rFactor 2 Update 21/05/2018 Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have released a little update to rFactor 2 earlier today, addressing some minor aspects of the PC exclusive racing simulation.

Dropping in slightly under the radar and without much fanfare, this new update to the venerable rFactor 2 racing simulation appears to be mostly aimed at general housekeeping duties, without adding any significant changes to the base install.

Short on headlines, the key takeaway from todays build appears to be more focussed on improvements and fixes with modding in mind, of which no doubt the fix for crashes in viewer and wireframe modes will be most welcomed by those intrepid individuals responsible for developing community created content...

Steam Build ID 2788780

Changelog

• Fixes for viewer using placeholder textures and not printing warning dialog
  
• Fixed crash with viewer and wireframe modes
  
• Fix for output log being too verbose
  
• Some minor fixes / internal improvements
  
• Fixed an error in MAS2.exe when packing tracks with large MAS files.

Screenshot credit: philmcqueen

rFactor 2 is available exclusively for PC from Steam now.

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Let us know your impressions of the new build below!

 

[dreamer al]

Always appreciate an upgrade, even though I may have no clue what it is.

 

[gamer19]

Looks good, too bad I unstall the whole game a few months back. Wasn't play it anymore so...
I mean really... is this still "in developement" ?
Although a great game, it looks a bit like beating a dead horse now... =/
Time for rFactor 3. Let Milestone try. They at least fast.

 

[M-Bimmer]

Any new patch is appreciated for sure
(while anxiously waiting for the new interface)

 

[BazzaLB]

A fix for the poor performing GT3 DLC in VR would be appreciated.

 

[Travis]

A fix for the poor performing GT3 DLC in VR would be appreciated.

It's not much better with the 2D version at times.

Given the massive changes to rF2 over the last 12 months with the DX11 rewrite, I tried the URD EGT mod versus the S397 GT3 pack with 19 AI cars @ Limestone Park at the suggested High PC preset (with 20 visable cars rather than the suggested 15 cars).

The URD EGT mod runs without a hitch whereas the GT3 pack frame rate is all over the place - I started from 17th position in both for a fair comparison.

No idea what S397 are doing in optimisation as the EGT car models appear to be as good to look at as the GT3 pack.

 

[M D Gourley]

Let us know your impressions of the new build below!

Did not notice any difference really...but still very happy with what Studio 397 have achieved with rf2 so far and still a way to go...keep up the good work.

 

[thepharcyde]

Looks good, too bad I unstall the whole game a few months back. Wasn't play it anymore so...
I mean really... is this still "in developement" ?
Although a great game, it looks a bit like beating a dead horse now... =/
Time for rFactor 3. Let Milestone try. They at least fast.

Unfortunately it seems this game will never evolve from its sandbox 'what it could be' state.

Releasing sparse car groups or full grids with one track combo really is never going to compete with the other studios.

I really wished they did not bother with Kart Sim and put all those development hours into RF2.

However the incremental updates thus far to the underlying package have certainly improved on where ISI failed.

It is really a great game, but execution can be lacking.

I suspect s397 are working on multiple projects hence big ticket items we all want to see have to get prioritised based on what will return the parent company the largest return ultimately $

 

[Denis Betty]

I really wished they did not bother with Kart Sim and put all those development hours into RF2.

Really?

I suspect s397 are working on multiple projects hence big ticket items we all want to see have to get prioritised based on what will return the parent company the largest return ultimately $

You suspect?

I really wish that people wouldn't use every thread to bash the sim concerned. Try not to be so negative, please. If you don't like a given sim, play something you do like. Then you can go to the correct forum and say something positive.
Of course you can voice an opinion, but your comments above don't seem relevant to this thread (IMHO).
Happy, happy, smiley faces.
No offence, have a nice day.

 

[Jason Mullin]

Still my favorite sim to drive out of them all, there's just something special about rFactor that keeps me coming back.

 

[Andrew Harper]

It's not much better with the 2D version at times.

Given the massive changes to rF2 over the last 12 months with the DX11 rewrite, I tried the URD EGT mod versus the S397 GT3 pack with 19 AI cars @ Limestone Park at the suggested High PC preset (with 20 visable cars rather than the suggested 15 cars).

The URD EGT mod runs without a hitch whereas the GT3 pack frame rate is all over the place - I started from 17th position in both for a fair comparison.

No idea what S397 are doing in optimisation as the EGT car models appear to be as good to look at as the GT3 pack.

Something I've noticed which may have a bearing on what you are describing.

When I've done skins for the URD cars I've noticed that from a detail point of view the mesh on their cars is far less than most others but with the modelling they do, they are just very processor efficient and look very good.

Admittedly the detail in the cockpits, under the car, etc is far less than the S397 cars and I think that's also where the performance difference lies.

I can run fields of 45-50 cars on Assetto Corsa using the LMP and GTE mods with reasonable ease (and of course it looks pretty cool!).

Some could argue S397 are "lazy" or don't optimise the models enough and that's a fair comment I suppose.

 

[Will Mazeo]

I really wished they did not bother with Kart Sim and put all those development hours into RF2.

Considering Kart Sim is an independent company and the karts were not done by S397 I'm sure those development hours were put into rF2

 

[MarcG]

Was just about to post that Will! Heres the direct news quote:
"KartSim is one of our close partners, and we are proud to introduce you to an all new driving experience in rFactor 2, created entirely by KartSim’s own dedicated team of developers"

 

[Emery]

When I've done skins for the URD cars I've noticed that from a detail point of view the mesh on their cars is far less than most others but with the modelling they do, they are just very processor efficient and look very good.

Admittedly the detail in the cockpits, under the car, etc is far less than the S397 cars and I think that's also where the performance difference lies.

Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner!

It's all about polygon count. Amazing how few people notice the polygon differences between models.

And before someone says "but AC can...", remember that AC doesn't support rain or dirt layers or dynamic track and uses far fewer details on their track models.

 

[thepharcyde]

Really?

You suspect?

I really wish that people wouldn't use every thread to bash the sim concerned. Try not to be so negative, please. If you don't like a given sim, play something you do like. Then you can go to the correct forum and say something positive.
Of course you can voice an opinion, but your comments above don't seem relevant to this thread (IMHO).
Happy, happy, smiley faces.
No offence, have a nice day.

Maybe quote my post in full as it had plus and minuses

 

[Denis Betty]

Maybe quote my post in full as it had plus and minuses

Yeh, I take your point, but I was pointing out that the first quote was just plain wrong, and the second quote was unsupported guesswork - and really negative. At least if you're gonna be negative, maybe back up your statements with some facts?
But yes, I agree, your post did include some positives about rF2, which I somehow overlooked.
Apologies.

 

[RichardHessels]

I really wished they did not bother with Kart Sim and put all those development hours into RF2.
$

RF2 development runs seperate from Kartsim.
Kartsim is done by a independent developer.
It's only released within the rF2 framework.

 

[gamer19]

Although a great game

14 (and counting!) people disagree with this hmm... I thought you people used to love rF2. Really... what's happening here, on RD, first alcoholism (in gRally thread) and now all these rF2 haters. Maybe it's all connected ...somehow.

 

[Phil Dufour]

Thank you for the screenshot

 

[Travis]

@Andrew Harper Thanks for the detailed response.

Perhaps the S397 approach could be 'optimised' for better overall performance; I've found the S397 add-ons are the most resource hungry when compared with the ISI made cars and the URD mods already mentioned. I agree the interiors of the GT3 cars are sublime.

Some could argue S397 are "lazy" or don't optimise the models enough and that's a fair comment I suppose.

I'd never call S397 lazy as their DX11 re-write was a major undertaking!