HammerTime Assetto Corsa

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Getting Started · FAQ

New to Assetto Corsa or HammerTime? Content Manager, CSP, joining servers, cars and tracks, common errors, wheel and graphics basics.

Join the HammerTime Discord: discord.gg/jAUUyy8r9w

FAQ & guides

  • 🚀 Getting Started — New to Assetto Corsa or HammerTime? Content Manager, CSP, joining servers, cars and tracks, common errors, wheel and graphics basics.
  • 🖥 UI & HUD — Score HUD, Store, Tuning, Guides, lap ghosts, drive challenges, leaderboard, teleport and car color — with screenshots.
  • 🟢 NOW ONLINE — Discord live roster, categories, join / car pickers, and the in-game NOW ONLINE button (JOIN / CARS / SPEC / WATCH).
  • 🟣 Party — Crew of up to 6 across the whole HammerTime fleet, JOIN LEADER, party voice — not the same as drive challenges.
  • 🛣 SRP Routes — Skip Two Lanes vs Two Lanes, Portal ON hops, classic U-turn backup, ghosts per route.
  • 🚗 Sierra Smart AI — What Smart AI does on Sierra de Cadiz, traffic difficulty voting, tips.
  • 🏁 Progressional Ladder — Nord / Spa / Monza Progressional Ladder — open fleet, ladder points, class multipliers.

🚀 Getting Started · New Driver Setup

New to Assetto Corsa or HammerTime? Content Manager, CSP, joining servers, cars and tracks, common errors, wheel and graphics basics.

New Driver Setup Guide — Start Here

This guide is for players who are new to Assetto Corsa or new to HammerTime servers. It covers game setup, joining our servers, fixing common errors, and basic wheel settings — based on real questions from our Discord and common AC beginner guides. Read the UI guide above first if you want to know what the in-game menus do. Before you drive on HammerTime 1. Get verified in verification 2. Install Content Manager and Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) 3. Download the track and cars for the server you want 4. Link your Steam account in steam-link if you want leaderboard credit You do not need an admin password to join and drive. That password is only for server admins.

Part 1 — What You Need

The game You need Assetto Corsa on Steam. The Ultimate Edition includes most DLC cars and is the easiest starting point. Content Manager (CM) This replaces the old slow launcher. Almost every modern AC server expects you to use it. • Download from acstuff.club • Run it once and point it to your Steam Assetto Corsa folder • Always launch AC through Content Manager after this — not through Steam Custom Shaders Patch (CSP) CSP is required for most online servers, including HammerTime. • Open Content Manager → Settings → Custom Shaders Patch • Click Install and use the recommended stable version • If a server says your CSP is too old, update CSP here first Optional but common • Pure or Sol for better lighting and weather (not required to join, but many players use them) • A wheel and pedals — AC works with keyboard too, but a wheel feels much better

Part 2 — First-Time Game Setup

Do these once before joining online servers. 1. Verify your game files (Steam) Steam → right-click Assetto Corsa → Properties → Installed Files → Verify integrity. This fixes missing sounds, broken base cars, and DLC not showing in Content Manager. Note: Verifying removes CSP. Reinstall CSP in Content Manager after verifying. 2. Set your online name Content Manager → Settings → Content Manager → Drive. Set a driver name. Some servers reject a blank name. 3. Link Steam in Content Manager Content Manager → Settings → Content Manager → General. Make sure your Steam profile is linked. This helps with online auth. 4. Test with a stock car Pick a default Kunos car (like the Abarth 500) on a default track (like Imola) in Practice. If that works, your install is healthy. If it fails with Race Cancelled, fix CSP or verify files before trying mods. 5. Wheel rotation Set your wheel to 900° in your wheel software. In CM, enable Soft Lock so each car uses the correct steering angle automatically.

