First VR Pictures From rFactor 2 Break Cover

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have teased some images from the upcoming DX11 and VR update for rFactor 2, showing the game using a Virtual Reality headset for the very first time.

Revealed in a post on the official rFactor 2 Facebook page, Studio 397 have released the very first in game images from rFactor 2 making use of VR, further teasing fans keen to lay their hands on the update in the next few weeks.

Initially due to be released towards the end of the first quarter of 2017, Studio 397 recently announced a delay to the initial schedule as they work towards putting together a final push before a full public release, now scheduled May 2017. Understandably gamers are eager to see what the first major enhancement from the new developers of rFactor 2 have in store, and judging by the recent DX11 screenshots revealed so far it does look like fans are in line for a respectable improvement in the graphics delivered by the game.

DX11 is just the first step in a planned approached aimed at bringing rFactor 2 up to the level of it's sim racing rivals, with both virtual reality and a totally reimagined web based UI forming the most obvious changes to the title once it launches next month. With VR coming on stream rFactor 2 will finally join it's sim racing rivals Assetto Corsa, Project CARS and RaceRoom Racing Experience in making use of one of the latest technological advancements in modern PC gaming.

It remains to be seen how performance and quality will be affected but the DX11 and VR update, however with May fast approaching it will hopefully not be long until players can judge this for themselves...

rFactor 2 is a racing simulation exclusive to Windows PC.

Additional third party content can be downloaded from a variety of sources, one of which is the RaceDepartment rFactor 2 modding archive. Head over and check out the latest releases for the sim, or alternatively join in the discussion and keep up to date with the latest news at our rFactor 2 sub forum right here at RD. If downloading mods or keeping up to date with the latest news items aren't your thing, you can always sign up to one of our epic Club and League events using the software. We hold regular club racing events in our schedule, however the jewel in our crown is no doubt the RaceDepartment Le Mans Series. This is our premium endurance league using rFactor 2. Head over to the RDLMS forum to find out more!

Looking forward to trying rFactor 2 in DX11 and VR? Which cars do you think will offer the best VR experience in the game? Do you think DX11 will provide a significant improvement in the graphics of the title? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Roger Ferrer]

You don't know for how long I've been waiting for VR, haven't played for more than a year.

 

[Jach]

<snip>

@Jach

mod edit - This forum is English only, please no other languages. I have google translated the text and pasted below.

There is no ERS, then still significantly behind the AC. Not to mention the official version is not DX11 and VR, all-round backward AC

 

[HoiHman]

Finally

 

[bluey]

19 more sleeps and counting ...for sim racing history

 

[MarcG]

I dont own VR... But if i did, I would need a new set of undies each time a race happened at 60's Spa... Going through Burnenville, seeing buildings that close up at +100mph is probably not healthy for the bowels...

Or the Masta kink too...

I do own VR and this is going to be the first thing I do, cannot wait

 

[Timmy UK]

<snip>

I'll have chips with that..

 

[Cote Dazur]

Looking forward to try the improved RF2 in VR sooner than later.

 

[Peter Stokman]

I saw these shots about 40 Minutes ago on their official face book page, they look good, but why do they have problems with lighting in their cockpits, why do they look so dark, and why do they continue to show screen shots at only dusk, will we they ever show screen shots at various times of the day rather than ones, where the lighting looks so terrible and dark in their vehicle cockpits, it's like no matter what they do they just cant get the lighting to look right, keep up the work, still not convinced though especially with them constantly showing screen shots at the same time of the day dusk and nothing else.

"Looking forward to trying rFactor 2 in DX11 and VR? Which cars do you think will offer the best VR experience in the game? "
None of them unless they have completely been overhauled and remodelled their in car textures and shaders, to compete with other titles that have HD cockpits, like Assetto corsa and Project CARS,and as I said above the in cockpit lighting must be fixed.

you proof every time you only care about LOOKS ? inside Physics is much more important and looks come 2nd But maybe one day you will learn it

 

[Fanapryde]

you proof every time you only care about LOOKS ? inside Physics is much more important and looks come 2nd But maybe one day you will learn it

Though physics is certainly number one, I am one of the people that consider looks as being important too, immersion wise.
RF2 physics are amongst the best, they don't need to change (much), but as far as car interiors go (always driving in cockpit view-triple screens), there needs to be a huge improvement. Switching between sims, RF2 is limping behind, which is a shame.
If you don't care about looks, that is OK by me, but don't go patronizing people who do care, please... especially since the topic title is all about looks...

 

[Marc Collins]

Looks amazing, agree it won't look that good with the actual headset on, once all the pixels and blurriness comes in, but still can't wait. 2 to 3 hour endurance stints may be difficult with the headset on though.

That's what I was wondering. As a non-VR user, is there any "normal" screenshot that can communicate what the VR experience will actually look like? I couldn't see anything in the VR shots above to get excited or disappointed about. They just look like stereo versions of normal rF2 screen shots. And a yellow-green sunlight that is a bit odd compared to what we have now. Am I missing something about the pointlessness of VR screen shots?

 

[RustyDriver00]

That's what I was wondering. As a non-VR user, is there any "normal" screenshot that can communicate what the VR experience will actually look like? I couldn't see anything in the VR shots above to get excited or disappointed about. They just look like stereo versions of normal rF2 screen shots. And a yellow-green sunlight that is a bit odd compared to what we have now. Am I missing something about the pointlessness of VR screen shots?

I've only recently started using VR and I won't lie I was expecting more visually, but I may need to update this after the AC race in a few hours. I was really struggling with focus causing blurriness, so much so that I went and got my eyes tested, slightly long sighted but not too bad, still probably doesn't help with focus.

