Motorsport Games Complete Studio 397 Purchase

Discussion in 'News & Notifications' started by Paul Jeffrey, May 5, 2021.

  1. memoNo1

    memoNo1 Registered

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    Interesting point of view.
    I hope you are wrong.
    But that would explain some of it by itself.
    Worst of all is the dev's silence.
     
  2. Travis

    Travis Registered

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    @Sim_Player I presume we are to take solace in the following statement:

    “We are delighted to become a part of the Motorsport Games family,” said Marcel Offermans, Director of Studio for Studio 397. “We remain committed to growing the rFactor 2 platform, as well as providing the base for the simulation components in all future Motorsport Games titles.”

    :)
     
  3. Kahel

    Kahel Registered

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    Unless they double the people working on rf2... that's very concerning indeed.
     
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  4. Remco Majoor

    Remco Majoor Registered

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    ACC has proven that you can be both realistic and good for consoles with UE4, whilst holding that hardcore simulator name. How did they do it? They focussed on GT racing. AC didn't cease to exist and still lives on because of mods, ACC is there for the eSports for SRO series. It sold well, it is done well, its popular.

    They only needed to focus on GT tyres/aero for the physics. So they can make it perfect for those cars. It's not like they change something in the physics engine, that will break another car which is completely different.

    If S397 can pull it off with Motorsport Games to do the same with NASCAR and BTCC, would it then necessarily be a bad thing that rF2 gets less development? It just makes a lot more sense to create a game per certain kind of racing. FE is a great example for that. It's so special compared to everything else in rF2. If they made a stand alone FE game which is focussed on FE, they can absolutely streamline the physics, UI, HUD, how attack mode works, the qualy format, everything. For NASCAR they can also focus more on the multiple grooves on ovals for example, and the stage system. BTCC for the ballast system for example. This would also mean they don't need the package system rF2 has. They could just do seasonal content, so no need of the item store. I haven't even touched on the AI optimisation per series which can be optimised.

    This all with the ace all those games have up their sleeves now, is the rF2 competition system which will also be open to those games. This can only be good.

    And if it doesn't work out and it ends up like AMS2 where you can't have that feeling in another engine, they will always have rF2 to fall back on
     
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  5. pilAUTO

    pilAUTO Registered

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    @Remco Majoor

    You are an eternal positive, you know :p.

    No, I think there are many reasons to be worried, both looking at the rF2 evolution in 4 years (unsatisfactory but yes not non-existent), the priorities chosen for the rF2 development (bad in my opinion) and now what the MG buyout seems involved.

    Frankly the result of rF2 since S397 is there is extremely disappointing, and the arrival of MG is not very reassuring either.
     
  6. Remco Majoor

    Remco Majoor Registered

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    This must be the first thing you have read from me if you think that :D

    At least I give reasoning to why I think it can be a good thing ;)
     
  7. bobbie424242

    bobbie424242 Registered

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    I really cannot see how S397 can both advance rF2 in significant ways and work on other games at the same time.
    Advancing a full blown sim requires 100% of your attention and no distractions. Especially when being a small studio.
    Pushing rf2 to the next level would need major 100% focus on it, having an aggressive and ambitious roadmap, hiring new people, lots of money, and not somewhat give up. Not going to happen as making single popular serie sims/simcade (BTCC, LeMans, Nascar) for a broad audience is more sustainable. And the fact that MG doesn't seem to have acquired S397 for rF2 the sim is not encouraging...
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2021
  8. AlexHeuskat

    AlexHeuskat Registered

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    https://motorsportgames.com/archives/17053
    "Studio 397 will maintain its brand and name while continuing to develop the rFactor 2 platform, as well as working on other Motorsport Games titles."


    All I read is the developpement of rF2 will be again more slower....MSG wants only the rF2 physics in their other games, they didn't announce any wish to improve rF2....
    Sad.
    This is what we all fear about this acquisition.
    I have one more hope, I can earn 150 millions at Euromillions, and I can invest 30 millions with rF2. Let's do this.
     
