Racing Sim Thread, Part II

[DChaps]

Holy sh*t -- what an update!

Yeah, I definitely like the idea of them taking the approach of under promising and then over delivering this time.

I have now finally graduated to a B Class License and I am going to try to compete in the Fixed Multi-Class series this season that runs short 25 min races, fixed setup, and my choice of the Ford GT, Corvette, or Honda all on the new tire model! I really wish they had a short, fixed, Indycar series option as the current oval and road Indycar series are just too long for me to legitmately commit to it.

[pk500]

Oulton Park is FANTASTIC in the new iRacing build. It is quickly climbing my list of favorite iRacing tracks.

The new tire model makes my favorite iRacing car, the Mazda MX-5, feel very different. Very pointy on braking, and the car sways back and forth when losing control, almost like there is water in the tires. Pretty cool. Need to wrap my head, hands and feet around the new feel.

[Gurantsu]

The weekend deal on Steam is F1 2011 for $25. They also have Dirt3 for the same price, or both for $33.

[DChaps]

Of all the new racing sims coming to try to challenge iRacing (C.A.R.S., rFactor 2, RaceRoom, etc.) I am the least knowledgeable or excited about this one, but nonetheless, the SimRaceway beta has launched today.

I had already moved onto iRacing by the time this was a controversial item, but I believe these are the same folks that seemed to be packaging up other modding groups rFactor mods without permission.

However, this new sim was also being endorsed by Dan Wheldon before he died, and now it appears that Dario Franchitti and Infineon Raceway are involved. I remain skeptical, but since it is free it can't hurt to check it out.

http://www.simraceway.com

Features - http://www.simraceway.com/featureset

Play for Free on your PC
Download Simraceway free-of-charge via our high-speed servers and be racing in minutes. No hidden fees, no catches, just pure, bumper-to-bumper action.

Take on Anyone, Anytime
Challenge up to 19 other drivers in high-octane, 24/7 races. Invite old friends, make new ones...beat them all.

Race for Pride...and Prizes
For some, crossing the finish line first is reward enough. For everyone else, Simraceway offers Prized Events, which award virtual goods, racing hardware and even cold, hard cash to the victor.

Huge Range of Licensed Cars
Use your garage's intuitive interface to select a car to take out onto the track or to buy a new ride. With the best brands in motorsport to choose from, the hardest part will be picking one!

Feel Every Race
Live every second of the action with laser-scanned, real-world tracks and simulation-grade driving physics developed by the worlds' top racers.

Justice in Real Time
Live Race Marshals are always on hand to keep drivers on the straight-and-narrow and ensure every Event is enjoyed by all.

Beat the Best
Professional drivers like Dario Franchitti are on a Simraceway starting grid near you, just waiting for a real challenge

True Competition
Thanks to a revolutionary matchmaking system, you can be sure you will always hit the starting grid with drivers of the same ability. All you need to worry about is getting to the checkered flag!

Instant Prizes
Simraceway's Integrated Wallet system means victorious drivers receive their prizes as soon as they step off the podium. No waiting for winnings. No online payment fees.

Events for Everybody
No matter which car you are racing and how much time you have to spare, there will always be a Race Event for you. From quick-fire Hot Laps to full length challenges, we have it covered.

You're in Good Hands
View your comprehensive FAQ to ensure you are getting the most from your Simraceway experience. For more complex issues, our customer service representatives are standing by.

Training Future Champions
We do not need to shout about Simraceway's authenticity when it is being used to train the next generation of real-world racers at the Simraceway Performance Driving Center at Infineon Raceway.

Here is a quick first look from RaceSimCentral

http://www.racesimcentral.com/news/2011 ... #more-8035



Hmmm... I know there are a million versions of Mid-Ohio out there, but that one sure looks like the Virtua_LM version from rFactor.From the article:

Simraceway (SRW) is being developed by RSC’s parent company Ignite Game Technologies (Ignite GT)......

To date several key pieces of the Simraceway jigsaw have been announced:
-Online race client beta (previewed here) and web site
-Proprietary skill matching technology
-High-performance, low-cost racing controller
-Real world performance driving center (located at Infineon Raceway, CA)
-Professional driver involvement including Dario Franchitti, Indycar Champion

.....Simraceway’s online race client is built on ISI’s gMotor2 game engine which immediately results in comparisons to ISI’s rFactor, however apart from the underlying engine the two games have very little in common. In reality Simraceway with its slick UI and features such as Speedtree animation has more in common NFS Shift 2 than rFactor. Additionally Simraceway is a realistic online race game suited to all skill levels where rFactor’s primary audience are hard core simulation game racers and modders.......

