Who Was Your Sim Racing Developer of the Year?

[whip]

There is different truth, popularity of the title and studio efforts to make it better.
Look at pCars, it's second to AC by the number of players, but trailing way behind everything else in the number of votes. rFactor 2 on the other hand is not the title known by its popularity but came up first in the poll.
I think same could apply to Reiza, with all the efforts and good content they are struggling to gain any meaningful player base.

i think they struggle to gain any playerbase because their games simply don't have anywhgere near a good overall package

their ui's are bad and look like from the early 2000's, their in game huds are the same, their car selections are bad (rf2 are now getting good cars but at a costly addition), their track selections are bad

yes they both drive great but when you only have 1 part of a 5 part process (physics / presentation (including graphics) / sounds / content / multiplayer) that's good then overall its not a good package, this is something rf2 fans refuse to listen to and just stick their fingers in their ears and start calling you names for if you ever bring this up

 

[Denis Betty]

Can you please explain, I am always eager to learn, seriously.
To my knowledge SteamCharts, SteamDB, SteamSpy, all collect concurrent players numbers. Not really a rocket science, very basic statistics. I do a bunch of similar analysis in my every day job.
Perhaps not the most accurate (as most statistics) but gives pretty good idea on the relative title popularity.

For example AC vs rFactor2
https://steamcharts.com/cmp/244210,365960#3m
View attachment 283930

Sorry for pointing out obvious and well known fact, not sure why would that make anyone so angry and defensive.
Absolutely nothing against rFactor2, and long live to Studio397, the more good sims the merrier. Just found it amusing that number of votes almost matched the number of players on a good day.

View attachment 283932

Happy New Year!

The right hand column shows peak number of players, is that correct? There is also an all time peak number of players, shown near the top right, I think. That's clearly a lot more players than votes, isn't it? You use statistics as part of you job right? Am I missing something?

This is a discussion, so I'm gonna call foul on accusing others of being defensive. You made the comment about people posting on rF2 forums, in order to get more votes (I'm paraphrasing). OK, it may have been a bit jokey, but then you (seemingly) used statistics, incorrectly (that's how it seems to me ATM) to query the results of the poll. I therefore find it a bit rich to then point the finger at people who call you out. If I'm being defensive, so be it. But if you call somebody's stance into question, or state "facts" incorrectly, there should surely be no surprise if/when those people defend their position or seek to correct you, should there?

Honestly, I'm not angry toward you. I see your posts almost every day and I consider you to be helpful, polite, etc. If I've made a mistake in any of my assumptions, then I apologise now.

All the best and Happy New Year.

 

[Will Mazeo]

The right hand column shows peak number of players, is that correct? There is also an all time peak number of players, shown near the top right, I think. That's clearly a lot more players than votes, isn't it? You use statistics as part of you job right? Am I missing something?

This is a discussion, so I'm gonna call foul on accusing others of being defensive. You made the comment about people posting on rF2 forums, in order to get more votes (I'm paraphrasing). OK, it may have been a bit jokey, but then you (seemingly) used statistics, incorrectly (that's how it seems to me ATM) to query the results of the poll. I therefore find it a bit rich to then point the finger at people who call you out. If I'm being defensive, so be it. But if you call somebody's stance into question, or state "facts" incorrectly, there should surely be no surprise if/when those people defend their position or seek to correct you, should there?

Honestly, I'm not angry toward you. I see your posts almost every day and I consider you to be helpful, polite, etc. If I've made a mistake in any of my assumptions, then I apologise now.

All the best and Happy New Year.

The guy is also talking like the exact same people play every day lol
Back before Steam changed the default privacy setting there was a more accurate stat "Players in 2 weeks" that rF2 had 12k~20k so 400 votes is nothing even comparing daily peak players.
For these reasons I dont see the point in explaining, it's just too obvious for anyone with a brain older than a 8 years old kid.

 

[mantasisg]

Also steamspy show that more than 100k owns rF2, so... you know... why do we even discus that ?

AC has more than 500k, and ACC has more than 50k, according to steamspy.

Judging by the results of votes, it could be assumed that people who use rF2 are the most involved into simracing globaly, following news, reading sites (such as racedepartment)...

AC players are more like plug and play, don't mind too much about simracing globaly...

iRacing players are obviously not that active outside their sim, quite isolated.

Reiza has least people, but a lot of them are big supporters.

 

[Oldzeb]

strange as AC went up in arrow in the survey since the post a crying of by denouncing a plot, has the plotter made an anti plot? are we witnessing the first counter plot of the simracing?

