rF2: Gen2 Formula E and Lester Special Edition Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have released the new Gen2 2019 Formula E DLC for rFactor 2 - including the free Lester Special Edition circuit.

Having entered into a licencing agreement with the all electric Formula E category in time for a 2017 'Energise Formula E DLC' pack to launch for rFactor 2 back in November 2017, studio 397 have made use of their high profile partnership to create the latest generation car from the series.

Featuring the full field of drivers and the new, more powerful and more advanced Gen2 car, the DLC pack is available now for the very reasonable sum of £4.99.

Coming with the single car and liveries from the current season, the latest DLC is more than just a fresh 3D model - the developers have used the opportunity to create new physics behaviour to best replicate this type of unique racing...

This release of the Formula E Gen2 is not just about the car itself. We have been hard at work adding in new physics features to enable the very latest of brake-by-wire technology. You might ask, what does this mean? Brake-by-wire in layman’s terms simply means that the entire braking circuit is handled ‘electronically’ based on the amount of pressure you put on the brake pedal (kind of like your home sim rig!). This electronic signal from the brake pedal is then split between the ‘electric motor’ and the ‘brake rotor’. In real life, the balance of this split is up to the race team engineer.

Engineers will seek to maximize the motor regeneration of the battery. This means the brake-by-wire system will use the maximum negative torque capability (braking power) of the electric motor before starting to apply force to the physical brake disc. The brake discs will only kick in if the requested torque needed for braking exceeds what the electric motor is capable of. However, given that the rear brakes will then struggle to generate any temperature, an engineer may choose to have some force applied to the discs just to ensure that the carbon discs don’t glaze over.

This is in addition to the absence of a rear brake duct for the Formula E. Our new system’s algorithm is currently based on this optimal balance. What this all means….mash that brake pedal and watch your battery charge up!
​

As well as the new DLC, a special Formula E themed version of the fantasy Lester circuit has also been released, available to download independently of the Gen2 car, the 'Special Edition' Lester circuit is also available now from the Steam workshop.

rFactor 2 is available for PC now.

For more rFactor 2 news and community discussion, head over to the rFactor 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and keen in touch with the news as it happens. If you like your sim racing in a fun and fair environment, why not check out the rFactor 2 Racing Club here at RD? Premium members have the opportunity to get in the thick of the action with our regular and high quality racing events.

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[Davy Jones]

Is it possible to use attack mode in rf2?

No. They haven't implemented it. I asked them about it on my podcast (search for Sim Racing Perspectives Podcast) and they said perhaps in future. I would post a link to the show here but an admin might remove it. I posted a link to my video on the new Gen 2 car in this thread yesterday and it got deleted. I discussed the car settings and features so it might have helped some but whatever...

 

[Durge Driven]

I would have thought they could simplify it to a button pretty easy so you could use it twice anywhere on track and make fanboost random every race

 

[Dragon60]

I like the cars. With a little bit tweaking on the breaks, they drive pretty good. But this high whistling gearbox type sound is driving me nuts especially when using headphones. I need to turn down the sound effects to 10%. I don´t have this problem with the 2018 cars.

 

[Jefferson Costa]

About the car, it's really nice, takes time and some adjustments to get used with the brakes but once you get the hang of it everything goes well. I went OK with 80% of brake strength with some little lock ups if I abuse them.

In fact my problem is with the track, as the Lester Supersprint offered better racing than the Special Edition, merely because the AI can't negotiate their way through chicanes. I can wait for an update, so for the moment Lester SE for me is only for hotlapping.

 

[GRaFkiyv]

No real tracks ePrix - no party!
Sorry rF2, not now.

 

[Davy Jones]

About the car, it's really nice, takes time and some adjustments to get used with the brakes but once you get the hang of it everything goes well. I went OK with 80% of brake strength with some little lock ups if I abuse them.

In fact my problem is with the track, as the Lester Supersprint offered better racing than the Special Edition, merely because the AI can't negotiate their way through chicanes. I can wait for an update, so for the moment Lester SE for me is only for hotlapping.

Yes a good point, the AI are bunching up on the chicanes, in some cases piling one on top of the other. It's otherwise a nice circuit.

 

[Jefferson Costa]

Yes a good point, the AI are bunching up on the chicanes, in some cases piling one on top of the other. It's otherwise a nice circuit.

And it's clear that the AI has as much brake issues as the players. At Lester SE, along with the chicanes, there are at least two corners where they simply brake too deep, lock up and either catch or spin.

