Released Release Candidate Update | Client 7626415

Paul Jeffrey

Paul Jeffrey

Hello sim racers,

Slightly delayed posting following deployment of the new Release Candidate build on Friday 1st October. Change notes below:

Latest Release Candidate Update

Steam Build IDs
Client 7420700
Dedi 7420707

Changelog

Game Loading
- Optimizations to Game Loading and Series switching.
- Optimizations to Texture Loading.
- Added the ability to load cached track files from the component to improve loading times.
- Improved shader loading and added pre-built shader cache to improve loading times.

UI
- Fixed an issue where Exaggerate Yaw would default to -80%

GFX
- Minor pass on cloud texture balancing.
- Adjusted PFX settings to allow for more exposure in low light conditions.

Audio
- Updated minimum number of audio effects to 32.

Modding
- Updated ModDev to save and load CBASH and RRSHD files into track folders so that they can be packaged with content.
- Detect if VisGroups affect collision and log this occurrence and in ModDev only show a pop up.
 
Thanks to the graphics team, the clouds have a strong improvement, even a very strong one.
The improvement was very disappointing 4 months ago, but here in graphical terms the improvement is major.

Good improvement in low light exposure and color balance in low light.

On the other hand, I am disappointed with the improvement in loading times (sorry).

I7 9700K at 5 Ghz, 16 go ram at 4000 Mhz, SSD (sata 6 I think or fast sata I do not know too much about it, on the other hand not NvMe), good motherboard, GTX 1080, very highly optimized windows, clean rF2/lightly loaded/and reinstalled very cleanly 3 months ago.

I measured the loading of the Nurburgring Combined 4 times (including the first loading after clear cbash and shader) and the loading is really excessive (between 3 minutes and 3 minutes 20).

It is true that I use 89 AI, in multiclass, with the graphics almost at the maximum in full HD.

But really disappointed, I had "fixed" 2 minutes maximum to be satisfied with the improvement.

Very significant improvement in the showroom loading.

Please do like Zandvoort for Nurburgring regarding load optimization apparently you've done something extra there.
 
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doddynco said:
I think that's what it said in the road map right? They need to add a cache or something for it to work?
Click to expand...

Yes, apparently cache files are generated in devmode that can be packed with a track's mas to speed up loading times. My only fear with this type of thing, will mods become broken when an author doesn't update this cache in future builds? Or will the engine recognize it's from an older build and bypass it?
 
I just tested the new Release Candidate, unfortunately the 3080(TI)+Reverb G2 is still giving major framedrops non stop. So I'll wait again for the next release.. in the hope to be able to play this awesome sim again.
 
The loading changes on the whole mean that the game will now always hit the best loading times of before. Tracks can pack files that were generated on the fly before and shaders are shipped pre compiled. This means there should be no more 10 minutes to load Nords, when you change build, get game updates or change a graphics setting such as shadows.
 
Alex Sawczuk said:
The loading changes on the whole mean that the game will now always hit the best loading times of before. Tracks can pack files that were generated on the fly before and shaders are shipped pre compiled. This means there should be no more 10 minutes to load Nords, when you change build, get game updates or change a graphics setting such as shadows.
Click to expand...
game loading improved mentioned? what is the meaning of this
 
Noticed an improvement in track loading times at my end.
I do worry sometimes about updates, but thankfully nothing to worry about this time, still running smoothly on my 3080 ti and reverb G2.
Did a league race at Bathurst from dawn to dusk, and it actually looked quite stunning going over the mountain heading into the sunrise, great work :-)
 
TurboHenk said:
I just tested the new Release Candidate, unfortunately the 3080(TI)+Reverb G2 is still giving major framedrops non stop. So I'll wait again for the next release.. in the hope to be able to play this awesome sim again.
Click to expand...
This is most likely an issue with your Nvidia control panel or vr api settings. I'm using a humble 1070 on a 2k monitor and I get around 80fps with settings maxed out. I used to use a rift S with the same setup and it worked flawlessly. I just think the problem is your end.
 
@Andy Bonar I'm interested how you are achieving this, do you mind PM me which Nvidia drivers, version of Windows, motherboard etc you are using PLUS your SteamVR/WMR & rF2 settings (-any changes in rf2 files). Also if you have made any changes in Nvidia Inspector/Control panel? I would really appreciate it. I am assuming you ran the race at a pretty steady 90fps? Thanks.
 
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cristianuk said:
game loading improved mentioned? what is the meaning of this
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Read his answer above. The shader compile process and slow first time loading of track is probably the biggest user experience detractor. I bet 90% of the rF2 loading time complaints come from new users who first time load a new track. That and the menu "freezing" for ten seconds when performing certain actions actions like switching series or loading showroom first time. Haven't tested yet, but if these cases are now fixed, it's awesome news.
 
pilAUTO said:
I measured the loading of the Nurburgring Combined 4 times (including the first loading after clear cbash and shader) and the loading is really excessive (between 3 minutes and 3 minutes 20).
Click to expand...