 

[MPortnoy]

this is something rf2 fans refuse to listen to and just stick their fingers in their ears and start calling you names for if you ever bring this up

Because this thread has nothing to do with any of those points. rF2 haters like you just like to repeat yourselves like broken records and let's face it, you're just butthurt rF2 is ahead in a stupid poll

 

[whip]

Because this thread has nothing to do with any of those points. rF2 haters like you just like to repeat yourselves like broken records and let's face it, you're just butthurt rF2 is ahead in a stupid poll

it has everything to do with this thread actually, because it stems from the point that rf2 has done nothing but sell dlc this year, which if not true then where are these improvements that would bring the other 4 points i mentioned up to modern standards? the presentation? still bad, the sounds? still average, the content? still bad unless willing to spend not a small amount on DLC, multiplayer? still non existent, so please try to enlighten me on where exactly rf2 deserves developer of the year over say.. sector 3 or polythony? (who released more free content and updated gt sport a hell of a lot more than rf2 did)

also thanks for proving my point about resorting to insults

 

[tr1v1um]

i think they struggle to gain any playerbase because their games simply don't have anywhgere near a good overall package

their ui's are bad and look like from the early 2000's, their in game huds are the same, their car selections are bad (rf2 are now getting good cars but at a costly addition), their track selections are bad

yes they both drive great but when you only have 1 part of a 5 part process (physics / presentation (including graphics) / sounds / content / multiplayer) that's good then overall its not a good package, this is something rf2 fans refuse to listen to and just stick their fingers in their ears and start calling you names for if you ever bring this up

You are completely missing the point actually. The idea of this poll is to acknowledge the good work of developers, wich S397 have done in the last year and not to vote or cry about sims. And at the end of the day it's your single minded opinion about rF2 and nothing more. It might surprise you, but the next simmer might actually enjoy the sounds and the content in rF2 and be very active in multiplayer racing, so for him or her it might actually be a good package that tags all boxes. I for one will take the old rF1 based very functional UI any day about the gimmical mess that certain other devs offer. So if you don't like the sim, give the feedback in respective places or simply move on if you can't stand the fact, that people have respect for the work of S397. Kunos is right up there, so stop crying.

 

[muzikant]

You are completely missing the point actually. The idea of this poll is to acknowledge the good work of developers, wich S397 have done in the last year and not to vote or cry about sims. And at the end of the day it's your single minded opinion about rF2 and nothing more. It might surprise you, but the next simmer might actually enjoy the sounds and the content in rF2 and be very active in multiplayer racing, so for him or her it might actually be a good package that tags all boxes. I for one will take the old rF1 based very functional UI any day about the gimmical mess that certain other devs offer. So if you don't like the sim, give the feedback in respective places or simply move on if you can't stand the fact, that people have respect for the work of S397. Kunos is right up there, so stop crying.

100% Agree!

 

[numbersevenhull]

it has everything to do with this thread actually, because it stems from the point that rf2 has done nothing but sell dlc this year, which if not true then where are these improvements that would bring the other 4 points i mentioned up to modern standards? the presentation? still bad, the sounds? still average, the content? still bad unless willing to spend not a small amount on DLC, multiplayer? still non existent, so please try to enlighten me on where exactly rf2 deserves developer of the year over say.. sector 3 or polythony? (who released more free content and updated gt sport a hell of a lot more than rf2 did)

also thanks for proving my point about resorting to insults

I have to say this is simply not true. There was a huge performance patch at the beginning of the year, and further tweeks. They updated the tyre model, and the updated the FFB model. They produced some exceptional DLC yes, but also provided free laser scanned tracks and and some great F1 content, and at the years end they updated their lighting system, trailed in the new DLC, and rolling out to all content early 2019. Behind all of that work continues on the new UI and competition system.

Where rfactor 2 was in 2017 looks nothing like where it is in 2019, and I think people showing their appreciation is an accumulative effect of all the great work done. It's still weak in some areas of course, and I love my iracing for competitive online play, it's quite objectively the class leader and head and shoulders above anything out there. But equally, if you have the Sebring Track, and any of the GT3/E car packs, which is where rfactor2 is as of the beginning of 2019, then equally objectively, having played all the major sims, that's currently the class leading experience. Not by a touch, but by a good head and shoulders

 

[MPortnoy]

it has everything to do with this thread actually, because it stems from the point that rf2 has done nothing but sell dlc this year, which if not true then where are these improvements that would bring the other 4 points i mentioned up to modern standards? the presentation? still bad, the sounds? still average, the content? still bad unless willing to spend not a small amount on DLC, multiplayer? still non existent, so please try to enlighten me on where exactly rf2 deserves developer of the year over say.. sector 3 or polythony? (who released more free content and updated gt sport a hell of a lot more than rf2 did)

also thanks for proving my point about resorting to insults

449 people disagree with you.

