rFactor 2 Build 946 and Malaysia v1.58 released

[Oscar Hardwick]

Build 946 has been released for rFactor 2 introducing a number of new features and fixes to ISI's racing title for PC.

The highlight of this build is the new tonemapper which will provide a dramatic change to both the lighting and colours within the sim. Further CPU optimizations have been made within the sim along with the usual host of small bug fixes regarding both game play and the UI which changed in a recent build.

Here is the full changelog for Build 946:

Features

• Made “Time Scale” set to “Race %” work for percentage-timed races when a track’s default duration was more than 2 hours (but left mechanical failures work the same way as they had been).
• Added local content management to Launcher.
• Added support for batch downloads in Launcher’s remote content tab.
• Added ring stiffness multipliers to TGM files.
• Added third party content publishing to Launcher.

Fixes

• By default, the multithreaded physics are turned off for now. Set the PLR file variable “Sim Processor Thresh” to 3 to turn on, or 255 to turn off (note that we don’t allow them to be turned on for dual cores). Please do NOT use +procmask for the purpose of disabling multithreaded physics anymore.
• Number of pitstops as reported in results file and plugin will no longer count drive-thru’s nor Esc’ing from track to garage.
• Made unlimited laps in qualifying truly unlimited.
• Fix for aspect ratio problems in monitor.
• Disabled an unnecessary message pump in the simulation thread. The latter appears to fix the CPU spikes that some were experiencing.
• Added HTTP Basic Authentication to dedicated server mod downloads.
• Fixed halt when returning to monitor. (Cloud maps were being reloaded because the path appeared to change in retail mode.)
• Use any available car in a replay if the original can’t be found (can happen with clients viewing a server replay without having downloaded a virtual vehicle that was present).
• Fixed unnecessary reloads of matchmaker list.
• Lined up vehicle labels in monitor.
• Made vehicle labels more legible under different conditions.
• Fixed multiplayer client skin download status gizmo icons so they are again visible (when they should be).
• Fixed rare problem in ded server where rfm from previous mod was used if it (rmf file) has exact same name as rfm file in current mod.
• Fixed a crash that could happen while resuming a replay of a non-race session.

Modding / Public Dev

• Added playerfile parameter “Disable Resume in Replay”, that when set to 1, will let you jump into realtime during a replay instead of “resuming”. Did this so that a person could record fastest paths from replay files using the AIW editor in the Mod Mode.
• Added ability to look for digital flags so that that a track builder can have a mix of corner workers and digital flags around the track. (animations are: “DF_FLAGDOWN”, “DF_FLAGHELD”, “DF_FLAGWAVE”, “DF_SAFETYCAR”, “DF_VICTORY”, “DF_PRESTART”, “DF_START”)
• simplified grid, pit, & garage spot marking.
• Allowed AIW editor to set number of garages per pit spot for ease of editing.
• Fixed Camera FOV editing.

Multiplayer

• Added new MPFile parameter “SERVER_allow_loose_content_transfer” that will disable client to client propagation of custom skins and virtual vehicles (both disabled when set to 0, only virtual vehicles disabled when set to 1, and both working when set to 2)
• In the case of matching names while trying to boot someone, at least kick *someone* (current choice is client before AI).
• Improved multiplayer skin transfers so there is less chance of name mix up.

Graphics

• New tonemapper
• Optimized single-pass HDR for multiview.
• Adjusted some hdr/sky params to work with new tonemapper

You can also download v1.58 of Malaysia with new "balanced daylight" through the rFactor 2 UI.

Join the discussion in our dedicated rFactor 2 forum, check out awesome screenshots and videos in our rF2 gallery, get racing in our rF2 Racing Club and Leagues and make your game even more awesome with some rFactor 2 mods!

 

[Deleted member 130869]

This is a very nice build update, it's great that we have a great visual improvement too with the longstanding lighting issue being addressed.

 

[RaceNut]

Yeah - nice update, the lighting and colors look so much better now. It almost looks like a whole new game.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

Hopefully this update will fix my missing collision sounds and visual backfire effects I've had for the last few builds and the terrible shadow effects.
Eager to try this update when I get home.

Edit: I am slightly confused.....Visually i see no difference, does the new tone mapper only apply if you use a new hdr profile?
In the chanelog it mentions performance optimization.....i went from getting 80+ fps to mid 40's in practice at the updated Malayasia with the same graphics settings.
Still no visual backfire

 

[Roccoveer]

cool. keep your hard work isi guys! well done!

 

[clippyf1]

Just had a spin around the upgraded Malaysia circuit with the BTCC Hondas ;-) .. and great job ISR , you can certainly see the improvement in the lighting and shading, and the circuit is excellent. My T300RS still feels a bit whack though in comparison to AC.

Think as Sim Racers we are certainly in a purple patch what with AC, rF2 and the ever elusive pCars...
Just need a time generator now .... or a divorce

 

[Yapci]

Just had a spin around the upgraded Malaysia circuit with the BTCC Hondas ;-) .. and great job ISR , you can certainly see the improvement in the lighting and shading, and the circuit is excellent. My T300RS still feels a bit whack though in comparison to AC.

