For example, competitor car generation having some issues with data handling, which led to large sections of the car designer game code being translated from Lua to C++. That is something we wanted to do anyway, but certainly not right now!
As you can see in the big patch changelog below, in the last month we were able to get a lot done though, despite a lot of work being hidden under the hood.
A brilliant modern supercar, by iIvanSmith.
Open Beta Patch 3: Full Changelog
General
- Converted a big chunk of car designer calculations from Lua to C++
- Fixed various issues with competitor car generation
- Fixed lua error when swapping fuel to nitromethane
- Fixed lua error when importing pre-4.2 cars and improved prompt to show body name & UID
- Fixed hard lock while using 4 grid mode and rapidly changing turbo settings
- Fixed Lua error with convertible options in campaign
- Fixed a performance issue with global colors
- Fixed AI using emissions tuning when it doesn't use a cat
- Fixed timing belts stop spinning when changing block material
- Fixed semi-slick tire textures being backwards
- Added lower-res map layers to the test tracks to use when fully zoomed out
Gameplay
- Implemented gearing range reliability penalty and opened up allowed gearing range
- Improved torque converter, CVT, and general shifting logic and test cycle behavior
- Fixed inconsistencies in acceleration calculations and clutch logic
- Applied all changes to shift logic and acceleration test improvements to test track calculations
- Added in engine family stroke length effect on engine fitting
- Added efficiency vs. cruise speed graph
- Added traction tests sheet as a selectable graph
- Fixed issues with downforce and lift calculations
- Hooked up toe effect to tire wear / tire service costs
- Implemented CVT hard torque limit (size-independent) and fixed limits not scaling correctly
- Fixed reliability of CVTs being unexpectedly high
- Fixed 4x4 / manual locker not having expected effects
- Fixed issue in calculation of interior space vs seat rows used for coupes
- Implemented drivability & sportiness gearing dependency (WIP)
- Updated gearbox "grades" for drivability, sportiness, comfort, reliability, and engineering
The new power-traction graphs, which breaks down your car's performance on different surfaces, and with different traction levels at each wheel.
Campaign
- Changed behavior of country tech pool to be a true offset you don't pay for
- Fixed yearly autosaves in campaign zeroing various market data, including preorders
- Fixed leaded fuel cars selling to other countries despite their leaded fuel ban
- Fixed taking a loan for standalone factories starting payback immediately
- Fixed market tab not updating when open and time is ticking in campaign
UI Changes
- Fixed removing cat not resetting emissions optimization back to zero before locking it
- Added piston / block icon at power density line depending on which item limits it
- Added all-fixture scale controls to advance trim settings to resize of fully 3D fixture cars
- Fixed some fixture slots not accepting light type changes
- Fixed missing units in power / torque graph
- Finished implementation of new detailed stats UI for Test Cycles & Emissions
- Fixed previous decade safety button not working until a safety package is selected
- Fixed inconsistencies in the display of fuel availability
- Fixed mod wheels with incorrectly set up wheel families not displaying in wheel selection
- Added car trim engine sound controls to engine testing UI
- Added "open custom images folder" button to HDRI level widget
- Added tooltip for steering and traction aids PU values
- Fixed issues with drag graph formatting and labeling
- Fixed gear selector for emissions UI not updating on gear change
- Fixed gearbox warnings appearing before a gearbox is selected
- Added various missing icons
The new detailed stats page, for emissions and test cycles.
Balance
- Significantly increased importance of reliability stat, proportional to demographic desires
- Tweaked R&D branch cost multipliers
- Tweaked costs of undertrays
- Tweaked costs and PU of interiors and entertainment
- Tweaked costs of steering options
- Tweaked costs of traction aids
- Tweaked costs and PU of springs
Car Body Fixes
- 78_TaS_Comp_SWB changed to Truck
- 78Comp/78Plus - Wagon changed to 5 door, Con and Coupe changed to coupe, cargo and ZMPV_Cargo changed to van
- 80s_OR_LWB Wagon changed to SUV
- Kei_Truck/LWB_Truck/MWB_Truck: removed convertible tag
- JD1974_E3 vans adjusted to 3 doors
- BodyEditor_70sFamilyvan and BodyEditor_70sPanelvan changed to 5 door
- CS_Moore: All vans bulk edited to ensure 3 doors
- 65_XMB_Wagon_2Dr_Alt adjusted to 3 doors
- BodyEditor_60sCoupe Targas given hardtop flag
- All eras of GPV 2 doors are now flagged as 3 door, and 4 doors are flagged as 5 doors
- BodyEditor_60sSedan02 wagon variant adjusted to 5 doors
- JD1974_60s_112A van and MPV adjusted to 3 doors
- 60s_Mid_LM longer wheelbase van adjusted to 3 doors
Exporter Fixes & Improvements
- Fixed exported cars sometimes having huge bounding boxes with certain fixtures
- Implemented new sectional body JBeam generation among other minor body generation changes
- Tweaked gearbox shifting logic
- Added "Expand Body Bounds" parameter, controlling if unbreakable fixtures resize bounding box
- Increased tire sliding friction
- Lowered taillight flare intensity
- Added an upper limit to engine braking torque of 60 Nm
- Added a lower limit for speed limiters of 10 km/h
- Fixed CVTs displaying a gear count in the name
- Updated light triggers
- Adjusted force feedback effects of various power steering choices
- Reworked the Zip-Pack mode to modify the archive instead of entirely overwriting it
- Added experimental prop support
- Various optimizations
Retro-futurism at its finest, by Skyline.
Automation Track Art Survey
We are currently working on a series of new test tracks for Automation, and we want your feedback on the art style! Simply go to the Google Form by clicking on this link, and vote for the three finalists in the survey; it will only take a minute!
With all that out of the way, we've come a lot closer to a public, main-branch release of the Ellisbury Update. Of course there are more issues to address and likely even a few new ones introduced. We will continue to improve the update within the open beta until we believe it to be ready for general adoption.
Cheers!
Banner image credit: Oochya (Automation Discord)
