Only a game??? That's BLASPHEMY!!! rF2 is a way of life, a holy bible of simulation racing. Get with the program dude! LOL!!!
Yeah, enjoy your ban Knight I started this thread to just share my feels with you lot and inject something positive vibes into these forums but reading all the responses I kinda want to hear more about personal experiences. Not so much 'ffb omg', 'wow physics because complicated calculations!', etc. but just the experiences itself. For example the feedback I am getting from ffb, physics, even sounds. I actually know what's going on due to them. I know when i'm overdriving (even slightly) because of what is happening on-the-spot and not , like in rf1 for example, because of the end result. When I brake too late and drift a bit to catch the car, I already know I gotta take it a bit more easy in the first few turns otherwise the increased heat in the tires will only start to build. How cool is that considering I am an intuitive driver and lack allot of in-depth tech. knowledge. I could not explain what is going on but I sure seem to grasp it because it makes me understand what's gong on. really like that in rf2. We did a League race last sunday and both in practise and qualifying I was in the top 3 which made me feel pretty confident considering the other 2 (aliens) had had little or no practise so I had a chance of beating them. And that set me off on the wrong foot, trying to push like hell as if it was rf1 where it didn't really matter how much you abuse the car or tires. It wasn't too extreme either, just those little pushes, braking a bit later, a hint of throttle earlier then normal, sharper lines (less smooth) etc. 'just' enough to gain a tenth or so per lap. And even though I was marginally faster then them I cost me my tires bit by bit. the heat would not go away but slowing down would make me lose my connection as I knew they where unlikely to make mistakes. At the end of race 1 I hardly could keep it on the tarmac and was grinding my teeth to stay on the podium regretting my aggressive driving style. One would think I learned from that in race 2 but opponents being even closer and me further down the back meant I was getting caught up in the excitement of close racing. The loss of downforce alone in these FR35's when chasing closely was a learning-point on the spot and by then it was too late again, tires objecting to everything I did. Add a spin and I was completely lost. All the while pushing like hell, trying to get a minimum laptime in, fighting the forces, keeping an eye on those in front and the back. can't really slow down either, it just messes with my focus and then I make mistakes, gotta keep the focus up. All the while rubber is building, fuel decreasing, giving a false sense of security as the tires seem to come back, I can push again, oh crap, I can't. (catching the car when it breaks out is something else as well, it looks like I know what i'm doing but its just panic-mode, feels sooo good when it works though). Was in 2nd place struggling like hell, 1st car 12 seconds away, no way to catch him. decided to pit for new tires and see what would happen. 3 cars passed me, 3 laps to go. bring it on! And we see it on tv so many times in F1, fresh tires vs old tires, there's just no way anyone can fight that. almost cheating. Was exactly like that after my pitstop, I whistled passed them, the grip difference was just massive, fastest lap, back in 2nd spot in no time. feelsgood.jpg And this was just a fun event. we haven't even started official championships yet where I know me and 'them' will get all serious about it and the differences in speed, amounts of practise, setup knowledge and psychological warfare are all going to push the entire grid further and further whilst the tension keeps on building. Not sure if I would be able to hack that
For me it's the driving. Maintaining balance of a GT car for an entire, lets say 60 minute race really pays off. It's the tire model that really makes rF2 shine. I've seen so many guys destroy their tires in less than 20 minutes into a race driving like they would in other sims. It's just fantastic and refreshing to see this approach taken by developers. I've done some searching on youtube a couple of times for rF2 videos and haven't yet seen some really wacky unrealistic driving styles that are fast lap times. They may be out there but I haven't seen them. To me a good sim is sometimes how you can't drive it, not how you can.
Yeah, rF2 forces a more or less complete "overhaul" of your driving style! Alone for the breaking: in rF1 for example there are cars with high braking power which also let the fronts lock. But the consequences are not even close to rF2!! Flat spots, tyre heating, influence on brakes and tyre degredation are the BIG difference! Someone here said (was it Dr1Ripper?) that driving rF2 let learning you REALLY racing! (it was reffered to learn driving better in other top 3 sims, but I bet it can be transferd to real life racing too!!) I was able to get used to the rF2 physics astonishing quickly, but I´m yet miles away of a good racer, because of punishing the tyres for example. Though racing it for now 1100 laps led me learn to drive MUCH smoother and understand a race car much better. Sorry Denstjiro, but to explain the experience and the feelings that I have, racing inrF2 is very difficult to unpossible! There are thoughts like: "WTF???" "astonishing!", "simply awesome!", "I get dizzy", "where is my towel?", and so on.... And one thing I have to mention, which is the consequence of this software engine and the reason for all that is: Absolutely highest grade of immersion that I ever felt in a racing game!! And that is ALSO a result of the very immersive and DAMN GOOD graphics!!!!!!!! Sorry, don´t want to go deeper in it, but lightning/shadows-engine with automated HDR is just a blast! When you press "race" and you are on track, you instantly know what weather it is because lightning is instantly comprehensible (right word?)!!! And sound! Yes sound..... I´m lost in rF2. More addictive than any other drug. Greets Pete
imho the more powerful Historics are a bit over the top for mine. You can use that many revs in turns and still get solid grip. Now I not sure about you guys but watching BT20 and 1968 F1 and Lola280 they were a lot more sedate in turns. Now iRacing Lotus is a beast to drive I hear and watching videos the revs in turns are much lower. Okay maybe too low a lot complain it is like Ice. But I think the rF2 cars should be somewhere between the two. Less Grip = Less Revs
Great thread going here, totally enjoy driving rFactor2! We had a league race with the Formula Renaults last weekend, by the time the race was done, I was ready for a shower but finished on the podium so went up and grabbed a beer instead. Keep up the great work ISI!!!!
