rFactor 2 Q2 2023 Release Candidate Previews Massive AI Fixes

Studio 397 have released a new release candidate of the 2023 Q2 release that should release in May. I’m DELIGHTED to see all these AI fixes!

Here are the highlighted changes that the studio most wants you to be aware of:

– Large AI Updates in relation to throttle behaviour and reaction to other cars.
– Updated in car Dashboard options including new icon option and improved shader
– New Default HUD Skin
– Various improvements around handling of cars that have Batteries, and how that data is displayed in car and on HUD.
– Improved Config Application & handling of setting resolutions in game
– Added new side on showroom and support for toggling showroom background for taking alpha cut out screenshots of cars
– Various updates to modding support (Map Converter, Scene Viewer mostly)
– Servers now verify that connected clients own the content they are using

Full release notes:

General

– Fixed assigned Screenshot button not working in UI in Retail
– Fixed Photo Mode depth option not working
– Linked Photo Mode Screenshot Format and Depth saving to player.json setting
– Removed non functional copy to clipboard screenshot player.json setting
– Disallow assigned Screenshot button in Photo Mode
– Allowed toggling of showroom background in Retail (via key 1 or via button).
– Added player.json setting “showroom background” for default state of rendering background.
– Added Sideview UI showroom for taking screenshots of cars for icons.
– Fixed UI resolution not setting correctly when switching from Windowed to Borderless in Game.
– Fixed crash when changing resolution options in VR

Configuration Application

– Updated Config file to save last used resolution and refresh rate rather than an enumeration of the used mode for more consistent handling of game resolution when adapters change.
– Setup a VR specific config file. This file will copy from the default file on first run of VR.
– Allowed the option to configure multiple files from the config application
– Fixed various inconsistencies in config app where by changing adapter or monitor would lose any previous setting changes
– Fixed windows version reporting in config app
– Updated displaying of PC Specs to show only relevant information in config app
– Removed various unused settings from config file

Physics

– Ensured that results files / ai report battery state when it’s the primary energy source
– Various fixes for battery energy consumption

Graphics

– Updated Dashboard Elements Shader to use IBL Setup for better lighting
– Added LowLumEmissive shader to replace old Dashboard usage on track assets (Start/Pit Lights etc) and in Car LEDs. The game will auto reassign these.
– Updated Cockpit Readout format to allow offsets, to render multiple readouts to the same background
– Added Cockpit Readout Icon format, which can render texture to background, with configurable number of elements, and options to change colours or uvw islands based on value, with options for Fuel, Battery, RPM, TC, TCActive, ABS, ABSLocked
– Added various extra cockpit readouts: FuelLastLap, FuelFinishAverage, BatteryLastLap, BatteryFinishAverage, CurrentLap, Delta, TCSlip, TCCut, BatteryRegenLevel, ElectricMotorMap
– Updated Moddev Tweak Bar displays for new options
– Enable rain light when battery is harvesting on throttle. Use CockpitInfo.ini params to configure:
RegenLightRequireThrottle=1/0 (requires higher throttle than brake)
RegenLightMinPowerWatts=15000 (requires 15kw regen to show the light)

AI

– Reworked AI throttle behaviour
Less overshooting, more controlled deceleration
Improved acceleration with less wheelspin
Improved corner exits
Eliminated even more sources of oscillation
Improved laptimes for certain vehicles
Pit speed limit won’t be overshot
Stop positions (grid, pit box) will no longer be overshot
– Reworked AI reaction to other vehicles (road courses)
AI will now properly slipstream other vehicles
Overtaking occurs if AI can achieve overlap before the next corner, otherwise the AI will save fuel
Multiclass: Faster classes will no longer slow down when trying to overtake slower classes
Multiclass: Faster classes avoid overtaking unless they can get fully past before the apex
Multiclass: Faster classes will attempt to carry more momentum, and lift off early if no overtaking opportunity exists
AI will now be more cautious when other cars are around
AI can now use more of the space following other cars, for proper drafting behaviour
More cautious when yellow flags are ahead or under FCY
Player and other cars will no longer be rear ended unless a sudden unexpected lane change makes a reaction impossible
When cars ahead are in a fight, AI will now set up for an overtake on corner exit
AI won’t hesitate to go 3-wide if the situation allows for it, but will pull out before the next braking zone if an overtake seems too dangerous
Less incident prone with large grids

HUD

– Updated Default HUD
– Added Battery State & Usage options, as well as LEDs for P2P and Battery

UI

– Added Battery Unit setting (Percent or kW(h))
– Fixed multiplayer joining getting triggered again after changing graphics settings and restarting when joining with +connect

Package Management

– Server now verifies that connected clients own the content they are using

Modding

– Map Converter Updates
Now checks for file updates every 500ms.
-f (force all textures to update) command will only run once and exit.
-o (once) command will only run once and exit
DDS files are only copied from source folder on first pass.
Improved output display with more information.
– Mod Dev\Scene Viewer
Added extra lighting debug information for fog and direct light direction
Added toggling of shadow groups via shadow key (U) in scene viewer.
Only allow one instance of the Scene Viewer to be open at a time (fixes issues with accessing Material Editor when previous instance doesn’t exit for some reason).
– Added missing Limit Path option to Static Cameras in Camera Editor

Known issues

– Battery Usage in Percentage does not show clearly (always says below 0.01%)
– AI will fail to line up for FCY
– AI tend to try to overtake around the outside, but quickly realise that won’t work
– Formation lap speeds are capped too low, so if the grid gets pulled too far apart, the back will fail to catch up in time