rFactor 2 | New Build Update Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have deployed a new build update for rFactor 2, adding a number of fixes and improvements to the simulation.

• New build adds VR flat desktop mode.
• Various art fixes and tweaks.
• 32-bit installers ceased.

The new build has been deployed in anticipation of the upcoming Spa-Francorchamps release this Friday 20th November, and comes complete with a number of fixes and tweaks to the simulation. It is worth noting as part of this build, as detailed in the October Development Roadmap, going forward Studio 397 will no longer be supporting 32-bits version of the simulation, and the Dutch team also recommend migrating to the 'new UI' to maximise current and future developments within the title.

Of interest in the new build are various performance improvements for the UI and the addition of VR flat desktop mirror, plus new controller profiles and some further tweaks to the graphic aspects of the title.


Update Notes:

• Removed the 32 bits builds, we are now officially 64 bit only. To ease the transition, we have left some 32 bit utilities in their usual locations for this build only. Please migrate and report any issues you might have.
  • Note: there is a known issue that the ModMgr.exe inside Bin64 folder on SteamCMD dedicated server distributions may crash when toggling certain settings. Please use ModMgr.exe inside Bin32 folder for now.
• Changed the way the new UI gets rendered, making it smooth even when the back-end is busy.
• Fixed several memory leaks and a possible crash on changing graphics settings in-game.
• Ensured that when a user is entering text in a text field, keys he/she presses don’t accidentally trigger other controls.
• Fixed the mouse cursor from going missing when pressing ESC in VR after driving the car.
• Fixed an issue where sometimes when restarting or forwarding sessions, the UI would not (re)appear after that transition.
• Fixed several aspect-ratio related rendering issues with the new UI.
• Fixed the new UI being one pixel too wide and too high on triples.
• Added new VR flat desktop mirror. Please note this is only available in the new UI on the public_beta branch.
• Controller profiles
  • Simagic M10 new profile added.
  • VRS Direct Force Pro corrected typo in controller profile.
• Re-enabled & Improved Sun God Rays / Light Flare settings (requires PostFX enabled, mostly only visible when the sun is occluded slightly)
• Tweaks to Air Pollution colour blending and params
• Corrected Moon Brightness
• Reviewed various lighting parameters
• Moved “Atmospherics” section for Track Weather file (.WET) to Track Game Database file (.GDB)
• Added option for static mappers to disable omni lights
• Fixed auto static mapper assignment, so Static01 mapper is auto assigned only. (prevent mappers for specific situations being auto assigned to assets)
• Fixes for issues with No Rain Zones including when falling back to bounding box, and sorting issues with the currently rendered no rain zones.
• Fixed an issue where reflections would stop updating after rejoining track
• Fix for track side cameras not always showing the correct number of objects
• Updated PBR track shaders to make use of new sampler methods to allow for more textures to be used.
• Fixed an issue where DXT1 and DXT5 textures would not sample sRGB when they should when using new sampler method (This was an issue on the Road Shader only previously)
• Fixed a rare issue causing texture animations to stop working
• IBL Road and IBL Curb:
  • Added ability to use a second normal map (overlay on road, switch on curbs)
  • Tweaked Groove Blending logic (This may result in more noticeable dust, you may wish to tone this down in your Road Details Map)
  • Updated default settings for Groove & Dust IBL Standard
  • Fixed some issues with the Detail Map
• IBL Standard & Blend
  • Added option to use detail map as an alpha masked decal IBL Standard Blend
  • Added the option to use a detail map with the same logic as IBL Standard
  • Removed Multiply Square albedo blending mode, since this can be achieved by saving the texture in the correct format.
• IBL Terrain:
  • Added the ability to set per Albedo strengths for Pattern map
  • Added an optional splatter overlay map, which applies alpha to specular mask
  • Added Albedo Tinting to Specular on Terrain Shaders
• IBL Vegetation
  • Added a new Vegetation Specific shader, which contains only appropriate logic from IBL Standard
  • Added Specular Tinting with a static colour in the Vegetation Shader.

Steam Build IDs
Old UI (opt-out)

• Client build ID: 5842885
• Dedicated server build ID: 5842895

New UI (public_beta)

• Client build ID: 5842938

The new build is available now, and should download automatically the next time you restart your Steam client.



Original Source: Studio 397

rFactor 2 is available now, exclusively on PC.

Check out the rF2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment for a great place to hang out with your fellow fans of the title, discuss the latest news and get advice on how to make the most from your simulation. Join in and start a new thread today!

 

[Thomas Tabone]

And another thing they could implement in the new UI would be a dark mode, or at least tone down the bright white tone

 

[bgil66]

Thanks a lot. Now my game doesn't start from the desktop. Very good new UI, completely unresponsive, it is stuck at the "login" screen. And please, don't tell me to use workaround A and then apply B, delete C: the problem is that the game is not working after some update. I can still launch dev mode via steam. Thanks an effing lot, devs. This sucks.

