rFactor 2 Moving to DX11 - New Company Partnership Announced

[Paul Jeffrey]

With the build up to this weekend’s Sim Racing Expo, Image Space Incorporated have announced a strategic partnership with the Dutch software group Luminis. The new alliance has been created to help increase development in rFactor 2, including a number of exceptionally exciting announcements in relation to the sim.

The partnership will be brought together into a new company: Studio 397. Studio 397 will have its headquarters in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands and will operate under the leadership of Marcel Offermans, a fellow sim racer and the man responsible for bringing both rFactor and rFactor 2 to the Steam platform.

Gjon Camaj, Vice President of Image Space Incorporated:

“We at ISI are very pleased to have found a partner that shares our enthusiasm and vision for the continued growth of rFactor 2. We look forward to working with Luminis to expand the reach of rFactor 2 both in Europe and beyond. After having worked with Luminis for some time and seeing their passion for motorsport simulation, this partnership was a natural next step. By leveraging each of our company’s individual strengths, we will be better able to serve our current customers and further expand our reach into the world of motorsports”.​

Marcel Offermans, Luminis Fellow and Managing Director of Studio 397:

“I’m really excited by the opportunities that our partnership with ISI offers; rFactor 2 represents the best of breed, stable simulator platform in the industry. Online simracing has been my longtime personal passion, so the opportunity to combine my passion with my business feels like a great privilege. By infusing the platform with some of our own technology we see great opportunities to accelerate development in general and specifically in the areas of competitions and training”.​

The new partnership have released an ambitious roadmap for rFactor 2’s further development including the stated plans to move over to a DX11 compatible graphics engine, including VR support for both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. With the move to DX11, Studio 397 have committed to bringing performance improvements for high end video card users as well as maintaining compatibility with current content.

Other highlights from the announcement include a proposed new HTML based front end interface and Matchmaker support, in game UI updates and a promise to make more frequent car and track releases, working on racing cars and series as well as "popular and challenging" tracks. The new partnership also promises to work more closely with the community to support development of free and paid mod releases...

Oh, and the game has a new logo too....


All in all, this is fantastic news for rF2 and the sim racing community. I can hardly wait.

Check our rFactor 2 sub forum for news, discussions, mods, club and league races and everything in between!

What do you think of the announcement? Excited about DX11, VR support, new content? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Strahil Kotlarov]

iRacing was rendering limited to a large degree, they had many effects that could make use of the DX11 post-ptocess pipeline, thus giving a massive increase in framerates on modern hw.

rF2 however is CPU/loop limited in that it doesn't really put much stress on the render output at all, but a lot more is lost in what i believe to be some inefficient code at the very core of the simulation. Now, even if you switch your output to DX11, the core is still going to be the same, more or less and will still impact framerate severely.

As for increasing fps, as long as you hit 60 fps, and can then lock it there (vsync) you can have the best experience. And unlike what the "self proclaimed alien elite" will tell you, the input lag of it is so small it is negligable, so trying to reach 200fps because you think it makes you a better simracer, while learning not to get sick and dizzy from the violent screen tearing and stutter is silly anyhow, imo.

Heh,are you actually being serious ,
First of all you shoudn't be using vSYNC at all ,unless you really enjoy imput lag,and not being competitive .
Also who on earth told you 60 FPS is the best exp possible .
Do you even realize that most dedicated gamers play with high hz monitors only "the casuals" are still rambling about 60hz /60 fps experience reminds of console syndrome .
I'm not going to list the whole benefits of using proper screen but long story short is that 60 is nowhere near enough .
As for the screen tearing ,if the game is "optimized" well there won't be any tearing on 144hz monitor ,althou i've seen plenty of games that do have tearing even with high hz .
Maybe you should read an article or 2 ,or try one yourself before spewing nonsense .
Have you ever played on BenQ 144hz screen or Eizo 2421 ?
And don't get me started how important FPS is in shooters ,especially CS GO .
There is a reason why most dedicated gamers play with around (depeing on a map but in general)300-400 up to 500 fps in 5v5 Comp(Global Elite) and i'm one of them .
I can't argue with the first part of the post about rF limitations but ,as long as vSync/fps/hz is concerned you are way off by a whole mile at very least .

I've never suffered from input lag when I've locked to vsync, the game (RF2) is smooth as silk and runs perfectly with it on, my driving is not affected in the slightest (same with iRacing). When I turn vsync off I get annoying tearing which I simply cannot live with.

