you forgot viper racing.
an under estimated classic as well.
an under estimated classic as well.
oups... sorry about that. I own that to actually (got it in a software bundle), but never had the chance to race it online.
Comparing Rfactor to LFS, well..
One side Rfactor has 4 more letters than LFS.
The other side is LFS can have two more words than Rfactor.
This is the best factual comparison as of this moment.
TroyMclure
One side Rfactor has 4 more letters than LFS.
The other side is LFS can have two more words than Rfactor.
This is the best factual comparison as of this moment.
TroyMclure
After playing the MP demo of Rfactor, LFS is ALOT better than Rfactor...what kind of name is rfactor anyway?
What is it with these words, where the capital letter is the second character?
rFactor
dEmporium
iRacing
iPod
Very confusing, the capital letter should be the first letter of the name! 
rFactor
dEmporium
iRacing
iPod
Very confusing, the capital letter should be the first letter of the name! LOL Good too see you are relaxed and refreshed!
enjoy your break 
probably some marketing technique to get us to pay more attention to the word.
Not if you enter "Live for Speed" vs. "rFactor", it's still better
Btw, Scawen still has to work a bit to beat Geoff Crammond
Edit: I just love these Googlefights... although Vic's "Feel the Silence" is a bit weak compared to Depeche Mode's "Enjoy the Silence".
That is exactly what we do in the Röugh Mätes team.
We are currently running a Multisimulator Racing League,
with races in LFS, GTR, NR2003, F1C and rF...
All in one league
We just can't decide on which we like the most
we are here: www.rm8s.net
You're making a fundamental mistake here. You're confusing computer 'stylee' with English. Now do you see why you're confused? Don't worry though, it's an easy mistake to make.
And it doesn't matter how many times they use the name iRacing. For me it's still the greedy buggers at Fir$t and their sad way of threating the community. Never in my life I will buy anything from them. Never...
For starters, let's take the "let the flame wars begin" comment as a joke of sorts...
I played rFactor recently and I can't say it's "just Holywood arcade style", whatever that means. Granted the cars at first feel awkward - but if you get to upgrading any of them to the full blown "racing version" then they are much better and predictable.
Graphics-wise:
Things I liked in it include the vibrations of the camera when going at a high speed and the day-to-night transition. Things I didn't quite like include the high system specs you must have to actually get all the graphics detail the game has to offer - racing with even 10 cars at night time managed to get me as low as 10fps, so unfortunately there goes the second feature I liked out of the window. And this was using DirectX 7 rendering with all sorts of tweaking in the config files to reduce the number of headlights visible, etc.
LFS on the other hand works smooth at 1280x1024x32. Track details that I like alot include the animated banners and trees (something I didn't notice in rFactor, even at full track detail) which helps figuring out the direction wind is blowing from and just plainly makes things more alive.
Cars:
The cars I've seen so far, and I think I've seen them all in rFactor are not very impressive, infact I utterly dislike the cockpit of one of them (the Hammer). The other two GT cars, the Z and Howston seem to share the same cockpit. Externally I think I only kinda liked the racing version of the Z and the Howston, the Hammer is just too tall and thin looking, it's weird. I haven't touched the open-wheelers.
In LFS you get a much bigger variety right from the start and the designs are more visually appealing (to me).
Sound:
Despite the fact that rFactor appears to have richer sound, it still manages to disorientate me, especially with the external sounds of other cars - they sound rather fake (to me) and sometimes the positioning is off. The "crash" sound is rather funny, as it always feels like you've opened a cupboard and all the crockery came tumbling down - it's only one sample and it just changes in volume depending on impact force (which is an added factor to make you not to crash ofcourse ["please don't play that sound again!"]). I didn't seem to notice a "scraping" sound anywhere, which is useful in tight pack racing (3 or 4 abreast) because many times I didn't understand that some opponent was already touching my car's side approaching a turn and I'd end up cutting him off rather violently. The tyre scrubbing sounds are much the same, there's a specific sample which is "on the edge" and it don't really vary in volume or pitch depending on anything, it always sounds the same (to me).
LFS at first doesn't seem to have so much to hear. However, it's all sublimely co-ordinated to give you feedback. Approach a wall and you hear the reverberation, tyre scrubbing sounds progress and scraping on a stack of tyres makes a different sound to bumping a guardrail or contacting another car.
