rFactor 2
| rFactor 2 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio |
Image Space Incorporated Studio 397 (from 2016) |
| Publisher | Image Space Incorporated |
| Erstveröffent- lichung |
March 28, 2013 |
| platform | PC ( Windows ) |
| genre | Racing simulation |
| Game mode | Single player , multiplayer , career mode |
| control | Keyboard , joystick , gamepad , steering wheel |
| system advantages preconditions |
2.8 GHz, 4 GB RAM, 30 GB hard drive, nVidia GTS 450 or better |
| medium | Download |
| language | German, English, French, Italian |
rFactor 2 is a racing simulation for Microsoft Windows . It was developed by the American company Image Space Incorporated . It was released in 2013. Like its predecessor, rFactor , it has been modified and used by professional racing teams for driver training and racing car development. Much of the source code comes from rFactor Pro , which is also used by professional racing drivers and most Formula 1 teams and NASCAR manufacturers.
rFactor 2 simulates any type of vehicle, including four-wheel and six-wheel vehicles with two or four steered wheels. The simulator has advanced physics. Offline and online racing modes are available.
In September 2016 a partnership with the Dutch software company Luminis was decided. The aim of this partnership is new features in the game.
background
After the initial success of Sports Car GT (1999), Image Space Incorporated used its self-developed software engine isiMotor1 for a number of racing titles, including the highly acclaimed Formula 1 simulators F1 2002 and F1 Challenge '99 -'02 . IsiMotor is an umbrella term that covers all components of the software engine, for example the graphics engine gMotor , the physics engine pMotor , etc.
After the release of F1 Challenge '99 -'02 , isiMotor was licensed for the first time to another company, SimBin , which later developed popular racing games based on Image Space Incorporated , including GTR and GTR 2 .
Image Space Incorporated then decided to develop a racing simulator with an open architecture and provided the modding community with tools to create third-party content. That title became rFactor , the first ISI release to use the software engine called isiMotor2 . rFactor has been the race simulation platform of choice for nearly a decade with a wealth of community content. rFactor 2 is also used to train the drivers who win the Gran Turismo Academy competition.
IsiMotor2 has also been licensed to companies such as Slightly Mad Studios , Reiza Studios and 2Pez Games . Isimotor2 also laid the foundation for rFactor Pro; a software simulation engine used by real racing teams and automakers, including most of the current Formula 1 grid and NASCAR manufacturers. Image Space Incorporated took the experience of isiMotor2 and rFactor Pro and started developing rFactor 2. From this point on, the software engine was called isiMotor2.5.
The editor of the sim racing website VirtualR.net said of the game: "It took me some time to realize it, but rFactor 2 is one of the best racing simulators for the serious gamer."
physics
rFactor 2 and its predecessor have received high praise for their sophisticated and precise simulation of vehicle dynamics and are the simulator of choice for most professional racing teams, auto engineers and simulation centers.
Race Engineer Andrea Quintarelli said, “It's also no surprise to me that most of these professional simulators (or centers) use rFactor . That's when I had a chance to prove myself (and probably read) that if you know how to build the models properly, rFactor produces very accurate results at a very low cost. "
The interaction and collaboration between Image Space Incorporated and professional racing teams and their engineers using the rFactor Pro platform developed by ISI has helped rFactor 2's new tire model. This resulted in the ISI TGM Tire Tool available for third-party modders.
rFactor 2 was the first consumer simulation with a thermomechanical, physically based tire model, based on first principles, which simulates the entire carcass , thread and contact patch, with correct heat transfer, accurate tire wear, flattening and visual deformation. It was also the first to offer truly dynamic track conditions.
Most people new to rFactor 2, including seasoned sim racers, are not used to managing their tires like they do in real life. Therefore, with too much steering input, they tend to oversteer the car (something you can get away with in other driving simulations), resulting in overheated tires and excessive tire wear.
rFactor 2 also contains a new constraint system that enables advanced physics simulation such as Chassis-Flex , which eliminates the typical infinite stiffness of a virtual vehicle and integrates unique chassis properties into the driving behavior and performance of the vehicle, as well as highly precise suspension geometry and wheel sets .
