RF2 Sim Racing Expo News

[Paul Glover]

This weekend at the Sim Racing Expo Studio 397 have provided rFactor 2 fans updates on two long awaited additions.

At the expo in 2018 we first heard that the famous Nordschleife would be coming to the sim, a year later fans have been asking where the track was. Recently Studio 397 hosted their own 24 hour at Le Man that was to be red flagged due to performance issues, therefore much of their focus has been understanding these issues and working to resolve them so you could understand if the track was delayed.

It was pleasing to hear that they had an update for us, they have said the track should arrive in the next two to three weeks along with a new Porsche Cup.

rFactor 2 fans have also been wondering where is the teased new UI, well Studio 397 have for the first time allowed fans to see what it looks like and broadcast a live video from the expo which is available on their Twitch channel. They have not given any hints to when it will be released.

As well as these two updates we are also expecting a second update to the game which is to further improve performance and stability, therefore lots of excitement ahead for the game. So watch this space!

 

 

[avenger82]

The Porsche Cup car was supposed to be quite realistic in RaceRoom and especially in iRacing.
Alex Hodgkison: "It was the very first car I eased myself into Sector 3 with and it's easily the car I've spent the most time on".
iRacing also put a lot of effort to get physics right:

Lastly, does this feel realistic?
Elliott Skeer: "I’ve done a couple laps at each track I’ve raced them at, with the setup directly off the real racecar. And my answer to that is…. Holy Fuching Sh!t Oh My God YES! Every tendency that I’ve picked up to drive this car properly works exactly as is on here. Little quirks that happen at Watkins or Sebring happen the exact same way. I’m in absolute love with this car.

Top job iRacing, this is next level!"
https://www.reddit.com/r/iRacing/comments/5qdnbb/porsche_cup_driver_elliott_skeer_faq_and_review/

on a question regarding grip he answered:
"On the limit? This car is pretty good on the limit as is. I'd say a more aggressive release point though. There's a 5* yaw window here that really lets you save a slide, and that's non existent in the real car. Needs a point of no return (sorry iRacers who think it's too snappy

)"

I didn't know about him, so checked his bio:
"He also continued to coach professionally and started to work with iRacing as a car dynamics developer."

I dug a little more and saw this:
"... if you knew how much work went into getting the numbers on the car damn accurate, down to specs that you wouldn't even think about. I've driven it with the numbers bang on exact compared to the real car in every way, trust me it's not what you would want released. Some small compromises were made in places, less than you would actually think too."

He also said it's probably the most realistic car in a sim. Problem is I saw similar claims few times But I think it's because iRacing version matches his personal perception of driving it.

But other drivers who raced it in reality didn't gave it such good review/opinions.
Here's one at 11:40:

and he said GT cars in iRacing are more realistic.

There were much more critical opinions. Still, Nicki Thiim tentatively ranked iRacing's version better than in AC(2nd) or RaceRoom(3rd) in his (in)famous comparison:

But I'm not sure if he raced this car IRL.

There's also AMS "Boxer Cup". Unbranded 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
It seems ok, except perhaps has too little grip (I know it's not GT3 class car).

I wonder how realistic the upcoming version in rFactor 2 will be. I guess not as realistic as Porsche's private mod, that's used for training.

It would be interesting to get real Cup drivers feedback on upcoming rF2's version. AFAIK Nicki Thiim doesn't use rF2. I've read he didn't wan't to try Aston Martin because dashboard was way off in rF2

It's fascinating to me - a comparison how close to reality(in therms of handling) can top sims make a car. For me there are still substantial differences in handling (and especially FFB) with the same car. Probably partially because, I don't try to exactly match setup - only change few most important things from defaults in a sim.

rF2's physics engine is quite capable(especially tire model) and recently S397 proved they can make it very very realistic, with Tatuus cars. But my guess is that they didn't get so much data and feedback from Porsche and didn't put so much effort to make this one.
Anyway 99,9% users will never race the real car, but it's good to know a mod doesn't have fantasy physics.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

There's also AMS "Boxer Cup". Unbranded 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup.
It seems ok, except perhaps has too little grip (I know it's not GT3 class car).

I find this lady to be more forgiving in terms of sticking on the track, than the R3E and AC one, to be honest. A capable driver can do crazy things with it...

