RaceRoom Racing Experience Review

2014-10-24_00002.jpg

In the shadow of this years sims and latest releases, there remains a loyal following of RaceRoom Racing Experience (or R3E) by Sector 3 Studios. With the majority of the content requiring purchase, the graphics not as pretty as that of competing sims on the market, and still being under development, how can they maintain their following? So, is it just another case of so-called "fanboy-ism" or have they really got something going for them?


R3E is a free-to-play racing simulator, which means you can download it for free, and drive a small selection of cars and tracks. The rest of the content is purchased using "vRP": R3E's own currency. vRP can be bought for a reasonable price, or can be won in competitions. This makes R3E somewhat of a budget friendly sim. After all, it can indeed be played for free - if you can restrain yourself after you've been teased by monetized content. For those who can't bear the thought of not having full access to all content, R3E can become somewhat expensive in comparison to other simulators which come at a one-time fee, plus a DLC or two perhaps.

R3E does host hot-lap competitions with real prizes, which is similar to some elements found in iRacing (which can cost considerably more with its monthly fees). These prizes range from vRP to VIP tickets to a real ADAC Masters race or a new Fanatec wheel.

The rather unique pricing model may seem reasonable depending on your specific desires, or may seem expensive by comparison. So, does the gameplay make it worth the risk of being sucked into paying for more content?

THE SOUND! That's the first thing that caught my attention. There's no denying, these guys have got the sound down. The difference between interior and exterior views is quite large as you would expect, and the reverb sounds amazing in tunnels. Simply put, the sounds are very, very good.

Today we are seeing graphics that are near photo quality, and after driving some of the other sims on the market, I must say R3E looks a bit cartoony. This is not to say to graphics are poor by any stretch of the imagination, because that's not true either; the sun glare looks good and the reflections in the paint are accurate. It just doesn't have that certain shine to it. But once you start driving, you won't really notice the difference, and that's really the most important bit.

The force feedback (FFB) is strong and detailed. One of the most noticeable traits is the satisfying kick it gives on shifts. This shift effect seems a bit overdone from default, but with some adjustment, it can be tuned to your own personal liking. Also very noticeable, is the way the wheel is strong and resistant without being heavy. It doesn't have that constant resistance that usually comes with strong FFB, it only pushes against you when the tyres and suspension are really under load. Although the FFB doesn't seem to change much from car to car, it feels just the way I imagine a purebred racecar should. It does have some flaws, but it seems most of them are small and will likely be worked out over time. Overall, the FFB feels very well done. More importantly, the FFB and all its traits add endlessly to the immersion.

2014-10-24_00001.jpg

Initially I felt the cars were a bit too grippy, but as I have become more comfortable with the cars my opinion, for the most part, has changed. Once you start to get your times up to pace, and you start to really push the car, it begins to feel very different. And that is a good thing. Modern race cars have loads of technology packed into them, and are relatively easy to drive, until you get them to the edge. Really, the physics are very good and I find that it is quite easy to transition from R3E to other accurate sims.

The combination of the physics and the FFB alone make for a quite immersive experience, add to it the sounds, and it is very easy to get lost in hot-lapping for hours on end. The AI isn't too bad either, they can be a bit aggressive during practice and qualifying, but most of the time they are able to safely race alongside and navigate around you. The dynamic AI difficultly setting however seems a bit too easy, I was able to easily put a large gap between myself and second place on a very short race. So, finding the preferred difficulty myself was a better option.

So, the driving experience itself is good, but what about the content? That is after all, the thing we have to pay for.

Well, the content seems to uphold a consistent quality, which is quite good. The tracks do not feel flat and smooth, the feel detailed and bumpy. The differences from track to track are noticeable, especially regarding kerbs, which is just as it should be. They may not be laser-scanned, but the tracks all have a good feel to them, unlike many other non-laser-scanned interpretations. It may not be 100% correct, but I nor vast majority of sim-racers have ever driven on these tracks in real life, so spotting the differences isn't as easy as it may appear.

Some cars do seem to have some errors when it comes to the interior, compared to real life photo and video. But where that may be wrong, the sounds are spot on. I found myself driving cars for lengths of time simply to hear the reverb of my motor coming down the front straight. The accuracy of the sounds from car to car makes the sound of the motor a deciding factor in what is your favourite. This is something many sims and games alike fall short on, so when they get it right as they have with R3E, it is sensational.

While the FFB itself doesn't seem to vary much car to car, they do feel entirely different. The FWD cars especially so. They react just as you would expect them to, and can be loads of fun to throw into the corners with the tyres howling like the alpha-male of a wolf pack. Older cars such as the BMW M1 Procar are amazing fun to slide around the corners, and I must say the level of feeling and control when doing so is very, very good. That is a particular area many, if not most, sims struggle, and Sector 3 Studios seems to have gotten it right.

