Project Cars

[GB_Simo]

One accusation you can't level at SMS is lack of post-release support. The next patch isn't going to address all of our concerns but is nevertheless a monster:

Project CARS - All Platforms - Upcoming Patch 1.4 - Release notes
Hi guys,

Here are the release notes for the upcoming Patch 1.4. We will update you with a release date as soon as we have the date confirmed by the various external parties.

Project CARS –Patch 1.4 – Release Notes

General
* Pagani Monza Clubday invitational event - No longer causes the game to crash when using a specific livery on the Pagani Huayra.
* PC - Fixed an issue that would cause the game to crash while watching saved replays, when shared memory is enabled.
* PS4 - Anisotropic filtering has been increased to help reduce blurry textures.
* PS4 - Temporal anti-aliasing has been further optimized. This reduces the ghosting effect and additionaly gives the player full control via a slider to tweak the resulting image according to personal preference.

Performance improvements
* Xbox One - Various performance optimizations, adding up to an average of 5-6% performance improvement. This results in an overall smoother experience.
* PS4 - All shaders have been rebuilt using new shader compiler, giving a significant performance boost in some areas.
* PS4 - CPU performance gains due to new more aggressive code optimisations.

Physics & AI
* The AI loss of grip that results from tyre degradation as a result of wear is now more noticeable.
* The AI will now show much more realistic grip loss when running on slick tyres in the rain.
* First pass improvements on various tracks to enhance the AI performance and ability (Azure Circuit, Donington GP, Watkins Glen, Bathurst, Nordschliefe)

Pitting, tuning, setups
* Fixed an issue where certain street cars would pit for tyre change during rain when they already had the correct tyres fitted.
* Fixed an issue where custom vehicle setups were lost when progressing through sessions.
* Improved the system used to select the most appropriate tyres based on current and predicted weather conditions.
* Ensure that the AI always pit when they need to change tyres based on the weather conditions.
* The Default strategy will now correctly show the tyres that will be fitted on the player vehicle during a pit stop.
* The pit stop routine will no longer start during online races until the player closes the pit stop menu. This ensures that the player has enough time to select or configure an appropriate set of actions before the pit crew start working on the car.
* Tyre pressures will now be correctly set when the player changes to a new set of tyres.
* The currently-active Pit strategy will now remain in action when advancing through race sessions.

Online
* Fixed an issue where the player was sometimes given a large time penalty when exiting the pit lane.
* Fixed an issue where the remaining session time displayed an incorrect value in the Tuning screen.
* Fixed an issue that at times would prevent a player from entering a race, after joining a second online lobby.
* Fixed and issue where the Track Location popup would at times appear on some screens.
* PS4 – The lobby browser now displays random lobbies instead of always the oldest lobbies.
* PS4 – Fixed an issue where network features could not be used after resuming from rest mode.
* PC - The lobby browser now automatically extends the search distance for lobbies when not enough of them are found using the default filter. Lobbies that are hosted further away (and therefore have potentially worse latency to all peers) appear at the bottom of the browser, and are colour coded with yellow or orange icons do indicate the quality of the connection.
* PC - The session host now regularly sets the current timestamp into a session attribute, so that sessions with too old timestamps are not displayed in the browser. This prevents stale sessions with no active host from appearing in the session browser.
* PC - When joining a session, the client now attempts to request the member details multiple times before giving up. This helps to improve the success rate of joining online sessions.
* Xbox One – Fixed an issue where matchmaking was not filtering the race length correctly.

Controls – All platforms
* Fixed pedals and triggers that vibrates during replays.
* Fixed an issue that causes the wheel centring spring to be active during driving.
* Improved force feedback strength and tweaked the default force feedback parameters for all supported wheels based on community feedback.
* Further enhancements to the steering feeling – Improved blending between the tyre force spring and the steering lock spring.
* Improved behaviour of the wheel force springs while navigating the menu system.

Controls – PS4
* Fixed an issue where the player got stuck on the career screen when entering driver name using a wheel controller.
* Improved the support implementation of several older Fanatec wheels, such as the GT2, GT3, and CSR.
* Fixed the Fanatec CSS so that it works correctly in sequential mode.
* Fixed the Fanatec CSP pedals to save the calibration correctly if player calibrated only pedals.
* Fixed the Fanatec CSP ABS rumble.
* Fixed the Fanatec CSW handbrake.
* Game Pad - Tilt Control support implemented to allow controller tilt to be used to control the vehicles.

