Assetto Corsa EVO 0.2.1: Listening, Evolving and Adapting

And then I saw the notification: “Update 0.2.1 is now available for Assetto Corsa EVO.” A simple, direct sentence. Without thinking, I restarted the game. Or rather, I restarted Steam, as if that were the act of opening a garage door with something new waiting inside.

UPDATE 0.2.1 CHANGELOG

Backend
– improved Special Events retrieve time

Graphics
– visual fixes for the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint
– visual fixes for the Porsche 964 Turbo upgrade parts

Rendering
– automatically detect and set texture pool size based on GPU video memory
– DOF can now be disabled from the video settings
– fixed trees popping on certain track and car combinations
– fixed triple monitor glitch

UI
– fixed potential scrambled font issue in Steam builds
– round robin update disabled in showroom and when the session is paused to restore frame rate in the
– car selection showroom – fixed erroneous post remove car focus assignment
– general controller navigation pathfinding behaviour corrections
– video settings – texture pool size option hidden
– fix for missing car on thumbnails in some cases after customization (when apply is chosen after back or when hitting esc after apply)
– fix for dynamic thumbnails not taking into account showroom position offsets
– per-item scrolling in certain scrollable lists (model selection, grid editor, car preset selector)

Gameplay
– fixed R3-01 Academy event
– fixed license requirements in dealership
– fixed update of dealership licenses after unlocking a new license
– added error message if documents folder is not writable
– updated car prices for 0.2 content
– stability control is now off by default on all assist presets
– pit limiter assist is now on by default in all presets, with the exception of Pro

Physics
– fixed out of range values sent to the Force Feedback
– fixed erroneous setup limits
– updates to the Porsche 964 Turbo handling

Audio
– fixed Alfa Romeo 75 Evoluzione low exterior sound

Update 0.2.1 – Mini-Review

Every line of the changelog is a kind of love letter retouched by engineers and designers. This time, one seemingly small improvement caught my attention: “DOF can be disabled from video settings.” At first glance, irrelevant.

But those of us who fine-tune our settings know that depth of field, while pretty in trailers, can be a hindrance in VR or triple-monitor setups. Those kinds of details are what make the difference between playing and truly feeling like you’re there, on the track, with the engine roaring beneath your feet.

Then there was the issue of trees disappearing like ghosts in certain track and car combinations. Small? Maybe. Annoying? Definitely. Fixed? Thankfully, yes.

But if there was one thing that made me smile more than anything else, it was the fix for the Force Feedback on the Porsche 964 Turbo. That machine, an icon of another era, had been the subject of debate due to its erratic behavior in the wrong hands… and in some poorly calibrated setups.

Feeling its now-refined steering, with that slight resistance in fast corners, reminded me why I always go back to it when I want an authentic experience.

However, not everything is perfect.

The infamous TruForce support on Logitech DD wheels continues to be a headache. There were also mentions about VR on 4070 cards: for some, it’s still unplayable; for others, it’s just a matter of turning off grass and adjusting the refresh rate.

And that’s the other side of simracing: the diversity of hardware, setups, expectations… it turns everything into a complex dance between realism and performance. But the important thing is that the team behind the game is listening.

The personal becomes collective

It’s curious how a simple line of text like “stability control assist is disabled by default” can spark so much debate. Some celebrate it for the purity of driving, others question it thinking of newcomers. And in the middle, everyone learning from everyone else. Even me, who thought I knew everything about this world, found tips about deleting certain folders to restore lost functionalities.

Experience is what matters

With Update 0.2.1, there wasn’t a “new car” or a “new track,” but there was something equally valuable: a sense that the simulator breathes, evolves, listens, and adapts.

After tweaking the graphics, trying a couple of special events (which now load faster), and admiring how the Giulia Sprint looks without visual glitches, I felt satisfied.

Assetto Corsa EVO still isn’t perfect. But today, after Update 0.2.1, it’s one step closer to becoming the simulator we all dream of.

Because in the end, it’s not just about the cars.

It’s about what we feel when we drive them.

You can buy it from 23 euros in our Instant Gaming link:

• Assetto Corsa EVO

Happy Racing!