Really, when it comes to the content, it's about what you enjoy the most. Some cars, I can't seem to walk away from simply for the sound. Others, it's because of the ability to enjoy a bit of hooliganism. So I won't attempt to say which are best, I can however, tell you which are my favourite combinations.

5. BMW M1 Procar @ Circuit Zolder - This one is for fun. The car sounds amazing and just feels amazing to slide around Zolder's slower corners. Give it a try, it's sure to put a smile on your face!

4. Ford GT GT3 @ Circuit Park Zandvoort - Also a great race, and the roar of the GT is amazing. This one has a lot to do with that sound.

3. Audi R8 ADAC Masters @ Nurburgring Sprint - This one makes for a great race, especially online in multiplayer. It's a track I know well, and a car that is simply brilliant.

2. Zakspeed Capri @ Laguna Seca - This one is also for fun. The Capri has so much boost it kicks the back end out at high speeds without any problem. I know Laguna Seca well, so this one is loads of fun to drift around a bit.

1. Radical SR9 Judd @ Bathurst - If I were to recommend any one car, this would be it. The sound is astonishing and just a pleasure to listen to, combined with the hills and tight walls of Bathurst, this combination really gets your immersion level up, and your pulse as well.

When all is said and done, I'd say this is a great simulator and I would recommend it to anyone who calls them self a Simracer. It may have its bugs, and multiplayer may still be in alpha, which is why I haven't mentioned it much, but the little things that are wrong with it are quickly overcome by pure immersion.

The sounds, the looks, the feel, it all comes together to form something that is simply a high quality product. Whether you play only the free content, or you buy it all, there is no question that this sim is worth the download, and worth giving it a try. Give it a chance, once you find yourself in a car you can't stop listening to, and realize you have put on far too many laps and shrugged off all your responsibilities, you will know there is indeed something to RaceRoom Racing Experience. Do I intend to keep driving R3E? Yes I do.

Get involved in our RaceRoom community by checking out our dedicated R3E forum, or by posting awesome videos and photos in our R3E gallery!

If you would like to have your product or game reviewed, contact me at ryan.ogurek[at]racedepartment.com
 
Last edited:
Lately I've been curious about this game. But I usually do not play online because I have just time and a stable schedule to participate in organized leagues.
So I wonder if you can have fun playing against the AI, and if you have season mode. If you have ability to create custom championships like in Race07.
 
Lately I've been curious about this game. But I usually do not play online because I have just time and a stable schedule to participate in organized leagues.
So I wonder if you can have fun playing against the AI, and if you have season mode. If you have ability to create custom championships like in Race07.

As i just wrote, the AI is the best i've seen on the new sims. Adaptive AI when it is dialed in after a few races will challenge you all the time, even as you improve. Great idea actually.

Seasons exist in the "experiences" a.k.a. DTM package and it is very good. But i set up my own championships by spreadsheet like the old days anyhow, so i just use single races.

For single player, this is really the best sim right now, in my opinion. But make sure you have the cash to spend on the good cars and tracks.

And make sure you have some time to set up the FFB. When dialed in, it is awesome. Takes some time fiddling though.
 
Yep, a well-written, fair review. Can't disagree with the majority of that.

The only thing I take slight issue with is the comments about the graphics. Personally I feel R3E more than holds it own against the competition. I can only compare to the 'current gen' sims I own - GSC, rF2 and AC - but I feel R3E is the best looking of the bunch.

I'm not a PCARS member so can't speak from experience, but judging by the screenshots and videos, that game looks to be the market-leader in the graphical department. AC has great-looking cars and cockpits but I'm not a fan of the way the tracks look in that sim. They're a little plain looking, a bit sterile and lacking character in my eyes. R3E's tracks have a lot of detail and character which creates a great feeling of atmosphere at each venue.

Much like rF2, R3E perhaps isn't a "screenshot generator" like PCARS and AC, nor does it look quite as good in replays as those two, but when you are sat in the virtual cockpit, looking out at the track ahead, it just looks right and therefore feels right. R3E has a very natural, understated look that I value highly.

It's certainly not cartoony in my opinion.

