rf2 Steam info: ISI Q&A

[Paul Jeffrey]

Back in September rFactor 2 developers Image Space Incorporated announced their intention to launch the popular simulator on the Steam platform, moving away from the current download and subscription method via ISI's own website.

With the planned go live due before Christmas 2015 many of the community have been left confused regarding what the move will mean in reality and how different Stream features can be incorporated in the sim. In response to the upcoming move, ISI have today released a short Q&A aiming to answer the most common questions.

Q&A on Steam:
If I already own rF2, can I move over to the Steam version for free?
Yes you can migrate over to the Steam version at no extra cost. Once you do this, your original non-Steam product is no longer active.

How will Steam work with Standard/Lifetime?
For those who do not buy or have Lifetime, you will need to buy online access through Steam. We will not offer Lifetime upgrades (from ‘Offline’) on Steam. We are also planning to stop doing Standard to Lifetime upgrades for the non-Steam version soon.

rF2 on Steam will offer three things:
– rF2 Offline
– 1 Year Online for rF2 (adds multiplayer to rF2 Offline)
– rF2 Lifetime (has multiplayer included)

Will my online access be carried over from non-Steam to Steam?
No, not for the standard version of rF2. We are not able to move over remaining online access, so users may want to wait until that expires before migrating. Lifetime access is carried over to Steam.

Why Steam? Why now? What Steam features are implemented in rF2?
We have done a lot of work to support Steam, including implementation of Steam Workshop for additional content. Here is a more comprehensive list:

– automatic updates of rFactor and mods
– support for Steam Workshop as a single easy source for all ISI and third party mods
– workshop items will automatically stay up to date
– leagues can use the workshop to create a convenient installation for participants
– automatic backup of car setups in the Steam cloud
– integration with the Steam matchmaker for finding servers
– support for the Steam friends system to join a friend’s game
– screenshots can be quickly shared on Steam
– broadcast options to allow (your friends or anybody) to watch you play
– streaming support that allow you to run rFactor 2 on one system but stream the graphics to another
– Steam Music Player support to listen to your favourite songs in your car and control the stereo
– statistics and achievements that you can use to compare your performance against others

Some may consider it a better platform for rFactor 2 due to the Steam integration, but we’re not planning on any Steam exclusive features (apart from those that require Steam or are enabled by using it, as can be seen above).

Will non-Steam and Steam rF2 be cross compatible?
Our goal is that MP races are cross compatible, yes.

Will a non-Steam version continue to be sold?
We will continue to sell a non-steam version for an undefined period. We may look to wind down new sales on the non-Steam version, but much like rF1, this is probably a long-term transition, if it happens at all.

Will you be upgrading your account to Steam when its available, or will the move encourage you to purchase rFactor 2 if you haven't already? Let us know your opinions in the comments section below...

 

[Deleted member 130869]

For the folks coming in now as new users, you lucked out massively. I just wish there was some in-between step for those looking to upgrade to full license not basically looking to buy an entirely new license. Even if it cost $30 bucks it'd still be a deal.

 

[Tobbe Bergman]

For the folks coming in now as new users, you lucked out massively. I just wish there was some in-between step for those looking to upgrade to full license not basically looking to buy an entirely new license. Even if it cost $30 bucks it'd still be a deal.

I bought lifetime yesterday for $51 and thought it was a bargain.

So far I had a great time with the AI drivers and haven't tried any online races yet !

Don't really know what essential buttons to map on my CSW wheels yet (BMW + Formula) as the default for CSW doesn't make much sense to me ATM.

 

[Deleted member 130869]

I bought lifetime yesterday for $51 and thought it was a bargain.

So far I had a great time with the AI drivers and haven't tried any online races yet !

Don't really know what essential buttons to map on my CSW wheels yet (BMW + Formula) as the default for CSW doesn't make much sense to me ATM.

Sorry I can't help, mine is the Porsche GT3 v2 (orange one) but shouldn't be toooo far off for buttons. On my wheel I have look left and look right, pit limiter, LCD mode, pit request, KERS (temporary boost), DRS (rear flap in the game), headlight, the analog buttons to increase/decrease/up/down selection, and brake bias forward and back.

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

Don't really know what essential buttons to map on my CSW wheels yet

When you are playing around with the games, you'll starting to map more and more buttons.

Here is my mapping: it's the same for other sims: AC, Pcars, Iracing, and others

White and red button: Brake bias (White: front increase - Red: rear/decrease)
Left green: Pit limiter
Right green: LCD mode (toggle the bottom right info screen)
Yellow: Starter engine (incase of a engine stall)
Blue: pit request
Orange: DRS (rear flap)
Gray: horn
Purple: headlights
Left and Right black button: increase/decrease FOV
Left joystick: seat position: forward, backward, up, down
Right joystick: Pit menu: up/down and decrease/increase value (left/right)

I use the BMW rim the most. But if you swap rims (BMW <=> F1 rim) the button layout is a bit different. I need to remap some buttons.