......RSC’s current favorite is the Mclaren M6GT — it’s a beast of a car! Tracks included are Longstone (fantasy), Brno, Zandvoort and Mid Ohio Sports Car Course. Simraceway’s Mid Ohio is the absolute standout and in terms of atmosphere and immersion compares more than favorably to versions of the track found in other games.

Overall we were very impressed with the Simraceway beta. As you would expect from a beta release there is still work to be done, but SRW represents a fresh and exciting start to a new race sim product, and given Ignite GT’s extensive library of licensed content to be rolled out in the coming months we’re excited to see where it leads and be part of the adventure. Stay tuned for Racesimcentral’s in-depth review and coverage of Simraceway in the coming months. Why wait though?

[pk500]

Thanks, Don. But I have zero interest in supporting a group that brazenly stole from modders and then tried to play stupid when caught by the community.

[DChaps]

Ok, I have no idea how I missed this, and I assume you must all already know about it, but I just discovered that the Lotus 49 is coming to iRacing - Grand Prix Legends 2 Lives!!!!

I consistently check out virtualr.net, racesimcentral, log onto iRacing every day and somehow I managed to miss this news that was released on Nov. 5. I never check the "Press" section on the iRacing login, but stumbled across this. Man I am getting old. Anyway, I am very excited to see this.

iRacing.com and Classic Team Lotus have announced plans to create a digital version of the renowned 1967 Lotus 49. This will be the second of the marque’s iconic Formula One cars available on iRacing, joining the 1978 World Championship-winning Lotus 79 which has been raced in the Classic Lotus Grand Prix Series since 2009.

“We’re honored to have the opportunity to build another great Formula One Lotus,” says Divina Galica, iRacing director of partner relations. “In addition to being among the most technically significant -- and successful – Formula One cars in history, the Lotus 49 embodies a truly golden age of Grand Prix racing. I have no doubt the members of iRacing will be positively thrilled at this news.”

Today’s announcement solidifies the relationship between iRacing.com and Classic Team Lotus. Prior to developing the virtual Lotus 79, iRacing co-founder Dave Kaemmer and his team created an early digital version of the Lotus 49 for the popular video game Grand Prix Legends in 1998.

“We are excited to work with iRacing to develop a state-of-the-art digital version of the Lotus 49,” says Clive Chapman, managing director of Classic Team Lotus and son of Lotus founder Colin Chapman. “There are many fans of Grand Prix Legends at Classic Team Lotus, and we were delighted with the results of iRacing’s Lotus 79 project. My father was one of racing’s great innovators, and it is entirely appropriate that his famous designs are being celebrated within the rapidly emerging field of motorsports simulation exemplified by iRacing.”

Among the first Formula One cars to employ its engine as a fully stressed chassis member, the Lotus 49 was also the first to utilize the legendary Ford-Cosworth DFV engine. On its debut in the 1967 Grand Prix of Holland, the Lotus 49 scored a famous “double” as Graham Hill captured the pole position before Jim Clark won the race itself. The design went on to 11 more Formula One wins and took Hill to the 1968 World Championship of Drivers.

iRacing is fortunate to have access to the very Lotus 49 Clark drove to that historic victory in 1967. The car is currently owned by vintage racer Chris MacAllister of Indianapolis, who has generously offered iRacing complete access to Clark’s car during the precision modeling process. iRacing’s engineers will shortly begin measuring the Lotus 49, with a targeted release for the latter part of 2012.

[pk500]

It's wonderful news, indeed.

[DChaps]

iRacing one year membership $49 (50% off)

This Black Friday special is so big we decided to make it available over the entire Thanksgiving weekend.

From Thursday through Sunday we have cut the price of a one-year membership in half. That’s right, you can renew your membership for just $49!

You can also tell your non-iRacing friends about the deal as we are making the same offer for new accounts. Just use the appropriate promo code listed below:

Renewing, extending or re-activating an existing iRacing account? Use promo code PR-BFEM

Creating a new iRacing account? Use promo code PR-BFNM

Either way you will get a full 1-year membership for only $49.

Act fast as this offer expires Sunday November 27th at 23:59 GMT.

