rFactor 2’s July 2021 Update and New Monza Layouts Released

rF2 July 3.jpg
Studio 397 has updated rFactor 2 and brought numerous changes to the sim including linked sessions to complement the Competition System.

The public branch of rFactor 2 has received a significant update this week. The racing sim’s July 2021 build brings a wide array of changes and updates, which you can find listed below.

Among the featured changes is the implementation of linked sessions in multiplayer. These linked sessions “allow the player to remain within the same server and engage in multiple sessions without having to leave and re-enter / re-register".

The effects of these linked sessions are significant to users. Reverse and custom grids are now possible thanks to this change. And perhaps the biggest news regarding the linked sessions is that road and time progression is now possible within one multiplayer session. So weather, time, and road surface progression carry on throughout the event.

The update comes one day after rFactor 2’s Monza circuit received a significant update of its own, with Studio 397 giving owners of the Monza DLC two additional layouts.

The Junior circuit is a shorter variant of the track and eschews much of the reason Monza earns its “Temple of Speed” nickname and cuts the standard 5.8-kilometer length down to just 2.4 kilometers. The shorter layout plays nicely with lower-horsepower cars and affords them lots of overtaking possibilities.

The second added layout is the Grande variant. Unlike the Junior layout that caters to handling rather than top speed, Grande is best suited to cars with higher top speeds. The famous (or infamous in sim racing circles) turn 1 and 2 Rettifilo chicane is gone, allowing you to potentially be flat out from Parabolica to Variante della Roggia. Slipstreams will be a major factor for racing here.

The core game update for July 2021 is live now for all, along with new layouts of Monza for owners of the DLC.

rF2 July 2.jpg

Changelog​

General​

  • rFactor 2 Build Bumped to 1125
  • Added MetallicNoise.dds to Vehicle Common Maps so that it does not need to be packed with each car
  • Updated Flag Stations so they will not assign to the Pit Path.
  • Updated parsing of Flag Station Instances (cornerworkers, safetyworkers, digitalflags) so all instances are parsed and do not require any specific naming order.
  • Added auto grouping of flag stations to the same point on track. Note: It is now recommended to only place Safetyworkers next to Cornerworkers or Digital flags to ensure a flag is waved or shown correctly.
  • Made the distance to group flag stations together configurable (GDB: FlagStationGroupDist=30)
  • Updated Yellow Flag and Blue flag logic to work correctly with flag station grouping
  • Made the distance before and after an incident at which a yellow flag is waved configurable (GDB: FlagStationIncidentMinDist=20, FlagStationIncidentMaxDist=250)
  • Fixed digital flags all flashing checkered the second a car finishes the race. Instead they now follow the logic of other flags and only flash progressively around the track as cars finish.
  • Enabled chat command “/callvote nextsession” on a dedicated server to advance to next session.
  • Removed Hide Cursor default assignment to “delete” key from controller settings. Note this does not affect existing profiles.
  • Fixed cars showing up with the team name missing when using a custom team in multiplayer via the new UI
  • Synced min/max ranges for options in the backend (playerbasefile) with the new UI’s default (JNIOptions)
  • Added ability to specify slot using steam id for some chat commands
  • Save steam id when a driver disconnects from a session
  • SteamId is saved when somebody disconnects, so it appears in the result xml

