Is it worth it?

[Dobermann92]

Hello there!

I was thinking about buying Rfactor 2 but only the base game is on sale so I don't know if it is worth it alone. I would like to know how active is the multiplayer side of the game, especially racing with the base content? How good is the AI compared to Assetto Corsa?

I tried the demo and the fps was all over the place which also worried me a bit.

 

[Stig Bidstrup]

Hello there!

I was thinking about buying Rfactor 2 but only the base game is on sale so I don't know if it is worth it alone. I would like to know how active is the multiplayer side of the game, especially racing with the base content? How good is the AI compared to Assetto Corsa?

I tried the demo and the fps was all over the place which also worried me a bit.

Its currently the best racing game --when it comes to pure race feeling.
turn off HDR and your fps should be okay..

And at the currently 14,99 euro--its a so called no brainer---buy it..

 

[Dobermann92]

Its currently the best racing game --when it comes to pure race feeling.
turn off HDR and your fps should be okay..

And at the currently 14,99 euro--its a so called no brainer---buy it..

Thanks for the HDR advice. On the other hand I need answers for my other questions, I want to avoid hype.

 

[Stig Bidstrup]

If its not base content --99 % of it is for free--you can download it in steam workshop:

Multiplayer : Not as populated as AC .
You could race with us for example: https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/historic-f3-crystal-palace-thu-22nov18.161593/

 

[tlsmikey]

I have all the major sims and I think there are some cars that’s re truly amazing like the GTE cars. However the quality of the content is all over the place and a lot of the base content is some obscure tracks that may not be to your taste.

I generally drive the gte and gt3 cars (except merc which is broken). The tire model and physics are good but FPS is erratic and vr is resource heavy. Don’t even think about rain.

 

[Ace King]

I have both sims and Assetto Corsa AI isn't even in the same league as the superior rF2's AI. I have a older AMD Phenom CPU 3.6 Ghz bottlenecking my Nvidia GTX970 GPU and can still easily race with 18 to 24 AI plus can also run in the rain with 16-20 AI. I tested and determined you get better frames with Post Processing on low than if it's Off for DX11 content but if it's DX9 then keep Post Processing off to avoid glaring objects. Shadows is a frame killer so use Low to Medium depending on your FPS. Plus, you can always lower additional video settings to gain more FPS if needed.

Online multiplayer for pickup races is poor at the moment but i expect this will all improve with the new UI and more tracks and car mods planned to be implimented by Sudio 397 in the future. Leagues are your best bet and if you are a member at RD they schedule frequent fun races!

Bottom line: At this great Sale price it's a no-brainer. There are many free third-party tracks/car mods that are ok to good in quality and a few of these are fabulous creations plus the game's content has a decent amount of tracks/cars to choose that are quite good. Sebring and the GT3 Power Pack and Endurance Pack are some of the very best DLC you don't want to pass up.

 

[Emery]

League activity is good for those compatible with European time zones... west coast USA evening times have very few choices.

Pick-up races are marginal because you can't tell the difference between AI and player counts until you join the server (unless you've noted which servers routinely have AI loaded). Everybody is hoping the much-anticipated new UI will fix that.

AC's AI is the worst because they will turn in on you if you trap them on the wrong side of the racing line even if you're more than a half car length ahead(!). All other racing games have better AI than AC. rF2's AI can be annoying at times because it's suffered neglect for several years and the direction of the game has changed often, but there's a solid base underneath, so rF2 AI is the most immersive when it's working as it should. AMS, though, currently has the most reliable AI and they are nearly as immersive as rF2's AI.

And, as already said in this thread, avoid rain because it cuts your fps in half.

 

[Case_]

What is this HDR people keep mentioning in this thread? There's no such option in my game...

 

[Emery]

HDR has been with rF2 since about 2015. There's no turning it off or on. HDR is why tracks that are not converted properly (or haven't been updated) have excessive bloom; DX9 didn't have bloom, so people have a tendency to think of the bloom as the difference between DX9 and DX11 when in fact it was just a case that the texture was never configured for HDR in the first place back in DX9.

There are, however, the post processing effect options that came as a result of DX11. Off is what you game with and the higher levels are reserved for screenshots and videos because they contain the "camera" effects which the human eye doesn't perceive.

Some video cards do have better fps with Low than Off.

 

[Ace King]

Your correct. I meant to say "Post Processing" and not HDR in my previous post and so i corrected it. I'll blame my error on too many holiday drinks but hey, who's counting!!

 

[Denis Betty]

I think there was an HDR option in DX9? Don't quote me on it though.

