Winter comes to Assetto Corsa Rally

While Assetto Corsa Rally is still in early development, one thing that many pointed to be missing is snow, but don't worry, because just before Christmas, Supernova Games Studios dropped the second early access installment with the original WRC champion and a snowy location, even though it isn't exactly a stage.

The location in question will act more like a playground than a stage, as the Ghiacciodromo Livigno is a closed ice circuit located in northern Italy, being closer to Austria than to Supernova Games Studios’ HQ in Milan. Those who watched the Trophée Andros once recognized this kind of circuit, and while Livigno holds mostly ice driving lessons, it has a competitive calendar in an event called The Ice Challenge, a mix of a super special stage with a track day, regulated by ACI, the Italian motorsport association, that visits other ice circuits in Italy and also in France.

As for the car in this update, the Alpine A110 adds to the list of classic cars, being the first one to get the WRC manufacturers title in a time where rear wheel drive was still king and the difference between road cars and rally prepped cars was minimal. Among the many wins that led to that title in 1973, Alpine opened the season with a banger by winning Monte Carlo while getting a podium in the next rally in Sweden, showing the A110's capability on freezing surfaces.

Since we are rallying on snow now, obviously snowy weather was included, from light snow to heavy blizzard, while studded tires are available to play in the snow. While some rallies out there do use non-studded tires for snowy stages, this still isn’t an option in Assetto Corsa Rally.

Other improvements were brought in too, as physics, inputs, audio, force feedback and graphics were either improved or tweaked. More wheelbases will have a properly working force feedback now, while the brakes and tires received great attention in the physics department, with rally drivers validating the new tire model, according to Supernova Games Studios.

Be aware that if you frequently do time trials, the leaderboards will be reset today, with a maintenance downtime of 30 minutes to work on it, as the significant physics changes were mentioned as the reason in the changelog.

IMAGES: Assetto Corsa Rally screenshots