rFactor 2 Q3 2022 Update and Content Release! Surprise New Car!

btccford-4.png
Not only has the new build and content just dropped but, S397 have added yet another surprise car to their ever growing roster of automotive treats.

Along with the free Caterham, paid DLC Austin Mini Cooper S & Hyundai i30 there is now a fourth touring car on offer with this content drop, the Ford Focus ST NGTC!

This should certainly keep touring car fans happy, especially with S397's previous announcement stating that they intend to include the full grid of current BTCC cars in the simulation in future releases!

New track updates

There is also a new track in the form of the Worldwide Technology Raceway available as paid DLC, which offers a great mix of banked kerbs and challenging infield section with both road course and oval configurations inculded.

Aswell as the new track there are updates to many of the existing tracks such as Donnington, Le Mans, Indianapolis, Zandvoort and Nordschleife!

New features

Probably the biggest and most long awaited new feature to Rfactor 2 is Real Road 2.0.
This brings fully dynamic working track temperatures to the build which will in turn affect heating of your tyres and also change the way rubbered in sections of the track behave in wet conditions, forcing drivers to change their lines to account for the way in which grip changes on these sections in different conditions!

There are many other improvements such as updated ABS & TC systems, new tires for some of the cars like the GTE's & Oreca's, track limits calculations, sounds and much more!

For a full list of improvements check the update list below!

Let us know what you think of this new build and content in the comments

Client: 9261937
Dedicated Server: 9261942

General
  • Updated Track Limits System taking into account many factors to award warning points for infringements with drivers given a short amount of time post cut to give up any gained time or positions in race.
  • Ability to set Track Limits to None/Default/Strict
  • Ability to configure number of Track Limit Points before a Drive Through during race sessions.
  • Improved calculation of infringement during time off track, taking into account, time gained, distance travelled, throttle application, time off track, speed differentials, positions gained during race, wall riding and more.
  • During all sessions invalidate current lap and sometimes next lap, based on how close to the end of the lap and the size of the infringement.
  • During race sessions earn warning points, if 3 points are acquired in one go or you pass the cumulative point limit threshold (5 by default) a drive through is given. The size of penalty increases for extreme cuts.
  • Pit Lane Exit violations are now logged and penalized accordingly (May require content updates)
  • Disabled Pit Exit violations by default on Ovals in none race sessions and added ability to customize which sessions have Pit Exit limits enforced via GDB or RFM.
  • Wrong Way Driving calculations have been tweaked to be more lenient when far from the track.
  • Strict mode intended for eSports, has harsher thresholds and invalidates all off track laps in non race sessions.
  • Improved logging options and ModDev options for analysing cuts.
  • Support for up to 16 input devices
  • Added chat message indicating when there are latency issues and collision is turned off.

HUD
  • Added current Track Limits points to Penalties MFD Page in Race Sessions.
Graphics
  • Driver labels now correctly depth buffer regardless of display mode
  • Added Light Dust Particle Profile
  • Expanded Decal Features on IBL Road Shader
  • Fixed orange ambient bug
UI
  • The first launch wizard controls configuration can now be re-run from the “Calibrate controls” page
  • Moved “Electronics” setup settings (TC and ABS) under the “Engine” heading, which has been renamed to “Engine & electronics”
  • Fixed damage multiplier setting description in singleplayer session settings
  • Moved damper setup settings to their own tab
  • Fixed sporadic empty car list on server join
  • Added “Track Limits Rules” singleplayer setting
  • Added “Track Limits Points Allowed” singleplayer race setting
  • Added Tender Springs to suspension setup page
  • Added description/tooltip to Tender Springs setup
  • Improved description/tooltip for Traction Control and ABS
  • Fixed alphabetical sorting of opponent filters and opponents list
  • Fixed race countdown timer format for duration longer than one minute
  • Updated Aston Martin logo
  • Added a button to refresh the setup list
  • Added two settings into the “Visuals” column in graphics settings to adjust the vertical and horizontal position of the Track Limits Info (TLI) screen
  • Fixed alphabetical sorting of car selection list
Physics
  • Dynamic track temperatures based on weather conditions and cars driving on track
  • Added a toggle to load temperatures from real road files on main game/moddev/dedi
  • Added improved anti-lock braking and traction control systems. (Only available on the TEST version of the McLaren Senna GTR)
  • Added Traction Control Power Cut map to control the amount of TC to apply. (Only available for the new TC)
  • Added Traction Control Slip Angle map to control the target (maximum) slip angle before TC activates. (Only available for the new TC)
  • Added ABS/TC dash LEDs which show the amount of slip and show when the systems activate
  • Added Tender Springs functionality (Only available on the TEST version of the Porsche 991 GT3 Cup)
  • Fixed ABS/TC aid through settings
Networking
  • Cars that lag too much or teleport will have collision disabled for 5 seconds.
  • Network speeds now enforce the player limit to max out at the highest acceptable number the connection can support
Sound
  • Fixed loops not restarting correctly
  • Fixed loud audio spike when loading into multiplayer sessions
  • Fixed random shift sounds in the garage
  • Separated TC and Pit Limiter events
  • Fixed audio loop points
  • Fixed spotter and start lights not playing or being delayed
  • Fixed game startup without audio device or with +nosound enabled
  • Performance: Sound system now uses another thread, eliminating random frame time spikes and improving game performance
  • Fixed tracks with lots of ambient sounds not playing any sound at all in some conditions
  • Fixed other cars crashing online playing crash sounds on the player car
  • Fixed HRTF selection
  • Fixed a rare crash when crashing sounds play
Live Stream Overlay
  • Updated broadcast overlay live timing page
    • Fixed live timing page not loading
    • You can now customize the styling with custom CSS (custom_livetiming.css)
      • Added CSS classes: car class for each row and last sticky row
    • Added car class and team name columns
    • Added car livery images
    • Added tire icon
    • Added configurable scrolling and multiclass mode
Modding
  • Batched loading warning pop up messages together for fewer popups (Dev Mode/Scene Viewer)
  • Added warning popup for assets exported with default LOD Out for optimization debugging (Dev Mode/Scene Viewer)
  • Added cancel button to show no more messages that session (Dev Mode/Scene Viewer)
  • Fixed various content issues with Showrooms and Joesville (Dev Mode/Scene Viewer)
  • Added Sideview_UI showroom to ModDev for UI screenshots of cars.
  • Fixed an issue in MapConverter where it would crash with textures named *_M_<type>.TGA
  • Added “FarLight” parameter to IBL Shaders in Material Adjust section. This allows us to set materials to be in shadow beyond shadow cascades.
  • Fixed crash when no AIW file present
Known Issues
  • UI – Steering lock second bracket is cut off
About author
Tarmac Terrorist
If I can drive it, I'm Rocking it!!! Besides writing sim racing articles I am running my own YouTube channel called Tarmac Terrorist

