Video: The rFactor 2 problem?

[Davy Jones]

A topic I've been dwelling on for a while now and finally got round to compiling my thoughts in a video format...

The rFactor 2 problem?

 

[tr1v1um]

As much as there are a few fair points for criticism about the new UI I have no idea why it's mostly rF2 that get's the most shitstorm up to the point that people feel the need to create videos how they uninstalled the sim or why they don't get along with the product, while other products are far worse or just as bad when it comes to those critical issues. This starts with the mod management and support. Wich sim even offers you to manage your mods from within the game? What's so bad about a little window popping up - yes, it's not the most beautiful window right now - while I have to close and leave the game, open and search a website just to find my right mod version and copy and paste some zips with every other sim. The way how it is done in AC is 15 years old rF1 standard and nobody seems to make a fuzz about it while it is essentialy a mess and pretty annoying to say the least. For rF2 all this is automated for the steamworkshop so people should be able to live with 15 seconds of validating a file in the menu while they safe hours while not having to lurk through forums to keep their mods up to date and move files from folders to folders. Why nobody mentions this is beyond me.

The new UI offers a few slick new features that you won't find in most other products. Why not highlight those? I mean, it's pretty obvious where rF2 struggles and I am not blind for those issues, but why in gods name are bugs and little quirks in one product considered as cancer, while other products don't even offer the same set of features and options.

At the end of the day, it is simply a much more complex product than most other platforms with a codebase that goes back over 15 years. And while you mentioned that Reiza and Kunos delivered a new game in the meantime you should be aware that S397 did the same thing while maintaining the spagetthi code for rF2. At the end of the day it makes no sense to compare the development process for the different products. You should also be aware that Reiza is three years late with a product that is barely at the level of AMS1 with alot of features missing, while Kunos left AC in a very bare state aswell.

Just embrace the fact that you have a team still working on the product and a community offering free content even after ten years.

 

[Davy Jones]

As much as there are a few fair points for criticism about the new UI I have no idea why it's mostly rF2 that get's the most shitstorm up to the point that people feel the need to create videos how they uninstalled the sim or why they don't get along with the product, while other products are far worse or just as bad when it comes to those critical issues. This starts with the mod management and support. Wich sim even offers you to manage your mods from within the game? What's so bad about a little window popping up - yes, it's not the most beautiful window right now - while I have to close and leave the game, open and search a website just to find my right mod version and copy and paste some zips with every other sim. The way how it is done in AC is 15 years old rF1 standard and nobody seems to make a fuzz about it while it is essentialy a mess and pretty annoying to say the least. For rF2 all this is automated for the steamworkshop so people should be able to live with 15 seconds of validating a file in the menu while they safe hours while not having to lurk through forums to keep their mods up to date and move files from folders to folders. Why nobody mentions this is beyond me.

The new UI offers a few slick new features that you won't find in most other products. Why not highlight those? I mean, it's pretty obvious where rF2 struggles and I am not blind for those issues, but why in gods name are bugs and little quirks in one product considered as cancer, while other products don't even offer the same set of features and options.

At the end of the day, it is simply a much more complex product than most other platforms with a codebase that goes back over 15 years. And while you mentioned that Reiza and Kunos delivered a new game in the meantime you should be aware that S397 did the same thing while maintaining the spagetthi code for rF2. At the end of the day it makes no sense to compare the development process for the different products. You should also be aware that Reiza is three years late with a product that is barely at the level of AMS1 with alot of features missing, while Kunos left AC in a very bare state aswell.

Just embrace the fact that you have a team still working on the product and a community offering free content even after ten years.

All fair and valid points... Most of all I want rF2 to survive and without player growth it might be an issue. I think Luminus will keep it going though. The 'getting started guide' I created a while back covers all the methods of installing content and yes the Steam Workshop integration and mod installation and updates works well. I guess the game can be a turn of for new players and frustrating for some existing users and given that it doesn't have any deep single player modes, or at least not yet, one would think the streamlining the UI and getting it launched would have been a simpler task. Not that updating and managing a product like rF2 could be a simple task....