The rFactor 2 MUST-HAVE list

[Yapci]

Hi. Seen that rFactor2 official content can be not enough or not fit for everybody I would like that everyone post some car and or tracks so newbies like me (bought this on Sunday, 3 hours of gameplay aka tweaking) can see which content already exists and is optimized enough to download and give it a try!

Gonna keep the OP updated with the mods commented if you post download links (and are legal of course) to make it easier for everybody to find out!

 

[wowbagger]

The official free stuff looks complete rubbish. I don't bother with any of it. It is appalling that they exclusively use it to introduce new people to the online system.

The BTCC cars are, on the other hand, amazing! I pretty much only use rF2 for BTCC and 992 Cup now. They both have incredible physics/ffb and look fantastic. The 4 tracks are also very high quality. (the other tracks are easily found in the workshop).

The only caveats are, 1) the two rwd cars run rings around the majority fwd cars because the tire wear is so different - it urgently needs a BOP for this, or just accept that RWD are essentially a different class, or just don't use the RWD cars. 2) there is no way to edit the grid to create a BTCC race weekend in single player - except to create a server, run the races on the server as a multiplayer race + AI, use rF2 Log analyzer to edit the grid, and then use an admin command to load the edited grid - hugely frustrating, time consuming, and ridiculous.

Other than those two things, I heartily recommend the BTCC cars (and the 992).

If you don't have the 992 - get it, just get it. I think anyone with a decent ffb wheel should own this car. I don't even like Porsches, but this car is so much fun to drive. The 992 also comes with a PCCGB livery pack, so you simulate a BTCC support series as well.

Oh and the Mini is great fun!

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

The official free stuff looks complete rubbish. I don't bother with any of it. It is appalling that they exclusively use it to introduce new people to the online system.

The BTCC cars are, on the other hand, amazing! I pretty much only use rF2 for BTCC and 992 Cup now. They both have incredible physics/ffb and look fantastic. The 4 tracks are also very high quality. (the other tracks are easily found in the workshop).

The only caveats are, 1) the two rwd cars run rings around the majority fwd cars because the tire wear is so different - it urgently needs a BOP for this, or just accept that RWD are essentially a different class, or just don't use the RWD cars. 2) there is no way to edit the grid to create a BTCC race weekend in single player - except to create a server, run the races on the server as a multiplayer race + AI, use rF2 Log analyzer to edit the grid, and then use an admin command to load the edited grid - hugely frustrating, time consuming, and ridiculous.

Other than those two things, I heartily recommend the BTCC cars (and the 992).

If you don't have the 992 - get it, just get it. I think anyone with a decent ffb wheel should own this car. I don't even like Porsches, but this car is so much fun to drive. The 992 also comes with a PCCGB livery pack, so you simulate a BTCC support series as well.

Oh and the Mini is great fun!

Ok so i will spend some more € for some cars and few tracks, because like you said the free stuff is let´s say "not what i expected"

 

[davehenrie]

Ok so i will spend some more € for some cars and few tracks, because like you said the free stuff is let´s say "not what i expected"

Realize coming BACK from LMU to rF2 you will see a lessor quality of graphics. rF2 just hasn't(and probably won't be) upgraded to match the new level found in LMU. Most rF2 users, tho, will attest that the driving feel makes up for any lack in the latest goo-gaws.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

Realize coming BACK from LMU to rF2 you will see a lessor quality of graphics. rF2 just hasn't(and probably won't be) upgraded to match the new level found in LMU. Most rF2 users, tho, will attest that the driving feel makes up for any lack in the latest goo-gaws.

When i watch some videos the game do not look worse than for example raceroom which i am also playing, so this should be no problem. But like said so far what i saw on my screen was far away from those on YT

PS: Do someone have an advise about the HUD. It´s awful too

 

[wowbagger]

Simhub - totally worth it and can be used for any racing game.

Also, I find the BTCC cars to look every bit as good as the LMU cars.

Remember a lot of the official free stuff came out 10-12 years ago - and a lot of that was ported from rF1. Which is why it looks like it was ported from rF1 .

As far as I am concerned rF2 is great if:
- you use the 397 paid dlc, which is very high quality
- don't care about the largely unconnected mishmash of dlc tracks available
- you don't mind only running a bog standard prac-qual-race weekend, and nothing else
- lack of championship doesn't bother you
- UI, which looks like a programmer designed it (no offense to any programmers ), doesn't bother you

For me, the FWD physics and the overall BTCC quality is enough to get the game by itself (although I had bought the base game years and years ago and never used it). I only got into rF2 last fall when I grabbed the touring cars. It shows what the BTCC game could have been and what an utter shame it is that it fell through.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

Simhub

- you don't mind only running a bog standard prac-qual-race weekend, and nothing else
- lack of championship doesn't bother you
- UI, which looks like a programmer designed it (no offense to any programmers ), doesn't bother you

Yes i use simhub for AMS2 so far. But i find it very confusing at times. Another "solution" would be better. But as far i saw there is not that much

Yeah those 3 points above really do bother me and thats the reason i never touched rF2 so far.
Btw. i was driving rf1 several years online before i switched to offline singleplayer only (family, work etc.)
So since years i am single player championship only guy. But i was alway curious about the well known so called best physics on the market.

