rFactor 2 - Q & A with the development team

[Bram Hengeveld]

Hi,

Spoken to the boss himself yesterday night and in a few weeks time he will be able to answer questions from the RD community!

Please use this thread to write down your questions for him. We will wrap up the most original questions that have not been answered before in previous interviews and will send it out.

Take note of a few simple rules:

• Don't use this thread for debates / discussions. Stay on topic: questions. Discussions are more than welcome here
• Read the entire topic so you don't repeat the same questions over and over again
• We all want to know when the game will be released, so avoid that question as it has been asked a million times before and we all know the answer already: "Released when its finished"

Shoot! What would you like know? Lets get the rFactor 2 ball rolling!

 

[Arnold Carter Wong]

I have many many questions:tongue:

1. Would there be a beta for the potential development teams to test the mod content before the release?

2. Is there any wiper function in rF2?

3. Is "wheel to fender" collision exists on the cars?

4. How different the sound system is?

5. How much does the game cost? Any DVD version?:tongue:

6. Is it possible to add a function that detach the smoothing groups automatically when exporting to the game object format, sometimes it's quite a disaster to do that everytime by hand.

7. What is the format of the shaders in rF2? Is .fx supported?

maybe some more, still have to think about it.

Arnold

 

[Ryan Callan]

From a more online point of view:

In the dedi:

Will there be an option to restrict certain types of controller?
Will there be an option to add cameraman and commentator slots?
Will the Safety Car work more intelligently?
Will there be an option to have an automatic double header race?
Will there be an option to set the grid manually?
Will there be an option to set the grid from a prior qualifying result?

General play, mainly online:

FFB - is it true it will be more RealFeel based than before?
Will the 'cut track' facility work more efficiently?
Will there be 'setups' server?
Will in-game admin still exist and will it be expanded at all?
On-line collision detection is generally excellent and non-surprising in rF1 - will this stay similar or maybe even improved? I am fearful of the problems RACE has in this regard.

 

[Luc Van Camp]

6. Is it possible to add a function that detach the smoothing groups automatically when exporting to the game object format, sometimes it's quite a disaster to do that everytime by hand.

It's not my intention to hijack the thread, but that one is a Max related 'issue' rather than an exporter feature. One that can easily be solved with a MaxScript or so.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

"Will driver swapping still be part of the game?"
"Will there be a quality control on mods?"
"What will ISI do with rFactor 2 to avoid illegal conversions from other gmotor engine games?"
"Will paid add-on content by part of rF2?" (For example high quality "mods" like Arca was for rF1)

 

[Martin Bulgin]

Will rFactor 1 mods work with rFactor 2 ? is rFactor 2 using a new game engine or is it gmotor 2 or updated gmotor2 ?

 

[Edgar Herrero]

- Will rFactor 2 include animations in drivers, pitstop crew, virtual podium, etc.?
- Will rFactor 2 contain a better "social tool"? Better system like add friends, follow that friend to the server where he's racing in that moment...

 

[Kjell Nielsen]

I shall make me short just some main questions.
1.Shall rfactor 2 be a one pay game or shall it be a game we pay monthly to race ?
2.For Admins can exe involved ALL rfactorcommands so no need write all comands in the chat include exact username [slow]

 

[Senad Subasic]

(edit: the rules are pretty clear in post #1)

Any plans for making the game available through Steam?

 

[Justas Gulbinas]

Will there be a tires deformation?
Will there be a major changes in physics engine, or just minor ones compared to rF1?
Licenced content, will there be any in rF2?

 

[Ondrej Kapal]

Are already known the PC minimum system specs?

 

[David O Gorman]

Will ye be making use of any directx 11 features of newer graphic cards for those that have them as a bonus graphically.
Any idea yet on what ye would consider a recommended rig to be to view the newer detail in the new graphics engine,not the minimum and not the max with a full grid of cars.
This new tire model ,will it be easier for modders to create realistic grip long and lat and everything inbetween.(not a modder just a user)
I second the post on whether the game will be available through retail dvd from the start.
I second on the ffb question also.
With regard to the new weather effects can we expect something like codemasters track technology or even better when rain falls will it be affected by gravity as well as cars creating drying lines,the gravity would come into play in the hollows in the track, water would tend to collect there and as its possibly has no way of draining it would take longer to soak into the ground because its deeper and driving through that water would throw up much larger spray,like what you would experience in rl driving in the rain and through puddles.
As there is going to be rain ,does grip decrease as it rains for a longer period and come back as it dries up.
again with the rain is wet tires ,will we have to seek out wet part of track to keep them cool.
Again to do with weather ,is wind a feature both in terms of having a crosswind on a track.
In term of visual indicators on screen like motec does this make a return and or for those without a second screen any idea of how the info will be displayed about the users car and race details,do ye intend to design a new cleaner interface than previous game.

 

[Joseph Mudrak]

The idea of a modding roundtable was floated early in rFactor's life, but the idea was generally laughed away and labelled unnecessary. What have ISI learned about the modding community with rFactor, and do they intend to modify their approach towards modders to provide some sort of quality control?

There is a line in a player configuration file which contains a "unique" player identification number. Is there any chance a personal key like this could be used to allow re-entry into an online race session, a feature which competing games have and is sorely missed in rFactor?

Edit: Sorry to restate Bram's question for my first; I missed it first time reading the thread.

 

[David Wright]

ISI have said several times rF2 will be DX9, not DX10 or 11. I think this is the most recent statement

http://www.racesimcentral.com/forum...e-know-about-RF2&p=51795&viewfull=1#post51795

I'm curious about the 1968 Matra and the 60s Spa.