Gameplay
The simulator can be played with a steering wheel, joystick, gamepad or even a keyboard . It contains various controller settings and the ability to create custom controller maps. Driving aids such as traction control, stability control, anti-lock braking system , steering assistance as well as automatic gear shifting and automatic clutch are available, so that the simulator is suitable for both experienced and inexperienced players.
In a detailed menu, the player selects different options in relation to the car to be driven (including a tuning menu to choose different specifications of the car), on which route to drive, how many AI opponents compete against each other and how fast and aggressive they should be. The menu also provides access to various racing session options, such as: B. Number of laps / time, time acceleration, “Real Road options” including course and preferences, flag rules and weather .
When the player loads the racetrack , the selected car will appear in the garage. The player can leave the track at any time and return to the garage by pressing " ESC ". The garage interface offers various settings and options. It also features a live race monitor that allows the player to follow the action on the track.
The auto setup interface allows the player to set up and fine tune any adjustable part of the car. It also reports tire temperature and hot pressure readings after a stint has ended.
In the car, the player has access to a variety of different cameras, including cockpit, range hood camera, externally mounted cameras that point in multiple directions, and external floating cameras that leave the car behind. The player can use the "Free-Look" function to move the viewing angle with the mouse. There are also several groups of TV cameras on the route, as well as a spectator camera function that allows an unobstructed view of the entire route.
The LCD is part of the HUD . The LCD screen is divided into several areas, between which the player can switch back and forth, and shows information about current positions, divided distances, sector times, pit stop options and the mechanical condition of the vehicle, such as tire, brake and oil temperatures . Persistent damage is also shown optically in the LCD.
Rules and flags are also fully implemented. When an incident occurs, yellow flags will be displayed on both the HUD and the sports attendant, waving along the route. A green flag will appear as soon as the player leaves the sector where the incident took place. Blue flags are used to signal that a faster car is on the verge of another car. Both drive-through and stop-go penalties can be given to players who break the rules, for example because of a false start. The player can be disqualified if the penalty is not carried out within the allotted time, which is typically three rounds. A complete yellow course can also be seen in the simulator. A safety car drives to the track and collects the field for a few laps. When the full yellow course is almost over, the safety car drives into the pits and clears the field.
development
The public first became aware that rFactor 2 development was underway when Gjon Camaj of Image Space Incorporated posted WIP in-game screenshots on Twitter in early March 2009 . Later that month, he revealed more details about the upcoming simulator along with additional in-game screenshots.
In an in-depth interview in October 2010, Camaj revealed plans to include licensed content, a new redesigned user interface, the inclusion of dynamic weather, new innovative dynamic race surface technology, improvements in AI logic and a new force feedback system with lower input lag and faster and more direct rack forces, based on the model of the popular "RealFeel" plug-in for rFactor .
The first beta version was released on January 10, 2012.
Future development
On September 16, 2016, at the Simracing Expo, ISI announced a contract with Luminis , a software company based in the Netherlands that already has experience with racing simulators and has supported Reiza Studios in the development of Automobilista . This partnership brought the development of rFactor 2 into a new company called Studio 397 . Studio 397 CEO Marcel Offermans said that many new features will be implemented in the game, including a web-based user interface, a DirectX 11 compatible graphics engine and VR support for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive . In addition, a new “paid content system” would allow ISI to add more licensed content to the simulator.
In October, Studio 397 released information about the new content. The developers announced that they have licensed the US F2000 National Championship, Radical Sportscars and NOLA Motorsports Park.
