Personal opinion r3e vs rF2

Two weeks back, purely out of curiosity i have bought rFactor 2. I never felt i would be "my" game because it depends heavily on mods. Anyways, after a loooong period of time i started up R3E and i remembered i still had 800+ RVP's left. I bought Zolder, reconfigured my G27, selected the Audi R8 and gave it another try. After about 20 laps i felt to need to write this post.
- Graphics: R3E
Much sharper and better techniques than rF2. Lightning and details are much finer.

- Sound: R3E
By far and it almost defeats every single game i own (even outside the race genre). As the inside sounds as exterior sounds are diamond pearls for my ears. The replay is nice to watch. Actually you can hear the cars engines on the other side of the track. Great stuff Simbin!!!!

- Tracks: R3E / rF2
The tracks in R3E are much more bumpy. In that way the tracks are more "alive". On the other hand, rFactor has a very stunning race line build up including marbels and drying conditions after wet surface. Maybe this will be an option for r3e but for now i focus on the features currently present in both latest versions. (or am i blind concerning R3E?)

Physics: rF2
Im not going to start a debate between arcade or simulation. This is not to be determinate cause its very personal. Just as personal like humor, movie genre or books. To me rF2 feels much more natural than R3E. And that's not because it's more difficult. R3E is way more forgiving. Im able to make corrections that would result in a spin driving rF2. On the other hand, r3E is more relaxing driving. In the end its just what you personally prefer. To put in an other perspective: Driving a rear wheel driven car in EVO feels much harsher than R3E.
Another interesting thing to share: The cars in rF2 have actual weight, which i miss in R3E. You can see(!) and feel the mass shifting. Simultaneously that is being translated to the FFB as for R3E i only see it visual as the car is not able to follow the raceline but i do not feel it! This also result in a huge advantage i notice for rF2: im able to drive clean, sharp and nice, keeping the car exactly on the edge of the max grip, sparing tyres and fuel.

FFB: rF2
In rF2 i feel exactly when i closing in on the max grip, when im on it and when i cross it. In R3E i only feel when i cross it and than it's too late. The FFB in EVO was much closer to rF2 than R3E. r3e has gone a step back.

Interface and menu structure: Simbin....back to the drawing table!!!!!!

In the end: there is no winner. The winner is the race game that uses Pcars for graphics, R3E for sound and rF2 for physics and even than not every one will be satisfied. There will never be a 100% all can do game engine. R3E is not that bad but for me it's a step back in comparison with GTR2, and Race.
 
I like the menu, when you know you way around it's one of the best and most modern. When you wanna change the car or track in Race 07 you always need to start at the beginning, here you just change car or track and push start.
You can change settings while on the track and don't go back to the garage to change some wheel settings.

I don't compare to other games because they are to different and every comparison is useless.

Of course I have most Sims between GTL and rFactor2 (except iracing) and it's good to have so many choices when you sit in front of your wheel.
 
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There are few important things to remember when you read this. Firstly all the games are still very much of work in progress products so they can change for better or worse depending what you like. Secondly always try the game yourself and don't trust what other people think about it. Words and videos cant tell the truth how the game runs and works in your computer or how it feels to you.Your opinion is the only one that matters so try them yourself.

PCars - Showing promise but still have long way to go

Positive:
+ Graphics looks very good. Visual damage on cars is nicely done.
+ Good sounds which they are still improving car by car
+ Last builds have improved FFB and handling
+ Weekly builds
+ Developer communication
+ Modern UI

Neutral:
*Good collection of cars but could be better. Multiple cars of same class and performance makes races interesting
* Modding ??.

Negative:
- Lack of road feel and tires in corners. Cornering feels damped and its almost like centering spring is always on. Difficult to know/feel when grip is lost.
- Handling&Physics issues
- Bugs but those are expected
- AI

Summary: Biggest issue by far currently is the car physics. It just dosent feel right&real to me be but other people seem to like them.

RFactor 2 - King of features


Positive:
+ Road feel, handling and FFB can be very good. Sadly one of the best example of these features is using "borrowed" car models.
+ In right circumstances(morning/evening + right HDR profile) it can look very nice. Atmospheric.
+ Feel of being there
+ Real road
+ Driver swapping
+ Moddable. Some excellent user made tracks have all ready been made
+ Multiplay

Neutral:
* Nice collection of different cars but there should be more cars of same class and performance.

Negative:
- Graphics are not always 2013 standards. Newest tracks and cars are showing the potential of rF2
- Old looking and clumsy UI
- Sounds could be better
- Modding community seems to be unimpressed with rF2 so its not clear how popular the modding will be
- Missing cars of same class and performance
- Features not yet working as planned

Summary:
It feels and drives great. Visually not the best but its good enough for me. Great tracks have been made by community but sadly we are still missing great car mods. I have doubts for the popularity of rF2 in modding community. Assetto Corsa seems to be "the game" for the modders currently. Hopefully Enduracers, Apex modding, UnitedRacing Desing or some other modders will keep working with rF2 so that we can enjoy quality mods in rF2.

