Well, it looks like GT Legends has lost its luster. Despite some initial interest from several people, only a couple have made it for the recent fun runs. While I don't want to shelve GTL, I don't see it bouncing back into popularity at
TG anytime soon.
So. What future does racing at
TG have? Well... I'll tell 'ya!
We now have an
rFactor server! Yes, you heard right. Since GTL is so challenging to fill, I've gone ahead (with Apophis' blessing) to *expand* into a different sim.
This came about because in my off time from TGRL, I fell in with a bunch of rFactor junkies. No... I don't mean Race 2 Play. I mean the League of Perpetual Novices (LoPeN). They're a bunch of fun run racers who have a
TG attitude to racing sims. To quote their Yahoo group main page...
Quote:
This league is for racers who may not feel comfortable anywhere else.
- Its for the Slow, the Backmarkers, the Downtrodden, the Beginner... anyone who likes GPL and rFactor but can only find the time to practice just before a race and is incorrigibly slow.
- Its for those who want to bring the FUN back to SIM Racing!
- Its completely recreational!
- No points will ever be awarded.
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So... what does this have to do with
TG? Glad you asked. LoPeN has been struggling with a home server on a residential connection. It's been limiting, to say the least. So, I figured, why not invite these guys to come race on a smokin'
TG server? Kill 2 birds with one stone. Bring a bunch of good sports to a
TG server every Wed night, and hopefully encourage some TGers to get rFactor and join the fun.
TGRL always struggled with filling a GT Legends grid decently. So, by inviting a dozen or so good guys over to our house, hopefully we can see racing at
TG grow again. If rFactor grows among TGers, then between the LoPeN guys and
TG, we might be able to reignite interest in GT Legends. Perhaps even GTR2 and more if all goes well.
Anyway. I invite anyone and everyone to check out rFactor if you haven't done so already. rF is a sandbox sim. It runs on the same basic engine as GTL and GTR2, so content is often converted between sims. rF has it all, too. If it's got 4 wheels and goes fast, its been modded for rF, or is in the works. Open wheelers (modern, recent, and historic); tin tops (touring, GT, street, prototypes); trucks, off roading, rallying, karts... even lawnmowers! Check out
rFactor Central (RFC) to see all the content available.
Get the whole scoop on rF
here. Then download the full demo
here. It's the full game, just locked in demo mode. Content is limited, and you have to purchase a license to unlock the full game and use all the addons.
If/when you've got the full version, come join us for racing on Wed nights at 9pm ET. Server info will be posted in a sticky thread.
For the server's stress test last week, we ran the last of the Mini (Cooper) Challenge races. The server was flawless, with low pings across the board (everything you'd expect from a
TG server). We even now added AI cars to the grid to fill the track up a bit more... something we can't do in GTL or GTR2. And there was no performance hit on the server, the connection, or any client machines.
The only loose end is to get the LoPeN guys migrated over to
TG Teamspeak. Since we have that whole forum/server registration process here, it might take a little while to get everyone on the same TS together. But rest assured, I want to bring everyone together for racing at
TG. It's the only gaming I do anymore, and it's unbeatable when you get a big crowd of drivers together, competing at different skill levels, and having a helluva fun time doing it.
