Have Your Say: What Would You Like to See in rFactor 2?

[Paul Jeffrey]

It's that time again where we ask you the community to give some feedback, this time with regards to the development future of rFactor 2.

In an open letter to Studio 397, the new development team behind the rFactor 2 simulation software, we have a think about how we would like to see the sim develop going forward, and ask you the community to offer up some (constructive) suggestions regarding what you would like to see happen with the software in the future.

We already know Studio 397 have plans to bring out improved graphics and upgrade to DX11 from it's current rather dated DX9 routes, plus we know virtual reality support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive is around the corner too. With an all new and much improved UI due to complement these new features, plus something described as "streamlined" content, already Studio 397 are talking a good fight with their plans for a racing simulation that is no doubt one of the most technically competent pieces of software on the market today.

Firstly let's have a look at what the current rFactor 2 does well.

Real Road. This is basically a dynamic track surface that simulates the behaviour of a real racing surface during a race weekend. So we have dynamic rubber build up and wet and dry lines in rain conditions, basically bringing the track to life during the session.

Dynamic weather cycle. This can be pre set for different weather conditions and also plugged in to real world weather at a given location. So if it's raining at the real track it's raining in game too.

Full time of day cycle. Low and behold something that seems to be all too rare in a race sim. Race in the day, race at night. Have it change over time depending on the time of day in game. A must have feature for any racing sim in my opinion.

Driver swop. You can share your car with either the AI or other real people during longer races if you so wish, ideal for multiplayer events. Driver swops carry over tyre wear and damage (if not repaired in the pits).

Advanced tyre model. One of the best in the business although allegedly quite complicated for modders to fully utilise. Features things like flat spots, wear, heat cycles etc.

Moddability. This is a double edged sword. Moddability is great and something that made the original title so very popular for a very long time. For some reason with rF2 the modding scene around the simulation has never quite reached those pervious rF1 heights, but seems to be slowly gathering momentum.


So with a newly motivated development team working behind the scenes and an already exceptionally strong base position, what do you think the developers need to do in order to lift this title ahead of it's admittedly strong sim racing competition? What do you think S397 should concentrate on in the short, medium and long term to help give rFactor 2 the push it needs to recapture the gaming public imagination?

Personally I would like to see further refinements to the weather simulation within the game, small details like windscreen wipers on all the cars, rain drop build up on the windscreens, puddle formations on track and aquaplaning. Basically a complete overhaul of the way rFactor 2 simulates wet weather within the sim, with the exception of the Real Road dry line formation, which for me is an outstanding feature and well implemented already.

Additionally I would like to see a considerably expanded archive of support materials for modding teams and individuals. I firmly believe a certain level of success can easily be achieved by Studio 397 if they work towards building up the first party content in the sim, bringing together the cars already released into cohesive full series (no more single cars from a championship) and adding new and interesting full championship packs. Much like the original rFactor sim and to a lesser extent Assetto Corsa, mod releases are the key to keeping a sim fresh and active long after the game has been released. Quality scratch made mod releases are slowly picking up pace in recent months, however it looks like Kunos and Assetto have taken a bit of a lead in this area since AC released and for me it is critical that Studio 397 act quickly to make up for lost time. Better and more documentation, bulk materials such as tyre sets people can use for their mods, studio sanctioned support and other things would be welcomed greatly I feel.

I could go one forever with things I would love to see, however this is not the point of this article. What I want to know is what you guys in the community would like, your opinions on how the developers can bring rFactor 2 right up to speed with it's immediate rivals in the sim racing world.

I personally think rFactor 2 is one of the best in the business, but it's potential is so much more. Share with us your opinions about how this game can be moved forward to reach that potential!


rFactor 2 is a racing simulation exclusive to Windows PC.

Additional third party content can be downloaded from a variety of sources, one of which is the RaceDepartment rFactor 2 modding archive. Head over and check out the latest releases for the sim, or alternatively join in the discussion and keep up to date with the latest news at our rFactor 2 sub forum right here at RD. If downloading mods or keeping up to date with the latest news items aren't your thing, you can always sign up to one of our epic Club and League events using the software. We hold regular club racing events in our schedule, however the jewel in our crown is no doubt the RaceDepartment Le Mans Series. This is our premium endurance league using rFactor 2. Head over to the RDLMS forum to find out more!

Please have a think about what direction you would like the development of rFactor 2 to go, and what you would like to see added in future. All comments and suggestions gratefully received below!

 

[Piero Favretti]

I personally think rFactor 2 is one* of the best in the business, but it's potential is so much more. Share with us your opinions about how this game can be moved forward to reach that potential!

* The best!
Indeed refinements are needed. rFactor 2 was (and still is) a trailblazer in so many areas when it first cam out, however it needs to keep its content fresh and keep building on its incredible list of features. Improved transmission model, weather, props, prost processing filters, and included content sounds among other things. I would also like to see a more intuitive graphical car setup interface.

I would love to have the ISI's laser scanned Nordschleife be brought to rF2 (originally done for rFactor-Pro). If this kind of content is limited or off limits due to licensing, I personally would be willing to pay for such quality DLC content.

In my book rFactor 2 is the best by a long shot, it just needs a little more polishing to leap further ahead. Cheers!

