Managing Director Marcel Offermans Leaves Studio 397

kart1 said:

If you can't find a good league with competent and mature people that's your problem not the game problem, again if your only problem is AI you can stop simracing because no sim has good AI...

End of the HS for me, sorry moderators!

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Horrible argument.

If I wake up and decide that IndyCar at Norisring sounds funny, an online racer would have to...

- Find a league in R3E (slightly difficult, not the most popular sim)
- Find a league that likes IndyCar (kind of hard in a Euro-centric game)
- Find a league that runs at an American timeslot (even more difficult in a Euro centric game)
- Find a league that put Norisring on the schedule (nobody is going to)
- Hope the league has competent drivers
- Hope the league has a good turnout.

The chances of the stars aligning for this in a game with 800 concurrent players who race almost exclusively GT3 and TCR... precisely zero.

And yes, some sims do have great AI. Grand Prix 4, and NR2003, accomplished on vastly inferior hardware.

kart1 said:

join a league with nice people...problem solved!

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Yeah c'mon Austin, if features of the game don't work as they should, it's because you're playing it wrong.

v4v474 said:

lol! get a life! :-D

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This account is incredible.

Nonsensical user name. Basically just smashed random keys on a keyboard.

Entire post history is commenting exclusively on rFactor 2/Motorsport Games-related news items. Always defending them or arguing with other users who point out flaws.

This is the funniest thing I've ever seen.

Cristian Luis said:

As far as I know, Studio397 was bought by Motorsport Games. If you want to know about them in great details, just watch Austin's videos, as well as the ones from Ermin and Upper Elechon. Motorsport Games may go away this year. And if that happens, if I'm not mistaken, Studio397 will be swallowed up along with Motorsport Games.

I can't help but have a gloomy look at this situation. This news only confirms to me that the ship may continue to sink.

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People who make a living with click

Ghoults said:

One of the few honest and always respectful devs. Always polite and a gentleman. A simracing developer rolemodel. This is how you do it. I wish all simracing devs were like marcel.

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Indeed, yet, just 6 months ago, there was a large line of people, right here, with a rope, ready to hang Marcel and the S397, calling them all sorts of things.
Life of Brian has a scene that depicts perfectly the herd mentality and the dispensation of judgement and justice by the mobs... :-D

Unless Marcel chooses to reveal the reason for his leaving, everything else is just baseless speculation.

I've worked with guys who just want to code - they just aren't interested in a management role. You can't force someone into a role they don't want.
If Marcel IS taking a position with another developer then it's likely he's not able to disclose this yet.

Also key persons would have a lengthy notice period, so it's likely this has been been planned for a while - perhaps even when S397 was acquired - with Marcel only taking the role for a specified period.
I had to give three months notice, and was side-lined from active projects for much of that, and had a clause in my contract that forbade me from leaving to work for direct competitors. If you are tied like that, you have to decide whether to stay, or take a "leap of faith" and see what happens...

May I also request that this thread doesn't turn into another one that complains that rF2 can't do this or that is broken?
It's a pretty pointless thing to do most of the time.
It would be nice to try to keep the occasional one on topic.

Austin Ogonoski said:

This account is incredible.

Nonsensical user name. Basically just smashed random keys on a keyboard.

Entire post history is commenting exclusively on rFactor 2/Motorsport Games-related news items. Always defending them or arguing with other users who point out flaws.

This is the funniest thing I've ever seen.

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I feel honored for being the subject of the attention of the clairvoyant majesty of simracing critique...

As for my my name, as you seem curious about its origin, I will reveal you that my account name was created by an alien species that considers rFactor 2 the single most fantastic piece of software on Earth, so they needed an agent to keep them informed of what is happening here at Race Department... (I will tell you another secret: they have bought a bunch of MSG stock and they are dead worried about the impact of your videos on their investment...)