Back on topic, I guess it all depends on personal preference and PC specs. I have a mid range PC and can run most settings on high. I limit FPS to little over 120 (monitor refresh rate) and it stays there, more or less.
The feeling i get through my wheel (TS-PC) is the best of the sims that I own. For me,rF2 is the best sim ATM. But I guess everybody has there personal favourite.

 

[Case_]

@Emery The "DX 11 glow" is just an issue with albedo maps that people were unaware about in DX9 (but it technically existed even back then).

 

[Lefthook]

Rf2 is my main sim and the cars that are good in it are pretty epic. Many of them are free as well.
However. ..do I recommend it? Not really.
I would only recommend it to you if you plan to join a league as pickup races are non-existant, and most servers are (laughably) passworded. You also need to be somewhat pc savvy as it isnt "turn on and play" like say, iracing.

Visually it is the s******t game, bar none so if you care about that, it will be an issue. For me, I am fine with it because the driving is pretty exceptional. Your fps are always going to be hit and miss due to the mish-mash of content.

You also need patience to weed through all the exceptionally bad content. The cars and tracks that are bad in this game, are some of the worst in all of simracing.

It sounds like I am bashing the game, but it will only take one good car/track combo for you to have that "wow...this is pretty epic" moment. It jist may not happen right away and setti g this game up can be super irritating.

 

[enduser282]

That's the 2 sims i have atm and thinking about AMS too... because both are incomplete.

Rf2 has the best physics/ ffb in probably the most anti user friendly platform u can think of (new game menu structure coming in the future though, i can't wait to see what it brings), im not a hardcore simracer exactly so AC is not bad for me but i miss rf2 immersion and detail in car handling eg. AC chassis balance through corners and curbs is rather neutral vs rf2 which is the quite opposite , in general search for ISI gmotor engine and variables if u dont have such titles u should really look into rf2 or ams etc. for their physics

Rf2 AI think of a supercar without a steering wheel / sort of abandonware so keep that in mind, but if u plan to race in online leagues its a no brainer imho, dont expect to find online races in the company's servers in a breeze, they re not very busy
AC AI think of a decevo,i dont play online cant comment but i see there 're plenty of leagues for both games

Rf2 base content for cars available is very good nowadays, plenty of top quality cars in physics,sound (although with bugs included) and looks. for open wheelers its in the top imho - u can laugh with other sims in comparison, to even begin comparing with AC in general u need all the DLCs included except if ur looking for road cars and supercars then AC is better, mods can be very high quality as well and similar to official content level.
car interior better looking in AC

Rf2 track content is improving also with new paid (laser scanned) tracks and free ones as well but graphics quality... well theres no standard quality and its all over the place even among the "official" ones , actually tracks are made from various studios and associates whatever and lack in consistency while the graphics engine itself is not bad at all
AC on the other hand has better and much more consistent quality among tracks plenty of good looking official-like mods and the pp filter really delivers and ur not in the mercy of your nvidia driver (dont know about amd) which is configured for 10 yo doom players
AC is the only sim that has laser scanned tracks that are not very accurate/realistic , quite an achievement i d say but for most of non-pros like me its ok, just dont get overly excited with AC's "laser scanned" tracks

Sound quality is also hit or miss for both, AC more consistent but not always impressive RSS mods deliver in spades tho (only AC atm), rf2 i have my favourite cars as well which can be amazing really but with various bugs to spoil the fun, others sound like ur moms hoover or mario kart...

AC has no rain or day-night cycle, rf2 does
AC has live telemetry, rf2 in the works...
AC has championship builder, rf2 not even a save button but the new ui is about to bring changes / planned for Q1 2019

 

[Case_]

Edit: Nevermind.

 

[pevides]

Why to people compare RFactor 2 with the Assetto Corsa? They`re not even in the same league! You should compare Rfactor 2 with Iracing... and IRacing is online only.

 

[Wayne Hutchison]

Why to people compare RFactor 2 with the Assetto Corsa? They`re not even in the same league! You should compare Rfactor 2 with Iracing... and IRacing is online only.

Tend to agree with you here. If I was to put the sims into "tiers" I'd say iRacing and rF2 are top tier, Raceroom just below top tier, and Automobolista / AC / PCARS2 / F1 2018 middle tier somewhere. All of them are good, and some are very good at what they do best. It's really more about what you want to spend your time on

 

[pevides]

For me the "Tiers" are:
1 - Rfactor 2 and Iracing
2 - Automobilista and Raceroom
3 - Asseto Corsa
4 - Project Cars 2 and F1 2018
5 - GT Sport and Forza