Big Automobilista 2 update ft. McLaren MP4/12

The latest update for Automobilista 2 is here and, weighing in at just over 1GB, there’s a lot to be discussed.

Here’s the full changelog for Automobilista 2, including the down low on the new McLaren MP4/12:

Along with the last major game update of the month and the exciting new car, we have more news to share with you – check it out!

Official Automobilista 2 website now live!

We finally have our official AMS2 live at www.game-automobilista2.com Still some bits to be added such as specs and infos for each vehicle in the game, but this should already hopefully be an useful overview of AMS2 for those looking to learn more about it, and a good source of info as to what lays in the road ahead for those already onboard!

New AMS2 Packages Now Available on Steam!

We have launched two extra Steam packages for those interested in Automobilista 2 and / or its DLC:The Automobilista 2 Premium Track Pack includes the two Premium Track Pack DLCs already released (Hockenheim & Silverstone) as well as two other to be released before the end of 2020 (Nurburgring & Spa), along with a fifth still TBA.

This pack does NOT include the tracks featuring in the future Expansion Packs or the Historical Track Pack DLC, and it is designed for those with interest in these premium tracks but would rather commit to a smaller, shorter term investment than the 2020-2021 Season Pass.

The Automobilista Ultimate Edition + Automobilista 2 Bundle is a limited time offer for AMS1 fans looking to make the jump to AMS2, or AMS2 owners and want to check how the predecessor compares.

For those who don´t own either, this is the complete Automobilista Experience in one Single Package! Get Automobilista 1 Ultimate Edition (including all DLCs) AND Automobilista 2 with a special 25% discount on overall price! If you already have one or more items of this package, you get 25% off for the items you do not yet own.

The Mclaren MP4/12 has Arrived!

We are capping our “Open Wheel Month” with a bang: the beautiful Mclaren MP4/12 from 1997 is another officially licensed car being added to Automobilista 2´s growing roster of classic Grand Prix cars – free for all AMS2 owners!

This car is very special for a few reasons besides its distinct visual and being the first of a long series of silver Mclaren-Mercedes – it was the car that ended Mclaren´s victory drought since the departure of Ayrton Senna in 1993, and earned Mika Hakkinen´s first win in the season finale after a series of DNFs from the lead.

The car had one other thing that made it special… The ingenious “brake steer” system.

What it is: The “fiddle brake”, or “brake steer” system was developed by Mclaren originally for the MP4/12 in the middle of the 1997 season, with the addition of an extra brake pedal allowing the drivers to control the inside rear brakes (left or right depending on how it was set up in the garage) independently from the main brake system – the theory behind it being that in a car limited by front-end grip, activating the inside rear brakes could help “tip” the car into corners, and also to aid traction.

Mclaren gained competitiveness in the latter part of 1997 thanks in part to the ingenious new system, earning two wins in the second half of the season, including Mika Hakkinen´s maiden win at the season finale (after retiring from the lead no less than three times). The device remained in the car for 1998 but was soon banned as Mclaren begun to dominate the series.

How it works in-game: You activate the system by using the handbrake command in the game (now called “extra brake” due to its multiple purposes depending on the car – it remains a simple handbrake for vehicles that have one). To get the best of the system you´d ideally want to map it to an analogue control, replacing the clutch pedal if you´re looking for extra accuracy as it allows you to modulate the pressure and thus how much ‘fiddle braking” is actually being applied.

The mechanics of the system works just as it did with real life, with one exception – in the real car the team would have the option to set the system up either on the right side (typically for clockwise circuits with a majority of right-hand corners) or the left side for anti-clockwise circuits. In the game this switch is done automatically according to the direction of the track, there is no setup control over it.

How to drive with it: The system is worth a few tenths potentially depending on the track, but it demands a lot of feet coordination to get the best of it. The best approach is try to find your pace with the car on any given track driving “normally” for a few laps, and then see how you can use the brake steer system to help flick the car and control traction out of slow corners!