I have to disagree:) with you in this: r3r has much better replay cams and sounds in addition it has the most accurate car motion. I enjoy replays after multiplayer sessions because ot this great representation of motion ,i choose the front camera of the car behind me and i am having a great time watching my cars movements .
I have two loves for now r3r and assetto corsa, the guys from assetto did a good job but the most of all an honest one and in a reasonable price.They are getting better and better and this is good for us ,competition between those two is going to bring better products. I can't believe that Pcars is going to be so good sim ,very nice graphics with very good physics is very difficult to achieve because it is very power demanding and they want to sell .
How many of us are going to buy a monster pc?They want the big market (consoles). So i am thinking that pcars is going to lack in physics domain.
I think that if a game has good physics that is very obvious in the replays, look how bad looks the car motion in the replays from f1 codemaster series or nfs or even shift series.
 
Last edited:
For me, R3E is not good for club races. It is too restrictive and the purchasing model is ludicrous. No Minis is also a major non-selling point, as well as the lack of easy skin customisation. :O_o:

They could have done so much more with it if they'd just focussed on creating Race 14 or something of that nature instead of the microtransaction model they chose, in my opinion.:speechless:
 
if and when it gets a dedi server , ill be happy , no skin packs to download , with no modding allowed knowing that the guy your racing isnt using some fuel/aero/tyre wear hack , as for lack of cars that depends what your looking for ;
for me the sudo mini in game for the promo competition was a horrible thing , no torque steer , stuck on amateur mode etc ... nah ; it sucked ...

if they can get the cut rules and road/off road surfaces done , a dedi server etc , its good .


As for the pricing model , it depends what your into , people love iracing which cost loads more , people go out and play golf or whatever it costs .; so for the little a car and track costs it isnt that bad

Andi
 
@Andi Goodwin : I agree on everything you've said, besides the "no skin pack to download". I'm a painter by myself and i love to see well-made liveries by other painters. I've seen quite excellent liveries for our league races in Race07, and i can clearly see within a few seconds, if the painter has put some extra effort in, to make the car livery as best as possible.
And after sitting more than 10-12 hours to paint a car skin, it's really rewarding and brings a smile on my face, if someone says "This looks awesome". :)
And watching a replay with a car you've made the livery for, is so much more exciting. :cool:
 
me the skin thing really doesnt make a difference , if its a league event and its based on the series (lets say 2013 wtcc).. then i love to see just that , the authentic liveries etc and if there was 4 hondas in the series then thats it , not 15 hondas all with skins this way and that ; there are games you can get your skins in and thats good to have that choice , im just happy having one game were there is no modded content (evenif its a skin) just waiting for a dedi server and as i said ; ill be happy

Andi
 
I completely agree with @Andi Goodwin .....the lack of paintable skins doesn't bother me at all as I prefer to race with correct skins from whatever series I'm racing. I like the realism.

I understand why others want custom skins but I quite like the fact that R3E doesn't offer them. Charging for liveries, on the other hand, is unacceptable to me. If I buy a car all the liveries should be available as part of that purchase.
 
I can't believe that Pcars is going to be so good sim ,very nice graphics with very good physics is very difficult to achieve because it is very power demanding and they want to sell .
How many of us are going to buy a monster pc?They want the big market (consoles). So i am thinking that pcars is going to lack in physics domain.

I would love to know where the myth of sims not being able to have good graphics came from.

I've been buying racing sims since Crammonds Grand Prix and Papayrus' Indycar racing and they have always pushed graphics. When the last generation of sims came out, rFactor, GT Legends and GTR2 all required a powerful PC to run the graphics. From GP2 through GPL to GTR2 I haven't been able to run my sims at full graphics until I bought a new PC two or three years later. Good physics does not mean you can't have good graphics, even in the days of single core processors.

Today we can have our cake and eat it because if you have good programmers you can spread the load between the different cores. rF2 physics just runs on one core. rF2 graphics runs on another. If you can program your sim to use three or four cores as I'm sure SMS can, then you can have double or treble the processing power for graphics without any effect on the physics.

Check out this description of pCARS tyre physics model - show me a sim which has a more sophisticated tyre model.

http://www.virtualr.net/inside-project-cars-seta-tire-model

Now getting a sophisitcated tyre model to work isn't easy, as iRacing's multiple iterations and rF2s tyre models unfinished status confirm. We will have to see if SMS can pull it off but if they can't its nothing to do with how good the graphics are.
 
Last edited:
It's more down to what makes it into the finished games. many sims in the past, and sim-cades, have promised realism in tyres/tyre walls/tyre behaviour and put out pages of info only for it to be cut in the final product, or toned down.

The classic simcade example has to be GT6, which is a terrible game compared to GT5. The handling has gone backwards since release, the alleged tyre and spring models just don't feel like they work properly and the game lacks so many features from GT5 (plus they added micro-transactions for in-game cash!) that many have taken to calling it GT4.9.

