rF2 | Free Bentley Continental GT3 Release + Substantial BOP Update

Paul Jeffrey

Premium
Studio 397 have today released the 2020 Bentley Continental GT3 for rFactor 2 - and it's free to owners of the original 2017 GT3 car.
  • Bentley Continental GT3 2020 release.
  • Extensive BOP update for GT3 cars within the sim.


New cars are always very much a welcome sight within our racing simulation of choice, and today another new addition has been brought to rFactor 2 - with the release of the 2020 specification Bentley Continental GT3 for the title.

In additional bonus news, the new car is free if you already own the original 2017 version of the Bentley, and if you don't, you will be able to purchase both cars at the single piece price of the original spec machine. Nice.

rFactor 2 | Bentley GT3 Store Page: Click HERE.

As well as new content, the GT3 cars within rFactor 2 have also been in receipt of the update treatment - enjoying an extensive Balance of Performance across all the current cars within the title - including physics updates and new dashboards on some cars.

rF2 Bentley 1.jpg


Check out the update notes below:

Endurance and GT racing has been brought up on the ethos of converging differing Grand Touring Car designs and shapes into an even playing field of competition. Nowhere else in the world of motorsport can you find such an eclectic mix of different cars, brands and design concepts coming together and competing on the same track, with similar chances of challenging at the very front of the grid.

As GT3 specification competition has continued to grow in popularity around the world, much of the success of the category has to be laid firmly at the door of the less than glamorous world of Balance of Performance, or BOP as it is more commonly known.

Always the subject of many off track debates amongst teams and drivers, BOP is a method employed by many championships to ensure cars of differing shapes and sizes can race together fairly within a common set of regulations, preventing the potential for runaway championship leaders and ensuring a fair shot of success is open to all brands within a series.

As in the real world, our virtual counterparts in rFactor 2 are also subject to these BOP restrictions, as unlike the real world counterpart, should a car prove to be consistently superior to its class rivals, it is rather easier for the sim racer looking to gain an advantage and select the fastest car than it is for a real world team to find hundreds of thousands of dollars to swap machines for the season ahead.

As such, here at Studio 397 we have been working incredibly hard to bring a realistic and fair Balance of Performance to the enviable list of GT3 cars currently in the simulation. Our development team and testers have pounded round the circuit for endless hours tweaking and refining the cars to ensure they retain their individual characters, their inherent strengths and weaknesses and their real world performance levels, whilst still providing an even set of ultimate speed in comparison to each other – just like in the real world!


rF2 Bentley 3.jpg


Aston Martin Vantage GT3 1.71
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu,
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • New default setup
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
In-car dash
  • Added Engine Mixture levels
  • Added ABS levels
  • Added new alarms for low fuel and oil temperature

Audi R8 LMS 2018 v1.75
BOP
  • Reduced drag by about 2%,
  • Added 5kg of weight penalty,
  • Reduced engine torque/power output by about 1%.
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling
  • New default setup
Audi R8 LMS 2019 v1.45
BOP
  • Reduced drag by about 4%,
  • Added 10kg of weight penalty
  • Reduced engine torque/power output by about 1%
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights)
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling
  • New default setup
Bentley Continental GT3 v2.73
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu,
  • Reduced engine inertia,
  • Adjusted steering rack ratio (it’s slightly tigher now),
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
In-car dash
  • Added Engine Mixture levels
  • Added ABS levels
  • Added TC levels
BMW M6 GT3 v1.67
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP.
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu,
  • Reduced engine inertia,
  • Camber is adjustable in smaller steps (0.1deg, was 0.25deg before)
  • Adjustments to differential locking and preload
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling
  • New default setup
Callaway C7 GT3-R v2.81
BOP
  • Increased engine torque/power output by about 2%.
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights)
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Higher engine braking, adjusted launch rpm, adjusted engine lifetime rpm (results in higher engine lifetime)
  • Moved aero balance forward by about 4% percent points
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
McLaren 720S GT3 v1.61
BOP
  • Added 10kg of weight penalty,
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Reduced engine inertia,
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu,
  • Fix for some spring options beeing too stiff,
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
McLaren 650S GT3 v2.71
BOP
  • Added 5kg of weight penalty,
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights)
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Realigned suspension geometry (to better match the data, which also results in slightly slower steering ratio)
  • Adjusted vertical and lateral CG location
  • Higher roll damping for anti-roll bars
  • Slightly higher clutch inertia
  • Fix for some spring options beeing too stiff
  • New default setup,
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
Porsche 911 GT3-R
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights)
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Increased balance shift coming from changes to the rear wing angle (which now has 18 positions vs 20)
  • Fix to rear suspension’s inner joints beeing too low for a given ride height
  • Higher differential preload (by about 19%)
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
In-car dash
  • Added Engine Mixture levels
  • Added ABS levels
Radical GT3 v2.67
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP.
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights)
  • Reduced engine inertia
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu
  • Realigned suspension geometry and fix to motion ratios, resulting in different min/max damper lengths and stiffer spring/damper rates
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling
  • New default setup
In-car dash
  • Added Engine Mixture levels
  • Added ABS levels
Mercedes AMG GT3 v2.75
BOP
  • Fuel consumption tweaked to match reference for BoP.
Physics
  • Reworked aerodynamics (more sensitive to changes in ride heights),
  • Reduced engine inertia,
  • Fix for radiator cooling options not showing properly in the pitmenu,
  • Added 10% steps for radiator cooling.
  • New default setup
In-car dash
  • Added Engine Mixture levels
  • Added ABS levels

