April 2023 HSS Progress Update (Patreon)

The winners of the early access vote were the 1968 Daihatsu P-5 (which will be released tomorrow) and the 1906 Itala 35/40 (which will be released later today). Let me know if you appreciate an update post structured like this, touching on each project we are working on, it takes a few hours to write it all out, so I hope you all find it informative and enjoyable to read through. My primary goal with every Progress Update is to keep you all in the loop, and help you understand transparently how your contributions are being used.

I’d love it if each of you commented below your favorite three projects we are currently working on… and perhaps also include one project you would like us to add to the list!

1902 Ford 999:
The car is in Assetto Corsa and ready to be voted on. I have begun working on the physics, which are currently in an early state. The LODS, advanced animations, and accurate engine sounds will need to be added down the road.

1906 Renault AK GP car:
We are still finalizing the 0.99 update for the 1906 Renault AK GP car. The car is going to have animated feet working the pedals, animated shifting (that also stays in the correct gear), and an animated handbrake. We have already added LODs. We are also working on adding better water details for the radiator viewports along with a quality pass over the entire car model to improve the reflections and other details.

1906 Itala 35/40:
This car is going to be released later today. I’m excited for you to try it out. It's in a pretty finished state with sounds, liveries, and polished physics. It just needs the advanced driver animations added and perhaps a few tweaks here and there, and then the LODs for the car added.

1906 Locomobile:
As I mentioned last month, we are going to be revisiting the 1906 Locomobile in the coming months to add a few details and also more polish to the car. We will also need to add the advanced driver animations for shifting, footwork, and the handbrake.

1906 Fiat 130 HP:
This car is the next pre-war car I am going to have the 3d modeling team produce. It will give a full challenge to the 1906 Renault and Locomobile. Obviously with all the other current projects it may take awhile before this one really gets moving along in production.

1907 Itala 35/45:
This car is pretty close to finished in my opinion, however, we still need to add the advanced driver animations and LODs.

1907 Itala 36/45:
A new update is in the works, and we will be pushing it out in the first half of April. It will include new advanced driver animations, new liveries, updated physics/tires, and of course a brand new much better 3d model. This one is going to be fun for you guys to try out, it has just enough HP (around 50hp) that enables it to be somewhat competitive against the 1906 Renault at certain tracks. All that will remain are any final tweaks and the LODs.

(1911) Blitzen Beasts Pack ($5 pack):
I have decided to focus on the 1916 American Champions Pack for now, however, this project is going to have some incredible engine sounds! We might be taking a while but that is so that we can make these two cars, the 1911 Blitz and the 1911 Beast, meet the highest quality levels.

1911 American Champions Pack ($5? pack):
This is a pack that we are currently in the very early stages of working on. It will include two 1911 American open wheel racecars, the 1911 Marmon Wasp and the 1911 Mercer Raceabout. I wouldn’t expect a release for at least a year.

1915 Ford Model T Speedster:
As I mentioned last month, we still need to fix that minor AO map tear behind the seat of the driver. I am also going to push a 1910s tire model update to this car once I’m finished developing the new tire model for the 1916 American Champions pack.

1916 American Champions Pack ($15 pack):
Once I finish up with updates to the 1934 GP cars and the 1937 Mercedes W25 Streamliner, I am going to be shifting my focus for much of April to finish up this pack in time for the month of May and big festivities that accompany the 500. I have some good news, I have decided to include a fourth track in the pack, the 1916 Ascot Park 1 mile oval dirt track. The pack will now include four different cars and four different tracks, and it will be one of the greatest single ways to experience early racing history. I’ve personally spent a lot of time and a huge amount of my own money to develop this pack, and so I haven’t been rushing things, because it needs to be perfect. I’m so excited to share this one with you all.

1916 Santa Monica ($5):
This project is going to be a major one for us. It will comprise a good portion of the city of Santa Monica as it was in 1916. There will be multiple street circuits, including of course the 1916 Vanderbilt cup layout. We are also working out the details concerning a traffic pack and the logistics for developing a realistic open-world experience to drive through the city and experience a 1910s/1920s American town with any of the many vintage cars available in AC. Obviously, this track will also pair with the 1916 American Champions pack, which together will account for 5 of the 10 racetracks and allow for 10 of the 15 races from the 1916 season to be run.

1924 Alfa Romeo P2:
I’m glad to hear that the new tire update is so well received. This might be my favorite car of all the ones we are working on. We need to develop the accurate engine sounds and then of course the LODs.

1924 Bugatti T35:
I’m glad everyone enjoyed the liveries that were added to this car! I think they are really great. The engine sounds are currently in development and should be finished soon. We also need to add the LODs.

