RaceRoom patch adds DTM 2026, new HUD, physics and server updates

cars

• Download size = 7.2 GB Client version = 0.9.8.03 Client BuildID = 24545523 Dedicated Server version = 111.0.1660 Dedicated Server BuildID = 24545792 [*] Content - Added the DTM 2026 car pack [/*][*] HUD - Added a new in-race HUD ( standings, relative, delta, tyres, radar, track map, virtual mirror, pit and vehicle pages, instrument pod ) [/*][*] HUD - Added HUD options for maximum refresh rate and resolution scale, and a key to toggle the whole HUD [/*][*] HUD - Reworked track map markers ( class-coloured circles, player icon, flashing safety-car marker ) [/*][*] Nurburgring Nordschleife - Updated to 2026 spec [/*][*] Nurburgring Nordschleife - Updated AI pace and NLS / 24h fuel estimates [/*][*] Monza - Updates to art ( 8k tarmac, kerb wear, skids, dirt, sausage-kerb scratches ) [/*][*] Red Bull Ring - Removed two sausage kerbs and added a new runoff at the final corner [/*][*] Red Bull Ring - Nudged up AI pace [/*][*] Portimao - Added 8k tarmac textures and fixed track-surface issues [/*][*] Laguna Seca - Added 8k tarmac textures, 3D trees and curb wear [/*][*] Slovakia Ring - Fixed track-surface issues and added green tarmac at Turn 1 [/*][*] Brands Hatch - Fixed holes in the track surface [/*][*] Zandvoort - Fixed holes in the track surface [/*][*] Imola - Fixed track-surface issues [/*][*] Twin Forest - Fixed track-surface issues [/*][*] Oschersleben - Fixed pit entry behaviour on the GP layout [/*][*] Physics - TCR - suspension rework. Centre of gravity heights recalculated, suspension travel and bump stop contact corrected and anti-lift set to roughly 10-15% at both ends [/*][*] Physics - Suspension geometry pass on anti-lift and anti-squat across the Super Touring, WTCC 2013, WTCC TC1 and TCR fields, plus the Audi TT Cup and Audi TT RS VLN [/*][*] Physics - Super Touring - rear axles now have proper anti-lift and will squat under braking, rear bump steer increased so the axle helps turn the car rather than just follow the front, and a little front anti-lift added in place of the previous pro-lift for better traction [/*][*] Physics - GT3 aero balance dynamic behaviour updated [/*][*] Physics - Balance of Performance and setup pass across the GT3 field [/*][*] Physics - Updated the DTM 2013-2016 cars \[ leaderboards reset ] [/*][*] Physics - DTM 1992 - BMW M3 Sport Evolution drag and drivetrain friction corrected, steering lock range widened \[ leaderboards reset ] [/*][*] Physics - Formula RaceRoom US - downforce reduced by about 25% \[ leaderboards reset ] [/*][*] Physics - Tyre dirt and marble pickup now takes about 3 times longer to clean off [/*][*] Physics - Added a regen-braking guard so hybrids do not regen with the engine off [/*][*] Physics - Added a sequential stick shifter gearbox type, with its own clutch, blip and dogbox behaviour. 35 cars now use it, including the Super Touring, WTCC, TC1 and TCR fields, the GTR1 and GTR2 cars and the Mazda MX-5 Cup [/*][*] Physics - Shift times reduced across the GT3 field [/*][*] Physics - Undertray feelers stiffened on all cars so floors no longer sink through the ground, and slammed cars bounce less [/*][*] Physics - Default engine map is now the highest one on the P1, P2, GrC, GrA, GTE and FR-90 cars [/*][*] Physics - Max steering lock ranges corrected on 25 cars across WTCC 2013, WTCC TC1, DTM 1992, Touring Classics, Audi TT cup, GTR2 and P2 [/*][*] Physics - Gear ratio and final drive options respaced, and track specific ratios added for Vallelunga, Spa 2025 and Adria [/*][*] Physics - Mazda MX-5 - Reduced suspension travel so the wheels no longer poke through the bodywork [/*][*] Cameras - Adjusted onboard cameras on several cars ( Audi 90 quattro GTO, BMW M4 DTM, Mercedes-AMG C63 DTM, Nissan GT-R GT1 ) [/*][*] AI - Bunched up the GT3 AI field for closer racing [/*][*] Traction Control - Fixed TC Override only working below 9 m/s ( it now works at all speeds ) [/*][*] Controllers - Lowered the maximum steering deadzone to 30% and removed a hardcoded centre notch [/*][*] Controllers - Fixed a gamepad staying disconnected after being unplugged, replugged or moved to another USB port [/*][*] Multiplayer - Network optimizations to the dedicated server [/*][*] Multiplayer - Fixed a race-results scoring bug that could classify a finisher as a non-starter [/*][*] Fixed - Login could hang silently on start-up; login now times out and offers a working Retry [/*] [h2] A quick word on this update: [/h2] This is yet another milestone passed with a long awaited HUD replacement that finally brings RaceRoom into the modern age. This is a direct benefit of our research and development on our future engine. That is right, we have been busy: behind the scenes, we at KW Studios are building a brand new backend for the RaceRoom service, a full revamp of the menus, and a brand new rendering engine for the game client. None of those are quite ready yet, but we couldn't wait to put some of the results we got into your hands. So this update brings the first big piece forward: a brand new, modern HUD built on a scratch-made UI renderer. [h3] The new HUD [/h3] Let me start with a bit of background. The HUD overlays and the dashboard displays inside our cars all run on a piece of technology called Scaleform. It's a Flash-based system, it's been with RaceRoom since the very beginning in 2013, and it's old and obsolete. We've known for a long time that it would need to go eventually not only because of a new rendering engine on the way, but also because of the complexity to maintain it. I've been wishing for that HUD to finally change style for so long now, but we couldn't do much about it until very recently where we managed to setup Adobe Animate to work on that legacy code and started poking at it with some success: we released the LRT NXT1 and the Alpine cars that came with a 1:1 replica of their real dashboards, made in Flash. We were pleased with the result of that experiment so we figured we'd do the same for any new car coming out. And this was the plan until just a few weeks ago when we fairly easily managed to plug the new UI renderer we have been building for the future engine into our current dx9 codebase. And so just a few weeks ago, we started rebuilding the HUD, and the first iteration is now in your hands! That breakthrough also meant we reshuffled our priorities. I have to walk back on a statement I made previously that any new car will come with a brand new dashboard. The new plan now is to bring those data displays into the new tech, convert them all away from scaleform in future updates. New data displays will then be made straight up in the new tech. We already have some experimental conversion scripts that could make this process go quickly, so I'm rather optimistic. We believe that this approach gives you the most value the soonest and makes the most sense overall. We will be listening to your feedback and requests for tweaks and new features, of course, so make sure to [url="https://discord.gg/raceroom"] join our Discord and share your feedback on this new HUD! [h3] So what's actually in it? [/h3] In short? Far more than the old HUD ever let us dream of. We have a lot of widgets and every single one of these can be moved, scaled and toggled on or off independently, so you build the layout that suits you: A quick tour First of all, it's customisable. You can press a binding to "Move and Resize HUD Elements" and every element turns into a labelled box you can drag anywhere on screen, resize to taste, or switch off entirely. A button to Reset the HUD elements is also available. Various new elements are available: [*] MFD ( multi-function display ) carries several pages of info: a Relative page, a Laptimes page, a Vehicle page as well as the Pit page [/*][*] Tyres has everything you want to know about tyre temperatures, pressures, wear, brake temperatures, and how much dirt you've picked up on each tyre. [/*][*] Standings shows your lap times in qualifying, the running order in a race, and the leaderboard in a time attack. [/*][*] Timing shows your position, current lap number, sector info as well as a reminder of your last lap and best laps. [/*][*] Instruments is the cluster: gear, speed, revs, vehicle condition, ABS and TC activity, DRS and more. [/*][*] Status Strip gathers all notifications like slowdowns, invalidated