iRacing Alternatives

[Shovas]

I'm okay with monthly fees *or* pay for content but not both. That said, are there any iRacing alternatives that provide roughly the same features and functionality that are one or the other?

I'm particularly interested in online racing with enough people to get a race going anytime, accurate physics (as much as possible anyway), laser scanned tracks (for their effect on physics and ffb), and a good selection of quality tracks and cars.

So, Asseto Corsa, rFactor, SimRaceway, etc. Do any of these or others fit the bill?

Thanks

 

[Bakkster]

SRW is F2P with only content costs. However, I've not had luck with their servers, being both empty and laggy. Not just normal network lag, but my car not moving while the lap timer continues. To be fair, I've been told my experience isn't typical, but it put me off enough not to bother again.

I believe all the other sim developers have said they don't plan a similar cohesive online experience like iRacing including provided servers, though I think they all have matchmaking for private servers. Haven't heard of any 3rd parties planning to put together server groups that will support safety restrictions and skill matching, but AC is supposed to be capable of that for any modders who want to add it.

 

[DewCrew88]

Asetto Corsa is the future if iRacing doesnt fix the physics.

 

[Luiz Silveira]

SRW is F2P with only content costs. [...]

True. But even if we put aside its shady origins, SRW has pretty much the worst physics I've had the chance to try out in this new millennium. I'd personally much prefer sticking to simcade for pickup racing if the alternative is only SRW, but that's of course a personal opinion.

Asetto Corsa is the future if iRacing doesnt fix the physics.

Oh, here we go.

I agree that AC has the better physics but AC (literally) doesn't compete with iRacing when it comes to racing organization. It just doesn't have that feature, and as far as we know it will not have it in the future. Unfortunately.

[...]I'm particularly interested in online racing with enough people to get a race going anytime, [...]s

Then, sad as it is, currently there is no alternative to iRacing. The only real alternative is league racing, in which the other sims like AC and rF2 come in.

I perfectly understand if your rejection of the subscription+content structure is a matter of principle. But just to put things into context, if you get the promotions and play your cards right you can pay as low as U$3 (or £1.75) a year for the subscription part of things. So we're talking $0.25 a month. For me personally, that and nothing is pretty much the same.

 

[yusupov]

R3E WILL have MP this year, & judging from their alpha/beta tests with DTM, the netcode is really, really good.

its free to try with a lot of paid microtransactions, but if youre going to invest in it (key word 'invest' -- other than the sounds, which are just pure earsex, its pretty flat, tbh...im hoping that changes & there have been some positive steps that way since ive been following it) now is probably the best time as all content is 50% off. you can also get DTM-E for 50% off with a code. it came with the r3e newsletter & is on these forums, but anyone can ask me if they cant find it (sorry, too lazy to get it right now). but do NOT buy DTM full price on steam.

 

[Shovas]

I perfectly understand if your rejection of the subscription+content structure is a matter of principle. But just to put things into context, if you get the promotions and play your cards right you can pay as low as U$3 (or £1.75) a year for the subscription part of things. So we're talking $0.25 a month. For me personally, that and nothing is pretty much the same.

Oh, no, I certainly wouldn't consider that expensive. I do know about the Black Friday sale which to me, even with the stock content, would be a really great deal. I'm pretty sure I will renew when they offer that.

How did you come up with $3/year, though? Is that the 2 year @ $89 deal for new subscriptions?

 

[Shovas]

Actually I very much respect SimBin for their past titles and I really thought they were going the iRacing route (physics, laser scanning, etc.) with R3E but I just put a bit of money into it to get some tracks and cars and I couldn't put my finger on what felt wrong about it but it's the lack of laser scanned tracks and the absence of their effect on physics and ffb.

I didn't believe it so I googled some and found some interviews with them and they straight up say they're not doing laser scan and they're also not going after the 'sim racer' market. They won't say it but they are going simcade. It sort of blew my mind how they could launch a new title without that stuff.

iRacing has spoiled me, I don't think I can go back

 

[Blkout]

Asetto Corsa is the future if iRacing doesnt fix the physics.

Really Chris? Lets be real clear and cut the BS. AC will NEVER have an online network like iRacing. Kunos' pockets arent that deep. I love AC dearly but to suggest it will ever match iRacing's online network is beyond optimistic.

 

[Shovas]

Does AC really have that much better physics that you'd make the switch? I'm relatively new to sim racing, granted, but I find iRacing's emphasis on physics really exemplary.

 

[Blkout]

Does AC really have that much better physics that you'd make the switch? I'm relatively new to sim racing, granted, but I find iRacing's emphasis on physics really exemplary.

AC's physics are really good. I dont hate iRacing's physics either I just think the cars spin out a little too easily but you learn to drive accordingly.

