rFactor 2 | New Build Update Released

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have deployed a new build update for rFactor 2 - adding many fixes, tweaks and improvements to the simulation.

• Multiple UI improvements and tweaks.
• New controller profiles for various wheel manufacturers.
• Substantial modding support archive documentation refresh.

Studio 397 have been pretty busy of late, and today some of those labours have seen the light of day with a brand new build hitting the public version of the simulation - adding many fixes and improvements to the title in a number of key areas.

As rFactor 2 strives towards making the new UI the default interface choice for the public build of the simulation, Studio 397 have released a new update today with many tweaks, improvements and fixes to how the UI operates within the game - again taking another step forward in what is a considerable overhaul to the way the simulation looks, feels and functions when loading into the sim.

Other notable changes within the new build include a reworking of many broadcast overlay features, substantial updates to the documentation available to modding teams, additional wheel profiles, graphical tweaks and multiplayer fixes - the full details of which can be seen in the change log below:

Update Notes 04.09.2020

Old UI (opt-out)

• Client build ID: 5504070
• Dedicated server build ID: 5504080

New UI (public_beta)

• Client build ID: 5503999
• Dedicated server build ID: 5504004

User Interface

• Added key binding for hide cursor. This is useful when running the in-game overlays and doing a broadcast to a capture card that insists on showing your cursor otherwise.
• All replay controls can now be custom assigned in the controller tab. By default all replay controls are mapped to the same defaults unless re-assigned.
• Added first time start up wizard. For now only has name and nickname fields. This will be extended.
• Added player area in the main UI. For now only has name and nickname fields.
• In showroom we now check for upgrades on page load and do not show info if there aren't any.
• Disabled select button in list layout for category items. When switching from grid or thumbnail layout to the list layout, and having a "category" item selected, the select button would be available and would glitch things when clicked.
• Clear car configuration info when viewing a "category" item.
• Updated the pop-up layout and styling.
• Renamed event screen "Drive" button to "Passenger" when in multiplayer spectator mode.
• Made transitioning to packages area page smoother:
  • Get packages after the page has loaded to avoid blocking.
  • Show a pop-up message while getting packages.
  • Use a dark grey background during switching to the page.
• Enabled a chat message for single player admin commands.
• Fixed a game crash when switching sessions.
• Fix accessing garage data properties if data is not available.
• All controller profiles are updated. This fixes various issues when using 'Detect' on first time hardware setup.
• We have new controller profiles for:
  • Simucube 2 Sport;
  • Simucube 2 Pro;
  • Simucube 2 Ultimate;
  • Logitech G923 PlayStation 4 and PC;
  • Logitech G923 XBox One and PC;
  • VRS OSW;
  • XBOX One Controller For Windows.
• Added "PlayerFileOverrides" to various profiles to ensure proper driver aids are enabled/disabled on first time wheel detect.
• Added use thread "true" for all profiles.
• Ensured that the "920 workaround" is set to "false" on all non-Logitech profiles.
• Fixed profile naming and removed redundant profiles.
• Fixed stuck 'look left' on TS-XW profile.
• Thrustmaster F1 wheel Integral profiles: Fixed all mapping conflicts: T-GT, TS-PC, T500 RS, TS-XW.
• Thrustmaster Racing wheel profiles: Fixed all mapping conflicts: T-GT, TS-PC, T500 RS.
• Thrustmaster F1 wheel Integral profiles: Fixed all mapping conflicts: T-GT, TS-PC, T500 RS, TS-XW.
• Thrustmaster Racing wheel profiles: Fixed all mapping conflicts: T-GT, TS-PC, T500 RS.
• Added correct max torque to Fanatec CSW v1, v2, V2.5 and Direct Drive profiles.

Modding Support

• Published a ton of new information about modding for rFactor 2 on the documentation website.
• Large update to modding documentation, will full documentation on PBR material system, dedicated Development Tools section and more.
• First official release of 3ds Max 2021 Plugins.
• First official release of Material Editor.
• First official release of Maps Converter Tool.
• Added Loch Drummond (PBR Track) to ModDev.
• Added ability to disable auto albedo correction on pre PBR shaders.
• Added ability to choose cube Fresnel default settings on pre PBR car body shader.
• Corrected Deformable Tire shader naming in Max Plugins.
• Exposed Atmospherics section in Wet file to configure Haze and other settings..
• Updated ModDev to use main game HUD.
• Added ability to save preset positions in the Scene Viewer.

Graphics

• Added new pit exit marshal textures.
• Small refactor of glare settings in PostFX
• Many other minor tweaks to various shaders and settings.