 

[Tobbe Bergman]

Is there any info somewhere on what all these available functions do ?

 

[Tobbe Bergman]

In AC I have finally mapped all my BMW buttons and several have multiple functions !
I like to use the appropriate rim for the vehicle but generally speaking I use the BMW rim the most.

 

[Tobbe Bergman]

FYI I use Pinnacle Game Profiler so that I can map pretty much anything to anything !

 

[Simon Christmann]

I bought lifetime yesterday for $51 and thought it was a bargain.

So far I had a great time with the AI drivers and haven't tried any online races yet !

Don't really know what essential buttons to map on my CSW wheels yet (BMW + Formula) as the default for CSW doesn't make much sense to me ATM.

This always dependes on what you are driving. In an open wheeler light makes less sences and in a gt you dont need kers or drs. So theoretically you can create for each type of cars an one button mapping

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

This always dependes on what you are driving. In an open wheeler light makes less sences and in a gt you dont need kers or drs. So theoretically you can create for each type of cars an one button mapping

hehe, Thanks for the tip!!!
I'm going to make 2 controller files: one for the BMW rim and another for the F1 rim.
So i can swap rims and just choose the correct controller setting.
I don't have to remap buttons when i switch rims no more.

 

[Tobbe Bergman]

hehe, Thanks for the tip!!!
I'm going to make 2 controller files: one for the BMW rim and another for the F1 rim.
So i can swap rims and just choose the correct controller setting.
I don't have to remap buttons when i switch rims no more.

The downside is that you always have to load the right profile prior to the race.
Another option would be a button box but all my USB ports are occupied

 

[vee10]

The downside is that you always have to load the right profile prior to the race.
Another option would be a button box but all my USB ports are occupied

USB hub? Works great for me.

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

The downside is that you always have to load the right profile prior to the race.

I have to look into that. But i think, once i have selected the controller profile for the rim, it will stay until i swap rims and choose the other profile.
It's better then remapping buttons each time i swap rims.

edit: i'm not planning to switch rims during a race or session.

 

[Dave R]

I'm gonna have to side on the "multiplayer subscription = very bad idea" view here.

People need to understand that PC gamers have never accepted paying for a product and then having an added charge for multiplayer access. I remember when Games for Windows Live initially launched that they tried this, and it was removed so quickly after the massive amount of complaints it got. On consoles it's a different story as the precedent was set with Xbox Live over a decade ago, but PC games have always prided themselves on free multiplayer.

On PC, the only games that work with sub fees are free to start MMORPGs. Everything else, including MMOs that require you to buy the base game and then a sub fee (the Star Wars one from Bioware and EA from a few years ago comes to mind) hardly ever become successes. World of Warcraft did use this system but has since dropped it in favour of a free to start system. Sure, you can't play the game at all if you don't subscribe whereas with this rF2 situation you can still play offline, but for WoW the base game you get includes all the content from the expansion packs except the most recent one I think. There's a lot of value in the sub that can be justified, which isn't really the case here.

This attitude is multiplied on Steam, where gamers have an unwavering expectation for free multiplayer on that platform. People will see the game on sale for a low price, see that this is for the offline version only and that there is a sub fee for MP, and then will likely take to the forums and complain about anti-consumer this and money-grabbing that. This forces a game that is already targeting a niche community to lose so many potential people who could be filling up public servers, which is something rF2 sorely needs at this point. For those of you defending the practice, wouldn't you prefer people to race against online instead of relying on club events and leagues to do so?

I do think the system will eventually be removed though. Once the Steam community hivemind gets a hold of something, they'll persist with it till they get their way (see the Batman Arkham Knight PC version Steam store removal and the new refund system as good examples of this)

This is honestly spot on and most likely what will happen. There will be so many negative reviews for this very reason, and negative reviews (see R3E, Arkham Knight, etc) are darn near impossible to recover from.

 

[PicoBp]

Personally, I'd rather have the few that dedicate time and money to play online than all those public wreckfests that come with free MP. There's a reason why public is dead in more serious sims while supervised league/club races are still a thing.

 

[David O'Reilly]

I bought lifetime yesterday for $51 and thought it was a bargain.

So far I had a great time with the AI drivers and haven't tried any online races yet !

Don't really know what essential buttons to map on my CSW wheels yet (BMW + Formula) as the default for CSW doesn't make much sense to me ATM.

