Why there are so few mods for rFactor2?

leagues are keeping a lot of mods in house... you cant blame them really as they are either trying to use a mod as a way of getting new members in a market that has decreased or cant be bothered with some of the pathetic wider community carry ons upon a public release

if you could would you seriously work on something day and night for months only to release it to the public for free and be forum bashed for your efforts... I wouldn't

 

100% Agreement. The reference with regard to documentation is what is beeing provided at the ISI Website. This is not a lot. Furthermore in one of the documents a Wiki is referenced where people don't have access to.

The content in the forum is helping - but very often it's just the result of time consuming trail and error or best practise approaches of users ( not the vendor). I doubt that a software developing company does not have a documentation?! For me that's just a question whether you are going to make the information available. It seems that other sim developing companies are doing that different.


EDIT: Just one recent example http://isiforums.net/f/showpost.php?p=337404. Yes there is a Demo track - but it seems to be outdated and no information how and when to use the new shaders is available.

 

I have craploads of tracks and cars, many of them I can't even try because it's difficult to find the time for it, let alone master them.
In addition to that, if you look at ISI's latest track release, Mountain Peak, is like 5 or so layouts?
Yesterday I found out I had never driven Indianapolis 2007 GP layout for example.

Can you specify what you mean when you say "so few"?

 

Not bad after reading three other pages of tripe someone finally hit "one" main problem modders aren't bothering with rF2. You all seam to agree it's "not" the easiest platform to mod for but that doesn't stop the crap that most modders get from the community. Even in the thread I read that ISI mods are top notch and that makes third part stuff (IYO) all crap. Regardless.
Modders are LAZY???? I read here!! LAZY? What a prat!
Vitual LM Junior team spent 8 years developing http://www.rfactorcentral.com/detail.cfm?ID=Virtua LM GTPC but it's not for rF2. I guess that make them LAZY then?

Other reasons that everyone has past over denying they exist are,

Dev mode. No comparison to the main game. Getting closer after the past few build but still chalk & cheese. Testing in main game means multiple packing and installs to the main game.
Shaders that work in one build and don't in the next.
There's not two ISI cars that are alike in their structure. So what's the best way for a modder to follow?? Who knows. Each car mod from ISI has it's good points and bad. Choose all what you perceive as good points and the next build comes along and something stops working or just goes to s@!t!

Package system. We read all the good but people ignore the bad. Leagues don't need this. Never have done for rF1 and don't now regardless of the posts around that Admin are happy to use it and it's simple enough.
Reality is the members spent their time on both the forums and on the league servers so it's just par for the coarse to stay up to date to stay on the servers.
League have always built their own skin packs, Have changed textures in tracks, changed ini files and the members are up to date with it all.
Packaging in Mas file has made these thing not impossible but a pain. So we see far more locked servers then ever before when anything has been change, even a single texture the Mod ID (or what ever you call it these day) is changed and the package is unique only to itself.

Get mod? Q. Whats the point of this? A. So people can get the mods that are running on the server their trying to join. I'm going to guess that all those we see arguing that this is the "best" thing are those that have No limit on downloads, a jet fast connection and a top end PC. Of cause as we see all to often it's all about you folks isn't it!.
That accounts for around 10%. No wonder the servers are empty. The rest us still trying to Get_Mod! Haha... And for those that want to put their 2 cents worth in, No! it's not only about money!

And at the end of the day you don't understand why modders aren't working on rFactor2.

I consider rF2 as the best Sim racing game to date for it's physics, Tyres, Realroad. The things that mean something once your past all the fodder and are on track. It's all the crap that surrounds it like a moat of thick black sludge. Crap UI, Crap Spinner and car select system sucks, Server issues, No series, Only able to use all mods and track as single player unless you build a Vmod.

You think I'm talking tripe? Open your eyes and look around for a change.

Have nice day.

 

Indeed. I tend to choose a car/track combination on a Friday night and then spend 4-5 hours driving it over the weekend. This approach to sim-racing makes feel totally overwhelmed by the number of official cars/tracks, let alone mods.

However, if a user is coming from consoles, where it's 3 laps on one car/track, then 3 laps on another combo, I can imagine how limiting rF2 may feel.

 

#BOOM!

http://www.virtualr.net/sportscars-unlimited-rfactor-2-first-previews

 

I have spoken about it, MarcG

 

indeed you did apologies good luck with your project.

 

Finally some details. I agree that in past builds DevMode tends to look a little different from the retail build mainly due to HDR. Also, you have to be sure your using the same TOD, date, ect ect in DevMode as you are in retail mod or else they will look different for obvious reasons. This has improved a ton in recent builds though. As for packaging a car/track to be used in retail mode, that can all be fully automated. When I say automated I mean, double click on a batch file that creates all new mas files, packages them into an rfcmp file, installs the rfcmp file and then launches the sim with the car/track preselected so you don't even need to use that horrible car select screen that you hate so much yet had no problem with in rF1. If you are interested in how to set up a batch process like this I am more than willing to give you a hand.