Vehicles
* Adjusted handbrake strength on vehicles which are equipped with handbrakes.
Fixed an issue where the rain wipers’ state did not reset correctly when restarting a session.
Fixed an issue where light glows from a vehicle behind the player would sometimes appear in front of the player.
* Fixed fuel pressure gauge calibration in several cars.
* Fixed an issue where a white border would at times appear around the brake light glow of certain cars.
* Ford Mk.IV – Improved the collision model to prevent vehicles wedging in under other vehicles.
* Formula Gulf, Gumper Apollo, Formula Rookie - Fixed and issue with the livery sets that caused the livery selection to display wrong liveries.
* Lykan Hypersport -Statistics updated to latest manufacturer specification.
* Lotus 72D - Improved handing characteristics, exposed bump stops to be adjustable in the vehicle setup, reduced cold sensitivities of the slick tyres, adjusted the AI speed, wear and rain tires to match the player’s experience.
* Karts - Reworked the Karts optimization to help address performance drops with a lot of Karts on track.
* McLaren 12C GT3 - Adjusted the vehicle pose to more closely match the real car.
* BMW M3 GT4 – Improved the accuracy of the levels at which the oil and water temperature warning lights will activate.
* Ford Escort RS1600 - Improved the collision and wheel contact model to prevent climbing over other cars in collisions.
* 250cc Superkart – Improved the default setup to address controller issues on higher speed tracks, and improved the AI handling.
* Lotus 49 – Improved the AI handling of the vehicle in corners and in close racing.
* Pagani Huayra - Reduced fuel consumption to around 3mpg in hard track use, and improved cooling to prevent engine overheating.

Tracks
* Bathurst – Removed cones in the pit lane that was causing cars to get stuck.
* Watkins Glen – Fixed a number of accuracy issues around the track.
* Lemans 24h – Improved the race line at a few corners to keep the LMP cars off the curbs as this was causing the cars to lean over on two wheels.
* Silverstone National – Vehicle grid placement reworked to more closely align with the painted start boxes.
* Hockenheim (various layouts) – Reworked the wet weather reflection mapping to address incorrect object reflections.
* Willow Springs – Fixed an issue where the vehicle could drive through the barriers when exiting the pits.

GUI
* Driver Network Profile - Visual tidy up to improve usability.
* Fixed an issue where very thin lines would not always appear.
* Added support for better info display on the Community Events page.
* Fixed the issue where HUD customization was not saved on exiting a session.
* Fixed an issue where the Potential Lap time display on the Lap Info board would be inconsistent with the sector times being displayed.
* Monitor/Spectate mode - Fixed an issue where the vehicle being viewed would automatically reset to the player’s vehicle on leaving the monitor screen.

[pk500]

Looking at the list of improvements reminds me the McLaren 12C GT3 is the most sublime, well-mannered GT3 car in the game, by a mile. What a wonderful car.

An overlooked gem is the Mercedes 190 DTM car. So balanced, so smooth. Love it.

Give me those two cars and the Formula C, and I'm set for hours upon hours.

[TCrouch]

So why are we not racing this online from time to time, while guys still have it?

[pk500]

So why are we not racing this online from time to time, while guys still have it?

It's been quite a whirlwind since release day for Project Cars, especially for Xbox One owners. We're just coming to grips with a playable game in the last few days due to the patch. Combine that with the vertical learning curve, at least by console standards, and I've had no desire yet to play online. Just savoring the cars and tracks with the controller fix.

I have no intention of ditching Project Cars anytime soon, especially if SMS remains committed to fixing the game's still-numerous flaws. So we'll get in some good online racing soon.

[Gangrel]

I played some more tonight, and had to tweak the controller settings a bit. I was racing the Caterhams and it was just too twitchy at low speeds. I lowered the speed sensitivity and added some controller filter sensitivity, and it finally feels good to me.

I wish there was more wheel options out there, as I think this (and FM5) would be heaven with a wheel........ Maybe someone is going to put out a semi-reasonable FFB wheel soon......

