Hi All,

I've been simming for going on 15 years and have never tried the Online experience, my loss I'm sure :(. I'd like to give it a go now but need some instructions on how and where to go about it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of some tutorials or directions on what I need to do to get going? I'll list my specs below and would also like to know which sim would be best to dive in with, I have rFactor, GTR2, GT Legends and ARCA should be here in the next day or so.

Specs:
E6600 Dual Core, 512 ram
nVidia 9600GT 512mb
Intel NIC and SMC
SMCWBR14-N Router

Thanks in advance for your help!
Doug

Dive in with rFactor, since it's the simplest.

1. Start rFactor.
2. Click on JOIN in the GUI.
3. Let the server list update, then click on "Server name" to sort the list alphabetically.
4. Scroll down to "SimHQ Motorsports" or "Smooth is Fast". If it's not there, press the green button with arrows to refresh the list.
5. Select the server by clicking on it.
6. Press the RACE button at bottom right.
7. Type the password; for both servers it is "Motorsports".
8. Pick your car skin (whatever is selected is probably what you want anyway).
9. Press RACE and you will join the server.


That's it. It's really really easy. Before you join the server you will need to have the active mod installed. You can find links to these mods, as well as other server information, in this forum and in the F1 sub-forum.

If you log on during the week, you may or may not catch people practicing. If you log in before a race, you can either participate in the race, or simply sit and watch if you're not comfortable online yet.

Thanks Joe, this is much easier then I anticipated!
I thought I had to monkey around with my Router settings, have TS installed and so on!!

Question, do hardware and software firewalls cause problems?

Thanks

dford8,

I believe Doug requires TeamSpeak for on-line races, but not for practice sessions.

TeamSpeak is very easy to install, and I believe the instructions are in a thread here somewhere. They include screen captures to enhance the instructions. It's not hard at all.

You don't have to have a microphone to race, but you have to be able to hear the comms from the race director.

TeamSpeak is not daunting, it's rather easy to get working. And rFactor has some of the best on-line code out there. Really smooth. I recommend observing the mod and track being used by either Smooth-is-Fast or SimHQ Motorsports. Then, Alt-Tab rFactor, open up SimHQ's forums, and look for the thread about that race series. In the first post you'll find links to the car mod and track being used. Exit rFactor, install the mod/track, and re-start rFactor. Enter the Smooth or SimHQ server, and you're ready to go!

But, go to a practice session or two before a real race, just to make sure you've got everything working and installed. Teamspeak with a microphone can also help for that real-time tech support from the other drivers, not that it should be needed in most cases.

Happy racing!

Great info, Thanks Chunx!

One of the nice things about online rFactor is that you don't have to muddle with your router settings.

TeamSpeak info

Welcome Doug. Once you've logged into Rfactor with the right mod installed for whatever series/mod is running, we often will 'type' tech support type questions to each other in the 'in game' chat window in Rfactor. Teamspeak is so much easier tho, and most of us use the 'push to talk' function to communicate. It's really easy and adds that personal touch to the online experience. It's also a lot quicker than typing.



Welcome again, and ditto what chunx said, it's good to get online before the race to make sure that there are no problems with the connection part before the actual race day.

Most of all, have fun!

Doug, before you can join the SimHQ or Smooth servers, you have to also have the current mod and track that the servers are running and the 1255 patch for rFactor. The mods and tracks are normally listed in the current series topics in the SimHQ Motorsports forums...or at http://rfactorcentral.com/ .

*edit* Oops, I didn't read all of Joes post. He already said that.

I'm also hoping to see a possible ARCA server in the near future. I recently got it and would love to race with folks I know. No downloads are needed as of yet since there are no mods.

Hope to see you online!

Thanks for all of your responses! I ordered a headset so I'll go with TS and also ordered ARCA so hopefully there will be a server.

Once I'm ready to go I'll be back with a few last minute questions just prior to joining in!

Thanks again and look forward to running with you!

BTW, I dl'd and installed the MMG F1 server edition mod. Is this the one you are currently using?

Oh yeah, AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
OMG are those things fast!

Is there a seperate race the speed impaired?

Yes - I recommend racing tin tops at first (not open-wheel cars like Champ Car, F1, etc). To me they are "twitch racing", which is a challenge but not as much fun as racing cars with fenders.

Just a suggestion. Top-level series open wheel cars are not for the beginner. You'll probably be more frustrated than if you start with sports cars (doors, roof, fenders, etc).

