iRacing News

[vobler]

There is a great iRacing article in the latest AutoSimsport issue.

http://www.autosimsport.net/

[vobler]

New build out now.
Not very interesting. Mostly graphics bugs fixing.


MISC

- Club Florida's logo is updated.

- Shared setups to club members are now visible only to club members, not everyone.

- Allow someone their spot back in a hosted race even when all pits are in use, as long as one of the pits is theirs.

- Fixed several helmet and suit patterns that were displaying incorrectly.

- The iRacingService downloader writes to disk less often.

- Changing UI size while driving (with ctrl-pgup, ctrl-pgdn) no longer causes the sim to fall into replay graphics settings, which typically then lowers driving fps.


SPOTTER

- Added the optional TJ Majors and Lance McGrew spotter pack.

- Fixed spotter crackle.

- Reduce spotter volume fade-in at beginning of each sample.

- The sim better deals with loading a spotter pack with bad files instead of failing.


RACE CONTROL

- Tows prior to race starts will now hold you in your pit stall until the lane opens after race goes green.

- Missing a race start is improved. Now you can enter your pit stall immediately if you click on the green button, and you will be held in your pit stall until the lane opens after race goes green.

- The Grid button now shows a countdown timer so you know how long you have until you miss the start. But don't forget that once everyone gets on grid then it shortcuts to the race start procedure.

- A very unlikely chance of issuing a reset instead of a tow during race sessions has been eliminated.

- Improve number of caution pacing laps: very long tracks can shorten pacing considerably now.

- Drivers entering the pits as a pacing field comes up to take the checkered flag will now properly be removed from the pacing order, so people still on track don't get black flagged.

- It should no longer be possible to sneakily pass someone within 1 second of taking the checkered flag while pacing.


CARS

- C6R - The front fenders should display in the cockpit when the car is damaged.

- Riley DP - fixed a pattern that was displaying incorrectly.

- Star Mazda - The rear wing of the Formula Mazda should show damage properly.

- Impala - Now has a limited pit crew wedge adjustment of +/- 5/8" from the right rear spring perch offset in your setup.

- Impala - Added the Chevrolet logo's to patterns that didn't have them.

- Impala B - Added the Chevrolet logo's to patterns that didn't have them.

- Dallara - Logos on the Dallara's side pods were being scaled incorrectly.


TRACKS

- Mosport - Billboard artwork revisions.

- Lakeland - Fixed pitwall segment that was displaying texture corruption.

- Indianapolis - Rotated and rescaled the speedway water tower so it matches reference.

[vobler]

Will be more like 72 hours of fun with the Dallara at Brands GP.

Why the Dallara some one said?

Steve Meyers responded:

Because the IndyCar is so damn fun here! I have this going live tomorrow night and running through Sunday.

Steve

[vobler]

Challenging, historic, spectator-friendly Brands Hatch is one of Englandââ,¬â,,¢s most beloved race tracks. With dramatic, not to say terrifying, elevation changes, a dynamic mixture of fast, slow and medium speed corners on both its Grand Prix and Indy circuits, a Whoââ,¬â,,¢s Who of former winners and one of motorsportsââ,¬â,,¢ greatest natural amphitheaters, ââ,¬Å"Brandsââ,¬Â has it all.
Now you can have all Brands Hatch has to offer for just $14.95.

[vobler]

Here is a closer look at Brands Hatch.

http://www.samiad.co.uk/brands/brands.html

Other comparisons in the series:

http://www.samiad.co.uk/mosport.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/sonoma/infineon.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/barber/barber.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/ra/ra.html

[OldBloke]

Here is a closer look at Brands Hatch.

http://www.samiad.co.uk/brands/brands.html

Other comparisons in the series:

http://www.samiad.co.uk/mosport.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/sonoma/infineon.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/barber/barber.html
http://www.samiad.co.uk/ra/ra.html

Looks superb.

[vobler]

iRacing made a new forum section regarding painting cars and uploaded a set of templates if anyone want to have a go during the holidays.

http://members.iracing.com/iforum/thread.jspa?threadID=62530&tstart=0

Edit: But there doesn't seem to be a way to see the painted cars yet. Oh well. Next season then....

