rFactor 2 | Q2 Content Release and Patch Out Now


The second update and content drop in 2022 for rFactor 2 is now live on Steam, it includes an extensive changelog, graphical enhancements, and 5 new pieces of content.

Just like before the Q1 update in February, Studio 397 have been teasing and hinting towards updates, enhancements and releases over the last few feeks, then they've slowly been building up to the release with content announcement. The content is now on Steam, ready for purchase.

The content being released in the Q2 drop is mainly based around BTCC, with two cars from the 2021 British Touring Car Championship, a RWD Infinity and a FWD Toyota, finally bringing touring cars with different drivetrain-solutions to rFactor 2. Couple with the BTCC cars, we also find Donington Park and Brands Hatch. Keen followers of rFactor 2, and the Motorsport Games-saga, will probably recognize this as content made for the planned BTCC game. In addition to the BTCC content, Studio 397 have also added Laguna Seca to the Q2 pack, making it 2 cars, 3 tracks and a total of 5 different layouts.

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In addition to the new DLC. rFactor 2 has also been given a new sound engine, with special care given to headphone and VR users.
There has also been an update to particles and sparks, to make the rooster-tails of water, sparks and debris look more realistic and better. They should now also behave in a more accurate way, and interact with the shape of the cars making them. Shift protection and refined engine and brake cooling has also been added with this update, and older content will get these updates in the coming weeks and months.
Wet Weather have also been given an overhaul, from how the rain falls and dries on the circuit, to how the grip changes in different conditions.

Many issues have also been patched, for an extensive list see the next page here

If you want to try out the new content in a fun and friendly race-setting, the RaceDepartment rFactor 2 Club will do like the real life British Touring Car Championship, and racing on Brands Hatch Indy this Friday. RaceDepartment Club Racing is open to all premium members of RaceDepartment. For more information, visit the Racing Club subforum.
Next page: rFactor 2 Changelog
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About author
Ole Marius Myrvold
Ole Marius Myrvold
I've been a motorsport-fan for as long as I can remember. Initially a rallycross-maniac, but got into F1 around the time I started school. Got my first sim when I was 7, but didn't start properly until I got a wheel when I was 12. Been a staff at RaceDepartment since 2012. Mainly the dirty-guy who does rally-stuff here. But also management-titles and rFactor 2.

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Comments

B
I remember I bought rF2 years ago and thought it sucked bad with a requirement of a gazillion tweaks and addons and what not to even work properly especially comparing to Assetto Corsa.

Is it worth an reinstall ?
 
mopro
BlobbeLobbe said:
I remember I bought rF2 years ago and thought it sucked bad with a requirement of a gazillion tweaks and addons and what not to even work properly especially comparing to Assetto Corsa.

Is it worth an reinstall ?
Click to expand...
Summary of the answers you may get:
rF2 lovers: Absolutely!
rF2 haters: Only if ffb is your priority.
Simracing lovers: You should try it for yourself as everyone have different hardwares and preferences.
 
Last edited:
OptimusPrime
Premium
I just downloaded the Q2 release and I must say--speaking as a rabid, frothing at the mouth rF2 sycophant (or psychopath)--it's pretty damn good. I drove the Toyota MOTUL BTCC car around Laguna Seca. Why Laguna Seca? Because I'm 'Merican . . . Yeah! And the circuit is pretty awesome, okay. The part that kina stinks is trying to get out of the garage with any degree of dignity. The turn is too tight, too narrow. You actually have to throw the car into reverse for a few feet, then back into first gear. Real annoying. But that minor annoyance is reward with some fantastic laps with the AI around this legendary circuit. It is marvelous. And I drove 20 laps with medium tires before deciding to pit. And encountered another annoyance. The pit entrance isn't for the squeamish and the AI would smash into the barrier. Two crunched it right in front of me. But I could maneuver around them and park into my box. So, maybe that's two annoyances with the new Laguna Seca. But the overall layout is fantastic. And the BTCC Toyota was a thrill to drive. The engine note, the grip, handling, tire squeal, it's a great ride.
 
dreamer al
Nice enough, but I will wait until it appears on Sale. Can I afford it? Yes (just annoyed at RF2 pricing, when compared to "other" sims' DLC).