Good point! I was thinking exactly what you said, "man this thing is twitchy"! I'll stick with something with a roof and doors for now!
Thanks

rTrainer or Formula BMW can also be ok learning cars if you like the wind in your face. From them you can then graduate to F3.

In fact I'm having a harder time looking for the perfect starter tintop:
-Porsches are maybe too idiosyncratic. Sractch them, not begginer-friendly at all.
-Meganes or Superclios. OK but both can bite back.
-Lupos. Yeah, but a tad too slow.
In fact my #1 early rF tintop would be that hatchback FF thing that comes with the game, Rehz or whatever. Quite fun, definitely faster and better handling than the Lupos, and a tad tamer than the Renaults, which would be the next step.

Getting Race 07 might be a good way to jump into a current SimHQ series, without trying to jump in at the deep end right away.
(While you're at it, if you haven't already, I'd pick up GTR2 as well.)

In rFactor open-wheelers, a good primer for F1 might be the Formula Nippon mod. I think they're right about at the GP2 level. Not too slow, but nowhere near as frantic as F1.

rF3s in rFactor are great cars. We ran a great series with them.

Mini Challenge (Mini Coopers) is a good fun little car that's a blast to drive. Awesome fun at Toban Short.

For a beginner in-top car, it would really be best if it was RWD, to get used to the RWD effects of most other race cars.

Those Minis really are a blast, though... That mod has given me the highest fun:frustration ratio by far.

I've been running and modding the Hammer included with rFactor and enjoying it, I've always been a Mustang fan (my last name is Ford )

I also have GTR2 but haven't spent too much time in it. Some of the big boys in that title will bite you like the Saleen cause they are very fast and powerfull.

My wife thought I was nuts when I was hooked on Flight sims......now she thinks I've lost it altogether.

Welcome to my world dford...welcome to my world.

dford,

In GTR2, try driving the NGT class cars at first, or a few of the Proximus 24 hour cars, like the BMW M3. Pick a track that's fairly short, and easy to learn. Then, just start turning laps. Don't worry about the car's setup, worry more about learning what the sim is trying to communicate to you, and how it communicates. Learning to interpret the physics model is key.

Once you've done that, it's time for tweaking the car a bit, as it'll get you thinking about the physics model in a different way - how you can alter the car's handling to suit you.

And remember, each racing sim is it's own world, with its own physics. No two are alike. For example, rFactor and GTR2 use the same basic game engine, but rFactor offers much less tire grip, track for track.

And yes, I too am a flight sim convert - the racing games just offer a longer and more sustained adrenaline rush.

Thanks Chunx!

I was a bit overwhelmed by the number of cars and tracks and not really sure where to start in GTR2. My first reaction was to get in the fastest, sexiest hotrod and burn rubber only to be frustrated and dizzy from spinning out all the time!

Do you recommend practicing solo or turning on the AI while turning laps? I tried playing around with the OW Challenge in rFactor and found the AI and their far superior cars blowing me off the track a lot of the time.

I have to admit that it is hard to enter a new genre as a noob after all the years spent in front of a monitor sim'ing or RPG'ing. I will force patience with this and just concentrate on learning to drive and thanks again for your advice!

You can always turn down the AI skill and aggression under the options. I ran my AI at about 80% skill and maybe 50% aggression for a long time until they stopped keeping up with me after much practice. Now I like the challenge of running them around 95-100% skill.

To keep from getting too frustrated offline, also turn down (or off) the damage until you get a good feel for a track or the car. It sucks when you get a decent run going and crash your car half way around a course only to have to start over. With the damage off you just get back on track and keep going.

Don't forget about Traction Control either. Quite a few real cars use TC so I don't feel too bad using it if I'm having trouble keeping on track.

Thanks! I have adjusted the AI down but not enough and even turned off traction control thinking it was a cheat so I'll go back try again.

What car are you driving? For cars that don't use it in real life, turning off traction control is probably a good idea. But some cars, like Le Mans prototypes and F1 cars (pre-2008), use TC.

I had TC and all aids turned off for all cars but couldn't really control the OW or the Big Boys in GTR2. Don't get me wrong, I could get around the track without spinning but I was getting blown off by the AI drivers and their uber rides. I was doing ok with the Hammer in rFactor.

I'm going to stick with GT2&3 cars in GTR2 with the lowest setting for anti lock brakes and TC. Once I get better I'll turn it down further. For rFactor, I'll do the same for OW but probably not for the Hammer and Rhez since I've already won some weekend races with them.

My goal is to learn this so I can compete online but not to handicap myself from the start with driver aids. I'm also gonna work with ARCA which should arrive anytime now.

Thanks!