1924 Delage 2LCV:
The car has been imported into Assetto Corsa, and will be ready to be voted on this month for an April early access release. Its a real beauty, and I have to thank Fourty-Too! for his many contributions to this mod and helping to guide its development.

1925, 1928, 1929 Alfa Romeo P2 (physics updates):
I am working on finishing up the 1925 physics update I promised for hitting 200 subscribers. It should be out sometime next week.

1925-1929 Bugatti T35 (physics updates):
I am working on finishing up the 1925 physics update I promised for hitting 200 subscribers. It should be out sometime next week.

1925, 1928, & 1929 Delage 2LCV (physics updates):
Once the Delage 2LCV is released, obviously we will also create subsequent versions of the car with matching physics to progress through the years.

1926 Amilcar CGSS Voiturette:
This is the first of the two commercial models we purchased to expand our portfolio of offerings. We have yet to do anything with the model, but we will be reducing the poly count and then adding a custom interior before we begin importing the car model into AC.

1927-1929 Amilcar CGSS Voiturette (physics updates):
The Amilcar CGSS was raced through 1929, and we will be adding those later versions of the car with accurate physics adjustments to match. Thousands of these cars were made and raced during the late 1920s in entry level races around Europe.

1931 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300:
The 3d model is slowly taking shape. The 3d model is roughly 25% completed.

1932 Studebaker Indycar:
We just finished optimizing the Studebaker’s 3d model, and this should provide a much needed boost for PC performance. Next we are going to add the LODs and accurate engine sounds.

1932 HSS Indy Special:
This car is in the game and ready to be voted on. I am hoping to get its custom engine sounds finished next month, perhaps in time for its early access release if it's chosen by those of you who are Champion supporters. We

1934 Maserati 8CM:
A large update is in the works for the 8CM. Lots of new skins, driver names, the new 1930s tire model, some minor physics updates, and of course the LODs and accurate engine sounds will all be included in a huge update to push this model to a near completed state. I’ve really enjoyed this car and its one of my favorites of all the 1934 cars.

1934 Bugatti T59:
The T59 will be getting two updates, in early April, the T59 will be getting new accurate engine sounds, drivers name added, and the new 1930s tire model update. In early May we will be adding the LODs and some physics tweaks.

1934 Alfa Romeo P3:
The P3 will be getting an update like the other 1934 cars, it will come in two parts, due to the many projects we are currently working on. In early April, the P3 will be getting the driver names added and also the new 1930s tire model update. In early May the engine sounds, LODs, and some physics tweaks.

1934 Mercedes W25:
The 1934 Mercedes W25 was an ill handling beast in real life, with its ill-conceived swing-arm suspension. I have been working on some updates to help control some of these traits, but it still won’t be a pleasant car to drive. It might have been one of the faster 1934 cars, but it was also the most difficult to drive of the bunch too. There will be an extensive update in early April with LODs, physics updates, the new 1930s tire model, and driver names.

1934 Auto Union Type A:
The suspension issues have been resolved and the car should be imported within the week. I hope to re-release this car back into early access in the second half of April.

1935 Auto Union Type B:
As you can see in the images above, we have decided to develop the 1935 Auto Union Type B 3d model from scratch.

1935 Alfa Romeo P3 (physics update):
We are going to be developing 1935 versions of the GP cars to complete a full 1935 grid. This project will be begun once the big updates in the works for the 1934 P3 are pushed through.

1935 Bugatti T59 (physics update):
Like with the P3, the 1935 grid would not be complete without the updated version of the T59.

1935 Maserati 8CM (physics update):
Like with the 1934/1935 GP cars, we will be delivering an updated 1935 Maserati 8CM.

1935 Mercedes W25 (physics update):
And to round off the 1935 season, we will also have a physics version for the W25 as it raced during the 1935 season.

1936 Austin Seven Monoposto Special:
This is a project we have currently on the backburner, but it's a car that Fat-Alfie personally requested we make. We will get to it once we have some free time.

1937 Mercedes W25 Streamliner:
As things came up, the physics updates for the 1930s cars got pushed back. I plan to work on this project this coming week and get an update pushed out early in April. We are going to add the LODs and a new 1930s tire model.

1937 Delahaye 135C:
This car is still currently on hold while we focus on other projects. The 3d model is approximately 70% done.

1950 Aston Martin DB2:
This car is still in the 3d modeling stage (approximately 50% completed).

1954 American Thunder ($5? pack):
This pack is going to include two American Stockcars from the 1954 season, and I would also like to include at least one period correct track as well. It is in the very early stages of development, so I wouldn’t expect a release for at least a year.

1958 Lotus 16:
I have yet to get to this project again, but I hope to revisit it later in April or perhaps in early May for several days to polish up the physics and hopefully get them close to a finished state. We also need the realistic engine sounds added and the LODs.