 

[DriverJay]

Studio 397 have already done a good job with what is coming soon, anything else is a bonus imo, things id love to see content wise would be 2017 improvements for the stockcars or the actual manufacturers cars added to the Sim if a deal could be done, a 90s style stockcar series added and a 90s indycar series

 

[Sven Wever]

Hi.
I dont really play Rfactor2 that often, only to learn tracks. I bought it couple months ago just to keep it rolling after i read that studio-397 took it over.
But i ones saw a site (cant recall wich one it was) that you could see wich servers were up. BUT with the info about how many AI and real poeple were racing.
And that site stated all of the sudden that rfactor doesnt support that anymore. So i would like that feature again.
Thats the reason i dont play it that often, because everytime its only AI.
( Dont know if this is stated many times? if so... im sorry)

 

[Pedro Henrique Delgado]

A Full Touring Series like TCR International... Nobody have the license and it's a promising serie with tons of different cars

 

[tonio duran]

IN FORMULA1 some pilots go in 200 degrees i go more raoido is ireal i put 360 as a real f1 i voi slower that would have to improve if or if it is unacceptable to drive with 200g and 170g. I WILL BE FASTER THAN THE ONE WHO CARRIES THE REAL 360 DEGREES ..

 

[Piero Favretti]

Speaking of the pro-Devil, check out this article:

http://www.isrtv.com/rfactor/rfactor-pro-now-also-simulates-motorcycles/

 

[John Fuqua]

Mid to late 70's Indycar, and F1

 

[JPL083]

What i want to see in RF2? I want it to simulate as much as possible things, situations, happenings etc. What happens in real races. On track, pits. You know... All that. Extensive damage models visually and mechanically simulating ang creating life like situations close as possible, one thing rarely can see is explosing tyres, i think Codemasters goes only the closest with its F1. Happenings during pits example all kinda stuff that happens during Lmp/GT-Racing. And so you can race that already good AI even more like its human, and things happen to them like they happen to you etc. All so real than it can get! Thats what i hope and hope and hope... Plus real racing content. From oldschool to "newschool" Cars and Tracks. No street blaahs but maybe track-toys would be nice addition for casual fun if getting like Nordschleife on the list. (Caterham. Coming Radical. Ariel. Ktm. Bac Mono) those things plus more. RF2-Nurre-Tracktoy, i think that could be super fun extra with all that sweating lol. Additional! One weird dream i have been having a while is that someone could make drag racing game, but i have been thinking that maybe RF could be good platform for drag racing too. Would be nice to experience Top Fuels/Nitro Dragsters in top simulation. Maybe you think im crazy but... Maybe i am But even if i dont have VR. Those things plus that, or even triples... One thing that havent never done before properly or well at all. Could be nice experience and different at least. Some reason i want it to happen, at least some day. Some way or another. Before i die lol.
Edit. Plus one thing just came to my mind what i have been long time hoping to experience in good sim. Also Is... Isle of man! What i told about tracktoys in Nurre, those also in IOM:n.

 

[M.Guenette]

Rfactor 2 is by far the best racing simulator available. There is however a glaring deficiency that needs to be addressed. That deficiency is in it's online multiplayer issues. Believe me Official Forums have been read , ports have been opened and all firewall permissions have been granted. Creating , Hosting and Joining errors are very much an issue. People simply are tired of the problems. A complete pass over of the online setup issues is definitely warranted. Trying set up or join races and seeing consistent
"Password Invalid" or "package not available" warnings is quite honestly unacceptable. Yes I have tried the work around with no success. RFactor 2 has the most potential of any Sim out there hands down !!
Please... Studio 397. Fix the online multiplayer issues.

 

[melanieuk]

- More and better replay TV camera's. (As they are now it's quite boring watching replays after a race in rFactor 2, as the camera's seem to far away from the racing action.)
- rFactor 2 sound engine is the old Miles revision, with no ambiance effects, so a updated Miles Sound Engine, preferably Miles 10 or Fmod would be great.
- A complete update of their sound samples, as they sound like the ones used in rFactor1.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

Aquire a few licenses to some series, better sounds, performance and graphics.

 

[softslider]

I know rF2 has focused race car rather than street sports car. But it would be very welcomed for Studio397 to provide typical street sports cars having FR/MR(FMR,RMR) and RR layouts. Currently I'm satisfied with Honda NSX but hard to find others.

Additional thing I want is real view mirrors(room/side). Shadow processing isn't mandatory and static image seems enough for my taste. I'd like to see the body of vehicle especially in side mirrors.

 

[TzZyO]

People asking for good damage modeling should realize that it's something impossible with the current hardware. Let's be honest here, damage modeling in any sim so far is crappy. Some say it's good in RBR, but to me the damage there looks rather random.

Instead of trying to replicate the exact result of hitting something with the car (we have more chances to see real time ray-traced graphics on PC before that happening) it's best to think up some other means of penalizing the player causing accidents.

Edit: If you thought tire modeling was complicated, take into consideration that tire modeling is just a small subset of damage and deformation modeling mostly dealing with a homogeneous material interacting with an undeformable isotropic solid having little other properties other than the coefficient of friction.

 

[Lennart Groessl]

Hillman Imp GT3

You..... I like you

 

[JonathanBenn]

A seamless point-to-point mode is top of my list. Rally, hillclimb and the Goodwood Festival of Speed could all come to life.

 

[Eagle Racer]

A proper GP2 a.k.a Formula 2 car/mod

 

[magzire]

For the love of God remove AI from online

 

[Boby Kim]

New sound engine...

 

[Emery]

AC just added a multiplayer feature that makes sense: "Added locked entry list in pickup mode: same as in booking mode, only players already included in the entry list can join the server (password not needed)."

Naturally admins would need to be able to edit the list, but it solves the problem of passwords being spread around and the need for a password in the first place.

 

[Will Mazeo]

And pit window, something I wish rF2 and AMS had, especially for GT leagues this is very important feature IMO