The best combos are fantasy combos. Here's why.

Let's face it. IRL road racing combos are boring compared to the best fantasy combos. Why? It's simple.

To begin with, sim racing is different from IRL. The best fantasy track designers know this and it's reflected in their tracks.

Secondly, it only makes sense statistically that, even with just IRL vehicles and tracks, there are simply many more combinations possible by mixing and matching vehicles and tracks. Add in fantasy tracks specifically designed to maximize the sim racing experience and it's obvious that most of the best combos are going to be fantasy combos.

Let's be clear. Rally racing, hill climb, off road truck racing, etc. kick ass. It's just ROAD racing IRL combos that suffer when translated into sim racing compared to fantasy road racing combos.

Make no mistake. It's insane to race inferior combos just because they arbitrarily exist IRL. No one in their right mind would do this.

Are you insane?

Sim racing is different than IRL racing. Not bound by regulations. Not limited to arbitrary championship season. Empowered by testing and imaginations of fantasy track developers. Maximizing adrenaline.

Real-world physics. Fantasy combos.

Rejecting and embracing reality at the same time.

Hard core fantasy game. Real world laws of physics.

Simulating IRL is arbitrary. Why not race the best?

 

Some other things to consider- we aren't bound by national limitations so we can race anywhere. Also, along the same lines, there are no problems between race series and track owners/groups (I'm looking at you, Indycar). When you combine a limitless budget, limitless national boundaries and no other issues to get in the way, fantasy series are the best and most obvious online series to run.

I really like series that mix and match. Running a series with the real tracks mixed in with fantasy tracks combines the best of the realism aspect (like being there when you race the same car on the same track) and the best of the fantasy aspect (who wouldn't want to race their favorite series at the best tracks int he world?).

 

It's all opinion.

Nobody is insane for wanting to create real life series with correct car and track combos. For some that's what sim racing is all about.

 

I'm with Galaga, I like some fantasy tracks..
Toban, Mills, and almost every fantasy track from GT saga is awesome (I play GT from GT2). Would be great if some modders could do this kind of tracks at the same time othres do real tracks.

Obvious I also like real series, but sometimes It's fun to race in new unknown tracks that provides new experiences, new unknown turns combination done to be fun and challenging.

 

Quality versions of GP 1966-1970 please.

3 down 17 to go.

Kyalami
Jarama
Montjuic
Monaco
Spa
Riems
Le Mans Bugatti
Rouen
Charade
Brands Hatch
Silverstone
Zandvoort
Nurburgring
Hockenheimring
Österreichring
Monza
Mosport Park
Mont-Tremblant
Watkins Glen
Hermanos Rodriguez

 

Maybe the best way to say it is this....

If IRL combos didn't exist and rF2 was just a videogame but with realistic physics...

... or ...

... if ALL combos in sim racing existed IRL...

which would you choose? It would not be the IRL ones, I assure you. And that is because most IRL combos suck in sims compared to combos designed for sim racing which != IRL.

Perfect example is Nords. OMG is sooooo awesome. Wow. Well compared to rally it's nothing. Route 666 is easily 1000 times better and Nords. So is Lienz. But Nords is a real life track and only compared to other IRL tracks yes it is... you guessed it... more like a fantasy and/or rally track. Duh.

 

Rfactor 1 have a huge amount of awesome fictional tracks. In my personal opinion, the sim wouldn't be the same without them:

The Edge
NZ Icons
Lienz
Vitus Parc
Mills
Indalo
Old Ring
GP 200
Thermalito
Bryce Canyon
Troyton Raceway
...

Just to name a few...

 

Can't agree more. And would add off the top of my head Baurs Moor, China Rally, UK Rally, Gunsai Touge, etc., etc. etc.

Here is the new Irreverent Racers mission / philosophy / prescription:

Irreverent Racers – Because sim racing ≠ IRL racing

Irreverent Racers understand that sim racing is different than IRL racing. Sense of speed, seat of pants, longitudinal g-forces, danger, expense, etc. etc. etc. don’t exist in sim racing. Straights are boring in sim racing. Most immersion, challenge and feedback occur in the turns. You should not be able to drink a beer and race at the same time, so combos need to keep you on your toes to keep you from getting bored.

Irreverent Racers also understand that online racing will never achieve what is possible offline with AI. There are several reasons for this but the main reason is that people who understand the superiority of fantasy combos are simply too few and far between. And of course there is also people who don't use clutch and use unrealistic, dumbed down setups, etc. etc. etc. There is AMAZING racing to be had offline with the best fantasy combos.

Step one in your initiation as an Irreverent Racer begins with learning how to drive. Google ‘Skip Barber Going Faster’ and watch the whole video (should be at least an hour or two). Without the necessary driving skill and practice, you will experience the opposite problem to boredom, which is frustration. You will find, however, that the reward awaiting you for going through the learning curve will dwarf the effort you invest.

