First VR Pictures From rFactor 2 Break Cover

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have teased some images from the upcoming DX11 and VR update for rFactor 2, showing the game using a Virtual Reality headset for the very first time.

Revealed in a post on the official rFactor 2 Facebook page, Studio 397 have released the very first in game images from rFactor 2 making use of VR, further teasing fans keen to lay their hands on the update in the next few weeks.

Initially due to be released towards the end of the first quarter of 2017, Studio 397 recently announced a delay to the initial schedule as they work towards putting together a final push before a full public release, now scheduled May 2017. Understandably gamers are eager to see what the first major enhancement from the new developers of rFactor 2 have in store, and judging by the recent DX11 screenshots revealed so far it does look like fans are in line for a respectable improvement in the graphics delivered by the game.

DX11 is just the first step in a planned approached aimed at bringing rFactor 2 up to the level of it's sim racing rivals, with both virtual reality and a totally reimagined web based UI forming the most obvious changes to the title once it launches next month. With VR coming on stream rFactor 2 will finally join it's sim racing rivals Assetto Corsa, Project CARS and RaceRoom Racing Experience in making use of one of the latest technological advancements in modern PC gaming.

It remains to be seen how performance and quality will be affected but the DX11 and VR update, however with May fast approaching it will hopefully not be long until players can judge this for themselves...

rFactor 2 is a racing simulation exclusive to Windows PC.

Additional third party content can be downloaded from a variety of sources, one of which is the RaceDepartment rFactor 2 modding archive. Head over and check out the latest releases for the sim, or alternatively join in the discussion and keep up to date with the latest news at our rFactor 2 sub forum right here at RD. If downloading mods or keeping up to date with the latest news items aren't your thing, you can always sign up to one of our epic Club and League events using the software. We hold regular club racing events in our schedule, however the jewel in our crown is no doubt the RaceDepartment Le Mans Series. This is our premium endurance league using rFactor 2. Head over to the RDLMS forum to find out more!

Looking forward to trying rFactor 2 in DX11 and VR? Which cars do you think will offer the best VR experience in the game? Do you think DX11 will provide a significant improvement in the graphics of the title? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[leseb64]

pretty texture

 

[samcar304]

I dont own VR... But if i did, I would need a new set of undies each time a race happened at 60's Spa... Going through Burnenville, seeing buildings that close up at +100mph is probably not healthy for the bowels...

Or the Masta kink too...

 

[ionONE1]

Cant wait to give this game another shot

 

[melanieuk]

I saw these shots about 40 Minutes ago on their official face book page, they look good, but why do they have problems with lighting in their cockpits, why do they look so dark, and why do they continue to show screen shots at only dusk, will we they ever show screen shots at various times of the day rather than ones, where the lighting looks so terrible and dark in their vehicle cockpits, it's like no matter what they do they just cant get the lighting to look right, keep up the work, still not convinced though especially with them constantly showing screen shots at the same time of the day dusk and nothing else.

"Looking forward to trying rFactor 2 in DX11 and VR? Which cars do you think will offer the best VR experience in the game? "
None of them unless they have completely been overhauled and remodelled their in car textures and shaders, to compete with other titles that have HD cockpits, like Assetto corsa and Project CARS,and as I said above the in cockpit lighting must be fixed.

 

[belevezero]

VR screens should incorporate the screen-door effect to show what it's actually going to look like in VR.

It's not going to look like this.

 

[Andrew Harper]

I saw these shots about 40 Minutes ago on their official face book page, they look good, but why do they have problems with lighting in their cockpits, why do they look so dark, and why do they continue to show screen shots at only dusk, will we they ever show screen shots at various times of the day rather than ones, where the lighting looks so terrible and dark in their vehicle cockpits, it's like no matter what they do they just cant get the lighting to look right, keep up the work, still not convinced though especially with them constantly showing screen shots at the same time of the day dusk and nothing else.

The DX11 update does look like it will benefit the title greatly, looking forward to it

With regards to the evening shots @melanieuk When I've done any screenshots of cars in RF2 I've noticed that the evening light does make the cars look their best. Midday shots tend to make the car look artificial or overly bright.

If you look at the Camaro shot (which looks like midday) it doesn't look as realistic as the evening shot on Bathurst. Ok, you can tell both are not real but the later day shot looks more atmospheric and real. I think that's why they choose that time of day.

Will be interesting to see the final release, personally I think Studio 397 are doing a great job so far

 

[Brian Himmelman]

excited !!!... hopefully no more crashes to desktop " Rfactor2 has stopped working" when hitting esc key between game and menu

 

[melanieuk]

The DX11 update does look like it will benefit the title greatly, looking forward to it

With regards to the evening shots @melanieuk When I've done any screenshots of cars in RF2 I've noticed that the evening light does make the cars look their best. Midday shots tend to make the car look artificial or overly bright.