Think as Sim Racers we are certainly in a purple patch what with AC, rF2 and the ever elusive pCars...
Just need a time generator now .... or a divorce

Time generator. Its clearly cheaper!

 

[Pär Öqvist]

Had some problem with stutter. Fps was around 95/120 so a little low but still that should be smooth

 

[PaulH]

Wow, a great update, colours look much more natural, looks fantastic to be honest

 

[William Wester]

...
Edit: I am slightly confused.....Visually i see no difference, does the new tone mapper only apply if you use a new hdr profile?
In the chanelog it mentions performance optimization.....i went from getting 80+ fps to mid 40's in practice at the updated Malayasia with the same graphics settings.
Still no visual backfire

I'm with ya on this - visually I don't see a difference. But for me the performance is quite a bit better, I can run higher settings and maintain a higher frame-rate.

 

[jimortality]

How come some people see it and others don't?

 

[John-Eric Saxén]

Hopefully this update will fix my missing collision sounds and visual backfire effects I've had for the last few builds and the terrible shadow effects.
Eager to try this update when I get home.

Edit: I am slightly confused.....Visually i see no difference, does the new tone mapper only apply if you use a new hdr profile?
In the chanelog it mentions performance optimization.....i went from getting 80+ fps to mid 40's in practice at the updated Malayasia with the same graphics settings.
Still no visual backfire

I'm with ya on this - visually I don't see a difference. But for me the performance is quite a bit better, I can run higher settings and maintain a higher frame-rate.

There is a huge visual difference, everything about HDR engine basically changed, see for example these screenshots. Longstading performance issues in multiview+SLI mode has been improved according to reports. In single screen there is not much difference on my rig.

Backfire and such are mod-related settings, I think it needs update in mod if they are missing.

 

[Kurupt CDN]

So the improved visuals are only if you use HDR?
I use a triple screen setup with r9 290 4gb, the clios netting on the driver side cuts off halfway on my side monitor and performance is nearly half using the same settings prior to the update on the new Malaysia if I was to enable multi view and and HDR I'd be lucky if I got 10 fps lol ....As for the no backfire I don't use any modded content and is a clean install of the game. the issue is present in rf2, gsc and was in RRE I reported it to sector3 and they fixed the issue in a previous update so it's something to do with isi engine based games on certain setups.
I'll keep tweaking and testing to see if I can improve things

Edit: I can now see the the lighting enhancements with HDR ON which looks better I was hoping it was an overall upgrade to the graphics engine as only people with hefty gpus will benefit, but I'll take it and it looks better.
Also sorted my performance issue, for some reason I had my default system profile set to 4x super sampling....doh

 

[John-Eric Saxén]

It is an overall upgrade in these that you shouldn't run this game with HDR off unless you must, as ISI just stated on their forums here.

The way ISI has presented this HDR option is admittedly confusing. It should be named something like "realistic lighting" (HDR on) and "rf1 mode" (HDR off), it really makes that much of a difference.

 

[William Wester]

Did a couple screen shots myself to compare build 930 and 946. Side by side I can see the difference in the shader - to my old eyes it looks like a mostly lower contrast change. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
As for the performance increase I mentioned, I'm actually not seeing it now switching back to 930 and back to 946. I must have just hit on a good combo along the way that's working better in general.

What can I change to improve something like the white lines below?

5860x1080 w/single GTX 980
AA = Level 4
FXAA = Off
HDR = On
Circuit Detail: Full
Player Detail: Full
Oponent Detail: Full
Texture Detail: Full
Texture Filter: x16
Special Effects: Full
Shadows: High
Blur: Off
Soft Particles: Low
Reflections: Low

 

[jimortality]

I would try nvidia cp and have the aa set at 8csaa and your texture filter on trillinear in the game option. I don't have problems on my 770 with white lines. I've had to turn the texture filter up to 8x come to think of it with the new update. Mine is for a single screen so ignore that lol

 

[jimortality]

To be honest, I've had to change my whole options to suit the new hdr but the biggest thing I notice is the surroundings off track look better. On the old build I had aa x 8csaa and texture filter on trilinear but if i use those settings now, the track looks something weird, very smooth. So I've gone adaptive vsync to get a better look and up csaa x 16 and texture filter 16 x af. I'll need to tinker a bit more yet. Can anyone remember the issue with the track map plug in and the flickering you sometimes get well someone told me how to solve that but I can't remember what or who.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

You should always clear the Userdata/Log/CBASH and shader folders with new builds. With significant changes I also advise backing up the Settings folder (for setups or liveries) and completely getting rid of the player folder so a new .json is built.

This is racing around 12-1pm, unfeasible before.

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

Can anyone remember the issue with the track map plug in and the flickering you sometimes get well someone told me how to solve that but I can't remember what or who.

I think it was ctrl-f.

 

[Pär Öqvist]

HDR on don´t mean realistic lightning. It´s rather pimped lightning. Try day/night cycles the HDR is borked at various times. Doing endurance races I hardly ever bother with HDR anymore in rFactor 2. Ruins the fps and the lightning. Though running without during night time it hardly gets dark?