Questions regarding new U.I. and Content

[Spinelli]

Just reinstalled RF2 on a new system and I saw the new UI for the first time. It gave me a menu where I could select 3 different content packages. They all seemed different from eachother including the one that says "all". I selected "Premium" since I thought "premium" maybe meant the cars that we used to have to pay for (I had no idea, I just thought I'd try). Anyways, so the game then went ahead and installed around 160 packages.

My questions are:

1) How do I get that menu again? I want to now download the other 2 packs: the "all" pack and the "Anthology" pack. I searched everywhere in the UI multiple times including the content section but there seems to be no way of getting that menu screen back. I'm not talking about the Steam Workshop (too cluttered & messy), I'm talking about the in-game UI content-download section.

2) If I download both packs - "Premium" and "Anthology" - is that the same as the "All" pack or does the "All" pack also contain content that neither the other 2 packs have?

3) If I download the "All" pack and not the other 2, will I be missing anything the other 2 packs come with? I know it's called "All" and therefore should truly come with all content but, hey, you never know.

4) In the Workshop's Collections section, if I scroll down the list of every mod-pack, it will show both the "Premium" as well as "Anthology" packs (not sure about the "all" pack), however, if I type "studio 397" into the search-box then only the "Anthology" pack shows up (amongst 40 other results) but neither the "Premium" nor "All" packs show up. Is that a Steam bug (because it makes no sense)?

Basically I just want to make sure I have absolutely every single official rFactor 2 car & track - be it from ISI, S397 or any other creator/author that S397 has declared as official RF2 content. I don't want to download any of the many "all official content" collections from random 3rd-parties though. There are lots of those and who knows how dated those and if they truly do include everything 100%. There's got to be an easier way to figure all this out...I just want to download the full official rFactor 2 game.


P.S. Man, the Steam Workshop is so cluttered & "all over the place". I hope Valve improves it's functionality. It's a mess. Also, why is "official" content not in a completely separate section from the 3rd-party mods? The entire Steam Workshop experience could use a lot of work (I'm guessing most or all of this is out of S397's hands & probably just the way Steam works unfortunately).

 

[davehenrie]

clicking just the collections Showed a S397 collection by SIMBER which appears to be full and current. HOWEVER, it does not contain any of the DLC tracks or cars, no workshop collection would. Those are only available via the S397 store at Steam.
I also haven't ever seen these categories you mentioned, ALL, Premium, Anthology.(probably because I never looked for them, or knew they existed.) So I'm not clear on what you are referencing. Marcel has mentioned several times they spent a-lot of time working with Valve on how to offer free and paid content via Steam. However many users here have pointed out that other sim titles are not set up this way. Do not expect Valve to modify Steam for the benefit of rF2 users. We amount to a teeny tiny fraction of a percentage compared to the mass market games like Battlefront.
If you ARE referring to the Steam Store, you only need the first 3 carpacks to acquire all of the official S397 Endurance content. Endurance pack, Endurance Upgrade pack, GT3 Pack. Those are rF2 specific only, none of the Karting or Formula E content.
The newest car, Formula Pro is available singly or in a pack with tracks. I'd recommend buying it with The Formula Pro Pak which include Spa, Monza & Nurburgring. Then getting the 4 track pack that includes Nurburgring, Le Mans, Circuit de Azur(Modern Monte Carlo) & Sebring. That would cover all the mainstream content. You also would have duplicated the Nurburgring purchase but the savings more than justify the duplication. (Note: you will not receive a refund or credit for that duplicate purchase. Over all cost reduction is your benefit)
Formula E and Karting all are available there as well.
Since the cost of these add up, you might want to purchase one and then wait for quarterly sales on Steam. The only downside is further content is expected in a month or so and that would initially be sold outside any of the packages.

 

[Durge Driven]

For all workshop content search by author ( click on "Per page: 30" bottom of page )

All official & 3PA content by Image Space Incorporated

Steam Community :: Image Space Incorporated :: Workshop Items

steamcommunity.com

All official content by Studio 397

Steam Community :: Studio 397 :: Workshop Items

steamcommunity.com

To see everything you have installed go to Workshop at bottom of page click " see all 768 items"
Scroll back up click Browse click Subscribed Items
With that list you can quickly unsubscribe anything you don't want just click on the checkmark / tick

edit:

