Assetto Corsa’s 1.5 Update to Include New Visual and Audio Features

Last we talked, “Black Cat County” was under the microscope, the free-to-all picturesque location inspired by the American South. The location, spurred on by the feedback given by an automotive manufacturer with close ties to Kunos, allows players to experience the joys of driving in a natural, more relaxed fashion. An entirely new outlook of the game in comparison to the more focused-based track action the game primarily focuses on, no doubt.

Today, Kunos have released the second of three blog updates that are dedicated to exploring the forthcoming title update for the game in a little more detail. Unsurprisingly, the blog immediately begins with addressing the three monstrous additions to the game: the Ford Mustang GT, Chevrolet Corvette C7 Stingray and last but certainly not least, the Fiat Abarth 595 EsseEsse.

The 595 is undoubtedly the oddball here, taking company alongside two muscle cars producing more than 15 times the power of the miniature icon. It’s the charm that grabs you, the ability to sit back and feel the late 60’s oozing from its panels. Abarth took the Fiat 500 and tuned it to their best, and so have Kunos, giving the 595 a decent power boost with two additional “S” variants.

There’s more to the upcoming update than shiny metal and scenic roads, it will also include the 2005 layout of Vallelunga, featuring the blind high-speed corner “Trincea” (trench). While permanently closed, the road is still present and has been captured. This brings the number of variations available for Kunos’ home circuit up to three.

Continuing, the title update will also be host to a number of sound environment updates. As many can undoubtedly attest, sound is a crucial element, perhaps a sole factor in guaranteeing immersion – it’s make or break. 1.5 will finally introduce basic reverb effects along the tracks with car sounds differentiated by internal and external cameras, thanks to the team’s improved experience with FMOD.

Furthermore, an in-game app allowing you to change sound volumes on the fly is also being provided, doing away with having to exit a game session to do so via the games menus.

It doesn’t end with new features to the sound engine, the update will implement “many fixes” as well, the most important of those being gear shift and backfire noises now being shared by the engine volume. Sound feedback is yet another important factor when discussing immersion, which is why you’ll now be able to hear the bottom of the car scraping against the asphalt or any other surfaces.

This week’s blog concludes with improvements and new features focused toward the visual side of the game, taking advantage of the connection to the game’s console port due to release on the 3rd and 7th of June in Europe and North America, respectively.

Things begin with improvements to the game’s post-processing filters, and the same improvements affecting how the cars appear in-game. Internal instruments have also been improved, alongside car details, shaders and materials. The upcoming build will also feature two brand new driving views: an additional exterior view and the “dashcam”, both the result of suggestions offered by real drivers and simracers alike, with further feedback coming from a PS4 press tour back in January.

There’s even more to the second developer diary, with the final entry promising to focus on physics, tyre model, multiplayer and artificial intelligence, with the added bonus on discussing what’s planned beyond the 1.5.

With the 1.5 update and Bonus Pack 2 hitting Steam this Thursday, it won’t be much longer until the highways of “Black Cat County” are lively. Hop on over to our dedicated Assetto Corsa section for more in-depth discussion!

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