rFactor 2 Open Beta (pre-release discussion)

[Adam Eggbeer]

What is the pricing structure for rF2?
In the USA, rF2 will sell for $43.99. This will allow unlimited access to single player and mod development mode. It will also include one year access to an online account. Additional one year access to the online account can be purchased for $12.99.

Why not simply raise the initial purchase price?
That wouldn’t be fair to those wanting to use only the single player or mod development mode.

What exactly are online services?
Users will be given online accounts from which they can access multiplayer races. This should reduce the number of anonymous race entries and in turn hopefully reduce the number of passworded servers.

The service will identify when updates are available and allow for automatic downloads.

The service provides a way to generate and maintain unique Mod/Package ID’s. This should help reduce the mismatch problem found in the current version of rFactor and also help reduce/eradicate version confusion for the end user.

Additional features such as online statistics are also planned.

What will I be able to do if I don't use online services?
You will be able to run single player, run Mod Mode, and manually find and install any mods or updates.

What is this open beta I have been hearing about?
We plan to release an early content-limited version for mod makers to provide feedback on the system. It will be an open beta, meaning anyone can participate. People wishing to take part will be required to make a full purchase (see pricing info above). We are planning to give those who take part in the open beta 18 months of online access with that purchase rather than the 12 months which will come with purchase after the open beta.

Will you offer refunds during or after the open beta?
If you believe you became a part of the rFactor 2 community too early we can arrange one.

Source

 

[Robert Woodward]

(Forget the things i have said in a couple of older posts)

This argument needs to stop because ISI havent actually told us how often they will update the game, if they plan to release small updates every month (REGULARLY) or maybe big updates every few months then i will agree that the £13 is worth it.

If ISI say that they plan to make a few updates in the life of the game and the only service they actually plan on offering is the matchmaking server and logins then we can say its not worth it (servers are super cheap to run expecialy if all they do is handle logins and matchmaking), then we can argue but at the moment we don't know what we are arguing about.

even the people saying "oh developers need money"...blah blah blah, here's what i say to that, that's why they charge us money to buy the game in the first place. you don't know what ISI are offering to do with our £13's so you are as ill qualified to talk as the rest of us.

 

[Zack Litchfield]

I think people are overlooking the fact that multiplayer in rf1 was free. Most of you seem to be ok with the fact that something we didn't have to pay for before now has a fee associated with it. But not only that, you are defending ISI for taking away from you something that you already had. Put that in perspective, multiplayer is a core aspect of the game. An aspect of the game which ISI thought should be free with rf1 (and note that Matchmaker is part of rf1, it's not some new thing) but now says you need to pay for. I don't know about many of you, but I have never actually used Matchmaker. I have always just directly connected to my league's server, running a mod that my league has spent hundreds of hours developing.

Another thing to realize is that should Matchmaker go down, you have ZERO access to multiplayer. Doesn't matter if you are paying for it or not. You can't even LAN in your own home or direct connect through IP to your league's servers. And there is nothing stopping ISI from shutting down matchmaker whenever they want (or for MM to stop working or go down on it's own) and deny you access to half of the game that you bought.

It's disappointing to see people argue for paying for a feature which was free and still should be free. $13 dollars is extremely cheap, but it is infinitely more expensive than what we used to pay for the same thing.

 

[Ivo Simons]

Again who says we only pay for the Matchmaker?
We dont know all the details yet.

 

[Philip Antonia]

Also ISI have said they have lots of licenced content to be added after the games release, so maybe we'll get some extras for our money.

As it is we're getting more stock (real) content this time around b4 the modders get to contribute. Also with open beta and developers versions coming prior to release, hopefully the modders will have content available soon after full release:good:.

I can see why some are upset about the annual fee. If I bought several games a year and they followed suit then I'd be worried, but as I rarely get games as I get my full monies worth out of rF, GTR2 and Race Series then it wont worry me too much.

I'm sure ISI will make this worth our while:good:.

 

[David O'Reilly]

I'm well qualified to say £13 p.a is chickenfeed.
Sleeping or drawing on butchers paper with crayons is about the only things you can do at a lower hourly rate.
If you want to stop an argument then either stop arguing or agree. Further argument does not an argument stop.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

What i saw last year was rfactor and simbin were equal in popularity. And iracing with its pay to race sytem out on its own.
It now looks like rfactor is going the same way as iracing Now doe Simbins GTR3 follow suite and charge for online. Or will they keep it free to take in all those unhappy people with the new rfactor2 system...

 

[Ivo Simons]

Dont think we ever see GTR3. Or atleast soon.
Last time we ever heard of it was 17 months ago (and that was only a announcement). In the meantime SIMBIN struggles financely and tries to get some money with RACE 07 expansions and Raceroom. We can only guess if those expansions paid off for them. And i doubt they also in the meantime worked on GTR3. Because see point 1, they didnt have money to work on it

 

[Luke McVicar]

even if you have no job 13 bucks a year is nothing especially when you get the first year free, so you have a whole year to save.

But if you can afford the game in the first place there no excuse on why you can't afford 13 bucks a year.

and if there is an issue, maybe you shouldn't be playing games and try make sure you get a feed tonight as thats most likely your main priority.

 

[Senad Subasic]

LOL Luke, it's been mentioned at least 20 times, it's not the amount that's the issue.

 

[Warren Dawes]

Interesting thread.

I withdraw this comment, the thread is no longer intersting, it has degenerated into a childish repetitive slanging match and is going nowhere.

LOL Luke, it's been mentioned at least 20 times, it's not the amount that's the issue.

Soooo true.

Rather than posting personal attacks about who can afford what, I'd like to see this thread start trying to understand what ISI are offerring under their proposed pricing structure. It is clear already that it is a bit "unknown" or "unclear", so if we could get ISI to explain their proposal a little more, this might help.