Best thing for me is by making basic rfmods you can keep old versions of any content from being removed
rF2 is the only sim I know you can run 2 versions of anything including the build
You would think it would get praise for that, nuh
Another gem is using rfmod and dedicated server you can setup a offline room that allows
changing cars and skins without leaving the garage........another feature only rF2 allows

 

[simrace2]

I'm normally very patient when it comes to sims and their development, but this game is a train wreck. I just tried to install it on a brand new pc and it was by far the worst installation experience of any game, sim or otherwise. It wouldn't recognize my Accuforce wheel or Fanatec pedals. The download was over 50 gb and then it still has to install packages indivdually? Are you kidding me? On top of that, it's not even clear exactly which cars and tracks I'm installing. I have no idea if I'm getting high quality DLC that I paid for or completely antiquated garbage. How can a game that's been in development for years still be this rough when it comes to something as basic as content installation and setting up controls?

 

[davehenrie]

I'm normally very patient when it comes to sims and their development, but this game is a train wreck. I just tried to install it on a brand new pc and it was by far the worst installation experience of any game, sim or otherwise. It wouldn't recognize my Accuforce wheel or Fanatec pedals. The download was over 50 gb and then it still has to install packages indivdually? Are you kidding me? On top of that, it's not even clear exactly which cars and tracks I'm installing. I have no idea if I'm getting high quality DLC that I paid for or completely antiquated garbage. How can a game that's been in development for years still be this rough when it comes to something as basic as content installation and setting up controls?

IF you had an established Steam account: You get every car, every track that you previously subscribed/purchased plus all the included free content that has been released since the start of rF2... If you wanted to limit the size of the new install, you should have first unsubscribed from all the free content you have previously downloaded from the workshop. But even doing that, you still would have received all the default content sold as the rF2 package because you have PAID FOR THEM. (antiquated or not)

If you are a completely new Steam user. You got all the free content that has been released by ISI and S397 since the start of rF2 plus any DLC you purchased.(I would advise new users to NEVER purchase DLC until AFTER they have rF2 up and running)
The broad scope of rF2 means that any initial download is going to be huge. You don't have to worry about that with sims like ACC, but AC is similar. So you purchased and installed a broad spectrum racing sim and are upset that the very nature of the sim required a large, VERY LARGE download. Keep in mind, that is a one time process, barring any re-installs you may do in the future.

Once installed, any car or track that is updated will also require a download...although much smaller. If you just wanted one car, one series, one track, iRacing or ACC would have been a better investment in your time.
and....sadly...if this is your first exposure to rF2...you will soon learn there are oodles of items that need fixing, updating, or adding.

regarding your wheel and pedals. Many users have the same equipment so it must work with the sim. When you calibrate & assign the wheel, make sure you turn the wheel to it's full extant. Some users reported problems caused by moving the wheel only a short distance. If it says move the wheel left during the assignment process, turn it all the way.
Since you have a mixed set of hardware from different manufacturers, you could try unplugging the pedals until after you have the wheel properly reporting to the windows control panel and and then configured properly in the game. Then exit rF2 and repeat the process for the pedals.(leave the wheel connected while plugging in and calibrating the pedals in Windows and then in-game. Finally, if the wheel is not detected specifically, you should still be able to assign most features manually via the Assign section.

I hope this helps, rF2 is a complex bugger, I'll freely admit that. Keep in mind, it is essentially being rebuilt by S397 and that is an ongoing process that has presented a host of challenges to the Dev team and we, the users.

 

[simrace2]

IF you had an established Steam account: You get every car, every track that you previously subscribed/purchased plus all the included free content that has been released since the start of rF2... If you wanted to limit the size of the new install, you should have first unsubscribed from all the free content you have previously downloaded from the workshop. But even doing that, you still would have received all the default content sold as the rF2 package because you have PAID FOR THEM. (antiquated or not)

If you are a completely new Steam user. You got all the free content that has been released by ISI and S397 since the start of rF2 plus any DLC you purchased.(I would advise new users to NEVER purchase DLC until AFTER they have rF2 up and running)
The broad scope of rF2 means that any initial download is going to be huge. You don't have to worry about that with sims like ACC, but AC is similar. So you purchased and installed a broad spectrum racing sim and are upset that the very nature of the sim required a large, VERY LARGE download. Keep in mind, that is a one time process, barring any re-installs you may do in the future.

