iRacing – Release Notes for 2012 Season 2.

Website:

Hosted Sessions

You can now restrict hosted session results to participants only. The checkbox is located in the "OPTIONAL SETTINGS" section of the "HOST A RACE" page. When this flag is set the system will check to make sure that the current user was a participant in the session before either displaying the event results popup or generating event results in csv format.

You can now restrict the viewing / spectating of hosted sessions. This checkbox is also located in the "OPTIONAL SETTINGS" section of "HOST A RACE" page. For this release viewing can be restricted by club only. When this flag is set the system will check to see if the session is restricted to members of one or more clubs. If so it will ensure that the current user is a member of one of the eligible clubs before allowing them into the session as a spectator. This flag will have no effect if you do not restrict the session to one or more clubs. This feature will be expanded in the future to support leagues and teams as well.

You can now specify the maximum amount of fuel that can be loaded into a car. This is specified as a percentage of the car’s maximum fuel capacity and should be an integer between 10 and 100. For example if a car has a max fuel capacity of 20 gallons and you specify 50% the sim will not allow you to fill beyond 10 gallons of fuel. **NOTE: This feature will not be available until later in the week due to last minute technical issues.

UltimatePay Support

UltimatePay is a new payment type that can be used for buying everything except gift certificates and gift recharges. The system supports more than 70 different payment methods worldwide and automatically customizes your payment options based on your country.

This system works differently from the existing credit card and PayPal options in that the transaction is not completed immediately. In some instances such as with the Ultimate Game Card the transaction completes almost immediately but with others such as Western Union it can take much longer.

Additionally, iRacing does not receive any notification of failed or canceled transactions. As a result you will always see an Ultimate Pay Order Information page after you close the UltimatePay popup window. You will see this whether you completed the transaction or simply canceled out of the popup.

For example, let’s say you decide to purchase a car using Boku with your mobile phone. The general flow is you initiate the purchase on the iRacing Member’s site from a popup window presented by UltimatePay. UltimatePay alerts Boku and they will send a text message to your phone. You respond to the text message to complete the purchase. Boku alerts UltimatePay that you completed the purchase and UltimatePay alerts iRacing. At this point iRacing will fulfill the purchase and send you an email to let you know that your car is ready to be downloaded.

It is important to note that some of the payment methods will charge a fee in addition to your order total. iRacing does not control these fees. Please pay close attention to any fee disclosures when completing your transaction.

An additional note is that iRacing is not supporting any recurring payments using UltimatePay at this time.

Site Footer

A new lap counter has been added to the site footer. This displays a recent snapshot of the total laps run across the service since the start of iRacing.

Friends/Watched

It is now possible to remove a friend or watch request to yourself, if you get yourself into that state.

Spectating

The spectating timer will now be 20 seconds for most events. For larger events (some world tour events, etc) the spectating timer will remain at 60 seconds.

Renewals

Fixed a bug where gift cards could not be added to renewal orders.

Simulation:

Graphics

– The graphics engine now supports assignable programmable pixel shaders and multi-texturing on race track related surfaces. Our new track Motegi features this improvement, and New Smyrna also has been updated.

– Visibility culling of track surface decals has been improved, with an emphasis on reducing the number of decals visibly popping in.

– The work-around that helps avoid missing scenery when AMD’s adaptive anti-aliasing is enabled is now always automatically enabled for everyone. The previous setting to enable this option in renderer.ini is now ignored.

Camera Tool

– The focus car is now highlighted in the entry list.

– The ‘/’ camera select key sequence now supports the ‘/’ key when selecting the camera (ie: /<driver position>/<camera><enter> )

– You can adjust the level of scaling applied with the 10x hotkey.

– Added a dB meter to measure the current volume at the mic.

– Most camera tool settings are now saved to the app.ini file.

– By default pan speed is tied to the zoom level of the camera. We have added an app.ini [CamTool] useLinearPan=0.0 value to let you blend between a constant pan speed, or one that slows down with higher zoom levels.