Functions
cars
As with its predecessor, many standard vehicles are available for download. The long list of cars includes Formula 1 , GT, touring, stock and delivery vehicles. Quads and "Formula RC" are also available as experimental content.
stretch
A list of standard routes is available, but not all routes are licensed. The range of racetracks includes permanent, oval, rally and road racing tracks .
Real Road
Real Road is one of the most distinctive features of rFactor 2. The driver and the AI apply dynamic rubber to the surface of the circuit in real time during a racing session. The rubber can be carried on to the next sessions and this requires the player to constantly adapt to the progressing track conditions during a race weekend, which means more and more available grip overall during a dry race weekend. The player can choose from various rubber presets or simply start the weekend on a completely green track. Real Road can be accelerated, abandoned at normal speed, or completely static. The property also creates grip influencing balls outside the normal racing line.
Real Road also works in wet weather: when the rain hits the piste, the rubbers and balls built up beforehand are washed away and the route has to be rubberized again. The wet road surface dries dynamically similar to the rubber coating mentioned above, since the cars are on the track as well as temperature, sun and wind. The Real Road System of rFactor 2 is unique in that it is not scripted, but is completely dynamic.
tires
rFactor 2 is also characterized by realistic tire wear and damage. This penalizes the player for locking the tires when braking, for example, because of a flattening with force feedback vibrations (the tire suddenly has edges instead of being perfectly round) and a car imbalance (due to the lost weight of the burnt tire). Until the tires are changed during a pit stop, the car drives unbalanced and uncomfortable. Poor driving technique results in tires overheating and being worn unevenly. Flat tires are also present, although they are not visually represented in the game.
AI
The AI of rFactor 2 is highly developed and greatly improved over the first rFactor. It has spatial awareness, adjustable strength and aggressiveness sliders, and has the ability to “learn” better racetracks around a track, resulting in better lap times. The AI can also take control of the player's car. rFactor 2 is unique in that it can run races with more than 100 AI opponents. Plus, they can mix AI opponents with real drivers during online multi-player races.
Other functions
RFactor 2 also includes a full day-to-night cycle with light transitions that can be set in real time or accelerated. Fuel consumption and visible as well as mechanical damage are also in the simulator, as well as a "Resume from Replay" function where any saved replay can be loaded and the player can then choose to continue driving at any point during that replay.
Modding
rFactor 2 was specially developed for modding. It is the first racing simulation with a dedicated mod packing system. The Steam version will also be the first with Steam Workshop integration.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Andrea Quintarelli: Should Motorsport revise the drivers "career path"? . Retrieved August 31, 2015.
- ^ Real Life Drivers Prepare with rFactor . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ William Marsh: Inside Simracing . Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ↑ Petros Mak: Meet Simfunding - A Sim Racing Crowd-Funding Platform . Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ↑ GT Academy - Wolfgang Reip Simulator Session . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ Atze Kerkhof: Interview With Atze Kerkhof - Alien Sim Racer . Retrieved September 8, 2016.
- ↑ Palatov Motorsport . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ Marcel Offermans: rFactor: Full Steam Ahead! . Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ^ Taking the lag out of dynamics simulation . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Studio 397 To Take Over rFactor 2 Development . October 3, 2016. Retrieved October 7, 2016.
- ^ Endurance Series for rFactor 2 - First Previews . Retrieved June 21, 2015.
- ↑ rFactor2 - New Tire Physics Model (ISI TGM Tire Tool) .
- ↑ rFactor 2 Dev Update - New Tire Model . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ rFactor 2 BETA Tire Behavior (Slomotion) . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ rFactor 2 Tire Deformation . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ↑ rFactor 2 Beta Tire Deformation Slow Motion . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Unraveling the realness of the road. . Retrieved June 17, 2015.
- ^ Q&A with Marcel Offermans from Studio 397 . October 6, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
- ^ Studio 397 Reveals First rFactor 2 Development Roadmap . October 23, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
- ↑ rFactor 2 - 102 cars at the Nordschleife… At once! . Retrieved June 17, 2015.