Comments

Premium
How bad is the mirror adjustment in this game??

Hideous.

I just leave em at default now even though I can't see out of the side ones ,I always can't get the kb commands working or forget them.
One of the worst parts of RF2.

I know they are trying to make it like real life but in real life it takes two seconds.
That’s a really sore spot. Cumbersome and lacking information and couldn’t agree more on that one.
Yet, it’s unrelated to this post.
 
Yes, I am aware of that and usually buy packages. In this case however I wasn't interested in other content they were packaged with, and to buy those packages and then the leftover pieces I wanted would have cost more. Actually, this may have been the ONLY time I've purchased individual items. Too bad they don't have a "buy X number of items together and get X % off" instead of limiting you to the package contents they decide.

For the replay issue, if it happens again I'll try. Still aggravating.

And, I figured since there was an RF2 update something must be broken, and it's saved replays. Any replay I had from before the update crashes the game when loading. So, had to delete those. Maybe that happens after every update, I dunno. Do added car liveries still disappear after every update? I stopped adding skins after like the 4th time they all got blown away after an update.
It depends how the skins were installed. If you placed a mas file inside the v1.65 folder and the game updated to v1.71, then all you need to do is remove the mas file from the old folder and place it inside the newest version #.
I was a huge skin collector when the DX11 first was released, but I've backed away as often the new updates include features that are not compatible with older cars.
 
Premium
Very strange to see no front wheels of the Caterham in the main cockpitview. In the other cockpitviews and all other views the front wheels are visible. So I guess this is a bug? Not seeing the front wheels gives me a bit a feeling that I am in a boat instead of a car.
The Caterham FFB feels different from other decent rF2 cars but at least I can feel something. So I am not entirely happy with the Caterham.
 
Premium
BTCC cars are great and the AI is surprisingly good. It would be very much raceble but tyre wear is bugged. 17 lap race at Portland. My medium fronts have 4-5% wear per lap. AI cars are on soft and have 2.5% wear. Unplayable at the moment.
 
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They might as well have completed the whole BTCC pack in one go given that the Focus and Hyundai largely feel like reskins of the Corolla. The sound is 100% the same as is the FFB. The FWD FFB remains terrible on Logitech wheels, a major flaw with rF2 in general. If you liked the Corolla I guess you'll enjoy these cars too, otherwise save your money.

The Mini feels good to drive with appropriate but not overblown slidyness, if only there was a way to tone down the overactive rF2 bump steer FFB. Caster doesn't help.
I must say, after some tweaking of the json files to reduce the steering bumps the Mini feels quite enjoyable to slide around, probably in my top 3 favourite rF2 cars now. Also fixes some of my complaints about the FWD torque steer in the BTCC cars and makes them more enjoyable.
 
