rFactor 2 | Dev-Talk: User Experience

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 and more specifically Christopher Elliot and Rene Butler, have released a very interesting new video where they discuss the user experience and new UI functionality within rFactor 2.

Making the most of the current stay at home orders in place pretty much throughout the world, Studio 397 colleagues Christopher Elliot and Rene Butler have used the opportunity to put together a short Q&A style video around the user experience within rFactor 2 - including some interesting insight into the future development direction of current big project underway within the studio.

The HTML based new UI for rFactor 2 has taken on something of a mythical status in sim racing circles. At first, a delayed launch and much hyping led the community into something of a lather about how this seemingly boring aspect of the sim might change the player experience. Since launch, the first pass at the new UI has been met with a mixed reception from the community - but it seems like Studio 397 remain as committed as ever to developing, enhancing and improving the feature to better support ongoing developments within rFactor 2 in the years ahead.

The video is an interesting idea from the team at 397, and well worth 20 minutes of your time to sit down and watch when you get a spare minute...



rFactor 2 is available now exclusively for PC.

Want to learn some of the tricks and tips for getting rF2 to perform how you want it to? No worries, start up a thread in the rF2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment and ask our community!

 

[Durge Driven]

Good point that also woud be appriciated is that a serverlist shows witch cars are in the a server, so one knows if the race is what one wants instead of one needs to join first and then to find out you dont like the combo.

How could anything load you would have to shut it down for new content to take, that goes for any sim I have

So start rF2 just to download then restart all over mmmm

 

[azaralamouri]

I was afraid to comment something a bit negative but some people did and got away with it.

To be honest their updates are underwhelming. Just compare them to how ACC is quickly evolving.

And if they are doing something then we need more communication. The weekly road map was a good idea, but more is needed to the majority who doesn't even know what rF2 is. Namely more videos like this one is needed.

The competition took them forever. "Just bloody copy iRacing is that so hard?". Makes me scratch my head to see sims with worse physics and worse money model like iRacing more popular than rFactor 2, the only true sim as its fanboys like to call it. And I'm a fanboy of it.

PS: Oh, and an in-game VOICE RADIO CHAT moves the fun to a new higher level.

 

[dajdosta]

In your opinion and what is that worth when it comes to knowing inner workings of gmotor2.5

IMHO it is without equal in driving immersion

This is what you should do, examine rF2 Gravity and Rolling Resistance

I can tell you now what you will find
1. rF2 cars will get more air ..why ?
2. rF2 cars will roll 200% - 400% more then any other engine ....... why ?

Now try to imagine what that would do for physics ... less gravity makes the car more reactive on even slightest bumps
and rolling resistance makes the front push in turns

...and that is what makes rF2 come alive

I don't understand other part of your post but sometimes gravity in rf2 feels odd to me. As if in rf2 world is less gravity as you said.

 

[Shannon Flynn]

On another note, does anyone else see Paul's profile photo at the beginning of his articles and mistake him for Mikael Åkerfeldt?
Gets me. Every. Damn. Time.

 

[mantasisg]

1. rF2 cars will get more air ..why ?
2. rF2 cars will roll 200% - 400% more then any other engine ....... why ?

Now try to imagine what that would do for physics ... less gravity makes the car more reactive on even slightest bumps
and rolling resistance makes the front push in turns

Thats wild and interesting claims. Needs proof. Gravity is probably easy to test, just make a known height plane and drive off slowly with a car. Otherwise aerodynamics plays big role as well as track features that you base your claim on. Also less gravity would mean less weight, so it isn't obvious if it would truly make it more reactive to bumps, as it would technically hit them with lesser force, thus reaction would be lesser too.

Rolling resistance is interesting. Good proof is also needed with all variables taken. Personally I have found in one occasion that it seemed like pressures had next to no effect for topspeed, but I am not sure. And why it would make to understeer ? Assuming that weight is majorly placed on front wheels ? Or do you think that less rolling resistance in generalmay be causing understeer, why ?

 

[thebaz]

In your opinion

Was talking about the app itself not the gmotor... it can’t be possible a stupid thing like building a new UI takes so much time to be written... they touch a part, they broke others ten...

 

[thebaz]

I was afraid to comment something a bit negative but some people did and got away with it.

To be honest their updates are underwhelming. Just compare them to how ACC is quickly evolving.

i second every single word you said !

 

[BazzaLB]

i second every single word you said !

ACC supports one single class of racing.. Big WOOP! Its VR is still complete crap and the dev does not give a flying toss about that. So sick of hearing how marvellous ACC is being as I have it and never fire it up because I find it so underwhelming!

 

[budgetek]

Next month they'll be an exclusive interview with the developer who was the first one to start work on the new UI

PS I only want two functions
1) One where I can set circuits, specify cars and run a championship in a handful of clicks
2) One where I can host a server/lobby from within the game, no fuss, invite friends from steam, add AI if required, in a handful of clicks

Instead I'm getting one where I can watch esports, because boy if that's not the first thing I want to do when I launch a sim (utterly redundant of course for the hundreds of VR users)
View attachment 366180

In its current state I discourage you to invite ai into your mp race.