Similarly we have F1 2014 (just check the user reviews...), the later GRID series games, in fact - CodeMasters, nuff said. :roflmao:

There are other race games out there which have promised much and failed to satisfy, with lame excuses for why they couldn't do it. The cynic in me believes they never intended to in the first place, but that's just me.:rolleyes:
 
I too am happy with a non-moddable RaceSim, there's plenty of moddable Sims out there to choose from at the moment and some of the mod quality is nothing but :poop:. So the idea of keeping R3E mod free isn't so bad from my point of view, due to the fact it keeps the game play and physics of the highest quality, mod free means there is no short cuts being taken either, so the content quality doesn't fluctuate from mod to mod and the FFB feeling wont be dumb down or butchered to suit a half baked mod or worse, a hack conversion from another title like Shift2 or Dirt. :confused:
Even the default liveries are ok with me, and as @Andi Goodwin and @James Cook have stated I too like the realism of the skins from the series, yes the purchasing of the skins for the cars is a sad level for any Dev to stoop in my book, but these guys are trying to rebuild from bankruptcy, so I will cut them a little slack. But it wouldn't hurt to allow custom liveries to be used, just have it so the skins have to be of a certain quality, and the sponsor decals are a fixed layer, so that only the skins base paint colours could be changed or altered, and they could have the paint shop as part of the game, this way the series remains basically untainted and custom liveries are permitted, so it's a win win situation.

@David Wright is this the same tyre model that's been redesigned a few times already from what Ive heard anyway. And how well will pCars tyre model work on a console? most current console Sims are quite void of detailed physics, how good pCars feels on the next gen consoles we will have to wait till March 2015 to find out, but I wont be holding my breath. Personally I doubt the perfect tyre model exists, the data required to replicate the stresses, forces, heat and air pressure fluctuations, wear rates, graining, overheating and blistering in a race tyre in it's short life would be astronomical, and probably some of it unobtainable. But not impossible I guess, only time will tell.

Cheers
 
I would love to know where the myth of sims not being able to have good graphics came from.

I've been buying racing sims since Crammonds Grand Prix and Papayrus' Indycar racing and they have always pushed graphics. When the last generation of sims came out, rFactor, GT Legends and GTR2 all required a powerful PC to run the graphics. From GP2 through GPL to GTR2 I haven't been able to run my sims at full graphics until I bought a new PC two or three years later. Good physics does not mean you can't have good graphics, even in the days of single core processors.

Today we can have our cake and eat it because if you have good programmers you can spread the load between the different cores. rF2 physics just runs on one core. rF2 graphics runs on another. If you can program your sim to use three or four cores as I'm sure SMS can, then you can have double or treble the processing power for graphics without any effect on the physics.

Check out this description of pCARS tyre physics model - show me a sim which has a more sophisticated tyre model.

http://www.virtualr.net/inside-project-cars-seta-tire-model

Now getting a sophisitcated tyre model to work isn't easy, as iRacing's multiple iterations and rF2s tyre models unfinished status confirm. We will have to see if SMS can pull it off but if they can't its nothing to do with how good the graphics are.

I will be very happy if Pcars can succeed to deliver both good graphics and good physics, i have nothing against them it was just a way to express my fear.Thanks for the link above i will take a look at it.
 
lots of great comments. never thought much about this sim til i saw the new wtcc pack. love those from race 07, so i figured what the heck. good decision on my part. the immersion and road feel are fantastic. had been racing gsce almost exclusively and it seems kind of flat and boring. now almost everytime i sit down, i end up going to R3E. going to get a new video card for christmas just to do this justice.
 
Certainly agree with what Ryan has written and while I have been a harsh critic at times I will freely admit that I have enjoyed a lot of hours of driving R3E. The improved version is excellent and I will mention that the online MP races work very well for me. I don't have much time to join races set at specific times and so it is a joy to sit down for 45 minutes to quickly race a few MP races. If you can get past the carnage in the first few turns there is a lot of close and enjoyable racing to be had! My suggestion is to either qualify up front or just wait a few moments through the first turns and then catch up for a fun race. Some great combos, and I have had fun racing many cars and tracks that I don't usually do. BTW @Ryan Ogurek you have picked some nice combos and I might add that the SR9 Radicals at Mid Ohio, Laguna Seca and my favorite track, Portimao are just pure joy too! Nice write up and good info. Keep up the great work
 
...
As for the pricing model , it depends what your into , people love iracing which cost loads more , people go out and play golf or whatever it costs .; so for the little a car and track costs it isnt that bad

Andi
I like your golf analogy, there are MANY more golfers than virtual racing gamers and they pay $20-$30 and more to play a round or two. It's not that I want to unnecessarily spend my money but many things in life don't have an all encompassing price. I remember all television programming was free, all you had to do was buy a TV ;-)
If the quality is good and I enjoy the product I'm willing to pay the price, no one is forcing me. I just picked up the latest hillclimb pack which set me back $1.08.
 
