Why so many more modders on assetto corsa than RF2?

[joseph harris]

Iv'e noticed there are so many more modders creating mods in Assetto Corsa compared to rFactor 2.
I'm just wondering why this is when rFactor 2 is arguably a much better sim?
Is Assetto Corsa easier to mod or?

I like to do offline racing with a range of different categories but rFactor 2 seems to be running low on up to date mod packs and skin sets these days. It's a shame because back in the original rFactor days you could just about race anything and everything!

 

[Gevatter]

It's easier to mod (game structure and internal components like tires etc).
It's better documented.
It's more popular.
It looks better (it especially looked WAY better in the beginning before rF2 started using PBR Shading)

back in the original rFactor days you could just about race anything and everything!

You can do that on AC now

 

[Bob Gnarley]

Another part of it is that AC is a finished product whereas Rf2 is more like a perpetual beta.

People make mods. A game update breaks the mods. Mods get fixed. Then another update then breaks the mods...and so on.

It seems people eventually get fed up and move on.

 

[Durge Driven]

Rather then push against it go with the flow
Instead of worrying about UIs and other things go and spend time getting rF2 dialed in with the cars you got
Work around issues ...you can trust me !
Focus on the positive things
Tonight had 3 x 1 hour races with cars never been updated on the deadliest AI track ( Belgium )
and had a ball ! 5 x tyres and fuel no damage no flags turn off mechanical damage too and 3 pitstops a race everyone got fuel fine .....4 cars failed to finish accidents
Brilliant fun and 2 of 5 stages was rain
But it will never happen if all you do is concentrate on negatives

 

[Emery]

Iv'e noticed there are so many more modders creating mods in Assetto Corsa compared to rFactor 2.
I'm just wondering why this is when rFactor 2 is arguably a much better sim?
Is Assetto Corsa easier to mod or?

I like to do offline racing with a range of different categories but rFactor 2 seems to be running low on up to date mod packs and skin sets these days. It's a shame because back in the original rFactor days you could just about race anything and everything!

The negatives:

1. AC has the ksEditor to assign AC properties to 3D meshes. This means just about any 3D tool will work for creating content. rF2 didn't have such a tool initially, relying only on the plugins ISI developed for 3DS Max. Eventually ISI developed gJED that acted like ksEditor, but S397 killed off further development as they got deeper into the current DX11 graphics engine.
2. There have been at least 4 changes in graphics lighting, so abandonware is prevalent in mods because few authors stick around long enough to do the required updates. Night lighting is still a work in progress, so modders may have yet another round of updates. [I do expect it won't be necessary, more likely S397 will make night lighting work correctly with existing color pallete]
3. With the new UI, the icon requirements for cars increased significantly (you have to make a set of icons for every single skin). Third party tools help with this.
4. TIres. Tires are difficult to construct correctly. The current S397 tire library really only covers current GT/Endurance and formula cars. Nearly nothing for street cars and slightly more than nearly nothing for historic cars (and really only if you dig through old ISI models and the old ISI tire library).
5. rF2 packaging is slightly more complex, particularly if you want to distribute the mod via Steam. Casual server administrators don't understand how to effectively use the packaging & distribution system.
6. It's hard to tell in advance whether a server is using paid content or if you'll be able to join without paid content and there's no graceful exit S397 at least could insert a redirection to the Steam store if you don't own the paid content.

The positives:

1. Packaging & distribution of mods via Steam is sooo superior to "find the correct version & download".
2. Day-night transitions are handled automatically.
3. Offline rolling starts are possible (though, frustratingly, S397 has let this part of the AI rot for 6 years with known bugs).
4. There are no decisions on whether to use a third party tool to make a mod work.

 

[rand777]

I primarily play AC and RF2. While I prefer the FFB and overall driving experience in RF2, I spend a lot more time on AC only because it is a much more polished package and easier to just hop on and join a server any time of day. With RF2 it doesn't tell me what I'm missing, and different build versions are incompatible, so it's been nearly impossible in practice for me to just go online and join a server when I've tried, so I use it for offline only. Also, the new UI is such a step backwards for me in usability and design that I suspect AC has more simply because it's easier to develop for and to join online servers. I really hope RF2 can get there someday.