GTR2 multiplayer

STB_simracer_76 · Oct 16, 2021

I recently discovered the joy of GTR2 and and would really like to race online, become part of a community, I'm not very good and was wondering if there is a way to race on GTR2 online for noobie novice racers. I've been to the site below, but struggling to understand how to get into the online races, also, I do not want to install all the required mods and find it difficult to understand the language.
http://www.koelschbierbude.de/content/view/619/960/lang,en/

GTR2 works great on my potato computer and was rally cheap on steam, I'm hoping that a great game at a cheap price would grow the community if I can find a lobby server, if I understand, if you have a lobby server you can host your own games? Maybe there is room for a rookie league where people like me who want to do some sim racing just to relax and test their skills can have some good clean fun. I'm hoping to convince some of my friends to join.

chiyoko · Nov 12, 2023

TheJuanv20 said:
Hi, so im a little new with GTR2, and wanted to play LAN (via Radmin) with friends but also wanted to race online, and don't know if it works with the base game or crewchief patch or 16th Anniversary Patch, i am really lost, because i can't find guides really, and everything i tried didn't worked.

The CrewChief patch only works for offline/single player. For online, i think you should go with the No-CD version which was bundled in the 16th anniversary patch (just make a different copy of your files and apply it).

I really don't know about this (please correct me if I'm wrong), but i also installed the official online patch, which can be found on the esport racing site. After applying that then you should see LAN available as an option.

Hope my answer will solve your problem.

The Iron Wolf · Nov 12, 2023

chiyoko said:
The CrewChief patch only works for offline/single player.

FWIW most of plugin functionality should work in online as well. It's just online is not the focus of the project. Depending on how things progress I might do some online specific fixes in the future.

If plugin causes crash online or something, let me know, that I'll fix.

TheJuanv20 · Nov 13, 2023

chiyoko said:
The CrewChief patch only works for offline/single player. For online, i think you should go with the No-CD version which was bundled in the 16th anniversary patch (just make a different copy of your files and apply it).

I really don't know about this (please correct me if I'm wrong), but i also installed the official online patch, which can be found on the esport racing site. After applying that then you should see LAN available as an option.

Hope my answer will solve your problem.

Thank you, i managed to solve it that same night, using the us patch, and 4gb patch, no 16th anniversary, and works and i can play with my friends via radmin

GT_GAMRx22 · Dec 5, 2023

TheJuanv20 said:
Hi, so im a little new with GTR2, and wanted to play LAN (via Radmin) with friends but also wanted to race online, and don't know if it works with the base game or crewchief patch or 16th Anniversary Patch, i am really lost, because i can't find guides really, and everything i tried didn't worked.

Hello, I use Radmin VPN, the version 1.1.0.0 No Steam because no everyone can afford the Steam version and mods, if you are still interested, you can PM to me.

Kind regards.

aidanwind · Dec 9, 2023

We are about to organize some events for GTR2. Anyone interested? Happy to share a Discord invite with you if you are.

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

aidanwind said:
We are about to organize some events for GTR2. Anyone interested? Happy to share a Discord invite with you if you are.

What kind of races and what cars/tracks your using?

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

Gtr2 needs to be 100% the same as the server if you want a stable platform for online.. if your using the vanilla cars while other people have the 16 or 18 years patch it wont work that well.

Thats why i ask what tracks/cars your going to use

aidanwind · Dec 9, 2023

GP STONER said:
Gtr2 needs to be 100% the same as the server if you want a stable platform for online.. if your using the vanilla cars while other people have the 16 or 18 years patch it wont work that well.

Thats why i ask what tracks/cars your going to use

For servers we use the koelschbierbude. What we're gonna race with is still up for discussion, but we have an ITCC ready and plan to focus on 90s, 2000s.

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

Koelschbierbunde is needed to "activate" your gtr2 key in the same way it did back in 2006 with the normal gtr2 lobby system. Onces registrated there you can host your own or join any server.

Well back in 2006 one of the most fun servers was gamerscrib

It had qualify as free practice so you free practice time was also your qualify time.

Races was a bit short 6 laps regarding track length. Qualify/free practice was 10 minutes.

Cars where the normal gt1's

Tracks like magny cours national,
Spa monza, enna, mainly the vanilla tracks. Best fun there is with gtr2 is just to use the vanilla cars or the updated ones same for tracks.

Left the modded ones aside

aidanwind · Dec 9, 2023

We're not that far in the process to have everything ready. For now mainly preparing some test sessions + getting people. We have a large rally community, but track racing there has little traction. Hence I'm here asking if anyone's interested?

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

Gtr2 is nowdays more of a private/offline racing game.

Even back in 2006 and before that with gtr1 missmatch was a thing that allmost happen to everybody some day some times.

Main reason is like in sayd in previous post your copy of gtr2 needs to be 100% the same as the server has. You can not run graphic updates while the server is not and otherway around the same way.

Now days with everybody that still using gtr2 in one way or the other has his copy moddified to the bone.
Probably nobody or not many people would have matching gtr2 copies anymore so online would be for those people a no go.