Graphics​

  • Reviewed & updated all Cloud Textures
  • Improved Lighting Calculations on Clouds and Atmospherics
  • Fine-tuned and optimized rain particles (50% less particles now)
  • Improved ModDev options with ability to force a specific cloud texture as well as set cloud cover at any point.
  • Ensured that cloud textures are never loaded ad hoc, which would previously cause some stuttering online or in replays.
  • Fixes for various issues that were present when the cloud update was previously released.
  • Fixed an issue when saving PNG screenshots via the built-in game function where alpha information seems to get saved around the glows and glares, for example around the sun.
  • Fixed an issue where Sunglare at dawn or dusk on ultra-wide or triple screens would be undriveable.
  • SSR – screen space reflection implementation for wet road reflection
  • Reduced Sky Exposure and rebalanced auto exposure for these changes
  • Fixed issues with Night Time under-exposing.
  • Enabled Auto Exposure adjustments whilst game is paused
  • Slightly reduced TV Camera low-sun exposure levels
  • Faster Exposure Adjustment on TV Cameras to reduce the noticeable fade when changing camera
  • Fixed Differences in ToneMapper and Exposure in Showrooms vs In-Game
  • Added Missing Ambient and Static Mappers to Default Showroom
  • Fixed an issue where Static Mappers would not update after a game session time change
  • Fixed some road objects not having wet weather reflections
  • Improved Puddle Normal Maps
  • Fixed some issues with how reflections work at the side of the screen.
  • Improved blur and general tweaks to level of road reflections
  • Fixed some car parts not reflecting (including enabling reflections on car headlights)

UI​

  • Load server lists (Internet, LAN, Favorites, Friends) asynchronously
  • Added extra UI options for setting up steering wheel rotation settings (Rotation limit mode, max wheel angle mode, default max wheel angle).
  • Ensured that appropriate settings are enabled/disabled with the right options.
  • Readjusted Controller Calibrate layout so that all items fit without scroll bar
  • Fixed Point to Point tracks wrongly closing loop
  • Fixed unnecessary scroll bar on Display Options Screen
  • Made it possible to sort the packages list by the installed column. Also made it possible to sort the multiplayer list by version while refactoring the table component config a bit.
  • Fixed standings table alignment where long class names would cause problems.
  • Replaced underscores in car class name with spaces and allow it to wrap to second if needed.
  • Fixed bottom shadow sometimes being positioned wrongly in the lap history pop-up.
  • Fixed an issue when losing a connection to the dedicated server that the network connection error dialogue would only show up when leaving a subsequent single player session.
  • Added spectators to player list when in race monitor, and allow kicking/banning of them via the same process as kicking/banning an active player
  • Updated event full-screen so only data that is needed for the elements being visible is fetched and updated.
  • Fetch live standings in event screen with WebSocket instead of polling.
  • Show total race time for race winner and the final gaps to winner for other drivers as they finish the race.
  • Added start-up Wizard to assign basics controls at startup
  • Fixed server join button not working if you clicked it on the outside of the “join” text.
  • Fixed upgrade description not being visible with a long list of upgrades on the tuning screen.
  • Fixed shadow positioning in packages table with only a few packages showing
  • Fixed series list being empty if there were two series with the same name
  • Added checkbox option to remember the password for a server.
  • Your last selected server list type (Internet, LAN, Favorites, Friends) is now remembered on the multiplayer matchmaker screen.
  • Removed useless scrollbar on options calibrate page when in an event.
  • Added UI setting for toggling FFB strength direction between negative and positive.
  • Added track type and length to track loading screen.
  • Added disabling of “next session” button in single player admin controls when there is no next session.
  • Made list layout the default layout on all pages that use it.
  • Made changes to reduce time the light grey screen is shown, for example when leaving an event and returning to the main menu.
  • Fixed the current selection (series, car, track) sometimes not loading in the main menu start and race screens.
  • Made sky setting also affect the rain chance setting.
  • Added showing raw range (min, max) for control axes on the options calibrate page.

Live stream overlay​

  • Class colors on text no longer working: No code changes; text color needs to specified with a “color” field in the custom overlay config.json along with the previous “backgroundColor” field.
  • Added RPM, speed, gear and pedal inputs to the driver info overlay.
  • Added error checking for endpoints failing when overlays folder does not exist.
  • Added driver name options drop down to overlay control panel and updated overlay elements to use it.
  • Added DRS active classes to battle box, extended battle box and tower overlay elements.
  • Added DRS active text to battle box element.
  • Fixed color swipe animation being positioned slightly wrong on some overlay elements.
  • Fixed in-game panel toggling not always working.
  • Fixed overlay not working at all if the configured overlay folder does not exist.
  • Added prev/next buttons for season standings and in-race season standings elements.
  • Added background color to control panel table rows when showing multiple car classes. The color is faded from the one defined in config.json for that class.

