Several folks mentioned patience, which I think is key. As an average speed driver, I notice guys like KC, Church Parcells, Tourni, Pap, Jimmy, Brnt, Snappy, Fitzy (I'm sure I missed a few dozen other fast racers) pass me without ever making contact. Why? Because they are PATIENT and follow you, recognize your tendencies and pass when its SAFE!
That doesn't mean sprinting to the corner in the last 100 feet while barely gaining a 3 ft lead and calling "on your left". It is the passers responsibility to AVOID CONTACT. They have it all in front is them, see what's coming up, (or atleast should factor that in to their pressing decision) and need to decide if the pass can be safely made, or wait it is too risky.
When Pap returned to the forums a few months, he put some excellent videos in the front page about race etiquette, track awareness and looking in front to avoid accidents in front of you. If you haven't viewed these videos, I would highly recommend them.
Also, I disagree with starting the fastest qualifiers in the front of a handicap race. For an Open race, that's fine. The whole idea of a handicap race is to make it competitive for everyone. Passing the slower guys is part of "the race". Ever notice how KC can start in the very back of any grid (with max handicap! and usually makes it to the front after a few laps? We should all aspire to be that good and clean of a racer.
BTW, most everyone is within a second or two in hot lapping (except for the very top aliens), so most have the capability to be "fast" on a track - it's doing it in the race in traffic cleanly that separates the fast racers from the rest.
Climbing off my my soap box now (Jimmy's right, we need a soapbox icon )
Please do not have qualifiying laps! I for one hate having to have to tune for three different handicaps for each race because I have no clue how my times will stack up. Under normal qualifiying in real live, the faster guys are rewarded with higher starting positions so it encourages you to go as fast as you can. Qualifiing fast in this format would be that your handicapped and start at the rear so it can be manipulated. Not saying it happends but it can. I for one like the handicap system we have in place as its based on performance in the series. Finish high, you are rewarded with more points but you get handicap for the next race..
Plus the whole lobby points goes out the window because we cant run warmup heats in the room prior to the race. It would have been much worse with everyone jumping in cold and starting the race. You wont have a chance to get a feel for the car in traffic.
I also like the if there is an accident and a caution is flown, join up where you can. We spend way too much time trying to gt back in line. The final restart in the last race was horrible because peope were spaced out "waiting" for drivers to get back where they were and when they indicated they would start at the back, the race started befor we could close the gap.
I agree, believe it or not, with parcells as well as Ciletti and Grim. I can only speak as a scrub racer in the back but if we are forced to start in the back based on qualifying or not being fast then there is no point to us racing an event. We're just logging laps and i can do that on my own. I learn an absolute shit ton from you guys either following midpack or you passing me. The good drivers are gonna get me eventually and cudos to them for their skill and patience. Believe it or not, it feels good for us non aliens to hold a midpack position, even if its for a couple laps. I race my race but i know when im outclassed and out gunned i will give way to an alien on the move. I just let up a hair off the gas and they go. Im an early braker and i honestly try to drive clean as possible and I do not claim to having not caused some accident, and for that i always try and makes ammends. Ultimately, it's up the owner of the series how they want to run it and we should respect it.
I will be one to admit patience isn't always at the top of my priority list during races. Just one more thing I need to work on, because like you all said, it's extremely important. I know this, but sometimes it gets pushed aside by the will to go faster and faster.
I wanted to keep this series as simple as possible. The whole reason I have a caution period is because I knew there was most likely going to be a lot of contact in the first sections and I wanted to give those effected by it a chance to get back into the field.
Right now the grid is grouped by handicap buckets at a random placement. I'm still not really liking the idea of roll offs and all that. Even with roll offs, there will still be contact and at that point like Jimee said, cautions are questionable since the field would bunch back up and there would possibly be chaos again. I like the way it's set up now. I would hope once time goes by and the season progresses, everyone will get more comfortable in the cars and we won't see as much crashing.
lol. I wish this forum defaulted to spellcheck. I get all excited and just start typing gibberish.
Things should be much better going forward. For me that whole mess was all a head game. I still don't think I went into battle ram mode lol, but I did push the issue too much a couple times which in the end just ended up screwing myself. Too much anticipation of running up front because of my times in I was running while tuning the car made me take it too serious. It is just a GAME afterall.
And thanks Cellitti I'll make a point to do some of the stuff we talked about.
Some realy good points in the last 30 something post....Nunder dont give up...I think everyone in the lobby last night are clean racers but are put in situations that arent clean...You want dirty racing go join a public lobby and you see what dirty racing looks like.
