rFactor 2 – Roadmap Update March 2017

STUDIO 397 has published the March 2017 rFactor 2 Roadmap blog bringing us up to date with the latest progress and upcoming content for the rFactor 2 racing simulator.

The rFactor2 development team is making good progress on the User Interface, VR support for the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift, and DX11 implementation. They stated that the targeted “end of Q1” release will not be met, but the release quality promises to be worthwhile. The updated target for release is now May 1st.

As far as content is concerned, work on the upcoming Radical SR3 sportscar is shaping up nicely, Last but not least,  STUDIO 397 announces that there is some very interesting new car and track content in the pipeline. We will keep you posted when we receive more news on this topic.

March Roadmap Update:

DX11 Pipeline and Post FX

Over the course of the last month, we have spent a lot of time to further optimize the HDR rendering pipeline. We also started adding post processing effects. This is a bit of a balancing act between ensuring we stay compatible with existing content and adding various improvements to the graphical output. Work on shaders, the shadow system, and on various other effects is also under way.

Working on the DX11 integration has allowed us to fix some things that were previously unaddressed or needed improvement. For example, we fixed an issue with stray colored pixels in the distance, caused by MSAA artifacts. We also improved the way shadows are cast on the ground. Shadows now follow the normal maps of the materials, which means for example that the shadow on asphalt follows all the little bumps in the road. Our clouds are using much higher resolution textures, and we fine tuned ambient lighting in overcast conditions by adjusting both the color and intensity of the light.

Last month we already showed you improvements, some of which were very subtle. This month, we have a few new screenshots that will show we’re on the right track!

 

  

Virtual Reality is operational

Great news! We are already driving in VR – seeing a virtual sunrise through the trees is an incredible experience!
Our VR implementation is based on OpenVR. We chose OpenVR for its support of both headsets – the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift – ensuring future compatibility. To complete the experience, we are integrating VR with the new UI and adjusting several other parts of the game, such as external cameras.

 

User Interface

The UI is really taking shape. The initial release will be functionally equivalent to the current user interface, but with some advanced features. Each month, features and functionality of the user interface will be improved. For example, the ability to create your own championships and easier ways to create your own hosted environments.

 

Radical Content

We can’t wait to announce some very, very cool content news soon, for both cars and tracks. As you know, our ambition is to streamline content, aligning cars and tracks. In the meantime, the Radical SR3 is coming along nicely. We have extensive technical data from Radical and are creating the most realistic version that has ever been produced.

 

  

Modding

We are very happy that many modding teams have already applied to join our special forum. We have already started to share information there about upgrading custom shaders. Over the next couple of weeks we will proceed with guidelines on materials and textures as well as provide early beta builds for you to check your work. These guides will be part of a new documentation that we will publish and maintain going forward. So, if you are working on new or existing mods for rFactor 2 and have not done so yet, contact Christopher and Marcel to join the dedicated DX11 forum.

That wraps up another monthly roadmap update. We hope you are as excited as we are about what the future will bring!

Official Webpage – www.studio-397.com