[pk500]

Interesting read from iRacing godfather Dave Kaemmer about the challenges of simulating dirt racing:

http://www.iracing.com/inracingnews/ira ... n-on-dirt/

[DChaps]

Tim Wheatley, formerly of iRacing, and now working for ISI on rFactor 2, posted this info about the upcoming open beta.

http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/1 ... Week/page5

1 licensed 1966 F1 car, with generic fillers.
3 tracks: Spa, Monaco, and another.

Renault Megane, Formula Renault 3.5
3 tracks (most likely), Malaysia, Portugal, Mills.

Obviously, decisions could change this, and the unannounced track and car will be announced most likely together. Although there is a nice teaser inserted into the forum header now. These are just the content packages chosen for the beta. It's not really representative of what rF2 will eventually bring you.

In terms of open beta release, the "be driving by Christmas" statement is hopefully still going to be correct. Any further estimation is off the table at the moment until the closed beta ends, so I'm not going to be here repeating anything. That's the news, when there is something else, it'll be posted, even if there is silence in-between

[pk500]

Tim has become a good friend of mine. A really, really nice bloke who was a legend at the old Race Sim Central with his helpful posts and huge knowledge of sim racing.

I never call Tim by his name. I simply address him as "Legend" whenever we chat via email or Facebook. When I met him two years ago at Indy, I said, "LEGEND!" when we were introduced, and the name stuck.

Tim's knowledge helped him come to America from the UK to work for iRacing. Very glad he was able to find a strong gig with ISI for rFactor2. He's such a nice dude.

[Rodster]

What's the word with rFactor 2, when is the expected release?

[DChaps]

Tim has become a good friend of mine. A really, really nice bloke who was a legend at the old Race Sim Central with his helpful posts and huge knowledge of sim racing.

I never call Tim by his name. I simply address him as "Legend" whenever we chat via email or Facebook. When I met him two years ago at Indy, I said, "LEGEND!" when we were introduced, and the name stuck.

Tim's knowledge helped him come to America from the UK to work for iRacing. Very glad he was able to find a strong gig with ISI for rFactor2. He's such a nice dude.

Agreed. I have not known Tim personally, but he is a Legend in the racing sim community. I don't think Race Sim Central was ever the same after Tim had to give it up for good. Man, I really miss Race Sim Central. The iRacing forums are ok, but there just hasn't been anything like the Race Sim Central forums back in the glory years. Nothing against the Inside Sim Racing guys, but Race Sim Central in its current format should not even been allowed to have the name and url.

[DChaps]

What's the word with rFactor 2, when is the expected release?

According to virtualr.net: http://www.virtualr.net/rfactor-2-open- ... t-revealed

The open beta is due to start later this year and will give rFactor 2 buyers access to an early, content-limited, version of rFactor 2.

The open beta will require a full purchase of rFactor 2 for $43.99, as thank you for participating beta users will be receiving 18 months of online account membership instead of the 12 months included in the retail version.

The open beta version will give users the chance to sample three different cars and six tracks, including both historic and current racing content.

A start date for the open beta hasn’t been announced yet, it’s likely to launch in the remaining days of 2011 though.

[DChaps]

Speaking of glory days, the Simbin team has finally announced something that is not some additional expansion pack to the now ancient Race07 series.

They have just launched the website for GTR3 with some teaser ingame sounds and brief screenshots. Along with it comes this completely bold (and most likely unattainable) tagline. The sounds are pretty cool though. You must click the 3 buttons to get it started.

http://gtr3.com/

What you are about to hear will change the way you experience racing games forever.
All audio featured on this site is from the game

Here is a link to an interview with SimBin's CEO, Henrik Roos and executive producer Chris Speed about the teaser and vague information about GTR3 development:

http://www.raceroom.net/news/simbin/gtr ... interview/

RR: The SimBin.com website is currently down with a message about Christmas cleaning, what is that all about?

Henrik: You will see the 15th of December. We will gradually increase the information flow and I can promise we have so much to tell and show! Also, we will show visuals when the time is right.

RR: What platforms are you preparing to release GTR3 on? If you can't yet provide any details, can you at least give us a clue about when we will find out?

Henrik: No, sorry I don’t have the date or more information about that yet.

RR: Is there anything you can disclose about GTR 3 yet? Anything at all?