Original Source: Studio 397

rFactor 2 is available now exclusively on PC.

The rFactor 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment is the place to go for the latest news and discussion about the title. Head over to the rFactor 2 sub forum, start up a thread and let the community answer your questions!

rF2 Bentley 4.jpg
 
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I wish they'd look into Merc AMG GT3 FFB issue. There's a huge old thread about it on official forum. Many people report this issue including Motec output to support it (while some claim it's FFB is great). I was one of them and I don't drive this car because of that.
I performed several FFB tests at Sebring using the Merc with comparisons to several other GT3's. The Merc gives my wheel very good FFB and actually even a little better than the recently released Bentley 2020 plus as good as the other S397 GT3's. Note: Used the GT3 default setups with a Thrustmaster TS-XW.
 
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I performed several FFB tests at Sebring using the Merc with comparisons to several other GT3's. The Merc gives my wheel very good FFB and actually even a little better than the recently released Bentley 2020 plus as good as the other S397 GT3's. Note: Used the GT3 default setups with a Thrustmaster TS-XW.
Yes it's weird I've seen similar positie reports about the Merc FFb on the big thread on the official forum too. You can see Motec graphs that show the issue. Basically the wheel goes light(force becomes weak) when turning(i.e. into the corner). It doesn't happen on other cars. It's not about car setup, perhaps some FFB settings hidden in json file, but I have no idea.
 
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Lots of negative opinions here as usual.

I am delighted that this update has taken place, and I absolutely love the new Bentley.

Regarding AI and offline, I regret that it is not as high priority for S397 as online, but I accepted it.

What I find unfortunate, however, is that S397 literally refuses to tell us when these improvements are expected, I mean in 3, 6, 9 months, 1 year, 1000 years ?

I am looking for know when (if) we will have TCR or GT4 (Marcel had on RD that we would have either one or the other on rF2).

Besides, the graphics improvements are impressive but the deployment of this one seems extremely slow.

Finally, the most important point, I would very much like to know when S397 intends to invest heavily in the field of the physics engine.
 
I tested S397 GT3, GTE, and their recent Porsche Cup and discovered the ai are worthless in long Endurance type races when needing only 2 fuel stops. The ai become confused with fuel strategy and take 3 or more stops when only 2 are required plus some ai come right back in to pit within 3 laps of their previous pit.

Note: Damage, mechanical failures, tire wear, and ai mistakes off to be sure it was only fuel strategy related.

S397 completely abandoned AI development. It's so many issues that I'm lazy to number here. AI strategy is only one more among hundreds. At past times you could fix the mess by editing TXTs and correcting AI strategies but now they encrypted. Result: community can't fix either do the developers.
 
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That's how rF2 normally looks. How does it look on your PC?
Here are some shots I grabbed from Silverstone.
Looks jaggy despite using the highest AA, same with Nvidas AA, and my lighting looks pretty flat.
 

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Here are some shots I grabbed from Silverstone.
Looks jaggy despite using the highest AA, same with Nvidas AA, and my lighting looks pretty flat.
So after triple-checking my graphics settings I discovered that rf2 evidently likes resetting some settings, usually it just sets the GPU option to default, which happens to be the CPUs internal graphics processor. But this time it had set the post FX to the "none" option. After setting it back to the maximum setting the lighting looks a ton better. Still don't know what to do about the poor AA, though.
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Ah, we clearly have different understanding of what "looks like ass" means.

Also don't see much wrong with the lighting (I mean outside of the usual blue tint and all that, but nothing can be done about that without using ReShade or something like that), it corresponds to the time of day IMO.
 
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