Personally, I think that there may be some good benefits flowing from the planned annual fee, but let's all try to be civilised and constructively try to find those benefits. eace:

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I think the benefits are pretty clear: continuous game updates in the future, content delivery system (downloads), matchmaking, personal online accounts, stats, banning options and one huge benefit for ISI: no more online piracy.

Also ISI is not a company that can sell us a game every year unlike competing titles do (F1 2009, 2010, 2011 etc a 50 euros each; RACE 07 with 10 expansion packs with recycled content a 10 - 15 euros; iRacing with paid tracks and cars). The first rFactor was from 2005. Sequel most likely released in 2012. Thats a seven year time span where a few mouths need to be fed and where patches finally can be made.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

My glass is alway half full.....

I dont want to start any simbin/rfactor i just look at it logically...
All pc only developers will be feeling the pinch, it seems only consoles are making money,
With Rfactor2 about to be released... No hold on,,, its not the full version of the game its a open beta,,, and brief details about the online pricing for the following years,(there more expense to come, think iracing, its the only way to survive),,, They have just spent many years developing this new game.... there isnt going to be much money left in the pot,,,
So if Simbin manage to sell the dlc (i bought them and think there ok) they have money coming in....and then there raceroom... with its freebies.. Raceroom 2(about to be released) with 3 more cars and a few tracks taken from raceon (to temp people) ... All the infostructure is there, maybe in 2 years well have a new game. Which leaves plenty of time to try rFactor2 ... So for me its a win win situation... And lets face it it would be a sad day if we lost Simbin, nomatter what side of the fence you sit on...The same as if this new system from rFactor2 fails it would be the end... and nobody wants that...

On a side note. I remember reading a post somewhere about the complaints of gamers who never go online and why should they pay for it when they dont use it, etc (there are alot of sim racers who dont go online there going to be exstatic with this news)....

 

[Andy White]

I don't think the price for the game/sim is unreasonable, but the subscription service is a direction I wish they hadn't have gone. I agree with most of what senad has said. It's not the amount they are charging it's the principal. Don't compare to xbox live gold membership either, that's like comparing a sausage and a bannana, yes they are both food but one is completely different to the other. Xbox live doesn't limit you to only 1 game or genre, and it offers a lot of other things too.It's all too easy for people to just say "oh it's really cheap" and accept paying, just like they did and continue to do so with DLC on the cosoles.Anyway, I don't think this discussion will make any difference. It will still sell and people will subscribe. I think it's too late to stop this "culture" developing, so don't be surprised if in the future other developers follow.Why not just make all games FREE to download, and then pay to play..................lol

 

[Robert Walker]

Robert Walker I'm afraid I have to agree with RedMetal above.
You accuse Xbox players en masse of ignorance and then go on to justify your own failure to pay money for services you wish to acquire.
You justify music piracy by complaining that MP3s should be cheaper than its comparator an album on CD with a cover etc. Do you actually buy these albums then? Or are they just your excuse to steal music?
I reckon I can guess how much you have spent in the last year on digital entertainment within a £20 margin of error. My guess is £5.00
Your post is a misinformed, ignorant rant against peple who run good businesses providing gamers with stuff thay want.
If we all followed your example there would be no new games at all and we would be playing space invaders (for free of course)

I think you'll find I've bought every game I own. I do buy albums, but I don't buy mp3's as they are not value for money. I will buy rfactor 2 as the game will be worth the money and then some. But I won't pay to play online after the free time is up, anyone that does is a fool. But who can blame these companies for daylight robbery when there are idiots out there who praise it because it's cheaper than someone else who is also robbing people. The people making the money are the ones putting piracy alongside robbing a house, it's a shame some people buy that nonsense. Some people just don't want to sit back and be ripped off. They would rather stand up against mass corporations that are ruining the industry. I'm not saying ISI are in the same league as the real criminals, but this move is almost insulting. What I love about PC gaming is the community that often sits behind a game, a community that puts in a lot of work to make a game more than what it was on release. Do these people get much for it? No! They do it because they want to. I've given my fair share over the years. I gave a lot to the call of duty series only to be stabbed in the back. Consoles = Money for nothing, PC developers are now starting to follow suite. It's OK for some to sit and criticise me when they have not been affected, when all they do is take. The good days are gone, piracy will only get worse now.

 

[stefano.schivari]

ISI says that you can buy an 'life long' package,more expansive off course.When i read this news i was a little disappointed,not for the amount (it cheaper than ir),but becouse the effort wasn't clear right now (and the beta relase seems close).I think that a yearly payment could just help isi to support the game for long time and add features.I dont think that pay (with a part of this bill) the modders it's a good thing,when the modders start to collect money they have to buy the licenses for relase every kind of real cars (or maybe now it's the same? i dont know this).Modders help rf1 to stay alive,they help nkp to be live thanks to track developer,the best thing that isi can do it's open a platform for share mods and content and protect the modders jobs.We will have less mod than now,but for sure more quality.About cheat i think that if you can cheat with battlefield 3 you will do the same with rf2

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

When the time is there will join the open beta or will you wait until the full game comes out before you purchase it?

 

[Salvatore Sirignano]

If I had the computer to run it I would buy the beta in a heartbeat! I've been waiting for what has seemed like an eternity for rf2 to come out.
The question for me though is whether rfactor2 will be worth the £500 extra I will need to spend on a new computer to run it nicely!

 

[Ben Tusting]

Can anyone be apart of this beta? or is it just for specific people?

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

As far as I understood the Q&A with ISI it will be an open beta where everybody that pays for the game can join in. If you don't like the beta or product you'll get a refund.

 

[Philip Antonia]

I'll join it in a heartbeat.