Assetto Corsa Competizione console update out now, adds new tyre model and 400Hz physics

Assetto Corsa Competizione’s much anticipated v1.8 update has finally dropped on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, introducing a new tyre model; more detailed force feedback and the 2021 GT World Challenge Europe championship and liveries.

Assetto Corsa Competizione (ACC) publisher 505 Games previously announced the v1.8 update – available on PC since November 2021 – would be released in September of this year. True to its word, the update has been deployed today on both Microsoft and Sony’s flagship consoles, with several physics improvements and content updates.

The game was created for PC by Kunos Simualzioni, but its console port has been handled by Untold Games, which also handled console conversions of Control and Journey to the Savage Planet. ACC’s console versions have been beset with graphical and online glitches, with development for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 editions discontinued.

The 17.446GB v1.8 update also paves the way for the console release of ACC’s recent batch of PC DLC packs, with the Challengers Pack and American Track Pack already slated for release on the 10th of November.

In terms of content, the 2021 Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe season liveries are set to be included, with the championship playable in single-player mode. The patch notes state that the BMW M4 GT3 has been added to the game in V1.8, but it has actually existed on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of ACC since their release (albeit with just one livery choice).

Graphics have been given a polish, with the developers concentrating on rain effects and shaders. Physics have been heavily revised, with a new tyre model claimed to provide more realistic heating and wear characteristics – including flex and camber modelling.

ACC’s console physics refresh rate has also been raised to 400Hz, which should provide more detailed force feedback and realism. Numerous other aspects of ACC’s tyre and suspension model have also been improved, including bump stops simulation, tyre slip angles and brake ducts operation.

It is also now possible to create custom grids using the new ‘Open Series’ menu, with the single-make Supertrofeo (ST) and Cup (CUP) classes merged into a GTC class for online use (expect this to feature the Ferrari Challenge and newest Lamborghini, Porsche and BMW single-make series once the Challengers Pack DLC is released on November 10th).

On the subject of multiplayer – a contentious issue among console ACC players – there has been no mention of specific connection improvements in the v1.8 update. In another blow, the PC version’s excellent CinemaHUD screenshot mode has also missed the cut, with no news on whether it will appear in future updates.

Have you tried ACC’s v1.8 console update? What is your opinion on the new tyre model and is multiplayer a smoother experience now? Let us know in the comments below.

Assetto Corsa Competizione PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S v1.8.0 changelog

GENERAL:

• Added Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe 2021 season as bonus content with all entries, liveries and drivers and championship season.
• NOTE: certain entries are subject to DLC ownership.

GRAPHICS:

• Updated global lighting and exposure on all tracks.
• Revision of various track-related shaders.
• Revision of various car-related shaders.
• Skybox revision.
• Improved blurred wheel rim shader.
• Improved car spray effect, especially in light/medium wetness situations.
• Improved raindrop effect rendering logic to follow the updated spray effect.
• Improved rainfall shader appearance in external cameras.
• Car headlight shadow bias tweaks to prevent lights from penetrating walls at close distance.
• Updated track HLODs.

GAMEPLAY:

• Added Open season, merging all game content into a “sandbox” season featuring grid customization.
• NOTE: individual official seasons remain playable with no change to their earlier functionalities.
• Added opponent grid mixing option to Custom Race Weekend and Quick Race game modes in the Open season.
• Use the grid mixing sliders to set car group prevalence in the grid.
• GT3 car group has an additional setting for the preferred generation of opponent cars (all, pre-2019 or new-gen).
• Added Open series championship mode with grid (car groups) and track lineup customization.
• Automatically generated custom cars are now grouped into teams both in single-make custom mode and Open series championship.
• Reworked driver assignment system to support custom-generated grids and various driver count requirements.
• Removed entry duplication between the 2019 GTWCH and IGT seasons.
• Tweaked AI logic for strategic decisions reacting to weather changes.
• Improved AI genome at Bathurst, Barcelona, Laguna Seca and Kyalami to reduce the chance of unforced driving errors.
• Improved weather model: variability (=randomness in MP) now affects the variation and frequency of weather cycles:
• Higher variability will now produce larger variation and less predictability in the length of individual weather cycles (time between peaks).
• High variability might produce both fast changes or prolonged weather spells (or both combined) within the same weekend simulation.
• Low variability will produce more even weather cycles, akin to the pre-update model.
• Revised pit speeding thresholds that were often too permissive, both on pit entry and pit exit.
• Fixed invalid lap being eligible for personal and session fastest (purple) lap in race sessions (also in Multiplayer results).
• Added measures against irregular driving before the green light in Hotlap and Hotstint game modes.
• Replay: revised replay tyre rotation matrix calculation to avoid misalignment between tyres and rim (and reduce disk space).
• The improvement is backwards-compatible, while newly saved replays should occupy less disk space than before.