What they did this year?
- Improved the visual aspect of the game and are still pushing for more with the release of the new shaders, which is probably the point people complained about the most.....graphics
- Improved optimization of the initial GT3 pack
- Released arguably the best track in sim racing. If you're too cheap to buy it, it's not anyone's problem.
- Obtained licenses from very desirable manufacturers like Porsche, Audi, Aston Martin and released two awesome GT/Endurance car packs. Again, if you're too cheap, it not anyone's problem. Sounds on these packs by the way, are pretty awesome.
- I don't play VR but I believe there was some progress here too to the point it's one of the better games in VR atm.
- Last but not least, they keep making progress in the UI and competition system which are now just months from release. The fact it's not out yet doesn't mean they haven't been working on it.

I'm probably missing a lot of other stuff but this covers most points you're complaining about.
If people for which rf2 isn't even their main sim consider this progress and as a result it's ahead of your favorite sim in a poll, boohoo what a real shame.

 

[Oldzeb]

it has everything to do with this thread actually, because it stems from the point that rf2 has done nothing but sell dlc this year, which if not true then where are these improvements that would bring the other 4 points i mentioned up to modern standards? the presentation? still bad, the sounds? still average, the content? still bad unless willing to spend not a small amount on DLC, multiplayer? still non existent, so please try to enlighten me on where exactly rf2 deserves developer of the year over say.. sector 3 or polythony? (who released more free content and updated gt sport a hell of a lot more than rf2 did)
also thanks for proving my point about resorting to insults

you're getting really ridiculous, my friend...

-DX11
-Support ALL VR
-Free content (what other sim regularly gives the free container?)
USF2000, Radical SR3 RSX, Nissan GT500, F1 70's: Brabham BT44b & March 761, Zandvoort, Boatniaring, Nola Motorsport Park, what else?
and McLaren, McLaren F1 93 MP4/8 and 1998 MP4/13
-Bug resolution of all types
-New rain shader
-6 New DLC
-New Physics, tire model etc..
-First Laser Scan (which leaves the other sims far behind on accuracy)
-compétition McLaren Shadow, Hotlaps, ESL

and I probably forget about it without mentioning that the Studio is working on the new IU and competition system and all that we don't know...

the other 4 points i mentioned up to modern standards? the presentation? still bad, the sounds? still average, the content? still bad unless willing to spend not a small amount on DLC, multiplayer?

1: if a simple IU prevents you from playing you have a big personal problem it does not come from the sim you have to discuss it with a specialist...
2: the sounds I am the 1st to review them at @Marcel Offermans and they have improved well especially with the new pack but we can do better! for me it is necessary to aim for R3E's standard @marss
3: if you can't buy dlc for less than 15euro while your simracing equipment where thousands review your priorities or play candy cruch
4: the multi is very good if you can move your ass and make a request to integrate a good league there are dozens of them with a big pool of players

so dare to say that S397 does nothing... no, really stop your rage it's just a simple game!
without rancor

 

[whip]

it's a tough choice but im going codemasters, f1 2018 was a big leap forward and still the only game with any worthwhile singleplayer

 

[whip]

i think its safe to say my point about rf2 fans resorting to insults when you point out the games downsides has been proven nicely

personally im adding polyphony to my previous comment too because the amount of free content and updates and improvements they have provided and the fact they are the only game to have put effort into a decent multiplayer system this year

 

[roadyroad]

Wow it seems I brought some bad discussions by mentioning steamcharts figures in my previous posts.

It's just a way to estimate the popularity of a title IN COMPARISON with others and to estimate the potential of online gaming of a title. By no way it is an accurate tool to make a deep analysis.

What it just shows is the average number of people playing a game at the same time within a specific period, and not the number of owners of this game.

The most valuable information here is that sim racing titles are not played by many people at the same time in comparison with other genres. It shows that if you are not in a league you will have difficulties to find races with the category you want to race in.

A title with less users connected at the same time is less appealing for online races than another title with more users. But it's only theorical because you don't have any indication about the number of people, among the connected ones, who are racing online and offline.