Multiplayer

• Significantly improved logging for multiplayer sessions.
• Fixed race conditions in our low level socket node list.
• Increased the size of an internal array to accommodate all possible cars in a session.
• Fixed an issue where not just the server would send out node reordering messages.
• Changed some very "spammy" log messages.
• Fixed several crashes where some code would reference invalid data.
• Added descriptive names to all threads.
• Improved the handling of an application crash to ensure logs get flushed.

Broadcast Overlays

• Made qualifying box sector colors correspond to best lap sectors instead of absolute best sectors.
• Added fallback for drivers with no last name set.
• Added dropdown in control panel to select overlay configuration.
• Made replay transition follow the configured series color.
• Added an option to show more data in tower field 4 (gap to next, number of pit stops).
• Added an option to automatically enable race update box when timing box is enabled.
• Fixed pit timer getting stuck after leaving pit lane.
• Fixed displaying of gaps to leader/fastest lap time in tower and banner.
• Extended field 2 data with manufacturer and team logo.
• Added turning lap time green or purple in the qualifying box after the lap.
• Added option to minimize boxes in the control panel.
• Fixed starting order not working with multiple events.
• Fixed replay jumping to wrong time.
• Cleaned up the CSS to make it easier to make changes in the custom.css.
• Added a replay marker button to mark replay events.
• Updated team name and car number to use the entries from the .VEH file.
• Added mixed/overall standings option.
• Added an option to toggle between driver name, team name and description.
• Made b-roll a standalone element.
• Added option to condense tower by hiding field 2 or 3.
• Fixed schedule slide date comparing.
• Added an option to start the overlay in multi-class or single-class mode.
• Updated banner behaviour based on the selected car class (or mixed/multi-class mode).
• Rearranged control panel.

Original Source; Studio 397 forum.

rFactor 2 is available exclusively on PC, via the Steam network.

Want to get the best from your rFactor 2 experience? No worries, head over to the rFactor 2 sub forum here at RaceDepartment, start up a new thread and let the community help you out!

 

[DaVeX↯]

Add RD to browser javascript exclusion list. These ads drain battery in no time.

thanks mate it worked

 

[azaralamouri]

rF2 has been somehow forgotten with too many new sims and games releases and not so much active S397 lately, it feels like.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

How is it getting worse exactly?

-AI doesn't draft and refuses to overtake on the straights (gotten worse, even applies brakes)
-AI is not running properly on newer tracks (sometimes i think, it doesn't even receive any care, at Le Mans release the Oreca 07 were running dry on fuel back then) and i mean even more with that: often lacks pace
-AI refuses to overtake in out- and in-lap (Multiclass Endurance becomes pointless)
-AI is strangely slow with the AMG GT3 in comparison to the field
-AI is strangely slow with the Porsche 911 RSR GTE in comparison to the field
-AI stutter pedal application on brake and throttle, that even costs pace sometimes (this issue actually occured under S397 and wasn't always existent)
-AI likes to make it into low earth orbit on Zandvoort and other higher curbed tracks with smaller open wheelers (likely curb-surfing issue with the simplified AI physics)
-AI still likes to lose it in Descida do Lago on Interlagos (Especially Oreca 07)
-AI has issues closing up to the safety car on several tracks

honourable mention without connection to "getting worse":
-AI is very predictable in defense behaviour, can be fooled almost always with a fake-out side swap to the outside before the last moment, when it switches sides.

EDIT: Some individual users might find this "funny", but i'm actually having nothing but hope for the best left for the future. But the lack of care for the more and more degressing AI polish, sometimes makes me kind of sad for the simulator, that was known as the best AI experience, out there. There is not only black and white, guys, sometimes it's not hate.

 

[Tarmac Terrorist]

How about better damage physics?

I'm definitely up for that!

 

[Cote Dazur]

Twice now I have downloaded the free "Demo"on Steam and I have been unimpressed, usually deleting it after about an hour of game play. Has the full release significantly improved from the demo???

Been there done that. What are you looking for in a racing game? If what matters to you most is the realism of the simulation then RF2 is a must have SIM. Not because it is “perfect”, it is full of issues, like all the other, just different issues, but because in many ways it is very right.
RF2 is not an easy SIM, it takes research and patience to set it to a state you can enjoy. Once there, it is still far from perfect, but it will give you some brilliant SIM experience moment that you will not find in other SIM.
If what you are after is a fun and light racing game with a ton of content. RF2 is probably not a top choice

I bought RF2 on special many years back, After being less than impressed by the demo, I am still today working to get it to a better stage, I like it better than ever but it is still far from being my favorite.
If you set your expectation right, do not believe the hard core fan fantasy , there is a lot of special SIM moment to be had in RF2.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

Been there done that. What are you looking for in a racing game? If what matters to you most is the realism of the simulation then RF2 is a must have SIM. Not because it is “perfect”, it is full of issues, like all the other, just different issues, but because in many ways it is very right.
RF2 is not an easy SIM, it takes research and patience to set it to a state you can enjoy. Once there, it is still far from perfect, but it will give you some brilliant SIM experience moment that you will not find in other SIM.
If what you are after is a fun and light racing game with a ton of content. RF2 is probably not a top choice

I bought RF2 on special many years back, After being less than impressed by the demo, I am still today working to get it to a better stage, I like it better than ever but it is still far from being my favorite.
If you set your expectation right, do not believe the hard core fan fantasy , there is a lot of special SIM moment to be had in RF2.