UI:

• Revised season selector header in Single Player menu.
• Added GTWCHEU 2021 season selection in Single Player.
• Added Open series selection in Single Player.
• Added coloured session labels in the Replay menu.
• Added session fastest (purple) lap holder indicator in standings, leaderboard and timer widgets.
• Added pitstop indicator and session fastest lap on the leaderboard HUD overlay.

PHYSICS:

• Physics engine optimizations: variable component tick frequency, optimized multithreading traxion.
• Might not result in outright maximum fps gain, but a significantly lower single-thread occupancy and late steps can be expected, particularly with larger grids.
• 400hz physics refresh rate.
• Improved tyre flex.
• Improved camber simulation, especially on high positive camber values.
• Improved Outside, Mid, and Inside tyre heating relative to camber.
• Improved Outside, Mid, and Inside tyre wear relative to camber.
• Improved camber gain simulation, affecting slip angles and forces. Evident with high camber values over kerbs and longitudinal bumps.
• Improved surface flash temperature tyre simulation. A wider range of heat generation.
• Improved heat generation in extreme conditions (burnouts, doughnuts).
• Improved heat generation relative to tyre pressure.
• Improved core temperature retaining. Tyres dissipate heat significantly slower now, no need to wait right until the last moment to go to the grid.
• Completely revised and improved combined grip simulation.
• Completely revised and improved tyre vibrations at high speed and high slip angles.
• Improved slip angle/ratio simulation relative to cold and overheating tyres.
• New viscoelastic rubber friction model.
• Improved dynamic tyre characteristics in various temperature conditions.
• New rubber bump stops damping simulation.
• Implemented bump stops damping values for all cars.
• Improved engine throttle simulation.
• Improved launch control.
• Improved rev limiter behaviour (soft limiters on some cars).
• Improved traction control simulation.
• Improved brake ducts heating influence simulation.
• Improved rain tyres behaviour (note: not necessarily easier).
• Improved the simulation of brake efficiency and power.
• Improved track grip simulation on and off the racing line.
• Improved ambient vs. track temperature delta.
• Added a condition that simulates mist and dew during the night in certain temperatures.
• Improved certain track condition simulation, including the speed of puddle formation.

MULTIPLAYER:

• Revised car groups, merging the CUP and ST groups into a single GTC group for matchmaking and server filtering.
• Note that CUP and ST remain represented as separate subgroups on the track map, leaderboards and results.
• Stats: revised and merged grouping of statistics per race track.
• Note that tracks are only separated per season whereas an older season might produce faster lap times due to higher track grip (such as the fresh asphalt on Silverstone 2018).
• Multiplayer track seasons are now deprecated and all track configurations point to the Open series (currently matching the latest, 2021 season, see Physics notes).
• Note for admins: the old season suffixes in the server configuration will remain there for legacy functionality, but they will no longer create a difference in the track/BOP version!
• Server track configuration (event.json) should use the non-suffix version in continuation, e.g. “Misano” instead of “misano_20XX”.
• Note for users: no matter the server config, Multiplayer will always use the latest Open series configuration from Single Player.
• Further revised final corner penalty thresholds with the widget formation type when the back of the field is likely to receive the green light inside or coming out of the final turn.
• Ratings: fixed an issue that could erroneously produce 100 (or 00) CC ratings at Spa.
• Protocol change – old server versions are obsolete and will not register on the backend.

Images courtesy of Assetto Corsa Twitter feed