– Added in a non-linear scaling to the analog camera controls. Can be adjusted with an app.ini setting.

– You can adjust the relative speeds of each of the analog controls (move, pan/tilt, zoom) using an app.ini setting.

– Fixed a bug in the depth of field effect.

– Fixed a divide by zero bug in joystick calibration, which may sometimes have crashed the sim.

Spotter

– Fixed the bug that caused the spotter to incorrectly call ‘go low’ when you should ‘go high’.

– Radio on/off sounds should work more consistently now.

– Reduced the number of samples needed to call out numbers.

– Spotter packs can now select a message from a list of possible messages to add variety. You can add up to 100 custom samples per message.

– Spotter packs text messages can now be changed. This should allow for user supplied translations of the spotter pack. See this forum post: http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1938030.page for more details.

– Long text messages are now automatically wrapped to fit the screen.

– TJ and Steve spotter pack now supports multiple samples per message and custom strings. Special thanks to the Hoff for doing all the hard work.

– New hotkey to turn on and off calling of lap times

– New hotkey to request a notification when the leader crosses the start/finish line.

Telemetry

– Updated the ATLAS plug-in, now it supports english/metric unit conversions and fixed a bug that caused short laps to import improperly. Also simplified installation a bit. You can download the latest iRacingSession.dll from http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts/list/1477333.page

– Added in a center front splitter ride height sensor to some cars (CFSRrideHeight). This is currently available for the Chevrolet Impala, Chevrolet Impala Class B, Chevrolet Silverado, HPD ARX-01c, and Williams FW31.

– Added a new parameter ReplayFrameNumEnd that shows you how far from the end of tape the replay head is.

– Added new parameters SessionTimeRemain, and SessionLapsRemain indicating time/laps left in race.

Sounds

– All cars have had their engine/wind/tire volumes balanced to match actual recordings. Many cars have new samples so they sound even better.

– Updated scrape and crash sounds.

– Off throttle volumes should now be louder.

– Most cars have a new low frequency sub-wave sound designed to drive sub-woofers better.

– Fixed a bug where loading a replay could use external engine sounds instead of cockpit engine sounds when in cockpit view.

Driver Aids

– Improved the anti-stall clutch aid to allow anti-stall to be released if the car is rolling fast enough that it wouldn’t stall the motor to do so. This fixes the problem where locking the drive wheels in a braking zone would result in the antistall clutch staying active until next time the throttle is applied even if the brake pedal was released to free up the locked wheels.

Shifting

– Fixed a problem where initiating a sequential upshift with automatic throttle cut while the engine was already being cut by the rev limiter would cause upshift delays.

New Tire Model

– Fixed an issue where a very lightly loaded tire would lose stiffness, resulting in a "floaty" feeling in the lightly loaded tire.

Drafting

– We have improved the drafting math to be more aware of exactly where the edges of a car are, so the exact amount of draft you get for being bumper to bumper or side to side is much more consistent as speed varies, and for cars of different dimensions.

Car Sponsors

– National Guard sponsorship added.

Cadillac CTS-VR

– New car! And it has been given to everyone for free!

Chevrolette Corvette C6R

– Removed unused light flare model from Corvette C6r that could show up in unwanted places when the car was damaged.

Chevrolet Impala

– Now has a new driver model, hands look much better.

– Aero updates to improve accuracy performance.

– Changes to how this car drafts at super speedway tracks.

– Improvements to engine cooling and gauge precision to help racing in traffic or the draft.

– Drag penalty has been increased when certain parts of the car are damaged.

– Adjustable bumpstops have been added along with packer (shim) adjustments.

– Grill tape can now be set based on a choice of 5 options – Min, 25%, 50%, 75% and Full. Tape can be adjusted during pitstops.

– Fuel pressure now displays as if car is fitted with fuel injection instead of carburetion.

– Collision model adjustments to prevent excessive ‘submarining’ when running into the car directly in front.

– Reduced tire pressure adjustment range.