So i decided to get LMU and make the experience. And because the sheer driving experience is very good i had the wish finally to add rF2 to the collection. With the help of excel i can built manually a sort of championship, so thats acceptable.

 

[wowbagger]

Ya, I'm single player, offline too. Online doesn't fit my real life, and I prefer AI to the types of drivers you often have to deal with in public servers anyway. rF2 Log Analyzer is very good for doing offline championships.

Simhub is also very good, after you invest an hour or two to sort it out. I use it for AMS2, LMU, and rF2. (AMS2 and LMU have native HUDs co-designed by DaVinci and Daedalus compared to the crappy rF2 HUD which I leave turned off). I find a Simhub overlay I like and then modify it to my own preference. It suits my ocd very well. I'm also using it for haptics on my pedals, so I'm been very happy with the $6 investement, or whatever it was.

For me, 99% of the rF2 mods out there, while fine, aren't good enough to deal with rF2s shortcomings, and it feels like we're still in 2005. There's a ton of tracks, but if there's no decent AIW, it's more frustration than anything. But, for me, rF2 is worth it for running BTCC and PCCGB races specifically. Probably for Formula-E too, if that's one's thing.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

Ya, I'm single player, offline too. Online doesn't fit my real life, and I prefer AI to the types of drivers you often have to deal with in public servers anyway. rF2 Log Analyzer is very good for doing offline championships.

Simhub is also very good, after you invest an hour or two to sort it out. I use it for AMS2, LMU, and rF2. (AMS2 and LMU have native HUDs co-designed by DaVinci and Daedalus compared to the crappy rF2 HUD which I leave turned off). I find a Simhub overlay I like and then modify it to my own preference. It suits my ocd very well. I'm also using it for haptics on my pedals, so I'm been very happy with the $6 investement, or whatever it was.

For me, 99% of the rF2 mods out there, while fine, aren't good enough to deal with rF2s shortcomings, and it feels like we're still in 2005. There's a ton of tracks, but if there's no decent AIW, it's more frustration than anything. But, for me, rF2 is worth it for running BTCC and PCCGB races specifically. Probably for Formula-E too, if that's one's thing.

So I got the 992 Porsche cup and Austin Mini so far along with the British track pack ( paid 9€ for the 4 track after that discovered the whole BTCC pack so including the cars costs 15€) so I will pay twice if decide to get the pack omg.

The Porsche is like you all said extraordinary good. Fantastic physics.

The Mini is bit weird but also cool must get used to it.

I found also some useable free tracks. I think here I must lern first who is who in rF modding. There is obviously also tons of garbage out there

I am thinking about the 14 gt3 cars pack

How good are they compared to …. good question … to everything
To gt3s in ACC AC AMS2 R3E ???

 

[wowbagger]

Ya, it's better to get the full car+track pack, but you can buy just the car pack, if you already got the track pack. Also, you can buy just one/two of the cars and race against the rest - only need to own what you want to drive yourself.

Best GT3 cars I have tried (got them last sale) - better than AMS2 & ACC in my opinion - but I'm not really a GT3 fan. I haven't found a ton of livery packs for them, and the tracks which are available is a bit of a mish-mash. Fun enough for one-off races / multiplayer I suppose.

Also, keep in mind LMU will be getting the field of 2024 GT3s at some point.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

Ya, it's better to get the full car+track pack, but you can buy just the car pack, if you already got the track pack. Also, you can buy just one/two of the cars and race against the rest - only need to own what you want to drive yourself.

Best GT3 cars I have tried (got them last sale) - better than AMS2 & ACC in my opinion - but I'm not really a GT3 fan. I haven't found a ton of livery packs for them, and the tracks which are available is a bit of a mish-mash. Fun enough for one-off races / multiplayer I suppose.

Also, keep in mind LMU will be getting the field of 2024 GT3s at some point.

yeah i am not a big gt3 fan either. But they can´t lack in any sim

 

[davehenrie]

yeah i am not a big gt3 fan either. But they can´t lack in any sim

Part of the problem with the GT3 fleet is that the cars were released over a time period of several years and the newer cars clearly outshine the original releases. Some dashes never got updated to the full PBR shader and the fonts on the LCD display are hit or miss.

 

[wowbagger]

I find it hilarious, and so very rFactory, that the endurance pack - on sale - costs more than LMU, and includes zero tracks. And if you factor in the cost of the base game, it's 160% the price of LMU.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

I find it hilarious, and so very rFactory, that the endurance pack - on sale - costs more than LMU, and includes zero tracks. And if you factor in the cost of the base game, it's 160% more than LMU.

Agree. And i thought Raceroom price politics were harsh...