Once installed, any car or track that is updated will also require a download...although much smaller. If you just wanted one car, one series, one track, iRacing or ACC would have been a better investment in your time.
and....sadly...if this is your first exposure to rF2...you will soon learn there are oodles of items that need fixing, updating, or adding.

regarding your wheel and pedals. Many users have the same equipment so it must work with the sim. When you calibrate & assign the wheel, make sure you turn the wheel to it's full extant. Some users reported problems caused by moving the wheel only a short distance. If it says move the wheel left during the assignment process, turn it all the way.
Since you have a mixed set of hardware from different manufacturers, you could try unplugging the pedals until after you have the wheel properly reporting to the windows control panel and and then configured properly in the game. Then exit rF2 and repeat the process for the pedals.(leave the wheel connected while plugging in and calibrating the pedals in Windows and then in-game. Finally, if the wheel is not detected specifically, you should still be able to assign most features manually via the Assign section.

I hope this helps, rF2 is a complex bugger, I'll freely admit that. Keep in mind, it is essentially being rebuilt by S397 and that is an ongoing process that has presented a host of challenges to the Dev team and we, the users.

I do have a steam account and I've been an rfactor2 user for many years and that's part of the reason this is so frustrating. I had no problems getting my wheel and pedals set up on previous computers or previous builds of RF2. Now with the "Startup Wizard" I'm having problems and it's a problem I'll have to spend time to sort out. Time I would rather spend racing.

As to the content, my point was that it's difficult to know where the DLC I've purchased fits in in terms of the how updated it is. Are the GT3 cars I bought considered the latest physics or is that the middle choice on the content choices? I think it's fair to say that Rfactor 2's "unique" way of handling content is far more ambiguous than most sims. The line is further blurred because it's not always clear about overlap between steam workshop content and previous ISI content. For example, if unsubscribe from ISI content in workshop, is that installed again if I choose Anthology content?

In regards to the size of the download, my problem is that it does approx. 54gb download and then has to additionally install packages that are very time consuming. If you compare that to others sims, they may have a large download, but when it's done, you fire up the sim and can pretty much race right away. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you've got a scheduled, limited amount of time to race, it becomes problematic.

I like rfactor2 in terms of ffb, vr and a lot the content, when it's right it's exceptional. Having said that, Studio397 needs to streamline the process for future titles because other sims are just flat out more user friendly and at some point it's easier to spend money on titles that are less cumbersome. Thanks for taking time to respond Dave.

P.S. Sorry if this got off the original thread.

 

[rand777]

I'm normally very patient when it comes to sims and their development, but this game is a train wreck. I just tried to install it on a brand new pc and it was by far the worst installation experience of any game, sim or otherwise. It wouldn't recognize my Accuforce wheel or Fanatec pedals. The download was over 50 gb and then it still has to install packages indivdually? Are you kidding me? On top of that, it's not even clear exactly which cars and tracks I'm installing. I have no idea if I'm getting high quality DLC that I paid for or completely antiquated garbage. How can a game that's been in development for years still be this rough when it comes to something as basic as content installation and setting up controls?

Not sure if this will help, but my brother had similar issues getting his wheel and pedals to work using the new UI. I advised him to try using the old UI, which was able to recognize his wheel just fine.

 

[simrace2]

Not sure if this will help, but my brother had similar issues getting his wheel and pedals to work using the new UI. I advised him to try using the old UI, which was able to recognize his wheel just fine.

I was able to get it working eventually. I uninstalled the game, unsubscribed from all workshop content, then reinstalled. When I did that, for whatever reason it skipped the setup wizard. I setup wheel and pedals from the main page, but for some reason it didn't work when I went to drive. I reset it again from the pit screen and it's now working.

 

[BernL]

Took me a long while before i could say works well here. But 2 months in and I feel its great or good enough. Got over 2000 Hours on RF2 so I think I know what I am talking about.

 

[Durge Driven]

Never found rF2 hard to operate, exactly what do you have to do in rF2 you don't in other sims ?

Not sure if this will help, but my brother had similar issues getting his wheel and pedals to work using the new UI. I advised him to try using the old UI, which was able to recognize his wheel just fine.

Again something you would think ISI got good rap for
Tell me what other sim can you run not only 2 builds but as many versions of any content you wish

Well ?

I find rF2 simple to navigate and keep running ....err like being able to remove any content with 1 click

Tell me what other engine lets you install only official and DLC content that you want ?

no comebacks, no oh I never knew that lol

 

[rand777]

Again something you would think ISI got good rap for
Tell me what other sim can you run not only 2 builds but as many versions of any content you wish

I'm all for RF2. Is it possible to run the new UI and old UI using the same base install and content as just a different version of the GUI?

