Why there are so few mods for rFactor2?

Well, HistoriX team started in 2012 with some cars to rFactor2, maybe community here could show bit more interest and make few reply's, question etc. to FaceBook, Twitter etc. it may help

 

This is the last statement, again, so?

 

I have a modding question for track team (sorry for hijacking the thread). I see many modded tracks are still released with wrong texture colors for rF2 HDR (recent example, also beta version of old Hockenheim, etc.). This makes rF2 graphics look very bad and has lead to people disabling HDR. I have read about need to adjust texture maps to accommodate to HDR (not sure why this only seems to be an issue with rF2).

Is there some nifty procedure that could be advertised to quickly convert a bunch of textures from an rFactor1 (non-HDR) track to get a decent result in rFactor 2, because, as mentioned many modders still do it wrong.

 

Yes Tutle, reggarding Ari Antero response that he has a PM from someone of historyX suggesting they are moving to AC or something. (as i understand)

I´m rebating this with an statement from historix adm that they still inclined to rf2. I think my english skills(lack off) is creating confusion

 

Yeah. All modern engines running HDR are using the concept of albedo map instead LDR diffuse as they (textures) needs to be compensated by the HDR/ToneMapper involved in the process.

You may see modern platform looking sometimes desaturated, which means they're taking that route on the bottom side of the available curve, others are using the max range available, producing more color and brightness. This is the artist view range working per title which ends in the overall style of reproducing the environment. Point is everyone using HDR needs to manage that aspect.

Here our own page explaining how to approach the problem;

http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/devscorner/texture-maps-and-color-saturation/

 

That wouldn't help, either, because there are already far too few of both.

 

Geees you people get Off Topic.

Trust me the reason is RIPS.

More converters and rippers go to AC because no one even questions any of the the add-ons authenticity anymore.

Barely anyone even does a proper readme I never seen any 3DSMax from beginning like you do with so many mods in WIP in all other sims.

These mods never even had a WIP they just are . lol

They do silly v0.1 v0.2 v0.3 updates ....................you don't do that with a SCRATCH built mod ???



They just do not care at all anymore.

In that sort of environment why wouldn't it thrive.


Well what else could it be ? Certainly is not the physics.

 

Trust me, no.

Even if you don't want to trust me, your answer doesnt have any kind of sense. How are AC rips stopping modders to create content for rF2?

 

Here is an older quote from that HistorX (Note: it's HistorX not HistoriX) that I find interesting. Again, absolutely no details:

There have been so many mods out there for rF2 that have not been updated from all the way back to build 660 or so.... have those mods suddenly become undrivable due to physics changes? No... not the slightest bit. There have been some new features added over time... like chassis flex, new steering system and soon a new contact patch but all of those will have zero impact on older mods. If you want to use these new features it is totally optional. It's clear that rF2 is under constant development. Just like iR, AC, pCARS ect. If you plan to hold off on a mod for a platform to become static you will literally never release a mod. At least ISI is smart enough to evolve the engine with backwards compatibility in mind. The excuses will never end though. Making mods takes some motivation. I am a developer and will think of a new project and get all excited and start writing it and then something else becomes more exciting so I put down the first project. Then getting back to the first project sometimes takes a real kick in the butt. I'm sure modders go through this same thing. Right now moving to a new shinny toy and learning something completely new is probably more exciting right now. But who really knows.

I'm still waiting for details. Enough of this, it's still in development BS.

 

The real problem : there are less and less modding teams... Smaller and smaller sadly. Nobody wants to learn 3D modelling. It is easier to convert old mods or rip from others games.

In VLM, I'm alone to do 3D models and I'm a slow 3D modeler. A guy's learning with us, but it takes a lot of time We annouced the next mod for rF2 : VLM Sportscars Unlimited on our FB page. https://www.facebook.com/virtualmjuniorteam/posts/780078778737144 We won't do the same error, just few cars packs


And where are the RSDG, FSOne, CSGT and so on? Discouraged by ripping? By the missing of new members? The number of team can be count on the fingers of two hands.

So I think if you want to have more mods for rF2, take 3DS Max and begin to learn...

 

And CTDP

 

would be great to see historX come to rf2

are the rf2 physics base really changing that much thus it's not the right time to develope a car mod & release?

even a release in part would be good ( 3 to 4 fairly matched cars from the historX batch )


p.s not saying there isn't an excellent selection of ISI cars already

 

I insist try doing cars or tracks yourself We need more peoples in modding

 

This is not the place for a proactive attitude.

http://www.isrtv.com/assetto-corsa/mod-wars-assetto-corsa-vs-rfactor-2/



Here's an article where modders were interviewed. Only Mak Corp has modded both platforms so the article wasn't all that well done. Anyway, here's Petros' quote:


“The way I see it, both titles have their pros and cons, that both positively and negatively affect modders.

