I share Tristan's sentiments. I tried to like rFactor. Really, I did. I gave it my best shot.

Netkar is supposedly pretty good. Anyone try it out yet?

Yes. It's easily the closest to LFS in terms of dynamics. But the rest of the program is borked. Some computers can't even load it (even with the correct NET installation), some computers can get in, but suffer poor fps, poor sound, poor controls or poor online play (or a combination), and seven computers run it without problem.

A lot of us, myself included, hope that the next patch (ha ha, as if ) will cure most of the serious issues and get it back on the track it derailed from last year (or two years ago now? I can't remember). Sadly, Kunos is more intent making second rate F1 sims for car shows, playing with bike sims, and getting people to make fancy hill climb cars rather than sitting down for a week and bug squashing, so don't get your hopes up.

Oh, and the current demo doesn't work online (I think), and the dash has to be hacked to make it work a bit.

It has potential. But it's not clear if that will ever be realised. And I was a potential nKP fan boy prior to it's release!!!!!

Even with the huge flaws rfactor is nowadays the only sim worth trying imho. It has imho just less than 5 "good" mods (basically the only ones worth trying are the bmw e21, the CSGT and the C6 with preservations with the understeer). As for other cars, the Zonda does enough well for quick GTR car and JTbo's volvo can be really nice and scary as well... but even with the very few cars you get dozens and dozens of great tracks so the selection of very few cars doesn't really bother. It has content for weeks and months if one is willing to put aside the awful stuff.

Nkpro is pretty much dead anyways, without Jaap at rsc no one would even remember that it ever existed (prolly not even kunos). I wouldn't bother with nkpro, it has no future, no matter how great tires it has got.

As for other sims, nascar 2003 with its mods might be worth a look, although it is expensive. GPL is getting old but has quality content. Not so many cars, all high quality though and huge selection of tracks. Then there is the new arca sim which is based on ISI code which basically makes it yet another mod for SCGT. I haven't tried it personally but I'd be really really surprized if it was really better than nascar03. Then there is the Richard Burns rally. Some call it the best rally sim, personally I'd say it is the only rally sim and not too good either. As for other rally sims there is the Rally trophy released some years ago, might be worth a look although the physics are as good/bad as rfactor's. There has been some mods released for Rally trophy as well so it might have gotten better since I last tried it.

Basically LFS is the best sim atm., but only if you haven't played it to death...

Get Rich Burns Rally. Its discontinued now so normally on ebay for in the bargin bin. Was too sim like for many so had crap sales figures and got pulled.

Shame as master piece if you are hardcore sim fan.

I'm just repeating what others have said, but you should stay away from GTR, GTL, GTR2, rFactor, WTCC Race, Race 07, BMW Challenge and the next 10 exact same games that are going to follow with a different title, graphics and table values.

Basically only decent sims by my measures are GPL, RBR, LFS and Nascar 2003. But if you want to race online, but no ovals, LFS is the only choice.

Quote from Hyperactive :

As for other sims, nascar 2003 with its mods might be worth a look, although it is expensive.

Then there is the new arca sim which is based on ISI code which basically makes it yet another mod for SCGT. I haven't tried it personally but I'd be really really surprized if it was really better than nascar03.

No I personally like the ARCA Sim Racing better than Nascar 2003. The devs changed the ISI code a bit to fit oval racing and the aero physics are pretty satisfying. Contact and handling sensativity was cranked up from the crappy rFactor oval series and it effectively simulates a stock car's instability.

Quote from frokki :

Basically only decent sims by my measures are GPL, RBR, LFS and Nascar 2003. But if you want to race online, but no ovals, LFS is the only choice.

With circuits, LFS is the best

With ovals I'd say ARCA Sim Racing > Nascar 2003

With rally, Richard Burns Rally is hard to beat

I share Becky's, ajp71's and Hyper's points of view!

With some recent mods and plugins rFcactor is well worth your money, not to mention some brilliant real life tracks (e.g Nordschleife 2007, or Le Mans 1977-1988).
It easily complements LFS in the areas the latter suffers, and vice versa. rFactor when properly modded is a hell more immersive sim than LFS when it DOES NOT come to physics and force-feedback

GTR2 is another title I would definintely recommend, as it features the absolutely best modelled rl tracks than any other sim I have tried so far. It focuses on GT cars, but there are also mods for it (most of them crappy)

Both titles use the gMotor2 engine (developed by ISI for rfactor and tweaked by Simbin for GTR2 -added rain among other things) which means you will need to spend a lot of time in fine-tuning several aspects (including the force-feedback for your wheel, which is very important, but you will never feel it like you do in LFS). But you'll be thrilled in other areas (gfx, sound, mods, etc).

I also hear good words about Race07, but haven't tried it myself. Richard Burns Rally is also an excellent choice if you like WRC (I don't). nKar pro's physics and ffb are in par with LFS, the gfx is awsome but the sim is buggy and abandoned (rumor has it that its dev is making a bike simulator now lool).