I've stayed on the old UI as I prefer the ease of usability and reliability.. It seems like I can no longer join any of the online servers that I used to though as they are using a different build version.

 

[davehenrie]

I'm all for RF2. Is it possible to run the new UI and old UI using the same base install and content as just a different version of the GUI?

I've stayed on the old UI as I prefer the ease of usability and reliability.. It seems like I can no longer join any of the online servers that I used to though as they are using a different build version.

The old UI has not been supported since ....about February of 2021.(maybe even further back than that) You can still run it privately, and there may be some leagues that still use it. But there will be no more updates for the old UI. As time passes, more and more features will be added that will only be designed to use the new UI. The Comp System is, afaik, totally self-contained within the new UI. That is the focus of S397 and the direction they will take. They have no plans to help any users remain with the old UI. (I'm surprised they still allow access to the old UI) At some point, just like the move from DX9 to DX11, I expect them to turn off the option to launch the old UI, although I'm sure there will be some users who will still be able to run it

 

[rand777]

The old UI has not been supported since ....about February of 2021.(maybe even further back than that) You can still run it privately, and there may be some leagues that still use it. But there will be no more updates for the old UI. As time passes, more and more features will be added that will only be designed to use the new UI. The Comp System is, afaik, totally self-contained within the new UI. That is the focus of S397 and the direction they will take. They have no plans to help any users remain with the old UI. (I'm surprised they still allow access to the old UI) At some point, just like the move from DX9 to DX11, I expect them to turn off the option to launch the old UI, although I'm sure there will be some users who will still be able to run it

It would be a real shame if they removed it outright, since it just works and has been rock solid in my experience. I've encountered too many people having reliability issues with the new UI and the new setup wizard, including my brother, who was only able to successfully install the game using the old UI, after he first tried the new UI and it failed to work. I was not able to get the new UI and build to work on my machine reliably either, so I reverted back to the old UI, and my setup has been rock solid ever since using it with dedicated servers (which I understand have issues using the new UI as well).

I"m all for an improved UI and build but only if it doesn't compromise reliability and the ability for people both new and old to RF2 to be able to readily install the game, so unfortunately it seems the new UI is still a huge step backwards in terms of install-ability, reliability, and overall interface design. I'm sure the new features and competition system are great and will eventually move the sim forward but not if it comes at the expense of basic reliability and being able to install the software.

 

[davehenrie]

I do have a steam account and I've been an rfactor2 user for many years and that's part of the reason this is so frustrating. I had no problems getting my wheel and pedals set up on previous computers or previous builds of RF2. Now with the "Startup Wizard" I'm having problems and it's a problem I'll have to spend time to sort out. Time I would rather spend racing.

As to the content, my point was that it's difficult to know where the DLC I've purchased fits in in terms of the how updated it is. Are the GT3 cars I bought considered the latest physics or is that the middle choice on the content choices? I think it's fair to say that Rfactor 2's "unique" way of handling content is far more ambiguous than most sims. The line is further blurred because it's not always clear about overlap between steam workshop content and previous ISI content. For example, if unsubscribe from ISI content in workshop, is that installed again if I choose Anthology content?

In regards to the size of the download, my problem is that it does approx. 54gb download and then has to additionally install packages that are very time consuming. If you compare that to others sims, they may have a large download, but when it's done, you fire up the sim and can pretty much race right away. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but if you've got a scheduled, limited amount of time to race, it becomes problematic.

I like rfactor2 in terms of ffb, vr and a lot the content, when it's right it's exceptional. Having said that, Studio397 needs to streamline the process for future titles because other sims are just flat out more user friendly and at some point it's easier to spend money on titles that are less cumbersome. Thanks for taking time to respond Dave.

P.S. Sorry if this got off the original thread.

I think I lost track of this thread and realized I left at least one question un-answered. When rF2 downloads a car or track, it always downloads the latest version. Thus, if you have DLC cars & tracks, you are up to date. The same goes for 3rd party mods, cars & tracks that were accessed by the Steam rF2 Workshop. Those get re-installed automatically everytime there is an update. The only time you have to worry about keeping things updated manually is when you have downloaded skins or tracks by 3rd parties and installed them via the packages screen. Non Steam content like that is often updated by the mod creators and then posted online, generally at the same location of the original download(here, for example) But it is up to you to search out Strange New Versions To Go Where no Mod has Gone Before...(sorry!)