Q&A with Slightly Mad Studios: Ian Bell [Read OP]

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Hi @IanBell ,

Congratulations for the quality of work of all the team!

Will PC2 have more heritage racing tracks, like perhaps another forest layout of a well known current f1 track?:-)
If so - heritage tracks -, may i remember that Interlagos had an extended old layout that covered partially half of the current circuit (in reverse direction in some points of the current layout), which would be historically mega valuable to reproduce:-)

Thank you for your feedback!
 
Hi @IanBell ,

Congratulations for the quality of work of all the team!

Will PC2 have more heritage racing tracks, like perhaps another forest layout of a well known current f1 track?:-)
If so - heritage tracks -, may i remember that Interlagos had an extended old layout that covered partially half of the current circuit (in reverse direction in some points of the current layout), which would be historically mega valuable to reproduce:-)

Thank you for your feedback!

Yes :) You worded that adequately vaguely to allow me to answer :)
 
There'll be lots of videos coming up with audio. We've moved to a new fMod revs based system so all of our audio is being redone. It's epic for those cars that are polished.
When can we expect the next video? Im so hyped to see anything pCARS 2!!
 
Hi @IanBell,

Once again, thank you for taking some time to come answering questions from curious fans like us ^^

As the sore looser as I am, I was often jealous of opponents who succeeded in clearing a corner while taking some high kerbs repeatedly (and managing to stay in control unlike me). Will pcars 2 have suspension failures in case of repeatedly abusing the car suspension ?

Waiting for this game to come out will give a whole new dimension to the word "patience" ^^
 
I personally like the option of sliders (with resettable defaults, naturally) for just about any variables in games like pCARS, and there must be many other players who feel the same. The 1-100% AI strength slider in pCARS was a superb addition when that was patched in for consoles, so being also able to control aggression (and other traits) in a similar way would be fantastic. This also goes for graphical tweaks and audio mixing, for example the ability to increase the exhaust note in the cockpit view, or at at the very least alter audio mapping so that the purer, throatier chase-cam audio could be used in cockpit mode.

I guess this level of user control carries some risk but it is very nice being able to tailor a game to personal preference.
How about setting up a min and a max value for each variable ?
The server randomly sets AIs variables before the 1st session. That way we can get different skilled opponents in one same race.
 
Yes, but we've added a lot more overhead. So now our very hard worked coders are engaged in making every area more efficient so we can do more, with the same.

Great to hear that! Any information about PS4PRo support? I hope it will work also great on standard PS4 :)

When approximate can we expect more official revelations about track and car list? :)
 
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@IanBell Will there be a safety car in the game? Or something like a code 60/80? (depending on what type of race or track you're on). Could there even be a red flag in case the rain gets too heavy or the circuit is blocked? (with a restart later on)
 
@IanBell - These are very specific but are the 90's super tourers & a generic early 90's low nose F1 car a big ask license wise to implement?

Obviously this is completely own personal preference!!!
 
Hi @IanBell,

Props to you for using your time on this awesome Q&A.

I'm reading that alot of effort (and focus) is put into take the realism and immersion up to new standards with all the new advanced Livetrack 3.0 system, new complex (and geographically correct) weather/season system, new?/revised physics engine and not to forget a new tyre model. Big thumbs up for that!!

Visually it looks stunning from what I've seen so far - I'm 100% sure that we're in for a treat here but It looks like the visual treats are concentrated on the environment and track - what about the cars will they be affected by the weather/dirt more than Pcars1 when it comes to progressive buildup of dirt/snow/tyre residue on the cars themselves to make it look more authentic after a long race? or when you push it too far and venture "offtrack" plowing through grass/dirt etc.?

in terms of damage model (I know that your're somewhat restricted by the manufactors when it comes to the car models themselves) but will we see new/more stuff like engine fires on severe crashes or engine blowouts? thick black/white smoke, sparks, tyres "exploding into pieces etc. you know...more subtle visual treats to accompany all the other new promising features?

Will the lightning model be changed? headlights are not that efficient/realistic in Pcars 1. they don't lit up the track or the environment enough (personal opp.) and very poorly represented in the rearview mirror if you ask me. I can imagine with new HDR standards and all that you have thought about the lighting model.

Any plans on replacing/removing that damn chopper hovering around in all sorts time/weather conditions - would be nice to actually be able to hear it (at least in replays) - or maybe even throw a spotlight at you at night for example when there's an accident on the track or something. Well Joke aside..the chopper is not important to me - just annoying sometimes ;)

Enough about eyecandy..