"When it works, it really fires on all cylinders"

 

[Cote Dazur]

Add RD to browser javascript exclusion list. These ads drain battery in no time.

iPhone and iPad here, using safari, how do I do that? I know how to stop java script in safari, but not just for RD.

 

[DoubleJ93]

They need to fix the outdated graphics engine.

Do not try iRacing, you will have a heart attack

The sim racing market is already saturated on PC IMHO: ACC, iRacing, rFactor 2, RRRE, AMS2...

Not to mention that all these studios are AA, they don't have the same resources compared to AAA studios.

The sim racing community is already splited between all these sims, and this is a very bad because it means that the money is splited too and these studios have not enough resources.

 

[Case_]

Twice now I have downloaded the free "Demo"on Steam and I have been unimpressed, usually deleting it after about an hour of game play. Has the full release significantly improved from the demo???

I might be mistaken, but I believe the demo is pretty old at this point compared to the up-to-date game and content.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

I might be mistaken, but I believe the demo is pretty old at this point compared to the up-to-date game and content.

They have updated the Demo at some point in the past (not toooo long ago).

 

[gabrielof]

Is it only me or all cars still have 485hp and tracks are 20.832km? Any cache to be cleaned to make it look right?

 

[gabrielof]

Its fine for me, no flickering, no lag and VR is superb. Must be his set up. Hint: Get a cheap 250GB SSD and use it as your dedicated RF2 drive........game changer for me.

While I agree that SSD is a good idea, it's still a shame that we need it in order to load a web page while all the other sims do a good job been it on SSD or not.

Anyway, good job S397. Such a necessary update.

 

[General_Failure]

Comparing rF2 with AMS 2 is just ridiculous. AMS 2 is clearly in beta stage and rF2 is much more close to a "full" game, with a LOT LOT of lacks in the graphic area, but the physic engine is one of the best, come on, the sensations & intensity that rF2 brings are really unique. Anyway I agree with most comments, the slow development is a pain.

 

[McKiernan]

Add RD to browser javascript exclusion list. These ads drain battery in no time.

Thanks, that is much better.

 

[CrimsonEminence]

Is it only me or all cars still have 485hp and tracks are 20.832km?

In the new UI, this seems to be a placeholder still and isn't completed.

 

[Case_]

SSD makes very little difference for rF2. If you get SSD for rF2, you're basically wasting money (or space on it).

 

[mibrandt]

I love this sim. I never fire it up.

RF2 needs serious tidying up in all areas. Nothing about it is polished and that will make a lot of ppl myself included abandon it. Its just too messy in all departments. Loading times is a prime example. Fire up ACC and see how that is supposed to be done. Even buying DLC is more complicated in RF2. There is nothing that beats RF2 if you find the right combo but its just too much of a hassle and a frustrating experience to get there.

If you have your dream car standing 10 miles away and a really nice car standing right in front of your house. 9 times out of then you can settle with a really nice car thats conveniently right next to you instead of walking 10 miles to get your dream ride. Thats how most ppl work - the hardcore RF2 users are faithfully walking the 10 miles but most ppl wont.

 

[davehenrie]

They need to fix the outdated graphics engine.

I deleted my response...

 

[DaVeX↯]

If you have your dream car standing 10 miles away and a really nice car standing right in front of your house. 9 times out of then you can settle with a really nice car thats conveniently right next to you instead of walking 10 miles to get your dream ride. Thats how most ppl work - the hardcore RF2 users are faithfully walking the 10 miles but most ppl wont.

yeah...but after 10 miles you are so tired that you can't enjoy it...

Come on guys, we are grateful for the update but really...another couple of posts and we will read about an ancient myth which depicts rF2 as the god amongst the sim which undressed of his features to give space to competitors as proof of his goodness.

 

[RichardHessels]

What wonderful positive comments here.
The bigger the changelog, the longer the negative posts?

Thanks for the huge amount of updates guys.
Some probably costed a huge amount time to find and fix.
Such a large amount of code and data to be checked line for line.

Looking forward to see the PBR updates making it's way to the community content!