    Last edited: May 9, 2021
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  9. pilAUTO

    pilAUTO Registered

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    This is not planned, but I would have loved a game dedicated to the Nurburgring....... @Motorsport Game can you hear me? :rolleyes:
     
  10. davehenrie

    davehenrie Registered

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    so...having 6 layouts of the Ring is not dedicated enough?
     
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  11. burgesjl

    burgesjl Registered

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    So we've got some more insights now based on the Motorsports Games earnings transcript from today.

    The upcoming NASCAR NXT title will be released 'back part of Q3' (i.e. September 2021) and the rF2 physics will be part of that (what they seemed to call MSGM engine). However, its also clear they are building a competition system for that title that will also be shared with the BTCC title (as will the game engine, they call this the game platform). The BTCC title won't appear until 2022. They have now completed laser scan for all the BTCC tracks, so one assumes they'll start converting that imminently. No mention of the plans for the standalone LM game, though its logical they will use the same platform for it.

    They was all sorts of nonsense discussed around mobile, taking KartKraft and building IP for a Mario Kart type of game, and on and on. But in reality, they also said they are focused on delivering NASCAR NXT for its release window, but said their organization and planning will ensure there is no "crunch" for the developers like they see in other games. Given the scope of that release and its the first one of MSGM engine, for which they seem to claim they didn't have source code access until recently, I don't see how that happens. Good luck to the devs.

    As for esports, they seemed to use a similar argument that now S397 is fully under their control, they can better do events for FE (which didn't seem very successful, reading between the lines) and the upcoming LM 24H Virtual for 2021, which they want to do like the one in 2020 (how they fit that in and when it will be, no idea, but they are already blocking iRacing from doing a 24h event with that title). Though stating that these events will all be on rF2, and can extend beyond straight sponsorship opportunities, they didn't spell out what they intend to do there. There was also little discussion on what they intend to do with Traxion, which they say will be key to engagement with the fan base and seems little more than a news site and streaming linker now, the "next phase of integration into our ecosystem later in the year".
     
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  12. Remco Majoor

    Remco Majoor Registered

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    For anyone wondering
    Screenshot_20210520-132148-438.png
     
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  13. Paul Jeffrey

    Paul Jeffrey

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    Just to let you know, next week I'll be going down to the Motorsport Games offices at Silverstone and recording an interview with them about the whole purchase and rFactor 2 future. I'm heading down at the end of the week, so I suspect within the next couple of weeks or so we should be in a position to get it out and published.

    I've got lots of questions to ask :D

    Following on from that, most likely we plan to let everyone digest those answers, then any follow-up or additional questions it raises from the community we will take and use as the basis for an interview with Marcel.

    Hopefully these two insights should go a long way towards covering off the majority of things that are important to know or generally create curiosity within the sim world. Hopefully :)

    So, answers are coming - stay tuned :D
     
  14. Woodee

    Woodee Registered

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    Thanks Paul.
     
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  15. Paul Jeffrey

    Paul Jeffrey

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    Quick update from me on this one.

    I did have a date scheduled with our colleagues at MSG to pop over to and conduct this interview, however I've since had a bit of a rough time at home with the unexpected passing of my brother, which has led to quite a bit of time of work, and frankly I'm not in a particularly great place mentally at the moment - although trying my best to work through the demons and get back into business as usual.

    As this all happened at the time of the initial proposed interview, and the dramas that followed, we have understandably put this on the back burner and are yet to restart discussions about an alternative date.

    The intention is very much to still run this interview, so please stick with me on this :) As I'm sure you can imagine, my appetite to be away from home at the moment isn't so large, however I am keen to run what I think will be a very interesting and informative session with Motorsport Games, so stay tuned - it is coming, just not quite as soon as we originally planned!

    Cheers,

    Paul
     
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  16. SunBro

    SunBro Registered

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    Our condolences paul. Take all the time you need.
     
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  17. Comante

    Comante Registered

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    Condolences, keep up.
     
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  18. lagg

    lagg Registered

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    I'm very sorry Paul.
     
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  19. jayarrbee36

    jayarrbee36 Registered

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    Condolences and best wishes, Paul.
     
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  20. juanchioooo

    juanchioooo Registered

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    condolences to you and your family:(
     
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