Adding to realism and the feeling of dealing with a real simulator is data and statistics. What additions in info and statistics can we expect to see in Pcars 2? Here I'm thinking car/track/personal/performance/progression/historical statistics. The stats page in Pcars1 is useless if I may say so. I know we get esports and custom championships and as a "multiplayer/league only" racer this is important to me and very promising that we finally get this. but other types of new stats/history are most welcome!

Features/requests/whishes I've not read about yet - or maybe forgot..

Will we be able to chance car/class once in game lobby (single user practice mode AND multiplayer without quitting the created lobby?

Will we have 100% control in terms of setting up cars/classes for online races?

Will there be any additions to define the ruleset/marshalling ingame for online/league races?

Will there be a 100% free moving camera option in replays or maybe even spectator mode?


I could go on...but the post has become rather long so I better stop.

Kind Regards

"avijan".
 
Yes, and more :)

So can we assume that cars like the FR3.5 (Dallara T12), old style Dallara DW12 and FG1000 will be returning?

The DP01, Dallara F312, Tatuus/Dallara etc F4, GP2/11 and GP3/16 would be good fun too. (Yes, i'm a bit nerdy RE race cars.) Maybe even the IL-15, that Star Mazda car I can never find the name of and the USF2000 to make some sort of Mazda R2I tree in career.

That's just a personal opinion though. A US OW specific tree would be fun.
 
@IanBell

Can the Live track 3.0 be used to mimic the current weather of the real track? Like if it now rains in Spa, it rains in the game too and the temperatures would also be the same. Of course it would require the game to be linked in some kind of weather forecast service at least but would be a cool feature.
 
Yes. We have new physics and from that falls out new FFB. For this one we're shipping (as of now) 3 FFB preset options (we default 1 of course) that you can single click and get (hopefully!) the feel you prefer from the feedback. I'm biased but it's a huge step forward from the rocket science we had before. That rocket science is still hidden in sub menus and accessible for the more masochistic :)

The FFB is transformed in pCARS2 and we have a one click three option 'feel' system (as of now, this may change) to allow you to get the feel you want instantly. The FFB should not need to be tailored per car. It should reflect the nuanced differences of each car.

I personally have put away my wheel for pCARS2. I'm using a pad exclusively...


@IanBell - Hi Ian, I have a few questions regarding FFB.



1) Are the "Rocket Science" options still exactly the same, or have they been simplified?

2) Even though the FFB shouldn't need to be tailored per car, do we still have the options to do so?

3) P CARS had 2 preset FFB options, P CARS 2 has 3; is this the only improvement that's been made regarding FFB options?

4) Have you made an effort to optimize each supported wheel, or are we going to be left to our own devices again fiddling endlessly with the Rocket Science options?

5) Seeing as you are playing the game exclusively on a pad during development this time around, how are you able to keep an eye on proper FFB development for wheels?


It's no secret that I'm a big fan of the way that you guys develop P CARS, but I'm not much of a masochist! As such, I was never able to get into the first game as the FFB options were so bewilideringly complex & I couldn't be bothered to print settings off the net & spend ages inputting all the data. That & all the bugs put me off entirely



Constructive criticism/ideas;

1) It would be nice to have a "Share FFB Settings" option so that players could send FFB settings to each other, &/or upload/download them from an online library.

2) It would also be nice to have a similar option for tuning cars.

What do you reckon?


:cheers:
 
@IanBell

Can the Live track 3.0 be used to mimic the current weather of the real track? Like if it now rains in Spa, it rains in the game too and the temperatures would also be the same. Of course it would require the game to be linked in some kind of weather forecast service at least but would be a cool feature.

That already happens in pCARS.... on PC.
 
Are all the cars from the original Project CARS gonna carry over or will some be left out? Because the original has 125 cars already off the bat with all DLC's and then saying that the game would have 170+ cars would mean 45 or more new which may not seem that plenty though, but I'm really looking forward to it.
 
One thing that makes or breaks a sim are the leaderboards.

The one huge problem with this is the time it takes to get a setup close to good so you can start hotlapping consistently.

For the love of god, please make the leaderboards strictly to stock setups. May an option for stock/tuned, but please, this is the only way to make hotlapping fun and really pick up and play at anytime.

What happened to me in Pcars one is that i just stopped playing because each combo was a drag of testing a bunch of setups until you´re 2-3 seconds from the record. I mean, it´s too time consuming, and it should be fun and pick up and play at any time.

A leaderboard with stock tuning is all about who´s faster, not who can tune better. Because if you leave it open, it´s 80% tuning.

Please, please!
 
Can we have mandatory pit stops for AI cars in Quick Race Weekends?

I used to play a modded version of Geoff Crammond's GP where it was possible set the number of pit stops (1, 2 or 3) for AI cars, even for races as short as 6 laps!
 
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