Newbie questions (AKA Are we supposed to discover by ourselves how the game works?)

How many games come with a reverse engineering manual? How many games even come with documentation on where the config settings are located on the disk? It doesn't take a lot of digging to find the config files (after all it asks you where to store the settings when you install the game) and once you open them they are self documented in the comments. The average person doesn't need to dig around much anyways. As for creating folders for your cars... yeah that would be nice but again, what current sims let you do this? At least in rF2 it is possible (just like it was in rF1) by creating your own VEH files and repacking. That's better then not being able to do it at all. Why do I feel like this is just another flambait thread?

 

BTW, #3 is answered in the documentation which is found in the help file which is in <DataPath>\Support\Tools\ModMaker.chm

 

I dont know and I dont care, all I know is that RFactor 2 does not have a manual.

Your feelings dont give me a manual.

 

What manual came with rF1? I honestly don't remember getting a book in the mail when I bought several licenses of it over the years.

Not trying to be combative here but exactly what are people expecting in the manual? How to drive? Turn the wheel to the left to turn left? How to chose the optimal apex? Or are we looking for how to double click on the icon? Or looking for a description of what the damper settings do? I remember GPL (or was that one of the GP games?) had a manual with driving advice which I could see being helpful for people without any real life experience coming into simracing. The OP said he isn't looking for a modding manual so I know that isn't what he is looking but that is what most people are seeking when looking for documentation around here.

 

Even F1C had a manual with basic guidelines of each adjustment parameter's impact to the car. I never saw anything for rF but back then I rarely drove it, but just because it didn't have anything (digitally, I never looked at the box version) doesn't mean it is excused or that rF2 is excused.

You may not want to sound combative but your last two posts have been very much in that tone you want to avoid. I don't understand jumping at throats of people who may just be frustrated the game is missing something and dare externalize it.

 

Ill post it later when I go home.

A manual is a manual is a manual.
Many people here came from RF1 so they were already familiar how things generally worked.
I didnt, I only used it superficially among other sims, so things that for you look ridiculously familiar may not for me and for others. Manual helps reduce time spent to know trivial things like...where do I write chat messages to assign buttons for.

 

Okay so one example. So a guide on how to navigate the UI. That is all I am asking. A manual isn't just a manual. As I said above, it could be a driving manual, a modding manual, a plugin dev manual, a setup manual. The list goes on and on. If someone wants a driving manual, I can list several on Amazon that are good. If your looking for a setup manual, there are several on Amazon. A basic manual on how to navigate the UI is a reasonable request for sure. But expecting ISI to write manuals on every aspect of simracing is a bit ambitious. That is why I was asking for clarification.

 

There was already said what aspect is meant.
Really sad that you see a manual as something "ambitious".

 

I took this thread as flamebait. I apologize if that isn't the intent of the OP. I don't have a problem with someone looking for a manual. I'm just curious what people expected it to have in it. In your example it sounds like you would like a setup manual. It's a sim so the adjustments you make to say dampers would have the same impact as it would in real life so reading up on setup of a real car would answer your questions better than ISI (a software developer) could. Nikos is looking for a UI manual. To me the UI seems self explanatory but then again I've used ISI engines for so long I guess I've forgotten what it was like to jump in as a noob. I also have some real life setup experience so I probably take that knowledge for granted too.

But really, to fully document everything about rF2 you would have a manual the size of a Porsche service manual and you would need a hefty price tag to go along with it. But hey, you could put it on the mantel.

 

"Manual" in regards to rF2, an open driving simulator, is ambiguous. So sad yes.

 

I think the modern manual is a wikipedia article, so why not update it with all that we know? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RFactor_2

 

Good luck with that

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/dsemryx8yupm6o5/rFactorManual.pdf?dl=0

 

I can't believe I've never seen this. I skimmed through it and your right, a lot of it would still apply. Probably 85% of it. I also notice that this manual was created by Bob Simmerman from AutoSimSport. So maybe someone with some editing skills could volunteer to create a manual for rF2 like this one.

 

I think its needed, only thing I can think of holding it back is of things changing.
For instance changing car while on track has changed back and forth.

 

To the OP, this is a bit of an indie project. The best home sim available IMO but they leave the door wide open to make it your own. e.g. As Noel said for #3 (and #4) go to support/tools/ and there is some good html doc. Once you start poking around in the mas files you quickly realize how easy and how much is possible. (This is not by accident.) Build your rfcmp's first (containing only what you want in them) then it won't be an issue when packaging the rfmod.

A lot of items are left to you to assemble. Want an IMSA or PWC series or Kart series? Create an icon for the rfmod, mod track banners where possible (if you want), create car liveries, helmets, package those liveries and car type in their own rfcmp with their own race team/driver names and numbers. You can even easily balance performance between the mods. If you want to go a step further you can start exporting dds textures. e.g. I've stenciled some radiators. Textured some bits to look like Magnesium. Have fun with it.

The modding part of of the forum has some helpful folks. Tim is also starting up an old website, once I get some of my stuff done I might post a couple mods out there. e.g. I'm working on a GTLM/GTD IMSA mod, all custom liveries, icons to match the cars in the UI, etc.

 

IMHO coming from console to sim racing without help from some1 you will get lost big time or have to do a hell of a lot of reading especially if you not pc literate. I suggested b4 that maybe some of the guys on here with their superior knowledge should do some youtube vids for these ppl wanting to make the move. But it fell on deaf ears IMHO. JOIN A LEAGUE AND YOU SHOULD GET THE HELP NEEDED TO UNRAVEL RF2. It will also help with all other sims you want to play in the future. GOOD LUCK..................

 

There was a wiki at one time. I wonder if would be helpful to have a wiki point to some of the more informative threads like the "definitive AI thread", etc.

 

some1 has already helped a lot, spreading a nice street Corvette around the various sims. Niels was a big help with that, too. And ISI.

<running away now>

 

It was a tongue in cheek comment about the gaming industry in general.


iRacing for example, has plenty of user made videos for newbies, rF2 community just isn't that way unfortunately. The rF2 wiki is proof of that.


Edit: I haven't looked at YouTube because I haven't needed to so maybe there is user made videos for newbies.