Modding​

  • Added a content error if a Cube Map is wrongly assigned.
  • Added New AI Editor Methods for updating Cut Corridors including Finding, Normalizing, Setting to Corridor values, Setting to Collision Corridor values as well as setting if adjusting Corridors effects Cut Corridors.
  • Added specific functions for Normalizing Corridors and Normalizing Collision Corridors.
  • Fixed RealRoad errors loading Loch Drummond in ModDev
  • IBL Road Shader: Made configurable the effects of the blue channel of a Road Detail Map. Now can enable/disable masking of the overlay function and the decal map.
  • Added the ability to constrain a Camera to the Pitlane or the Main Track.
  • Enable Trace logging by default in ModDev

Autodromo Nazionale di Monza v1.21 Changelog​

  • Added Junior and Curva Grande Layouts
  • Updated Cut Detection on Main Layout
  • Replaced a few tree types and some minor foliage updates
  • Updates to road tyre marks
  • Reduced crowd density in practice sessions
  • Some optimization to Shadow and Detail settings
  • Fixed road line decal clipping before first chicane
  • Fixed AI car behaviour swapping lanes on rolling starts
  • Slight adjustments to AI lines through Lesmo turns
  • Fixed some minor lodding issues with Trees
rF2 July 1.jpg
About author
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

Comments

Maybe you could elaborate a bit what is so awful with the AI?

Doing sprint races (60 minutes or less) with same class cars works very good, at least with official cars on official tracks. If not forcing your way thru the field the 1st lap or 2 the AI behaves very well both racing yourself and other AI (just apply the same caution and behavior you would in MP races) .

The worst AI ever is always mention in these threads together with long loading times but can't really agree with these statements, it's easy to list a few other candidates with much worse issues (for me).

Combine with weather sure the logic starts to show some flaws sometimes, but here rF2 is far from alone to have some space to improve challenging and changing conditions.


I't good to see an long list of updates and fixes on the core functions of rF2 and not a long list of minor (more or less) car and track fixes.
yellow flags while they sort them all to get back in line behind safety car BYE BYE 5 to 10 laps
Yes i know you can use black flags only to fix the problem..DO YOU KNOW ANY RACE TRACK IN THE WORLD THAT DOES THAT
 
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Maybe you could elaborate a bit what is so awful with the AI?

Doing sprint races (60 minutes or less) with same class cars works very good, at least with official cars on official tracks. If not forcing your way thru the field the 1st lap or 2 the AI behaves very well both racing yourself and other AI (just apply the same caution and behavior you would in MP races) .

The worst AI ever is always mention in these threads together with long loading times but can't really agree with these statements, it's easy to list a few other candidates with much worse issues (for me).

Combine with weather sure the logic starts to show some flaws sometimes, but here rF2 is far from alone to have some space to improve challenging and changing conditions.


I't good to see an long list of updates and fixes on the core functions of rF2 and not a long list of minor (more or less) car and track fixes.
The eloborated list of AI issues has been known for up to nearly 5 years, so we RARELY identify them any longer. Here are just a few.
AI often get confused about which tire to use when it rains.
AI can't pass a slower car that is going to pit. Imagine an LMP1 or 2 following a slow car around Le Mans for an entire lap til it pits.
AI can't draft properly, pull out to pass and then fall back
AI controlled Merc GT3 can't handle many corners, i.e. the Lesmos at Monza.
AI under yellow get separated and out of order. Resulting in either a very very long yellow flag or a large gap between parts of the pack.
AI with DRS use DRS whenever possible at tracks without DRS zones.
AI don't always take the correct amount of fuel and run out on track.
Those are just a few of the items that have been waiting nearly half a decade for fixes. Where have you been?
 
