In short, I've gotten used to mediocre FFB and dulled response. Now for the long response... http://www.bsimracing.com/assetto-corsa-release-candidate-1-0-available/ Full notes for the initial 1.0RC update there, since then it's just had some minor fixes and audio improvements. Well, it's a big update. Lots of things were updated, and AC is certainly better now than ever. No denying that. But... is it really a "release candidate"? I'd say no, it's not even close to release. Or should I say "I hope for their sake this isn't close to release." Career mode for me so far (mind you, only through a couple tiers of events) is basically "something to do in single player" and nothing more. Here's a series of events to pick from, hotlap this track, beat those AI - you know, standard stuff. No car ownership / customization or anything (as expected, not saying this is a bad thing, just mentioning it for people who thought it may be a Gran Turismo or Forza type career). So far I've yet to have any challenge at all, and while I know I'm a better driver than a lot of the people playing AC, I also know that I'm FAR from the best out there. I hate to imagine how easy those guys find it, it is seriously lacking in the challenge department. As of right now, there is no difficulty adjustment, so... yea. Overall it's fine for what it is, just needs difficulty adjustment. AI is still just as bad. I would have liked to do a GT3 race at Spa for this video, but the AI can't drive that track at all. AI is still very slow and unwilling to race at all - get alongside and they surrender instantly every time. If there is a damaged car going slowly, they will also slow down for a good long while behind that car until they basically realize they can pass. It needs work - and a LOT of it. Sounds are improved, but still needing tweaking. Right now everything sounds like it's in a tunnel, so it frankly sounds terrible. That said, I expect that will be tweaked and polished in time and overall it should be a step forward, but a lot of the sound samples still sound digital / compressed. I'd rate it a side step currently, some cars it sounds better, some it sounds worse. Overall I do expect this to be a net gain for AC though. Just needs time. Lot of it. Content wise... Well, Trento Bondone isn't that great. Shockingly enough, it kind of feels like a minor update over the netKarPro version, which is kind of disappointing. I was most looking forward to that track in this update. (I've done thousands of laps at Spa in iRacing which is functionally the exact same as the one in AC, so while Spa is fantastic, it's not "new" to me really) Spa though within AC is on another level from everything else IMO, it looks like more care and polish has gone into it, moreso than even Imola. Car wise - The SLS GT3 is a nice addition. I find that to be one of the more enjoyable race cars in AC. This one to me is fairly well sorted currently IMO. Like it. The 458 GT2 has so much grip I'd call it "unbelievable" - there is a vid of a guy doing a 2:15 at Spa, while the real cars have done 2:18-2:19 in qualifying the past few years... kind of crazy. Lap times versus real world aren't the end all be all, but that's a sizable difference to say the least. I personally am not a fan of that car, I do feel that it is a good bit too fast and a bit too grippy and just as uncommunicative as the URD mod. Grip is good, yes, but the 458 GT2 feels more like a P2 than a GT2 to me. It hoover vacuums the bumps like they aren't even there. No one cares about the Lotuses because we have more than enough - but I do think the one to watch is the 2-Eleven GT4. Would like to see a GT4 XBow to go with it (right now it's filed as a GT4 car, but it's way slower than the 2-Eleven). Could be a nice combo, though I found the 2-Eleven GT4 very difficult to drive - I kept loosing the rear end seemingly without warning, which with the FFB being what it is I found fairly iffy to catch. FFB still needs improved IMO. Believe me, I've tried pretty much everything. Some cars are slightly better in feel (E30 M3, LaFerrari) but still a bit lacking. Especially after driving rF2 a LOT over the last few days - it's the main thing keeping me from being "hooked" by AC I feel. Not enough feel for understeer and not a bit of detail lacking, but the feel of grip in general is just not quite there, effects sliders be dammed. Flatspotting is awesome, square off a tire and prepare to feel it. Can't say I've noticed graining at all. Damage is rough, in need of a lot of tweaking to get the sensitivity better. Right now heavy impacts don't do enough damage, light contact will make the car look like it went through a war zone. It's not a release candidate IMO. At the rate AC has developed, I'd say March 2015 before it's actually living up to it's capabilities with any sort of regularity. Follow me like a stalker! (please dont actually stalk me... duh) https://twitter.com/EmptyBox_007

• published: 19 Oct 2014
• views: 301