I play golf on my consoles (which is the correct thing to compare with) and in total, over the last year, I have spent around £50 on Tiger Woods 14 and all the add-on courses (in a sale) and £27 on The Golf Club, which has a built in course designer that can make a new golf course in literally 3 minutes after about 6 mouse clicks.

You can not compare the cost of sims to the cost of the real 'game', or a track-day. It's just a computer game. The real cost comes in the PC, GPU, Wheel, Rig, etc. ;)
 
This game has it's very strong points, one of them
- absolutely fantastic "alive" tracks with superb lightning and great feel I have already mentioned in this thread. In this field it is undoubtedly nr 1 from sims currently available on the market.
- Another one would be sounds which for me are spectacular. Here I also hardly see any competition for RRRE.
- AI is strong point, but only in WTCC, I can race them having much fun from it and it can be quite demanding. On the other hand in ADAC I'm simply unable to complete single clear lap as I'm constantly beeing bounced off the track by them. It's bummer.
- Very good FFB, I have tons of fun with it and I own only Logi DFGT.
- This game is capable of creating very convincing atmosphere of the race and is great experience overall. I'm not an expert in car physics, but it seems fair enough for me and gives me decent driving experience. For now it's my race game number one and I'm spending most of my sim-racing time hotlapping in RRRE. Second place is Assetto Corsa, but it stays significantly behind RRRE.

That will be all for strong points, now, down to cons:

- Business model, which I consider nothing short of simply ****ed up. I have nothing against microtransactions, really. I previously played the game that had this and it prooved to be working good (Rise of Flight) so I'm not an enemy of this type of marketing, but in RRRE there are too many things that make it very customer unfriendly. One of them is VRP which can only be obtained in predefined amounts, which strangely poorly corespond with pricing of content. Second are payware liveries for cars I have already bought. Then, there are those so-called "discounts" all over the place that are trying to convince me that I can get the stuff cheaper than it's worth, when no one saw it beeing sell for that sick full price before. Another one is the fact, that DTM Experience stuff cannot be used inside RRRE, and while I already have about half of the content from DTME I won't get discount for it, which is single reason I don't have it yet and I don't intend to buy it in the future. That kind of marketing makes me constantly watchful not to be ripped off, doesn't seem straightforward and honest and it simply leaves very bad aftertaste.

- Lack of some major settings in setup, like tyres compound and pressure and many more.
- Unable to save car setup! Really - how difficult can it be to implement?
- Damage model which is very arcade-like, and even worst - it is permanently turned off while in competition mode. The game that lets me hit the wall at 100km/h and then move on racing with just a broken bumper kills much of the previously created immersion.
- Penalty system! You can't imagine how mad I get, when I accidentaly miss the apex, go off track , loose much time trying to get back to the track and then get Drive Through for "cutting the track"! Or even worse - I got pushed off the track by AI and get drive through for that! Of course AI car which pushed me off the track at the same time keeps on racing undisturbed.
- Some minor inconveniences like inconsistent and laggy menu, broken gearbox while having autoclutch off in cars with paddle-shifting, terribly jaggy shadows when set up lower then highest possible, lack of "look to apex" function known from Race07 and many more.

I understand that this game is in alpha stage, so I give it a credit and will gladly support it if I will see it heading in the direction that could be more promising. If I could give single advice to the Devs, than it would be: "Guys, go on and just take GTR2, or even Race07, merge it with RRRE graphics, FFB, sounds and tracks design and you have perfect racing game/sim".
 
Last edited:
Love the online racing in R3E. People are very fast AND fair. Really satisfying. I can't compare to the new sims because i don't own them but R3E already has everything i want: brilliant sound, great FFB and physics. Graphics are good enough for me and will get better i'm sure. When there are better servers for each racing class with all tracks on random the sim will be perfect. Rock on S3 ;)
 

Latest News

Online or Offline racing?

  • 100% online racing

    Votes: 73 7.3%
  • 75% online 25% offline

    Votes: 102 10.3%
  • 50% online 50% offline

    Votes: 145 14.6%
  • 25% online 75% offline

    Votes: 272 27.4%
  • 100% offline racing

    Votes: 398 40.0%
  • Something else, explain in comment

    Votes: 4 0.4%
Back
Top