[vobler]

Here is a link to a story at inRacingNews.com about the iRacing Wourld Tour.

http://www.inracingnews.com/iracing-news/iracingcom-announces-2010-world-tour/

[Doorman]

iRacing made a new forum section regarding painting cars and uploaded a set of templates if anyone want to have a go during the holidays.

http://members.iracing.com/iforum/thread.jspa?threadID=62530&tstart=0

Edit: But there doesn't seem to be a way to see the painted cars yet. Oh well. Next season then....

I got all excited there for a nanosecond.

[vobler]

I got all excited there for a nanosecond.

The latest news from Steve Meyers at iRacing is this
-------
Forgot to also mention that because of the work we need to do for the World Cup of iRacing that will run during the 13th week that we plan on rolling out the new build next week sometime.

I am sure we will have to do an additional roll out as usual after the initial deployment but maybe we will get lucky this time...

Steve
------------

The build will most likely contain new transmission model and the above mentioned skin system. Smaller fixes to most cars. Changes to oval starting systems. Ability to host on any track.  etc. etc.

[vobler]

Williams F1 and iRacing Announce Virtual
Version of AT&T Williams FW31

[/B]

Digital Duplicate of Current-Era Grand
Prix Car Will Be Available in 2010

BIRMINGHAM, UK (January 14, 2010) ââ,¬â€œ iRacing.com will build a virtual version
of the 2009 AT&T Williams FW31 and make it available to members of its
internet-based global motorsport simulation service. The announcement at
the Autosport International show was made jointly by Williams F1 and
iRacing.com Motorsport Simulation, LLC.

Not comfirmed by iRacing yet, but here is link to press release at
http://www.attwilliams.com/downloads/pdf/14_01_10_iracing_final.pdf

More rumors
http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/80860

Confirmed:
http://www.inracingnews.com/formula-one-news/williams-f1-and-iracing-announce-virtual-version-of-att-williams-fw31/

Also at member site.
http://members.iracing.com/membersite/member/Home.do?page=press

[vobler]

Not news anymore, but I wanted to post it here in case anyone is interested.

The first iRacing.com World Tour event will be the Rolex 2.4 hour at Daytona. This one-time event is to take place during the actual Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona going on the same day. For this one event, we had to significantly shorten the race compared to the real-world counterpart.

ââ,¬Â¢ Title: iRacing.com Rolex 2.4 hours at Daytona

ââ,¬Â¢ Event Date: January 30th, 2010, 12 noon (17:00 GMT)

ââ,¬Â¢ Qualifying: Qualifying will begin at 11:30am EST (16:30 GMT), Jan. 30th. There will be a 20 minute open group qualifying session before the race.

ââ,¬Â¢ Race Start: The race will begin at 12 noon EST (17:00 GMT), Jan. 30th.

ââ,¬Â¢ Series: iRacing World Tour/Special Events. Members will use the Series tab and select iRacing World Tour/Special Events.

ââ,¬Â¢ Car: Daytona Prototype

ââ,¬Â¢ Track: Daytona, using the road course configuration. The road course will also be available for use for practice sessions and hosted sessions through the month of January.

ââ,¬Â¢ Eligibility: Open to all iRacing members, regardless of license level. Drivers will qualify and be gridded into race sessions based on qualifying time and iRating.

ââ,¬Â¢ Safety Rating: S.R. will be in effect to discourage car to car contact.

ââ,¬Â¢ Tows, Resets, Pitstops, Yellow Flags: Each driver will be allowed one reset (a tow back to pit lane). Typical pit stop rules will be in effect. Local yellow flags will be used.

ââ,¬Â¢ Race Start & Car Count: Rolling start will be used. Car count will be 40 cars per split.

ââ,¬Â¢ Race Length: Approximately 2.4 Hours (144 minutes). The race will be set to 90 laps. 90 laps is the closest approximation to a 2.4 hour (or 144 min.) race.

ââ,¬Â¢ Cost: Free, no entry fee to all iRacing members.

ââ,¬Â¢ Content Required: Daytona racetrack and the Riley MKXX Daytona Prototype

ââ,¬Â¢ Prizes: 24 drivers will win $24 in the form of iRacing credits. Participating drivers will be chosen randomly by iRacing.com. To be eligible to win the prize, a driver must take the green flag or start the race. They do not have to finish the race to be eligible.

ââ,¬Â¢ Race Reporting: The top 3 drivers in each split (race group) will be announced by iRacing after the completion of the event.