Henrik: Yes, more info will come on the 15th of December at http://www.simbin.com and people can in the meantime discuss it on http://www.raceroom.net

Chris: I can guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

GTR3 Forums Teaser Discussion:

http://www.raceroom.net/forums/index.ph ... 390.0.html

Between CARS, rFactor 2, GTR 3, and continued new features for iRacing, 2012 could be a good year for racing sims. Not that I have time to play even one of these.

[pk500]

Man, I really miss Race Sim Central. The iRacing forums are ok, but there just hasn't been anything like the Race Sim Central forums back in the glory years. Nothing against the Inside Sim Racing guys, but Race Sim Central in its current format should not even been allowed to have the name and url.

Agreed. No Grip is about the closest thing to RSC, but it's a pale comparison.

[DChaps]

A couple of years ago this would have been big news in the racing sim community. With iRacing well established, C.A.R.S in open alpha testing, and the rFactor 2 open beta around the corner, there is just too much else new going on. However, props to the HistorX Mod Team for sticking it out and releasing Historic GT & Touring Car 1.9 for rFactor. Their original Historic mod was probably the best overall mod released for rFactor back in the day. The quality, FFB, physics, attention to detail, and their awesome user manual was unmatched. If I just had more time I would probably reinstall rFactor just to give it a go, but alas, I am lucky to get time to race once or twice a month at this point. Anyway, here are the details for anyone wanting to try the "way back machine".

http://www.virtualr.net/historic-gt-tou ... 9-released

Historic GT & Touring Car 1.9 – Released

Team HistorX has released their Historic GT & Touring Car 1.9 mod for rFactor, introducing the successor to one of the most popular rFactor mods of all time.

Released back in 2008, the first version of Historic GT & Touring Car is still a favorite in the community due to the endless amount of care & details that is packed into this mod.

The team has improved the first version with new physics, sounds, liveries and most importantly, plenty of all-new scratch-made cars for even more historic racing fun.

Approximately 750 liveries.
New physics for all cars. The 65s cars have been completely redone. 76s and LM72 have been improved but are similar to what you found in v1.
Improved Force Feedback (powered by RealFeel plugin).
Realistic shifting behavior (powered by Grinding Tranny mod).
New sounds for many of the cars.
A lot of new cars: including a lot of models not included in GTL and hundreds of new liveries.
New and more flexible classes system.
Race standings support racing categories (classes) now.
Improved user interface.
Now ALT+TAB can be used to switch between the game and Windows Desktop.
And more!

Along with the download links to the mod, you can find the mod’s 48-page manual below. It’s very much recommended to consult the manual as it’s packed with controller settings and other helpful stuff that is needed to make most of this stunning mod.

Important: Since the mod uses content from Simbin’s GT Legends as base, a legal copy of GT Legends is required for the installation!

[pk500]

Thanks for the tip on the new Historics mod, The Donald! Too bad I don't race rFactor anymore, as the original Historics was the best rFactor mod, with ease.

iRacing has just released New Smyrna Speedway, a banked, half-mile oval. Should be a very fun bullring for many cars.

[Gurantsu]

I don't even have rFactor on my new(ish) PC, although it does look cool. Maybe I'll dust it off to give it a try. I know I have my GT Legends disk around here somewhere... New Smyrna looks fun too, but haven't pulled the trigger just yet. I wish they'd get New Jersey Motorsports Park done. I know that they have scanned it already.

I signed up for a 2.4 hour endurance race at Spa on January 22nd that my race team is sponsoring. I'll be driving a Ford GT in it. I think I'm insane.

http://members.iracing.com/jforum/posts ... 34291.page

[pk500]

I'm seriously thinking of reinstalling Richard Burns Rally on my laptop over Christmas break. With all of the proper FFB and wheel tweaks, RBR was one of the most sublime sim driving experiences I've ever enjoyed.

[Gurantsu]

I have it on my PC now, and I just saw that there is a new updated mod for it. I may snag it and give RBR a spin also.

http://www.virtualr.net/rsrbr-2012-released

[pk500]

I have it on my PC now, and I just saw that there is a new updated mod for it. I may snag it and give RBR a spin also.

http://www.virtualr.net/rsrbr-2012-released

I tried the RSRBR mod on a previous install, and I didn't like it. The mod messes with the physics, which I think are brilliant out of the box. It also causes a fair amount of crashes for some users, including me.

[DChaps]

rFactor 2 Open Beta Release this weekend?