One way to fix this

1. Make a fresh gtr2 install with all the basic upgrades, (graphics, sound those things and offcourse the needed patches)

2.Then make a clone of your complete gamedata folder.

3.make it in to a zip or rar etc and give that to people that wanna join

But with this method you can still get missmatches if there is something different in the other files out side the gamedata folder

Or a otherway but thats a bit illegal/ a no no. But it works the best.

Take stap 1 from above

Add the mods and updates you want to use. Delete everything else
(Cars and tracks that arent used)
If you want to save space you also could delete the sounds that arent used.

Make it in to a zip or rar.

Send it to the people that wanna join.

The only things needed to be done for the players is adding admin to the gtr2.exe, apply the 4gb patch

And change the driver name in your user data folder (its easy to do)

So you are 100% sure that players and server have 100% the same.
Then you dont get any missmatches. Or people cant join issue.

It was a hell back in 2006 with modded servers.

The times i have spend looking in to other peoples gtr2 copy to see why they cant join. Sometimes as simple as some values in some files where different or changed something by adding a different mod that altered some files.

The rf2 system is so much better even for modded servers.

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

When gtr2 come out internet was not as fast as nowdays for many people. In those days it was a nightmare to send somebody a full copy.. uploading 2gb or downloading 2gb took hours.

But now days with my old internet connection (getting a 5gb connection soon) i still can download 2 gb in a minute or 2.

Look at the forums even today how many people installed things wrong and having problems.

In those days unlike now with steam and everything is veriffied mods included on workshop its hard to meshup.

But in 2006 that was not the case.
It was easy to meshup.

So really the best online experiance would be if it was legal to send a copy of your gtr2 to people that wanna play online with you.

aidanwind · Dec 9, 2023

Thanks for the insight. Now some issues we had make a lot of sense.

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

For online.

Players and servers needs to be registrated at the lobby system at koelschpilsbunde of koelischbierbunde what ever its called now days.

You dont need any vpn system.

As long players and server is logged in to the lobby of koelischxxxx
You can join or host.

You need to stay within that lobby
Its a replacement for the simbim one.

Step 2. If your hosting a private thingy i should go with my no no method to make life easy and save your self million minutes of time figure out what is wrong why things dont work like you want to..

I used that method allways.
Even for offline racing with gtr2
Because for every mod i use i have a own copy of gtr2 for it.

To save space i strip down gtr2 to the bare minimum and only added sounds, cars, tracks i use.

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

Also dont forget to open the gaming ports within your router otherwise people really cant join probably they can see your server in the lobby but still cant join

aidanwind · Dec 9, 2023

Yes. Sounds like you figured out our main difficulties without me saying a word about them. Gonna give it a shot. Thank you!

GP STONER · Dec 9, 2023

I bought gtr2 the first day it was released. Played it ever sinds.

But just a small question why not go for rfactor 1. Its basicly the same as gtr2 with some differences but lets say 80% is the same. You can add some ai in it.

I was planning on making some day a video about how to change gtr2/rf1 in to a better offline experiance but some things can be used for online except in gtr2 because gtr2 as no real online ai drivers there was some mods/servers that tryed it there was some progress but that stopped after a while

There are some things you can do with gtr2 rf1 and even rf2 and ams1 (ams 2 i dont own so i dont know)
I know for sure they dont work in assetto corsa.

But as all titles mentioned above have a multiplayer system in it.

Some things are done by simbim/studio 397 to keep things simple but it left out lot of options
(When it comes to Ai racing)
Too much to explain by typing it.

But like i sayd not a lot of people play gtr2 online any more.

So most people that still plays gtr2 play it offline

Gtr2 is in many ways the best "offline" racing simulator there are things in it like saving when ever you needed is not implemented in other titles in the same way gtr2 haves.

Also beening the not to go to sim as off 2023 when it comes for online racing people can turn gtr2 in what ever they like it to be. No need to consider what other people are having or doing fast or slow.

So lot of people are still using gtr2/rf1 for offline and when they want online pain they use titles like assetto corsa (1) rf2 , iracing

You could say for many people gtr2 is something simulair as having a guilty pleasure

Sorryh8rs · Feb 1, 2024

GT_GAMRx22 said:
Hey @cuonglmht000 , I have discord if you want to talk with me and try some races

You still doing online races? Send me a discord invite

Sorryh8rs · Feb 1, 2024

aidanwind said:
We're not that far in the process to have everything ready. For now mainly preparing some test sessions + getting people. We have a large rally community, but track racing there has little traction. Hence I'm here asking if anyone's interested?

I'm interested

Satanas2727 · Feb 2, 2024

Hello Sooryh8rs

If you are an European Driver i advice you to join the koelschbierbude community for online races with between 15 and 25+ drivers.
2 events by week, the monday and saturday.
At 20h GMT+1, 40min Free Practice then 20 Min Qualification.
At 21h GMT+1 , 1 hour Race with at least one pitstop.

To Join the online races you will have to register to the site, download and install a software from the site which will updated your GTR2 folder with new tracks and cars.

Whatever your level everyone is welcome.