rFactor2 Build 218 to come soon. A little personal advise to all.

[Marco Bijl]

Build 218 is about to be released, and with the current state of the mods, I want to share my thoughts on this build, and in specific how I would advise you all to install it....

The reason I have made this post, is because I have noticed that, with the current release of 1.4x components by ISI, the whole mod thing is becoming a big issue again, whilst we just managed to get it under control in some way. People get problems again, as they have different versions of different content installed. Now I want to focus on ISI mods first.

Starting with build 218, RaceDepartment will only be using the 1.4x components in its weekly mods. As we are getting close to all content being at 1.4x, and in seperate components everything we at RaceDepartment are using is available at this moment, we have an opportunity here to have a fresh start. I figured, I'd give you all a heads up for that.

So, when the new build is released, I advise to do the following (keep the order, so you do NOT have to re-activate the game).

- Download the LIGHT installer for the latest build.
- Install it in a different folder then your current rfactor2.

- To avoid issues, I advise to install it OUT of the default ProgramFiles folder, but for instance in c:\games\rfactor2.​

- Go to the Windows Explorer, and look up your OLD packages folder.
- Copy the ISI 1.4x rfmod files to the newly created package folder (so NOT all the series, but JUST the components).
- Copy all the NON ISI mods you want to keep into the new packages folder.
- Copy the complete content of your old UserData folder to the newly installed one. This includes your setups and custom skins. I am NOT sure about HDR profiles. If you have any, make sure you copy them from your old install to the new one.
- Start the launcher. It should start loged in, if you have selected the Remember my tick box, and should be activated.
- Download the updated 1.4x components you have not yet downloaded, and place them in the new packages folder.
- Start the Mod Manager
Now you have to pay attention! As your mod manager remembers your previous install, the 2 folder settings in the right bottom will most likely point to the OLD install folder, and the OLD packages folder. Change them BOTH!
- Install all the mods

Test everything to see if you havent forgotten anything. If everyhing is ok, you can now remove the old rFactor2 install. Make sure you delete any leftovers in your old installation folders.

This should get you a fresh, and clean install of rfactor, without the old versions of the ISI content.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

hang on. i think i get it. you make the vmods for all events that week? to save valuable time? and the downside is that if a person wants to race in one event they have to download all the tracks and cars? is that right? sorry, just trying to get head around it

I can get a long story short:

Guilty as charged......

even shorter.....

YES!

Don't forget the time I spend every week on the vmod... Earlier (before we introduced the weekly mod) I organised 5 races per week and made for every race .. 1 vMod.... Had to upload it 5x... to a filehost... 5x to the server.... Install it 5x on the server....
You're getting it?

 

[Stefan Mizzi]

And now life is made a bit easier with the new rFactor 2 Backup Manager

http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/resources/rfactor-2-backup-manager.290/

 

[Ian Franssen]

Great Stefan

 

[Miroslav Davidovic]

Yes I think that's right Andrew and that's also a reason why I miss out a lot of races.

I just can't bother to download all the tracks every week when I just want to race one single race. TBH it's not often the case that I have all the needed tracks.

I don't understand why ISI can't unlink the tracks and cars.
If they verify one vMod ID number through the matchmaker why can't they verify two numbers, one of the car and one of the track.

First I thought the component releases are going to solve the online problem but the more I think about it the more I think it's not going to solve the online problems.
But yeah, it's the constantly vexed topic and everybody knows it meanwhile.

Even if they make the tracks available through the matchmaker for the download I wont download them to race one single race.

Either the admins come up with a solution which requires permanently a huge amount of work or ISI comes up with something new.
Not sure if there is going to be any live ever on the matchmaker TBH.
I haven't fired up the matchmaker since our last league race on RD.

 

[Andrew Ford]

I can get a long story short:

Guilty as charged......

even shorter.....

YES!

