Project CARS Online Multiplayer Features (Update: Response from Ian Bell)

PCars Online Multiplayer Features

This is specific to the online multiplayer sections and what need to be added to improve the racing community online side of this racing sim.
For me the most important features missing are:

- Host can kick players - It's so frustrating when you got noobs just crashing and trying to ram you off the road, need the ability to kick players and not vote, just doesn't work.

- Lapped cars become ghosts, again some players just trying to ruin your race.

- Chat system so players can actually communicate during the lobby time without a mic.

- Lobby names - being able to name your room is important for people who want different things (Clean, Drift, Fun, Drag, GT3 clean or kick, etc). Also: Instead of the lobby displaying Open Wheel, they should add what class of open wheel is it e.g. Formula A/B/C/Rookie as you don't know what class it is until you join the room.

- More flexibility for the host changing the rules or class of car without making another lobby.

- Wheel or controller only rooms

- Lag improvement.

- Stronger penalties to stop corner cutting and exceeding track limits.

- Free practice available while waiting in the lobby for the race to start.

- Adjustable count down timer so the host can adjust the length of time when the event finishes after the winner has crossed the line.

- Online player rating improved so the host can filter players prone to crashing or cheating.

- Ability to skip a race while staying in the lobby in case you need a break etc only Ready players go onto the track while Not Ready stay in lobby.

- Starting Grid Position options - For example, last race positions, reverse grid, slowest to fastest, Random etc

- Country flag represented somewhere with your race ID.

- Online time trial lobby option - Set time limit, no collisions, fixed conditions and times post to leaderboards.

- Collisions options - on/off in online lobbies.

- Track map displayed while in lobby.

- Abort the race start option

- More servers when looking for an online race. This applies to PC as there will often be only 4 or 5 lobbies showing on some servers and changing servers through steam is far from ideal.

- Garage access while in the lobby.

- Ability to exit a race and return to the lobby rather than returning to the main menu.

- TV screen in lobby's so you can watch the track while waiting

- Tournaments/ Championships - Ability to create a set of races for your lobby with point allocations.

- Mandatory pitstop option

- Tuning - Option to allow or disallow tuning in online lobby's.

- Lobby Options/Settings - Abilty to save room settings.

- Saved liveries you choose for your car stays the same online and does not revert to 'Random'.

- Race numbers - Abiltity to choose a driver number for your use online which is displayed on your car and in lobby next to your Online ID


If anyone has any other suggestions lets write them down here and hope SMS reads this and listens to us

fans.




UPDATE: Ian Bell (Head of Studio) for PCARS has responded to our GTPlanet created list on their official forum. Click thumbnail to view...

 

I have been complaining about these very things since day one release. The online with this game is dreadful.

Add to your list:

The host being able change the rules or class of car without making another lobby.

There needs to be an option to have a wheel or controller only room

The penalties need to be stronger to stop corner cutting and exceeding track limits

Being able to have free practice while waiting for the event to start.

To have an adjustable count down timer so the host can adjust the length of time when the event finishes after the winner has crossed the line.

Have some sort net strength bar graph so you have an idea of the hosts net speeds or at least ping.

Some sort of online player rating so the host can filter people prone to crashing or cheating (this is being discussed elsewhere here)

As I have also said before SMS just needs to grab a PS3 and have a look at GT6 because the online functions are pretty good. Just a shame a bout the lag issues :-(

 

The ability to vote for tracks.
The ability to skip a race without having to leave a lobby, or quitting.
Countdown timer shouldn't skip to zero based on thumbsup.
I have no issue with thumbsup starting the timer, but skipping the timer is tricky since people walk away to get food/ drinks, or use the restroom/computer etc.

For whatever it's worth, this isn't an issue on PS4.

 

I am on PS4 so I must be missing something. Admittedly I have only hosted a couple of lobbies so far because the online is so bad and very few of my friends have migrated across yet.

So there is the same flexibility as there is with GT6? I know you can change tracks, laps, BUT did not see where you could change the class of car. So it is possible then?