Damage modelling:
In rFactor, things fly off and things get bent in a pre-scripted fashion. Your rear wing will get clipped off from someone hitting you in the rear even though his nose is much lower than where the wing actually is - that's rather annoying and it can frequently happen if you're racing against slightly clumsy people or AI - and it can happen at varying velocities, I've seen a car come out intact from a 150+ km/h slam while another one getting bumped from other cars in a pack lose spoilers, wings and even a bonnet. You can damage your brakes from overheating them (the racing brakes need to reach nominal temperature to work properly), you can also damage your engine and you can get some mechanical failures (they seem random). I didn't notice any audio feedback from engine problems, you just have to keep an eye on the temps I suppose if you think there's something amiss. I have no idea how well implemented the tyre modelling is, there is a display of tyre temp (out, mid and inner surface) but that's not as "live" as LFS's. Also, I didn't notice any effect on the handling of the car from passing through a sandtrap or running over grass, the tyres appeared to be clean immediately after that.
In LFS, the damage modelling is not complete, however the procedural crumpling of the car is more appealing and hitting a kerb violently can affect your suspension (not something I noticed in rFactor) or blow a tyre and tyres can get dirty. Also the visual feedback from the tyre status display is much more "live".
Random bits:
Two things that rFactor outshines LFS in are the replay system (which ihas possibly not even been touched in LFS since S1) - you get all the controls that you'd expect (rewind for example) - and the AI (which isn't finished in S2). In rFactor you can set the aggression level of the AI which can help avoiding demolition derbies sometimes (although at too low levels you get chicken AI that just pulls over and brakes so you can pass) and the AI in rFactor will pit in for repair, refueling, tyres etc and they seem to suffer from the same mechanical failures that you do.
For my taste, the user interface of rFactor is pretty clunky/cluttered, especially in the garage, compared to LFS's and it doesn't have the neat "live" features like forces, suspension-view, etc that LFS has - it's just a static screen full of widgets.
Another thing that I think is noteworthy is that the day-night transitions in rFactor naturally affect the shadows in parts of the track, etc That can confuse you (realistically) regarding your braking/turn-in points and such. However, if you turn down the shadow detail they are not rendered any longer and in my opinion can be sort of like cheating in online races against people who keep such effects on.
Apparently the major feature of rFactor that is being sold is the "modability". Which is a nice concept and I'm sure there will be tons of nice mods out there eventually, but atleast they should provide some starter content that's more worthwhile and worth the money you pay. In my opinion (and to my taste) S2's base content is just much richer as it stands.
And in case you missed it, all of the above is just my opinion.
What is it with these names, where the name always contains word "speed"?
Need For Speed
Live For Speed
Will rFactor be staying on your hard drive, for some thing different to play for a change?
really Flawed attempt, creating terrible online racing j/k
I can't even run this game, but very happy with LFS so not too bothered
IMO It's not the different features that are important, it's the feeling you get from online races and in LFS that feeling is superb!
I can't even run this game, but very happy with LFS so not too bothered
IMO It's not the different features that are important, it's the feeling you get from online races and in LFS that feeling is superb!
Is there a demo of rFactor? I didn't think there was. I won't pay for something that I don't know whether it will run on my machine or not. I'd love to try it, but I highly doubt it will run. That's what I love about LFS, I can run it!! 
well, there's a student version floating around...
I really don't understand the mentality that Arcade Syle=American. Are you saying that Europeans don't play arcade style games? Are you saying that Europeans don't produce arcade style games? Are you saying that if it is unrealistic that it must be American and not European? Are you saying that only Europeans appreciate function over form?
Just because it may have more flash than substance does not equate with an entire country. It equates to your opinion of a particular object.
And if you are implying that the US has no "real" racing, then you really aught to give it a second look. NASCAR is NASCAR and the tracks may be boring, and there may be a lot of hype, but it is still cars going 200mph trying to be the first to cross a line. And no, not every American race fan is a NASCAR fan.
The ALMS is a great series. Le Mans style racing, using Le Mans rules and regulations. Geee, what happened at this year's Le Mans 24 Hr? A whole bunch of US ALMS teams won, and they took the Outright win too. In a European Audi R8 with a mix of drivers from around the world. What a wonderful thing.
Yes, I know the image that the US can project. Las Vegas/Hollywood style gauche flamboyant overkill. But please don't project that image onto all of America, it ain't like that. There are some people here that love good road racing, who appreciate nimble little cars like the BMW 2002, who love F1, and who do know the difference between flash and function.
Just because it may have more flash than substance does not equate with an entire country. It equates to your opinion of a particular object.