Don't forget the time I spend every week on the vmod... Earlier (before we introduced the weekly mod) I organised 5 races per week and made for every race .. 1 vMod.... Had to upload it 5x... to a filehost... 5x to the server.... Install it 5x on the server....
You're getting it?

well i hope i haven't annoyed you as i appreciate all your efforts to arrange the races.

my misunderstanding was that...i thought it was ISI doing that when actually, it is done to make races more manageable.i don't know if a missed this but ...to make it even easier for everyone, could there not be a weekly page/thread/post which just has a list of all the mods you need for that week? e.g. clio, monaco, toban, formula isi rather than having each mod posted in its respective race club event? that way i could just go down the list and download them all without searching forums? again, maybe i've missed something. the easier it is, the more people will join.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

well i hope i haven't annoyed you as i appreciate all your efforts to arrange the races.

my misunderstanding was that...i thought it was ISI doing that when actually, it is done to make races more manageable.i don't know if a missed this but ...to make it even easier for everyone, could there not be a weekly page/thread/post which just has a list of all the mods you need for that week? e.g. clio, monaco, toban, formula isi rather than having each mod posted in its respective race club event? that way i could just go down the list and download them all without searching forums? again, maybe i've missed something. the easier it is, the more people will join.

Have you ever watched the front page? We weekly post there to see what you will find in the rFactor2 racing club that week (sadly it wasn't posted for this week).
In that article you can see which car drives en when it takes place with links to the threads and the weekly mod aswell.

Also I post every race in the calander..

 

[Andrew Ford]

no, that just shows the weekly vmod (?) i mean all the track and cars from the weekly events

is there a page with all the links on? i could be wrong but i think i recently wanted to race at istanbul and i monaco as well . rather than hyperlinks, couldn't you just post rd week whatever vmod, and all the tracks and cars?

at posnan i needed the lmp2 which was in a seperate thread than the nissan gtr, the corvette and posnan (i think).

 

[Andrew Ford]

Have you ever watched the front page? We weekly post there to see what you will find in the rFactor2 racing club that week (sadly it wasn't posted for this week).
In that article you can see which car drives en when it takes place with links to the threads and the weekly mod aswell.

Also I post every race in the calander..

its not the event date which was the problem...it was that when i try to install the vmod e.g. rdweek17, it says i can't until i have e.g. istanbul, monaco...but for monaco (as an example) i couldn't find which page on which thead it was. one page with all links would just be too simple to miss.

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

no there is no such page.
So what you want is 1 direct download with all containing mods into 1 file per week?

So... lets say week 21: (all on sebring using the Corsa, GTR, Corvette and Marussia)
So upload a couple of hundreths of megabyte to make it easier?

 

[Stefan Woudenberg]

its not the event date which was the problem...it was that when i try to install the vmod e.g. rdweek17, it says i can't until i have e.g. istanbul, monaco...but for monaco (as an example) i couldn't find which page on which thead it was. one page with all links would just be too simple to miss.

If there is no link = standard ISI content....

 

[Andrew Ford]

it might be my lack of understanding stefan.
am i right in thinking that sometimes you might need a number of components for a race
e.g. racedepartment wk 17 download link
istanbul download link (for marussias at istanbul racing club race)
monaco download link (for clios at monaco)

that would be 3 links to download to allow the vmod to work?(for any race that week)
rd wk 17 would be on each racing club race, istanbul would be on the marussia event page and monaco would be on the clio event page etc etc? the more events the more pages to find several links.

so i just suggested a page with links to:
rd week 17
istanbul
monaco (click on each download in turn).

is this making sense?lol

 

[Andrew Ford]

as an example, i just downloaded the rd week 20 and 21.
it says they are not installed because:
i'm missing montreal, toronto, 370, ngtr car and corsa.
so were they on the front page? where are they? do i have to search every thread for them to download them? and then, with my mega slow download, i will take ages to download them all will i not? then they clutter the folders?

is there a simple solution?

