Assetto Corsa Rally set for improved throttle mapping and tyre model following feedback
In light of recent community feedback, and Niels Heusinkveld videos, Assetto Corsa Rally’s Game Director has confirmed that further changes are on the way.
As work continues on Assetto Corsa Rally, the platform’s Game Director, Irvin Zonca, has addressed recent feedback about how it simulates throttle response and its tyre model.
In a recent community Q&A session, the racing game industry veteran confirmed that a revised throttle system is already in the works, and that a further test with the University of Naples was conducted last month.
It follows recent critique from simulation developer and eponymous equipment auteur Niels Heusinkveld, which was raised during the feedback session.
On his YouTube channel, he recently published two videos with early access Assetto Corsa Rally opinions.
They pay specific attention to the title’s throttle model (and tyre physics, especially when sliding), a particular area of expertise for the Dutch sim racer.
He discusses how throttle inputs can deliver, in his opinion, sudden surges of torque. That spins the wheels, when the tyres, in turn, don’t provide much leeway for recovery, combined with somewhat muted force feedback.
“Regarding the throttle model in particular, we have already revised it once after the initial release, I think a couple of updates ago,” explained Zonca.
“Further improvements are already planned anyway, but updating, validating the model, changing it, tweaking it, takes time
“This is something that we will keep improving.
“I think that part of Niels’ feedback also concerns the tyre model, which is continuously evolving as well.
“In upcoming updates, so v0.6, v0.7, etc., it will become even more predictable and consistent.
“In June, we had another field research test with the University of Naples. We equipped another car with gravel tyres to take more data from the tyres specifically. So, we keep improving and keep maximising the possibilities of evolving the simulator. And we will do it not just until [version] 1.0, but even after that.”
Critical feedback in a constructive way is something that Zonca says he and the Supernova Games Studios team embrace.
“Hi Niels, hope to see you soon,” he joked.
“I think that Niels, because we’re talking about him, but not just him, of course, is a very positive person for the gaming industry.
“I mean, having a developer and having him, especially with everything he does for the sim racing industry, taking his time to do videos, to try the games, to provide feedback… I still think that creating a positive environment where everybody can say what they think in a respectful way, and help everybody improve their game… Thank you, Niels.
“And to all the people that, in a way, [that provide] positive or negative feedback [and] takes time to play our game, because games are there if we all play them and this is the most important thing at the very end.”
Gamepad improvements
While Assetto Corsa Rally is a simulation, first and foremost, Zonca confirms that its current driving characteristics when using a gamepad are far from final.
“Regarding the game controller, in one of the previous updates, we have already added the ability to change and modify the filter settings.
“For Version 1.0, which will also be released on consoles, we would like to improve it further to make the car easier to control both in terms of steering and in terms of throttle and brake management.
“Of course, throttle is key to fast driving in any race car, but in rally. It’s even more important in a way because you keep transferring your weight from side to side and from front to rear and with a controller sometimes it’s more difficult to be precise with that.
“So we would like to add more assistance to the triggers and to the game controller as well.
“I personally use a controller from time to time as well. We don’t consider the work to be finished for the game controller support and the usability of controllers is very important to us.
“Even if Assetto Corsa Rally was born as a simulator, we all like to just enjoy a beautiful rally game, so we will improve it [gamepad driving] further, definitely, and it’s one of our hot topics in the team.
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