rFactor 2 has recently received its latest update bringing great improvements to the AI. The drop also includes the new Gen 3 Formula E car.
Image Credit: Studio 397
Now in mid-April, Studio 397 decided it would be the perfect time to release its newest update for rFactor 2. The simulator has certainly made strides in recent updates and this particular changelog is no different.
Whilst the headlining act must be the first simracing representation of the Gen 3 Formula E car, the update brings countless improvements throughout the sim. From modding support to bug fixes, it mostly appears to be a case of housekeeping until you reach the AI section which has seemingly been overhauled.
The Gen 3 car is a million miles away from the Gen 2 car concept. It's a lightweight, small chassis made to look rapid on TV coverage. It skips and dances over street circuit bumps and appears to be agile in the corners. One thing racers will have to get used to is the lack of physical rear brakes which are indeed modelled in rF2.
This year's Q1 update brought many hybrid powertrain improvements for the BTCC cars, and this latest Q2 update focuses on EV functionality. UI and HUD elements will allow players to keep track of their energy usage whilst brake usage will be a difficult skill to perfect in order to regenerate in an efficient way.
This is something the AI is also trained to do in a long list of offline racing improvements.
The latest update brings in many changes to how the AI interacts with other cars. From making better decisions on the brakes to actively looking for better exits when making its way through traffic. According to the change log, the AI will now think about the danger involved in overtaking manoeuvres on the brakes. Whilst it will freely go side-by-side on the straights, it may decide to back out of a move on the brakes into a corner. This should produce fewer incidents where previous versions of the game would become blood baths.
The new improvements certainly work well in multiclass scenarios. Faster cars treat slower classes with respect as they work their way through the field. Not trying to send a risky move up the inside, the AI now often backs off into a corner to carry momentum and make a move on corner exit. This is what real life prototype racers in IMSA and the WEC do when battling through GT traffic.
All in all, this update looks small when compared to the major overhauls of recent releases. But the changes address issues that will now give the game great offline playability. Furthermore, with more and more great updates coming to rF2, it shows that the game is finally nearing a place where the developers are happy with its current state.
What do you make of the latest rFactor 2 update?
Image Credit: Studio 397
Now in mid-April, Studio 397 decided it would be the perfect time to release its newest update for rFactor 2. The simulator has certainly made strides in recent updates and this particular changelog is no different.
Whilst the headlining act must be the first simracing representation of the Gen 3 Formula E car, the update brings countless improvements throughout the sim. From modding support to bug fixes, it mostly appears to be a case of housekeeping until you reach the AI section which has seemingly been overhauled.
Formula E Gen 3 in rF2
rFactor 2 has long been the definitive Formula E simulator. The original car and many tracks have featured in the game since the series' origins. And with the Accelerate esports series putting simracers in the electric single seaters, it's no surprise that the sim now has the 2023 model.The Gen 3 car is a million miles away from the Gen 2 car concept. It's a lightweight, small chassis made to look rapid on TV coverage. It skips and dances over street circuit bumps and appears to be agile in the corners. One thing racers will have to get used to is the lack of physical rear brakes which are indeed modelled in rF2.
This year's Q1 update brought many hybrid powertrain improvements for the BTCC cars, and this latest Q2 update focuses on EV functionality. UI and HUD elements will allow players to keep track of their energy usage whilst brake usage will be a difficult skill to perfect in order to regenerate in an efficient way.
This is something the AI is also trained to do in a long list of offline racing improvements.
AI improvements galore
Whilst an AI that can manage energy in the Formula E car is impressive, the way it now battles is even more so. Throughout the history of simracing, very few titles have produced capable AI in racecraft scenarios. But it seems rFactor 2 is on the right track.The latest update brings in many changes to how the AI interacts with other cars. From making better decisions on the brakes to actively looking for better exits when making its way through traffic. According to the change log, the AI will now think about the danger involved in overtaking manoeuvres on the brakes. Whilst it will freely go side-by-side on the straights, it may decide to back out of a move on the brakes into a corner. This should produce fewer incidents where previous versions of the game would become blood baths.
The new improvements certainly work well in multiclass scenarios. Faster cars treat slower classes with respect as they work their way through the field. Not trying to send a risky move up the inside, the AI now often backs off into a corner to carry momentum and make a move on corner exit. This is what real life prototype racers in IMSA and the WEC do when battling through GT traffic.
All in all, this update looks small when compared to the major overhauls of recent releases. But the changes address issues that will now give the game great offline playability. Furthermore, with more and more great updates coming to rF2, it shows that the game is finally nearing a place where the developers are happy with its current state.
What do you make of the latest rFactor 2 update?
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