[vobler]

Some items that are not on this list that I had discussed in the forums are aero and tire changes for the three premier oval cars and a better transmission model.

We were not happy with how testing has gone with both of these updates and have decided to hold them off from this deployment. The truck, nationwide and COT aero and tire changes should hopefully be rolled out next week. The transmission model may take longer than that to be in a state we feel is ready for public use.

Release Notes for 2010.01.18.01 - 2010 Season 1

Web Site

- Added World Cup statistics pages for the RACC Runoffs, RACC Finals and World Cup Finals. These are all accessible from the ââ,¬Å"Statsââ,¬Â top level navigation bar item.

- Added restart configuration option to hosted sessions so you can select single file, double file with lapped cars on the inside or double file with lapped cars at the back.

- The Update Manager now shows file size in units (k, M, G) appropriate to the size.

- The Download/Installation progress indicator in the upper left corner of the site should now carry through to completion, barring any error condition or user abort.

General

- All tracks and configurations are now always available in hosted sessions.

- The Strength of Field (SOF) calculation has changed, which will slightly alter championship points paid out in races. The new calculation more correctly weights the various iRatings in the field.

- The prefix "INCIDENT:" is removed from incident report messages in-sim.

- Drivers reconnecting to a server will now see previously shared group setups.

- remindbf.wav is added to TJ&L spotter pack.

- The sim can now recognize windows accelerator keys (volume up/down etc) as inputs in the sim. All keys are supported except Cut/Copy/Paste. This should stop the bug where volume keys would cycle the cameras.

- The right shift key is now recognized by the sim.

- Pressing a shift key now works in conjunction with keys on the num pad when num lock turned on without having to turn off num lock.

Custom Paint Jobs

- Custom car/helmet/suit paint jobs are now supported.

The filename for a paintjob is just the customer ID with a .tga extension. The sim will also accept it with leading 0ââ,¬â,,¢s to form a 6 digits number (which sorts better alphabetically). You can find your customer ID by going to the My Account section of the iRacing website.

For instance, for a driver who has a customer ID of 12345, their custom texture in any of the below directories would be

ââ,¬Å"12345.tgaââ,¬Â or ââ,¬Å"012345.tgaââ,¬Â

The custom texture files need to be placed into the documents\iRacing folder, like this:

Helmets: docs\iRacing\paint\helmets\
Suits: docs\iRacing\paint\suits\

Cars (using the same structure as car setups):
RT2000: docs\iRacing\paint\cars\rt2000\
Rookie Legends: docs\iRacing\paint\cars\legends ford34c rookie\

The cars have to be 1024x1024 pixels in size. The suits and helmets must be 512x512. If they are the wrong size they are ignored.

If the sim can't find a custom texture, it will use the driver's defined colors and pattern from the website as usual.

A custom texture will be loaded and used even when loading older replays that were made before the custom texture was added or changed.

Custom textures are not automatically uploaded, downloaded, transferred, mailed, delivered, etc, in any way. Customers will have to put them up somewhere themselves, and others will have to download them themselves.

Cameras

- Added support for copy/paste of groups of cameras even across files. Pasting a group makes a new copy of all cameras in the group.

- All camera tool sliders now have edit boxes.

- Added a quick set button to adjust camera microphone gain based on current car position. Just click and hold while watching a replay and it will set all cameras you view to the same relative volume.

- Camera groups can now be reordered.

- The scenic camera no longer interferes with the default cameras when the focus car disappears from the view.

- Fixed mouse aim mode when in scenic mode.

- Does not save active camera group transitions to ini file when in scenic mode.

- Fixed bug that could reset active group if exiting sim while driving.

- Fixed chase views when focusing on pace car so that the camera no longer wiggles.

- No longer defaults to invalid camera group at load time.

- Group copy/paste properly grayed out when selecting a static group (on car cameras).

- Camtool only resets camera state when needed, volume etc should not cause camera to flash.

- Camtool updates more frequently when in slow motion.

- Statically aimed cameras as blimp, chopper, or chase cameras will now follow the motion of the camera and not just point north.

Replay

- The replay now back patches skid marks and smoke and dust to move them under the wheels.

Race Control

- Added a new type of double file restart where the lap down cars get pushed to the back of the field. Double file restarts will now be possible on road courses if set.

- Restart type is now selectable for Hosted races.