Now... on a slightly more serious note: I defend what has to be defended, which is for people to post stuff with a modicum of sanity and balance (probably something that evades your perception of reality).
Surely you have not read ALL my posts, but that did not prevent you from extrapolating that all I do is defend rFactor 2...
I have criticised rFactor 2/S397 and pointed out its shortcomings often, both here and on the S397 Discord and the reason why I don't post on RD on threads dedicated to other sims is because I am not a troll like many around here (including you).
I have installed AC, ACC, AMS, AMS2, RR3 and even had iRacing installed for a month and I frequently go back to all those sims to test new stuff, check improvements/developments/etc... and I see on them many flaws and many points which I don't like and could rant about... if I did not have a life! :-D

But, as I do, I don't go into threads relating to those sims to annoy their fan bases because 9 out 10 times people defend what they like (or even love) beyond rational levels, well beyond ANY of the arguments that I may have presented here or elsewhere defending rFactor 2.

Now, you are a professional troll, you make it a part of your living, so I won't tell you to "get a life" as this is your life: "sim x is unplayable, for this, for that, etc"...

As I said many times, you often make valid points and your deadpan monochordic delivery of your ingrained bitterness is a particular style, you built a brand, so, "good for you"...

PS: Bonus Fun Fact - your fixation on criticising the simracing industry is borderline akin to the fixation that someone has on you...

Oh God, please deliver me from any more rF2 news on RD as I'm also working a part time job herding cats.

Yeah.. he defends RF2 all day in every topic and is me, who barely comes here, the guy that needs to get a life....

funny stuff

(this post was supposed to have quoted Austin's last commentary, but for whatever reason dont made it)

v4v474 said:

Now... on a slightly more serious note: I defend what has to be defended, which is for people to post stuff with a modicum of sanity and balance (probably something that evades your perception of reality).
Surely you have not read ALL my posts, but that did not prevent you from extrapolating that all I do is defend rFactor 2...

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RD is a central hub for all racing sims. Most accounts on here therefore float from topic to topic and game to game, sometimes uploading a handful of car skins or reviewing the odd download or two. RD has been around for so long and been such an integral part of sim racing (thanks Bram!) that most accounts were created in the late 00's/early 2010's.

For someone to sign up for it as recently as late 2020 (shortly before MSGM went public), exclusively enter rF2/MSGM threads and behave as staunch rF2 supporters, without bothering to fill out any profile info, is extremely suspicious.

This is not organic behavior.

Austin Ogonoski said:

RD is a central hub for all racing sims. Most accounts on here therefore float from topic to topic and game to game, sometimes uploading a handful of car skins or reviewing the odd download or two. RD has been around for so long and been such an integral part of sim racing (thanks Bram!) that most accounts were created in the late 00's/early 2010's.

For someone to sign up for it as recently as late 2020 (shortly before MSGM went public), exclusively enter rF2/MSGM threads and behave as staunch rF2 supporters, without bothering to fill out any profile info, is extremely suspicious.

This is not organic behavior.

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Of course it's not organic behaviour, I am an Alien Agent! I already told you!

vitorhs said:

Yeah.. he defends RF2 all day in every topic and is me, who barely comes here, the guy that needs to get a life....

funny stuff

(this post was supposed to have quoted Austin's last commentary, but for whatever reason dont made it)

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I can spare a few minutes here and there :-D

Only the time...if RF2 will get better, glad he's gone, if worse a good reason to uninstall

Well, if this isn't a sign that Motorsport Games is going to be damaging the quality of future RF2 content then I don't know what is. The loss of the top personnel from an ongoing project rarely leaves a positive impact, especially in an affiliate to a company as shady as Motorsport Games.

I know nothing about the inner workings of any of these companies. My hope is they all thrive and compete with each other. I people in this position leaving is most likely an indication they are in high demand and are moving up or they are leaving a sinking ship.

I wish I had more time to explore rF2, really I do. However due to work I simply don't have that much time of an average evening and I would prefer that most of my time is spent actually driving in sim rather waiting for the sim to load.

I think the last time I launched rF2 it took nearly 20 minutes for me to get to track, with rF2 going through it's start up verification, then me fighting my way through the UI, and then waiting an eternity for the track to load.

