I do find it irritating that they are focusing so much on content and so little on functionality. My wish list in no particular order... Fixed setups actually working in the dedicated server interface. Fixed upgrades actually working in the dedicated server interface (rather than having to produce a separate ersatz "upgrade" mod for each car that the users then have to uninstall after the championship series is completed). Not having to actually go spelunking through text files to change half of the dedicated server settings (private practice, private quali, practice/quali start times, etc). Multi-race format without having to wait for the weekend to finish and restart and fast-forward through practice/quali/etc. Ideally, setup something like P1/P2 and Q1/Q2 each with different start times for day/night practice and quali for endurance events. Also, a setting for reverse grid based on quali (during R1) or the finish results of R1 (for R2). Ability to setup actual multi-class racing via the dedicated server interface each class broken out in the client driver standings list more aggressive blue-flagging when a faster car approaches a slower one. Driver labels in the new UI A globally unique identifier for human drivers to make managing leagues easier (points, ballast, grid, pit, etc) Some drivers have an extra space at the end of their name and others don't with no rhyme or reason. The inclusion of this extra space is only required in certain contexts (not required when adding/removing penalties, seems to be required when applying ballast or pit position) Some drivers' names change when they switch between UI's, reinstall steam, get a new computer, etc. Having a background GUID to reference with a foreground display name would clear up some of these issues. Okay, I just realized that everything above this would basically result in a complete, ground-up rewrite of the dedicated server UI and we already know how much S397 hates UI/UX work... Still, a dedicated server manager can dream... Easily found changelogs for updates to paid content so we can have an idea of what's happening to the content we've paid for. This is present in workshop cars/tracks so why not paid DLC? S397 having an S397 rep occasionally visit the rFactor2 subreddit to take some of the heat off of Woodee (who I've seen described as "S397's biggest cheerleader") and at least have the appearance of responding to community feedback.
Yes, batch files still work but it shouldn't be necessary to have a process that involves activity outside of the client. It can't be difficult to design the server to allow this to be set at config/launch. I manage a server for my local group and setting up a complicated race format requires my presence. Sure, I could give one of the more trustworthy of the group with the admin password and they could learn the relatively simple process but it really shouldn't be necessary.
I don't think that it's hard but rF2 should avoid this type of practices and use the UI, at least, for every common feature.
So, our Thursday night race is setup for race 1 grid based on quali and race 2 grid reversed from the results of race 1. The current process is... to run through the P1/Q1/W1/R1 as normal. Then the weekend has to restart so I can load the results from R1 into myGrid myGrid generates the batch file based on button clicks. Then I go back to the sim client and skip P/Q of the new weekend When I get to warmup, I execute the batch file to set the grid. If you go digging through player.JSON, you'll find options for multiple practice, quali, and race sessions (around lines ~670 and ~720) but no option to insert an extra warmup before the second race so you can set the grid without having to wait for the weekend to restart. Also, this process requires that I run rF2 in borderless windowed mode because running it full-screen causes it to sit on top of everything else. This isn't really a problem for me since I already this mode so that my SimHub overlay HUD shows up. That said, people that have a dedicated monitor for SimHub can run rF2 full-screen and their other processes may impacted by switching to borderless windowed mode.
Ah k, it's the process I thought. Could be streamlined of course. Unsure how exactly it could be implemented though. Maybe the batch running within the interface somehow?
There's a few basic things that would need to be added (like a warmup between R1 and R2) if you wanted to maintain real-time admin involvement in the process. Though, if you are making core server code changes to accommodate this functionality, I don't why you'd only go half way. Just arrange it so it can be completely automated based on configuration options. I mean, this is the core purpose of computers as a concept: automate simple and/or repetitive tasks. Before electronic computers, we had humans called computers that, uh, computed things (like orbital mechanics for the Apollo missions). Code: Race1 grid set using = 1 (1 = Qual1, 2 = Reverse Qual1, 3 = average of Qual1 & Qual2) Race2 grid set using = 1 (1 = Qual1, 2 = Reverse Qual1, 3 = Race1, 4 = Reverse Race1, 5 = Qual2, 6 = reverse qual2..., etc) Race1 start time = 0 (seconds from midnight) ... RaceX start time = 0 (seconds from midnight) Qual1 start time = 0 (seconds from midnight) ... QualX start time = 0 (seconds from midnight) Assuming the dedicated server code isn't permanently locked, it shouldn't be impossible. However, without looking at the existing code, it would be impossible to say how difficult it would really be to actually implement. I mean, at a certain point, I'd be happy if they just implemented the underlying capability. I've got friends that are better programmers than me (my experience is limited to Arduino and Excel VBA macros) that can hold my hand through the process of making a simple tool that can generate a settings file.
*Bump* Hey, S397 devs... Have you thought about making your platform more attractive by making it easier to manage servers? I mean, if you want to increase market share, it would help if your official documentation and code made it easier and more inviting for people to host servers and startup leagues and such. Does anybody actually monitor the wish list forum or are we all just screaming into the void?
I think it's a question of which areas S397 prioritizes, which was mostly focused on graphics/UI in the last years. The improvements in those areas as a result have been great but then other areas get left behind of course. And if you don't notice any changes towards the areas you desire and you don't care much about the areas that improved a lot in the meantime, it might look like the game is standing still whilst the DLC content keeps on dropping. DLC keeps them going though so that has to be constant. I'm hopeful that after eye candy and UI are sorted, all the other aspects of the game start receiving more TLC.
