Silverstone Will Be Retired From rFactor 2

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silverstone_rf2.jpg
This is unfortunate news for rFactor 2 fans. One of the iconic free tracks of the service will be retired from public access on Friday morning due to licensing problems.

This news has been published on studio397 forums and apparently sounds like an expiring license problem. Original Silverstone license for the game dates back from 2012 when the sim was still developed by ISI and renewing one of these licenses is not always an easy task.

"Due to a change in licencing agreements, this Friday, November 25th, Studio 397 have been instructed to remove access to the Silverstone circuit in the rFactor 2 Steam Workshop."

"Players can still download the circuit until the morning of Friday November 25th, and can continue to use the track within rFactor 2 beyond this date."

Silverstone was one of the main pieces of the free base content, so Studio397 plans to add a new track as soon as they can.

"While we appreciate this is not the news anyone wanted to hear about this track, we are working very hard to look at alternative options to bring another new, free circuit to the simulation in the very near future"

You can still download the track for private use beyond 25th November by clicking this Steam's link.
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Gonzalo Camara
Gonzalo Camara
More than 20 years enjoying simRacing and watching it grow. Writing and spreading the word to allow real racing fans discover this wonderful universe.

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P
This is the 2nd track in a short period that rF2 is losing because of licenses. First one was the Monaco Formula E track. Let’s hope we won’t lose any more of them.

I was quite suprised by this, since Silverstone is also used for BTCC, so with the announced MSG dedicated BTCC game (which future is very uncertain), I assumed MSG would have acquired licenses of all tracks used for BTCC.
 
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T
pcraenme said:
This is the 2nd track in a short period that rF2 is losing because of licenses. First one was the Monaco Formula E track. Let’s hope we won’t lose any more of them.

I was quite suprised by this, since Silverstone is also used for BTCC, so with the announced MSG dedicated BTCC game (which future is very uncertain), I assumed MSG would have acquired licenses of all tracks used for BTCC.
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FE uses the normal Monaco layout now, so that somewhat fits. Eventhough I find it nice to have all the different layouts for different time periods so it would have been nice for FE fans to have the "historic" FE layout added to the normal track. That said, I suspect Silverstone will return to the game in a LS version but as payware. I can only imagine that lisence costs for FIA grade tracks are getting a bit out of hand and don't varant free versions anymore. Kunos is in a bit of a different place as they are safe financialy speaking, but for the smaller teams I don't see it working out with free F1 tracks anymore.
 
M
I take it that even if I have it installed, if I change computers and reload via steam I will lose this.

I understand that I can back it up someway but more concerned that once gone it kind of takes it off the table for multiplayer.

I wonder how it is done contractually, if being on steamworkshop is how its able to be done. Other titles its just baked in forever as you cant yank it away, an unfortunate side effect of something like steam workshop where you can identify a single piece of content.
 
R00b_Driver
For anyone wondering why, this is from Paul Jeffery on Discord today:

PaulJeffrey — Today at 12:14 (23-Nov-2022)
yes, the existing licence expired, and during the renewal talk the fee came in far too high - basically if we agreed it would be the highest licencing fee in rF2 - for anything...and its a free track, but even paid it would be hard to recoup
https://discord.com/channels/253557076645773312/253557076645773312/1044949107439046726
 
Ole Marius Myrvold
Club Staff
Premium
metalnwood said:
I take it that even if I have it installed, if I change computers and reload via steam I will lose this.

I understand that I can back it up someway but more concerned that once gone it kind of takes it off the table for multiplayer.

I wonder how it is done contractually, if being on steamworkshop is how its able to be done. Other titles its just baked in forever as you cant yank it away, an unfortunate side effect of something like steam workshop where you can identify a single piece of content.
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Shouldn't, as you never unsubscribe. Regardless, if you back-up the rfcmp file, it will not be a issue anyway. Also, it doesn't take it off for multiplayer, as long as server have GetMod active, everyone will DL the content they lack automagically when entering the server.

While not always major content, it has happened before. GTA removing songs from the radio. GTR, GTR2 (and GT Legends?) removing Porsche and Ferrari.
 
K
I hope this will not be the case with other sims that feature Silverstone when it’s time to renew their license.
 
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tpeter
I made a suggestion for an alternative refering the ams2 version, which has a good discount on steam, but the moderators think that I am a troll and my comment was deleted.
 
S
Ole Marius Myrvold said:
Shouldn't, as you never unsubscribe. Regardless, if you back-up the rfcmp file, it will not be a issue anyway.
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My spark plugs spontaneously ignited by this note. Now suddenly feels an uncontrollable urge to backup all official content from my countless sims aquired via cloud services, in line together with my TB's of mod content on my NAS.
Official rF2 Silverstone rfcmp hereby home safe, thanks for the tip :thumbsup:
 
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Durge Driven
boxer said:
NO drama here just back it up problem solved.
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NO it is NOT lol

If it disappears and you simply activate the backup STEAM will DELETE IT . lol

It must be put into a rfmod that is already installed before you boot into Steam.
Then you just hit refresh and the "mod" will now activate once more and no matter what Steam does it can't be removed.

No more tips for you lot no one listens. :coffee:
 
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D
Ah, licenses. They never generate trouble or frustration for any videogame developer anytime anywhere in the world!
 

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