1965 HSS GT (part of a pack?):
We plan to begin importing this model (from one of our past AC Pro projects) in May. This car is a real beauty, I’m not sure if we are going to include another car and have it be part of a pack, or perhaps just release it by itself. Either way I’m excited to showcase some of the awesome details and features we are going to include with this car.

1965 Ford GT40 (part of Bazza’s upcoming pack):
This car is currently being imported. Once it's completed we will send the car over to Bazza for him to finish in preparation for including in one of his upcoming packs

1966 Honda RA273 F1:
This project is in the very early stages, the 3d model is approximately 20% complete.

1967 McLaren M6A Can Am:
This project is in the very early stages, the 3d model is approximately 10% complete.

1968 Honda RA301 F1:
This car is almost finished being imported into AC and may be available to be voted on for an early access release this month.

1968 Toyota 415S Flatnose & Sharpnose:
The Flatnose just received an update a couple of days ago and the Sharpnose will be released into early access in the later half of April. The Sharpnose has a bit more downforce on the front which helps with corner turn-in but with a bit more drag it has a tad lower top speed on the straights.

1968 Daihatsu P-5:
This car will be releasing tomorrow for all Patreon supporters. The small 1.3 liter I4 engine produces only 138HP, but the small stature of the car and its low drag allows for a top speed of 150mph (240kph). This car is very nimble and has great handling in the corners. The car already has its custom sounds, and just needs some physics updates and its LODs.

1968 Isuzu Bellett R:
The Isuzu has been on the voting list for a while. This car is well along in its development, and we hope to get its custom sounds done this next month.

1968 Nissan R381:
The R381 has also been on the voting list for a while. I really enjoy the realistic and unique moving wings, and we are going to get to its custom sounds in the later half of April.

1969 Porsche 917 Shorttail & Longtail (part of Bazza’s upcoming pack):
These cars are currently part of the late 1960s Prototype pack in development by Bazza. These are going to be tricky with their early aero package issues, but a lot of fun to tame.

1970 Ferrari 312B F1:
We have added visually moving wings to match the setup changes you make. The 1970 Ferrari 312B has some of the best features of any of our cars, and we are shooting to make it a peer in both quality and performance to RSS’ 1970s F1 car. It is still available to be voted on for an early release.

1970 BRM P153 F1:
This car’s 3d model is in the early stages of development.

1970 De Tomaso F1:
This car’s 3d model is roughly 50% complete. It is going to pair wonderfully with RSS’ 1970s’ F1 mod and also with our own 1970 Ferrari 312B.

1972 McLaren M16B Indycar:
This car is on the list to be voted on for its early access release next month. Its a really cool car, and we have some exciting liveries in the works too. We still need to develop the car’s engine sounds, but otherwise the LODs and most other aspects of the car are finished.

1972 Milwaukee Mile:
This track is coming along nicely, and should be finished within the next couple of months. The track will feature both the oval and infield layouts, all correctly detailed for the early 1970s racing period.

1972 Michigan Speedway:
This track is still in the early planning stages. We will have a vote for Champion Patreons to pick which of this track or Pocono they would like to be worked on following the Milwaukee mile track’s completion.

1972 Pocono Raceway:
This track is still in the early planning stages. We will have a vote for Champion Patreons to pick which of this track or Michigan they would like to be worked on following the Milwaukee mile track’s completion.

1972 American Champions pack ($10? pack):
This pack will include at least two American open wheel cars from 1972 and two important tracks. This pack has not even begun development, so expect a full development cycle ahead, perhaps it will be finished within the next two years.

1973 Matra MS670:
This is the second commercial model we purchased to expand our portfolio. We have yet to begin working on the model, but we will first reduce the poly count and then add a fully custom interior. Then we will begin importing the model and bringing it to life within AC. This car is going to pair perfectly with the other 1973 Endurance Cars, and although the Matra MS670 did not compete at the Targa Florio event, it will help flesh out events at other tracks and of course you can always try it out and see what could have been.

1973 Porsche RSR 3.0L - Targa Florio Edition:
This 3d model is going to be one of our most advanced, definitely shooting for a Paid Mod quality. Currently the 3d model is around 20% complete, and we are receiving a lot of information and research help from the supporters behind the 1973 Targa Florio track for Assetto Corsa. This project is going to showcase the high standard we are aiming for with the 1973 Targa Legends pack and could perhaps be a further significant step up in quality from our previous mods.

1973 Targa Legends ($10 pack):
This pack will include four cars, three from the 1973 Targa Florio race and a custom HSS prototype design. None of the cars are in development yet, but development will immediately follow the completion of the 1973 Porsche RSR 3.0L 3d model. I am going to try and shoot for an early 2024 release, but this is an ambitious target and there is a good chance this pack gets pushed back later in the year.

