Il team Slightly Mad Studios ci presenta oggi una nuova vettura ed un nuovo circuito protagonisti del prossimo Project CARS 2: questa volta si tratta della cattivissima Nissan 300ZX Turbo e del tracciato americano di Phoenix. Non mancano i consueti e spettacolari screenshots di anteprima.

Phoenix Rising—the Nissan 300ZX Turbo in Project CARS 2 Jackie Ickx and the Porsche 936, Jim Clark and the Lotus 49, Ayrton Senna and the McLaren MP 4—some drivers will always be associated with one car and one era. For the fabled Nissan 300ZX Turbo, that driver and era was Steve Millen in 1994, and his story—from tragedy to triumph—part of what makes the 300ZX Turbo one of Nissan’s most important race cars

Marco Massarutto della Kunos Simulazioni ha appena annunciato su Facebook il prossimo arrivo di tre gustose novità gratuite per Assetto Corsa: a breve saranno infatti disponibili la Porsche RSR 2017, come contenuto bonus del Porsche Pack volume 3 e la mitica Mazda 787B e la Miata come vetture gratuite per tutti gli utenti del gioco.

We’re proud to announce 2 pieces of FREE bonus content, coming soon to Assetto Corsa on Steam as part of our next major update.

Mazda 787B
Back in 1991, Mazda became the first Japanese manufacturer to win the 24 hours of Le Mans, with the Mazda 787B. This Group C sports prototype weighed in at just 845kg and was capable of reaching top speeds of over 340 km/h, as well as producing 690bhp at 8000rpm, thanks to its Wankel rotary engine.

Occasione da non perdere per tutti gli appassionati di simulazione di guida manageriale: a partire da oggi e per i prossimi 6 giorni è possibile scaricare e provare completamente gratis l'ottimo Motorsport Manager, inoltre fino al 27 marzo è possibile acquistare il gioco con lo sconto del 50%, a soli 17,49€. Abbiamo quindi tutto il tempo di provarlo a fondo e poi decidere se comprarlo scontato. Correte su Steam per il download.

Sempre oggi è stata rilasciata l'ultima patch ufficiale che porta Motorsport Manager alla nuova versione 1.31, con l'implementazione di alcune novità richieste dagli utenti ed una lunga lista di bug fix, che trovate qui sotto.

Everything is better when it's FREE! Motorsport Manager is completely free to download and play from Steam for a whole week! Plus if you want to continue beyond the week we've made it even easier for you with a 50% off sale!
http://store.steampowered.com/app/415200

Atteso entro l'anno su PS4, Gran Turismo Sport è entrato da alcuni giorni in closed beta. Su YouTube è già possibile ammirare una valanga di filmati, che ci mostrano il gioco in azione e persino i replay e l'interfaccia, con in pista vetture come la Toyota FT-1, l'Audi TTS o la BMW M6 GT3 sui circuiti di Brands Hatch, Nurburgring e Willow Springs International Raceway. Qui di seguito alcuni trailer.

Il team Studio 397 ritorna ad aggiornarci anche a marzo sullo sviluppo in corso del suo rFactor 2. Gli sviluppatori ci raccontano dei miglioramenti apportati dall'utilizzo delle DirectX 11, l'implementazione del supporto alla VR, i nuovi menu di gioco ed il prossimo arrivo delle nuove vetture Radical.

Spring is in the air and we’re pleased with our progress over the past few months. We have a lot to share with you. We decided to take the time to really bring together all of the newly developed elements – UI, VR, and DX11. Although this puts us slightly behind our targeted “end of Q1” release date, we promise you it will be worth the wait. In addition, we wanted to make sure that modders and leagues have enough time to update their content so it shines in the new engine. With all of this in mind, we’re targeting a release date of May 1st.

DX11 Pipeline and Post FX

Over the course of the last month we have spent a lot of time to further optimise the HDR rendering pipeline. We also started adding post processing effects. This is a bit of a balancing act between ensuring we stay compatible with existing content and adding various improvements to the graphical output. Work on shaders, the shadow system, and on various other effects is also under way.