laps, etc. [/*][*] Message Log gathers multiplayer chat and system messages. [/*] Then we have elements that were already present but were re-implemented and enhanced: [*] Delta is the live gap to your best lap of the session. [/*][*] Track Map shows everyone's position around the circuit, now with multiclass colours so you can read a mixed field at a glance. [/*][*] Starting Lights is the red-light race start sequence. [/*][*] Virtual Mirror just as before, for when your real mirrors are out of FoV. [/*][*] Radar is the proximity radar for close-quarters racing. [/*][*] Input Meter traces your steering, throttle, brake and clutch. [/*][*] FFB Graph shows your force feedback output and any clipping. [/*] [h2] More dedicated server optimizations! [/h2] Alongside the HUD and general UI renderer, we've been making huge progress on eliminating another element of frustration: that strange ceiling of around 38 players we could never reliably push past on a single dedicated server. It seems we have managed to unlock more potential in recent optimization passes. We've changed how position updates are sent. Instead of blasting every car's position to everyone at full rate, the server now works out what is actually relevant to you. Cars within 150 meters of you update at the full rate while cars far away on the other side of the circuit drop to around 25% rate, because you can't see them anyway and your game client fills the gaps smoothly. On a 20 car grid it cuts the position traffic the server has to send by about 43%. At 40 cars it's around 60%. We have only reached 50 players during our last impromptu test with the members of the RaceRoom Discord server but in theory, the gains at 99 cars should be about 68%. Now we want to find our new ceiling. We'd like to run a scheduled Nürburgring multiclass event, in two stages: [*] A test session. Announced in advance, everyone welcome, and the only goal is to fill every slot we can and try and have fun until something starts melting down or we see smoke coming out. [/*][*] A real race. Once we know where the new safe limit sits, we run an actual multiclass race at the biggest grid we're confident holds up. [/*] Keep an eye on the Discord and our channels for dates. [h2] The most up to date Norschleife in simracing! [/h2] The Nordschleife has had a proper pass to match its current real-world state. This update comes for free for all players who own the Nordschleife in RaceRoom. Here is the full list of changes: [*] Tourist parking overhauled: updated posters, updated parking and exit gates [/*][*] New buildings added, along with EV charging stations [/*][*] A new exit road added before the entry [/*][*] Hohenrain chicane: driving line moved closer to the barrier [/*][*] Hatzenbach: higher kerbs on entry and exit [/*][*] Pflanzgarten 2 hill: re-profiled [/*][*] Extra grass grid at Piff-Paff, Exmühle, Eiskurve and the Small Carousel [/*][*] Green carpets removed at the GP track and Hohe Acht, with the barrier brought closer there too [/*][*] Breidscheid: new banners, plus the orange wall marker that was missing [/*][*] Brünnchen: the kerb is now modelled in 3D at 3cm high (it was flat before) [/*][*] Lots of new asphalt, with some new markings [/*][*] T13: EV charging added [/*][*] Plus various other tweaks to the surroundings [/*] [h2] Monza rubbered up [/h2] The free update we're pushing to Monza is an interesting story. After the real circuit's last resurface and track work, we pushed out a free update to match it, and in the game it came out looking spotless, as the track looked in real life just after the rework. That was accurate for about a week. In reality the freshly painted kerbs rubbered in fast, so that pristine look was out of date almost immediately. So we've updated Monza again to reflect where it actually is now: worn paint, rubbered-up kerbs, and the general lived-in look of a track that's seen plenty of running. We all hope you'll enjoy this update and we look forward to your feedback on our discord! I know that from my side I'm really proud of the hard work pulled off by our tiny team of awesome developers!
• Keep pushing, J-F Chardon Head of KW Studios (Sweden)