rF2: Sebring 'Talk n Drive' + Developer Interview

[Paul Jeffrey]

Check out our latest 'Talk 'n' Drive' video of the new rFactor 2 laserscanned Sebring, and developer interview with Marcel Offermans…

The release of Sebring as a new official DLC for rFactor 2 has got plenty of gamers excited in the sim racing world, with the track representing a very first laserscanned location for rFactor 2 and a significant step up in quality over previous content releases for the simulation.

With the circuit having now been in the public domain for a few days, we thought it a good time to have a go ourselves, share our experiences and have a chat with one of the men behind the magic, Studio 397's very own, Marcel Offermans…


RD: Congratulations on the release of Sebring! What does it mean to you and the team bringing the first laserscanned circuit to the sim?

MO: Thank you very much. This release obviously means a lot for us for a couple of reasons. First of all, because we wanted to bring popular and iconic tracks to rFactor 2. Secondly, because we knew we wanted to step up to bring a highly accurately built track based on a very precise laser scan. The unique challenge we had was how to combine that with the dynamics of our realroad system. We ended up building a very detailed road mesh that is used both for all physics calculations and for the visualisation: What you see is what you get!

RD: Does the Sebring release mark the first of more laserscanned content coming to the sim in future?

MO: Certainly! We have already licensed the next track, and this upcoming week we will start production. We're going to keep the name a secret for now, but it's safe to say we will be building more tracks of this quality.

RD: On to the track itself, what decision making process did you go through when choosing Sebring as a circuit to bring to rF2?

MO: There were many different factors that led us to choose Sebring as the first track.
We were looking for an iconic track, and obviously one that suited the cars we were developing. Another factor was the licensing discussions, and it turned out that Sebring was a great partner to work with, which helped us a lot, allowing us track time a few weeks before the 2018 12 hour event. Finally, we were looking for a track that would really showcase the details that a laser scan bring, and there is probably no better place than Sebring to do that, with all its cracks and bumps.

RD: Some people have questioned the price of this DLC, stating it is perhaps a touch high compared to some other simulations. What do you have to say in response to those comments?

MO: We set out and succeeded in creating a track that is of the highest standard, matching or beating tracks in the other simulations out there in terms of detail both on and around the track. We priced the track to match that quality and ended up being neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. Obviously everybody is entitled to their own opinion. We listen to those opinions and respect them and I'm not going to argue with people about that. I sometimes do wonder how people manage to spend thousands of euros on their rigs and computer hardware and expect the software to be so much cheaper.

RD: New GT cars, new tyre model improvements, Sebring, LMP2, LMP3, VR improvements, performance improvements… the list of upgrades to rF2 have been significant of late. Can you share some ideas of what is next in line for rF2, short and longer term?

MO: We are obviously still working hard on bringing our new UI and competition system, and those are two items that are really at the top of our list right now. Obviously the team will also keep bringing improvements wherever we can, both in terms of physics and graphics. Our car team is working on several new and free McLaren cars that will be used for the McLaren Shadow Project competition, as well as a couple of cars that will be part of our next pack. Our track team as I said is just starting on a new track, and we are in the final phases of production and testing for both Botniaring and Zandvoort. The latter will include no less than five layouts. Both will be free.

RD: S397 are heading for your 2nd year anniversary since taking over rF2, are you where you expected to be in the development cycle, and what would you say has been the biggest challenge encountered so far?

MO: Our second anniversary is coming up indeed at the SimRacing Expo in September. In terms of the development cycle I think we've addressed some of the core issues we saw. We have a much nicer and faster, DX11 based graphics engine with VR support. Big licenses for cars, such as being the first to have the BMW M8 GTE, and tracks, providing what we believe to be the best laserscanned version of Sebring in any sim, as well as a host of free content is pretty much on track and we're still ramping up there. Where we are a bit behind on our schedule is on the new UI and competition infrastructure. We're building on a lot of existing components, but still it is a lot of work and we probably underestimated that a bit. Our biggest challenge definitely has been to balance all the amazing opportunities we've had in the past two years!

rFactor 2 is available exclusively for PC from Steam now.

Check out the rFactor 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for all the latest news and discussion with regards to the simulation. You can take part in lively debates with fellow rFactor 2 fans and take part in some great Club and League racing events..! Head over to the forum now and share the love this simulation so very much deserves...

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Enjoying Sebring? Happy with the progress of rF2 so far? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!​

 

[Emery]

The game has several formulas, check the studio397 workshop on steam.
Anyway, there are the Formula Renault 3.5, the Formula 2 2012 and the USF 2000. The last one is the less powerful.
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/usf-2000-released-for-rfactor-2.128697/

I'd add Slow Motion Group's GP3 series to the list and can be found in the Workshop.

