rFactor 2 launches on Steam with a hefty discount

[Alex Franchini]

ISI have finally published their flagship simulator, rFactor 2, on Valve's immensely popular gaming platform.

RF2 is sold at a 29,99€ price tag for those in Europe, but you can snag it at a 40% discount at launch. That makes it 17,99€, which is essentially highway robbery for one of the most advanced simulators ever, but this edition doesn't seem to include online functionality.

The pricing structure is somewhat confusing, as you will have to spend 10,99€ for a year of online subscription, whereas the non-steam version, while being more expensive, already includes that. Still, if you're into offline racing, this is one of the most complete packages around, with night racing, dynamic weather and the RealRoad feature. It's also received a constant stream of build updates and new content.

You can find rFactor 2 at the following Steam page. If you are having trouble working out the steam workshop, the rF2 Steam Workshop Explained thread may be of great help.

Do you already have RF2? Or is the launch discount tempting you to buy it? Let us know in the comments!

 

[jimortality]

Bought rF2 with Lifetime Subscripiton from Steam today at 48€ which I think is a bargain.
Copied over necessary files from my old installation (UserData, Packages, Replays, plugins, etc.). Fired it up and it all worked out perfectly, including plugins like Motec, TrackMap and DeltaBest.

The workshop is great and I hope that 3rd party modders will upload their stuff there.

Automatic updates are great but I hope that Steam will not overwrite files that will affect how I've customised my installation. (This has been a problem for example for Trainsimulator as I know)

I will keep my old installation for a great while, mostly for Racedepartment club races but also to have as a backup if something is messed up during automatic updates.

You can set steam to not auto update.

 

[Stenne]

Thanks! Good to know.

 

[Fat Rich]

£14.39p seems like a bargain to me, I've bought it despite the fact it runs really badly on my system. Hopefully ISI will make lots of money from releasing on Steam and can spend some time optimising the game to improve performance, particularly for AMD Radeon users.

They seem to have improved a lot of the content recently, and if they start releasing licensed top quality content as DLC then I'd be happy to buy that too.

Edit: Turns out half the content won't load and crashes the game, of the remaining content that does load the car mirrors and virtual mirrors are usually greyed out and unusable (even if I switch them off/on in game or UI). I've spent ages going through the forums, it seems to be a common problem with the Steam version of the game but there are no answers yet...... I really want to like this game but it's always a massive pain in the *** for no reward

 

[Ace King]

I purchased a Lifetime Subscription a few weeks ago at 40% off which is an awesome bargain.

Is it true that if i convert my rF2 over to Steam that my older rF2 installation is no longer usable and will now only be able to play with the Steam version?

 

[Stenne]

I've kept my old rF2 (actually 2 installs from different builds) and I can run that although I have Steam-version installed.

But be shure that if you use desktop shortcuts to have one for each version and to set that the shortcut is pointing to the relevant [Launch rFactor.exe] file. You can't have two launchers running at the same time though.

Check also that you are signed in to your rF2 account when you run the non-Steam launcher (upper right corner of the launcher window). Seems like you have to sign-in each time you switch from the Steam-version to the non-Steam version. It's the same when you switch between different non-Steam versions.

 

[Ace King]

Thankyou

 

[jc1993]

Thanks @jc1993 and @Duke55! Can you give some overview of your experience w/ online features (say, vs AC and SCE)? Also, if one just gets the 1 year online subscription, would there a an option to purchase lifetime later on, when decided?

Unfortunately, I don't have any experience online with rFactor 2, though I guess with the Steam release, pickup servers might increase in popularity. One complaint I hear often is that rFactor 2 online is/was dead, save for leagues and passworded servers.

http://rfactor.net/web/2015/10/14/rfactor-2-steam-release-information/

"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."​

It sounds like you won't be able to upgrade to the lifetime subscription with the Steam version and it also looks like they want to stop offering lifetime upgrades for the non-Steam version too for whatever reason, so pick carefully.

 

[ParkYongLee]

You can set steam to not auto update.

Erm, not really, no. You can only set it to update when you launch the game but you can't disable automatic updates completely anymore like you could in the past.
And it's up to the developers if they offer a previous version via the beta tab (like Paradox does with their titles).

 

[jimortality]

Erm, not really, no. You can only set it to update when you launch the game but you can't disable automatic updates completely anymore like you could in the past.
And it's up to the developers if they offer a previous version via the beta tab (like Paradox does with their titles).

I didn't realise that.

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

Does this mean the end of Vmod?

I don't think so. But the Steam version commes with enough Vmods to setup a server with the ISI content. These Vmods are called RaceEvents: click here
Downfall to this is: if 1 car or 1 track is updated, all RaceEvents that uses that car or track needs to be updated. But updating via steam is easy.

