How is that ISI's fault though? Granted they could provide filters.....but what you're describing are either useless server admins or ones that don't know how to use the tools ISI provide.
Rich...I'm not saying they're directly responsible for everything. I'm addressing the fact that if ISI had their own ISI sponsored multi-player servers available, I could join those and know I'd be 100% guaranteed to have ALL of the content. Is the fee not for automatic update and multi-player services? Ultimately ISI has the power to dictate what is and is not displayed in the list of servers...(i.e...what servers are locked, versions displayed, the requirements, etc...) The whole thing needs better policing. I want to know what is required to join an online event BEFORE sitting through a fifteen minute download...only to get a pop-up saying 'not all components installed successfully' ...then have that happen another nine or ten times in a row. That multi-player list is launched right from RF2...as such, I associate it with RF2...regardless of who owns the servers. What's wrong with ISI dictating that either server admins get their s*it together or their servers NOT be displayed? It's ultimate ISI's product that taking the 'hit' in reputation.
I will keep paying yearly by the time they do rF3 I probably would have paid 100% more then a lifer. I guess we all did it they would have had 100% more for development.
I think the price by itself is extremely reasonable. I think price vs value (for me) right now is not very good. It's ironic, because I really like the product that is RF2. I've said this a 'million' times. After the fiasco with the original Rfactor MP mismatch problems...(which to be truthful took quite some time to occur), I never expected to be back here again with these stupid issues. It's like nothing was learnt last time out as MP goes.
I for one did not really encounter any issues with online multiplayer racing in rF1,yes yes I heard of plenty people having issues but not me. Even now joing races in rF1 is better and easier than rF2. Joining a server when you have the current mod (how can you really tell with rF2's MM?) and the current track has still not been implemented. What mod is a server running in rF2? You only know if the server maker has specifically named it as so when they made the 'package'. I tried to join a server the other night........60+ tracks it had......... No way of cancelling a download without quitting rF2,so if you tried to join a server and the download is painfully slow your kinda stuck waiting.... Plus if you decided to join a different server those downloads are still going on,sucking your bandwidth and possibly compromising your experience. Unstable build testing....where's that gone?
I'm curious, in rF1 were you racing in a league. If not, I seriously doubt you never ran into problems hunting down cars/tracks because they didn't even have unique ID's. You had to download several version of the same track just to find the right one. If you raced in a league it wasn't bad obviously. But in rF2 it's also easy if you race in a league because that admins actually care. Rich has pointed out a million times that he runs public servers that are properly setup with GetMod and he doesn't include 20 tracks in his vmods but his servers still go empty. I do agree that some sort of precheck to validate that all components have valid URLs so you don't spend 15 mins just to find out the last component is missing a links oils be a great improvement.
Yep and others do the same too and advertise that. Kinda why I've never understood people moaning about it. There are many servers which are not setup correctly but there are also many which are setup perfectly. One look at the forums will tell you which if anyone is in doubt. For clarity I don't care at all if nobody goes on my servers. But to say there are no servers suited to pickup racing is simply false. Though having said that I'm totally game for providing many servers for everyone using a format you all want with content you all want......but I put up two servers using only content from isi and totally open with a race weekend format suitable for pickup sprint races. Nobody joined them in a week. I can't get my head around the opinion that of isi servers are stickied to the top of the matchmaker people will join. Is it so hard to scroll down for three seconds and click join?
Of course some incorrect versions now and again etc etc but nothing major. In a League,ran a League and random servers. I'd say people try to join populated servers first,that's why they are online,to race someone?
So what are you complaining about then? That you can't join the popular servers? Maybe you should be complaining to the admins of those servers me thinks.
I see your point about people wanting to join populated servers but it has to start somewhere. I'm not a pickup racer anymore but when I did back in rF1 I would join a server and just give it some time and normally others would join. Once 4 people were on people would start coming in larger numbers.
Hey RICH and OTHER'S have you ever thought ppl just dont like your content that you have on servers. ( this is why so many vacant i believe ) Its not about servers its about finding a server with the content you like. Maybe as more content is released ppl will use other ppl's server's more often. But right now im in a league and only race that content while im racing in that series. Honestly only like 1/2 of what ISI have released so far. IMHO the more the SIM CORE comes together the more ppl that will leave rf1 and other sims for rf2. I have rf1 installed and a few other sim's but they do not compare to RF2 and the features it has. IMHO ISI servers are only good for releasing new content making sure ppl can use and try it. I have started to think this SIM might just be too hard for some PPL so they race where it is easier on another sim. LMAO
I guess people don't like the karts, Skippy, ISI GT cars, Apex GT3 cars, Clio's, meganes, FISI, BTCC, MX5, URD GT cars, F3 cars, BT20 and all other classics. Tried them all. It's not the content.
I think it is the lack content. The fact that not many third party mod makers are not present is easy to see, many of them also choose other platforms rather then rFactor2, let`s hope that Enduracers can result in a further boost of rFacror2 modding scene.
Really disagree with your "root cause". Honestly - there is plenty content (I will AWLWAYS enjoy more, but I think there is so much already). Tried to go racing last night - after an hour of trying to get onto servers (my internet is not the best so downloading content takes long, while it is downloading through matchmaker I cannot go race single player to pass time), I gave up, did a few laps single player, and was done for the evening. I tried joining Fun 2 Race - downloaded the track that was missing, but then was told that Clio PC is missing (separate issue - I have the clio cup car installed - could not figure our what the issue is there) Really wanted to join F1 RSH but could not download their track??? The AVL servers are not password protected, but I never get a chance to join (why?) Tried some other servers too. Was SO hoping Tim's ISI server would've been up - but alas.
"Half of the battle is knowing." Now that I'm aware Rich has servers with the RF2 content, I will seek out his site. Thanks for the info.