They create new bugs by correcting the old ones (I have issues on my TS-PC racer wheel with the FFB, i have to reset my previous setup) and i tried the oreca 07 on Sebring and the sound is totally broken...
 
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Staff
Premium
They create new bugs by correcting the old ones (I have issues on my TS-PC racer wheel with the FFB, i have to reset my previous setup) and i tried the oreca 07 on Sebring and the sound is totally broken...
You should post on the official forum so they can "look into it".

In all honesty though, I wouldn't hold my breath - I know that their record on bug fixing isn't great - but if they don't know about it, they certainly won't fix it. :roflmao:
 
They create new bugs by correcting the old ones (I have issues on my TS-PC racer wheel with the FFB, i have to reset my previous setup) and i tried the oreca 07 on Sebring and the sound is totally broken...
The sound issue is already known. Go to your settings and your sound channels will most likely be set to 1 or zero. 64 is the max, reset it there, it 'may' stick.
 
Maybe you could elaborate a bit what is so awful with the AI?

Doing sprint races (60 minutes or less) with same class cars works very good, at least with official cars on official tracks. If not forcing your way thru the field the 1st lap or 2 the AI behaves very well both racing yourself and other AI (just apply the same caution and behavior you would in MP races) .

The worst AI ever is always mention in these threads together with long loading times but can't really agree with these statements, it's easy to list a few other candidates with much worse issues (for me).

Combine with weather sure the logic starts to show some flaws sometimes, but here rF2 is far from alone to have some space to improve challenging and changing conditions.

100% all you say

Like others have said 100 times it was made clear right from the very start that ISI would not be putting anytime more then needed into AI

imo they thought that RF2 online would be much more succesful taking a slice of iRacing users

ISI " we don't care about offline we don't care about graphics, yes Tim said that when he was getting jack of the constant whining again mostly for offline reasons which again they said straight up front it was mainly for online where of course any AI issue disappears

Now who do you know who could recode gmotor from the ground up ? that is the fact of the matter but again some delusional thinking everything is easy to fix.

So I am saying if AI was their priority the base code would have reflected it
Bad luck, move on , if you reckon other engines AI is much better then use them
What do you think you going to accomplish pointing out the same things they knew 10 years ago , yeah we will just spend 2 years 24./7 coding to release a update lol not going to happen

So what you need to do if you like offline only use settings and combos that give you good race they exist trust me

I race GT3 GTE LMP a lot at DLC endro tracks and the biggest issue I had I needed to stop one lap early or late so my pitbox was always vacant. You would find this out after 45 mins if it did not happen you okay if it did restart race from fresh and pit a lap later or earlier whatever worked when you tested

I use black flags only and for saved 6 hour races with no rain , you simply need to do that....
I never had issue AI slowing at pits at Lemans Spa Monza Virginia Silverstone .....
Combos that do I don't run obviously They only slow if they in lane closest to pit wall you just pick tracks where AI run outside past pits.. Once you get to first pitstop 40-45mins endurance the cars have spread out so 2 AI following each other inside lane is not likely and why on earth would you follow them there lol :)

I also never get this " LMP can't pass GTE GT3 " I have done many 6 hour races at S397 and a few 3rd party. Biggest drama for that is old Spa or Monza 10K ....again don't follow AI down inside lol

Main offline nag for me is I cant't load a longer save then 6 hours they all crash
only reason I don't do 24 hour races always doing at least one pitstop before saving again sometimes I do longer stints

All the gaps with AI are good a few spin or understeer no more then you see in a real races ?

So many things need tweaking to enjoy it I readily admit that 10 years because once you do it there is not a sim can match it

>>> IMHO <<< like.... who else should matter ?
 
