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rFactor review
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rFactor a review of the game:
Warning:
Those of you who think or expect rFactor to be a one on one successor of F1C; it is not (yet).
What you buy is more of a modding platform and hopefully the community will succeed in developing this game in such a way that we have a state of the art racing sim, containing a host of F1 seasons, accompanied by any other racing series you may think of. But this will cost time.
The crucial fact is that there needs to be a good integrated co-operation between ISI and the modding community in order to keep this game afloat. If that fails I fear this game will slip away into oblivion in no time.
ISI are clever guys, building this platform, not needing to compete with Sony about any F1 licensing (which will cost a fortune). Having the experience of extensive F1C community involvement, ISI sells you a game shouting: .hey you there community, wake up, and make a real game out of rFactor.. That is cheap tactics in my opinion and it will set you back around 50 Euro to buy this invitation, thank you very much!
Starting on a personal note:
I bought rFactor about 3 months ago via the official rFactor website using my credit card and paid about 48 Euro for it. Installation went bug free as did any update and modding. My first impression was a mix between mild disappointment and mild satisfaction, I still seem to have a love/hate relationship with this game.
In the mean time I have played the game, installed a load of mods, add-on cars, growing day by day. It is thanks to the GP2 mod, the Renault Megane Trophy mod and the fictional Proton mod that this game ranks in the top 5 of my racing sim collection, but certainly not on a top spot (yet).
What I don.t like in the game:
- the pit character standing in front of the car (looking like a robot-ish type of a fake Buzz Lightyear). Who is the nutty guy that invented this crap??? Look at GT Legends for the real pitcrew. I also don.t like the driver.s helmets (strange, too small???)
- the Arcade style AI cars that come standard with the game, they vary from a Ford Puma like two door and a Korean style small .housewife doing shopping. car upto heavy material that would do better in a cheap American Cop pursuit film. The AI open wheel cars are bearing no resemblance to any real open wheel car. How about driving for team Red or Blue ohhhhhhh!!
- the career challenge in which you start with this shopping toy car and by winning and earning money you progress to tougher stuff, finally being able to buy the best car offered. Oh I hate this Arcade nonsense. Being a sim racer for years, having done almost any type of racing and rallying I don.t want to be insulted and treated like some no-no. A cheat has solved this soap series on wheels luckily.
- the display of the cars in the spinner, or better the spinner itself, being a circular platform surrounded by flashing neon disco lights.
- although the graphic engine is a huge improvement, the display of the cars itself strikes me as being a somewhat cold, ironlike Manga picture. It is maybe meant a bit to be too perfect?? It takes time to get used to.
What I like:
This is a hell of a stable game, with graphics to be proud of.
My rate: 7,5 out of 10 (until I know better).
I assess this game as a great opportunity to achieve a very high standard of sim racing. Let us all hope this will come true. I don.t discourage anyone to buy this .game..
Have a look in the Screenshot area of Racesimulations to get a peek of what is happening!!
The next story is a transcript of Wikipedia:
rFactor:
rFactor is a computer racing simulator designed with the ability to run any type of four-wheeled vehicle from street cars to open wheel cars of any era. rFactor aims to be the most accurate race simulator ever, providing advanced tyre modelling, complex aerodynamics and a 15 degrees of freedom physics engine.
rFactor is developed by Image Space Incorporated (ISI), which has been developing race simulators since the early 1990s for both commercial and military purposes. Their most recent title to use the complete engine was F1 Challenge 99-02 , released through EA Sports, although the rendering engine itself has been used for Simbin's GT Racing Series, comprising GTR-FIA Racing Game and GT Legends.
Initial Reactions:
Initial reactions have been generally positive from the race sim enthusiast community. The graphics are a notable improvement, and have generally been praised. The extendability appears to be fairly substantial, it is not simpler to modify than F1 Challenge, due to enhancements and extra features. Having said that, you have greater freedom and more definability than any ISI game before. With more tools being released on the official rFactor website.
Negative comment is generally confined to the AI cars (computer controlled vehicles), and the reality of the racing experience. The latter is very subjective, but some have claimed the default cars sometimes feel more like an arcade game than F1C, particularly in the way the car slides and "breaks loose" (transitions from four wheel grip to skids). Others have noted that the head movement (literally the way the driver's head moves when driving), set to maximum by default in the game, is midly overdone, and while it makes for a better experience, it may be a little unrealistic. It is fully adjustable anyway.
From the developers:
rFactor is a serious simulation that is both challenging and fun to play. ... Ultimately, I expect to see [in rFactor] every car, of every paint scheme, from every year driving on every circuit both current and historical, which has ever held an event where an internal combustion engine was used to decide the winner of a race.
- Gjon Camaj, ISI team member
Ultimately the fate of rFactor will depend on two factors: How well extensions to the base game are received, and how well ISI deals with the game community and their product activation scheme for rFactor. As noted above, if the former fails (an unlikely scenario), it will be a good but tiny game.
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