Very happy with upgrade.
 
Last edited:
C
BlobbeLobbe said:
I remember I bought rF2 years ago and thought it sucked bad with a requirement of a gazillion tweaks and addons and what not to even work properly especially comparing to Assetto Corsa.

Is it worth an reinstall ?
Click to expand...
Personally, I enjoyed rF2 for all its strength, flaws and god awful bits of it. The multiclass racing is still good with decent performance on large grids. Plus, it has a lot of modern LMPs now which is great. Quite good content too, particularly with BTCC. I love the laser scan tracks, particularly Sebring in this game. UI is decent now that feels like something made in this century. AI is decent, at least don't crash out at every few corners but I think the safety car is still not working.

The only issue is the pricing, especially this content drop that is ridiculous and also Motorsports Games that I think are worse than EA. rF2 is on a roll now, please do not die or get sold off to a company that does not care.
 
D
Cheesenium said:
Or at least move towards a new system that does not use the IAP store crap system on Steam and uses the DLC system that most games use.

It is unlikely as they need to rework the file system.
Click to expand...
That was an ongoing discussion with Steam & S397. I think the reason is to allow mods in the workshop. According to Marcel, it was a recurring topic between S397 & Steam and they never resolved it.
 
RichardHessels
BlobbeLobbe said:
I remember I bought rF2 years ago and thought it sucked bad with a requirement of a gazillion tweaks and addons and what not to even work properly especially comparing to Assetto Corsa.

Is it worth an reinstall ?
Click to expand...
Nowadays if you want to run a AC custom mods you need a gazillion tweaks and addons.
CM, SOL and other extensions. Not one version gives the same image as another.
While ripping the framerate in half.
rF2 always ran fine with the tweaking of some personal preferences and it only gets better.
 
Last edited:
Peter Koslowski
Wow, all is fine with rFactor 2!!! Best physics, great step ahead with graphics and wonderful Ffb. And the new tracks have 3D gras!
But I would like to race online on Spa, Monza and Nordschleife with GT3. Unfortunately there are no server. Can anybody take care about this!
 
C
davehenrie said:
That was an ongoing discussion with Steam & S397. I think the reason is to allow mods in the workshop. According to Marcel, it was a recurring topic between S397 & Steam and they never resolved it.
Click to expand...
I do not think that is true. Plenty of games have mods and DLC, none of them use that crappy IAP system.

See Total War Warhammer games.
 
pz666
Cheesenium said:
The only issue is the pricing, especially this content drop that is ridiculous and also Motorsports Games that I think are worse than EA. rF2 is on a roll now, please do not die or get sold off to a company that does not care.
Click to expand...

Being worse than EA is very bad, it's getting to the point it's like iRacing or Race Room but with a sticker price to start with... I don't know if it's worse than EA yet, but it's going in the wrong direction that's for sure...

With Reiza polishing a turd of an engine to where they have without stooping to these levels of price gouging just shows what MSGS is all about...

I may load it up and see how the improvements are, but they are going to have to have a sale for me to even think about the microtransactions they have imposed because Alan Gow will protect the BTCC brand at all costs... MSGS probably had this much of the game done and Alan just told them to wait until it was finished and leave that release date TBD...

Nice that rF2 gets these bits, but for nearly as much as the sticker price? Hell I planned on spending no more than that much on the BTCC title if the initial reports were negative... 2 cars and 2 tracks for the price of a full game? Forget about it...
 
Peppelino
Peter Koslowski said:
Wow, all is fine with rFactor 2!!! Best physics, great step ahead with graphics and wonderful Ffb. And the new tracks have 3D gras!
But I would like to race online on Spa, Monza and Nordschleife with GT3. Unfortunately there are no server. Can anybody take care about this!
Click to expand...
You may start a Poll about having
some GT3 fun on these nice tracks..
 
Mekonrider
Think I'll wait until all the potential BTCC content drops and see if they bundle the lot. It's not great value at the moment for me since I have all the WTCR stuff in Raceroom so I have touring cars on tap.
 
wolftree
The Corolla has the typical bizarre rF2 FWD physics. Touching the throttle stops an oversteer slide and turns it into instant understeer way quicker than any other FWD cars in any other sim. Also the celebrated FFB for this car consists only of bumps and torque steer. I don't feel anything the tyres are doing. I guess you can get used to it but it just doesn't feel like driving a car.