 

[avenger82]

I find this lady to be more forgiving in terms of sticking on the track, than the R3E and AC one, to be honest. A capable driver can do crazy things with it...

Yesterday I tried RaceRoom version again(previously I just did quick test) and in deed it was more challenging than what I remembered and also more than the one in AMS and AC. It's especially unstable under braking (no ABS), and it's overstter can be dangerous.

But I could swear AC version(on warm soft tires) had more grip than in AMS. I remember I was surprised AMS version had low downforce on fast corners. I think I will do comparison with more controlled testing protocol

Anyway, I hope rF2 version will have accurate handling, unlike for instance Oreca 07 which had wrong lift/drag ratio with most aero packages, and too much grip, so alien lap times were way lower at Le Mans. Couple seconds faster is understandable because of unlimited training time in controlled conditions, no fear etc, but 7 seconds difference means something was wrong.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

I don't know right now, how fast the AC and AMS one are in comparison, but you can make the Boxer way more calm and stable by setup changes, than the AC one. The R3E one is a nervous beast, more comparable to the ACC one...

Anyway, I hope rF2 version will have accurate handling, unlike for instance Oreca 07 which had wrong lift/drag ratio with most aero packages, and too much grip, so alien lap times were way lower at Le Mans. Couple seconds faster is understandable because of unlimited training time in controlled conditions, no fear etc, but 7 seconds difference means something was wrong.

Yeah, the Oreca was able to smash Rebellion LMP1 times, before the recent update, if i remember corectly, but i kinda adore the car, before and after the update. It is so fun to push it, as soon, as the brakes are on temperature.

But in my opinion, after the update, the GTE aren't that fun anymore, they got a pretty nervous rear now, you can compensate it by giving more wing and use a more conservative approach on the suspension, but it will make for some "discussable" laptimes...

 

[avenger82]

I don't know right now, how fast the AC and AMS one are in comparison, but you can make the Boxer way more calm and stable by setup changes, than the AC one. The R3E one is a nervous beast, more comparable to the ACC one...


Yeah, the Oreca was able to smash Rebellion LMP1 times, before the recent update, if i remember corectly, but i kinda adore the car, before and after the update. It is so fun to push it, as soon, as the brakes are on temperature.

But in my opinion, after the update, the GTE aren't that fun anymore, they got a pretty nervous rear now, you can compensate it by giving more wing and use a more conservative approach on the suspension, but it will make for some "discussable" laptimes...

Yeah I also find Boxer generally stable but it slides more than GT3/GTE spec cars. For sure has significantly less aero. I noticed that going on grass on one of first fast corners on Nords Tourist

Regarding GTE that's common that people find them more oversteery, especially BMW. I remember C7 was already like that to less extend. Porsche RSR is least affected by latest update. Do you know what exact suspensions will reduce oversteer in BMW and C7?

 

[CrimsonEminence]

Do you know what exact suspensions will reduce oversteer in BMW and C7?

The Porsche is also heavily affected with the update, as far, as you want to get LeMans times, like with the BMW....otherwise it's almost 1-2 seconds slower at qualy pace, if you have no luck...

Everything, that suspension does, when you want to have understeer under weight-transfer...slow bump and slow rebound, also springs and anti-roll bar at the rear softer and at the front higher, the normal conservative approach with suspensions, to get more understeer then adjusting it to your driving style, but you could suffer from less turn in and so on. A compromise also with rake is possible, to make it more stable under braking, and less draggy, but i've no special recommendations there, just try it out.^^

Most effective is adding more wing, but it will give you punishment on top-speed, and this track needs it.

 

[avenger82]

Everything, that suspension does, when you want to have understeer under weight-transfer...slow bump and slow rebound, also springs and anti-roll bar at the rear softer and at the front higher,

I was asking because I basically done same thing you mentioned plus fast bump and rebound and it helped to some extent, but I didn't know which one had biggest impact. I think you're right slow bump and rebound was most important as it reduces corner entry oversteer. Will check it today with BMW. Rear wing is obvious but on slow corners it doesn't help that much.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

I was asking because I basically done same thing you mentioned plus fast bump and rebound and it helped to some extent, but I didn't know which one had biggest impact. I think you're right slow bump and rebound was most important as it reduces corner entry oversteer. Will check it today with BMW. Rear wing is obvious but on slow corners it doesn't help that much.

For slow corners, work with conservative anti-roll-bar settings, if it oversteers.