- During cautions the transition to double file should now occur at 2-to-go, except for road courses and ovals of 2 miles or longer which continue to transition at 1-to-go.
- For the new double file starting mode, lapped cars get sent to the back at 2 To Go while staying single file, then at 1 To Go the pace field will switch to double file. Unless the track is an oval over 2 miles long or a road course, where the lapped cars will get sent to the back at the same time as the field switches to double file at 1 To Go.

- Don't apply jump start rule if a driver entered then exited the grid and then missed the start and is put into their pit stall.

- Cars that end a tow while a caution is in progress are now properly added to the pace field when leaving pit lane.

Controls

- You can now unassign non-driving controls by pressing Enter when the control assignment pop-up window says "unassigned" while waiting for you to give it a control. The 'Esc' key is still good for exiting the control assignment pop-up window without changing the current assignment.

- Each car can now have it's own set of controls assigned. There is a checkbox in the bottom left of the "Controls and Other Options" windows to tell the sim to use a custom controls.cfg for the car (the file is stored in the car setup dir), or to use the default global controls.cfg.

Cars / Physics

- Some improvements and fixes have been made to the collision system. In particular, the player car's chassis should interact far more correctly with the ground surface. Also of note is that curbs seem to be more drivable.

- The anti-stall automatic clutch aid has been improved. (Although all our motors still can't actually stall)

- Drafting now actually reduces your car's downforce, not just drag.

- Atmospheric conditions used by the physics are now responsive to altitude, instead of being sea level all the time. At higher altitude tracks there will be properly reduced engine power and aerodynamics effects.

- Engine power has been recalibrated to match dyno reference conditions, which results in a couple of percent more power when near sea level.

- Engine throttle response is reworked to more correctly match how real motors respond. There is now much more response at initial throttle and less response at full throttle, varying with engine RPM, versus the old mapping which had very little initial throttle response and a lot of response near full throttle and did not change with RPM.

- Engines will now create smoke when damaged.

Dallara

- A default Indianapolis setup is supplied.

- The issue where legitimate setups would fail tech inspection at sim load time is fixed.

- Off-throttle engine braking reduced (per feedback from Real-World drivers of the Dallara).

- Downforce and drag has been tweaked.

- Tire grip levels tweaked to alter car balance (less understeery).

- Bump stop adjustments have been removed. Bump stops are now fixed in place at the end of full travel.

- The aero calculator ride heights updated.

- A small tweak to the updated tire model on this car has been made that gives more grip loss when sliding at high speed.

Riley DP

- Chassis inertia in all 3 axes (roll, pitch, yaw) has been adjusted to match the numbers supplied by the Manufacturer. Very small changes were made to the wheel inertias, again due to additional data from the manufacturer. Engine inertia and the driveline inertias have been modified to more closely match real world behavior.

Corvette C6R

- Chassis inertia in all 3 axes (roll, pitch, yaw) has been adjusted slightly. Rear wheel inertia and engine, clutch and driveline inertias are subtly massaged based on new data.

- Aero forces from body roll are improved.

- Brake bias in car adjustment is now limited to +/- 3%

- A small tweak to the updated tire model on this car has been made that gives more grip loss when sliding at high speed.

Lotus 79

- Bump stop adjustments have been removed. Bump stops are now fixed in place at the end of full travel.

Latemodel

- There is now more grip falloff with wear, and increased fuel use.

Star Mazda

- Chassis inertia in all 3 axes (roll, pitch, yaw) has been adjusted. Engine inertia adjusted to reflect new driveline engineering data.

- A small tweak to the updated tire model on this car has been made that gives more grip loss when sliding at high speed.

Radical SR8

- Chassis inertia in all 3 axes (roll, pitch, yaw) has been adjusted per real-world driver feedback.

Pontiac Solstice

- Clutch engagement travel changed to make clutch response correlate better with real world behavior.

[vobler]

I got all excited there for a nanosecond.

Well, it is released now. :yahoo: The skin system works like in NKP you need to share. Only usable in leagues I think.

All cars have changed physics too. Old setups need tweaking. Cars that used "unreal" setups to feel normal need to be adjusted more natural. The slow cars like the SRF, Skippy and Advanced Solstice just a tad, but other cars like the Radical might need more tweaking. The cars that changed the most I feel was the Radical and the Daytona Prototype. Both much better now. I can't get a good feel out of the Vette anymore though.