I smell another 60hz monitor .
There is a reason why 120/144 monitors exist.

 

[Richard Eriksson]

Heh,are you actually being serious ,
First of all you shoudn't be using vSYNC at all ,unless you really enjoy imput lag,and not being competitive .
Also who on earth told you 60 FPS is the best exp possible .
Do you even realize that most dedicated gamers play with high hz monitors only "the casuals" are still rambling about 60hz /60 fps experience reminds of console syndrome .
I'm not going to list the whole benefits of using proper screen but long story short is that 60 is nowhere near enough .
As for the screen tearing ,if the game is "optimized" well there won't be any tearing on 144hz monitor ,althou i've seen plenty of games that do have tearing even with high hz .
Maybe you should read an article or 2 ,or try one yourself before spewing nonsense .
Have you ever played on BenQ 144hz screen or Eizo 2421 ?
And don't get me started how important FPS is in shooters ,especially CS GO .
There is a reason why most dedicated gamers play with around (depeing on a map but in general)300-400 up to 500 fps in 5v5 Comp(Global Elite) and i'm one of them .
I can't argue with the first part of the post about rF limitations but ,as long as vSync/fps/hz is concerned you are way off by a whole mile at very least .

See my recent post. All about immersion. And like i said, never in my carreer as a developer have i foind a way to have fluid motion without sync, it is mathematically impossible to achieve. But i get your sentiment that it may not matter to some, where it is more important to "be competetive" as you put it. If you are at a level where that small diff in reaction time matters (like 2% of gaming pop) then by all means turn it off. I don't care for "competetive", i care for "immersive". As for screens i run both 144hz and 60hz screens. With vsync.

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

How the hell did a post about rf2 getting new life turn into a group therapy session for ILS (input lag syndrome) sufferers?

 

[Will Mazeo]

How the hell did a post about rf2 getting new life turn into a group therapy session for ILS (input lag syndrome) sufferers?

No idea, and seeing Richard posts it gets even more strange, no idea why people aren't ignoring it


Btw where is the interview @Paul Jeffrey? Will I have to call Robert de Niro and plan an invasion in your house?

 

[RMR1]

@Marcel Offermans
I wish you all the best for your new project.
Just one question. Will you give the street cars in rF2 a little more love? I really enjoy all the race cars ISI did, but comparing for example the Cobra to the felidae version is just a pita (sorry for the harsh word). Imo a sim should handle both worlds just as equal. Please don't forget the small brothers.

 

[Richard Eriksson]

@Will Mazeo , strange? Well i am merely answering some comebacks to my post, and i did so in a sane and well founded fashion, no? But yes, it is off topic, so i would leave that to focus on the main topic.

 

[AndrewBo]

No idea, and seeing Richard posts it gets even more strange, no idea why people aren't ignoring it


Btw where is the interview @Paul Jeffrey? Will I have to call Robert de Niro and plan an invasion in your house?

Still in our Thread Preperation Area . Please relax mates, the interview will be released asap.

 

[MarcG]

Heh,are you actually being serious ,
First of all you shoudn't be using vSYNC at all ,unless you really enjoy imput lag,and not being competitive .
Also who on earth told you 60 FPS is the best exp possible .
Do you even realize that most dedicated gamers play with high hz monitors only "the casuals" are still rambling about 60hz /60 fps experience reminds of console syndrome .
I'm not going to list the whole benefits of using proper screen but long story short is that 60 is nowhere near enough .
As for the screen tearing ,if the game is "optimized" well there won't be any tearing on 144hz monitor ,althou i've seen plenty of games that do have tearing even with high hz .
Maybe you should read an article or 2 ,or try one yourself before spewing nonsense .
Have you ever played on BenQ 144hz screen or Eizo 2421 ?
And don't get me started how important FPS is in shooters ,especially CS GO .
There is a reason why most dedicated gamers play with around (depeing on a map but in general)300-400 up to 500 fps in 5v5 Comp(Global Elite) and i'm one of them .
I can't argue with the first part of the post about rF limitations but ,as long as vSync/fps/hz is concerned you are way off by a whole mile at very least .


I smell another 60hz monitor .
There is a reason why 120/144 monitors exist.

