options
Changing difficulty settings no longer changes your preset name in graphics preset name to custom

Circuits

Bahrain International Circuit
Fixed fast rolling starts reporting left lane as right and vice versa
Minor adjustments to road surface grip properties
Updated rolex gantry fixing some minor issues
Updated camera files fixing some switch issues over the start finish and other updates

Fuji Raceway
Minor adjustments to road surface grip properties
Updated rolex gantry fixing some minor issues
Minor ambient occlusion fixes on some assets

Circuit de la Sarthe (Le Mans)
Minor adjustments to road surface grip properties
Adjusted AI block path into turn 1

Autodromo Nazionale Monza
Minor adjustments to road surface grip properties
AI adjustments to improve multi class racing
Track limits – minor fix on main straight

Algarve International Circuit (Portimāo)
Minor adjustments to road surface grip properties
Minor grandstand fix
Updated rolex gantry fixing some minor issues
Fixed floating pit props

Sebring International Raceway
Improved paddock area night lighting
Updated paddock tents and pit props
Updated pit lane entry with entry used in 2023 race
Fixed timing to work on first lap out of the pitlane
Tweaked grip levels, including increased grip at Sunset Bend

Spa Francorchamps
Updated camera file
Improved fix for AI avoiding clipping wall on pit entry
Increased separation for left and right AI paths so cars are less close together on fast rolling starts

Vehicles

GTE

General
Updated weight penalties for using ABS assist: 18kg for Low level and 30kg for High level
Changed pitstop restrictions, so that driver change and refuelling are concurrent, tyre change, repairs and brakes are not
Minor correction to fuel density
Updated LODs
Fixed some cameras
Set view pitch to 0.0
Changed setup default engine mixture to Race (was Race lean before)

Aston Martin V8 Vantage GTE
BoP: 10kg reduction in weight penalty to both Le Mans and non-LM specification
Added emissive on the wheel
Added LEDs to cockpit
Added rain light
Small tweak to random delay for tyre change

Corvette C8R GTE
BoP: 7.5kg increase in weight penalty to non-Le Mans and 20kg for Le Mans specification
Added rain light
Fixed windows so they clear water
Headlights now reflect in puddles
Fixed hole around rear wing
Fixed issues with seat belt

Ferrari 488 GTE
Fixes to stop AI from track cutting
BoP: 7.5kg increase in weight penalty to non-Le Mans and 20kg to Le Mans specification.

Porsche 911 RSR GTE
Headlights now reflect in puddles

LMP2

Oreca 07 LMP2
Added weight penalties for using ABS assist: 14kg for Low level and 23kg for High level
Changed pitstop restrictions, so that driver change and refuelling are concurrent, tyre change, repairs and brakes are not. Small tweak to random delay for tyre change
Tweak to how much time it takes to adjust/replace front splitter body part
Minor correction to fuel density
Fixed some cameras
Updated rim textures
Updated LODs
Fixed issues with LOD textures
Increased wiper effect texture resolution
Lowered AI grip on wet tires by ~4%

Hypercar

General
Added weight penalties for using ABS assist: 15kg for Low level and 25kg for High level
Tweaked wet tires to give more cooling on damp tracks, and made them degrade more when they’re overheated
Changed pitstop restrictions, so that driver change and refuelling are concurrent, tyre change, repairs and brakes are not. Small tweak to random delay for tyre change
Tweak to how much time it takes to adjust/replace front splitter body part
Corrections to virtual energy estimates
Minor correction to fuel density
Fixed some cameras
Updated LODs

Cadillac V.Series R LMDh
Set view pitch to 0.0
Reduced AI cutting
Minor correction to fuel density

Ferrari 499P LMH
BoP: 40kg increase in weight penalty
Fixed window distortion in rain
Fixed gaps in cockpit when using onboard cameras
Fixed available range of settings for rear differential preload
Fixed available range of settings for rear differential preload
Reduced AI cutting

Glickenhaus SCG 007 LMH
Set view pitch to 0.0
Reduced AI cutting
Fixed available range of settings for rear differential preload

Peugeot 9X8 LMH
BoP: 10kg increase in weight penalty
Fixed missing LEDs in cockpit
Fixed available range of settings for rear differential preload

Porsche 963 LMDh
Made #75 pit light a bit darker
Fixed windscreen static wear texture

Toyota GR010 LMH
BoP: 30kg increase in weight penalty
Fixed rain drops on body and windows
Fixed available range of settings for rear differential preload

Vanwall Vandervell 680 LMH
Fixed smoothing issues on body
Fixed mirrors in cockpit view
Removed wing adjust from pit menu
Added replace brakes to pit menu
Removed brake map from pit menu
Fixed error in talent file

Hotfix:

Updated FFB to react differently with fast changes in force levels, particularly seen when other users join the server