 

[Andrew Ford]

If there is no link = standard ISI content....

so which 370 and ngtr do i download please? i found the other links through all the race threads but i can't see the 370 or the ngtr

 

[Ian Franssen]

as an example, i just downloaded the rd week 20 and 21.
it says they are not installed because:
i'm missing montreal, toronto, 370, ngtr car and corsa.
so were they on the front page? where are they? do i have to search every thread for them to download them? and then, with my mega slow download, i will take ages to download them all will i not? then they clutter the folders?

is there a simple solution?

Hey Andrew, unfortunatly last week didn't made it like Stefan said. If you hit online racing news on the homepage, you will see all announcements post from the past.
http://www.racedepartment.com/category/online-racing-news/
The slow internet downloadspeed is not something we can influence. We often use the same tracks, so when downloaded you don't have to do it again next time.

All ISI content almost all people have, or know the way to find them on the following link:
http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/rf2dl/

All other content we use are in the download section, which you can select by game and category.
http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/resources/categories/rfactor-2.3/

So it aint that hard, you just have to find your way around our website

 

[Andrew Ford]

i have to disagree, i'm not trying to criticise, just make things easier.

if i want to join a race, why can't i just find all the requirments on the page or one page rather than searching the website? it would take seconds or minutes longer for organisers?

with other mods coming thru on rd, am i to assume the ngtr and 370 are to be downloaded from the isi site?

if the car is on isi, posting your link (above) to the isi site (for THAT required car) on the weekly download list would help people like me to know if it is an isi mod or an rd mod e.g. wasn't the maserati on rd but not isi? its knowing where to look. if people have to scrap around then numbers will dwindle i'm guessing?

thanks ian for your efforts too

 

[Ian Franssen]

i have to disagree, i'm not trying to criticise, just make things easier.

if i want to join a race, why can't i just find all the requirments on the page or one page rather than searching the website? it would take seconds or minutes longer for organisers?

with other mods coming thru on rd, am i to assume the ngtr and 370 are to be downloaded from the isi site?

if the car is on isi, posting your link (above) to the isi site (for THAT required car) on the weekly download list would help people like me to know if it is an isi mod or an rd mod e.g. wasn't the maserati on rd but not isi? its knowing where to look. if people have to scrap around then numbers will dwindle i'm guessing?

thanks ian for your efforts too

We don't see it as criticism You're giving suggestions from the users view and that's always appreciated from our side. We will look into it.

Yes the ngtr (Nissan GTR) and 370 (Nissan 370Z) are available on the ISI site.

 

[Andrew Ford]

We don't see it as criticism You're giving suggestions from the users view and that's always appreciated from our side. We will look into it.

 

[RaceNut]

RD league content aside, I have had no issues once I uninstalled all mods, then installed only stand-alone/updated components. I did have problems trying to add components with the mods still in place, then had issues trying to uninstall mods with components in place. Once I uninstalled in proper sequence - everything worked fine. Going forward, I am only using new or updated components.

 

[Stuart Pickering]

Well lets cut to the chase = lots of peeng about when all we want is laps on track and a working sim, its now getting into the piss take stage again for the early Beta ok you will find it hard going, Now!!!!!! its taking the pee both out of the community and sim drivers that have paid good money. I find it unreasonable to have to do all the downloading and updates to just enjoy a hobby, its poor form in my view very poor !!!!

 

[Larry Thomas]

Must say that I am a bit surprised by all the problems that some /certain / a lot of people are having as I have not had, or very rarely, these problems. I am a "simple" user. I see a mod that I like and I download and install without any problems. I see a race that I would like to run and I do the same thing with out problems. When there have been issues our great Administrators (1) have been on top of the problem and I simply follow instructions.
Am I just lucky or am I part of a silent majority...

(1) When I say "great Administrators" I mean it. I can not thank them enough as I know they are solving a lot of the problems so that when I come along I do not have any problems and I can just get in and drive. Thanks guys.