A 300 average of users connected at the same time shows how much sim racing is not as popular as other genres. In the multiplayer FPS genre this figure would just mean a dead game. But multiplayer FPS users move fast to the next title. Sim racers like their sim and use it several years (just search for the mods for F1 challenge, there are still active modders on this game). This can explain the relative stability of the figures of the simracing titles in time, although they are low.

To make a point, take the example of space hulk deathwing. Deathwing, a FPS coop title, has been a failure with its first release, with a decreasing number of players, dopping to less than 20 average. You were just not able to find people to play with, the game was useless online. Since the release of the enhanced edition, failing to bring new players but bringing back former disappointed users, the average has been stable to at least 50 players (the game managed to bild a tiny community). And I've always been able to find an online game (requiering 4 players idealy) even with such a low number (ridiculous for a FPS game). So stability in time of the amount of players connected at the same time is also important.

Interesting data would be the number of new owners and of quiting users each month, the average of launches of the game during a month and a full year by unique users and the variance...

We have few information, we can only use them as tools to compare titles' popularity, keeping in mind their lack of accuracy, and without trying to make some interpretation which would be based only on speculations (as comparing the steamcharts figures and the number of voters in this thread).

Well sorry for having brought that subject, have a happy new year!

 

[roadyroad]

Big Moon Studios (Dakar 2018) because I feel bad for them

They deserve some votes, they have been working hard on their title, they received so much bad critics but they kept on improving and delivering.

Unfortunately, as for Nascar Heat 3, the title may be much better and enjoyable right now but not any reviewer gives it a chance. Initial reviews just killed the game and moved on. Other titles, Raceroom, rfactor2, iracing, pcars2, have received several reviews from the same reviewers and for sure it helped them to grow. It's unfair, less popular developers should received the same attention.

 

[Alex72]

This past year its S397 just because i had few but such awesome drives in a sim that at first barely run on my PC but now is looking a mile better and runs great. Lets not forget the pro level phsyics, top notch FFB and competent AI. This is just personal though and it cannot be left out that Reiza has done an amazing job as well. They released much content and upgraded AMS to such a cohesive and all around professional package also with great phsycics, FFB and AI as well, and they surprise us constantly with fresh diverse content no one else has. ACC is new so not really part of past year but i havent had the funds to buy it after i blew my own Christmas money (all of it) on a new PC, lel.

Just a shame that we sim-nuts are a dying breed. People dont know what they're missing. Im happy though that we have passionate developers who bring this to us instead of just going the arcade route. Its awesome that they can create such good products that the pro-side market make business with them, and that means that we few hardcore people left on this planet can get our fix.

Thank you guys who bring the sims to us. You rock!

 

[Rui Santos]

Others go the simcade way, which is basically calling us "stupid"

 

[roadyroad]

We've been living.for several years in a time with better sims than before, with hardware improvements way faster than before. These are good times.for the simracing community. It is far from dying, esport is something, sim racing found its poace onnthe console market, it is just the beginning of many opportunities for the sim racing sector in general. Thanks to these companies who found their way to attract new users. It may have been at the expense of features we had in the old sim titles (except rfactor2, pcars2, kart racing pro and the F1 titles), and I'm the first one to be critical aboit that, but the last annoucements and titles in development are bringing back all these features. The future is really bright. With all the work achieved in general by all these companies during the last years, I don't think any should have its current product called simcade, it's already a word from the past...

 

[Alex72]

We've been living.for several years in a time with better sims than before, with hardware improvements way faster than before. These are good times.for the simracing community. It is far from dying, esport is something, sim racing found its poace onnthe console market, it is just the beginning of many opportunities for the sim racing sector in general. Thanks to these companies who found their way to attract new users. It may have been at the expense of features we had in the old sim titles (except rfactor2, pcars2, kart racing pro and the F1 titles), and I'm the first one to be critical aboit that, but the last annoucements and titles in development are bringing back all these features. The future is really bright. With all the work achieved in general by all these companies during the last years, I don't think any should have its current product called simcade, it's already a word from the past...

The hardcore market is very small today. Thats what i was talking about. Look at the most hardcore sims and how few people are playing them. The simpler/simcade - not arcade - have more players, and the arcade racers has millions of players. The hardcore simmers who love realism, unforgivable, punishing if make mistakes, learning to setup their cars, do endurance racing etc is a small group compared to the Forza/GT/arcade masses.