If you look at the Camero shot (which looks like midday) it doesn't look as realistic as the evening shot on Bathurst. Ok, you can tell both are not real but the later day shot looks more atmospheric and real. I think that's why they choose that time of day.

Will be interesting to see the final release, personally I think Studio 397 are doing a great job so far

I agree with you, the studio is doing a good job so far, at least it doesn't look like the current version of rFactor 2, have to give them credit for that, I would also like to see videos or screen shots of rfactor 2 running with the sun in different positions and different times of the day as of right now, you can't tell if the sun is in front of you, behind you, or at the sides of you, left or right of you, this is also noticeable in Race Room, which also uses some elements of the Gmotor Engine, has stated in their game credits.
And yes I am looking forwards to the improvements Studio 397 will bring to rFactor2, but please kill the dark cockpits and dark areas of the game, where it doesn't make sense it being dark maybe a lighting limitation of their graphics engine, that even dx won't be able to fix.

 

[BungleGT3]

If it goes back on offer id give it another try, but hope it looks nice in vr.

 

[Minibull]

I agree with you, the studio is doing a good job so far, at least it doesn't look like the current version of rFactor 2, have to give them credit for that, I would also like to see videos or screen shots of rfactor 2 running with the sun in different positions and different times of the day as of right now, you can't tell if the sun is in front of you, behind you, or at the sides of you, left or right of you, this is also noticeable in Race Room, which also uses some elements of the Gmotor Engine, has stated in their game credits.
And yes I am looking forwards to the improvements Studio 397 will bring to rFactor2, but please kill the dark cockpits and dark areas of the game, where it doesn't make sense it being dark maybe a lighting limitation of their graphics engine, that even dx won't be able to fix.

You can easily tell where the sun is based on the shadow angles, and cloud lighting...like IRL...except for when it's overcast...like IRL...I'm not sure what's missing here.

Most of those shots are taken looking into the sun to highlight the new shaders and lighting, so it should be pretty normal for the obscured areas to look dark. You have driven with sunstrike before?

 

[melanieuk]

You have driven with sunstrike before?

No because it's always overcast here in the UK (joke).
I know that the direction of the shadows will tell you where the sun is positioned, but in all Gmotor titles, you just don't get the feeling you are driving under sunny conditions at all, again Race Room is a prime example, and maybe the reason why it uses preset times of the day.

 

[hitm4k3r]

No because it's always overcast here in the UK (joke).
I know that the direction of the shadows will tell you where the sun is positioned, but in all Gmotor titles, you just don't get the feeling you are driving under sunny conditions at all, again Race Room is a prime example, and maybe the reason why it uses preset times of the day.

How about you wait and judge it when you see it in motion? I mean, you can guess and complain all you want about those screens but it will get you nowhere unless you really try and see how it works when actually driving the damn thing. The cockpits looking dark is a matter of HDR at work and as you have two screenshots that show basicly the highest contrast possible with bright sun and dark cockpits it enhances the effect, wich is a quite natural thing. Going by the sun position of the Suzuka shot I would guess that it's propably a shot between 9 and 11 am, wich looks pretty damn sunny for me and even the Camaro shot has a good ambience to it - nothing at dusk or dawn. If you think, that you will get realistic lighting on a PC monitor I have to dissapoint you. The reason why they use dusk and dawn shots is pretty simple - it's what every photographer would do. Next to the fact that I see using them a good mix of everything recently.

I am just not sure I like the rays that much. Their color touch seems a bit too much, but anyway. Looking forward to test it.

 

[DaVeX↯]

There is this pic too...

 

[RustyDriver00]

excited !!!... hopefully no more crashes to desktop " Rfactor2 has stopped working" when hitting esc key between game and menu

Are you running the game in window mode? Seems to resolve crash to desktop between menus, alt tabbing etc.

 

[RustyDriver00]

Looks amazing, agree it won't look that good with the actual headset on, once all the pixels and blurriness comes in, but still can't wait. 2 to 3 hour endurance stints may be difficult with the headset on though.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

That F-Renault 2014 shot looks good but it's also greatly resized, so it looks super sharp. Not a fan of the new screens, it's not dull like the current game but it remains unrealistic. Still a month to go for more tweaking so there is some hope.

 

[Bobbyabdi]

shadows from the tree must be soft,that would be great and more realistic

 

[Patrik Marek]

cool, as other said,
can't wait to give this another chance, improvements looks quite promising

we might get to see our BTCC cars in rF2 as well

 

[Miroslav Davidovic]

cool, as other said,
can't wait to give this another chance, improvements looks quite promising

we might get to see our BTCC cars in rF2 as well

I vote for one more car.