Part 3 — Joining HammerTime Servers

Step 1 — Get verified in Discord Go to verification and tap the ✅ reaction on the verification embed. If you're stuck, ask in help-me-verify. Step 2 — Pick a server Check servers for live HammerTime servers and what track they run. Or open hammertime.gg for occupancy and Content Manager join buttons. Step 3 — Install the track and cars When you try to join, the game tells you what's missing. Common examples: • Missing track → download from track-downloads • Missing cars → download from dlc-cars Install mods by dragging the zip into the Content Manager window, or extract and copy the content folder into your AC folder. Step 4 — Join in Content Manager Content Manager → Online → search for the server name or use the join link from Discord. Step 5 — Open CSP Chat in-game After you join, open the CSP Chat app (phone icon). Server rules ask you to keep it open. Use the lightbulb / Extras button for Teleport to... and Change car color on HammerTime servers (see the UI guide above, Part 6). No password needed You do not need an admin password to drive. If you see a password field, leave it blank unless a staff member gave you one. Link Steam for leaderboard credit After verifying, link your Steam account in steam-link.

Part 3b — Drive Challenges

On HammerTime servers with challenges enabled, you can duel another driver for 5 minutes. Issue a challenge • Honk your horn 3 times within 4 seconds • Everyone on the server sees a chat message — first other driver to honk 3× accepts • Honk 3× again before anyone accepts to cancel • If nobody accepts within 5 minutes, the challenge expires During the match • 3-2-1 countdown appears center screen after someone accepts • Then a 5-minute timer runs under your Store / Tuning buttons • Red text shows your opponent's live score (same as their main score box) • Challenge points mirror actual points — crashes wipe both the same way • Highest live score when the timer hits zero wins; ties are announced in chat Tips • Come to a safe line before honking — you will want to drive immediately after accept • Store perks still work during the duel • Open the in-game Guides tab → DRIVE CHALLENGES for the same rules • The UI guide above (Part 4c) shows where the HUD appears on screen

Part 3c — Lap Ghosts (PB + Rank Rival)

On maps with lap timing (SRP, Nord, PCH, LAC, Union, Horizon, Targa, Sierra, and more), you can race ghost lines. What you get • PB ghost when you beat your best lap; last-run stand-in until then • Rival = place just above you (rank 10 → rank 9); next usable ghost if missing (*) • TRUNC / invalid-route ghosts are never used as rivals • No rank? Lowest ranked recorded ghost first • P1: P2 path sped up to finish 1s under your PB (P2+); tightens every improvement • Ghosts are shared per track across every HammerTime server on that map On screen • World arrow + name (not a full 3D car); HUD VS P# / VS P2+ • Bottom-left: Ghost ON / Ghost OFF under Toggle Markings • Leaderboard → GHOSTS · BY TRACK: per-map sections + ranks; − / + = MY PB pace only (±1s) • Rival is not changed by those buttons SRP • Road coins are gone — use score + Store for tokens • Ghosts are live on Shutoko like every other lap map Full detail: UI guide Part 4b, or in-game Guides → LAP GHOSTS / NOW ONLINE + FLEET JOIN.

Part 4 — Installing Cars & Tracks

Tracks (maps) Our track packs are in track-downloads. Example: Shutoko Revival Project (SRP) is a large track — let it finish installing before joining. After it installs, you should see shuto_revival_project_beta in your tracks folder (example below). Cars Server car packs are in dlc-cars. Different servers use different packs: • Kunos DLC servers — need official AC DLC you own on Steam • Certified / mod servers — use the car pack from our Discord channel How to install • Easiest: drag the .zip into the Content Manager window and click Install • If CM Install fails or gets stuck: use the manual install method (video below) Manual install (when CM built-in install is broken) 1. Download the track pack from track-downloads 2. Extract the zip with 7-Zip / Windows (right-click → Extract) 3. Copy the extracted content folder into your Assetto Corsa install folder 4. Overwrite when Windows asks 5. Restart Content Manager and check Content → Tracks ▶️ Video after Part 4b walks through the full manual track install into Content Manager. If cars were updated Server car packs get updated sometimes. If you played before and now get errors, re-download the latest pack from dlc-cars. Can I bypass DLC? No. Editing colliders or using wrong files causes checksum errors and you won't be able to join.

