As you have probably noticed, the latest update for Wreckfest was rolled out earlier today. The update marks a major milestone for the game since it's the first time that you will be able to experience our improved physics model as well as the new physically-based renderer. Some of you will be happy about the changes we've made, some unhappy, but please be aware that you should not expect a finalized product: there's still a lot of work ahead of us and this update is only a foundation on which the game will be build. Because of this, we'd very much like to hear what you like and especially what you don't. By giving us feedback, you can help us tune the direction of the game and strike a perfect balance.
We're aware of the technical issues that many of you are currently experiencing, and we're doing our best to sort everything out as soon as we can. We very much appreciate all the bug reports we've received so far, so please do keep the coming! When reporting issues, please remember to give us as much information about it (for example, reproduction steps) as well as your system specifications. One of the more critical ones we're aware of is the issue with the experimental x64 build crashing on some systems, and we're investigating the issue to have it fixed swiftly; in the meantime please use the 32-bit build.
Thanks for your patience and support!
Please find here the full changelog:
General:
- Added a 64bit executable.
- Fixed out of memory errors with high texture quality (on systems with enough memory).
Physics:
- Implemented multi-body suspension physics.
- Implemented physically based tire model.
- Implemented proper clutch (no manual yet).
- Improved visual damage accuracy from collisions.
- Transferred physical vehicle parameters to a new data system for future modding support.
- Improved accuracy of car-vs-car collisions.
- Fixed car part simulation.
- Fixed car-vs-environment visual damage.
- Implemented surface bump for surfaces.
Renderer:
- Implemented physically based renderer (PBR) enabling higher quality materials and lighting.
- Implemented initial version of the DX11 renderer (pending optimization).
- Implemented hardware multisample antialiasing (MSAA) up to 16x (resolution dependant).
- Implemented foliage transparency antialiasing (alpha to coverage).
Controls:
- Controllers are now re-detected upon entering options.
- Steering sensitivity slider range is now consistent with brake/accelerator sensitivity sliders.
- Fixed crash when controller name contained non-ascii characters (like ©).
- Fixed keyboard key unmapping.
Gameplay:
- Added new game mode: Team Race (2-4 teams).
- Added new game mode: Elimination Race (2-4 teams).
- Car is now slowed down and a HUD indicator shown when driving the wrong way / missing a checkpoint.
- Implement race statistics collecting (per car stats accessible from car selector, per track stats from event selection).
- Replay now tracks whether tires are lost or still attached.
- Fixed an issue in which damage would occasionally carry over to single player after exiting a multiplayer game.
- Increased maximum number of laps to 60 (replay may be cut short though).
- Implemented more accurate lap time measurement.
- Added Steam leaderboards.
AI:
- Improved throttle and brake management.
- Improved avoidance of other cars.
- Improved starting grid behaviour.
- AI now drives better on angled surface.
Cameras:
- Implemented camera shake effect for collisions.
- Cinematic camera can move along a predefined path (not used yet).
- Improved replay camera positions on all tracks.
Cars:
- New car: American Muscle 3.
- New car: European Coupe 2.
- Added more alternative skins.
Upgrading:
- Car upgrade selections are now saved.
- Added engine subcomponent upgrades (light on choice for now).
Tracks:
- Added new oval track.
- Added overhauled Sandpit track.
- Improved AI splines.
- Added pit areas (for future use).
User Interface:
- Redline and max RPM in tachometer are now dynamic based on the engine.
- Disabled shoddy looking RPM meter needle smoothing.
- Split time to player in front of the player is now shown at certain split points during races.
- Concise race standings are now shown in HUD during races.
- Race winner is now shown in HUD.
- In-race results overlay now always shows the top positions in addition to the player's.
- In-race results overlay is now accessible in photo/replay/spectate modes.
- Fixed various problems with in-game HUD in replay.
- Added an option to hide HUD during races.
- Player name overlay can be now hidden directly from replay UI.
- Added photo mode hotkeys to cycle between car targets.
- Graphics options are now adjustable from in-game settings menu.
- Improved launcher layout for 720p screens.
- Launcher is now not shown if settings loading succeeds.
- Fixed a bug affecting primary graphics adapter detection.
- Implemented scalable distance field fonts for use with new future UI.
- Implemented borderless window mode for native full-screen resolution window.
- Window should now remain mostly responsive during loading screens.
- Kicking/banning is now possible with right-click context menu in lobby and in-race results overlay.
- Input fields now support cursor movement for editing.
Multiplayer:
- Implemented an option to change the track and event settings in lobby.
- Added an option to change the car and upgrades in lobby.
- Added an option to spectate a race in progress from lobby.
- Implemented full photo mode instead of just track side camera in post-race spectator mode.
- Host can now add AI bots.
- Added server filtering options.
- Remaining laps or time left is now shown in server browser when a race is in progress.
- Implemented chat in respawn screen, spectator mode as well as during and after race (Enter to activate).
- Added an option to game settings to disable in-race chat.
- A speech bubble icon in now shown in lobby next to players that are currently typing a message.
- Added an option for a player to change their team (max 12 players per team).
- Added a host option to limit car class.
- Added a host option to force same car model as host.
- Added a host option to disable car resets.
- Added a host option to set a custom server name.
- Added a host option to set a welcome message (displayed when a client joins).
- Implemented a vote kick/ban system.
- Added an option to promote other players to moderators (can kick and ban) and admins (can adjust event/rules).
- Third ban to same player results in the ban being automatic in subsequent games on the same host.
- Players can retire from race in the pause menu (useful e.g. when hopelessly in a ditch on a no-reset server).
- Lost tires are now synced from server.
- Fixed wrong gear on clients after car reset or new race.
- Fixed bugs in results calculation.
- Improved client-side prediction.
- Various server side fixes.
Dedicated Server:
- Implemented first version of dedicated server (the server runs without a Steam account and uses considerably less RAM and CPU than the full game).
- Implemented command line configuration.
- Implemented remote configuration through game client.
Effects:
- Improved particle performance.
Sounds:
- Improved audio positioning.
- Added a beep to lobby race countdown.
- Fixed curb sounds.