I don't care what you smell, I get no input lag and am competitive when racing with my setup, why this is so hard for others to believe is quite strange. Please, if you know my setup and eyes so well then tell me how to improve #sarcasm

 

[Marcel Offermans]

To me this sounds very much the same arrangement that ISI has with Kangaloosh (rF Pro).

Without knowing anything specifics about any of the contracts, of course, but certainly sounds similar

There are similarities between the two deals, that is correct.

 

[RMR1]

I don't care what you smell, I get no input lag and am competitive when racing with my setup, why this is so hard for others to believe is quite strange. Please, if you know my setup and eyes so well then tell me how to improve #sarcasm

Nice OT fight you are fueling here...

 

[ls13coco]

I don't care what you smell, I get no input lag and am competitive when racing with my setup, why this is so hard for others to believe is quite strange. Please, if you know my setup and eyes so well then tell me how to improve #sarcasm

I'm using a 55 inch led LG TV with 60hz, and input lag/delay that comes from a 2013 TV. I don't know any smoother yet and I have no problem at 62 fps if it's racing simulators or competitive fps. I imagine if you have a proper monitor a little vsync isn't going to bottleneck your performance!

I realize I will notice the difference with a 144hz gaming monitor, but, catching slides and winning online races here and there has never been a problem like this either

 

[David Dominguez]

Another note on this... Even if it made MY lap times 0.6s faster i wouldnt care for it. Why? Because simulation for me is about immersion. I run sims to immerse and experience, not for the reasons people play Quake 3 or DOTA, meaning i rarely care for 0.6s anyway, if it means making the sim less real and immersive. If you play for different reasons where it is important to just win, it is different. I ask you: if, by some mystery, turning off all sounds gained you another second on your laptime, would you?

Being faster is the result of precise inputs, with v sync on you have objectively less precision because whatever you do happens later, so car control is obviously affected. And precise inputs add a lot to the immersion; personally I can't have any of that if I see that the car reactions are clearly lagged. Even if I'm just driving for fun and not looking at laptimes.

 

[Glaurung]

Another note on this... Even if it made MY lap times 0.6s faster i wouldnt care for it. Why? Because simulation for me is about immersion. I run sims to immerse and experience, not for the reasons people play Quake 3 or DOTA, meaning i rarely care for 0.6s anyway, if it means making the sim less real and immersive. If you play for different reasons where it is important to just win, it is different. I ask you: if, by some mystery, turning off all sounds gained you another second on your laptime, would you?

It's not all about being faster.
For you immersion if graphical smoothness, but for many simracers, me included, immersion is how much you are connected to the digital machine, that in other words is the ammount of informations you send and receive in real time from the physics.
Well, unless you are just cruising enjoining panorama, input lag definitely kills that part of simracing, truly a shame in a game such rich and informative in this field like rF2.
BTW, sorry for OT, last post about it.

 

[AndrewBo]

 

[Melv]

@Marcel Offermans

Wish you all the best. Cant wait to see what goodies you folks are gonna give us

 

[MarcG]

Nice OT fight you are fueling here...

I never started it

anyway back to topic, ye a brilliant future for RF2, carry on

 

[aka2k]

Don't shoot the messenger. ISI made all the decisions about rF2, not Tim personally. And I would bet he was/is heavily involved in the development of this new partnership.

I just like to make fun of Tim Wheatley because of his name. Reminds me Tim Whatley from Seinfeld.

 

[Gerbuho]

I like the new logo.

 

[Richard Eriksson]

To get back on topic... What i really like to know is if this may open for more funding to chase full race series licenses? For me that is the big thing why i hold RRE as the best at the moment. Well that and general immersion. I mean, it is basically the only modern sim right now to feature full series, real drivers and real liveries beyond just a single car or a few ones. On real venues, with that race weekend tv feel.

I miss that in other sims, and sims in general, thinking back to GP-series or F1 Challenge for instance. Also a reason why i still play codies F1 games, because they bring that full series, real venue feel. The simulation is so-so however, as we know.

So if, in my opinion, the best "simulator" could be blessed with full series licenses, then i would be very happy. But that would take cash and contacts. Seeing as we now get a blend of US/EU staffing, it may be possible to chase some real road race series and try to license them in full.

Also, as to what ISI is working on, the "not rf3", in any just world they would have acquired the F1 license and that thing would be a new F1 Challenge

 

[Boby Kim]

Actually i do not care if drivers are called Peppi and Kokki