 

[Alex Townsend]

I think people are confusing buying a game like Super Mario and it being complete and finished against a longer term purchase like the continued evolution of a SIM racing product.

How can you keep expecting content for nothing?
How can the team keep in business if their only reason for being in business is a single sim title?
They make content for us to buy, it gives the sim we love longevity.
It's simple, people take the pee out of titles that release every year costing x for some small changes or livery updates, yet when a company releases DLC that increases size and longevity of the single title people also whinge about it...


What do people really want?
rFactor 3, 4, 5, 6 released every year with slightly adjusted physics and a few new cars and tracks.
Or
rFactor 2 constantly improving and evolving for a cost per content?

I'm with the latter as I see the product for what it really is.

 

[Durge Driven]

" In breaking news the World Health Organization has recognized rFactor2 hating as a medical disability "

Serious though it's like their problem is because people actually like it and they can't

 

[Emery]

Simple FACT rFactor2 is fast becoming a paid mod fest with Studio 397 and Reiza coming onboard.

Totally ignoring the free content that's been released and announced:

Released by S397
USF2000
Nissan GT500

NOLA Motorsports Park​

Radical SR3 RSX
Zandvoort
March 761

Announced by S397
Tatuus (probably several cars)
Portland International Raceway
Botniaring
McLaren M23
"several more" McLarens

 

[Emery]

Also improve your quality check pls... there are some fixes that are needed in the GT3 pack even after all this time...
When they say a pack is delayed waiting for manufacturer approval and then released with obvious flaws you see as soon as you load a car you know this is a bullshit excuse for pack delays. Sorry for the rant.

There was definitely a rocky start with the first paid DLC, the GT3 pack (and the free Radical that came before), and that has made me more cautious with purchases. I think we're getting to a good level, but that taint will still be there for another year.

I doubt manufacturer approval is a BS excuse. More like the manufacturer's approval mechanism is not in line with simracers' expectations.

 

[Knoxstar]

I never had a missing file error, i run rF2 on 2 machines with all DLC's and a lot more.
What file is reported missing on your end?

The mft file is empty. Tim from Studio 397 and others have offered help and I've tried every idea but no luck to date.

 

[Durge Driven]

The mft file is empty. Tim from Studio 397 and others have offered help and I've tried every idea but no luck to date.

Hi


My fix would be easy maybe you missed step

1. first DON'T open steam
2. Instead open STEAM\steamapps\common\rFactor 2\Bin32\ModMgr
3. Next in MODS uninstall any rfmods you made or downloaded from Getmod that use the Porsche (otherwise the old version won't be removed, besides they will all need replacing or updating)
4. Next uninstall both Porsche_991RSR_GTE_2017 entries
5. Next delete both Porsche_991RSR_GTE_2017 entries
6. Close Mod Manager
7. In explorer open STEAM\steamapps\common\rFactor 2\Installed\Vehicles and check that no
Porsche_991RSR_GTE_2017 folder exists
8. If somehow a Porsche_991RSR_GTE_2017 folder does exist ? well delete it

9. NOW ! Start Steam, start rfactor2, if you have set to only download files when starting it will first download any missing content namely your Porsche files and install it

10. Check explorer STEAM\steamapps\common\rFactor 2\Installed\Vehicles\Porsche_991RSR_GTE_2017 for mft, I am 100% it will be there now

11. Remake / update any rfmods and install

 

[sjb266]

God are people still whinging about the price..?

 

[Alex Townsend]

Yep
And those same people will also whinge that there isn't enough 1st party content and that S397 are twiddling their thumbs and haven't brought anything to the sim...

 

[Durge Driven]

If you want to get the best from offline my advice is to make some simple rfmods
Reason being you get total control over the track layouts and car skins used

Next run a dedicated server offline ..what !
How odd DD however there are 2 good reasons even compelling

1. You can swap skins in garage this will save time with photo shoots of many cars
** When you make rfmods make sure to select individual layouts and skins you want

2. Better still you can swap DLC in garage ! Record times for all GT3 in one session
same track conditions !

3. As well using the dedicated menu you can further modify the content from rfmod used

Running offline server will cause no lag or anything else
You can block in firewall as you are the only one joining
You don't need to change any settings in windows or anything else to run this way
You don't need to even make private or password as no one could join anyway


Edit Sorry, for the online uninitiated ...........

rFactor2 has the thing called "Car Swap" can only be used in the dedicated menu, some may think you need to be online room to use it, you don't

 

[Ace King]

I been making rfmods to control which AI cars and tracks will run on my dedicated server with a friend to fill up the grid. Works perfect and allows more control of which AI are in our series! Also i can use that same rfmod to race my series offline. rfmods allow me more race time!