– Reduced cross weight adjustment range on pit road.

– Tire updates.

Chevrolet Impala Class B

– Aero updates to improve accuracy performance.

– Changes to how this car drafts at super speedway tracks.

– Improvements to engine cooling and gauge precision to help racing in traffic or the draft.

– Drag penalty has been increased when certain parts of the car are damaged.

– Grill tape can now be set based on a choice of 5 options – Min, 25%, 50%, 75% and Full. Tape can be adjusted during pitstops.

– Collision model adjustments to prevent excessive ‘submarining’ when running into the car directly in front.

– Reduced tire pressure adjustment range.

– Reduced cross weight adjustment range on pit road.

– More rear-end gear options for short tracks.

– Tire updates.

Chevrolet Impala SS 2009

– Updated to use the New Tire Model.

– Aero updates to improve accuracy performance.

– Changes to how this car drafts at super speedway tracks.

– Improvements to engine cooling and gauge precision to help racing in traffic or the draft.

– Drag penalty has been increased when certain parts of the car are damaged.

– Collision model adjustments to prevent excessive ‘submarining’ when running into the car directly in front.

– Reduced tire pressure adjustment range.

– Reduced cross weight adjustment range on pit road.

Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS

– Now has a new driver model, hands look much better.

– Collision model adjustments to prevent excessive ‘submarining’ when running into the car directly in front.

Chevrolet Silverado

– New driver model, hands look much better.

– Aero updates to improve accuracy performance.

– Changes to how this car drafts at super speedway tracks.

– Improvements to engine cooling and gauge precision to help racing in traffic or the draft.

– Drag penalty has been increased when certain parts of the car are damaged.

– Collision model adjustments to prevent excessive ‘submarining’ when running into the car directly in front.

– Reduced tire pressure adjustment range.

– Reduced cross weight adjustment range on pit road.

– Tire updates.

Dallara IndyCar

– Updated to use the New Tire Model.

– Suspension has been fully updated.

– Single-car and traffic aerodynamics has been updated.

– Damage model has been updated.

– Reduced engine fuel efficiency.

Ford Falcon V8 Supercar

– Updated engine torque curve.

– Reduced engine fuel efficiency.

– Reduced fuel capacity to 75l. Adjusted garage values to correct incremental values to match new fuel capacity.

Ford GT

– Number plates, badging, and position light color changed to match 2010 season.

HPD ARX-01c

– Added missing wire model to external model.

– Updated downforce, sideforce and drag aerodynamics.

– Reduced engine fuel efficiency.

– More low speed (<5000 rpm) engine torque.

– Tire updates.

Lotus 79

– Corrected idle rpms to be more accurate. Now idles at 4000 rpm cold, 2300 rpm warm.

– Added more swaybar options.

Skip Barber Formula 2000

– Now has a new driver model, hands look much better.

Williams-Toyota FW31

– Now has a new driver model, hands look much better.

– Fix for brake glow bleeding out on to the tires of the Williams FW31 car.

– Further correlation with Williams on aerodynamic and mechanical performance of the car. This should help setups get closer to the real thing.

– Reduced engine fuel efficiency.

– Minimum fuel weight changed from 6kg to 3kg.

– Tire updates.

Twin Ring Motegi

– Now available, and features our new track surface shaders.

Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps

– Fixed pace car issues.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

– Blocked off access to some non-track area and access roads with jersey barriers.

Martinsville Speedway

– Fixed pace car issues.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

– Fixed pace car issues.

New Smyrna Speedway

– Updated with our new track surface shaders.

Oulton Park Circuit

– Removed floating skid marks.

– Added missing specular highlights (solar reflections) to the section of track exiting pit lane.

– Fixed visual popping issues with some fences.

Suzuka International Racing Course

– Fixed a bump issue in Turn 1.

Texas Motor Speedway

– Fixed a bug where there was some grass edges that were set to concrete or rumble.

USA International Speedway

– Adjusted grass color to bring it more in line with our newer tracks