I have a club sport CSW V2, Ill link my wheel set up shortly.
OK Formula wheel controller settings and button maps
https://www.dropbox.com/s/a6sb0lyxd9oratp/FSR_July_2015A.JSON?dl=0
You put it in the folder user/RF2/userdata/contoller

 

[vee10]

I'm gonna have to side on the "multiplayer subscription = very bad idea" view here.

People need to understand that PC gamers have never accepted paying for a product and then having an added charge for multiplayer access. I remember when Games for Windows Live initially launched that they tried this, and it was removed so quickly after the massive amount of complaints it got. On consoles it's a different story as the precedent was set with Xbox Live over a decade ago, but PC games have always prided themselves on free multiplayer.

On PC, the only games that work with sub fees are free to start MMORPGs. Everything else, including MMOs that require you to buy the base game and then a sub fee (the Star Wars one from Bioware and EA from a few years ago comes to mind) hardly ever become successes. World of Warcraft did use this system but has since dropped it in favour of a free to start system. Sure, you can't play the game at all if you don't subscribe whereas with this rF2 situation you can still play offline, but for WoW the base game you get includes all the content from the expansion packs except the most recent one I think. There's a lot of value in the sub that can be justified, which isn't really the case here.

This attitude is multiplied on Steam, where gamers have an unwavering expectation for free multiplayer on that platform. People will see the game on sale for a low price, see that this is for the offline version only and that there is a sub fee for MP, and then will likely take to the forums and complain about anti-consumer this and money-grabbing that. This forces a game that is already targeting a niche community to lose so many potential people who could be filling up public servers, which is something rF2 sorely needs at this point. For those of you defending the practice, wouldn't you prefer people to race against online instead of relying on club events and leagues to do so?

I do think the system will eventually be removed though. Once the Steam community hivemind gets a hold of something, they'll persist with it till they get their way (see the Batman Arkham Knight PC version Steam store removal and the new refund system as good examples of this)

Spot on assessment sir. The history of Steam suggests your psychic powers will be proved correct. I will put a bet of one English pound on the fact that the overall review score will say the word 'Mixed' rather that the 'positive' or 'very positive'. And this will be mainly down to the paywall. It seems as ISI have never frequented Steam or it's forums. It will be a shame that this great sim will not have the recognition it deserves because of a short sited business practice that has proven time after time to be flawed.

The elite apologists on here need to look at the type of people the Steam platform attracts. There is a world outside our little goldfish bowl and they as history suggests do not like paying for multiplayer.

 

[PicoBp]

Spot on assessment sir. The history of Steam suggests your psychic powers will be proved correct. I will put a bet of one English pound on the fact that the overall review score will say the word 'Mixed' rather that the 'positive' or 'very positive'. And this will be mainly down to the paywall. It seems as ISI have never frequented Steam or it's forums. It will be a shame that this great sim will not have the recognition it deserves because of a short sited business practice that has proven time after time to be flawed.

The elite apologists on here need to look at the type of people the Steam platform attracts. There is a world outside our little goldfish bowl and they as history suggests do not like paying for multiplayer.

You miss an important point: is the goal of rF2 going on steam to attract those masses, or to make accessing/using/updating the game more convenient to those that appreciate the values of this sim?

Given the complexity and difficulty of the game it's definitely not aiming to be the next pCARS, but looking to lower their and their users' administrative needs around patches and content.

 

[vee10]

You miss an important point: is the goal of rF2 going on steam to attract those masses, or to make accessing/using/updating the game more convenient to those that appreciate the values of this sim?

Given the complexity and difficulty of the game it's definitely not aiming to be the next pCARS, but looking to lower their and their users' administrative needs around patches and content.

Valid points certainly, it is definitely not going to give GTA5 a problem in the sales charts, and it can seem daunting to the uninitiated.

Surely they can't just be looking at the Steam platform to make it easier to update etc though? For any business the main factor is making money.

Personally the money is not the issue, I have wasted more than enough on games and related
paraphernalia to pay off the national debt of a small country. I am worried how it will be perceived on Steam and history suggests it will not go down well, which could mean less money spent on new content and updates than if it was roaring success we could all be winners.

 

[PicoBp]

If they could make it work for this many years without any delivery platform, Steam can only improve the sales, ain't it?

 

[yusupov]

For the folks coming in now as new users, you lucked out massively. I just wish there was some in-between step for those looking to upgrade to full license not basically looking to buy an entirely new license. Even if it cost $30 bucks it'd still be a deal.

hmm, maybe if we yell at ISI theyll consider this? (im going to say we start at $20 though ) tbh i havent bothered to renew my online this year, have had no reason to & now i 'can't' until the steam launch if i want best value, so i also looked yesterday & was disappointed to see nothing -- it would be a great time to offer the upgrade.