This has been discussed to death for sure. It seems most people have calmed down on the topic though. You say leagues don't need this but I firmly disagree. In rF1 I implemented my own ways to keep people in sync with the league content. I've done custom dummy proof installers, rSync, BTSync, Syncthing, SimSyncPro, ect ect. They all were a constant hassle. Now we have a built in content management system and along with GetMod the members simply join the server. That is it. No additional software to install and configure. No more dedicated install just for the league. No more asking why some files refuse to sync. They simply join the server. We don't even supply download links anymore. I question if you are even involved with running a league if you think the old way was so much better. I also don't see why you think modified content is the reason more servers are locked. With GetMod you can modify content all you want and people simply join your server and it downloads automatically. Why would someone lock a server simply because they added some skins or modified an HDV file? I will admit that admins have a little learning curve to learn how to modify content and then repackage it. Especially if they want to bring the content into DevMode. If you install a few of my tools then the process goes like this. Right click on the original rfcmp file and select "Install To...", pick a temp folder to install it to. Then go into the this folder and locate the Installed folder. Then right click on the teams mas and select extract. It will create a subfolder and extract the mas file there. Now you copy one of the veh files to use as a template and add your DDS skin. Now double click on the original teams.mas and then drag and drop the new team into the the mas. Now double click on the .mft file which will open it up in my Component Builder tool. From there you can give the component a name of your own and then click package. You now have a new rfcmp file with your new team. Sure you aren't just adding loose files like in rF1 but the end result is a packaged file ready for hosting and distribution.

I'm sure there are people out there with bandwidth caps and I agree it sucks to be forced to download a 100MB component just to get a 1 line change in an HDV file. ISI has actually gone the opposite direction on this too. For one, update components are broken and have been broken for almost a year now. They also moved away from using separate sound and vehicle components and have now combined them into one larger component. So now a one line HDV change also forces you to download all the sounds too. I still don't see how this has any impact on modders not wanting to create content though.

The car select screen looks identical to the rF1 select screen. I assume you know about the List View option right? What server issues are you having? I'm sure ISI would like to know so they can be fixed. In rF1 people hated that you couldn't mix cars from various mods, now we have that but you think it's a bad thing? I do agree that vmod creation needs to be more streamlined though.

Not entirely. The DevMode Vs. Retail Mode was a very valid point. The rest of your argument is basically just wanting rF2 to be just like rF1.

 

Before moving to AC DRM Team made this statement:

"The DRM Modding Team has announced that the planned public release of their much-anticipated DRM Revival mod for rFactor has been called off.
Unlike earlier instances of cancelled releases, the team’s decision is not rooted in licensing or legal pressure but comes from within the team as the creators are unhappy with the current state of the modding community.
The team cites several reasons for their decision, including the unauthorized ripping and converting of their work to other simulations, the recent rise pay mods as well as a general unhappiness with rFactor itself.
With the interest in rFactor fading and rFactor 2 not being up to the standards of many nodders yet, the DRM Modding Team isn’t the only modding team that is currently in limbo and looking for a new platform to release their content on."

12 September 2014, Statement from EnduRacers :
http://www.enduracers.com/homepage.html

"Development and release of the Flat6 Series mod for rFactor2.
Why rFactor2 ? This is currently the only new platform wich simulates endurance racing features. In addition, the game is now more stable than month ago. The dev team has released the modding tools and keep improving them. The team will anyway keep an eye on the other platforms developments."

The last sentence worries me

 

*gets bored and switches channel from Doom'n'Gloom TV*

"In other news: today the Virtua_LM Junior team announced that they will bring the Sportscars Unlimited project to rFactor 2."

https://www.facebook.com/virtualmjuniorteam/posts/780078778737144

http://www.virtualr.net/sportscars-unlimited-rfactor-2-first-previews

As I've said before, no reason to worry about getting extremely cool and well made third party content for rF2...

 

...and I thought I was slow

 

The DRM thing is very interesting to me. There must be something personal... some sort of back story. Because ripping is going on in all platforms. At least on rF you can get your content encrypted. I can't recall if the DRM mod was even encrypted in the first place? Does anyone know? What has AC offered them to assure them that their content will be safe with them?

As for EnduRacers. As I understand it they have been progressing with rF2. Maybe someone from the team can share. I don't worry too much about that last statement. It only makes sense to always be looking at other platforms. Just as all of us do. I know I am always on the lookout for the next best thing. I own all the sims. It just happens that I feel rF2 is on top right now.

 

i dont know why they cite ripping as you say that will happen anywhere. however i do know someone has ripped at least a couple DRM cars to rf2 already & maybe this is their odd way of punishing those ppl...idk.

 

*Switching channels back from High Hopes TV to Doom'n'Gloom TV*

Some mods has been in making from 2012 and it is 2015 now, there is a reason why they are not released yet.

Donwload links:

HistoriX mod : 0
Enduracers : 0
GTPC : 0
DRM: gone to AC
etc,etc.................

Ofcourse I am hoping too that we get cool well made third party mods to rFactor2 but I like to see download links before I am and what I feel now is

 

No I don`t think mod was encrypted becourse of this statement from DRM Team: "The team states that they’re still looking to release versions of their mod in the future, preferably on a secure platform that allows encrypted content to prevent theft."

I feel same as you "I own all the sims. It just happens that I feel rF2 is on top right now."

 

rF1/2 provides encryption and surely they know this. I think yusupov hit the nail on the head, they are probably punishing the rF2 community for porting it to rF2 without authorization. But AC is flooded with crap unauthorized conversions. There has to be more to this story.

 

I'm not suggesting we control their time. I'm just saying that it would be a crime if there IS something that we can do to help them and also influence their decision and we don't do it and they go elsewhere.

 

I agree.

I think if people want more cars and tracks, they should seriously consider learning.

Modding is not for selected few, it's for everyone who has the will. And the ones who should have the most will are the ones who ask for new content
I guess too many people nowadays assume there is an army of volunteers out there who spend their lives making other people happy for free

 

Better than never, huh?

Lol just realized how slow I was to discover this bit of news. Apologies.