iRacing had fans excited with the Season 1 2024 update announcement. Along with new cars, tracks, and future features, what really got fans revving was the reveal that rain was imminent. However, that parade has now been rained on with the news that racers will have to wait a little bit longer to enjoy wet-weather racing in iRacing.
Rain delay
In the news no seasoned iRacing player wanted to hear, the arrival of rain has been delayed until March 2024 at the earliest. This will allow the development team more time to fully implement the feature, ensuring the best experience for players.
Dubbed the 'Tempest' system, this new feature aims to simulate multiple weather phenomena that could occur during races. Its standout feature by far though is the way water on the track is simulated, with players able to feel the resistance from the water as they push through the racing line.
No driver wants to hear the announcement that rain is coming during a race, but in iRacing the opposite was true. Rain and wet tracks are the last major component that iRacing is missing. Mixing up race strategies with sudden downpours or a quickly drying track adds to the true racing experience that iRacing offers.
It’s understandable that the developers want to get rain right the first time, but it’s no doubt a disappointment that the feature was announced, only to be delayed. It is also worth noting that the announcement of the delay states that they will “really push for a release along with the March build” so it’s possible the release may be delayed further.
Testing the waters
Although disappointing, the news hasn’t been received badly by iRacing fans. In a racing sim where weather is a bonus rather than a necessity, this isn’t surprising.
Some players have questioned why the feature was announced if it wasn’t ready, with others also suggesting that the feature be tested on a handful of tracks first before rolling out to the others.
As X user Karl Thoroddsen suggests, focusing rain on even a single track, with the dynamics of a single car changed to respond to weather changes, would be another way to slowly implement rain without compromising the rest of the game.
Sadly the wait continues for rain in iRacing, but the Season 1 2024 update will be released as planned in December.
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