This does NOT mean that you cannot enjoy better sim racing IMMEDIATELY. You can jump in a Lada TODAY and take it to Toban Long Reverse or Motorsports Ranch 1.3. While these two are the best, other options to keep you entertained include Putnam chicane, Phillip Island, Euroring and Mores.

IMPORTANT NOTE! It is CRITICALLY IMPORTANT to change the AI limiter (should be zero) and auto line smooth (should be 3) in the player file.

Once you know how to drive, then you are ready for step two, which is experience the very best sim racing has to offer. Jump in a Skip Barber Regional and take it to one of the Lada tracks above, Lienz or Route 666. Other great car choices for Lienz or Route 666 include the Civic, T280, SLS safety car, Spark F2 or the 65 Howston G6.

SIDE NOTE - Only select the Skip Barber National (the one with slicks) if you sincerely cannot control the regional. Also, if this is the case you haven’t fully completed step one so it is important to continue your studies and practice until you are able to handle the regional.

These combos should be enough for a good long time of solid offline racing. The better your driving skills, the deeper the physics and the more challenging the combo, the less you are going to crave a continuous stream of new content. Having said that, Irreverent Racers are always testing newly available content for worthy combos so check back often for newly ‘certified’ combos, reviews, analysis and challenges.

When you are ready for the truly insane, and only after reading the 60s F1 Driving Tips, take the Spark F1 (be sure to follow setup guidelines in the 60s F1 Driving Tips) to Interlagos version 0.56, Malaysia Full, Silverstone, Modern Spa, Austin, Suzuka or Nurburg GP.

Edit - LOL I forgot to mention Black Hole Ring for Spark F1 which is by far the best combo for this car. Oh yeah, and it is a fantasy track

 

It has nothing to with egomania. In a real race online, you don't have that comfortable knowledge in the back of your head that this move doesn't pan out that a) it's just AI and b) the ESC key is right there, beckoning me. The intensity is ramped up in an online race because the implications of failure are more severe. Plus, the best AI will make the same mistakes lap after lap, whereas human opponents aren't as predictable- you have to follow them, study them and set them up on a case-by-case basis. When you know one AI, you know them all and can pull off the same move every time.

 

Duh. ?

What is your point, it is not fantasy ?

Nor is Bathurst, Dundrod, Isle of Man, Rouen or Charade ........no fantasy tracks hold a candle to any of those. imho

Either way you seem bordering on fanatical.

I do not crave a continuous stream of new content.

So you mention a handful of no permission content... ....you are my hero.

Anyways I have amazing racing at many legal real circuits , even Monza, so I do not know what you on about.

 

I partly agree with OP's reasoning, but myself I still strongly prefer real tracks. As a fan of motorsports I love to learn the tracks and get a feel for them. Makes it all the more interesting to watch real races. And racesims should always try and evolve towards being as real as possible.

Sim racing is different than IRL racing, yes. But sim-racing's ideal is to be as close to IRL racing as possible. Only real tracks can do that IMO.

 

Well atm the top 6 rooms have 84 people racing real tracks. and it is the same every day I come here.

Patently obvious to me what people prefer.

 

So you like fantasy tracks better then real tracks......

Question Galaga; do you even competitive? Are you in a league? have you been in the past? with all out championships and big competitive grids?

Just asking btw, i'm not about to flame

 

OK I will change that part. FWIW - I didn't mean that you are an egomaniac if you race online.

 

My point is people like Nords because it is like fantasy and rally tracks which are fun...unlike most IRL tracks.

Regarding Bathhurst I can drink two beers on the straight = fail.

What tracks are no permission? I will remove immediately.

Glad you enjoy monza. I do too as long as I am also watching TV at the same time.

 

All things being equal I completely understand you and anyone for whom sim racing is second to or an enhancement of IRL. I have no debate regarding that.

 

Agree 100%, which is why offline is only option for people who don't care about IRL and that is because unfortunately people do care about IRL. Sim racing would be way better on it's own if they didn't but of course they do and that is fine and they are having fun and that is the way it is. For the vast minority of us who only care about sim racing, we have to race offline because we are too few and far between.

 

I disagree, I believe almost every online player is egomaniac. But they probably leave it there, they are not egomaniacs in their normal life. Nothing wrong with that. I would be egomaniac too but I don't have the driving skills to have that credibility.

 

Yes I am so competitive it nearly ruined rF2 for me. I drove Spark F1's competitively in rF2 with my own league Revival Racing and with SR4L (great guys BTW). Unfortunately, even with the amazing Spark F1, many combos are boring other than the ones I listed above but no one wants to run those.

 

Understand what you are trying to say but I have raced with many mid-packers, like myself, who had fun as long as there was someone to fight. Although I have one many online races it was never because ability but from many hours of practice. Even then I often drove a slower car than others and used clutch and used realistic setup even though it meant that I would not win because I refuse to drive the wrong way just to be competitive. Another problem with online racing (unrealistic dumbed down setups, no clutch, etc. etc. etc.). Thanks for reminding me I will have to update that