Part of the problem with the GT3 fleet is that the cars were released over a time period of several years and the newer cars clearly outshine the original releases. Some dashes never got updated to the full PBR shader and the fonts on the LCD display are hit or miss.

I just realized the gt3 pack do not contain a Lambo Huracan. That´s quite a suprise.
Further no Honda, Lexus or Nissan GTR. Probably due licencing problems. I had no luck to find those cars as mods, seems to be removed everywhere.

If someone can help me out in this case, just PN me

 

[davehenrie]

Agree. And i thought Raceroom price politics were harsh...

I just realized the gt3 pack do not contain a Lambo Huracan. That´s quite a suprise.
Further no Honda, Lexus or Nissan GTR. Probably due licencing problems. I had no luck to find those cars as mods, seems to be removed everywhere.

If someone can help me out in this case, just PN me

Those cars were never licensed, thus never included in the GT3 car pack. At best you could find some skins here for Honda/Acura to use on another car like the Mclaren 620.

 

[wowbagger]

There are mods, but can't vouch for quality.

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

There are mods, but can't vouch for quality.

Thanks, i found them too, but already the comments are not really good, so i probably stay away. Nevermind

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

Sooo i have studied the official store and come to the conclusion i need:

- Formula Pro Pack (don´t care about the car, but there are Nürburg, Monza and Spa included for less price as i would get the tracks alone)

- Indy Pack (Because the Dallara IR18 has to be great + Laguna and WWT)

- GT3 and GTE - just because these are huge packs with mixed grid (hate single car releases with no oponnents to race against, except cup series)

- BTCC car pack (Touring pack) - Yeah what i read so far it´s among best what rF2 has to offer. I like them already within AC even the physics are "stolen" there.

Additionally need Long Beach

So if i add everything together its about 140€ to spend And thats kind of ridiculous....
So the other and far better option is just get the Complete Package right now for 99€

Problem is - i don´t need lot of the other stuff and i am curious if i can manage it with my SSD space

 

[wowbagger]

You don't have to install everything you own. Use the in-game content manager to install only what you want.

I've been waiting for close to a year for the Formula Pro Pack to go back on sale - just to grab Monza and Spa. Been waiting for Long Beach to go on sale too, but I think it never will. But now starting to realize that I likely won't use these tracks in rF2 very much anyway. I specifically held off getting the GTEs, Prototypes, and some of the tracks, waiting for LMU. Laguna is awesome though.

Dallara is great, but I haven't invested too much time looking for decent track mods. There's no where near enough official tracks. Generally, too many of the mod tracks have a rubbish AIW making them useless for AI. I tend to favour AMS2 CART cars for getting my Indy fix. I have a great season going with that one (but it also needs some more tracks).

Just to reiterate, you know you can buy, for example, the McLaren GT3 and still download and race against all the other GT3s and GTEs as AI, without buying them, yes?

What are "stolen" physics ? I have AC but have never fired it up more than 3 or 4 times. And two of those were to drive around the GTA V track .

 

[Kevin Troschinski]

You don't have to install everything you own. Use the in-game content manager to install only what you want.

I've been waiting for close to a year for the Formula Pro Pack to go back on sale - just to grab Monza and Spa. Been waiting for Long Beach to go on sale too, but I think it never will. But now starting to realize that I likely won't use these tracks in rF2 very much anyway. I specifically held off getting the GTEs, Prototypes, and some of the tracks, waiting for LMU. Laguna is awesome though.

Dallara is great, but I haven't invested too much time looking for decent track mods. There's no where near enough official tracks. Generally, too many of the mod tracks have a rubbish AIW making them useless for AI. I tend to favour AMS2 CART cars for getting my Indy fix. I have a great season going with that one (but it also needs some more tracks).

Just to reiterate, you know you can buy, for example, the McLaren GT3 and still download and race against all the other GT3s and GTEs as AI, without buying them, yes?

What are "stolen" physics ? I have AC but have never fired it up more than 3 or 4 times. And two of those were to drive around the GTA V track .

Yes i know the ingame content manager, but i thought the official content will be installed before game start first anyway. Afterthat i could uninstall stuff through the manager which i don´t need.

I prefer to own the wohle packages every time, because i just switch the cars "every season" i start. So i want drive them all anyway one after the other.

I must confess i am not a open wheeler fan within AMS2. So i skipped the modern Indy´s there. However i love F1 and Indy´s in Assetto. There are some really highest quality pay mods covering many decades. So i will give the rF2 Indy´s try.

ABout the "stolen physics" There is a relativly new modding group in AC they build very nice models, but do not care much about scratch made physics based on real data for example.
They just lend physics from similar official or other good mods, which obviously is not very realistic.
They brought the BTCC 2023 package with very nice models and like i called it "stolen" but plausible and fun physics.

Back to rF2 - as i am late to the party i realized the good old Silverstone track was included once, bui its gone late 2022 due licencing !?
So is there absolutely no way i can get this track for rF2 ? Thats a shame regarding the BTCC cars

 

[wowbagger]

Official Silverstone is unofficially 're-released' on the workshop by someone.