And if you are implying that the US has no "real" racing, then you really aught to give it a second look. NASCAR is NASCAR and the tracks may be boring, and there may be a lot of hype, but it is still cars going 200mph trying to be the first to cross a line. And no, not every American race fan is a NASCAR fan.
The ALMS is a great series. Le Mans style racing, using Le Mans rules and regulations. Geee, what happened at this year's Le Mans 24 Hr? A whole bunch of US ALMS teams won, and they took the Outright win too. In a European Audi R8 with a mix of drivers from around the world. What a wonderful thing.
Yes, I know the image that the US can project. Las Vegas/Hollywood style gauche flamboyant overkill. But please don't project that image onto all of America, it ain't like that. There are some people here that love good road racing, who appreciate nimble little cars like the BMW 2002, who love F1, and who do know the difference between flash and function.
Thank you. A decent and honest observation and comparison.
I like the feature of the moving shadows that you mentioned.
Uh. the game looks like it only has one type of racing. is that true?
If that's so. that's pretty lame compared with the variety you get with a game that's only 45% finished.
Another thing you mentioned was the interface. I prefer the no nonense, get to the point style that LFS has. CLunky confusing interfaces put me off.
I dunno, going by your take, I'd say the game may be worth it for some, but for me. I'm
waiting for the release of The Warriors for the PS2 - THAT looks like a cool game
...err...lets not give them more ammo.
Nope, its not. If it were "racing" about crossing the line first, there would not be such Pro Wrestling style moves as "free pass" and "green white checker". Its a spectator sport. Pro Racing, if you will. WWE and NASCAR are very similar in both conception and fanbase.
Now you're talking about me.
But it is. NASCAR is the 800 pound gorilla, and although Hollywood isn't bad I think WWE is a better comparison, as WWE and NASCAR both lack class.
Remember Speedvision? Man, it kicked some ass. Guess what killed it?
Yeah, and there are some people in France that love NASCAR.
I think you are kidding yourself to believe real road racing has a long term chance in America. Series like ALMS tend to come and go every 10 or 15 years. Outside of wealthy niche activities like club/sportscar racing, real racing in America isn't going to be prosperous. Real, honest, fair competition just isn't that attractive to most Americans.
It has GT type cars and open-wheel racers - you choose your division when you first create a profile, it's not like in LFS where all cars are available in one screen. You start off owning either 3 stock tin-tops (with one more to buy later on when you get credits) or one training open-wheeler that looks like an F3 I guess (with an F1-alike to buy later on).
The GT cars have the usual subdivisions which are based on how you've configured your car (starting from a stock model of each car all up to the racing edition of it) - you have to buy parts for it using credits earned in races (you can also lose credits in races by doing silly things like going the wrong way on track for too long, exiting pits with red lights, etc - you won't lose credits if you damage your car though).
hehe, thats really funny.
Just what do you consider "real racing" to be? SCCA, Trans Am, etc. have been around for a long, long time and don't show any sign of stopping. Plus there are plenty of vintage road racing events, track days, driving schools, etc. I'd say that there is PLENTY of interest in road racing in the US. NASCAR might be at the forefront because of it's huge exposure and revenue, but road racing in the US is far from dead.
Fair enough. I am not a NASCAR fan either. I do watch it from time to time because it is the ONLY racing on the tube. But, don't confuse rules with lack of competition. Rules have always been there. Lets look at road racing. If a full course caution comes out with a pace car, and the P1 leader just passed you, but not the car in your class that you were only a second behind, guess what, you just lost a lap to that other car. If it happens the other way around, you gain a lap. The "free pass" in NASCAR was put in place after a safety rule change eliminated the chance of gaining laps back after one of their very frequent crashes. Even though it is still hype, and there is a lot to hate about NASCAR, it is still racing. But, I do understand your point, and I am very close to agreeing with you 100%. The most I can say now is that it is certainly dummied down racing to attract the widest possible fan base. I feel the same way about "Pro" Basketball.
Yes, road racing in the US is fragile. Series do come and then fade away. The problem has always been exposure. SPEED is the NASCAR channel, but they at least do show a lot of the ALMS races, the SWC races, Grand Am and of course the NASCAR owned Rolex GP series (which is road racing even though they use ugly spec cars). This is more exposure for road racing than ever before. I think the biggest shame is that a lot of cable companies put SPEED in with a extra-cost add on package along with a bunch of channels few racing fans want.
Rfactor vs LFS
(1872 posts, started )
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