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Lee Palmer at the beginning of the beta period ISI said that it would last for around six months. Unless they state otherwise the game will be out of beta around July. Maybe followed by a small demo and the game out for sale in September.
If we now still have to setup a rFactor 1 league we know a few things for sure.
During the summer months 100 - 120 drivers are not all able to commit to league racing due to holiday season which means you can only start with RDLMS in rFactor 1 as early as September / October just like in previous years. This means that the season will end in June 2013 (!!).
Do you really believe that people will still be playing rFactor 1 in the same amounts as now in June 2013? I know the answer to that: no they won't.
So what will happen is that RD continues the league as expected in rFactor 1 and that teams and drivers will slowly vanish to rFactor 2 and we are left with a half baked league where everybody is complaining about everybody and in the end it's of course RD's fault for not providing a full field of drivers. (see some of the responses posted above how people react to a small disappointment when a free league
is taken away from them and some trolls
liking posts that have never driven a single meter in any of the previous Le Mans Series before
)
There wouldn't be a problem if every team committed to all the races. Even signed a contract for it if needed but unfortunately thats not what happens and we all know how commitment and simracing works when no money is involved. We deal with it every day of the week here.
Is the idea to just wait for rFactor 2 to go gold and than kick of a full LMS league so strange? If you take a good look at early released pictures that ISI showed about rFactor 2 that there are some very very very interesting vehicles shown. At least a few where I would wait for with a few months patience.
Have a good look and imagine them on VLM Mid Ohio, VLM Le Mans 79, VLM Fuji, VLM Sebring or VLM <insert any epic track name>
Other scenario could be a "paid league" where teams purchase a license but that goes against what we have always said that racing at RD
should be free at all times. Would that be an option? Drop 100 euros deposit in the bank and if you finish the entire season you get it back? If you leave the league you loose it? That would in all honesty be the only way to continue RDLMS in rF1 with a complete filled up field with top drivers until June 2013 I fear and I personally don't like that at all but feedback is always welcome if you disagree
Are there any other ways/solutions? Shout it out plz as we do want to hear them.
Edit: also remember that the first RDLMS Yoeri, me and Chris Aponte organized wasn't exactly a league either as we didnt kept scores or standings but just organized five standalone events during a year. S2 was actually the first season where we kept scores. Still people enjoyed both seasons as much as it is all about driving together with your simracing friends and it can't be the love for the physics of the enduracers mod as it, and i say this with the deepest respect for the team's years long underestimated work, looks and sounds absolutely fabulous but most cars aren't driving like they should (understatement). The spirit of endurance racing can be done with any GT or Prototype car or even with a touring car when you see the real life 24H of the Ring
One of the plans that can be done in rFactor 2 is that we host various standalone events in the same style as the 24 Hours of the Nordschleife last year and call it the RD World Endurance Series with mega long races only without being into an official competition with season standings.
After such a season you are already a few months further in time and if by then there are still no suitable mods out than I think ISI will have a problem selling their games as they need the mods just as badly as we do.
Post is waay too long and full of errors probably, but hope you guys understand what I am trying to say.
3:40am 4:15am bed time as i need to cheer for MSC tomorrow