 

[mr Sw1tchblade]

No. They haven't implemented it. I asked them about it on my podcast (search for Sim Racing Perspectives Podcast) and they said perhaps in future. I would post a link to the show here but an admin might remove it. I posted a link to my video on the new Gen 2 car in this thread yesterday and it got deleted. I discussed the car settings and features so it might have helped some but whatever...

Thank you!
Perhaps in future i will buy this dlc
I am tired to spend money for a half baked cakes.

 

[NBH]

After driving this for several hours I really can't tell a difference between this and the Gen1 car in terms of behavior. Again the AI are awful because of the chicanes.

 

[Nick Gregory]

I find the AI to be nearly spot on since someone always get's killed at any chicane in the first couple of laps in a real FE race anyway. And they do get better with it when the field spreads out a bit.

But, they do silly things like this in the mean time:

 

[The Walker]

Tried the car, not easy to control. Brakes are a pain in the as*, I really don't understand how I have to brake, I can't go 100% because I lock up, if I press for 40/50% the braking zone is longer. After the first chicane on Lester I was already 1 second off the AI hotlap. Decreasing brake pressure doesn't work because braking zones get longer and longer

 

[Oldzeb]

I'm not going to buy the gen 2, I've only rarely used the gen1, maybe with official online tracks in the future to see....

 

[Leynad777]

Tried the car, not easy to control. Brakes are a pain in the as*, I really don't understand how I have to brake, I can't go 100% because I lock up, if I press for 40/50% the braking zone is longer. After the first chicane on Lester I was already 1 second off the AI hotlap. Decreasing brake pressure doesn't work because braking zones get longer and longer

With maximum regen-mode you don't need to brake yourself that much anymore and just ease of the throttle and brake the last meters. Default brake-bias is too much front and i like 53 or even less to the front. Always brake in a straight line and let the regen-mode do as much as possible. I didn't try the FE-tracks yet and VIR North works great for example or Sebring Johnson Club with lower AI-level. Just was driving Ibarra and works as well, but AI is too slow in the fast part and i overtook one or two every lap. Not a problem if you start from the back.

 

[The Walker]

With maximum regen-mode you don't need to brake yourself that much anymore and just ease of the throttle and brake the last meters. Default brake-bias is too much front and i like 53 or even less to the front. Always brake in a straight line and let the regen-mode do as much as possible. I didn't try the FE-tracks yet and VIR North works great for example or Sebring Johnson Club with lower AI-level. Just was driving Ibarra and works as well, but AI is too slow in the fast part and i overtook one or two every lap. Not a problem if you start from the back.

Thanks, much much better now. I forgot how these cars are different from F1 cars. With regen at 9 I lift like 25/30 meters (I think) before the braking zone and the start braking. I completed a """decent""" lap. AI at 100% hits 1:28 high, I did a 1:33.5. Still a noob tho

What's the difference between regen at 0 and 9? Apart from saving energy I mean

 

[Nick Gregory]

What's the difference between regen at 0 and 9? Apart from saving energy I mean

The higher the regen setting, the more the rear brakes will be used to regenerate energy for the battery.

 

[The Walker]

The higher the regen setting, the more the rear brakes will be used to regenerate energy for the battery.

Does this mean something like longer braking zones with a high regen setting?

Lift and coast is a must regardless of the regen settings right?

 

[Leynad777]

Lift and coast is a must regardless of the regen settings right?

With regen on 0 it acts like a normal formula car and instead of the downshifts you have to use the brakes to decelerate. Regen on 9 is more like a noob-assist in DR2 for example and it just brakes automatically without throttle. Usually you want less speed anyway when easing off the throttle, so using the brakes only to manipulate the automation and running more front bias to compensate the pure rear braking system makes the best sense.

 

[Nick Gregory]

Regen on 9 is more like a noob-assist in DR2 for example and it just brakes automatically without throttle.

This is actually how EV's regenerate energy. When you let off the gas (yes, I know that isn't the proper term for EV's) the motor uses the spinning motor to regenerate energy to the battery. It doesn't actually use the brakes.

 

[Jens Roos]

Without regen and lift & coast the energy should not last a complete race as I assume that part is equal in gen 1/2.

With gen 1 that was mandatory plus a car change for a 50m race. The gen 2 should manage a race without pitstop but havn't tried that yet.

One problem with the gen 1 was that AI did not limit the stop to just 1, hope that it works better with gen 2 as no stop should be required.

 

[dreamer al]

Need decent Formula E tracks. Moders are doing their best, but not up to current track standards (in my view).

Edit: I have taken took the plunge and purchased. I drive with X Box One Controller which seems well suited for this type of vehicle. If Studio 397 would install vibration for gamepads, I would be VERY happy.