 

Yeah, just click on car, and instead of choosing your car from the list on the left side (which is class specific) select the button (I want to say Triangle?) that says 'My Garage'. From there you can select any car in the game, your paint scheme, etc, and when you select that car and exit, it automatically updates the settings for the room, to the class of the car you selected.

 

I assumed that with a massive community of sim racers producing the game with SMS, that most common sense online features would be implemented.

Seriously, host can't kick someone out of room? Having that's a no-brainer!

@Sony - no reason for me to buy PS Plus now!

 

Added

 

How to change classes online.
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/how-to-change-classes-in-online-lobbys.328977/

 

In addition to the things listed in the OP already I would like to see added ..
1: Online time trial lobby option. Set time limit, no collisions, fixed conditions and times post to leaderboards.
2: Ability to set collisions on/off in online lobbies.
3: Image of track map displayed while in lobby.
4: Some way for the host to abort the race start if needed.
5: Access to more servers when looking for an online race. This applies to PC as there will often be only 4 or 5 lobbies showing on some servers and changing servers through steam is far from ideal.
6: A method to go directly to the garage while in the lobby would be good.
7: Ability to exit a race and return to the lobby rather than returning to the main menu.

I'm sure there are more but that is what comes to mind right off

 

No free practice in lobbies is the biggest issue for me. It's no fun waiting and waiting while doing nothing.

 

I would also like to have additional grid options in online lobbies. For example where you can create a lobby without a qualifying round and set the grid to fastest last race to slowest, slowest to fastest or random.

If that is to much to ask then just an option for random grid would do.

 

I agree with most of those but what's the thinking behind wheel/controller only rooms?

 

But there is free practice while waiting for players ! Anyone can join during FP and Qualification. Host can end the session anytime (e.g. lobby is full). Maybe not the best way to handle it but the features already exists.

 

Don't know just added as TT92 wanted it added to the list

 

Being able to change cars once in the lobby (not class of car, just a car from the same class). Unless of course it is a single car race.

Again, like GT6, while in free practice you are able to change to a different car right up until qualifying starts.

 

Yeah I really do not see a need for wheel/controller only rooms. I guess some people may think you get better drivers if they are using a wheel but that is not always the case. If fact when your average person switches from a controller to a wheel they can be a bit dangerous on the track being slower and unable to control a car once it starts to loose the tail.

I personally would not want to limit the number of people able to race in such a way, there are lots of guys out there that are really good clean racers who use a controller and there are some rubbish smashers that use a wheel.

 

That is why it would be an option. For those that only want one or the other then that would be their choice. You would not have to do it or join a room that excluded one or the other.

I do not want to argue the merits of each controller or the reason for a limitation. It is purely about choice and personal preference.

The same applies to driving aides - it's a choice.

 

But you can? When you join the room, you pick your car, then usually qualy and then the race, once the race finishes your back in the room and u can change the car. Not many players have practise so the way it is at the moment is realistic, don't want people changing cars after qualifying as that's not the car they set their times on.

 

Curious why none of the items in post #9 were added to the OP?

 

Sorry mate must of missed it, added now

 

Does anyone know if you can join your friends online when their in a race?
For example my friends are racing in a lobby and I just sign in and join their existing lobby, is it possible? If not I'll add it to the list

 

Yes it is possible

 

Care to explain?

 

I speak from experience on the xbox. Like with other games, click on their profile > join > game. Or party and game. Game launches and you go to the lobby. If it is practice or not in the last few minutes of quali you can choose to go out on track. If they are racing you can only stay in lobby.
hope that helps.

 

On the PC you would pull up your steam friends list and select join from there.

No idea what it is on the PS4

 

That's not what I said. Quote: "like GT6, while in free practice you are able to change to a different car right up until qualifying starts."

 

On PS4 you can do this.

 

Still can't figure out how to do it without an invite

 

Open your friend list, go on the profile of the frient you want to join under current activity or whatever it is called you'll see Project CARS, click and it'll display the room he is in, for how many time and how many players are in. Just click "join". Simple.

 

Awesome thanks I'll try it later