[REL] December 2020 Build Update

OK, I've tweaked my video driver setup and rF2 graphics options, and it's going to be fine. But the shadow system really needs to be optimized. It eats all the resources more than anything.

 

What's more, what destroys performance is the rain and the day/night cycle, especially when the sun is low.

With a GTX 1080 and a 1080p 75hz screen, in full ultra with the opponents on medium, I have to turn off the rain.

Otherwise my FPS can go down to 45 FPS even with the rain settings at the minimum.

 

Many users have learned NOT to use PP effects when racing. If you want pretty screen shots then set everything to ultra. But for racing, only apply lvl 1 or lvl2. Shadows and the time of day do indeed have a-lot to do with how well or poorly rF2 runs.

 

I know what everyone is saying about post processes, but I don't agree.

Between medium and high, there is a very important visual improvement.
Between high and ultra, the improvement is real but less important.

Honestly, I can't do without ultra, it's too beautiful.

I do all of my sessions between 5:00 PM and 11:00 PM with X12 timescale (30 min), and it brings so much improvement.

And I must say that ...... The GOD RAYS effect, which depends on the post process, is incredibly well done (bravo S397).

So I do without the rain, but the game is very nice in exchange, it's a compromise.

But honestly the rain must be optimized, not only a little but a lot, and since it has been 4 years it will have to be done in 2021.

It is a major problem, except for those who do not like to drive in the rain .

 

rfactor's CEO will go in the direction he wants to go, but this UI is rubbish

 

So you keep saying, but I've not yet read one constructive post from you as to "why" you think it's "rubbish", so please by all means elaborate in as much detail as possible, thank you

 

Old ui was rubbish, so.. You can't never build perfect ui.

 

If after all the complaints that exist in the forum about the new interface, about the rfactor failures without solving, and you still don't know why the interface is rubbish, you are silly

 

I was asking you to explain your reasoning, not to point the finger at me, so last chance - what exactly is "rubbish" about the UI in a nicely detailed constructive post please

 

How many years have you been making a new interface? ... at least it must be three times better than the interface we already have ... well no, after so much time, the new interface is worse, all due to a competition system that is very currently bad

constructive solutions for what ?, if then it does not pay any attention

 

Ok I give up!

 

the better feedback S397 can get the quicker it will be addressed. Even if you are repeating others comments. They then see hey a lot of people are complaining about these same things and can focus on those. They did say they wanted feedback from community.

 

help from the community? oh comments from the community ?, if that's why all the errors raised by the community, have already been fixed !!!

long live the wine

 

They did say it. And I saw them reacting to some very good suggestions, like making non default setup settings to stand out. But what counts as good feedback remains subjective. It has to fit in the vision. If UI has been designed with lots of separate windows in mind to make every option to stand out more. Then many of us, who would like everything to be arranged in fewer windows, and screen spaces to be used more rationaly, are just not in the same boat. And thats fundamental stuff, without getting picky on the details. And the details - there are the details.

Also if UI has been designed to maximise potential of multiplayer usage, then those who prefer using single player for some reason might feel new UI to be less of an improvement.

It isn't great design, if it was - everyone would be happy about it. This UI is improvement for some, and regress for some others, and it is unclear whats to be expected next, perhaps someones boat is just sailing away as previous UI will become obsolete as next updates will roll just for new UI. For example I think god rays is such a sweet little improvement to be coming back to rF2 lately, I'd probably sacrifice UI experience and less comfortable modding work for it. Game > UI.

 

Ive been using the new UI for a week or so now and its definately growing on me. Little tool tips for some of the more obscure items would be good, and for sure some sort of documentation describing what each of the settings etc does. For me personally a big improvement would be to streamline the sequencing between sessions and having the option to save progress between sessions in singlepayer, beyond the somewhat convoluted process in existence currently of resuming from a replay. A nice simple "Save" button and a nice simple "Resume" button would be ideal
Otherwise given its inevitability, its pretty obvious that getting on board and putting as much input as one can into steering the process is infinitely preferable to other alternatives.

 

In short, great UI designs don't exist

 

Edit to my above post- Ive just stumbled accidently into the 'Watch' tab to see what is in there and clicked on a replay out of curiosity and guess what? Theres a 'Resume' button!! That is a very good thing and a big thumbs up.
I think an improvement would be to have that functionality on display on the 'Singleplayer' Tab.

 

S397 cars consume lots of FPS around pitlane areas. I know they are more detailed than ISI cars, but probably need optimization too.

 

Tried the competition system for the first time and compared to the new UI I am pleasently surprised by it. Sure it's not perfect but the base is there. The steps to get into an actual race session were as easy as it get's and everything is nicely automated. Another top notch thing is that you are thrown back to the main screen ready to boot up a private test session against AI with the excat same track and car combinations, so you aren't left alone wondering about track or car configs and can start practicing right away. Please keep it like that. Something that I find a bit problematic is more UI related but the chat window should be under the replay screen. Making a click more to get involved on a server than actually needed still makes zero sense to me, while you have all that empty space unused. As expected the fact that the races follow an exact schedule makes it so much easier to get some nice pickup racing going. Something that I missed a bit is info on how the points scoring and the standings table works. There is no way to filter your own driver name wich get's a bit difficult with over 600 registered drivers. Other than that it's a very good start and I am looking forward to further updates and new competition formats. A Porsche Cup competition is a must have

 

I've got way too many CTDs with this build, after quitting the car.