RaceRoom Racing Experince - Simbin's leap of faith

Positive:
+ Sounds can be truly great
+ It looks good...Race 07 roots shows even when the engine is new
+ "Simcade" car handling is fun and relaxed(could be a negative too). :)
+ Nice variety of cars. Cars of same class and performance will make races more interesting

Neutral:
* Free to play(costly when you start buying tracks and cars)
* Cars feel soft and slightly unresponsive

Negative:
- Simbin, where's the GAME ?.
- No single or multiplay available at the moment
- No modding as far as I know
- Quite expensive when you start to buy cars and tracks. They really should make some package deals
- Corner markers
- Broken promises
- Simcade wobbly car handling (could be positive. :)

Summary: It sounds excellent and looks good but Its not full blown simulator when it gomes to handling of the cars. Many of us wanted updated GTR 3 and got a R3E which in my opinion is only a "simcade". It could be fun game when the actual single and multiplay is ready. I do think its overpriced and their free to race scheme was wrong choice for this product.

Assetto Corsa - holy grail of simracing

Positive:
+ Feel of the tires and road is excellent as well as the feeling of weight transfer
+ Physics
+ FFB is excellent
+ Plenty of exciting cars and tracks
+ Laser scanned tracks. Conventional methods do produce excellent results too.
+ Looks great
+ Modding supported and modding groups are all ready making mods for it
+ Cockpit sounds are good based on latest videos
+ Modern UI

Neutral
*

Negative
- Delayed release
- Could have used better video capture methods for their unofficial videos

Summary: AC tech demo seems to have it all and hopefully it delivers in full game. Tech Demo is good looking , runs well and the car is dream to drive. This is the first game where you feel the road and four tires even when you loose grip. Biggest worry is the multi- and singleplay quality.
Kunos previous attempt is multiplay game was far from perfect but hopefully AC will change all that. Modding scene looks very promising.

BOTTOM LINE:
My favourites are rF2 and Assetto Corsa. There will not be a game that everyone likes so luckily we have multiple games to choose from. Hopefully all games find enough buyes so that we can enjoy new content for all of them.
 
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I think i agree with Peter its pointless trying to draw a comparison between any of the sims at present or at any time, as there all in different levels of completion and some will be constantly updated.
maybe in a couple of years we can draw a comparison, on what each sim has to offer
At the moment we can give each sim so many positives and negatives if you split it all down in individual components. or just do a broad outline to cover what is working and what is not, what options it will have or wont have.
We already know of many changes that should happen in each sim and new option that will be introduced in the future.
All i can say is it looking good for us all. with the games we drive right now and also the one that are yet to be released.
Lets not forget that there will still be people out there that will still drive the older sims and will be happy doing so for many years to come,
And the last time i looked i was still sat in my room with a wheel strapped to a frame playing a game.
and thats one thing for sure this wont change it just a game its not real.
 
the feature that for me puts iRacing by far at the top: in popular series like the Skip Barber you can basically get into an online match with people very evenly levelled almost every hour, due to the iRating system. Just did an event where the top laptimes of the grid of 14 were all within less than a second and this without having to follow forum discussions (which I hugely enjoy) or sticking to one time a week as in leagues. The SR system makes many players conscious of what they are actually doing, finished the race without a single touch even though we were fighting like little terriers for p8-p11 for many laps with position swaps, three wides, the lot. For the casual player like me, nothing beats the availability of online matches on balanced grids at iRacing.
 
Two weeks back, purely out of curiosity i have bought rFactor 2. I never felt i would be "my" game because it depends heavily on mods. Anyways, after a loooong period of time i started up R3E and i remembered i still had 800+ RVP's left. I bought Zolder, reconfigured my G27, selected the Audi R8 and gave it another try. After about 20 laps i felt to need to write this post.
.
Boby I would have to say that I agree with you on the pros and cons of each of the two games, although I must say I couldn't begin to have said it as well. I just recently bought RF2 and the feel of the cars is excellent and easy to drive because of the feel when losing grip. But as you said they are different and I have found that I really enjoy driving R3E also, especially now that they have a track, Laguna Seca, that I know in real life!! Great job with the track and driving the RUF12 is a dream on it!

I started sim racing with GPL and finding the Repco Brabham and the old Spa track in RF2 is fantastic and would have been reason enough to buy it by itself. I have found the the feel in these old F1 cars is great and very drivable compared to my first experiences with GPL which was difficult at best. So as many of you have noted, each game brings its own joys and I am having a great time with both games although for different reasons.
 
Don't lock it up:thumbsup: Great comparisons and info from both you, Jari and others and I find it not only interesting but useful in how I look at Sims. After years of being away I tried out racing again on a PS3 with GT5. Remembered how much fun it is and also how much more I enjoyed PC based games so I built a new computer and am having a great time with all the new Sims. Little overwhelmed by so many choices and the quality of all of them so the information really is valuable! After all you did start this thread with " Personal opinion..." which is what it is and that is great. Good stuff so keep it going!!
 
It's clear that my first post has created reactions that i truly wanted to avoid. Forums seems okay but in the end its so difficult to translate my native Dutch thoughts into bright English words so everybody can interoperate my post in only one way. It was absolutely NOT my intention to rand or troll about a certain race title. I have been stupid. Just as personal the difference between arcade an sim is, the difference between games is just as personal. From that perspective i should never ever have wrote the first post. Its a learning curve to have a wide open view and not to be prejudiced. I want to apologize if i was. Again: i wont do it again.

B.
 
sorry mate, but I highly valuate your opinion
as lots of other opinions on this forum
several impressions are important cause other people
notice things that might escape my attention in sim hardware/software
or I lack the skill or knowledge to evaluate certain aspects of it
that are not to be neglected
 

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