Congratulations on producing a 60s F1 car for rF2. Who initiated this idea?
What resources/data have been used to produce the 40+ year old track? Spa was bumpy back in the 60s - any attempt to model this?
How much data has been made available for you from Matra or the current vehicle owner to use in the physics for the Matra MS10? Is there much/any tyre data? Any input/feedback from the current driver?
Is rF2 designed with the possibility of starting races by dropping a flag rather than start lights?

My guess is they won't answer this but - how many copies of rF have been sold? All Gjon has said before is sales were good but not great. I'm not sure why some developers/publishers are so shy about sales figures.

 

[David Garcia]

I would like to know if there is any chance of having next improvements at rF2:

1.- AFTER THE CRASH - In the case a player press esc and abandons the game after a crash or an engine failure. That woud be great if the game could take control of the accident letting the stopped car/s remain at the place the accident happened, with the game authomaticly deplyoing a crane, marshalls whatever in an attemp of emulating what happens in a real race after a crash, or a stopped car near the track. That would be great add to the sim, specially to leagues where there is a person taking car of the Safety Car. No sim has managed to do it. Of course it should have the option to set it on or off.

2.- PIT CREW - Normally at a real race it is not the driver of the car who makes the changes on the car, he can decide what he need, but he never does the work as there will be always a pit crew ready to do it. The idea is, as now we have the option of enter the server as driver or spectator, leeting a player join a server as PIT CREW for one or more drivers to make the needed changes on his driver/s car.

To grant security, drivers should be able to set a password to let his PIT CREW act on his car pit stop settings (this password could be set in the main settings menu as PIT PASSWORD), and the PIT CREW should type it in order to join this driver as pit crew, otherwise they will join as spectator only or they simply would not be able to join the server. There should be aswell an option to set it on or off, as some drivers can be alone.

3.- MODS & TRACKS INSTALATION - I guess that there would be a way to optimize the instalation and location of these files on a special folder for it (even if it is not bad at the moment), or a new system to grant a MOD install or uninstall is clean and fast and always keeping a clean rFactor 2 install. That would make life much more easy to some users. ¿Have you worked on it at rF2?

Thanks for reading!

 

[Fredrik Arbegard]

Will there be a driver swap function in rFactpr 2?
Will rFactor 2 allow for rejoins (endurance races)?

 

[Niksounds]

- There will be a DVD Version? (i think we are hoping yes)

- FFB will be similar to LEO plugin or Realfeel? (wonderful the perceptions of road bumps)
eventually with a dedicated ffb tuner?

- There is a super-vision of the QUALITY of mods?

- Can we DOWNLOAD a server content (cars and tracks) automatically in a game session?
(now the track version i.e. is a terrible mismatch)

- There is dynamic light in cockpit?

- there is a tool for the community? (similar to steam) This would be fantastic with a user account, and races with the preferred friends)

- there are '80/'90 old cars in the starting relase? (bmw e30.. fantastic eheh)

Thank you for attention Nik

 

[David O Gorman]

One other important question more from yer point of view and in relation to Davd Wrights question on sales.
Im sure the sim community wants yourselves and Sinbins next title to do well.We have seen the hype over F1 by Codemasters and the posts around they web of guys finding sims too difficult or "hardcore"to get into(not my view)please no Live the Life stuff though.

They have decided on an arcade approach with "sim features "

Do ye have a plan to try and make the sim more accessible without it loosing its identity of being a sim or any of a sims features in the process and try to expand the size and appeal of sim racing.
An example would be GTR 2 which had an novice ,semi pro ,and sim settings.
I do realise that it is possible already in rfactor to have assists come into play but i remember when i first picked up rfactor and hadnt a wheel and set the helps on and found the car driving me rather than the other way around,i put the game away for a year or more and only attempted again would you believe after playing Dirt.However after playing dirt and realizing that racing games was something i liked i bought a cheap steering wheel and later that year tried rfactor again ,and the sim world opened up to me.
While some may feel to do this is wrong ,if you can increase the amount of people getting involved and expand the size of the community you increase sales for yourselves in the long run and a number will go on to sim settings after starting out in simpler modes.
But you cant expect another simpler game from another dev to get newcomers to try out something harder ,better to get them involved with simpler mechanics and let them progress in the same game.Keep it in house so to speak.

I hope if the question above is used is that nobody takes offense as its written with the best of intentions and feel free to edit to a better written version.

Also as this is designed both as a game and a modding engine as previously mentioned a linux port might not be a bad idea,frankly all that keeps windows installed is i cant game on linux.Maybe an idea for the future.

Sorry for taking up another post with this but i felt the first question was important enough to warrant its own post,Ill leave the rest of the suggestions for far more knowledgeable people who know sims far better than i do.

 

[Jarrod Crossley]

(1) Will be adding your own liveries to existing models within Rfactor 2 be easier than the current system thats in place.
(2) As with the current version will there be car models for entry level drivers as well as more challenging models for those with more experience.
(3) will there be a virtual licensing system for players so they can progress through car classes and race classes but also help them race against people of similar level.

 

[Arno Hoog]

If I'm not mistaken I have seen look-a-like Formula 1 cars on previously released screenshots. Will there be a (look-a-like) Formula 1 car with this game? And if so, will you guys be able to use any sort of physics data that you gathered working with the real life Formula 1 teams? If your answer to my first question is 'yes' and to my second question is 'no'. On what data / information will you than base the physics model of the f1 (look-a-like) cars?