PS. Tristant, com'on buddy... driving PCC2007 (Mobil 1 Supercup) fully manual (h-shifter, clutch, right-foot braking) with Real Feel Plugin properly set, in Nordschleife 2007 ver 2.0 is not that bad, even with ISI's flawed physics

Quote from migf1 :

PS. Tristant, com'on buddy... driving PCC2007 (Mobil 1 Supercup) fully manual (h-shifter, clutch, right-foot braking) with Real Feel Plugin properly set, in Nordschleife 2007 ver 2.0 is not that bad, even with ISI's flawed physics

Post thy settings, and I shall try them. Possibly tonight (woo, tiny amount of free time )

Quote from migf1 :

I also hear good words about Race07

I agree - the uninstaller for that one is one of the best around.

Quote from xaotik :

I agree - the uninstaller for that one is one of the best around.

If it's like the uninstaller of the demo, then no... I made the mistake of deleting the game-files in Steam itself... Then when I tried to uninstall it via the Windows software-list (to get the entry out of there), Steams just loads up then freezes, and takes the whole computer with it...
So you can't even call that any good...

Start > Run > regedit
HKLM\SOFTWARE\ Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall

Contains a list of keys, each standing for one entry of the add/remove programs dialog. It might also be one of the GUID entries (those with {} and a weird character sequence inbetween), so just do a search for the name of the item you want to remove (the same that is shown in the dialog). Once you've found it, delete the whole key/folder.

Quote from tristancliffe :

Post thy settings, and I shall try them. Possibly tonight (woo, tiny amount of free time )

Nordschleife 2007

RealFeel FFB Plugin

Porsche Carrera Cup 2007

RealFeelFFB Settings for PCC2007 (you need to login to view these... i use Techad's PC2007 specific settings, who made the FFB plugin)

Car Setup

I use a G25 and especially for the rFactor I have made a profle in the Wingman Profiler, with all G25's settings equal to 0, except the Overall Strength which is 100% (those are the instructions in RealFeel's readme file) and the Rotation degrees which I have set to 360.

Ingame settings: I don't remeber by heart, but I think I have set the speed sensitivity to 25%-35% and I always put the car's steering lock between 18% and 19% on the setup.

And here is my tweaked FFB section in rfactor's Controler.ini file

Note: Your mileage may vary!

I like Race07 except the Caterham's when you crash in the front you lose your wheel to quick and it always seem's to me that i always lost my front left..The weather and the 24hour format is awesome but you have to get the setup just right so you dont spin on the wet pavement.

Tristan, what happened... still racing that Porsche in the Ring?

Just joking! Seriously, let us know if you liked it or not.

Ok, thats enough.

I´ll better try it out now...


















...again

migf1, thanks for that, I will give it a try with your settings, every other time I've tried it I just can't get Rfuctor to feel right at all

Quote from AlienT. :

migf1, thanks for that, I will give it a try with your settings, every other time I've tried it I just can't get Rfuctor to feel right at all

rFactor's major problem is the poor force-feedback implementation and the poor physics, which give a really narrow margin to correct the car when it crosses its grip-limit.

Once you oversteer, 90% of the times you can't recover because the car does not accept your steering/pedal commands no matter what recovering technique you try. Also, when the car understeers, 90% of the times the force-feedback goes dead (and I mean dead). Plus that any ingame ffb setting other than Low Effects yields in a lot of canned effects.

With some mods and the RealFeel FFB Plugin things get quite improved over the default feeling, although they usually require a bloody lot of tweaking & fine tuning. And still they are NOT in par with LFS.

So if you want to have some fun with rfactor, take my advice and NOT compare it with LFS in physics and ffb, or you won't have fun at all.

The way I see it goes like that: in LFS I show tolerrance for the so-so gfx, the bad sounds and the non-existant rl tracks in order to enjoy the physics and the informative ffb. In rfactor I show tolerrance for the so-so physics/ffb (selected mods only, the rest are total crap) in order to enjoy rl tracks, awsome sound and good gfx.

Yestreday I was trying to make some good RealFeel FFB settings for Megane Trophy 2.02 (a so and so mod), testing the car in Varano (an awsome little testing track). After lots of trial &error effort I ended up with these settings, but in order to have the desired rich ffb feeling the G25 ended up feeling so damn heavy, even with the Megane's power steering option enabled

Quote from migf1 :

So if you want to have some fun with rfactor, take my advice and NOT compare it with LFS in physics and ffb, or you won't have fun at all.

IMO, if you want to have fun with some aspects of rfactor - don't play LFS for a day or - or atleast, play rF first and then LFS, never the other way around or you'll get annoyed to no end.

If Tristan likes the PCC porsches I'll have to buy a hat and eat it..

Quote from Niels Heusinkveld :

If Tristan likes the PCC porsches I'll have to buy a hat and eat it..

That's why I suggested he only tries them in the Ring and fully manual. Hoping that flawed physics will be somewhat masked by the extra effort to keep the car on the track

Quote from Niels Heusinkveld :

If Tristan likes the PCC porsches I'll have to buy a hat and eat it..

Just what I was thinking

Why eat something so untasty?! If Tristycliffe likes the PCC Porsches, I'll go buy a Pepperoni Pizza and eat it. I swear, it'd taste much better than your hats.

In fact, I'd wager upon it.

I'll see your pepperoni pizza and raise you a meaty feast.

Quote from VoiD :

Ok, thats enough.

I´ll better try it out now...


















...again

Update:

It was the same procedure as last year...

Conclusion:

rFactor still sucks!