I feel rFactor 2 has far superior physics than Assetto Corsa, which allows for greater realism in the way physics are built, but that comes at a cost. Some of the developer tools for rF2 can be overwhelming to people who don’t have engineering backgrounds, which may lead to subpar quality mods. One other problem I have is that ISI has wasted too much time on parts of the sim that aren’t as important to their target audience, but has also changed parts of the game that worked perfectly fine before (for example, I’m not a fan of the mod packaging system).

For Assetto Corsa, the more advanced graphics engine makes it more appealing to a mod developer that is going commercial. I feel it shows off my work better to clients and manufacturers than rFactor 2, especially ones who are looking for eye candy. I’m not saying rF2 is an eyesore, it’s just that there are still a number of problems in their graphics engine that need to be fixed to make it a more stable platform.

However, the advanced graphics engine means that there need to be more advanced models. Not only do modders have to do 3D and 2D modeling, now they have to set up animations, suspension, tires, moveable parts, and so much more. I’m afraid that modders will get overwhelmed, and if they don’t team up, a lot of great mods will be lost and forgotten on their hard drives.

As of this moment, For a modding group that largely works in the commercial sector, there is more appeal in Assetto Corsa’s graphics. However, race teams are still more inclined towards rFactor and rF2′s more advanced physics. I’d say it’s a 50/50 split in my view: neither is a clear cut better choice. If ISI can get their graphics to a more solid state, then it could just overshadow Assetto Corsa. Remember though, graphics aren’t everything.”


Petros doesn't mention any top secret problems with modding ISI's stuff.

 

IMHO there are enough MODS mayb just not what you want right now PPL are slowly learning how to mod for RF2 those willing to put the effort in will get the rewards. Also the content will get better and better as they learn more. As for not as many PPL modding for RF2 as RF1 they have just moved over to AC as its easier and quicker but it will end up like RF1 with so many mods but very lil good mods. Also as AC grows and adds features its only going to get harder for them to mod especially if they try and keep up to RF2. More and more mods will keep coming for RF2 and i for 1 cannot wait for them. RF2 is the FUTURE in SIM racing........

 

Assetto Corsa had a lot of expectation and publicity, it may provide more visibility than rFactor 2, plus perhaps the core isn't in such an evolving state so it requires less fiddling for things to work after or before an update. I know people from GP4 days who were prolific modders and ended up with their free work building up nice portfolios and eventually jobs in their field of interest. The handling characteristics still require talented people to work on the recreation and especially getting the tires done right, and there are maybe 3-4 guys with wide recognition in that field that work on multiple projects. Regarding tracks, there are maybe 4 that are fully built for AC that are top notch and fully functional, the rest isn't from "the ground up."

rFactor 2 overall has about the same number of fully finished and functional quality mods (cars and tracks) built from the ground up for this platform, though it theoretically should have more given the fact rFactor (1) is the predecessor. It isn't difficult to observe that the amount of detail needed for today's standards skyrocketed, thus occupying more time. Then you must think, what is the motivation to create something? Passion, money, portfolio, etc? Who is willing to put their time into something that may not be what they really wanted to do, being part of a team? Or put so much time into something they're not that interested in, like actually playing the game? Will it be a relevant or popular platform? Then there are former modders who went pro in the game industry.

There are many questions to be considered before picking one specific answer. I don't doubt it is challenging to develop for this platform, I have read plenty and been told plenty by people who previously created content - either good or absolute top notch. From the difficulty of force feedback, to tires and sound of a car, or the camber and elevation data of a place, it's not just tied in to rF2 being tough as there is struggle in the AC world too, but one point was the changing platform and assistance. This isn't modding for flight sims where people must model absolute beasts and create the entire physics for the planes, and hopefully it won't become such due to the very expensive nature of such.

I would really like to see less partial comments and would love to see if any modders come across here and make public statements. I appreciate some of the ones seen so far.

 

The rF2 community needs to do a full court press to get HistorX to choose rF2. We need to be in their face 24/7 lobbying them, debunking concerns as Noel skillfully does above, etc. and ISI should literally drop everything a beg on their knees for HistorX team to chose rF2 and make tires or coffee or anything imaginable. Add to this a SOLID and aggressive debut of stock cars and all that will be left for world domination is dirt and the Cobra

But HistorX trumps them all combined

Any lobbyists out there that can woo these guys? Hookers, cocaine whatever man let's get 'em.

 

And once again the packaging system comes up. The packaging system is completely disabled in devmode. If any modder says the packaging system is a hold up then they clearly haven't invested more than 10 minutes into working with rF2. As for animations I believe that was directed at AC. rF1/2 handles a lot of the animations for you where as in AC everything must be animated by hand.

 

I've read plenty of comments about getting things to work in dev mode and not translating into the game itself.

 

We should probably just leave them alone to decide on their own since it's their free time, not ours.