But that is quicker than it was before, wasn't it five minutes for those 89 AI cars before? I think first time Nürburgring was released for rF2 in 2018 it took 3-4 minutes just to load an empty track with 0 AI, so there has been quite a bit of improvement over the years.

I'm also not sure what other sims do. I guess you cannot test it since no sim supports 89 AI outside of rF2 I suppose? The last time I loaded iRacing it took more than two minutes to load Nürburgring with just a few opponents, so I would say they are at least on par with iRacing now.
 
stonec said:
But that is quicker than it was before, wasn't it five minutes for those 89 AI cars before? I think first time Nürburgring was released for rF2 in 2018 it took 3-4 minutes just to load an empty track with 0 AI, so there has been quite a bit of improvement over the years.

I'm also not sure what other sims do. I guess you cannot test it since no sim supports 89 AI outside of rF2 I suppose? The last time I loaded iRacing it took more than two minutes to load Nürburgring with just a few opponents, so I would say they are at least on par with iRacing now.
Click to expand...

One success that I should point out regarding the loading times is (check twenty times to be sure) that they seem much more consistent than before.

I almost only drive the Nurburgring Combined under the above conditions, and before the loading time could vary extremely without any rational explanation between 3 and 17 minutes approximately !! (unnacceptable really).

It seems that the 5 or so loads I did (INCLUDING AFTER CLEAR CBASH AND SHADER !) lasted roughly all between 3 minutes and 3:30 minutes (approximately).

From this point of view it is a success.

It does not prevent that I am tired of waiting for this long time to start driving.

1 minute 30 or 2 minutes would have been perfectly acceptable to me.

But I guess they will continue to optimize.

S397 really listened to and heard from its loyal user base as well as these new customers by making this improvement :

REALLY BRAVO S397 !
 
Magus said:
@Andy Bonar I'm interested how you are achieving this, do you mind PM me which Nvidia drivers, version of Windows, motherboard etc you are using PLUS your SteamVR/WMR & rF2 settings (-any changes in rf2 files). Also if you have made any changes in Nvidia Inspector/Control panel? I would really appreciate it. I am assuming you ran the race at a pretty steady 90fps? Thanks.
Click to expand...
That´d be great if you could post the settings in an independent thread @Andy Bonar
 
Magus said:
@Andy Bonar I'm interested how you are achieving this, do you mind PM me which Nvidia drivers, version of Windows, motherboard etc you are using PLUS your SteamVR/WMR & rF2 settings (-any changes in rf2 files). Also if you have made any changes in Nvidia Inspector/Control panel? I would really appreciate it. I am assuming you ran the race at a pretty steady 90fps? Thanks.
Click to expand...

Ill just post what I can think of here.

Windows 10
Motherboard is a Gigabyte Z270 gaming
Processor is a 7700k watercooled clocked to 4.9ghz
Gfx card is a Gigabyte Aorus 3080 TI stock
32gb DDR4 memory dual channel not sure of speed but its XMP 2

Steam VR is set at 100%

Only thing I set in nvidia control panel is power management mode, set at max performance.

The one thing some people might not like is I lock the G2 to 45fps in steam. Some people dont like it, to my eyes the difference is minor and doing this gives me a lot more leeway before I have to lower other settings. Everyone's eyes are different...A friend of mine has a similar setup, but has a 3070 card, and runs his at 90fps, but lower gfx and would probably say he is just as happy with how it runs for him.

I dont touch anything specific in the windows mixed reality panel as my understanding that only affects openxr games. I have made changes in it so I can run ms flight sim well however.

I use Stefan Tappers rf2 settings widget to setup a few different graphics profiles, so I can switch them at the click of a mouse before the game starts up. Its the best thing for setting up your gfx.
I dont do any messing about with VR toolkit etc which can be set in this app I believe.

One big thing I do know, set the number of visible cars above say 12 (for my system) and no matter what anything else is on, it gets laggy. Thats one thing that would be great to have fixed, but its not a killer for me.

I have one preset almost on max settings and use that for single player testing, and various drops in levels down to one for a night race and a wet race.
It only takes 5 minutes to test a new track for our next league race , running on the server with a full grid of AI, and pick the preset that works the best, testing with fpsvr.
I have rarely seen these purple spikes that ive seen mentioned.
These gfx profiles can be exported and imported between installs, so I'm happy to share them if anyone does use the widget.


I streamed at the same time with OBS, here's the video starting just before the sun came up (We had the timescale at x10, which if we had done that a while back it would have run like dog %$£$

You dont get the full picture on that video like anyone who does VR knows :-)


Might not be of any help to some, might help others.
 
Okay the locking to 45fps explains it all. If you were to run fpsVR you would see your RTX has so much headroom. Thanks for the input though.
 
Magus said:
Okay the locking to 45fps explains it all. If you were to run fpsVR you would see your RTX has so much headroom. Thanks for the input though.
Click to expand...
Interesting thought.
I hadnt really taken much notice of that, and I only run fps vr when setting up for the next track.
Just went back to Sundays race at Bathurst and ran it with AI, the GFX card is running between 85 and 90% so I wouldnt call that a massive amount of spare headroom....I could have possibly knocked my preset up one I guess.
 
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