I remember thinking that that's now most of my game time gone for that evening, and I've not launched it since.

Not a surprise after all. May be it's time for RF2 to retire. What i'm going to say may sound very weird for some of us but it will take form with the time...We now have AMS2 that is a good candidate to replace Rf2. A Kind of PC2 + RF2 baby. Very similar scenario. AMS2 may soon have the most advanced sim physic ( after a bad one so always too late ) but it also has lot of fanboys, expensive content, , randomly added content , average AI, most criticized sim, not really listening to the players, strange features prioritization, etc. In sum we already have a better RF2 ready to take the flag. Like PC2 fans RF2 fans will be happy with AMS2.

I'm sticking with my cat analogy, this thread is like every other rF2 one

Folks arguing about sim viability in terms of physics or AI (RE: subjective gameplay elements) is just a waste of time and energy. That said, nothing Austin is stating is out of line with the state of the sim and he's been diligent to actually support his claims with evidence / examples. It's not just hyperbole / nonsense IMO.

This is a business and some would be keen to not lose sight of that. Today's announcement doesn't bode well for Studio 397 when you consider the state of things with MSG (regardless of why the man is leaving). An asset with large amounts of tribal knowledge and direction within the project just left. Anyone worth their salt in the markets (RE: actively trades volatile equities) has also seen this type of M&A being waged by MSG and knows how these shell games work. You can see the writing on the wall...

Now, you can invest your time and training in the platform, but at this stage don't lie to yourself and think you're not doing so with the RISK of potentially having that rug pulled out from under you should the financing woes of MSG usurp all parties interests (regardless of how passionate employees, fans or leagues may be). Money talks, commitments walk.

MSGM trades on the NASDAQ CM (Capital Markets / entry level). It's literally the equivalent of a "pump & dump" penny stock at this stage (hardly liquid at that). As of 4/25/22 they entered the danger zone and closed below a $1. The stock continues to decline and in doing so, will eventually be issued a notice of non-compliance should they fail to get it back above $1 inside the appropriate timeline. Once a notice is issued by NASDAQ, they'd have 180 days to regain compliance (extensions possible and often practiced). See compliance details here for the granularity of all this:

https://finance.zacks.com/nasdaq-delisting-rules-7450.html

Point is, barring any serious wins coming down pipe short term (RE: solid PR / major revenue generating events) things only get worse for MSG financially. The alternative means to regain compliance (RE: generate revenue and raise stock above $1) lead to even more toxic / dilutive actions being taken to prevent a delisting from NASDAQ (IE. getting pushed to OTC market).

Personally, with the unethical history associated with MSGM and RF2's long term development struggles, I just don't see any companies moving in to try and assume the burdens associated with the entire mess. More probable would be the bones of the project going private and being used in-house with various racing outfits. *Shrug*. This is all speculation of course, but assumes the current state of financials don't improve and MSG leverages 397's assets to bail their own asses out.

Watch for SEC (sec.gov) filings declaring MGSM's deficiency status as it continues to trade under a $1. Then monitor their reaction to that event should it unfold. So subsequent votes on equity events such as a reverse-split, or weak PR pushes to try and pump the stock (often leading to creating more bagholders ). If MSGM doesn't bring in adequate capital through normal, healthy business operation then nothing good comes of their disposition and that CAN directly effect RF2 in any type of liquidation or sell off event. Maybe some folks think there are tons of outfits out there clamoring to buy a small operation like Studio 397 and pick-up all the burdens there-in as things currently stand, but I don't personally see it.

Slapped said:

I wish I had more time to explore rF2, really I do. However due to work I simply don't have that much time of an average evening and I would prefer that most of my time is spent actually driving in sim rather waiting for the sim to load.

I think the last time I launched rF2 it took nearly 20 minutes for me to get to track, with rF2 going through it's start up verification, then me fighting my way through the UI, and then waiting an eternity for the track to load.

I remember thinking that that's now most of my game time gone for that evening, and I've not launched it since.

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do keep up