It looks like the rFactor 2 Open Beta could be released any time now as the install and purchasing instructions are now online at the rFactor 2 website, and the forum has the main files needed (besides, the actual exe) available for pre-downloading in torrent or http form.

rFactor 2 Install Instructions:

http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/first-time-install/

rFactor 2 is currently a beta product. This means it is not a final product. By purchasing, or following these instructions, you are agreeing to the terms of use, the privacy policy and that you are aware rFactor 2 is an unfinished product at the time of your purchase.

Before purchasing, please ensure your computer meets the minimum system requirements below:

MINIMUM:
CPU: 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 or 2.4 GHz AMD Athlon x2
Memory: 2 GB
Video Card: nVidia 8600 GT or ATI/AMD 3850
Video Memory: 256MB
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7
DirectX: 9.0c
Storage: 4 GB
Internet connection required.

RECOMMENDED (over above minimums):
CPU: 3.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo or 3.0 GHz AMD Athlon II x2 or better
Memory: 4 GB+
Video Card: nVidia 250 GTS or ATI/AMD 4870 or better
Video Memory: 512MB+
Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista 64bit, Windows 7 64bit
Storage: 4 GB+

Notes:
1 – 2008 C++ Runtimes SP1 required (included with installer).
2 – rFactor 2 executable is 32bit. 64bit OS recommended above to allow more than 4GB RAM.

INSTALLATION:

Step 1: Download the rFactor 2 installer – NOT YET POSTED. (482MB)

Step 2: Install rFactor 2 onto your PC. The recommended paths and options will already be selected for you during the installation, and a shortcut should be placed on your desktop. You may need to click Yes on a User Account Control message if you are using Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows 7.

rFactor 2 File Download Links:

http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/1396-Downloads

RFMOD files:

Note: This is the car and track content from rF2. These will be RFMOD files, which are the new content packaging format found in rFactor 2. The rF2 executable is not yet released.

If anybody wants to get an early start on the content, you can start with these TORRENT files.
ISI1045-v10-1960sWorldClassRacing.rfmod.zip
ISI1032-v10-RenaultMeganeTrophy.rfmod.zip
ISI1044-v10-FormulaRenault35s.rfmod.zip
You will need a torrent file client to download these.

Here are HTTP links:
http://www.imagespaceinc.com/downloads/ ... ophy.rfmod
http://www.imagespaceinc.com/downloa...nault35s.rfmod
http://www.imagespaceinc.com/downloa...ssRacing.rfmod

Updates to the above content (you'll need the files above too):

TORRENT:
ISI1044-v10-v11-FormulaRenault35s.rfmod.zip

HTTP:
http://www.imagespaceinc.com/downloa...nault35s.rfmod

[pk500]

My video card is too weak.

[DChaps]

rFactor 2 Beta now Available

The rFactor 2 Beta is now avaiable for download and purchase. Currently there only appears to be torrents available so it is slow going. I will post some first impressions as soon as I have it running.

File Downloads:
http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/1396-Downloads

Install Guide:
http://rfactor.net/web/rf2/first-time-install/

FAQ:
http://isiforums.net/f/forumdisplay.php/45-FAQs

Tutorials:
http://isiforums.net/f/showthread.php/1573-Tutorials

SimHQ rFactor 2 Beta that contains some helpful install info:
http://www.simhq.com/_motorsports6/moto ... _200a.html

From ISI:

Please remember...
...with all the excitement please keep in mind that this IS a beta and as such some features are unfinished (even disabled at the moment due to last minute issues).

As you go to report bugs please try to glance around and see if there is already a thread started/it's a known issue. There's no reason to spend time finding the conditions of a bug if it's already been done. If you do have a new, valid bug/concern, remember that the more info you can give us the more easily we can fix issues. <ost important thing is to take your time with each issue and your testing. We're in no rush--we'll have plenty to do already

Please take modding questions to the appropriate sub-forum in the modding section--Luc, Lo and I will see them much faster if they are in their correct place.

Lastly, please try to understand that we won't be able to get to every issue right away so if you don't see a fix for an issue you reported immediately please don't think we're just ignoring it. We have to prioritize our workloads. Also, understand that we probably WON'T be able to respond to each and everything thread. We are looking however and will ask questions as needed.

If you're pre-purchasing we hope you'll enjoy the next months during the beta period. We appreciate all the help we can get in finding issues and expanding rF2 into a final gold product and beyond. We also appreciate your patience up to this point, as well as your continued patience moving forward.

See you on the track

Scott Juliano
ISI