Working on the DX11 integration has allowed us to fix some things that were previously unaddressed or needed improvement. For example, we fixed an issue with stray coloured pixels in the distance, caused by MSAA artifacts. We also improved the way shadows are cast on the ground. Shadows now follow the normal maps of the materials, which means for example that the shadow on asphalt follows all the little bumps in the road. Our clouds are using much higher resolution textures, and we fine tuned ambient lighting in overcast conditions by adjusting both the color and intensity of the light.

Last month we already showed you improvements, some of which were very subtle. This month, we have a few new screenshots that will show we’re on the right track!

Virtual Reality is operational

Great news! We are already driving in VR – seeing a virtual sun rise through the trees is an incredible experience!
Our VR implementation is based on OpenVR. We chose OpenVR for its support of both headsets – the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift – ensuring future compatibility. To complete the experience, we are integrating VR with the new UI and adjusting several other parts of the game, such as external cameras.

User Interface

The UI is really taking shape. The initial release will be functionally equivalent to the current user interface, but with some advanced features. Each month, features and functionality of the user interface will be improved. For example, the ability to create your own championships and easier ways to create your own hosted environments.

Radical Content

We can’t wait to announce some very, very cool content news soon, for both cars and tracks. As you know, our ambition is to streamline content, aligning cars and tracks. In the meantime, the Radical SR3 is coming along nicely. We have extensive technical data from Radical and are creating the most realistic version that has ever been produced.

Modding

We are very happy that many modding teams have already applied to join our special forum. We have already started to share information there about upgrading custom shaders. Over the next couple of weeks we will proceed with guidelines on materials and textures as well as provide early beta builds for you to check your work. These guides will be part of a new documentation that we will publish and maintain going forward. So, if you are working on new or existing mods for rFactor 2 and have not done so yet, contact Christopher and Marcel to join the dedicated DX11 forum.

That wraps up another monthly roadmap update. We hope you are as excited as we are about what the future will bring!

Christopher Bell, pilota reale americano impegnato nella stagione NASCAR Camping World Truck e nella World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car, ci racconta e ci mostra in video la nuova modalità di gare su sterrato che sarà disponibile in iRacing alla fine di marzo.

When he's not busy racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series, Christopher Bell helps provide real-world feedback to our developers about our upcoming dirt racing feature. Fresh off his win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Atlanta, Christopher Bell sat down with us for a quick run down on how to approach the 410 Winged Sprint car at Williams Grove Speedway, Eldora Speedway, and Volusia Speedway Park. Dirt racing is due on iRacing at the end of the month.

La Codemasters ci propone oggi una nuova puntata del suo Road Book dedicato al prossimo DiRT 4: questa volta andiamo ad analizzare tutti gli aspetti che riguardano il team management.

It’s Road Book time! On today’s agenda is one thing, and one thing only – and that’s DiRT 4. A few weeks back we asked you what you wanted to know about; in the last Road Book we gave you the lowdown on landrush, and this week’s specialist topic is… *drum-roll* Team Management!

Yup – this week’s update is dedicated to the inner workings of your very own race team; how you hire and fire your staff, branding your vehicles with your own livery and sponsorship deals, and improving your facilities so you can expand your team’s impact and performance.

A few of you eagle-eyed players have also noticed in the HUD that we are clocking your vehicle’s mileage too… Well, it’s all linked to your garage and how you buy and sell your collection of cars. We’ll cover off those details in this too, as it’s all connected! So sit back, relax, grab a cup of your favourite beverage, and hear all about our brand new Team Management system.

Ben Collins, noto pilota inglese ed interprete del leggendario personaggio televisivo di The Stig, che collabora da tempo con il team Slightly Mad Studios, ci racconta in tre filmati del suo lavoro di supporto alla realizzazione del nuovo Project CARS 2. Nei video non mancano spezzoni in game del gioco che, vi ricordiamo, è atteso per la seconda metà del 2017.