1994 American Thunder ($5 pack):
This is going to be a paid pack including three different 1994 American Stockcars. These will complement any 1994 tracks we produce via Patreon support. One of the models will be further developed for AMS2 (see below).

1994 North Wilksboro Speedway:
We are working on a substantial update, currently gathering a lot of feedback and also planning out ways to improve our development process for future tracks.

1994 Daytona Superspeedway:
We want to either create a track or skins for a 1994 version of Daytona, but with the lack of appropriate AI behavior in AC for pack racing, we may change direction on this project. Please give ideas/suggestions down in the comments. Perhaps a 1994 version of Martinsville or Bristol would be a better option, as the AI in AC can handle short tracks quite well if programmed correctly.

The HSS GP Pack ($10? pack):
The 1954, 1974, 1984, and 1994 Grand Prix cars that we developed for AC Pro clients will be developed further for an Assetto Corsa release, we also plan to have AC Pro versions available for other AC Pro clients in the future to purchase a license to use for an affordable price (compared to scratch builds).

Contract Projects:
Right now we are working on finishing up the three 1960s Formula Junior cars for Sergio Loro’s F3 Classic Tracks. Additionally, we are working on a 1962 Morris Minor for a client, which we will also eventually release via our Patreon. There are a few other confidential projects on the backburner, but we are going to continue keeping our contract work light as I promised last month.

Automobilista 2:
We have begun development on our first AMS2 mod, which will be a continuation of one of the 1994 American Stockcars we are developing for Assetto Corsa. There will be a Patreon vote on which of the three 3d models we will continue to develop to meet AMS2 specifications.

Speed & Glory:
For those of you who might not be a part of the discord, we had a small team developing a standalone racing game using Unreal Engine 5. Unfortunately this project was spinning its gears, and I deemed it too complex in its initially intended scope for the two people working on it.

Speed & Glory will now be an Unreal Engine 5 overlay over AC. You will join raceteams, build cars, repair parts, etc. in the overlay menus and interactive maps. And when the actual races load up you will drive HSS cars in Assetto Corsa. Once the races conclude you will return to the S&G overlay, where your winnings and respect will be calculated.

The current plan is that your racing career will start in the year 1919 and continue through until 1940. You will be able to purchase parts at the junkyard or from various auto shops to upgrade the racecar in your garage. Your career will start at the local level, and as you progress opportunities will open up and you will be able to participate in higher levels of racing, including the biggest event of them all, The 500!

HSS Online Universe (for Champion tier supporters, check the Discord channels):
VOISIN (drivers accepted on a first come first serve basis):
Forged in the finest factories and sporting the latest technology.... Voisin. Clad in silver... Voisin. Based on the most advanced aerodynamic principles... Voisin. We have four seats remaining. We are offering 1, 2, or 3 year contracts (your choice!) to anyone willing to challenge expectations.... join the Voisin revolution today.

SUNBEAM (applications required):
We are looking for experienced British gentlemen drivers. We are offering 2 year racing contracts for the 1923 & 1924 season. Please reach out to the Sunbeam racing team with your qualifications. We have three seats remaining. Thank you.

BUGATTI (applications required):
Join the powerhouse Bugatti racing team! We are one of the most prestigious and well respected auto manufacturers... we are offering 1 year contracts. We have three seats remaining. Join Bugatti and become part of racing's royalty.

FIAT (applications required):
Power, speed, and victory... its what matters in motor racing. We are looking for committed race car drivers who are willing to drive our state of the art Fiat 805 to victory for the next three seasons, 1923-1925. We have four seats remaining. Fiat is more then a car company, more then a race team... its the pursuit of victory at all costs.
--- Italian drivers will be given preference, and we can also discuss a 2 year contract if preferred.

The DELAGE team has one spot remaining and the ROLLAND PILLIAN team is full.

Historic Sim Studios YouTube Channel:
Checkout the new HSS YouTube Channel here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNdelw44RvCqXnecxbSpblg

Thanks to those of you who reached out offering to help! The HSS YouTube team is now composed of 5 creators who are going to be producing regular video content moving forward. We are currently working on highlight videos for the 1906 Renault AK GP & the 1968 Daihatsu P-5, spotlight videos on the Itala racing history & white rubber tires, and finally I will be posting a video update covering some aspects of HSS in further detail.

Conclusion:
As always, feel free to message me here on Patreon, at my discord account, or send me an email to daniel@historicsimstudios.com if you have any questions or would like to join the HSS YouTube team! Please also make sure your discord account is linked to your Patreon if you are a Champion tier supporter, message me if you have any issues. Thanks so much for your support on this awesome journey!