rFactor 2 2023 Q2 Build Update Released With Changes To Physics, AI, HUD Display

Studio 397 have deployed their Q2 update for rFactor 2 that improves electric engine modeling, improves AI and fixes a number of issues causing game crashes and freezes. They also teased that there may be a BTCC-related update early next week. I’m assuming that could be the 2023 teams and drivers due to Motorsport Games (Studio 397’s parent company) currently having no planned release date for their BTCC game.

Again, I’m most happy to see AI getting more work. There was a time that rFactor 2 had the best AI in sim racing… However, this does look like a much smaller update than usual. I hope the header image on their news post, which doesn’t appear to show any rotational blurring on the wheels and is the image I have also used, isn’t how the car currently shows in the game or I expect we’ll get another hotfix on the Formula E Gen3 dropping soon to fix it…

Full changelog build 11248244 / 11248250:

General

Fixed game crashes caused by corrupt shader compiles

Fixed freeze on startup when offline with auto updates enabled

Fixed game locking up after changing resolution

Fixed a rare crash when an object has texture shadows casting but no textures assigned to the material

Adjusted the way Trackside TV displays enable/disable to stop crashes for some users.

Fixed game resetting to lowest resolution instead of desktop resolution when there is invalid data in the config file.

Fixed Track Limits not giving time to return place when passing another car after returning to track when gaining time.

Disabled depth buffering on driver labels to fix clipping issues

Physics

Fixed energy consumption and power output mismatch on electric cars.

Added check on temporary boost to not over-ride P2P

Fixed battery data not always exported to telemetry plugins

Disable [PLUGIN] section to be overridden in upgrades

Fixed electric cars shifting to neutral when braking with auto-shift on.

HUD

Fixed HUD Message Centre text and LED Icons rendering at wrong resolutions at non HUD native resolutions.

Fix for Track Limits display overlapping Flag Icons on Default HUD

Fixed ModDev deployment of HUD so choice can be changed in menu.

Fixed Track Limits dialogue not showing text in ModDev.

Removed Encryption from HUD mas files.

Fixed some issues with cockpit readout icons rendering

Fixed boost map not showing on Cockpit Display

AI

Fixed AI not shifting properly when using the old engine format

Fixed AI behaviour during Full Course Yellow including:

Fixed AI randomly slowing down
Fixed AI order during FCY if cars exit the pits before the leader crosses the line
General FCY track order fixes
During FCY, AI now follow the correct line
Fixed AI minimum speed during FCY, so they won’t come to a full stop even if the car they should be following is behind
Fixed some situations in which AI would force themselves to drive too fast during safety car conditions, causing them to overtake
Fixed AI sometimes slamming the brakes when crossing the line for the first time during FCY
Fixed small AI throttle spikes during formation laps and FCY

Fixes for AI behaviour on formation laps including:

Fixed formation lap speeds so AI can catch up properly
Fixed formation laps getting messed up on some circuits
Fixed AI attempting to shift in reverse when standing on the grid waiting for the car ahead to go if formation is done by position rather than relative

Improved AI obstacle avoidance including:

AI no longer rejoin onto the racing line infront of other cars, especially if they are spun on track
Improved AI ability to avoid obstacles on track
Reintroduced emergency obstacle avoidance for very unexpected obstacles
Fixed some issues with AI mispredicting movement of other cars, causing them to collide
Fixed AI not giving up position when they get pushed off the road

Fixed a small issue causing minor AI pedal input oscillations

Fixed a bug in AI acceleration and brake prediction, causing them to be either overly aggressive or overly cautious in corners

Fixed issues where cars would struggle to line up on the grid or enter their pit boxes on certain tracks

Fixed a crash in AIW creation

AI will no longer attempt to aggressively overtake around the outside

Nighttime will no longer cause AI to drive very slow

Added optional HDV defines to prevent AI from flipping over:

AIAntiRollActivationDistance=0.01
AIAntiRollDeactivationDistance=0.20

The Formule E Gen3 2023 was also updated:

Formula E Gen3 2023

v1.051

– New throttle map to give more precision, especially at higher RPM

v1.05

– Added Mahindra rims
– Fixed Penske #1 alpha channel