The Infiniti drives better but has this strange thing where the slightest nudge or breathing on a kerb is liable to send it spearing sideways into a wall:


Bottoming out or something? Not a great recipe for BTCC-style racing.

The tracks are nice, although nothing special compared to every other sim. Also the sounds are all messed up unless you increase the number of sound channels (what year is it?) to 256.
 
V
Premium
stenovitz said:
Now this is off-topic in relation to latest rF2 content drop, bug fixes and improvements, but just have to share my experience.

Just rejoined rF2 this evening after several months of break.
Now first time VR racing rF2 with my mid-low spec hardware (Quest 2 + RX 580 + Ryzen 5 5600X)

Must say I'm positively surprised.
It seems the VR performance on more combos tops even my best and VR-optimized settings for AC, AMS2 and PC2 for more car+track combos.
Especially the far distance sharpness + contrast is superior to my other sims with my hardware.
And this is even without finetuning anything in rF2 for my first race, just medium settings with MSAA switched off.
Just had splendid VR races
First in the Larousse LC88 with full F1 1988 grid @ 1988 Imola in sunny weather
- best VR performance of all my VR experiences so far (as a new VR user, on my 2nd week)!
Then the Callaway GT3 with full GT3 field @ Sebring in heavy rain at night with higher rF2 graphic settings.
- again quite good performance speaking sharpness both near distance cockpit view and far distance with full traffic, and fine immersion. I can fully live with FPS dropping to ~35-40 with quite high settings bearing in mind my GFX.

Must say I'll give rF2 a chance once again, though there's still plenty of room for AI work for more combos. Last time I raced rF2, the AI work was splendid for Radical SR3 and GT-class races @ Portland, personally I think the AIW track work at Portland could be used as benchmark for improving AIW at other rF2 tracks.
Click to expand...
Check out how to set up your system and rF2 to use OpenXR instead of Steam VR which will give you quite a performance bump.
Join the S397 Discord for more direct assistance on the #VR channel.
 
V
Premium
wolftree said:
The Corolla has the typical bizarre rF2 FWD physics. Touching the throttle stops an oversteer slide and turns it into instant understeer way quicker than any other FWD cars in any other sim. Also the celebrated FFB for this car consists only of bumps and torque steer. I don't feel anything the tyres are doing. I guess you can get used to it but it just doesn't feel like driving a car.

The Infiniti drives better but has this strange thing where the slightest nudge or breathing on a kerb is liable to send it spearing sideways into a wall:


Bottoming out or something? Not a great recipe for BTCC-style racing.

The tracks are nice, although nothing special compared to every other sim. Also the sounds are all messed up unless you increase the number of sound channels (what year is it?) to 256.
Click to expand...
Funny that you say that, because a guy like Jardier, who drove "touring cars" in real life, loves these cars.
AND, he drives iRacing and ACC, and said that the tracks looked amazing.
PS: He even drove Nords on the Infinity and called it the best Nordschleife in the business...
 
wolftree
v4v474 said:
Funny that you say that, because a guy like Jardier, who drove "touring cars" in real life, loves these cars.
AND, he drives iRacing and ACC, and said that the tracks looked amazing.
PS: He even drove Nords on the Infinity and called it the best Nordschleife in the business...
Click to expand...
Jardier never says anything critical about anything. And what does the Nordschleife have to do with anything?
 
V
Premium
wolftree said:
Jardier never says anything critical about anything. And what does the Nordschleife have to do with anything?
Click to expand...
Jardier loved it.
It's not a matter of saying negative things. He emphasised how good it felt and looked and since he was both real world driving experience and simracing experience, I think his opinion is relevant, as opposed to yours.
Perhaps your FFB settings are not right or your hardware - wheel base - is not letting the FFB shine and give you the info you could get out of it.
Also, I mentioned Jardier making a video lauding rF2's Nords because he had not driven it yet and was blown away.
We are talking about a content creator who did not drive rF2 at all.
 

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