iRacing has published a very exhaustive development note and there are many things we will talk about. New Racer Experience and new user interface will debut on S2 2024 to modernize some of the oldest areas of the simulation.
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One particular update that we are excited about and is long overdue: an improved initial experience for new iRacers. iRacing is a challenging product to get into, not only when it comes to the simulation itself but also in regards to new users understanding what is expected of them. Through the use of interactive UI systems and our incredible AI, the New Racer Experience feature will walk future iRacers through these crucial first steps, where they’ll be asked to choose their initial racing discipline, then shown how to configure their controls, and ultimately guided through introductory AI-based driving and racing scenarios. If veteran iRacers would like to give it a try, they are welcome to. To do so, just click on Settings in the lower left corner of the UI and toggle on “Show New Racer Onboarding.”
Our web and design teams have been busy on many projects, as always, and Season 2 will see the beginnings of what will ultimately be a full overhaul of the UI launcher. With this first change, the UI will see the addition of a new “wrapper” that breaks navigation down into larger categories for ease of use, as well as a new look and feel for the licenses. We will also be incrementally moving away from a Modal-based UI (the pop-ups that are currently central to navigating the UI), to a UI that is more layered and has centers/hubs for our various sections. For example, rather than AI racing being two somewhat mechanical interfaces where you can create a roster or manage a season, we will soon have an AI-focused homepage where you can still access these core functions but also get higher-level information about AI racing in iRacing, your performance in AI races, highlighted rosters and seasons, and more.
This same design pattern will apply elsewhere, with the next focus being on reworking the Series area of the site with a similar goal – a home and informational hub for Series rather than lists. A design mockup is included with this update showing what that could look like. The team is tremendously excited about this future design path. These new site sections will be activity hubs for our various product centers, and provide users with a new level of information and access to the content.