I've since done some more research on ipd and saw a suggestion to try a wider spacing then initially seemed natural, I was originally running 64mm as when setting it this seemed to look the best to me, I've now gone out to 67mm which didn't look quite right at first but within a min it actually started looking a lot clearer once I was able to focus, I'll be testing this wider IDP in the ac race.

Screen door is a pretty accurate description, or just old style TVs, but as so many have mentioned, it's the immersion that gets you, switching back to triples feels so much less connected now, still great but I'm not in the race helmet like I am with the rift on. If the wider IDP resolves my blurriness issues (which it seemed to when playing doom 3 - freaken awesome - the other day) I'll be extremely happy.

 

[M-Bimmer]

Good stuff

 

[Peter Stokman]

Though physics is certainly number one, I am one of the people that consider looks as being important too, immersion wise.
RF2 physics are amongst the best, they don't need to change (much), but as far as car interiors go (always driving in cockpit view-triple screens), there needs to be a huge improvement. Switching between sims, RF2 is limping behind, which is a shame.
If you don't care about looks, that is OK by me, but don't go patronizing people who do care, please... especially since the topic title is all about looks...

look her history amen

 

[melanieuk]

you proof every time you only care about LOOKS ? inside Physics is much more important and looks come 2nd But maybe one day you will learn it

There is nothing for me to learn, it's none of your damn business what I like or don't like, I'm sure not going to fall for the crap, that rFactor 2 has the best physics, because guess what, it doesn't, rFactor 1 didn't and never had the best physics, because it had nothing but fantasy cars in it, and now that rFactor 2 has a hand full of license cars, I'm suppose to follow the cult that thinks ISI creates the best physics, no they don't, that's why they don't exist today, and you're sure not playing with the same physics that F1,Nascar, or LM drivers are using to power their multimillion pound simulators, or is that the reason why you're so brainwashed into thinking you're actually playing something in your bedroom that these wealthy teams have at their disposal.
Graphics are just as important as physics, your plastic toy steering wheel can only transmit a certain amount of data that will fool you that you're actually driving something that feels like a car, and if the visuals are not immersive enough that's when the sim falls flat on its face.
Good luck on Studio 397, I hope they can pull it off, and make rFacor2 look like a 2017 title visually because rFactor 2 does have decent AI, which I would love to spend more time experiencing, but with the current bland dx8 visuals it has its not going to happen, roll on next month, when I can finally shut the hell up about rfactor2 looking dated, and yes graphics is important to me......now what.

 

[FernandoAFM]

I've only recently started using VR and I won't lie I was expecting more visually, but I may need to update this after the AC race in a few hours. I was really struggling with focus causing blurriness, so much so that I went and got my eyes tested, slightly long sighted but not too bad, still probably doesn't help with focus.

I've since done some more research on ipd and saw a suggestion to try a wider spacing then initially seemed natural, I was originally running 64mm as when setting it this seemed to look the best to me, I've now gone out to 67mm which didn't look quite right at first but within a min it actually started looking a lot clearer once I was able to focus, I'll be testing this wider IDP in the ac race.

Screen door is a pretty accurate description, or just old style TVs, but as so many have mentioned, it's the immersion that gets you, switching back to triples feels so much less connected now, still great but I'm not in the race helmet like I am with the rift on. If the wider IDP resolves my blurriness issues (which it seemed to when playing doom 3 - freaken awesome - the other day) I'll be extremely happy.

Two days ago I decided to give VR a try at my local kart track. It was running Assetto Corsa at the old Silverstone with the McLaren GT3 (weird combo, but ok haha). It was very very blurry and tough to pick up the correct lines for a few laps.
My question is: was this device poorly setup or is VR blurry like that? As someone who went to film school, it felt a bit odd. Is this something you just get used to? Or is the image better when you set up properly?

 

[M D Gourley]

Looking forward to trying rFactor 2 in DX11 and VR?

I most certainly are looking forward to this update....and although I have not moved towards VR as yet (still a VR virgin...lol)...the DX11 and game enhancements from Studio 397 is still very exciting news and something to look forward to.

 

[John-Eric Saxén]

ISI creates the best physics, no they don't, that's why they don't exist today, and you're sure not playing with the same physics that F1,Nascar, or LM drivers are using to power their multimillion pound simulators, or is that the reason why you're so brainwashed into thinking you're actually playing something in your bedroom that these wealthy teams have at their disposal.
Graphics are just as important as physics, your plastic toy steering wheel can only transmit a certain amount of data that will fool you that you're actually driving something that feels like a car, and if the visuals are not immersive enough that's when the sim falls flat on its face.

I don't disagree with your graphics criticism. Anyway when you state rF/rF2 doesn't have the best physics, I'd like to hear what has better physics. Every F1 team minus a few uses rF Pro as their simulator, even Ferrari moved to it a few years ago because their custom made simulator sucked. If rF physics were so bad, then why the heck are all F1 teams using them? Yes, rF Pro is much more customizable than rF/rF2, so they can run different modules in it, but it doesn't change the fact that at its core it's based on the ISI pMotor code. Nobody can say how much better or worse it is than rF2, but rF2 is the closest to rF Pro that we have got...

 

[Brian Himmelman]

Are you running the game in window mode? Seems to resolve crash to desktop between menus, alt tabbing etc.

I use full screen... should I try running in window mode? tks

 

[M D Gourley]

'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder'...I love Sim Racing

 

[RustyDriver00]

I use full screen... should I try running in window mode? tks

Yeah definitely, that should solve your crashing issue, it runs in windowed bordless, it has no impact on view or performance. I run pretty much all seems in windowed bordless as I find I always need to alt tab to something else