[pk500]

Finally found some XB1 controller settings that are working like nitrous oxide for me. I was 10 seconds quicker overall in a four-lap race at Silverstone National with Formula C cars with this setup than with the default or a few other controller configurations I tried:

Steer DZ 5
Steer Sens 20
Thrott DZ 0
Thrott Sens 50
Brake DZ 0
Brake Sens 30
Clutch DZ 10
Clutch Sens 45
Speed Sens 65
Ctrl Filt Sens 45
FFB 80
Mode 3
Advanced On
Steer On
VisWheelFilt On
Opp Lock Off

I'm using these with Real assists -- only those used on car in real life -- and auto tranny. I can accelerate without a ton of wheelspin, brake without lockup and catch slides with this configuration. Very modular feel. Closest I've experienced to Forza 5 or TOCA 3.

Give them a go if you haven't found a suitable configuration. Found these on Reddit, of all places!

[TCrouch]

That's funny, because I came here to post the settings that I'd developed, and they're similar. What I had an issue with is the controller filtering sensitivity. When you take that from one car that's normal like a GT3 or Formula C and try to apply that to something that's tail-happy like a Caterham, it feels like you're constantly a second behind the car.

With that being said, here's what I came up with that worked across vehicles for me. Now, I have no dead zone and low sensitivity with slightly higher speed sensitivity because I tend to make very small movements from center on the gamepad. It works exceptionally well for correcting mid-corner, though.

Steering
DZ 0
Sens 15

Throttle
DZ 0
Sens 45

Brake
DZ 0
Sens 40

Clutch
DZ 0
Sens 45 (these don't matter)

Speed sensitivity 75
Controller filtering 0 to 15. With some cars, the tiny bit of filtering helps the twitches. But I found leaving it at 0 to 5 produced the best results across vehicle classes.

FF 80
Controller 3
Advanced off.

Same with the real assists, so I'm curious if some people like the 'no filtering' method and no dead zone, or if more people are used to some dead zone and slightly laggier input using a controller.

[Gangrel]

thanks guys. I'm going to give them a go tonight! If I'm still awake that is, mommy is out of town for work so I'm a single dad for the next two days!

[TCrouch]

I'm going to try PK's tonight to see what kind of difference I see, because the filtering is a LOT different than I'd expect to be comfortable with, but no way to tell until I try it.

[Gangrel]

what the heck is visual wheel filtering anyway?

[pk500]

Controller settings are like a good pair of shoes -- you know a good fit from the second you try them on.

I was confounded by a ton of different settings I found at the SMS forums, at OS and other spots on the Web. None of them had the right feel I sought. Same with the defaults.

Then I tried these I found on Reddit, and -- BAM -- they worked right from the launch of the very first race. I tracked the apex of the first turn at Silverstone National perfectly in a Formula C car, something that happened about as often as Halley's Comet for me. I did it again. And again.

I was sold when I saw I was 10 seconds quicker over a four-lap race with these settings than with any other controller setup I had tried. Further validation came when I started to slide in a Renault Clio Cup -- devilish little FWD bastards -- and caught it and corrected with this controller configuration. I had never done that in a Clio with any other controller setup.

Bingo.

[pk500]

what the heck is visual wheel filtering anyway?

It's a visual tweak, only when you're in cockpit view. It makes the wheel turn appear smoother. Cosmetic, but it helps me keep my rhythm. I use cockpit view exclusively, so I turn on Visual Wheel Filtering.

This video is very long, but the dude does a nice job explaining the purpose of every controller setting:



I tried this guy's settings, but they felt a bit too numb for me. I think he overcompensated for twitchiness.

[pk500]

You've always been super-smooth with your inputs, Terry. Plus you're a geometric driver, taking long, sweeping arcs into corners with minimal steering input and carrying a sh*tload of speed from apex to corner exit. If you were a MotoGP rider, you would be Jorge Lorenzo.

I'm the opposite. Late braking, squared lines at times, lots of steering input. It's one of the many reasons why I'm far slower than you. But even when I drive well, I'm less geometrically sound through corners than you. If I was a MotoGP rider, I'd be Cal Crutchlow.

That's probably why you need far less controller filtering than me.

[Dave]

Thanks for posting, PK. Judging by your description, our styles are similar enough that the settings will work for me. I've found a little more success by putting it at default setting 3 and just going with it.

I tried some Formula B cars at Sonoma the other night and had a lot of fun trying to lay down a quick lap. You really get a sense for how poor the visibility is going through some of the uphill corners there, it can be hard to hit the apex when you can't see it!

[TCrouch]

I had a tough time with the larger dead zone and filtering. I'd move the stick for what seemed like an eternity and nothing would happen. I was so horrible with it, I looked like I needed a citation for a DUI. I'm glad there are settings that can work for all styles, though, now. In the beginning, I was afraid nothing would work on the XB1.

