Image Space Incorporated Exclusive Interview

http://www.racedepartment.com/threads/image-space-incorporated-exclusive-interview.118789/

 

Nice interview. Most of the stuff was pretty much what we already know, but nevertheless, these are most interesting Whatley's answers for me:

Nice, would love to see those things implemented.

Come on modders

Wondering what it is? Is it a racing title after all? Some spin-off project to try DX11? Is it rRally?

Would like to know more about this.. Are we talking about mods that ISI creates?

 

I'd pay for addon content if done properly.

 

If ISI created it then it wouldn't be considered a mod, it would just be paid DLC. Lots of people would crucify ISI for going back on not charging for their content.

 

+1

Would same make sense for it to mean ISI created content IMO.

 

Thanks Tim.

 

"when developers aren’t able to"

 

by his quote probably not from ISI. I had an idea about an official ISI store for mods months ago, hope they do that, would be really good. But I hope they'll use Steam for this too

 

No, it probably means quality 3PA content like Bathurst and most of the ovals now bundled in rF2 but not built by ISI. ISI is not gonna deliver content at any faster rate DLC or not unless they hire new devs.

 

I do feel slightly worried, or maybe worried isn't the right word. It's probably just the numerous crap posts around saying negative things having some subtle effect.
Either way, thanks Tim and racedepartment for the interview

I wonder what will happen over the rest of rf2s lifetime, how it will eventually turn out when "finished". It was maybe 3 years ago that I remember reading a post from Tim where he talked about the potential of rf2. He said something along the lines of having a big dynamic environment just like in real racing, with varying surface grips dependant on temp, moisture, rubber, debris, etc. Weather that would be affecting the track differently in sections (raining on one part of lemans, dry on another), even talking about like at old hockenheim in the forest, where the humidity would be higher and would effect the engine, etc etc. Those kinds of ideas really struck me, because that's just summing up so much of what I want in a sim.
Then seeing the mention of what may have to be omitted when it comes to weather racing, I hope this won't end up as a watered down version of that previous idea.

I know this is why devs don't like saying that stuff, it leads to expectations and not much else. I'm not looking for the stupid roadmaps some want.
The other thing is that the team behind rf2 have given us so much already, with such an amazing piece of tech. I cannot doubt the skill of all those involved. This isn't saying it's beyond them.

But reading about this new software, whatever it may be, this is where I start to "worry". Is this thin team going to be spread thinner? Is this just idle planning and thinking? I dream of a close to ultimate as possible Road racing sim, and I really hope to see it. This just suddenly gives me an "ehhh" feeling.
Are they going to eventually focus mostly on big commercial projects? If that's where the money comes from, why busy themselves dealing with our tiny group here?

I try and fail to drive other sims, none come up with what I want to experience. So when I start to get the willies over the one sim I love, it ain't nice XD

 

Yeah, like every developer who lists what they want to be able to deliver in a product, things can change. How much it ends up doing by the time the devs wind down on it being focus, it's incredibly hard to say. Those kind of features are what I wanted in a sim as well, and what we want to create still, but have been probably the least appreciated aspect of rFactor 2. I don't think dynamic racing features have driven sales in the way everyone seems to think.

Roadmaps are just that, roadmaps. They don't get you where you're going, and they don't tell you about any unmapped obstacles along the way. It's easy to say what you want to put in your product (pretty much what I did). You still have to make the journey and turn expectations into whatever reality there is. People love the dreams.

Thinner? Not really, it's not like they're abandoning what every major dev except CM and Kunos have used to advance the sim racing genre (the ISI engine). I just think gradually we'll get Gjon beginning to demand a smaller percentage of rF2 versus the new project as we go forward. As the Q&A says, rF2 is currently focus. I don't know if there will ever be a time when rF2 occupies 0% of dev team focus, maybe never, it's up to the man with a plan.

*I* focus on commercial projects. That's my actual job, and always has been. I'm not sure I mentioned commercial anywhere except my introduction of myself?

 

This interview was very disappointing.

Rfactor2 the time invested in waste.

new RF3? I don't want to buy.

 

Maybe you'll feel better when you've actually read it. (It specifically says we're not working on an rFactor 3).

 

Cheers for the reply Tim

Yeah, that's exactly what I mean, roadmaps and public plans don't achieve much more than hype and expectations. Especially when it comes to just us as customers, it's not like we are shareholders or investors.
I realise that post was your idea of what you'd like rF2 to become, I'm sure it's not just you though. That "vision" is what I thought was great, at the very least striving to create a truly accurate simulation of a race weekend and all it involves.

As the new project becomes the focus, for sure. I just hope its a couple of years away at least haha! There is some stuff in rF2 that I find truly awesome, not to mention the way the company does their thing. I just hope to see rF2 not fizzle out in a damp squib (again, I'm just getting suckered in by the negativity I'm sure, it's not like work is stopping next month...)
That is a interesting point though, CM and Kunos being the only ones to fully develop their own software from the start.

I suppose if you mention commercial licensing, people might think of licensing the cars and tracks for the sim, and that's all? Dunno

 

That's why I clarified exactly what kind of licensing.

The things I posted were what devs told me they were going to do, and that I found exciting, yeah. Roadmap felt clear back then

 

Regarding drivetrain model, what is it able to simulate (damage, downshift protection, etc...)?
Is it comming "soonish" or are we waiting for a certain thing to happen first?
The answer in the interview sounds to me as the work is done already and there is a certain plan for the release schedule?

 

TW: Internal planning and discussion on another title (not rF3) has taken place, but rF2 is still our focus product at this time.

This intrigues me, RF3 would be a modding platform sim similar to rf1 & 2, that kinda goes without saying. But to say "another title" suggests to me that either a) it's a different game entirely or b) it's a Sim in a completely different vain to the rFactor franchise (full series or something).

As for the interview, nothing majorly new or that exciting to come from it for me (I already have what I need from RF2!), ISI doing what they do best and doing it their way which I'm fine with.

 

Hmm, are throttle mapping and diff settings not part of the drivetrain as a whole? Pretty dissapointed those are probably not going to updated to be controlled while driving, if I read the interview correctly in that respect.

It's sad to see ISI get's 'slaughtered' over at the RaceDepartment forums, but what are you going to do.. I'm actually really, really curious about the 'other' project

 

I've just finished reading the responses, they read like "ISI isn't making the Sim *I* want so they're wrong" to me, so many upset people getting upset over something they shouldn't get upset about! It's as though they all expected RF2 to be THE best racing Sim on the market which EVERYONE plays all at the same time - that's never gonna happen with any Sim/Game!
ISI are who they are, RF2 is what it is, if people can't accept that then they need to move on without fussing like they are doing over at RD!

 

Tell you the truth, rF2 is the best sim on the market for me as long as I haved raced it

I always defended on ISI doing what it wants, however seeing these responses.. Hmm, maybe that attitude is great when you reap the benefits, but something in the back of my mind starts wondering how long you can keep that up without damaging the goal you want to achieve with that.