 

[Bakkster]

How did you come up with $3/year, though? Is that the 2 year @ $89 deal for new subscriptions?

It's calculated by combining every promo possible.

50% off subscription ($49/year)
- 25% off credits
- 4 x $10 season participation credit
- $5 yearly loyalty credit
= $4 per year

Of course, that requires you to spend $75 per year to get the bonus credits, and it means you aren't spending these promo credits on content, but it does show that if you take advantage well you're basically just paying for content.

 

[Chronus]

Does AC really have that much better physics that you'd make the switch?

Regardless of how "far advanced" or "evolved" Asseto is over NetKar Pro, it's easy to understand where exactly does Asseto stand if you pay attention to posts/articles/presentations of Stefano where he presents his own views on NetKar Pro and Asseto (and where he himself believes each should fit into).

First of all, if you want to have some clear understanding of what you ask, strip away HYPE - hype from supporters, hype from those who plan to take profit from these sims (and I'm not talking about developer studios), and hype from the marketing heads working their brains out to sell the product (the sim).

Strictly speaking from the perspective of people with very much relevant knowledge/experience of both simulations and race car driving/engineering, are the differences in physics (between iRacing and NetKar Pro and Asseto Corsa, or any other sim) that big or obvious to make it worth the switch? No.

Not worth to make the switch from rFactor/GSC (older platform) to iRacing or Asseto Corsa, and certainly not worth abandoning the best online-racing service in the market today (iRacing) for anything new.

Obviously, that's "just" the feedback I got from those involved in motorsports (and simracing), the kind of feedback which for some is unimportant.

I'm relatively new to sim racing, granted, but I find iRacing's emphasis on physics really exemplary

They're really emphatic about laser scanned tracks, the "plug and play" nature of the sim, the structure of online racing, FIRST and...continuous development.

Physics has always been the subject of much heat and controversy, even among iRacers, and even more so after the release of the NTM. Two years have passed since then and we're still discussing and having to deal with odd issues or inconsistencies between cars (and often, between builds of the same car).

I don't doubt there's a will to strengthen the "emphasis on physics", but there's too much going on at the same time (new cars, new tracks, more users, maintaining two tire models at the same time) for that to happen soon.

 

[Luiz Silveira]

How did you come up with $3/year, though? Is that the 2 year @ $89 deal for new subscriptions?

Of course, that requires you to spend $75 per year to get the bonus credits, [...]

No it doesn't.

It's indeed $49/year to renewal at black Friday or other promos (there is one going right now for $99 for two years, same thing).

Then -$5 for loyalty bonus (if you keep your account for 1 year non-stop, which you will), and -$10 per season for participation bonus. So you can get $45 in bonuses, so the price of $49 minus $45 in bonuses equals $4 a year. No need for the 100 for 75 promo.

I had mentioned that promo because, had you bought 100 for 75 during the year (which you probably would to get cheaper content when you need it) you'd probably have some remaining credit from it laying on your account. If you pay with that credit, the $4 a year membership is actually costing you $3. No big difference at this point as it's either $3 or $4 a year, but it's just to show how you can get the cheapest.

But let's say you didn't manage to race enough during the year and you only snatched 1/2 the participation bonus. Then you only get $20 in bonus, thus you pay (49-20) $29. Then the 100 for 75 makes more difference, as those $29 in iRacing credits will actually cost you $21.75 in actual money. Or the equivalent of $1.80 a month, still not too bad.

Spoiler: Just a disclaimer: earning those $40 a year is not that easy at first.

Edit: just one last disclaimer for OP, for I don't want to sound like I'm cheating him. These $40 bonus credits a year are not easy to earn as a newcomer. You'd need to race 8 out of 12 races every season in either 3 C/D class series, or 1 C/D class series and one B class series. You can usually race these 8 weeks in C/D classes buying only 5 or so tracks, but they might not be the same across all series. Plus, you'll take a bit of time to get to B class (it can easily be done in one season and even less, very easily, but it takes a bit of time and effort).

So you'll inevitably race rookie series for a bit, which doesn't give you participation bonus credits. If you are new to sim racing I'd recommend staying at the rookie series for at least a season, so you won't be earning any. But you can earn a D license literally in a couple of days max if you know what you are doing, and then you can immediately start running D series and earning the credits.

I always write too much but what I'm trying to say is: it might take one season or two for you to really start earning those credits, and it's not that easy for a D class-just-out-of-rookies player to get $10 a season to reap $40 a year. So think of it more for something in the longer run; your first year will inevitably cost $49 ($4 a month), and your second year may cost something like $30 (a couple of credits, a bit of the 100 for 75, say $2.50 a month), and your third year will then cost you less if not the $3 in the end.

iRacing is always about the long run. The more you do it, and the longer you have done it, the cheaper it gets.