[pk500]

Different strokes, indeed. I tried your settings. Very nice, but a touch on the twitchy side for me.

I have lead index fingers and aging reflexes.

[TCrouch]

I used the same settings on PS4 and was really happy with the results. I streamed it a bit last night and was able to archive it using a controller.

http://www.twitch.tv/rockjawmcgraw/v/5748989?t=6m28s

[pk500]

My desire to tweak and tinker is getting the best of me with controller setups. I have extensively tested 12 different controller setups I've found around the Net with Formula C at Silverstone National.

My two favorites so far are the set I previously posted and Terry's set. My set is better for twitchy open-wheel cars for me than Terry's, but it's a bit numb with GT and Touring cars. My times are about the same in Formula C with my set and Terry's set, so I'm going to try his set with fendered cars and see if they feel a bit more lively while still giving me control.

The third set of my preferred controller trinity uses Mode 2 as a base. Apparently there are differences in the three modes, according to the SMS developers. They're not simple presets.

Mode 2 is more sensitive. But it offers nice precision in Touring and GT cars.

Here it is, for those interested:

Steer DZ 0
Steer Sens 0
Thrott DZ 0
Thrott Sens 0
Brake DZ 0
Brake Sens 30
Clutch DZ 10
Clutch Sens 45
Speed Sens 65
Ctrl Filt Sens 55
FFB 60
Mode 2
Advanced On
SoftSteer On
VisWheelFilt Off
Opp Lock Off

[TCrouch]

Yeah, now I have to try that. I had no idea what the different modes did. Damn it!

[pk500]

Yeah, now I have to try that. I had no idea what the different modes did. Damn it!

I'm not quite sure what they do, but the developers have confirmed the different modes are more than presets. Mode 1 apparently is for wheels only. Mode 3 is for controllers only. Mode 2 is somewhere between.

Intriguing. I'm eager for your feedback on this Mode 2 setup.

Thanks.

[TCrouch]

Well, and I'm almost sure that my wheel setting was still showing Mode 3, too. But yeah, I'll have to mess with it, because I am fine with the controller settings I've been using, but there are times when I get in a specific car (like the Trans Am series) where I still feel something is missing. I'm not sure it's possible to fix across all series, but I don't feel like I'm fighting controls all the time, either.

If nothing else, it made me appreciate Forza's "fire and forget" method of controls. I don't think I EVER did anything in Forza other than adjust force feedback.

[pk500]

If nothing else, it made me appreciate Forza's "fire and forget" method of controls. I don't think I EVER did anything in Forza other than adjust force feedback.

Yep. I never touched any of the control settings in any Forza or Horizon game.

I love the steering feel with your settings in Project Cars. Very precise, with great mid-corner correction available, if speed is managed properly in the turn. My big problem is that it's easier for me to catch slides with the set I first posted.

So, do I stick with my more sluggish settings as a safety net or do I go with yours, which are more responsive but have less of a f*ck-up buffer for me?

[dbdynsty25]

My god this thread spun out of controller hell.

[Gangrel]

Which is sad, but true. I'm liking the game, but find myself constantly asking, while trying to drive a Caterham, did i bork up the corner, or is it just the settings causing me to overreact and thus get out of control?

PKs settings help a lot.... and as a comparision i ran a few hot laps in a Mercedes Touring Car I believe, and it was rock solid......

But yeah, until we find settings we like, at least on Xbox, I think that's most of the talk, hopefully soon replaced with "man, what a race!"

BTW, is there a way to download other people's laps and watch them in the replay? I like that method to try to learn tracks and technique better.....

[XXXIV]

Which is sad, but true. I'm liking the game, but find myself constantly asking, while trying to drive a Caterham, did i bork up the corner, or is it just the settings causing me to overreact and thus get out of control?

PKs settings help a lot.... and as a comparision i ran a few hot laps in a Mercedes Touring Car I believe, and it was rock solid......

But yeah, until we find settings we like, at least on Xbox, I think that's most of the talk, hopefully soon replaced with "man, what a race!"

BTW, is there a way to download other people's laps and watch them in the replay? I like that method to try to learn tracks and technique better.....

My god this thread spun out of controller hell.

I am a fan of racing games but at this point I am not going to get it at all. Unless there is a Zeppo TOCA league there is no point.

Might be the greatest game in history of the f***in world but Im too old for this s***. The clock she be ticking.