 

[jimortality]

I don't think so. But the Steam version commes with enough Vmods to setup a server with the ISI content. These Vmods are called RaceEvents: click here
Downfall to this is: if 1 car or 1 track is updated, all RaceEvents that uses that car or track needs to be updated. But updating via steam is easy.

Yes I've already seen that so for club race nights, everything we need will be downloadable via the workshop?

 

[Gijs van Elderen]

Yes I've already seen that so for club race nights, everything we need will be downloadable via the workshop?

For club races: nothing changes. Content will downlable upon server login.

The workshop is for modders, 3rd party content delevopers to publish content. You'll need to have the permissions and legal rights to publish content in the workshop.

 

[Deleted member 113561]

That is indeed true but you would be better served comparing apples to apples.
ISI are making a simulator first and foremost.
Their technologies power many commercial companies and services... The rFactor products are a showcase of amazing technologies which exist for two reasons:
1. For modders to expand on the base content
2. Act as a preview to other developers who may not have the skills/time/investment capabilities to produce what has already been created and vetted by the industry.

Or you can just go and buy a few games... No biggie!

A reason more to make the consumer version cheaper. They get a fortune anyways from the commercial companies and services.

Your calculator's broken, mate. AC and PCars is at $160.41 alone. Don't forget though, you can get rF2 at the discouted rate of $50.99 USD (40% off) at the moment.

I wrote: AC / PCARS ... & DLCs ( i agree complicated writing) that means AC or PCARS not AC & PCARS. Language barrier ....
I was comparing Full Price against Full Price. Imo its unfair to compare discount vs full price, anyway you have & had discounts aswell for AC & PCARS.

btw: PCARS is 49,99 and AC is 45.99 € for me ... that is around 100$ --- not 160 ...

 

[thewarmer]

Nice to finally see a commercially sensible decision from ISI. Steam is a big marketplace, look at how many copies AC, PCars, etc. have sold. They should also stop charging for online and instead charge for DLC like everyone else does. If they got money for DLC they could pay for licensed content which I think is what most people want today. I love RF2 but sometimes it seems like ISI are not serious about making it a success. Hopefully this signals a change.

I think first & foremost ISI want to make a full & not just content of quality , as is the ways with 90% of the car based game or sims every body want 200 + cars as many real world tracks Rain Night & days fireworks & a large amount of over the top blurring . HD effects & a photo mode. & the sim part come 2nd or even 3 rd place on the important parts list.

ISI are very serious about making a sim but less time is given to making cars or gaining licences.
This is a quality sim . with a very good modding platform.

 

[Will Mazeo]

Most cars crash (I think only the GT series is working), black mirrors and the sim not restarting if I close the launcher so I have to restart my PC
Good thing I got this lifetime key for free in a stream yesterday, otherwise I'd be a bit mad. I understand there may be problems and all that, but still... for a first impression if you are trying to get new people this is pretty bad.

 

[Stenne]

As, said. I bought the lifetime subscripion at Steam today. I've tried a number of cars and tracks and it works without any flaws ....

 

[Will Mazeo]

As, said. I bought the lifetime subscripion at Steam today. I've tried a number of cars and tracks and it works without any flaws ....

Good for you, read the reviews.

 

[P*Funk]

The thing that annoys me is that there's no way to buy a lifetime sub if you don't buy one right away. I'd like it if I could choose to buy a lifetime sub down the line if I find out that I will be using online a lot instead of basically having to choose lifetime now or forever be at the mercy of the annual re-sub.

 

[Duke55]

A reason more to make the consumer version cheaper. They get a fortune anyways from the commercial companies and services.
I wrote: AC / PCARS ... & DLCs ( i agree complicated writing) that means AC or PCARS not AC & PCARS. Language barrier ....
I was comparing Full Price against Full Price. Imo its unfair to compare discount vs full price, anyway you have & had discounts aswell for AC & PCARS.

btw: PCARS is 49,99 and AC is 45.99 € for me ... that is around 100$ --- not 160 ...

Whatever floats your boat. I'll just leave it that your figures don't add up.

 

[Radu Oros]

Nice to finally see a commercially sensible decision from ISI. Steam is a big marketplace, look at how many copies AC, PCars, etc. have sold. They should also stop charging for online and instead charge for DLC like everyone else does. If they got money for DLC they could pay for licensed content which I think is what most people want today. I love RF2 but sometimes it seems like ISI are not serious about making it a success. Hopefully this signals a change.

Without discounts, their game costs 30€ for offline game, and 80€ for complete with mp. Why do they value their multiplayer at 50€? The multiplayer is worth more than the actual game? Because the actual game is the offline package, since without it online platform wouldn't exist.
I hear a lot of people talking "but you get free content and they don't make paid dlcs". The reality is that those who only pay 30€ get the same free future content as those who pay up front 80€. Why not make their game cost 40-50€ where you can play offline and online normally.