rFactor 2 Roadmap Released - DX11 and VR Coming May 1st!

[Paul Jeffrey]

Studio 397 have released the April development roadmap, confirming DX11 and VR for May 1st plus lots of interesting new things coming for rFactor 2...

Fans left disappointed by the slight delay to DX11 and VR implementation in rFactor 2 need worry no more, Studio 397 have last night confirmed the newly proposed May 1st release date for this major new build release is on schedule to meet the internal deadline and find itself released to the public build of rFactor 2 on Steam. As can be evidenced in the included screenshots, the new build update and move to DX11 looks like it should bring a rather significant upgrade to the graphics of the game, as well as hopefully further optimizations to support greater frame rate realization for gamers looking to run the highest graphic settings possible whilst still maintaining a decent FPS result.

As well as the new DX11 build, Studio 397 have also confirmed the much anticipated VR update remains on schedule to join the feature list come May 1st, bringing rFactor 2 in line with fellow simulations Assetto Corsa, Project CARS and RaceRoom Racing Experience.

You can read the full April Dev Blog posting below:

With about a week and a half left until May 1st, it’s time for our monthly update again. We’re sure everybody is looking forward to the new build, and we’re happy to announce that both the DX11 graphics engine and VR support will be released as promised.

DX11
Over the last couple of months, we’ve revealed several development screenshots of the DirectX 11 engine to share with you our enthusiasm for the possibilities it brings. The new engine is not only the basis for our VR implementation, but it also enabled a new, improved HDR tone mapper and a bunch of post effects that greatly enhance the overall atmosphere of the simulation. We tried to strike a balance between using these effects to render the real-world imperfections of cameras while retaining the “first person view” you have when racing. At the same time we kept two very important goals in mind: we needed to ensure that, with the same graphics settings, the DX11 engine is at least as fast as the DX9 engine, and that existing content is still compatible with the new engine, so all the content out there can still be fully enjoyed.

We are quite sure we succeeded in both, and we extensively tested the new graphics engine with our community of beta testers. That said, we want to make sure that everybody is able to run this new build without a hitch, which is why we are making the initial release available as an “open beta.” Starting May 1st, anybody can switch to this new build and try it out. It is fully multiplayer compatible with the DX9 build. If for some reason you run into any problems with the new build, you can easily revert to the previous engine with just one click.

We didn’t just stop at updating the graphics engine, though. While we’re at it, we also updated some of our existing content to DX11, so you can expect the first of a series of Studio 397 updates as well. And you’ll be happy to know, these updates don’t just concern the graphics: in some cases we also made changes to and upgraded the physics. The new graphics engine really lets our content shine. It provides so much improvement that we have decided to postpone releasing any new shaders. To whet your appetite, take a look at these new screenshots showing off the new engine and some of the camera post effects in action:

Virtual Reality
If you have been following us on Facebook, you’ve already enjoyed some teaser shots of our VR implementation. We have since added some features such as support for our HUD, including virtual mirrors, as well as a way to browse the UI in VR mode. Mouse control is enabled for the UI, although we are definitely considering adding other options for controlling the VR interface.

User Interface
We know you are eagerly awaiting the new user interface, and we share your impatience. However, because we want to give you the full experience of the new UI and all its capabilities, we feel it is not quite ready for prime time just yet. Although that means we will ship the first open beta release with our existing UI, it will be upgraded to the new UI once that’s ready for release.

As we announced last month, we are now able to easily push updates, and we will use this ability to quickly release updates to the open beta in the upcoming weeks. Our goal is to ensure that we have a stable release for everybody, allowing us to begin phasing out the DX9 build altogether after a few months. In the meantime, our concern is to ensure that everybody has a fully functioning and compatible version of rFactor 2 to race with.

Content
Work on the Radical continues. With most of the graphics in place, our focus has now shifted to the physics and the sounds for this car. It’s not ready to be unveiled yet, but we can tease you with one of the other new cars that we have started working on soon! Watch our social media.

Modding
The modding community just recently gained access to an early DX11 build, and we released some guidelines for artists to work with the new rendering engine. Expect to see updates of third party content coming soon. In general, the new engine requires modders to make only minor changes. One area we are still working on concerns “plugins” that render directly to the screen. These plugins will not work properly in the first open beta. We are actively looking at improving our implementation of this functionality overall.




rFactor 2 is a racing simulation exclusive to Windows PC.

Additional third party content can be downloaded from a variety of sources, one of which is the RaceDepartment rFactor 2 modding archive. Head over and check out the latest releases for the sim, or alternatively join in the discussion and keep up to date with the latest news at our rFactor 2 sub forum right here at RD. If downloading mods or keeping up to date with the latest news items aren't your thing, you can always sign up to one of our epic Club and League events using the software. We hold regular club racing events in our schedule, however the jewel in our crown is no doubt the RaceDepartment Le Mans Series. This is our premium endurance league using rFactor 2. Head over to the RDLMS forum to find out more!

Looking forward to DX11 and VR? Will this update help move rFactor 2 back in to the spotlight in your opinion? Let us know in the comments section below!