Il team Milestone ci aggiorna oggi riguardo a tre dei suoi ultimi titoli a due ruote: il Lead Designer ci racconta il lavoro attualmente in corso su MotoGP17, mostrandoci anche alcune immagini:

Stiamo lavorando moltissimo per rendere MotoGP17, non solo un aggiornamento della stagione, ma un gioco godibile e ricco di tutte quelle novità che i fan della serie ci hanno richiesto nel corso di questi anni. Avremo una nuova modalità online competitiva e avvincente, una carriera rivoluzionata e molto altro. Non voglio svelare ancora nulla, ma vi assicuro che ne vedrete delle belle nel corso dei prossimi mesi. Nel frattempo mettetevi comodi e come noi guardate l’inizio della nuova stagione”, afferma Matteo Pezzotti, Lead Designer Milestone.

Un breve filmato ci mostra invece i progressi grafici compiuti da Milestone fra il precedente MXGP2 ed il prossimo MXGP3.

Infine sarà disponibile da domani su tutte le piattaforme il nuovo Free Bikes Pack 5 per Ride 2, DLC gratuito che include la Honda CB1000R ABS 2015 e la MV Agusta F4 1000 Mamba.

Dopo averci presentato la Nissan GTP ZX e la McLaren 720S, oggi il team Slightly Mad Studios ci mostra altre due vetture che saranno protagoniste del prossimo Project CARS 2: si tratta della Mercedes AMG GTR e della Acura NSX, che possiamo ammirare in alcuni spettacolari screens.

Mercedes-AMG GT R goes to Hell to find a slice of Heaven
First Mercedes created the AMG GT. And in traditional Mercedes AMG fashion—the SLS reboot had a similar evolution over its cycle—they sent the base car to the gym where it beefed itself up with more power from its twin turbo 4-litre V8 before getting to work on its flexibility that comes from active aero’, re-worked front and rear suspension, wider front and rear wings, a new front fascia with active elements, new rear fascia with double diffuser to enhance aerodynamic efficiency, and a larger rear aerofoil.

All thrown in, the GT added an R and that took it from GT to supercar. And it’s yours for about $200,000. Or, failing that, the price of admission into the world of Project CARS 2.
The aero’ and mechanical bits on this car are really extraordinary. The active aero’ works at anything over 80kmh in RACE mode when a carbon fiber spoiler, located under the body, slides down 40 millimetres to reduce lift and alter the air rushing under the body. As Mercedes explain it, “This process results in what is known as the Venturi effect, which ‘sucks’ the car onto the road and reduces front-axle lift by around 40 kilograms at 250kmh.”

Colin Chapman, of course, pretty much invented this in the Lotus 79 (also available in Project CARS 2), but to see it used in a road-going supercar is pretty special. More special, though, is that bit about the rear-wheel steering. At anything under 100kmh, the rear-wheels turn in the opposite direction to the front wheels (by around 2 degrees), and this makes a big impact on the GT R’s handling. Over 100kmh—all the way to a top-speed of around 320kmh—the rear-wheels ape the front wheels’ turn, giving you added stability along with the ability to shift the car about in a way that is exceptionally sharp and agile.
The color you want? AMG’s exclusive ‘Green Hell Magno’. That’s because the GT R was developed at the Nürburgring—and you can drive this thing on a laser-scanned version of the ’Ring in Project CARS 2. Heaven has never been closer.

The AMG GT R will get you to 100kmh in 3.6 seconds. Nothing too eye-popping about that or the 600bhp. But what is eye-popping—quite literally!—is the grip on this thing. If you’re looking for a ’Ring weapon, the AMG GT R will be high on your list. You can select your personal setup and adjust the pre-load manually, and it features automatic damping which you can adjust depending on your needs. Stick it on ‘Sports Plus’, turn the ESP to OFF, and get the full response from the limited-slip diff’. Borrowed from Mercedes’ racing program, the traction control system offers no less than nine variations, none of which will interfere with your stability software—unless, of course, you turn everything off and go full hero-mode. That’s the moment you’ll come to fully appreciate the grip, handling, and agility of the GT R.