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No, I have a sound but it's jerky.
That is the A1 not the sound, every gmotor had this GTR2 GTL rFactor etc etc etc
My mind boggles how peeps never caned GTR2 10 years because of it :rolleyes:

Again do I need to point out ISI never cared about AI issues and to fix it or change it now would require a engine rebuild which just isn't feasible

What is beyond me is knowing that why do peeps persist after 10 years
For mine most whinners here do it to just do it and effect otherwise they would be at S397 forum everyday repeating the same things over and over of course most of you won't do that but still expect answers , grow up
 
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Premium
Maybe the rF2 complaint/praise threads should be linked somewhere in the article or as a pinned comment on every rF2 news thread so the comments can stay focused on the topic at hand?

Go here to praise:

Go here to criticize:

@Denis Betty
 
Staff
Premium
Thank you.
That's from me, from the mods at RD (I would think) and from the lovely people who came to this thread to discuss the update.

Of course there are topics that relate to the update, which then are going to link to other failings of the sim. But I agree that we should make some effort to keep this thread on topic. :notworthy:
 
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it's always the same 3 or 4 guys who keep repeating the same things over and over again...it's tiresome...
 
AI with DRS use DRS whenever possible at tracks without DRS zones.
That's only the case at tracks that don't have DRS made by the Dev's.
How should the program decide what a proper DRS zone should be?
Solution...
Don't race DRS cars on tracks that don't support them.
Or make your own DRS logic.
 
That's only the case at tracks that don't have DRS made by the Dev's.
How should the program decide what a proper DRS zone should be?
Solution...
Don't race DRS cars on tracks that don't support them.
Or make your own DRS logic.
Know your content. Few North American tracks other than Cota and perhaps the Indy roadcourse, Montreal, & Mexico would have any reason to have DRS. In Europe, pretty much any track used by F1, DTM will have DRS zones. (provided the track modders were still active when that became a thing)
Next, back over at the S397 forum, a private solution was offered. A user created a 1meter DRS zone for a track, posssibly Sebring. This is too short for the DRS cars to activate on, but does enforce the DRS only allowed in that zone.
 
No, I have a sound but it's jerky.
If you mean the engine sounds go on and off when cornering, that is not a sound issue. That is how the AI controlled cars navigate thru corners. On the throttle/off throttle/on throttle/off throttle etc etc. They need some algorithm or formula that smooth's the throttle input during cornering so they don't slow down too much and don't over-cook the corners.
 
Formula Pro V0.99 Update Notes
- Reduced FFB vibrations
- Greater tyre degradation spread. (more degradation on Soft, same on Medium, less on Hard tyre).
- Slight step increase in degradation per compound.

Indianapolis v1.12
- Added DRS Zones to 2020 GP Layout

Silverstone v2.13
- Added missing second DRS zone to GT Layout
 
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Hi To All
since the last update and in vr the sound stops goes totally quite when i hit a curb or large bump in the road or make contact with another car then resumes this is on all tracks and cars
any one else have this problem
sound in ACC.RE3 AMS 2 and 1 all good

regards
 
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Hi To All
since the last update and in vr the sound stops goes totally quite when i hit a curb or large bump in the road or make contact with another car then resumes this is on all tracks and cars
any one else have this problem
sound in ACC.RE3 AMS 2 and 1 all good

regards
go to your audio settings and look at the NUMBER OF EFFECTS. If it is set to zero or 1, that is the problem. Change it to 64, which is the max number. You 'may' have to reboot rF2 for it to take affect, some users have reported both having to reboot while others did not. It is a known bug, introduced with the last public release to v1125
 
go to your audio settings and look at the NUMBER OF EFFECTS. If it is set to zero or 1, that is the problem. Change it to 64, which is the max number. You 'may' have to reboot rF2 for it to take affect, some users have reported both having to reboot while others did not. It is a known bug, introduced with the last public release to v1125
thanks davehenrie
will try and let you know
 
go to your audio settings and look at the NUMBER OF EFFECTS. If it is set to zero or 1, that is the problem. Change it to 64, which is the max number. You 'may' have to reboot rF2 for it to take affect, some users have reported both having to reboot while others did not. It is a known bug, introduced with the last public release to v1125
Davehenrie
went to 64 and that fixed the problem

Cheers and big THANKS
REGARDS
 

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