 

[Flip-Flop Driver]

ACC supports one single class of racing.. Big WOOP! Its VR is still complete crap and the dev does not give a flying toss about that. So sick of hearing how marvellous ACC is being as I have it and never fire it up because I find it so underwhelming!

Gotta give them points for the tire model though...

 

[Stevie_007]

Think they would have been better starting from scratch,With a rf3 love the feel of this game, but when you look at what’s happened with the progress of am2 and acc then I wonder if they are flogging a dead horse

 

[tr1v1um]

Think they would have been better starting from scratch,With a rf3 love the feel of this game, but when you look at what’s happened with the progress of am2 and acc then I wonder if they are flogging a dead horse

They are developing their own game and engine and don't rely on anyone else. This has it's pros, as they are independent. But on the other hand it can be an obstacle if you have to rewrite big parts of the engine from scratch as it happened with rF2. If you aren't using rF2 on a regular base, it might seem like a dead horse. But if you do, then you get an understanding for the fact how bland our genre would be without this sim. Not saying there aren't issues, but I often see similar issues in other sims and there it's fine for everyone.

 

[mikeae1]

Not their fault, but rF2 original code is clearly a disaster!

What particular ?

my experience with ISI was :
since SCGT, the Code need more hardware Power, since comparitibly programs !
But ISI developmented a lot F12000 --> F199-02 and rF, that the User realize more and more the benefits from the massive hardcore coding parameters.
rF2 seems have a lot of potential and playing with iRacing in my opinion in "his own League" of Sims in Direction to Original - Real-Simulation.

Till today - i understand not good enough the Engine - physic, that i can edit older mods correct, that the suspension-Feeling come be "true".

Niels is in my opinion a benchmark, but working for Reiza as Consulting.
And in AMS1 for example (GSCE, i havent AMS) i noticed a handicap for my personally feeling, that the Inertia Z-Axle don't make the Open-Wheel-Cars instable enough (SR-School Addon for the old rtrainers from rFactor proof the opposite, but here is the Tyre Physic not enough costumized, and the Suspension with caster and so on, a little bit too extrem).

And of course for rF2 everybody get a lot of Quality Mods and Tracks (less Products but more Quality as rF1 - i think).

 

[BrunoBæ]

I'm a little struck by the idea that the game will take you to a shopping cart if you don't have the correct DLC content to run in a server. While the functionality is no doubt welcome, it's a bit naive regarding how gamers react to these kind of things. Imagine purchasing rF2, seeing there is a popular GT3 race which wouldn't be an uncommon attraction, and then being presented with a option to spend a further £30.

I understand your irritation about this - I had the same irritation when I years back started using another racing game.
Because to be fair then Raceroom has also this integrated Store menu - and if you click on as example a certain car on a LB you dont allready own then the Store is (ok) NOT directly opened but you are friendly "nudged" in the direction of where you can buy the missing car.

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: I have also to admit that after years using this great racing game (Raceroom ) my irritation over this minor nuisance have vanished.

 

[Emery]

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: I have also to admit that after years using this great racing game (Raceroom ) my irritation over this minor nuisance have vanished.

Yes, you've managed a complete turnaround! It's been, what, 2 years since you muttered words about Steam, too, I think.

 

[BrunoBæ]

No you are completely wrong about this my good man.
I did criticise Steam because installing this does spam your computer with tons of unnessesary things and make managesment of where files are placed on your own puter unnessary complicated.
Do you understand it now Mistar Emery?

CatsAreTheWorstDogs: Dont you have other things to do than following what I do or do not post. I mean I do not care enough about what you post to be following you

CatsAreTheWorstDogs2: But thinking about it then I maybe should. To help you with some corrections and stuff

 

[Jonny Austin]

Never played RF2.It was on my Steam wishlist but I removed it simply because of the slow progress,muddled content & complex technical issues & workarounds that people mention all the time.Sim racers today expect a plug in & play experience.Who wants to go in & change files just to get a sim to run properly?

A shame because the LMP3 cars they are running on the RACE series on Youtube look great to drive & for a change the tv coverage also looks great.

 

[dajdosta]

Sim racers today expect a plug in & play experience.Who wants to go in & change files just to get a sim to run properly?

Passionate dedicated players ready to spend time and put effort to set up and learn something they will be using for years. For that it takes to appreciate what rf2 has to offer enough to outweigh technical difficulties and user nonfriendliness.

 

[MarcG]

You don't need to "change files just to get a sim to run properly?" and that is a FACT, shame the ill-informed like this bloke pass judgment without even trying it first, a sad indictment of todays "want it all and yesterday" mentality.

 

[RobertR1]

I actually don’t know what it is they work on. I test it out every couple of months, struggle to get it working right and then nope out. the driving itself is great but everything around it is a dentist visit. Even the ingame hud for vr, why can‘t I just use a mouse to move widgets around like AC? Just painful really.

oh there’s still no documentation on the various AA and in combination with post processing level. Then depending on what graphical options you use you might have a great visual experience with one track and overblown blinding whites on another and crawling and flickering on the next and so on.

At the very least, hire the guy who made content manager for AC. Then the UI will actually get done.