My server RookiesNight_WSu have been fairly popular at times. We have been running since February 2013. I'm all about easy access. Meganes can be very interesting and fun car too if your not driving the same tracks over and over again. Tonight in Pocoyo Park, Imola 2006 and Canyelles54. Just try, not boring at all
The download system looks promising but the only real way it would work is if servers run one track and one car. If I go to join one of the current public races and lack the other 40 tracks, I'm not going to want to wait and download 1GB worth of content in order to race the current track. In order to make the online system work efficiently, ISI should make it so when a person joins an online race and lacks the current car/track combination, they hit the 'Get Mod' button, download what is currently being used and the game lets them in. If the server then changes to a car/track combination the user doesn't have, it notifies them, and kicks them back out to the lobby so they can hit the 'Get Mod' button again and repeat the process.
I host my own races and also have joined ISR, Rookies and SR4L races and have enjoyed all of them immensely. Most of action is on Sundays, of course. Edit. For me, action is mostly on Sundays at least due to time zone differences.
One mod which is forbidden because his content is rip off, can be perfect for online racing. Yes, is Mclaren mp4-12c mod. Is even forbidden to talk about it i presume, but i simply can't resist. I drive it and is amazing(not perfect) to drive, specialiy on good flow tracks. Im now so sad that this pretty amazing physics is used for illegal content and we can't drive it legally.
Btw: I've set up a ISI Formula 2 Server - it's called "! world-racing-league.com" Feel free to join the server, you're welcome Edit: You should be able to join there if have already installed the ISI Formula 2 Mod and the tracks running on IsR-Megane Public
Ive been running a server lately, its called either Historic Fun or Nissan Fun, had a decent turnout sunday night US time. Get mod works fine too, server has 6M upload speed, so pings should be fine
This, fantastic idea, it would really work, ISI please take note. I too have found myself in the same situation. Then I decided to try join a league because it was so boring trying to find quick fun races that met my criteria without spending all night downloading content only to not get a go because it took too long. I joined a league [SR4L] a great bunch of guys and now I avoid these problems as I feel more upto date with whats happening and when, now I spent countless hours improving skills, setup and driving line only to try an beat thes guys.
Even though I don't run "league" server I still keep everyone up to date in my thread and give people opportunities to affect what we are driving. Lately there's been fewer players but I hope it's just summer and nothing to do with rf2 or with my server's popularity.
I think the problem is manyfold: 1) there are so many servers that are locked and no way to hide them so that they aren't shown (the hide password protected servers doesn't actually hide them) so the list is confusing. 2) there is no where to download the missing tracks and cars that makes sense like rfactor central or something - I have yet to see it work when it tries to get the missing rfmod(s) - it is able to get the vmod with no problem now. 3) there are many servers in the list that don't actually work or can't be connected to ... those shouldn't show up in the list - to be on the list, the connection should be verified. All of the above make for a confusing and frustrating attempt to race online. This is why I don't do it. Usually 15 minutes later, I've found nowhere to race. I even run an rFactor 2 server and once every two weeks a couple guys will pop in and race, but usually nothing.
Admin can also provide direct download links in their thread in the meantime. I do this and I always have just 2-3 tracks so fast to download.
All the same problems were there in rF1. Before I started league racing I would try joining servers and then just wait around for others to come. Normally it wasn't any fun because they couldn't complete more than one lap at a time. Then I started running ny own server and slowly it would gain popularity and that was a little more fun but still filled with people that couldn't keep it on track long enough to have a meaningful race. Then one night I decided to hunt down the password of some of these locked servers. I would use Google to locate the league and then join their forum. I eventually found a league that fit me well. It is a pain I know, but totally worth the trouble. League racing is a whole nother world. As for the auto downloading of content, this only works if the rfcmp file is configured properly to support it and as far as I know not a single 3rd party rfcmp does. Not even all of ISI's content supports GetMod yet.
This is why, for now, i'll be sticking with iRacing for online racing. FW31 series is great over there except the car could certainly be better I'm liking rFactor2 for AI racing tho ... I'll be doing that next week during Virginia International Raceway week ... hate that track.
Online: I believe there is not as many ppl online as b4. IMHO its because its still not totally mod friendly or league friendly and these are the 2 biggest reasons. We race rf2 online in a league its ok but when its actually ready it will kick arse, but right now if the league suggested to go back to rf1 i would say yes instantly. Over the fact that its not up to standard for those purposes i thought that was what RFACTOR was all about league racing and modding ? That's my rant so attack, agree i (JUST DON'T CARE)
Leagues doesn't help people looking for some online time every now and then. So I really hope that everyone doesn't join a league right after they start with rf2 online racing I mean leagues have already decent amount of players on their servers, the problem is the amount of players looking for public races which is sad low.
Leagues and server admins need to smart-up as well. if and when rf2 is ready to rumble it seems there is no real need anymore to lock servers. open servers are a great recruitment tool and virtually every league is always looking for more drivers. I'm hoping we will be able to do the same with rf2 as we are doing with rf1, setup 3 rf-profiles, practise, club and event, and having an auto-scheduler running the profiles. this enables us to run the server unlocked during the week and let the scheduler lock the server on race night. That's 6 days of open server joinage. Especially with the current restrictions I don't see how we would be able to modify our rf2 mods and tracks and make it work, it makes little sense anymore as that would mean hardly any pick-up racers would bother to join us (why join a server on mid-ohio when you already got that track but a league tweaked it a bit so it needs a re-download and you just want an our of fun) So its likely we would be going vanilla with rf2, no more tweaks and modifications, which only increases the changes of new people joining our server as they would either already have the content or would be given the quickest route-to-install (vmod+1) Its not just the clients and modders that need to adapt and figure out how to use rf2 efficiently, server admins and league admins also need to adapt. our old ways might not be the best way anymore.