 

[Magus]

Some new screen shots popping up from rF2's Discord channel

A Mobile Phone Quality Video Clip

Roll on International Workers Day!

 

[Jake Loewenstein]

DX11 is only a few days away.....

 

[Ghoults]

I've said this before, but I enjoy repeating myself - I believe the sun is setting on the age of the freeware sim racing modders. The combination of improved graphical fidelity, better sound quality, and increased physics complexity of the current generation of sims has greatly reduced the flow of good mods, IMO. This is why I think the Sector 397 and ISI partnership will, ultimately, be good for the sim/industry (assuming that this partnership eventually starts pumping out good content).

Improved graphical/physics/sound fidelity in itself does not necessarily mean visible increase in amount of work. If you compare something like ac and rf2 (rf2 in its dx9 form) rf2 modding is a lot more work than ac modding). What makes the difference is the tools, documentation and the amount of work that needs to be put in to make the thing work for the platform you have chosen. Not the amount of variables of the sims. Different modding platforms require different amounts of time and work for the same result. And require different tools and documentation. And require different amounts of learning.

Throwing money at a problem is not a fix. People who are looking to make money with modding don't just appear from vacuum and start creating top quality content "because money". It is a process where talented modders (who are also talented in 3d, sounds and physics) take the step and start selling their content instead of releasing it for free. For that process to happen you absolutely need freeware modders. If you don't have freeware modders there is nobody there to take the next step. And even then it is not a step many want to take. And more importantly you need a big audience for it to work.

I don't think modding has even decreased in the current generation. Ac modding is hugely popular which only proves the point that there are tons of people out there who can do modding. In the age of mobile gaming and f2p titles I'd say modding scene is doing great! Looking back rf2 certainly is not as popular as rf1 but that is failure of rf2 (many reasons). Not any kind of shift in the general modding aspirations. I hope those issues are fixed and rf2 can offer itself to become a legitimate platform for new modders. But as it is now it is mostly platform for rf1 conversions. 397 is putting in the work to turn the ship and so far what we have seen is little but it is definitely in the right direction.

I understand that blaming it all on modders is a tempting explanation just like "some complexity" is a tempting excuse. But the latter one is only valid explanation if you are willing to define it. In the end complexity is just an adjective to describe a process regardless of how well it is understood. Understanding is critical. It can be a super simple thing but if no one knows how it works then it becomes super complex. The less understood and poorly explained the process is the more complex it becomes. The more people are expected to reverse engineer and trial and error through experimentation the more complex it is. The poorer the tools, the smaller the community, the less modders. The more complex it is.

In the end the actual complexity of the variables offered by the software are much smaller piece of the pie than the actual complexity of the work that is needed to work with those variables. It is not even about the end result but how you get there. If the software explains itself poorly the complexity is increased. If software takes time to explain itself then complexity is massively decreased. In the end it is all about tools and documentation. The better the platform is for modders the less time it takes to create a better result. If a software explains itself really well then you can have all the complexity you can imagine. It won't even massively increase development work.

If you have ever done any modding you know that a lot of the time you are trying to figure out how the game wants something. What is this, what does it mean and how does that work. So you end up spending lots of time trying many different things just to figure it out. In rf2 that easily adds up to 90% of the work. In ac it is maybe 20%. I've done both.

It is easier to say that times are changing instead of admitting that you need to change. It is easier to say modders have all vanished instead of admitting that modders have only moved away from your platform. That being said I don't think hope is lost. Rf2 can still win back old school modders and introduce new modders into simracing via rf2 but it takes effort. I think 397 are on the right track and I hope they succeed.

 

[Nevini]

Ooh, shivering with anticipation. VR addict ;-)

 

[dave kirk]

Hi everyone, just turned steam on and my game is still DX9, how do I get the DX11 beta on? I've already tried Steams "check for updates" option?

 

[Emery]

It's not yet here... wait a couple hours. Best read the official announcement for instructions.

 

[Magus]

The DX11 Beta is live. You need to go to your library, Right click on rf2, Properties & choose the Beta tab & select DX11 from the drop down list.

 

[Denis Betty]

The DX11 Beta is live. You need to go to your library, Right click on rf2, Properties & choose the Beta tab & select DX11 from the drop down list.

WOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sicario Del Toro]

And the information.
https://www.studio-397.com/2017/05/open-beta-with-directx-11-and-virtual-reality-support/

 

[John Addison]

Is there a beta code we have to put in??

 

[dave kirk]

I can't get mine to work, the main screen comes up, i can set my video settings, but then it error screens "stopped working" any ideas?

 

[Sicario Del Toro]

Is there a beta code we have to put in??

I can't get mine to work, the main screen comes up, i can set my video settings, but then it error screens "stopped working" any ideas?

Please read this , there are guide line to follow and it works beautifully
https://www.studio-397.com/2017/05/open-beta-with-directx-11-and-virtual-reality-support/

 

[dave kirk]

Please read this , there are guide line to follow and it works beautifully
https://www.studio-397.com/2017/05/open-beta-with-directx-11-and-virtual-reality-support/

Thanks man, i got it working