 

[Kinduci]

in my opinion..

If you want online racing, iRacing is the only option and as much as people moan it is the cost that makes it unique, This small cost (subscription only) keeps it to a place where you generally know that everyone your racing with is into racing enough that their willing to pay this monthly fee.
Without this you will quickly get your casual crash happy drivers you see in all other sims/games. Add to this the license system and irating based splits and quite simply it works.

Track/Car content is another matter but there's many threads out there about how to minimize cost of that.

Take the leap on a 3 month trial for $10 or there abouts and if you don't like it after that you haven't lost much, but at least give it a try especially if your considering spending numerous larger amounts on other titles. Largely iRacing is the only title i play and after a year or two as a subber i now own all the content i'm interested in so the cost for me really is the minimal subscription.

 

[Blkout]

in my opinion..

If you want online racing, iRacing is the only option and as much as people moan it is the cost that makes it unique, This small cost (subscription only) keeps it to a place where you generally know that everyone your racing with is into racing enough that their willing to pay this monthly fee.
Without this you will quickly get your casual crash happy drivers you see in all other sims/games. Add to this the license system and irating based splits and quite simply it works.

Track/Car content is another matter but there's many threads out there about how to minimize cost of that.

Take the leap on a 3 month trial for $10 or there abouts and if you don't like it after that you haven't lost much, but at least give it a try especially if your considering spending numerous larger amounts on other titles. Largely iRacing is the only title i play and after a year or two as a subber i now own all the content i'm interested in so the cost for me really is the minimal subscription.

That's actually another good point in regards to the pricing for iRacing. The fact that it does cost more than most other sims means that the people playing it are far less likely to mess around and ruin a race for others. When people screw up in iRacing, its not because they were trying to, its genuinely because they made an honest mistake. Most free online racing sims are going to have your fair share of immature players that simply want to get a laugh out of causing havoc for serious players.

 

[Bakkster]

That's actually another good point in regards to the pricing for iRacing. The fact that it does cost more than most other sims means that the people playing it are far less likely to mess around and ruin a race for others. When people screw up in iRacing, its not because they were trying to, its genuinely because they made an honest mistake. Most free online racing sims are going to have your fair share of immature players that simply want to get a laugh out of causing havoc for serious players.

Not that I think higher prices mean better racing, but it has seemed to work out somewhat like that. That's why you need to input a credit card even for free trials, when they tried without it the users who got banned could just create a new free account.

There just needs to be something on the line people aren't willing to lose, or at least to keep them from working around the suspension system. A bit like how FPS hackers will buy a bunch of game accounts during sales so it's cheap to get banned. Now I believe iRacing looks for duplicate credit cards, addresses, or whatever to try and make the ban more than 'just' the account but the individual specifically. I think they can go a lot cheaper before they reach a point where it's becoming a target for griefers.

 

[yusupov]

yeah, i really dont believe that pricing is meant in any way to keep away griefers, thats just an unintended consequence. im afraid, at least for now, they really do need those prices to keep at a level they (and tbh myself as well) feel is competitive. which is not just the MP but a quality level high enough to at least be competitive with the $50 sims.

just having to may a subscription fee & face potential ban should be enough of a gate to keep away griefers. much less the rather steep sub fees iracing asks for.

 

[Niel Hekkens]

These topics here at RD makes me sad... All topics are like soap series story lines that keep going on forever...

In summary:
person A: "This sim sucks, because reasons."
person B: "This sim is good, because reasons."
person A: "I disagree."
person C: "I hate this sim and everybody should and will know it. I think the physics suck."
person A: "Yes, [insert other sim, probably AC] will beat iRacing."
person D: "I hate this sim because it's business model is different."
etc.

It's not weird that the iRacing area is dead, compared to the other areas here on RD. The only things I read here is complaining and whining. It's a hostile environment.
I don't like things about AC for various reasons, but I'm not constant complaining over there.

If you hate iRacing, good for you. If you like iRacing, good for you too. Just stop trying to convince each other like people trying to convince political party A is better than B. Or faith A is better than B. It's useless and never anything good came out of it. Everything in life has it's pro's and cons. That also applies to racing sims. Just enjoy the variety of racing sims that's out there!

 

[Lou Sytsma]

For structured online racing there are no substitutes for iRacing.

 

[Blkout]

Just enjoy the variety of racing sims that's out there!

And this sums up how I feel. Not a single racing game/sim has nailed every aspect. All of them have pros and cons and at times, it can be frustrating to have one you really love not check every box but I do try to enjoy every one of them for what they do offer, and I have a long list these days of racing games/sims that I enjoy.