So. guys. How do i make it work? edit: got it, use the old UI listed in the beta.

If that happened to me I would reinstall the game and pray

 

[Case_]

(I kinda find it fascinating that he asks how to make it work, but at the same time, in the exact same post, downright states he doesn't want any help. Really not sure what we can do here. And also not sure how using the old UI is not a workaround, and not a good one either, since the old UI is no longer supported and will not receive any updates.)

 

[dajdosta]

old UI is no longer supported and will not receive any updates.

I hope you are right.
That is comforting to hear for all of us who have problems with new one.
Thx.

 

[Squared Circle]

If that happened to me I would reinstall the game and pray

I would substitute the praying with making sure I have unsubscribed from EVERY mod and addon before I reinstall

 

[bgil66]

I would substitute the praying with making sure I have unsubscribed from EVERY mod and addon before I reinstall

ahh yes but then still pray

 

[davehenrie]

Thanks a lot. Now my game doesn't start from the desktop. Very good new UI, completely unresponsive, it is stuck at the "login" screen. And please, don't tell me to use workaround A and then apply B, delete C: the problem is that the game is not working after some update. I can still launch dev mode via steam. Thanks an effing lot, devs. This sucks.

So. guys. How do i make it work? edit: got it, use the old UI listed in the beta.

if you use the old UI, Nothing new from last week on to the end of time will work. The comp system, and car and track updates will all require the new UI. The new UI has been available for a year in beta form. Every rF2 user should already be familiar with it. I'm still surprised that users who have a problem always think it is universal and everyone suffers from it. "Thanks a-lot S397 for breaking the game" when it is already working for most users. If 'most' users can get it working, then the game is not broken but there can be individual issues that are causing you and other users problems.
(back to your original self-answered question)
I load Steam, I press play, then I choose to launch the rF2 graphic configuration tool, then I verify my vidcard is correctly shown, I do this EVERY FREAKIN Time I load rF2 to ensure the correct video card is shown because that information either gets reset or lost from time to time. click ok, Takes you back to Steam, press play again and run rF2. Takes maybe 10 seconds start to finish. Then rF2 begins loading. 1st load of the UI will be slow, same for tracks, much faster(although still not blazing) after your first loads.

 

[Case_]

I'm still surprised that users who have a problem always think it is universal and everyone suffers from it. If 'most' users can get it working, then the game is not broken but there can be individual issues that are causing you and other users problems.

Well, from your point of view, the game is not broken because it works for you. From their point of view, it is broken, because it stopped working for them (or some part of it that used to work now doesn't). I don't think there's that many of those who literally mean it like "the game is now broken *for everyone*".

And also, how big each of the groups is doesn't really matter much to most people, because in the end, the fact that something works for someone else doesn't really change the fact it doesn't work for you.

I wouldn't expect this to be that hard to understand, or that surprising.

 

[davehenrie]

Over on the official forum, I stopped responding to UI questions because most were asked and answered over the past year. I let myself step in this one, so I deserve having to scrape my shoe clean. Just back from a funeral and wasn't fully engaged yet. But my point remains, his broken game is not broken, he has just not learned from experience or reading forums what the issue or correction is and he, and many many others, have had oh so much time to have sorted this out. The general fix for most of these users is to run back to the old UI. Fine for solo play with features current as of Jan. 2021. But what comes next? What new thing will not work with the old UI, Then users will come back again for help. Help that has been here for months. rF2 is a warty toad, lots of issues, unsolved for years, I'm not praising a pig in lipstick. I'm just tired.

 

[Case_]

His broken game is not broken. It just doesn't work. But it's not broken! He should just spend more time looking for solutions and testing them, like he's expected to.

 

[davehenrie]

His broken game is not broken. It just doesn't work. But it's not broken! He should just spend more time looking for solutions and testing them, like he's expected to.

You win, everyone pack up your wheels, rF2 is completely non-functional. sigh.

 

[MarcG]

I load Steam, I press play, then I choose to launch the rF2 graphic configuration tool, then I verify my vidcard is correctly shown, I do this EVERY FREAKIN Time I load rF2 to ensure the correct video card is shown because that information either gets reset or lost from time to time. click ok, Takes you back to Steam, press play again and run rF2. Takes maybe 10 seconds start to finish. Then rF2 begins loading. 1st load of the UI will be slow, same for tracks, much faster(although still not blazing) after your first loads.

Just a note Dave, unless you're on a Laptop you really shouldn't need to enter the Config Tool to select the Video Card every time you run RF2, if it's on Auto it should pick up your main GPU just fine (Laptops are a bit different if I understand correctly). Ideally that drop down box would always pick your main GPU so why it defaults to Auto I'll never know, but you shouldn't ever need to touch it. Try it and see, if it selects your mobo GPU or whatever then something is slightly amiss and could do with looking at, either on your end or S397s