2013 Season 1 Build Quicklist: This list is compiled solely of posts by iRacing staff members throughout the iRacing Forums/Twitter/Facebook etc.
CONFIRMED
• IMPROVED Steering Model: With the release of the McLaren introduces a new steering model. Tony Gardner has posted that the improvements to the steering model should be on just about all cars for the next build. Forum Post 12/22
• Sound Updates: Tony Gardner confirmed to expect all cars to drive better and sound better in the next build. Not sure what all sound updates we may see. iRacing has been working on sound additions such as crowds, flyovers, pit road and engine sound updates. No word yet if this will be added in the next build or if it will just be engine sound updates. Forum Post
• Car Graphic Updates: iRacing has confirmed in the next build all cars will receive an update that will make all of the cars a little more bright and shiny. A member posted in the iRacing forum that it appeared they “changed the reflectiveness of the bodywork – it’s definitely more shiny around the edges… In a multi-class session a dark color McLaren looked amazing whereas a simply dark color Corvette just looked matte and dull.” Grant Hill responded that “All the rest of the cars will get similarly waxed paint next season.” Forum Post 1/7
• Track bar: Eric Hudec posted in the forum that the track bar will have a max rake rule like was introduced past halfway this past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season at all tracks, not just Superspeedway tracks. Forum Post 1/8
• Spotter Updates: We are able to take out the 1 or 2 second lag for spotters so now, no lag between spotter and driver is spotting for a driver, real-time in other words. Also did some other spotter cleanup. Tony Gardner’s Forum Post 1/16
• Lotus 49: The Lotus 49 was expected to be released in the last build, but was not. Tony Gardner posted in the forum that a flaw somewhere in the physics that cannot be figured out and just an overall unhappy driving experience. It is likely we will see it released in 2013-Season 1′s Build.
UPDATE: No official announcement, but the Lotus 49 has it’s own 12-week series on the 2013 Season 1 Schedule which means we should have this car in the next build. 1/16
• Custom Car Textures: The next build will include a FANTASTIC new feature for paint schemes. A new hotkey will be added, that will force all the cars to reload their textures for now. SO, painters can drop new paints into the folder then “Shift-R” to refresh the scheme, and drivers can join a race, then run Trading Paints and refresh all schemes in the current server without disconnecting and reconnecting. David’s Forum Post 1/16
VERY LIKELY
• Drafting Updates: Eric Hudec posted in the forum that we will possibly see general drafting/slipstream aero changes to all cars which should help side drafting. This will impact how the cars drive at Superspeedway and Intermediate tracks. Forum Post 1/8
• Tire Compounds: Eric Hudec posted in the forum that we will possibly see tire carcass and compound changes for the Impala A, Impala B and Silverado. Forum Post 1/8
• Interlagos: iRacing has confirmed that this will be the next track released in the sim. Scanning work was scheduled to start in spring but iRacing ran into trouble getting equipment through Brazillan customs.
UPDATE: Steve Myers has confirmed that iRacing is shooting to have Interlagos available in the 2013-Season 1 Build. Twitter Post
• N5TM: Expect the latest version of the New Tire Model (called N5TM), which is on the new McLaren, to be added to some or all cars that currently have the tire model.
• Animated Flaggers: Flaggers were heavily rumored for the last build to be added around the road tracks and in replays but did not happen. It is expected to happen in this build.
• NTM: Look for the NTM to be added to the Sprintcar and Silvercrown. This was heavily rumored to be coming in the last build but did not happen.
• Multi-Class in Hosted Sessions: iRacing is working on a development project that will allow members to race with other cars in mult-class without needing to own them in hosted. For hosted & league racing now, you need to own all the cars in race to be able to race with them. Across the board for all cars, that will change. iRacing hopes the project is complete for this build. iRacing is also moving the number of allowed cars in multi-class up from 3 to 4 cars. Again neither of those projects are 100% for this build but relatively optimistic will be in build. Forum Post 1/9
UNCONFIRMED
• Driver Animations: Driver Animations such as crossing arms, shifting motions, head movement animations could be added in this build. It was rumored for last season but was not added.
• Track Shaders and Night Racing: We should be able to expect the new track shaders to be added to at least a few tracks as we did not see any added in the last build. It has also been a couple of builds since we’ve seen any updated night versions of tracks. We may see a handful in this build as well.
• Day to Night Transitions: iRacing is working on day to night transitions, but it is not expected to be in the next build.
• Back Fires: Back fires from cars has been talked about for a few months now, it could be added in the next build.
• Damage Model: iRacing did report that a new employee was hired and their first project was to overhaul the damage model. We may see at least some minor updates in this build.