What is The Goal For rFactor 2 Online in 2024?

rFactor 2 Corvette.jpg
Studio 397 revived rFactor 2’s online mode for players in October 2023 with a new ranked mode. But what can players expect in 2024? And what’s the goal of its new online mode? Player numbers have dwindled and content has been repeating itself…

Screenshot 2023-11-07 120659.png

Image Credit: Studio 397​

What’s The Goal of rFactor 2 Online?​

I think the goal of rFactor 2 Online is simple. Create a reliable and structured online mode and ranking system that could be implemented into Le Mans Ultimate when the title is released next month.

Studio 397 put a lot of effort into the rFactor 2 version, which is clear. But the final goal of its ranking system is more than likely to see how its community would react to an iRacing style ranked mode.

The Motorsport Games licensing fiasco had a sizable impact on rFactor 2’s game content. The loss of the BTCC and IndyCar licenses is a prime example – the BTCC races on the service have been hastily renamed ‘Touring Cars’. Studio 397 doesn’t appear to be releasing any more base game content, nor DLC packs, for rFactor 2. Le Mans Ultimate is just over a month away and the pressure is on to deliver.

The goal of rFactor 2 Online was always to run a prolonged test to see if their format worked over a longer period. This is hinted at by the nomenclature. The service is called ‘rFactor 2 Online’, but it’s powered by ‘RaceControl’. Why have a separate name for the service and the tech, if the tech wasn’t going to be used elsewhere?

The lack of fresh base game content and repeated combinations has slowly declined users’ interest. But this is far from the end for rFactor 2 Online. Studio 397 won’t let their new mode die after just a few months. The dedicated rFactor 2 player base will utilise the variety in their sim even when Le Mans Ultimate is released.

LMU 2.jpg

Image Credit: Studio 397 ​

What Could We See From rFactor 2 in 2024?​

Don’t be fooled, Le Mans Ultimate will be Studio 397’s big push in 2024. We hope rFactor 2 won’t be forgotten about, but new cars and tracks are unlikely in the first half of 2024. A consistent update to the online mode and any bug fixes will surely be present.

The re-establishment of lost licenses seems almost impossible at this point. But once Le Mans Ultimate releases, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that rFactor 2 could get a sizable GT3 update. More cars from series that have nothing to do with Motorsport Games would also go a long way with the community to build back that trust. An expansion to the karting offerings or even something new like racing trucks or junior formula series would go a long way.

In terms of tracks, there is a possibility that rFactor 2 could receive updated versions of tracks already in the base game from Le Mans Ultimate. An update to Spa and the Nürburgring would be a huge addition to the title.

Spa.jpg

Image Credit: Studio 397
​
rFactor 2 has limited potential with the content on offer. But the end is far from near. Despite Le Mans Ultimate being released in just over a month, Studio 397 has released nothing official about stopping the development of rFactor 2. Le Mans Ultimate will be received in a similar way to Assetto Corsa Competizione. It’s a single-discipline title, and some players will have no interest in WEC or sportscars in general. This isn’t the end for rFactor 2, we hope...

What do you want to see added to rFactor 2 after Le Mans Ultimate releases? Let us know on X @OverTake_gg or down in the comments below!
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Connor Minniss
Connor Minniss
Website Content Editor & Motorsport Photographer aiming to bring you the best of the best within the world of sim racing.

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SharkVA
BorisK said:
That's very interesting. When did they have time to make a new engine? And if not their own, which one? Mad...? ))
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If I had to venture a guess, it's just an upgraded/modified offering with the rF2 engine as the foundation they built upon. How that affects the ability to transfer content between the two is anyone's guess. Seeing how many vehicles get ported between different sims/engines by mod makers, I can't imagine it's an impossible task by any stretch, but we'll all find out soon enough.

If I'm being optimistic, the LMU engine may have more calculations and simulated things going on under the hood. I've got to imagine they'll have figured out a way to at least properly simulate hybrid systems, which is sorely missing from rF2.
 
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T
At this point i thinks they need to use LMU to make a new Rfactor sim , RF2 is too old and they can't correct stuff, the code foundation of the game is like a spaghetti to work on, UI is not friendly for new player or people from other sim ... It's still the best sim with BTCC TCR and PCUP ! and tracks are awesome ! But there is too much easy bug to find or exploit on some car (example : gear protection is not here for nothing).

