With today's patch we're excited to bring you the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval track! Here are today's patch notes:

• New track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Oval launched!
  
• Updated the featured items widget to reflect recently launched cars
  
• All new users will now have AB set to 'off' as default
  
• Made some fixes to BMW experience
  

Gli esperti di GTPlanet ci segnalano la disponibilità di un nuovo update ufficiale per il Gran Turismo 5 targato Polyphony: la nuova patch, del peso di "soli" 475MB, aggiorna il gioco alla versione 2.06, con numerose novità e migliorie.

A new update for Gran Turismo 5, version 2.06, has just been launched and is now available for download. The file weighs in at a hefty 475MB in size (that’s nearly half a gigabyte!), leading many to suspect it may contain a bit more than what’s outlined in the official list of changes. With Twin Ring Motegi having already been confirmed as part of the GT Academy 2012 mini-game, fans have good reason to be optimistic.

Updates and New Features

• It is now possible to adjust the race BGM and sound effect volume from “Quick Options” during a race.
  
• A save data backup feature has been added.
  
• Compatibility for the sequential shift mode of the Guillemot “TH8 RS” gear shifter has been added.
  
• A “Performance Difference Adjustment” has been added to the rewards for seasonal events (Applies only to seasonal events held after this update).
  
• Force feedback for the “Driving Force GT”, “GT FORCE Pro”, “G25 Racing Wheel”, ” G27 Racing Wheel”, and ” T500 RS” steering wheel controllers have been improved.
  
• A car with racing modifications applied are now categorized as a Racing Car (previously Tuned Car).
  
• The off-track shortcut penalty has been tweaked.
  
• The GT5 Photo Stream service has just been launched for all players worldwide. To view the latest images taken and shared in the game are now available here....
  

Mentre tutti gli appassionati attendevano il rilascio di una nuova versione del software, arriva oggi una gustosa notizia per tutti i fans di rFactor2: il team ISI ha infatti sottoscritto un accordo di partnership con il campionato FIA Formula 2, grazie al quale avremo la possibilità di godere nel simulatore di tutte le vetture, team e piloti ufficiali dell'attuale stagione.

Formula Two announces new partnership with rFactor2

All 2012 JPH1B cars to feature in latest version of worldwide racing simulation. The FIA Formula Two Championship is pleased to announce a new partnership with Image Space Incorporated (ISI), makers of leading racing simulator rFactor, which will see its entire 2012 grid featured in the brand new rFactor2. rFactor2 is the forthcoming sequel to the award winning computer racing simulation which has become the standard for a simulated racing experience. Developed by ISI, who also produced the Formula 1 titles for EA Games, the company has more than 20 years' experience in the market, developing racing software used by both amateurs and professional racing teams.

Due for release later in the year, all of this season's upgraded JPH1B F2 cars - featuring new Yokohama tyres and carbon brakes - will appear on the new version, with each one recreated with meticulous detail. Every aspect of the Williams designed car, from handling characteristics through to the pitch of its 500bhp 1.8-litre turbocharged engine, have been captured, aided by Formula Two's Chief Engineer James Goodfield.

"We've spent many hours working with ISI to ensure we recreate the highly sophisticated and new-spec F2 car with the utmost accuracy, right down to the physics and the engine note," said Goodfield. "We're very pleased with the results and feel confident it will provide professional racing drivers, as well as amateurs, with a simulation as close to the real thing as possible." He added: "Having all of this year's cars and their liveries featured will also provide increased exposure to our drivers and their sponsors thanks to the global following of rFactor."

Timothy Wheatley, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Licensing at rFactor, commented: "We are extremely happy to work with the FIA Formula Two Championship and MotorSport Vision to bring the Williams JPH1B Formula Two car to rFactor2. "It is exciting to know that budding race car drivers and members of the general public alike, will be able to train and have fun with this car using our software. "rFactor2 is a major advancement in home simulation technology, as for the first time drivers are tested by a changing environment. Drivers will cope with different levels of track grip, changing light, a full wet-dry weather system and an ultra-realistic tyre model."

L'attesa è stata più lunga del previsto, ma sembra che la nuova patch per rFactor 2 sia un po' più vicina al rilascio (per quanto non vi sia ancora nessuna data certa). Da Facebook apprendiamo che uno dei tracciati storici che dovrebbe essere incluso in questo aggiornamento è finalmente entrato nella fase finale di testing, mentre Max Angelo ci spiega che anche una nuova vettura è pronta a vedere la luce, per di più con nuove feature implementate. L'aver lavorato così a lungo su questa patch ha poi permesso agli ISI di avvantaggiarsi per i futuri update, il cui tempo di lavorazione dovrebbe essere più breve (il condizionale è d'obbligo: sappiamo bene infatti che non è possibile stabilire con assoluta certezza i tempi di sviluppo di un prodotto in costante evoluzione). Portiamo quindi ancora un po' di pazienza: l'attesa potrebbe essere ripagata.

Update 19-5-12: Camaj sul forum: There is an update that is ready, going to do some more testing early next week. I should be able to give it to Tim to release after that. Some new content should be ready for release at the same time or shortly after. There will be some updates to already released content as well as internals continue to be enhanced.

Da segnalare inoltre che il team ISI ha pubblicato a questo link un interessante articolo che ci racconta la storia del suo engine software, partendo dagli albori del primo mitico Sports Car GT del 1999...

History of the ISI software engine:

Did you ever wonder where our logo originated? While working out graphic algorithms on the Amiga and Apple II using a cube for reference, Joe Campana would often be asked “How is the Cube going?” – This became the nickname for the entire software engine, and the basis for the company logo.

Puntuale come ogni venerdi, ecco la nuova patch di aggiornamento per l'ottimo Project CARS degli SMS: questa settimana l'upgrade disponibile porta il simulatore alla Build 216, aggiornando la precedente build 207. Fra le principali novità da segnalare, abbiamo sicuramente il primo circuito ovale.

Build 216 (18/5/12, Team Member+)

New Milan HUD maps

Added new co-ord's for Milan maps

MainMenu improvements (Title area now on the left rather than the right, Profile info condensed into a smaller area now on the right, more removal of green/red buttons, Back button now placed next to the header for better balance and ease-of-use, Events screen now navigable via gamepad, Location Select screen updated, a few more icons in places)

Besos overlays textures updated

Added new Monteray map

New Besos exports

New Harrison Pike Raceway export

Ancora nuove vetture disponibili per l'americano SimRaceWay: questa volta è possibile acquistare la mitica e bellissima Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Veloce, il Ford F-150 e la Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Onde evitare di generare facili entusiasmi, preferiamo iniziare questa news con un messaggio chiaro: stiamo parlando della versione Grand Prix e non del Nordschleife.

Bene, calmati gli animi andiamo avanti. Come riportato in una precedente notizia, Marco Massarutto ed Aristotelis Vasilakos di Kunos Simulazioni sono attualmente in in Germania per la 24 Ore che si corre sul circuito tedesco e hanno portato con sè il loro nuovo simulatore.

Nella giornata di ieri si sono visti i primi tester illustri, che rispondo al nome di Fabrizio Giovanardi e Nicola Larini. Dalle foto scattate si vede chiaramente la pista del Nurburgring (che abbiamo già avuto modo di apprezzare in Ferrari Virtual Academy, per il quale vi ricordiamo che c'è uno sconto del 30% fino a stasera), ancora non annunciata ufficialmente. La vedremo nel roster finale delle piste incluse al rilascio assieme al Mugello (a sua volta mostrato nei recenti video ma mai presentato in via ufficiale)? Noi ci speriamo!