 

[Alex Townsend]

Imagine if that was the original product, six cars and one track for $28? No one on earth would buy it.

Lol
AC EA... wasn't that one car and one track for c.€30?
Plenty bought and enjoyed that and look what we have now.

 

[Sim Strata]

I once had that, low steering help was on. As i was driving the perfect line already i hardly noticed it. But sometimes i thought this is a bit strange behaviors, bit later on i found out it was still on.

I'll check that out, thanks Richard. But how I will find the time for two sims....

....1st world issues.

 

[Fonsecker]

I am a smoker, one package of cigarettes cost 7€, lasts for me 3 days. Go to McDonals head for a menu, costs 7-8€, lasts few hours. Go to cinema for 2 hours of pleasure, costs 8-10€ for the movie and another 10€ for drinks and popcorn. So now lets talk about a track for 10€ with month of fun...i think there is no discussion needed.

Sure there are countries out there, where 10€ is much more for them than for me in Germany, but honestly...

I have spend a lot more for Assetto Corsa DLC, with 80% of each DLC content i never play, cause too much street cars or cars i am not interested. I have spend so much more for iRacing, cause this is so much more expensive, projects cars 1 + 2 + DLC´s...

Then lets discuss all the payware mods that appear in the last time. I.e. RSS GT pack for AC even with 50% off at the moment 11,90€ for few cars from a private moding team...

Should i go on? No, i think there is no room for discussion on a laserscanned track for this price.

 

[Gevatter]

Lol
AC EA... wasn't that one car and one track for c.€30?
Plenty bought and enjoyed that and look what we have now.

No, that was a new game (engine and all) with little content in the first release, that had features and content added to it - for free over a persiod of I think a year. First paid DLC only came a few months after the v1.0 release. It was 15€ for the laser scanned Nordschleife in four layouts + 10 cars, just for perspective.

And I think that's where the issue lies, where the expectations come from, at least it does for me. The current gen sims set the bar for DLC pricing very low. If you look at what official DLCs cost across the genre - AC, AMS, R3E, pC1, pC2 - and what you get for your money regarding content, 10€ for a single track (in four layouts) or 15€ for 5 cars (5€ for a single car respectively) is quite a big step upwards in pricing from what we are used to. As I've already written in the other thread about Sebring, for people who play rF2 as their main sim it may very well be worth it, as they will get the milage out of it to justify the price, like iRacing fans do, but for others maybe not so much.

 

[Sim Strata]

S
I have spend a lot more for Assetto Corsa DLC, with 80% of each DLC content i never play, cause too much street cars or cars i am not interested. I have spend so much more for iRacing, cause this is so much more expensive, projects cars 1 + 2 + DLC´s...

Then lets discuss all the payware mods that appear in the last time. I.e. RSS GT pack for AC even with 50% off at the moment 11,90€ for few cars from a private moding team...

Should i go on? No, i think there is no room for discussion on a laserscanned track for this price.

The specifically unique thing about AC DLC is that the quality is very high and extremely consistent and very broad in scope. Quite a feat of production methinks. But as you say, I don't play 80% of the content...well not intially, what I also love about AC is joining some event or server using content I had not previously tried and always, thoroughly enjoying the experience and getting to grips with some element of it without being unecessarily overwhelmed. Every car has it's thing to get to grips with in a totally convincing manner.

 

[Alex Townsend]

No, that was a new game (engine and all) with little content in the first release, that had features and content added to it - for free over a persiod of I think a year. First paid DLC only came a few months after the v1.0 release. It was 15€ for the laser scanned Nordschleife in four layouts + 10 cars, just for perspective.

I bought Early access in December 2013 for £26.99
I remember having a single car and track which was added to over time...

 

[Gevatter]

I bought Early access in December 2013 for £26.99
I remember having a single car and track which was added to over time...

But you also received a game with your car and track for the 26.99. What I'm saying is the comparison doesn't really work. If you want to compare, compare DLCs to other DLCs, not DLCs to initial early access releases.

 

[numbersevenhull]

This man won a speed boat on Bullyseye. He wishes he'd bought Sebring. Sometimes you just don't know the value of something until you own it

 

[Alex Townsend]

But you also received a game with your car and track for the 26.99. What I'm saying is the comparison doesn't really work. If you want to compare, compare DLCs to other DLCs, not DLCs to initial early access releases.

Actually I wasn't comparing at all.

@123rem said: ↑
Imagine if that was the original product, six cars and one track for $28? No one on earth would buy it.

I was simply stating that AC early access was released with 1 car and 1 track for roughly the same money and people bought it. It wasn't about comparing the DLC.