The iRacing servers are taking a beating with everyone anxious to try out the new update but I managed to get some laps in and all I can say is “WOW”. Rain or "The great equalizer" has finally come to iRacing and it was worth the wait!
The new “Tempest Weather System” in iRacing is one of the most technologically impressive things I’ve ever seen in a video game, sorry, simulation.
When I first loaded into my car in VR I just sat for a minute listening to the rain on the roof of the car. I leaned over and watched rain drops run down the window next to me. I could see the water forming puddles in the pit lane. It was absolutely convincing. Once I started driving I was even more impressed. The way the rain runs down the track, pooling at the edges or in various dips and depressions looks perfect! It really highlights the amount of surface data these roads incorporate and I’m even more impressed with the iRacing track scanning tech now.
Beyond visuals the “feel” of driving in the rain has also been captured incredibly well. As someone who grew up driving in the Pacific Northwest I am no stranger to driving in the wet as they say. In fact, my trip back from PAX Unplugged last year was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life. It was the middle of the night, dumping rain and I think I spent more time hydroplaning than driving. I can tell you it’s a scary feeling and iRacing 100% nails it. It’s so realistic that I am constantly fighting my natural human urge to drive slow and safe! Cruising down the Mulsanne straight at a couple hundred miles per hour feels so wrong and also wildly fun.
The entire iRacing UI got an update that makes things more user friendly. If you’ve been away from the game for a while I encourage you to check it out again. Somehow with all the visual updates, the game seems to be running even better! If you haven’t checked out iRacing this is a great jumping on point for new drivers. Once the servers smooth out I might have do do some more Mike Racecar streams!
-Gabe out