I hope LMU will be good and then S397 will finally get the success they deserve , have a finish product and a complete game to work on during 2024 #LMGT3
 
RedLMR56
Premium
BorisK said:
That's very interesting. When did they have time to make a new engine? And if not their own, which one? Mad...? ))
Click to expand...
I did not ask that so I do not know unfortunately. Whether they made it on their own engine or used a different one, I can't say. It may not even be a case of them being on different engines, just that it is not possible for them to bring the content from LMU to rF2.
 
T
I’ve really enjoyed racing the radical online in rf2, but the track selections aren’t great and it’s always the short layout of each track. I understand they want to use free content for rookies but I’m sure people would pay for a few newer tracks seeing as the ranked mp is free.
I’ve been an Iracing diehard for the last 12 years but this is the first year that I haven’t renewed because they’ve over saturated the content and instead of having more choice of series there’s actually less because they’ve spread the player base too thin. This has resulted in only a few series being well populated as everyone wants races with lots of splits to get good racing.
I’ve always liked more niche series like the radical, fr2.0, star Mazda, indypro and the usf, these series always had engaged communities but they have all died off because of the constant influx of new cars.
I think any sim that can put out a robust ranked multiplayer will clean up because the simracing community is desperate for an Iracing alternative. It’s pretty crazy that in 2024, in a game genre that is perfect for ranked mp, that Iracing is light years ahead of the competition despite being one of the oldest sims. Maybe it’s a justification for the high cost of Iracing if none of their competitors can put out a similar mp product for less.
 
vitorhs
TeddyBearx said:
I bet all in we can easily add the content into rf2
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Even if easy, S397 never will use a ripped mod from a S397 game in the Race Control, also it will be a no-no here on RD by the rules or even in the steam workshop... Leagues may use, but no relevant event will do so. Those models probably will fly in other sims where the community is more used to ripped content anyway.
 
B
I'll be happy if the LMU content (tracks and cars) get released in rFactor2. I'm more than happy with the engine, and surely would prefer for it to evolve over time and for the dev continue releasing licenced DLCs as ways to add additional earnings.

If LMU tick all my checkmarks (offline play, Ai, believable physics and VR) then instan buy, else I can wait or simply give it a pass.
 
H
Yeah this was predicable with the lack of good tracks. Also, like the original "competition" system from 2 years ago, it had (has?) quite a few issues with servers not starting etc. And they stopped developing in a meaningful way, e.g. where is the website signup?

I think the question is: if the sim had e.g. 3x - 4x the number of good tracks in the "online" rotation, would player numbers not dwindle?
 
BorisK
henkjansmits said:
I think the question is: if the sim had e.g. 3x - 4x the number of good tracks in the "online" rotation, would player numbers not dwindle?
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It would be nice if the developers paid attention to the workshop, and selected some tracks (I think there are at least ten to fifteen decent ones) and car mods (similarly), and expanded the rotation of free content. It's clear that the main idea is to get players to buy the content they want (a few people I know have done this, although they're not rf2 fans), but I think more free and diverse content (e.g. historical content) is a good idea.
 
D

  • Deleted member 526227

Brownninja97 said:
Objective: Survive
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This came immediately into my mind. But not only in terms of the online MP....gonna be interesting how this will turn out with the new sims on the horizon (LMU, AC2, GTR Revival - if this will be also a sim...) and how well the existing sims are able to stretch their legs.
 
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Brownninja97
Premium
fireballr18 said:
This came immediately into my mind. But not only in terms of the online MP....gonna be interesting how this will turn out with the new sims on the horizon (LMU, AC2, GTR Revival - if this will be also a sim...) and how well the existing sims are able to strech their legs.
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To save MS games LMU needs to sell millions which is an extremely tall order. Even then if the game is great they will still lose out on sales because people are worried that the parent companies going under killing the multiplayer and any future support.
 
M
It is obviously not a different engine but it is certainly one that has been changed to support new features. So for example, you may not be able to take one of the lmdh cars direct to rf2 because one or more of its systems requires some change made to the game engine.

I would think that over time when they get the sales they want, this content will make its way in to rf2 and they will make the accommodations they need for this to happen.
 
Durge Driven
To save MS games LMU needs to sell millions
Click to expand...

I feel for the millions will never find the inner beauty and driving pleasure that takes your breath away . :cry:

Do any other sims even have FFB that is governed by realtime physics / dynamics ?
If they don't then they are canned ?
Other sims when I oversteer and come out of a corner it is just simple force that dictates direction, basically ease up on wheel and it will point you the right way.

rF2 is sooooo different.

I wonder how long has been till some tested rFactor with tweaked FFB ( realfeel)
imho that is still better then all the other sims I have bar rF2 course.
 
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