First patch for 2022 iRacing Season 4 addresses recent New Damage Model tweaks

It’s been just over a week since the latest iRacing build was released in conjunction with 2022 Season 4‘s new content. With that build, one of the key updates came in the way that the New Damage Model is implemented in the case of a virtual incident.

On Thursday (15th September 2022), a day later than originally planned, the first patch for 2022 iRacing Season 4 went live on the iRacing servers. It should be a quick update, as it only registered as a 530MB patch for an account with all the content. The New Damage Model was one of the pieces that received some patching as the fundamentals of how damage is perceived were completely changed in the build.

Previously, crashes would measure the “raw impulse magnitude” of a crash, resulting in more easily broken parts and pieces when a crash might not warrant it. Now, utilizing a new ‘Energy Damage System’, the damage that is given out is now calculated based on impact energy.

In Thursday’s update, that system was refined further. Per the patch notes, parts such as the front wings to the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance were too easily getting destroyed, therefore the system was rebalanced for even further realism.

Other fixes coming in the first patch of the season include some TLC towards the new content, namely the Porsche Mission R and the Rudskogen Motorsenter.

In the case of the new track that’s included in the base content, Rudskogen hopefully should perform better moving forward in a graphical sense as certain objects were improved.

As for the new, all-electric concept car now on iRacing, there were a host of changes, including New Damage Model properties.

The most important fix, however, should be that some of the “highest frequency engine sounds have been tuned down slightly” for those just as put off as I am over that piercing high pitched whine.

The rest of the patch notes for 2022 iRacing Season 4 Patch 1 can be found below. Are there any fixes that you’re happy to see in particular? Let us know your thoughts below down in the comments section!

2022 IRACING SEASON 4 PATCH 1 RELEASE NOTES

iRACING UI:

General

• Fixed an issue where the UI Scale value was resetting to 100% regardless of what the real value was after reloading the iRacing UI.
• The error message a user receives when attempting to launch iRacing using unsupported operating systems has been updated. iRacing requires Windows version 8.1 or newer.

Hosted Racing

• An error message now appears when entering the incorrect password for a private Hosted Session.

Results

• Fixed an error that could occur when downloading Results.

Paint Shop

• Fixed an error that could occur when selecting to use a custom paint pattern.

SIMULATION:

iRacing Forums

• Forum moderation tools have been updated.
• – – All iRacing Members Forum protests should be handled through the official iRacing Protest System.

Servers

• The “Race Farm” field on the Info tab of the Session and Replay screens now include the appropriate “ipv4” or “ipv6” prefix for the race server farm name, based on how the Simulator connected to the race server.

Engine

• Reverted a change that was disabling the auto-pit-speed-limiter during gridding and parade laps.

New Damage Model

• Fixed an issue where damage was being distributed incorrectly to nearby mounts.
• Fixed an issue for when a structure yielded to impact forces it was incorrectly calculating the deflection, causing too much damage. In particular, deflection of the other stronger object was taking far too much damage.
• – – This was especially noticeable for the front wings of the Mercedes-AMG F1 W12 E Performance.
• – – As a result of this change, all vehicles using the New Damage Model have been rebalanced for improved performance and realism.

Audio

• For the LFE system, improved the engine RPM effect.
• – – A low-pass filter has been added to reduce noise and a graduated RPM scale has been added to help keep the frequencies in the range most shakers can operate at, while still remaining harmonic with the sound of the engine.

Virtual Reality

• Fixed an issue where Varjo headsets were not working correctly with OpenXR.
• Fixed an issue where the view could flip upside-down when tracking is lost for Varjo VR users.

User Interface

• Fixed an issue that prevented text elements from momentarily blinking, such as the Best Lap indicator.

CARS:

<Car Class> NASCAR Classic 1987 Cars

• iRacing setups have been updated.

ARCA Menards Chevrolet Impala

• Engine sounds have been completely updated, for all camera views.
• Cowl tape position has been adjusted on the custom paint template.
• Fixed a texture issue with the grills on short tracks.
• iRacing setups have been updated.

Audi RS 3 LMS

• Rebalanced engine torque for within the Touring Car Class balance.

Dallara IR18

• For the New Damage Model, increased break limits for wheels based on Members feedback.

Global Mazda MX-5 Cup

• iRacing setups have been updated.

HPD ARX-01c

• Fixed a texture issue with the fuel boom.

Hyundai Veloster N TC

• Rebalanced engine torque for within the Touring Car Class balance.

iRacing Formula iR-04

• Fixed an issue where the display was not working correctly when the New Damage Model was not in use.

Lotus 79

• Glass has been added over some cockpit gauges.
• Fixed a texture issue with the engine cover.
• Fixed an issue where some cockpit switches appeared duplicated from some camera views.

NASCAR Buick LeSabre – 1987

• Re-centered the Buick logo on the rear of the car.

Porsche 911 GT3 Cup (992)

• Brake pressure bias adjustment range has been narrowed to between 40% and 60%.

Porsche Mission R

• Some of the highest frequency engine sounds have been tuned down slightly.
• For the New Damage Model, updated the nose, hood, sides, and mount break limits to prevent explosive collisions when impacting a barrier at maximum speed.
• Fixed an issue where the brakes were incorrectly disengaged when no throttle was applied while in Drive gear.
• Tire pit service duration has been reduced by about 7 seconds.
• The rear wing outer parts have been moved to the “car_decal” layer so they may be edited in custom paint schemes.
• Rear swing arm textures have been updated.

Williams FW31

• Drivers of this car will now use the appropriate helmet style.

[Legacy] Riley MkXX Daytona Prototype – 2008

• Fixed a texture issue with some pit crew gear.

TRACKS:

Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg

• The DRS Zone has been relocated from the pit straight to the straight after Turn 1.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

• (Road Course) – Turn 6 exit curbing has been updated.
• Some environment textures have been updated.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway

• Smoothed a bump at pit entry.

Lucas Oil Speedway

• Barney, Legendary Flagman, has been rotated to face the correct direction.
• Catch fences may now catch.
• The pace car entry line has been shifted forward slightly.
• – – This should alleviate an issue with an early green flag.

Nashville Superspeedway

• Some painted lines have been updated.

Rudskogen Motorsenter

• Tire walls, tree shadows, and rocks have all been updated for improved graphics performance.
• A variety of glass textures have been updated for improved graphics performance.
• Fixed an issue with shiny rocks at certain graphics settings.
• Updated the draw distance for some tire walls.

Talladega Superspeedway

• Fixed an issue with a stretched asphalt texture in the Talladega logo.
• Fixed some issues with wall logos.
• Fixed some issues with dashed pit road lines.