Well into third year of rF2 development, the product is still missing basic exposure and reviews that rF1 had. For example, compare the GameSpot pages of rF1 and rF2: View attachment 17368 Unknown release date, really? Secondly, compare the first result from google with another popular sim: View attachment 17370 View attachment 17369 The lack of reviews is hurting the reputation of rF2 badly. Recently there has only been one proper review by Empty Box and one lackluster from ISR in 2014. Other couple reviews were done in 2013 on beta. I'm curious to know what plans are with product marketing. My league wants to recruit more drivers to get the best ones racing, but it's difficult when the product is so little known. rF2 itself is not the issue, it's more than mature enough by now.
ISI has a demo which is better than any review for someone who has a mind of their own. Why don't you do a review if you think one is needed?
That is a fair point. Imo one problem is that the game was first released as beta quietly, and then suddenly got out of beta in 2013 even more silently. Probably some of these reviewers waited for some kind of announcement, and there was none.
I just can't fathom it, advertising , bad reviews or not. It must be true ...... 99.9% of a million pCars users are empty heads and not interested in even remotely entertaining the possibility they could be missing out on something. Otherwise we would have a lot more runners in rooms wouldn't we. ? lol
Pick up racing isn't a big deal and I think it never will be in rF2. Heck, even in iracing it isnt' that popular. The biggest numbers are the sof races that members organise and the weekend nascar stuff. At least that's how it was for a couple of years when I was there.
And it's a pity because the pickup racing there is available is generally a very good quality. The fast guys are patient, the slow guys respectful and everyone seems to have a great time. The format may be an issue. I've yet to see a server that only runs 20 minutes races continually. Personally, an hours practice a short qually and 30-45 minutes race is a perfect night... For me! These days I have far less responsibilities in life therefore adequate time, unlike most it seems.
I tell you how ISI get their share. DX12 Motor City online with gmotor3 fizzix. Hardcore heaven and you get all the knobs in too, I mean you would use them as "traffic" hehehe. Mates I lanned/onlined F1-2002, Nascar F1C GTR with ran MCO ..........they never shut up about it.
Up for a challenge? Maybe all should do their own proper review of rf2 (it's all aspects). Better yet, make a review in depth comparing it to some other decent sim, in which you have raced a lot, to make it unbiased. No more lack of reviews.
First reason is that rF2 wasn't 'closed dev' like rF1. With rF1 you could not do something that didn't work. With rF2 there were many things you could turn on that didn't do anything, or didn't work. This made it difficult to push as a product. What I mean by closed dev would be a closed door system where if you can't use a feature, you can't turn it on. Not many reviewers can cope with that. Most gaming sites that I contacted for coverage wished to sell advertising in return for coverage.
I am sorry Tim Shame people that supposedly believe in sims will compromise themselves that way. I been asking for 2 years for a topline hardcore simmer to do a "proper" review on Physics, tyres , chassis. I mean I see guys out there doing videos every day of every sim, they have time to drive them all and they do it well. I rather listen to one of those guys. Empty Box never delved into physics nearly enough.
Lets take a little time to think about this from practical side of things. Good scores on sites with wide audience would produce customers; Fact. How much customers is pretty much anybodys guess, one can hazard a guess depending on amount of coverage? Now looking at the sites that have scored games that fall under the rF2 genre (sim, racingsim, advanced user prefered [trust me thats what the review will say in places like IGN, Gamespot, etc...]), what kind of sites would be likely to see, quoting Durge here, "the inner beauty of rF2" and give the points that we all think it deserves? Ok so now we have a list of few sites and people who might do some good for rF2 sales and us fans might get more playmates. Whats next? Call up some of the journalists to have a little looksey into the ISI lair, arrange a powerpoint presentation (can't go wrong with powerpoint right?) about ISI and the tech, have some lunch and try out the game at its best. Then send them home with a copy and let them do what they do? Rest of the people who can't make it (lets say from europe) can have a little one on one time and game copy from Tim "the marketeer" Wheatley? Now we have some folks with inside scoop about the entity that is ISI and rFactor2. So they write their stories about this experience and hoping they liked it enough to throw in a score of 8 or who knows even a 9, ISI goes about their business and we just wait... and wait... and see what did that money spend catering these journalists managed to achieve in numbers (new players, more dollars, etc..) Lets say all goes well and we get the metacritics (http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/rfactor-2) site filled with reviews that looks nice in the average score, and the advertising money has returned it self 10 fold. Job well done, money well spend, everyone is happy. If Tim wants to throw in what actually happens in these get togethers and review requests, feel free to pitch in. Anyways... First what is needed is a product to give them to review, second something has to give, like Tim said, usually they want something as well. Third, advertising takes money, more you want to advertise, more money it takes. And did you know that you can buy a good score from one of these sites *shocked*. Then theres the little quote I posted yesterday about what Gjon said: The most important part: Is there actually doubt that Tim wouldn't know every single little trick, shceme, sales speech, and method to advertise their own product? His tittle says Marketing and Sales in it. If ISI would want to market rF2 more aggressively to a wider audience, they would, inclueding getting the reviewers up to snuff and the reviews out there for all people to see. Rules of the game and all... it's all about hype, contacts, and popularity. Sometimes they need to be actually created manually.
Which they did with rF1, at least it feels it was way more exposed. DVD release, deal with BMW Sauber saw the game featured on rigs in F1 paddock, DVD came bundled with Logitech G27 wheels, etc. Maybe stock cars release will bring some hype to USA markets, I hope. That and Steam release are the best ways to get it more known I think, as not much new reviews will likely happen with 3 years past initial release.
Videos like below are nice marketing as well, showing some cool tech feature. 300k views. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzWNZcCIYks
If one is so concerned about the rFactor 2 present and future on the market, just go and do some advertising your selves. Anyone can create hype, it doesn't take much (look at all those WMD members), especially since in this case you have so much Actual facts on your side. You can do it even without being an imbecile like the X Motor Racing guy (look at JonZ/Carbon14 and his amazing videos).
