Latest Roadmap Update - April 2017!

@Tuttle Can I ask a noob question? Is there any issue with 'quantization' of colours on low albedo textures, since lower overall values means a smaller range to work with? Or am I imagining that? (ie a texture being 'brightened' by light, will have differences between pixels magnified). Sorry for OT.

 

Albedo is about surfaces, not pixel color. Means our material albedo is the average median of the entire image, since e.g. a slab of concrete will have a wide mix of micro elements with different colors and proprieties. Also, a typical track, its already a low albedo place, so quantization in the .1 - .3 range would end in a very flat and dull histogram.

 

I was thinking along the lines of, a pure green texture with low albedo might have an average value of 0,60,0, compared to 0,220,0 or something similar in a diffuse texture. So then graduations would have to be less smooth. But in practice it's probably not significant, and this is all a bit over my head so ignore me

 

Can I ask a quickie about the update release date, is the 1st of May confirmed as I may plan a day off around it

 

For me realism is everything - physics, FFB and graphics. I'm happy that - as far as i understand listening to Tuttle - studio 397s goal is to produce realistic graphics in rF2 (and not some artificial looking good on monitor graphics). In VR you notice immediately if graphics are realistic or artificial. It's all about realism.

 

Unless it an updated version it doesn't match my one . That pit entry isnt it ?

 

I still think it is!

 

And because of VR I think the graphics team will have really a lot to do because of big challenges: 1st: the driver model needs to be correct, its the first you look in VR - your own body. Ellbows only a few millimeter thick will confuse you or shoes as big as clown shoes (you never seen them on monitor before so they were unimportant). 2nd: the interior of the car, in VR you will inspect the interior very closely so it needs to be very detailed. 3rd: track near billboard trees and stuff needs to be replaced by 3D models. In VR billboard trees really are only flat imposters which follow you when you look at them, very annoying.

So for me - being excited about VR support - I think there are a lot of challenges, additionally to produce realistic graphics, for the graphics team. Listening to Tuttle I very much looking forward.

 

It is very obviously Mores. The painted stripes separating the track from the pit entrance give it away. We have to drive over those stripes on every regular lap if we want a decent lap time

 

I obviously don't know a damn thing about all this Alfredo and Pasta in the updated graphics package, but isn't it odd...everyone clamoring for DX11 and then carping when they are about to get it. The VR boys may be annoying to the Flat Earthe...I mean the Flat Screeners... but what they bring is excitement. Excitement spreads and brings in more users. The more users the more people can lap me.......hmmmm let me think on this a little...

 

So I'll be able to run the new beta as well as my current version side by side for testing?

SS

 

@SmellySkidmark You can switch via the steam beta builds feature, and I think you can copy one of them to a new folder so that you can have both at once and choose which to run (manually). Steam will just see its own folder.

 

Soooooo. what does that mean for server admins? do we update our servers or do we stick with the current build?

No offense to the S397 devs but the "Beta Build" feels an awful lot like a further delay of full implementation. As in they don't think it is actually ready. So first the new build is slated for Q1, then delayed to May 1st, then converted to "Beta Build". It makes me think that maybe this was the best way to avoid a full on second delay.

I understand that S397 has a boat load of work on their plate. I think if DX11 is, in fact, ready then it should be released in its full glory. Otherwise just say it's not ready.

I am a firm supporter of rF2 and S397, but this one (the April Roadmap update) has me a bit perplexed. I hope it all comes out well.

 

@Depco If the server does change in some way, it will work with both dx9 and dx11 clients. So your choice to upgrade or not would be the same as now: you would, unless some bug appeared that meant you'd rather stick to the current.

The graphics stuff seems to involve quite a few changes (not 'just' switching to dx11), and it makes sense to give it time with a wider audience before locking it in as the only option. Having both clients compatible is a good compromise. I don't think there's any reason to worry.

 

So DX9 or DX11 is purely a client side choice. The server's build is agnostic to which version is being used by the person connecting to it. From your above post I gathered that the DX9 and DX11 versions were completely different builds. I am not that familiar with the Steam beta content functionality.

 

Well, they are completely different builds, but they're compatible (physics, multiplayer, etc). It's the graphics side that's undergone major changes between the two.

 

So again, If I update my build on the server, the rest of the league members have to update to the new build in order to run on the server. This is no different than any other previously released build. It's hardly an optional "Beta Build" for our league members then. They must update to the new build or be left out of the server and the races run on the new build. OR I leave the server in the current build and the members must stay with the current build.

The Beta Build only makes sense if you are playing in single player mode or are not running solely with a dedicated group. The way ISI used to do the development builds seems to me to have been a better way of introducing new (unreliable) features while still allowing the less adventurous among us to stay on the latest stable build for league activity.

S397 is either confident in the new build's stability and features and should simply release the new build as a standalone update without the need for a "Beta Build" tag, or it isn't and they should release a Development "Beta Build" and say "Don't use this build for everyday and league play."

I'm not trying to start a fight, just making a point.

 

In the good ol days of NAscar Racing 3. We NEVER updated our games if a patch came out until AFTER what-ever season we were in was completed. Getting 30 odd people to correctly install and configure a patch was never easy. These days, the server hosts might end up pulling their hair out trying to get everyone on the same page. I'm sure steam will help, but not everyone has made the move, (there is a thread on right now dealing with one person's issues) I'd get on one of S397's social channels and see if they respond to the same question.
good luck

 

@Depco The Dx11 beta build will be compatible with the dx9 build (1108 currently). That means, no, people don't need to update, if your server is updated (and we don't even know it will be). People can join with the dx11 beta build, and they can join with the dx9 build. You're completely misunderstanding this.

 

Over on the discord channel, Marcel was asked "in open beta, dx9 and dx11 both version can join same dedicated server?" His response was "Yes they can."

Edit: ninja'd by Lazza