Premium
Am I missing something? Caterham FFB unrealistically weak, made very obvious by some jolts and kerbs that seem to still be full strength, and you can't see the wheels from the cockpit?

Facepalm level QA issues
 
How bad is the mirror adjustment in this game??

Hideous.

I just leave em at default now even though I can't see out of the side ones ,I always can't get the kb commands working or forget them.
One of the worst parts of RF2.

I know they are trying to make it like real life but in real life it takes two seconds.
Then.... :) it should be quite simple for us to just reach up there & move it ourselves. I have some trouble with the Oreca 07. I find I have to change my seating posisiton so that my virtual driver lines up better with the mirror. Then I can see what's behind me in the mirror.
 
I accidentally move my seat when fumbling for the mirror adjustment keys or turning other apps on.

Haven't found the right mirror kb commands yet.

IRacing even does not let you go through the pointless and frustration of manual mirror adjustment and if they did,they would have the COMMANDs listed CLEARLY in the settings.

I end up closing the sim,I get OCD,I need the mirrors set up right (like EVERY OTHER SIM).

i suppose I could enter a race and ask someone but I don't want to poke the bear(if you know what I mean ).

LOL, I have modded GTR2 HQ with the new Rasterer and adjusted a whole lot of things in Crew Chief but I always trip over myself wwhen adjusting views and mirrors in RF2,that tells me something.

That's half the reason I never play the Sim,Knowing I have to search for the right keys to do a simple task.

Just give us auto mirrors please,pretty please,with sugar on top.
 
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I accidentally move my seat when fumbling for the mirror adjustment keys or turning other apps on.

Haven't found the right mirror kb commands yet.

IRacing even does not let you go through the pointless and frustration of manual mirror adjustment and if they did,they would have the COMMANDs listed CLEARLY in the settings.

I end up closing the sim,I get OCD,I need the mirrors set up right (like EVERY OTHER SIM).

i suppose I could enter a race and ask someone but I don't want to poke the bear(if you know what I mean ).

LOL, I have modded GTR2 HQ with the new Rasterer and adjusted a whole lot of things in Crew Chief but I always trip over myself wwhen adjusting views and mirrors in RF2,that tells me something.

That's half the reason I never play the Sim,Knowing I have to search for the right keys to do a simple task.

Just give us auto mirrors please,pretty please,with sugar on top.
I doubt auto mirrors are a thing for rF2. I haven't heard a whisper about any such device. Here is a guide and you will find the seat commands listed in the menus'. The mirrors use the same keys but with alt, ctrl or shift as a combination.
 
I always use the left side alt & shift & CTRL keys, so that shouldn't be a problem. . You have to assign keys in the menu for moving the Seat forward, backward, up & down. Once you assign those keys, and you then use the shift + your assigned seat key, then the mirrors on a properly functioning car, will move. You will see the numbers change on the lower left as you hold the shift and your assigned seat motion key. Some 3rd party modded cars only have one working mirror command. Test on an official S397 car until you understand the process.
 
Premium
My problem with adjusting mirrors is that it seems to never stick for other cars. If you adjust for another car it breaks the original car.

I've set the mirrors properly dozens of times and come back later to find out they're out of whack again. I can't figure out what the logic or rationale is for how to adjust mirrors and get them to work nicely for all cars.
 
Last edited:
My problem with adjusting mirrors is that it seems to never stick for other cars. If you adjust for another car it breaks the original car.

I've set the mirrors properly dozens of times and come back later to find out they're out of whack again. I can't figure out what the logic or rationale is for how to adjust mirrors and get them to work nicely for all cars.
It's ridiculous.

I bend down like Arty Fufkin and say PLEASE get rid of the manual adjustment of mirrors.

 
Last edited:
Premium
The mirror adjustability is one of those things that probably sounded great in theory but is a pain in the backside for your everage user. I’m not sitting in a real car so let me sit where I like for the FOV I want and just give me a consistent mirror view detached from the seating position.
 
Premium
My problem with adjusting mirrors is that it seems to never stick for other cars. If you adjust for another car it breaks the original car.
Is there still only one seat/mirror setting for all the cars in game or are they being saved on a per car basis by now?
 
Am I missing something? Caterham FFB unrealistically weak, made very obvious by some jolts and kerbs that seem to still be full strength, and you can't see the wheels from the cockpit?

Facepalm level QA issues
You missed reading the thread :)
 
BTCC cars are great and the AI is surprisingly good. It would be very much raceble but tyre wear is bugged. 17 lap race at Portland. My medium fronts have 4-5% wear per lap. AI cars are on soft and have 2.5% wear. Unplayable at the moment.
It turns out that AI use their tires. Change the camber to reduce tire wear due to understeer. In 30 minutes of racing, the wear will be at 40% residual, on medium 50%.

It seems to me that AI use medium or hard.
 
Last edited:

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