Part 4b — Manual Track Install (if CM Install fails)

Use this when Content Manager’s built-in Install does not work (stuck, fails, or never finishes). The video below shows how to install track downloads manually into Content Manager / your Assetto Corsa content folder. Quick steps 1. Get the pack from track-downloads 2. Extract the zip 3. Copy content into your AC folder (overwrite if asked) 4. Restart Content Manager Same method works for most car packs too if CM install fails.

▶️ Manual track install into Content Manager

Part 5 — Common Errors & Fixes

HANDSHAKE NOT VERIFIED / missing car or track Your game files don't match the server. • Read the error — it names the missing car or track • Download the track from track-downloads • Download the cars from dlc-cars • If Content Manager Install fails, use Part 4b manual install (video above) • Restart Content Manager and try again Content Manager shows missing cars like this: CM Install fails / stuck on track download • Use Part 4b — Manual Track Install video above • Extract the zip yourself and copy content into your AC folder Race Cancelled The game crashed on load. Try in this order: 1. Update CSP to the latest recommended version 2. Verify Steam game files, then reinstall CSP 3. Test a stock Kunos car on a stock track 4. If online only: re-download the server's car/track pack 5. Check Documents\Assetto Corsa\logs\log.txt for the last few lines DLC cars show as missing in CM but I own them Verify Steam game files. This usually fixes it. CSP version too old Content Manager → Settings → Custom Shaders Patch → update to recommended. Checksum error Your car files don't match the server. Re-download the server pack — don't edit car files. A checksum kick looks like this: Lag at night If using Pure, try Pure Config to adjust lighting. Night shadows are heavier than daytime.

Missing car/track — Content Manager lists the exact cars you still need before you can join.

Checksum failed — your files don't match the server. Re-download the server pack.

Part 6 — Wheel & Force Feedback Basics

Bad wheel settings make AC feel worse than it is. Start simple. General rules • Match wheel rotation in your wheel software and in-game (900° + Soft Lock in CM) • Change one setting at a time • If the wheel feels dead in fast corners, gain is probably too high (clipping) In Content Manager / AC • Gain — start around 70–80% on belt wheels, lower on direct drive (40–55%) • Min Force — 10–15% on Logitech G29/G920/T300, 0% on direct drive wheels • Filter, Damping, Kerb, Road, Slip — set to 0% to start • Turn off Enhanced Understeer Effect CSP tweak (recommended) CSP → Settings → FFB Tweaks → enable More physically accurate gyro. Pedals Calibrate in your wheel software so you can reach 100% brake without standing on the pedal. Don't copy pro settings blindly Different wheels, rigs, and FOV need different numbers. Use ours as a starting point, then adjust.

Part 7 — Graphics & Performance

Start with stable FPS Consistency matters more than max graphics. Stutters make driving harder. Good starting settings • Turn down MSAA if FPS dips (try 2x or 4x instead of 8x) • Lower mirror quality or disable extra mirrors • Reduce AI traffic count in offline tests — online traffic is server-side • Use CSP's recommended stable build before chasing preview/rain builds Field of view (FOV) Use the in-game FOV calculator or CM FOV tool based on your monitor size and distance. A wrong FOV makes speed feel off and hurts consistency. Mods and Pure If Pure and CSP versions don't match, you can get Race Cancelled. Update both together. Still stuck? 1. Test stock car + stock track 2. Update CSP 3. Verify Steam files 4. Re-download the server car/track pack 5. Open a ticket here with a screenshot of the error

HammerTime is a public Assetto Corsa community. Play through Content Manager. Staff pages stay off the public index.