rF2 | Weekly Update Released - Includes VR Performance Improvements

[Paul Jeffrey]

The latest 'weekly update' for rFactor 2 is here.

In this new update for PC racing simulation rFactor 2, the developers have concentrated on making some small performance improvements to the way the game behaves in Virtual Reality - introducing a new "Hidden Area Mask" feature that prevents the software from rendering pixels outside of the viewable headset area.

This change should hopefully allow VR users some slight performance improvements, although the option only works with certain VR headsets, as explained in the changelog below:

....

No bogging down! Another week goes by, and we are keeping up the momentum with some fresh updates!

This week we have a handy set of updates for VR users, as well and a couple others minor fixes.

VR - Hidden Area Mask
In this latest update we have implemented the “Hidden Area Mask” in VR.

What is Hidden Area Mask ?

Inside a VR headset the images that are rendered in each eye are ‘rectangular’, yet your eyes only have access to circular cutouts.

The image below illustrates the area that is outside of your normal peripheral view – the black area corresponds to what is physically blocked by the edges of the headset’s view-ports.

example using the Vive Pro

So instead of rendering this extra space, that you can’t see anyway, when you enable “Hidden Area Mask” it will block those pixels from even being rendered, as they are outside the viewable space in the headset after barrel distortion is applied. Because the mask prevents the superfluous edges from even being rendered, this may offer a slight performance increase. In our internal tests we could indeed confirm a performance boost.

This option is also configurable in the player.JSON if you encounter any issues with it.

"VR Enable Hidden Area Mask":true,
Set to false to disable

*Oculus SteamVR driver currently does not support HAM.

Changelog

• Enabled VR “Hidden Area Mask”.
• Fixed flickering in the VR desktop ‘mirror’ when set to “HMD only”.
• Fixed paint damage not resetting on ‘restart race’ button in single player.
• Fixed a sporadic crash that was caused by an error in inter-thread communication with the Steam library.

Known Issues

• After content install in VR rFactor 2 does not restart. A workaround for now is to restart manually.
• There is still a black band on the bottom half of the track loading screen.
• Unrelated to UI, but we are also aware of the erratic throttle behavior of the AI cars, and we are looking into that.
• Parc Ferme is not working in the new UI.

Work in Progress

• Add skin download progress bar while on a server that allows custom skin transfers.
• Config tool sporadically fails to launch up after clicking PLAY for setting graphics resolution, VR or post effect levels.
• Team creation in the showroom is missing.
• Material editing in the showroom is missing.
• Forced setup and/or upgrades.
• Car (re)selection when on a server.
• Resume from replay.
• Sporadic ‘white screen’ when leaving an online session.

Original Source: Studio 397

rFactor 2 is a racing simulation available exclusively for PC.

Got questions about the sim, or just looking to make the most of your rFactor 2 experience? Hop over to the rFactor 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment, and start up a new thread today!

 

[AlexHeuskat]

Circuit D´Azur AI Crash

Tis a shame we need fixes from the community for paid for official content. S397 clearly bneeds more beta testers or a new checklist when testing...

forum.studio-397.com

this is rF2 work, broken.

 

[Chobonator]

Circuit D´Azur AI Crash

Tis a shame we need fixes from the community for paid for official content. S397 clearly bneeds more beta testers or a new checklist when testing...

forum.studio-397.com

this is rF2 work, broken.

I try my best to support them, but it's not the first time that the content is simply unfinished.
"We'll get to it eventually!"

 

[AlexHeuskat]

I try my best to support them, but it's not the first time that the content is simply unfinished.
"We'll get to it eventually!"

do you want I post to lthe list of the many issues thay have said "we looking to it" and 2-3 years after the bug is still there

 

[Chobonator]

do you want I post to lthe list of the many issues thay have said "we looking to it" and 2-3 years after the bug is still there

If you have the list, I'll gladly look at it. I appreciate that they brought rF2 back from the dead, but it's always a new problem.

 

[rustytoaster]

I have no issues with rfactor 2 in vr. in fact its very natural looking in my opinion and easily the best ffb

 

[Durge Driven]

AMS2 will never drive like rF2


IMO

 

[favre]

rfactor 3

 

[MarcG]

do you want I post to lthe list of the many issues thay have said "we looking to it" and 2-3 years after the bug is still there

Please enlighten us

 

[tr1v1um]

do you want I post to lthe list of the many issues thay have said "we looking to it" and 2-3 years after the bug is still there

This constant nagging by the usual suspects get's pretty annyoing. If you enjoy ACC, AC or AMS2 so much more then so be it and I think nobody will blame you for what you like or don't like. But I really wonder why the usual people allways have to show up - and I can give you that list of people aswell - complaining about rF2 while they claim to have no interest in the product. I have my own issues with rF2 but I think it is kind of nice that it's still updated by a dedicated studio driven by sim racing enthusiasts, so let the people who like it enjoy it in peace and join a forum section that you like. With your so called perfectly supported products you had to buy new games instead, just to put that into perspective or rely on modders work. I am still waiting for features and bug fixes in AC or AMS, while Kunos and Reiza have moved on to deliver those in new games, that people have to pay for and I am not holding my breath that Reiza will update their bundle for rF2 any time soon. And besides all the mentioned issues, the complaining about the AI in rF2 is complaining on a pretty high level considering, that the AI in other products is still far worse and abysmal. Have you ever tried racing against AI at Monaco in AC or PC2? I will let you experience that for yourself.

