iRacing on an iBudget

[Bauer]

I have been reading lately about how much people seem to be spending on iRacing. It is not an uncommon thing to see a post about someone who has spent $300+ cos they have bought all the content.

I consider myself budget conscious but I not going to compare iRacing to a slab, to go kart racing or to any other money hungry pursuit. In fact, value for money is a very personal thing. On the flip side there is also no point comparing iRacing to rFactor. LFS or any other game.

Bottom line is that it is a personal choice and one you need to make yourself. Lets face it, even the amount of time you would spend on an iRacing server cant determine the value based on someone else. I have no doubt some people who consider iRacing great value will spend less time than some who dont feel they are getting their moneys worth.

So onto the point of my post. How do you iRace on a budget?

Well for me it was a case of asking myself could I afford to fork over a years subscription. It was when I answered yes to this that iRacing became a financial reality.

$156 for the 1 year sub meant that I could do the following series without spending a single cent more:

Rookie Solstice - a 4 week series running 2 tracks that alternate
Rookie Legend - as above

Advanced Legend - a 12 week series running only tracks that are part of the original content
Advanced Solstice - as above

Skip Barber 2000 - open wheel series running for 12 weeks. requires the purchase of the car as well as 2 additional tracks
Legend Road series - Advanced Legend running the same schedule as the Skippy

The Skippy and the 2 tracks needed for that series can be purchased from the bonus iDollars that you get from the purchase of the yearly sub. So from that $156 per year ($13 per month) I can do 6 different series allowing practise, qualifying, Time Trials and races. The equals a lot of time on the PC just to be able to compete in all 6 series and do them justice. In fact, this is way more than I can handle on my schedule and I wont be participating in all available series.

My overall point is that you dont need to over spend if you dont want to. I do not plan on buying any content I am not licensed to actually race with. Im busting to try the FMazda but Im holding out. I dont have time for what Ive got anyway so how about I make the most of that. So there you have it. No need to spend great wads of cash, no need to purchase extra content over and above the yearly subs just to be able to race. $156 is a lot to pay if we compare historically. I could justify the $$$ spent but I am also spending wisely on content.

[c.j]

[KNAPPO]

My overall point is that you dont need to over spend if you dont want to. I do not plan on buying any content I am not licensed to actually race with. Im busting to try the FMazda but Im holding out. I dont have time for what Ive got anyway so how about I make the most of that.

Great post and SPOT ON!!!

I am only buying what i can race, I forked out and got the entire LM series as it was only $60 odd bucks extra and ive been enjoying the oval side of things as well.
I would love to try Radical but i don't want to spoil the surprise so i have chosen to only drive what i am licensed to.
Its a good way to tackle the sim imho, that way i don't tease myself with what might be and then have to step back into a lower spec car and race.

Each to their own

[GlenNovello]

I got what was needed for the Skippy series (which includes the 2 tracks I needed for the legend road racing series) with my yearly credits. Im not interested in oval racing and Im glad about that because the credits only allow for one series without forking out quite a bit more money. I did buy the radical because it I wanted to drive something with an excess of power and I don't think the cars are that overpriced ($12.50 after monthly credit), its when you have to buy the tracks that are needed for different series that things start to get pricey.

[kwijibo]

Its weird in a world that is heading to digital distribution and games being (somewhat) paid for by advertising, that this costs so much. I just can't bring myself to subscribe to a game, as cool as it does look. $5/month, then maybe

[pab]

Nice essay Stu

[matticooper]

to put it into context Stu, it's no more than some people pay for Xbox Live and it's content.

[dvestate]

to put it into context Stu, it's no more than some people pay for Xbox Live and it's content.

And thats part of the reason I have a PS3 instead of an Xbox

[Sarsippius]

If you do like the ovals as well then it works out best to buy the Skippy and LM series content all at the same time. With the discount of 20% on six or more items and the $60 iRacing dollars it will cost you an extra $60 on top of the years subscription.
If you do want to keep progressing though you will be looking at about $110 each license level for road and oval buying all content at the same time for the 20% discount.
The only other thing I would add to your post Bauer is that the Rookie series probably won't hold the interest of experienced sim racers for long and the racing standard isn't the best. If your main concern is getting value for money then fair enough I guess.

