Patch 0.97

Not sure what to call this patch, I am thinking 0.97 or something. No clue 😄 but I am releasing the new 0.97 patch tonight! This update focuses on optimizations, bug fixes, and light expansion of features. This will be one of my last patches where I MAINLY focus on optimization, I will continue to overhaul features in the next updates going forward and more features will be added. This patch makes the game much more bug-free, and I have tested up to season 40 with no issues (kill me). Simulated races are still very slow, for which I apologize. This will be something I focus on fixing. Anywways, see below for patch notes! This update will be live within the next hour or so on steam :D. Some high priorities for the game going forward after this update

• Negotiation system overhaul for drivers/personnel

• In-game editor

• Database editor

• Speeding up races and simulated races

Thank you everyone for your patience & understanding! I will be working on this game a lot the next few months as I have more time to do so 😄 **New Features / Expansions**

• Added a full in-depth ERS / battery system as a regulation setting across practice, qualifying, and race, including automated deploy modes per track, regeneration behavior, UI controls, regulation toggles, and AI support. ERS Improves acceleration massively when being deployed. Full attack is around 1.5s quicker than no deploy around a lap. Further expansion of this feature to come.

• Added intelligent AI use of engine power modes in race and practice.

• Added intelligent AI ERS mode management in race and practice.

• Added qualifying crash risk on hot laps to create more session variability.

• Added practice-based 107% steward exemptions so drivers can still be allowed to race if they showed sufficient pace outside qualifying.

• Added player `Manual / Automatic` control toggles for pace, engine, and ERS management in race and practice.

• Refreshed the race, practice, and qualifying driver-panel UI with cleaner controls and more prominent live systems to factor in the ERS.

• Enabled fixed-header scrollable timing tables in practice and qualifying.

• Refreshed the options screen top-down, it is modern now, and added descriptions for all settings.

• Added AI aero development **difficulty** as a new gameplay option.

• All vanilla tracks now have full track art. Introduced a large oval that can come into the calendar on calendar switch events..have fun 😉

• **Added offseason team switching so the player can choose to remain at their current team or take over another eligible team for the new season**. **Game Optimizations**

• Made dots a little bigger in weekends, so more emphasis is on them.

• Expanded AI race-week equipment logic so main drivers are prioritized correctly, reserve equipment can be reclaimed, and reserve cars still receive the best remaining legal engine and chassis. This should fix the bugs where AI will show up to weekends without a chassis and DNS.

• Further cythonized and kernelized race-simulation hot paths, especially around ERS overlap/deploy math and realistic-physics prep in an effort to reduce lag. Unfortunately, on 5x speed there is still heavy lag, and i recommend on 4x or lower.

• Messed with all DNF chances and wear rates in the parts jsons to ensure there are no excessive DNFs late season. (this will fix the mass DNF bug -- extensively tested) I suggest mods utilize a similar structure to this new wear settings, and for historical accuracy, bump up DNF rates from these parts.

**Bug Fixes**

• Fixed AI engine assignment cases where mains could remain on worn engines while reserves blocked access to fresher units.

• Fixed race live speed and speed-trap reporting so ERS effects show up accurately.

• Fixed race wear being committed if a player exited a race before it finished.

• Fixed qualifying hot-lap crashes so the crashed lap does not count as a valid lap time.

• Fixed practice/qualifying timing-table scrolling behavior.

• Fixed track-map marker sizing inconsistencies across sessions.

• Fixed the mismatch between the track tracer’s background fitting and how tracks render in-session. (New track editor being released tonight)

• Made factory scrollable if you design too many parts

• Fixed AI randomly pitting about 20 times in wet races for the love of the game. AI are a bit lethargic in wet-dry-wet-dry races still. This is a continuing gripe of mine, but this should fix a lot of the ai issues in wet races