I want to apologize to anyone I might have bumped in the butt.(exept for you Stewie). During the GP race I wasnt expecting to hit the brakes so soon in the first turn...all in all besides the totaly fucked up restart where we were all spread out by a half a track I think it was a good race..
Also, if I may put in my two cents...PLEASE NO ROLL OFF STARTS....with 14-16 people in a lobby that means the last guy has alot of space to catch up with limited time.....
I can only hazard an opinion, but it seems like the majority of the issues, and contact occurred midpack? If I recall correctly, this is normal out in the real world, at least on the few races I've sat down and watched. There's a reason it's where all the excitement is. Add twitchy cars that turn in exceptionally well (too good sometimes) tires soft enough to stall the motor on a hard brke instead of sliding, and a narrow track followed by a bouncy track (I prefer bouncy btw) and contacts gonna happen.
The trick is to run with people you know do not want to make contact and are legitimately trying their level best not to. Notice I didn't say that they were able, or capable, simply trying. And that's good enough for me.
I'll throw another wrinkle in there for ya. On top of racing your best, being clean, trying to to ruin anyone's day, picture yourself behind a slower car, when you're dieing to jump ahead, and that guys your partner. You have team points to consider, the guy's your buddy (damn well better be) and you genuinely want to see him do well. And then there's your rear view and 5 cars crawling up your backside.
I had fun, I was lucky enough to be in the front half, and I think it was a little calmer up there, but the mid is always going to be more volatile, it's the nature of the game.
I so wish I could run triple screens with this game without having to buy 2 more of everything. But I'm hoping that this device may make it possible to have a rough approximation of triple screens:
Katpeeler, I am 3 seconds off the pace and that is without the 5% handicap. I'm in trouble. I hate to say it because I never like to see it but I can only hope for there to be "racing incidents" to help me get up the order. I'll do my best.
Katpeeler, I am 3 seconds off the pace and that is without the 5% handicap. I'm in trouble. I hate to say it because I never like to see it but I can only hope for there to be "racing incidents" to help me get up the order. I'll do my best.
i think I can "help you out" snappy ... lol. With the racing incidents anyway.
Katpeeler, I am 3 seconds off the pace and that is without the 5% handicap. I'm in trouble. I hate to say it because I never like to see it but I can only hope for there to be "racing incidents" to help me get up the order. I'll do my best.
Dont feel like the lone ranger..Ive had problems with these tracks......im hoping to be back in time...Headed to the lake and hopefuly Ill be back in time.....If you dont see me on then its all up to you
Not sure if I'll be even online this weekend. I got info that my entire weekend will consist of an overture of work with sounds of overtime and doubletime following close behind. All weekend looooooooong. Next paycheck brings nothing but a smile to my face just thinking of it.
Hey guys I've been out of town all day and it doesn't look like I'm going to make it back for the race. If no one wants to host we may have to push it back. Let me know. Sorry guys plans came up unexpectedly.
Several folks mentioned patience, which I think is key. As an average speed driver, I notice guys like KC, Church Parcells, Tourni, Pap, Jimmy, Brnt, Snappy, Fitzy (I'm sure I missed a few dozen other fast racers) pass me without ever making contact. Why? Because they are PATIENT and follow you, recognize your tendencies and pass when its SAFE!
That doesn't mean sprinting to the corner in the last 100 feet while barely gaining a 3 ft lead and calling "on your left". It is the passers responsibility to AVOID CONTACT. They have it all in front is them, see what's coming up, (or atleast should factor that in to their pressing decision) and need to decide if the pass can be safely made, or wait it is too risky.
When Pap returned to the forums a few months, he put some excellent videos in the front page about race etiquette, track awareness and looking in front to avoid accidents in front of you. If you haven't viewed these videos, I would highly recommend them.
Also, I disagree with starting the fastest qualifiers in the front of a handicap race. For an Open race, that's fine. The whole idea of a handicap race is to make it competitive for everyone. Passing the slower guys is part of "the race". Ever notice how KC can start in the very back of any grid (with max handicap! and usually makes it to the front after a few laps? We should all aspire to be that good and clean of a racer.
BTW, most everyone is within a second or two in hot lapping (except for the very top aliens), so most have the capability to be "fast" on a track - it's doing it in the race in traffic cleanly that separates the fast racers from the rest.