ACURA NSX—the Original Everyman Supercar gets a Reboot
The original Acura NSX is a legend. The world’s first all-aluminium supercar (even the 3-litre V6 was all-aluminium), it came with a five speed manual ’box, gorgeous looks, mid-mounted engine, and setup input from a man named Ayrton Senna.

The story goes like this: in February of 1989, Ayrton Senna was invited to test the NSX, now in its final iteration and six months from being unleashed onto the world’s motoring press. Senna, in Japan testing the new McLaren F1 car, duly slipped behind the wheel of the NSX at Suzuka and, a few tail-happy laps later, issued his verdict. The car, he said, was too fragile. Acura’s engineers were stunned into action, and, as Road & Track reports it, they managed to stiffen the suspension by over 50 percent by the time Senna tested it again in the summer of 1989 at the ’Ring. The rest is history—the NSX went on to become an absolute classic. Handling, power, and everyday functionality made this the go-to supercar—even for cognoscenti who weren’t on a budget.

So when Acura announced a new generation of NSX, the collective motoring world sat up and took note. In Project CARS 2, you’ll get to drive this new Ohio-built Acura NSX in all its finery. Is it controversial? Of course—it’s like remaking ‘Casablanca’ in 4K.
So what’s new? Well, pretty much everything. The NSX is very much a supercar of its time: gone is the rear-wheel drive configuration and in comes four-wheel drive; out goes the normally-aspirated V6 and in comes a twin-turbo along with three electric motors; out goes the five speed manual, and in comes a nine-speed auto’. Gone, too, is the feel by right foot, and in comes computers. Loads of them—everything from blip-throttle downshifting to electric-motor-driven front wheels under cornering. The wizadry here is superb—energy, during cornering, is transferred from the inside wheel to the battery, while the outside wheel is driven by the electric motor to smooth out any torque-induced chaos generated by your, in comparison, not very clever right foot.

NSX stands for ‘New Sportscar eXperimental’ and that’s pretty much what Acura has achieved with the new NSX. It’s fatter than its predecessor—1750kgs compared to 1370kg—but it’s also a lot faster. Zero-to-100 comes in an electrifying—literally—3.1 seconds, and it’ll keep going all the way to 307kmh, this on the back of its 500bhp twin-turbo V6 (and another 80bhp coming from the electric motors).

In ‘Sport-Plus’ mode, the rev-counter will show you a redline of 9,000RPM, but you don’t want to get higher than 7,500, where the V6 hits peak torque. The electric motors, meanwhile, mean that any inherent lag from the turbos go unnoticed—you’ll be fooled into thinking this is a normally-aspirated motor, though the whine behind your head may give it away.

The new NSX comes with its own legendary tale, too, also reported on Road & Track—not quite Ayrton Senna cool, but cool all the same. While developing the NSX, Acura brought in a Porsche 911 GT3 for comparison. The car was tested and then sent in for service. While there, Porsche technicians realized what the car was being used for, and returned it to Acura with a note that read, “Good luck, Honda, from Porsche”. The Porsche wasn’t the only car Acura used for comparison—a McLaren 12C was also part of that program, and NSX’s dynamics project leader, Nick Robinson, recalls what happened when they brought the McLaren in for service. “They wanted to know, ‘Where did you go 205mph? What track?’ “

When the original NSX arrived in 1990, it really was a game-changer—an affordable supercar that you could drive to work every day. The new NSX retains much of that aura—a supercar that can even be driven only on battery power and in quiet mode before, unleashed on a track, humbling cars that come in at twice the price. But is it a true successor to the legendary NSX? You’ll soon find out in Project CARS 2. This one’s worth the wait. Twenty-five years’ worth of it.
Project CARS 2 will be released in late 2017 for the PlayStation®4 system, Xbox One, and PC