I feel the same but I honestly don't know if its the car (60's F1) or just me being a wimp Trying them at the Nordschleife doesn't help either I think...
Regarding breathing, there is a rF2 sim racer who does IRL track days on his motorcycle and used rF2 to training on breathing because it is easy to forget and impossible to fully get your breath back. And IIRC he got the best lap time his first time out or was very close to the best time. Cool.
I love rf2 as well, but the sound is far from what I think is required for better immersion. I haven't seen much prioritisation around the sound engine. I don't/didn't think I was alone with this point of view. I am a complete petrol head, hairs stand on end when I recall early sunrise at spa and hearing the cars climbing up to Malmedy corner. As I said, I enjoy the sim. The sound engine currently reduces that immersion in my opinion. I don't get anything from it, it serves basic required functions of a sound engine. Credit where credit is due. Otherwise we are not really helping shape the sim via the community. Are we doing that anyway? Who knows Let's be sure, I am not here to discredit your opinion. Just to say I have a very different view on that aspect. I hope all our opinions are considered there are enough to understand what's expected and for ISI to prioritise from.
For some reason I found the sound to have been improved. or maybe its just the FR35 mod we have been using for the past 2 weeks, and maybe even placebo because build494 is such a big jump forward, but I sure do enjoy it much more. As for breathing, I reckon its pretty important yeah. it has allot to do with stamina and focus when doing it wrong or right and its a given that those two items play a big role in laptimes and overall performance. Schumacher in his best years would step out of his car with not a single drop of sweat on his forehead
Thanks Denstjiro, I do wonder what the towel is for but don't want to lower the tone. No pun intended and ah, I just did lower the tone :-(
Ha ha, Yeah really no argument there, I have just about every sim of the last few years on my HDD and Rf2 is the only one that really gets my time. I am a depressingly average racer, but if ever there was a Sim that rewarded careful, consistent racers that take care of their tyres its rF2. It rewards practice, makes me better by virtue of it's unmatched feedback. Yeah it has it's niggles, but I know it is just going to get better, for years to come this sim will carry on giving me what I want, the closest I can get to racing short of doing it for real I am not a fan, I am a devotee.
I felt the same way with OW in rF, just a touch too frenetic. Later the good open wheels mods seemed tamer, dialed down a tad. Could be all in my head too. p
It's simply amazing, and this "little" thing of the steering minimum torque, makes everything even better. I had no time to make many lap or to make a race, but wow. And for what it matter, I run RF2 at 1650x1080 (on a 22" screen), without antialiasing, with HDR on, on a ATI HD5750, and I have a decent and stable framerate. For me image quality is amazing, even without AA. I prefer to run HDR than AA.
It is obvious to me that ISI has created some magic here. My list of bugs with this game has been epic...and this latest multi-player fiasco is just icing on the cake, yet like a beaten wife I keep coming back to it...because when it's good, it's great. Any other game would have been kicked to the curb a few dozen bugs ago. So I guess its official ISI...you've made me your bitch.
Good for you! My headache comes from the fact that the game is boring and this is really disappointed because the physics is good but everything else sucks! Online? not enough players, most sparse among rooms of 2-4, this is not racing!. Become part of a league? No way i don't want to follow strict schedules! AI? just simple awful, useless that carry the same cons of rfactor 1 (i cannot see not even a pro in rf2 AI). Just today i did some run but got really bored when i start to see the "train" behavior or see them just pushing from lap 1 as if their physics/consumption is non existing (which does not, proved by the fact that if they lose the rear flap, they will keep driving fast with no problem). Honestly without exaggerating for me rf2 is like lfs with better physics, a game that at its time provided a good physics but so empty in terms of racing itself.
There's plenty of communities where there are strict rules but at the same time no obligations in terms of showing up all the time. For example our league races on sunday but we also have club races twice a week in the same format as the sunday event. so that's 3 times a week you can get your freak on. plus livetiming shows you when others are on the server during the week and then you can join in as well. Plenty of action every week and even as a member no obligation to actualy race, just welcome at all times to join in. And I bet allot of other leagues do the same or similar so you have either joined the wrong/struggling leagues or gave it little effort. Also, especially now with rf2, its the dedicated people that make the difference. our league is slowly crawling out of a lull since rf2 started, we lost allot of active drivers because rf1 was old and rf2-not-sure. But it wont ever happen if dedicated drivers don't push the envelope. If you're gonna wait for it all to happen and come to you, have fun waiting. But its not rf2 that's to blame imo. it works, it works well, despite the bugs and issues (not talking build 494 or AI btw)
A complete game changer for me too, cars that were previously undriveable are now fun. For instance as soon as I realized how much this setting had changed things I tried the Formula ISI with default setup at Nordschleife, put a complete lap in on my first try, about a 6:10 from memory. Wouldn't have got through a few corners with that car before the new minimum steering torque setting.