So this cover the new car – now let´s cover what is on the game update – lots of valuable improvements all around as you can see in the full V1.0.2.1 -> V1.0.2.5 CHANGELOG:

CONTENT

Added Mclaren MP4/12 to F-V10 Gen1 series
Added Silverstone 1975 “No Chicane” layout (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )
Added Silverstone 2001 National & International layouts (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )
Added Silverstone 2020 National & International layouts (part of Silverstone Pack DLC )

GAMEPLAY

Added support for “extra brake” device on Mclaren MP4/12 (shared with hand brake command)
Fixed CTD when returning to lobby after a Multiplayer race
Enabled slight collision pitch & roll damping (greatly reduces issues with over-the-top collision physics)
Adjusted physics tick rate to minimise sync errors in Multiplayer
Fixed bug causing starting grid being sorted by class when transitioning from scoring sessions (Q/R).
Fixed time penalties when a driver fails to or cannot serve a drive through on the last lap
Increased tolerance parameters for track limit violations from going over grass / gravel and after contact with another car
Increased pit speed limit violation tolerance before instant DQ from 60 to 100km/h

UI & HUD

Added art pass to Replay / Monitor screens, reducing overall size of controls, updating assets/colors of splits unit to improve readability, uses driver display name in splits unit for both, and ‘in pit’ marker to Replay splits unit
Added toggleable full leaderboard to monitor screen (also available to MP spectators)
Added message to MP session end leaderboard screen when waiting for host
Added more compact controls bar to replay screen UI
Initial updades to Championship UI design
Temporarily disabled time acceleration mid-session (may trigger physics issues) until such are resolved

PHYSICS & FORCE FEEDBACK

Fixed FFB Caster deflection calculation
Re-enabled FFB scrub effect
Adjustments to default FFB profile (rack force split to low-mid-high, scaling them differently, curbs slightly enhanced among other minor changes)
Reduced adhesive friction speed sensitivity for Stock V8, GTs, Prototypes, Super V8
Minor tyre tread adjustments for Ultima GTR Road, Camaro SS, F-Classic Gen3
Adjusted Weight distribution, Aero center of pressure, adhesive friction for all F-Retro series cars
Slightly adjusted Stock2020 center of gravity height (both models)
Globally reduced aerodynamic effects from drafting & turbulence
Enabled slight collision pitch & roll damping (aiminig to minimise issues with over-the-top collisions)
Adjusted physics tick rate in attempt to minimise sync errors in Multiplayer
Added minor friction & preload to open differentials (Opalas, F-Trainer, F-vee Pumas, Fuscas, MCRS200, FWD Classics)
Rectified several incorrect, unoptimal or conflicting differential configurations & ranges still available from setup screen
Fixed viscous diff incorrectly disabled for F-Ultimate
Balance of performance revision for P4 class
Added viscous differential to Ultima GTR Road
Fixed V12 engine bug in F-Retro / F-Vintage causing car to break in aggressive downshifts

Improved AI performance in pack (both better pace & less incidents)
Fixed AI performance in practice / quali being slower than race (minor callibration still required)
AI race performance callibration pass for various classes

AUDIO

Fixed audio gear wobble
Added triggers to support audio engine splutter on downshifts
Fixed Stock Car Corolla referencing wrong sounds
Revised positional audio (engine sound movement when looking left-right) for all cars

TRACKS

Silverstone 1991: added missing physical tyre barriers, smoothed segments of curb steps vs surrounding terrain to minimise chances of cars launching over it; added missing start light gantry; Added dynamic brake markers; corrected Goodyear advertising to be period accurate
Silverstone 2001: added start light gantry
Silverstone 2020: minor art pass, added missing brake markers
Santa Cruz: Moved start trigger to solve missing first lap for grid slot 1; recallibrated brake marker spacing, added missing dynamic brake markers
Spielberg Historic: Major art pass (WIP)
Spielberg: repositioned pit box and redid pit lane (reducing lateral separation); attempted fix for some AI cars from hitting pit wall when laving pit box.
Added new crane models to various tracks
Added TV cranes & camera men to several tracks
Kansai West: fixed timing bug
Kyalami Historic: Fixed timing bug, moved grid positions back 1 row, delete unused grid line markings; Moved start trigger and start line forward 5m in line with marshal hut
Brands GP/ Indy: timing bug fix

VEHICLES