After reading about the possible demise of Australia’s much revered V8 Supercar series, the question becomes inevitable. The answers, however, are harder to come by. The series depends on General Motors and Ford, which have halted all new development on their real wheel drive platforms. Unlike other popular forms of racing, such as F1 and NASCAR, a V8 Supercar’s chassis is based on a production car. This keeps costs down for racing teams and gives the event a grass roots feel.

I don’t believe the popularity of the series will fade solely on the basis of financial reasons. It would fade based on the direction automakers either move or are forced to move in. Too many drastic changes to keep the two manufacturers viable will deter fans. The gap between a pro racer and an average joe may grow considerably larger if the car moves to a special chassis, losing the charisma of watching a 4 door car production car defy physics. The gap may also considerably grow if regulations tighten to allow smaller displacement imports to enter the field (imported cars are taxed substantially higher making then unaffordable for most, losing grassroots feel).

The most optimistic Supercar fans want to think that GM and Ford will regain their luster and continue to provide muscle cars, while the reasonable are wondering how the series (and production) cars will look like when the current Zeta and Falcon platform are obsolete. Most are just hoping that the troubles of these car manufacturers do not lead to bland vehicles that we are forced to commute in, and watch with disdain on the track.

Sim racers, like procrastinators, are no strangers to countdowns. We cherish time constraints and find pleasure in exceeding them. Dunlop understands the pressure that we operate in and have given participants 24 days to complete a design for the Dunlop Ferrari 430 GT Art Car of the JMW Motorsports Team. Well now you have 9 days left. Yes, only 9. If you have any Photoshop skills and have created skins for cars in the past, you should consider entering. Think of it as a hotlap, except you have to use your Wacom tablet and follow their guidelines.

If your skin is chosen, you will see your masterpiece (and portfolio addition) race at the 24 hours of LeMans. Remember to check out the contest rules before entering.  Sign up here and best of luck!

It seems hard to believe, but Rfactor 2 does operate in relative time. Off Camaj’s twitter:

“We have not release date in mind yet. There is enough work for the remainder of the year however.”

By work, I am going to assume he meant the developmental aspect of the game if everything goes according to plan. At least we have screenshots to keep us happy.

It’s a message to you hooligans in the stands, letting you know that the next iteration of Rfactor will provide a clean environment with crisp lines and high contrast. It is also the reason why the stands are vacant.

With the ruckus out of the way, let’s take a moment to enjoy the sunset and the placidity that this screenshot provides. Better days are ahead my friends, with Gjon Camaj and crew, bringing hope in the Obama sense.

Dusk. Dynamic Shadows. All Around Awesomeness. These have to be the best screenshots to date, giving it a GT5 aura in terms of aesthetics. The amount of contrast exhibited is going to really help drivers gauge perspective. If game play resembles this even slightly, it looks like more than few people who were turned off by the visuals will convert (specifically you Forza and GT5 users).

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Gjon Camaj is enjoying Spa Francorcham and we couldn’t be happier. In his third screenshot of the track, Camaj has given us the holy grail of screenshots that incorporates both the car and track. The track is stunning and the car model looks even more detailed than the Panoz Roadster that was released earlier. Chrome and Stainless Steel textures are replicated well (are we going to get directx 10?) and the tires retain their integrity in high detail regardless of perspective. This slide can only be beaten by two things; a car in motion or the release of Rfactor2.

As an Rfactor fan I, along with many others, have longed for weather effects. ISI has listened to our voices by giving us a teaser of Spa Francorcham with fog! Just like an episode of LOST, we have received an answer to one question, but many more questions are derived from it.

1.Are these weather effects going to be a significant variable in the game that changes the cars dynamics?
2.How random will the weather be? How much can a user customize the weather?
3.What other effects can we look for? (i.e. wind)

ISI also released a Karting track that shows off Rfactor 2’s sense of immersion. (I don’t have too much to say, the fog has captivated me,) On to the pics!

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The Panoz Roadster is the first Rfactor 2 screenshot of a car released by ISI. Compared to cars in Rfactor, the car already looks exponentially better in its developmental stage. The reflections finally give us a sense that the car was painted in something other than matte .

With details and reflections showing the true potential of models, Rfactor 2 will become a Mecca for current 3d modelers and skin developers who have had to show their works in 3dmax for others to truly appreciate it. For modelers who have assets in Rfactor, Rfactor 2 is a Renaissance, giving older models a fresh take without having either to completely overhaul or redesign models.

[View with PicLens]

[View with PicLens]

With just one screenshot, Gjon Camaj has gotten the whole sim racing community buzzing. After conflicting reports, it has been verified that this screenshot does indeed come from Rfactor2. The most notable improvements are the high resolution textures and the shading quality. The trees could still use some work and transition to models, rather than relying on two pictures intersecting, but that is only a small complaint. Overall, this is a huge improvement in aesthetics.