REVIEW - rFactor

We thought this was probably the best way to start off Simuware, with one of the biggest sim titles out there. rFactor is widely regarded as being one of the best racing sims money can buy. And for good reason.

rFactor is a simulation for the PC, and one of the first things that crosses your mind when you load it up is, where are all the tracks? Where are all the cars? Why is nothing licensed? Indeed, you almost immediately begin to regret your purchase.

However, do not dismiss rFactor as quickly as this. It is formidable in its simplicity - its easy to mod base and game engine means that literally hundreds of car and track mods have been created for the game. And these aren't mods that have been thrown up in a couple of minutes - far from it. In many cases, some of the cars have been modelled and their physics tweaked, with real-life physics data from real racing teams! The connections and friends that people have in this community are incredible. It all means that you get some of the best and most realistic racing on the market today.

The graphics are fine - they're not exactly cutting edge like Crysis, however they suffice for rFactor standards. The racing is also good, however rFactor is often let down by its rather ropey AI. Often you will go into a corner with the AI breathing down your neck, and it is not entirely uncommon to just be knocked out by their poor braking. It is certainly no better than Grand Prix 3 - a game where the AI had to be up to scratch as there was no real chance of proper multiplayer.

And multiplayer is where rFactor is a confused animal - it has the good and the bad. The good news is that lag is little to non-existent, with players only "warping" if their internet connection is really bad. Anyone on a standard landline internet connection should be absolutely fine. The only real issue is that due to the popularity of third-party content, you may struggle to find a game which is actually running a mod and track that you have got. Even if you have one version of Silverstone, for example, the server might be running another. The best thing to do here is join a league, such as the one at Raceconnect, which will provide you with downloads for the mods they are running, and offer clean, fun racing for almost every single night of the week.

Ultimately, rFactor is a brilliant game. But for singleplayer enthusiasts, you may find that the game will often irritate and seriously annoy you. It is at its best however when played online, and to be honest with the way things are going, you'd be mad not to be playing it that way.

Welcome!

Hello and welcome to the all-new Simuware blog site. We're dedicated to all things simulation, mainly PC based, of software and hardware. We will give you the latest reviews on the latest things sim-able, and will help advise you on whether its worth your money or not. We'll tell you if a simulation such as FSX or rFactor is worth your money, and whether the Logitech G27 really is that much of an improvement over the G25.

Generally, the site will be made up of largely two things: games reviews, and hardware reviews (gaming peripherals, like wheels and joysticks). The review will come with a final verdict with a score out of 10, however more emphasis will be placed on the pros and cons of the product, as we feel these are more useful than a rather vague number.

See you around,

The Simuware Team