The throttle curves of all cars are changed, and all engines are recalibrated. (most have more power), a bad thing is that the aero is not yet adjusted to compensate so most cars are faster now. Drafting now also reduces down force on the following car.

Separate controls for each car was great.

The big oval cars get their update next week, and the transmission modeling comes after that.

[vobler]

( Second half of this seasons build. Sadly no transmission model yet.)

General
- Adjusting the UI scale via the ctrl-pgup and ctrl-pgdn hotkeys now changes the scale in 1% increments, and the minimum allowable scaling is now 25%
- Added an app.ini setting to optionally allow the sim to keep playing sound when the sim loses window focus.
- Added an app.ini setting to optionally allow the sim not to reduce the frame rate when the sim window loses focus.

Race Control
- Race control will now wave lapped cars by the pace car the first time a caution reaches the one lap to go point if they are ahead of the leader in the pace field, for single file and double file lappers-at-the-back restart types.
- Fix bug where a rolling start could be delayed a lap if cars are slow pulling away from the starting grid.
- Fix bug where a car exiting the track could be left in the pace field, causing pace order problems.

Cameras
- Refresh display when editing VanishX/Y and Near Plane while sim is paused.
- Changed key step inc from one shot to repeat.
- Scenic camera no longer moves while paused and editing camera settings.

Tracks
- At Road America, fix bumps in turn 5.
- At Laguna Seca, updated bridge signage.

Cars
- Fix bug where loading old Dallara or Lotus 79 setups would use the old bump stop values instead of the new restricted values. This also fixes a newly introduced cause of incorrect tech inspection failure.
- Fix bug where sim could crash when exporting Dallara setups.
- Fix bug where sim could crash when applying a setup while watching a replay.
- Fix bug where very rarely some users wouldn't be able to shift gears.
- Reduce the amount of downforce lost due to being in another car's draft.
- Tire interaction with certain road surface seams has been improved.

Corvette C6R
- Fix for speedometer not rolling over from 2 to 3 when speed hits the 300 kph mark.

Lotus 79
- Front and rear wing angles are now adjustable by half degree increments.

Star Mazda
- Engine inertia is slightly reduced, the motor revs more realistically now.
- Corrected fuel level values so fuel limit is correct at 19 gallons, and cannot fill beyond this point.

Dallara
- updated the indy_oval and long_oval iRacing setups.

Silvercrown
- updated the stafford_advanced iRacing setup.

Latemodel
- Added NASCAR iRacing Series decal.
- updated the phoenix_basic, phoenix_advanced, and added nhms_basic and nhms_advanced iRacing setups.

SK Modified
- Added NASCAR iRacing Series decal.

Impala A
- Brake bias in car adjustment is now limited to +/- 3%
- Aero has been updated.
- Grille tape is now adjustable to race or qualifying configurations.
- Diff ratios are clamped for each track.
- Full fuel and race tape configuration is enforced for race sessions, and full fuel is enforced for qualifying sessions.
- Tire grip and handling has been updated.
- Adjusted tire wear.
- Adjusted left/right side minimum tire pressures.
- Improved cold and hot temperature grip effects for less grip fall off with increasing temp.
- Adjusted tire pressure range to 1/2 psi increments.
- Impala A has 50 lbs added (it was underweight).
- Added nose weight adjustment.
- Increase caster range.
- Added NASCAR iRacing Series decal.

Impala B
- Wedge adjustment is limited during pit stops.
- Brake bias in car adjustment is now limited to +/- 3%
- Aero has been updated.
- Grille tape is now adjustable to race or qualifying configurations.
- Full fuel and race tape configuration is enforced for race sessions, and full fuel is enforced for qualifying sessions.
- Tire grip and handling has been updated.
- Adjusted tire wear.
- Adjusted left/right side minimum tire pressures.
- Improved cold and hot temperature grip effects for less grip fall off with increasing temp.
- Adjusted tire pressure range to 1/2 psi increments.
- Added nose weight adjustment.
- Increase caster range.
- Added NASCAR iRacing Series decal.

Silverado
- Wedge adjustment is limited during pit stops.
- Brake bias in car adjustment is now limited to +/- 3%
- Aero yaw stability is improved.
- Full fuel is enforced for race and qualifying sessions.
- Added nose weight adjustment.
- Increase caster range.
- Added NASCAR iRacing Series decal.