Using Plugins with Steam Gtr2

[Bjarne Hansen]

After the smart guys from Crew Chief, 'The Iron Wolf' and 'Spartan' discovered that the Steam version of Gtr2 can import rf1 plugins and made Crew Chief available for Gtr2.

Crew Chief GTR2 Enhancements Plugin Setup Instructions, Known Issues and Changelog

The Manual: https://thecrewchief.org/downloads/gtr2/GTR2_CC_EP.pdf It is updated often to match the new/changed features, so I suggest simply bookmarking it for viewing in the browser. You can see the changelog at the end of the Manual if you want to see what’s changed. Plugin itself is...

thecrewchief.org

Have tried a number of rf1 plugins in gtr2.
Fare from all rf1 plugins works so it is likely only a part of the Rfactor 1 API is available in gtr2

First only the Steam version of Gtr2 are able to use Plugins so you need that.
Now it got some annoying things that is easy to fix.

Fixing grayed out Porsche and Ferrari's
Open Steam version of gtr2.exe in a hex editor
Find PORSCHE.FERRARI and replace with XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX
Just overwrite with X or anything else for that matter
Save and you are good to go.

To apply the 4gb fix ether use the 4gb patch app or open the .exe in CFF explore or similar and set the + 2gb flag.

To get Changing weather in race to work. Apply the Changing weather patch by JSTN.
Fortunately since the Steam gtr2 are unprotected you can do it to the .exe

Find in hex: 54, 65, 73, 74, 44, 61, 79
In text: Testday
And replace with 52, 61, 63, 65, 00, 00, 00
In text: Race...
But make sure the '.' are 00
There are two instances do not change PrivateTestday or you lose the ability to practice on your own.
Save gtr2.exe and you now have changing weather in gtr2.

The Iron Wolf might/ Will make this patch with his crewchief plugin so make sure to pay attention to that.
Lastly the Steam version of Gtr2 do not use or need steam so make a copy from the Steam folder to anywhere you want and run gtr2 from there.

Last it looks to me that the Steam version are using feet to measure clip plan distances where the older gtr.exe are using meters.
Find ClipPlanes=(0.17500, 500.00000)
replace with
ClipPlanes=(0.500, 500.0) ~ ClipPlanes=(0.570, 1500.0)
This will stop the most of the texture flicker
The best value depends on the FOV value you use.
And in your .plr file
Find Rearview Front Clip="1.00000"
And replace with Rearview Front Clip="3.50000" again try 3.0 to 4.0 what ever is best for your setup
This will limited/ eliminate the steering wheel from the rearview mirror.
Sometimes you will still see the driver arms.

Plugins that works.
The most important is off course Crew Chief so get that and read the instruction.
The VR they have made are nothing short of fantastic and has made Gtr2 my favorite VR race sim.

RealFeel:
Works I use a older version from 2007 that is about 120kb.
Find it very nice with bumps and do not get the slightly damped feeling I sometimes get with AMS

LeoFFB:
Works but since it is part of realfeel I only use RealFeel.

GID:
Works but you have to hex edit Gtr2.exe into the d3d9.dll
Download this one from here on RD
https://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/gid-patched-for-ams.9349/
Open the d3d9.dll in a hex editor.
Find AMS.exe, believe there are 4 of them and replace AMS.exe with GTR2.exe
save and you are good to go.
Have not been able to get TrackMap to work but if important use Simhub.
Have tried to contact Fazerbox a few times the last months but doesn't looks like he checking his email anymore.


Simhub:
Great app works via the RfactorSharedmemoryMap.dll
The best is for me the Bass speaker output. Got a set of $20 small amps and some daytona tactical transducers.
But also most widget works and are very easy to convert and change.

Second Monitor:
Works with same plugin as Simhub.
It is a Motec like app you can run on a second monitor or even on another PC on same network.
Only the suspension data is not collected which is a bummer for setup.

Got SpotterAddon, Dave F1 to work by moving Fmodex.dll from the plugins folder to root folder
But kind of pointless as Crew Chief are a much better option and gets updates for Gtr2.

If you have issues with getting any of the hex edits to work you can PM me for a solution.

Would be nice with a download section for Plugins that works with Gtr2?

 

[The Iron Wolf]

Can I confirm these steps are sufficient?

1. Install stock GTR2 with Steam.

2. Copy rFactorSharedMemoryMap.dll and RealFeelPlugin.dll to GTR2\Plugins\

3. Start GTR2: Once in cockpit you hear "RealFeel is enabled" through speakers

Is that all? There was some talk of .exe file names and maybe hex editing files. Is that needed?

What you do is enough for Real Feel to load. If you want CC support, you do not need rFactorSharedMemoryMap.dll (although this plugin is useful if you use SimHub, otherwise do not use it as it takes some resources),

GTR2 has the dedicated plugin for CC support, if you need that see the link in the first post. Note that even if you do not need CC support, CrewChief.dll includes some features that are useful even without CC (affinity setting) and I will be adding more of such.

Hex edits are only needed if you want 4Gb, extra cars, and weather patch (soon coming to CrewChief.dll). Minor hex edits do not interfere with the fact that Steam GTR2.exe tries to load rF1 plugins.

It is no surprise that you do not see huge boost with 1080 - GTR2 is mostly a CPU bound game.

 

[Shovas]

Ok, good. Sadly, I'm just not feeling anything no matter what I do.

 

[The Iron Wolf]

Ok, good. Sadly, I'm just not feeling anything no matter what I do.

You do hear "Real Feel Enabled" message though, right? But yeah, I doubt it does anything. At some point in the future I'll have a look into what is actually going on, but there are a lot of more pressing issues that need looking at first...

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

Can I confirm these steps are sufficient?

1. Install stock GTR2 with Steam.

2. Copy rFactorSharedMemoryMap.dll and RealFeelPlugin.dll to GTR2\Plugins\

3. Start GTR2: Once in cockpit you hear "RealFeel is enabled" through speakers

Is that all? There was some talk of .exe file names and maybe hex editing files. Is that needed?

1. Yes
2. you do not need rfactorSharedmemoryMap.dll for realfeel or Crew Chief. It is to enable Simhub, Second Monitor, and likely other app that uses rf1 telemetry and Api.

3. yes, you do not need the hex edits but it is a big improvement to the Gtr2.
RD do not allow me to upload the hex edited Gtr2.exe, which is a bit silly. but their rules.

Congratulation on the new and improved GPU,
You can easy run Gtr2 in VR on a first generation VR headset with a GTX 1080 . My neighbor got that GPU and a Vive and runs this and AC in VR
Don't forget to install crew chief too you will not go back and run without again.

See The Iron Wolf had answered before i posted

 

[Shovas]

You do hear "Real Feel Enabled" message though, right? But yeah, I doubt it does anything. At some point in the future I'll have a look into what is actually going on, but there are a lot of more pressing issues that need looking at first...

Yes, definitely hear "RealFeel is enabled"

 

[paokkerkir]

Ok, I do not know how or why, but suddenly track map appeared on screen with GID.
When I exited this practice, I could not see it in other maps.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

Never saw that come up in GID for Gtr2!
You do not have Simhub running?

 

[paokkerkir]

I have gid, crewchief and simdashboard.

 

[paokkerkir]

GID is not working in practice/quali/warmup in CHAMPIONSHIP mode but it is working in the race. The weirdness continues.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

GID is not working in practice/quali/warmup in CHAMPIONSHIP mode but it is working in the race. The weirdness continues.

Just tested and got the same.
Likely the session info that is wrong but still strange it turns off completely,