Pedal to the Metal Patch | Updated Handling Beta Branch

We’ve been diligently reading, watching, and listening to every discussion and review we can find.

Drivers, we hear you loud and clear: you want better maneuverability, simpler recovery, and more precise controls. We've gone back to the drawing board and cooked up a patch that rebalances the handling model to give you the crunchier, more grounded experience you’ve been asking for, while keeping true to our vision.

Since this is a high-impact, high-speed intervention, we want to test it first in a dedicated Steam beta branch and hear your thoughts before releasing these changes more widely.

How To Test

For those that already know how to join a beta branch, please join the NEW_WHEELS_NEW_ME branch using the code iwanttofiddle. Then after you feel you’ve given the new build enough of a test drive, head over to this pinned forum thread to share your feedback.

If you have never joined the beta branch of a Steam game before, please follow these steps:

1. Right-click on Carmageddon: Rogue Shift from your Steam library.

2. Click Properties.

3. A pop-up window will appear. Click Game Versions & Betas.

4. Find the text input box under the Private Versions section. Enter the code iwanttofiddle.

5. Click Check Code.

6. You should now see the NEW_WHEELS_NEW_ME branch as an option. Select this branch and update the game.

You now have the test build! Don’t forget, after you feel you’ve given the model enough of a test drive, head over to this pinned forum thread to share your feedback.

Handling Model Adjustments

▪️Tire Physics Overhaul

We’ve reworked our friction curves to mitigate that cliff’s-edge feeling of instantly losing control. Tires now have a generally more progressive grip loss, allowing you to catch slides and drift more predictably instead of snapping into a spin.

▪️Steering Responsiveness

Increased default steer rates across all vehicles. Your wheels will corner faster, reposition faster when you let go of your steering, as well as counter-steer more promptly, giving you more agency when a slide starts to go wrong. You'll still feel the difference in weight between cars, but the steering input will now translate into wheel rotation consistently across the board.

▪️Steering Rate

This option now lets you act directly on the steering responsiveness, allowing you to control how quickly your wheels reach maximum steering angle. This affects both analog and keyboard controls. We’re giving you *a lot* of freedom here, you can achieve some pretty dramatic results if you push away from the default value of 1.2, so thread carefully.

▪️Steering Curvature

This controls how linear the steering response will be on controllers, allowing you to reduce sensitivity in the initial movement of the stick, or to have a more direct response. As mentioned, this does not affect keyboard controls.

▪️Acceleration Curves

Increased responsiveness at low speeds, especially when shifting into reverse.

We’ll be evaluating your feedback and aim to implement the best changes as soon as possible. Console players, all changes made will be included in Patch 1, which includes Bonnet Cam and a few more fixes.