[Woodee]

How much does it cost to rent a server capable of running Rfactor or any other game? Just want to see what kind of cost is involved to weigh up against the £10 a month I spend on iRacing

[r8response]

How much does it cost to rent a server capable of running Rfactor or any other game? Just want to see what kind of cost is involved to weigh up against the £10 a month I spend on iRacing

Your looking at upwards of $20US for a small 20 man server for rFactor, and thats only one provider i found

[ReppohC]

to put it into context Stu, it's no more than some people pay for Xbox Live and it's content.

And thats part of the reason I have a PS3 instead of an Xbox

Last time I checked you can get 12 months xbox live for less then $70...( $6 / month).

I finally got my invite for this but I dont think I can justify the purchase. Not because its 'expensive' but just because I dont think im going to have any time to play the game. I'd play it an hour or two a week which isn't really making effective use of my investment. And I know if I signed up I wouldn't have the self control to NOT play it I just wish I could have ONE drive just to see what all you guys are going on about

$20 US is pretty damn cheap for hosting! Can't imagine it costs the devs that much in hosting costs even if you have to cater for a couple thousand users. Makes you wonder how much money these guys have made and will make

[Quincy]

I love how the developers are making money. Should secure future investment/development back into the sim.

[Speed]

They have a hell of a long way to go before they make any money. $18 Million is a shitload to recoup before they can think about making anything.

I feel very nervous for them.

[Quincy]

yes, but they are at the beginning of theire business adventure, and things are looking good for the future. They have begun to see a return on their investment.

[ysu]

hmmm....even if all 4000 or so racers in there pay for a year, it's still a long way from $18 mil! 160*4000 = $640,000 - that's only the income for the year, no expenses covered....and if they managed to spend 18 mil in what? three-five years? They must have a very neat yearly spending budget.

If they plan to develop, keep adding stuff, etc, - and let's assume for now that the added content pays for itself with it's purchase price - they'll need at least five to ten times as many racers on yearly subscription for about 5-10 years to get even, I reckon.

[Pinger$]

Can't really see much more than 10,000 joining (for a year)... it's a pretty niche market with a tight nit community.
I wish them the best of luck, they're going to need it.

[Exar Kun]

Can't really see much more than 10,000 joining (for a year)... it's a pretty niche market with a tight nit community.
I wish them the best of luck, they're going to need it.

I agree - the numbers won't be very high. It'll be through offereing their services to professional teams that will make them the money. People may think that we're still a long way from having our humble PC games simulating anything worthwhile to professional race teams but I know of at least a couple of mod teams for rFactor that have been approached by race teams to make tracks and other content for them. Have a look at the difference in track realism and resources and iRacing could be onto a winner in that department. Once trucks and grandam are in there, some teams could find a lot of relevance in using iRacing's software. And, of course, that's a win for us as any feedback from teams to iRacing would filter back to us through game improvements.

[thornz]

When you say trucks, do you mean actual truck racing? Or nascar style trucks? The former would be awesome!!

[Exar Kun]

When you say trucks, do you mean actual truck racing? Or nascar style trucks? The former would be awesome!!

LOL, NASCAR trucks unfortunately.

[Peptis]

hmmm....even if all 4000 or so racers in there pay for a year, it's still a long way from $18 mil!

I reckon the guy who put in 18 mil would have received some equity in the company, so iRacing Inc. (or whatever they're called) doesn't actually need to make 18 mil to pay him back, it just needs to generate a decent amount of income so that it (the company) increases in value. The guy can then sell his shares for profit if he wants to.

[Exar Kun]

I don't think John Henry is just in it for the investment. Given that he still likes to get out and race I believe him when he says he actually wanted to make a really good sim. But it would certainly be interesting to see what he would do if he started to lose a lot of money. I believe Dave Kaemmer has a substantial personal investment in the company too.

[Peptis]

I reckon they're trying to follow what the FPS games people are doing and try to make a televised (even if it's internet only) online racing league. You could generate a fair bit of income if people actually started to watch something like that, especially since driving games are closer to reality than FPS games are (I'm pretty sure soldiers aren't using a mouse to aim their rifles in Iraq).

[doug99]

Getting back towards the topic.......

What I want/need to know is:
1) If I pay for extra content such as a car, do I get use of that car for good or is it basically a licence for the length of the 12 months (if that is how long the subscription is)
2) Am I going to be held back by using the MOMO wheel that I have?
3) What is the next thing that I was going to ask.....?

[Quincy]

1)content you purchase remains yours, with no more cost involved.
2)momo is good. G25 is better.
3)Is Dubbo RSL really worth a visit? The tv add I saw just then, looks pretty good