 

[Durge Driven]

For ISI AI and any of it's bugs were never in the important list

If it was a simple fix ( spikey throttles ) it would have been done already right ?
So it's most likely buried in code ?

P.S.

ALL Old gMotor are the same ! they all have spikey throttles and is not fixed with edits or it would have been !

 

[Kurupt CDN]

I am not up to date with this title as it's been a while since I last used it.
From what I remember from my last experience with VR was the picture wasn't very sharp.
Does RF2 support Nvidia SPS, VRSS for better performance in vr...what about sharpening?

 

[tr1v1um]

For ISI AI and any of it's bugs were never in the important list

If it was a simple fix ( spikey throttles ) it would have been done already right ?
So it's most likely buried in code ?

P.S.

ALL Old gMotor are the same ! they all have spikey throttles and is not fixed with edits or it would have been !

The issue isn't the spikey thottle application but rather the spikey brake application. At the end this is much more of an issue affecting the immersion than anything else and wasn't there when S397 took over development. From my perspective there are three issues with AI racing in following order of importance:

1. you can't use them with full rules as they have no idea how to behave under FCY and SC
2. they have a very wierd pitting behaviour when starting a race in raining conditions, as they start on the wrong tire
3. they don't use slip stream to overtake
4. the mentioned brake tapping
5. there is no way to create offline championships

That's everything that I can think of for now. That said, they are still usable for a quick offline racing fix when you know how to use workarounds and there is no issue or more problems regarding AI and their usual idiocy than in other products. People who think that AI sucks in rF2 and works everywhere else should take off their rose tinted glasses.

 

[MarcG]

For ISI AI and any of it's bugs were never in the important list

If it was a simple fix ( spikey throttles ) it would have been done already right ?
So it's most likely buried in code ?

P.S.

ALL Old gMotor are the same ! they all have spikey throttles and is not fixed with edits or it would have been !

Reiza fixed it in AMS.

 

[Durge Driven]

ALL the things you list are AI problems
Didn't I just say ISI cared very little for AI, they said it openly all along
Same for eye candy so people going in knew where they were coming from
Problem is the majority don't put Physics and Tyre as all important which you just learn to except

If these things are easy fixable they would have been done in 8 years
GTR2 still has same issue on brakes on throttle brakes throttle .etc etc etc
WHY has this not been fixed ? It is in the code right so no one knbows how beside the fact you would have to release a new GTR2 lol ?
I have 5 AI in GTR2 and they all still suffer same abnormality but only when track is congested
Once cars thin out you forget about it

 

[Durge Driven]

REIZA fixed it but isn't that because they were allowed to change code ?

 

[MarcG]

The issue isn't the spikey thottle application but rather the spikey brake application. At the end this is much more of an issue affecting the immersion than anything else and wasn't there when S397 took over development.

Incorrect it was there in the ISI days as well, as I mentioned on Page 1 it's got "worse" apparently and thats from Marcel on Discord

 

[Bob Gnarley]

Firstly, A BIG THANK YOU to all at S397! Every bit is appreciated!

Secondly, the spikey brake issue. Gtr2 has the same behaviour, ai going through fast curves applying a handful of brake at the slightest loss of traction.

I don't know if it exists in Rf2 but the cure for Gtr2 is to edit AITorqueStab in the .HDC. I can't remember the default values but I found that a value of 0.92 not only greatly reduced the problem but also made the ai as prone to slides etc under contact as you. You know, when you hit the ai and it's like hitting a rock while you ping off into the scenery...

The bugbear for me is when you get really close behind the ai and... they stand on the brakes. Annoys the heck out of me. Again Easily cured in Gtr2 by editing the line Slowwhenpushed in the track ai. Lowering the default 1.00 to 0.20 the ai would still brake but more gently giving you time to react.

I miss the open nature of older sims.

 

[Durge Driven]

I was asking ? anyone see that ?

If it was a simple fix ( spikey throttles ) it would have been done already right ?
So it's most likely buried in code ?

Funny I thought it was both when GTR2 or RF2 go through chicane on Lap 1 they slow then they jump forward a tiny bit then slow again .. like the tinniest blip then slow then blip etc at least that is what I see
this is affected by the AI strength as well then track and car

I use high AI settings like F3 at Spa is 120% for me .. clean air they lap 4:15-4:16 which is exactly right for pro drivers...as for racing I have done 2 hours with 3 pit stops no worries

Historics never had safety cars


i mean if you worry about insignificant stuff like that....how about I don't know a sim that has a red flag ?
ie: too dangerous to continue the session ?

Is more realistic to put monsoon and race ?

 

[Highbank]

I LOVE RACING SIMS!

I truly appreciate ALL the groups making great sims for us to enjoy...even when I have issues with this or that, the bottom line is that it's better than playing with Hot Wheels on the floor like when I was a kid...

Ya, racing sims are great!

 

[Jason Mullin]

rF2 best update is planned for the 28th, it's called AMS2.

Unlikely.
We all get excited when a new sim comes along, we all buy, we all drive, then we all go back to our preferences when the excitement wears off.
For me it's usually when I fire up rFactor 2 after anything else and say "Ahh that's better."