Climbing off my my soap box now.gif "2")
(Jimmy's right, we need a soapbox icon .gif "58")
)
Please do not have qualifiying laps! I for one hate having to have to tune for three different handicaps for each race because I have no clue how my times will stack up. Under normal qualifiying in real live, the faster guys are rewarded with higher starting positions so it encourages you to go as fast as you can. Qualifiing fast in this format would be that your handicapped and start at the rear so it can be manipulated. Not saying it happends but it can. I for one like the handicap system we have in place as its based on performance in the series. Finish high, you are rewarded with more points but you get handicap for the next race..
Plus the whole lobby points goes out the window because we cant run warmup heats in the room prior to the race. It would have been much worse with everyone jumping in cold and starting the race. You wont have a chance to get a feel for the car in traffic.
I also like the if there is an accident and a caution is flown, join up where you can. We spend way too much time trying to gt back in line. The final restart in the last race was horrible because peope were spaced out "waiting" for drivers to get back where they were and when they indicated they would start at the back, the race started befor we could close the gap.
No worries Gunny, the plate is up on my storefront.
I will be one to admit patience isn't always at the top of my priority list during races. Just one more thing I need to work on, because like you all said, it's extremely important. I know this, but sometimes it gets pushed aside by the will to go faster and faster.
I wanted to keep this series as simple as possible. The whole reason I have a caution period is because I knew there was most likely going to be a lot of contact in the first sections and I wanted to give those effected by it a chance to get back into the field.
Right now the grid is grouped by handicap buckets at a random placement. I'm still not really liking the idea of roll offs and all that. Even with roll offs, there will still be contact and at that point like Jimee said, cautions are questionable since the field would bunch back up and there would possibly be chaos again. I like the way it's set up now. I would hope once time goes by and the season progresses, everyone will get more comfortable in the cars and we won't see as much crashing.
lol. I wish this forum defaulted to spellcheck. I get all excited and just start typing gibberish.
Things should be much better going forward. For me that whole mess was all a head game. I still don't think I went into battle ram mode lol, but I did push the issue too much a couple times which in the end just ended up screwing myself. Too much anticipation of running up front because of my times in I was running while tuning the car made me take it too serious. It is just a GAME afterall.
And thanks Cellitti I'll make a point to do some of the stuff we talked about..gif "1")
Some realy good points in the last 30 something post....Nunder dont give up...I think everyone in the lobby last night are clean racers but are put in situations that arent clean...You want dirty racing go join a public lobby and you see what dirty racing looks like.
I want to apologize to anyone I might have bumped in the butt.(exept for you Stewie). During the GP race I wasnt expecting to hit the brakes so soon in the first turn...all in all besides the totaly fucked up restart where we were all spread out by a half a track I think it was a good race..
Also, if I may put in my two cents...PLEASE NO ROLL OFF STARTS....with 14-16 people in a lobby that means the last guy has alot of space to catch up with limited time.....
I can only hazard an opinion, but it seems like the majority of the issues, and contact occurred midpack? If I recall correctly, this is normal out in the real world, at least on the few races I've sat down and watched. There's a reason it's where all the excitement is. Add twitchy cars that turn in exceptionally well (too good sometimes) tires soft enough to stall the motor on a hard brke instead of sliding, and a narrow track followed by a bouncy track (I prefer bouncy btw) and contacts gonna happen.
The trick is to run with people you know do not want to make contact and are legitimately trying their level best not to. Notice I didn't say that they were able, or capable, simply trying. And that's good enough for me.
I'll throw another wrinkle in there for ya. On top of racing your best, being clean, trying to to ruin anyone's day, picture yourself behind a slower car, when you're dieing to jump ahead, and that guys your partner. You have team points to consider, the guy's your buddy (damn well better be) and you genuinely want to see him do well. And then there's your rear view and 5 cars crawling up your backside.
I had fun, I was lucky enough to be in the front half, and I think it was a little calmer up there, but the mid is always going to be more volatile, it's the nature of the game.
Oh, roll offs only stress the back of the pack to run harder to catch up and more risks are taken...
I so wish I could run triple screens with this game without having to buy 2 more of everything. But I'm hoping that this device may make it possible to have a rough approximation of triple screens:
http://youtu.be/sJ4hWa6y710
Odd that the obvious use, side views, isn't mentioned for the racing...
@ Driveby - Here is the link to the standings you asked for. - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AkjeJ12H53YmdGY3SkZSVV9GVXZGa3Rya0t0elcxSXc&usp=sharing
Let me know if you see any issues with it
Excellent Grim, looks great! Thank you kindly!
Geez, can we stop now?
Katpeeler, I am 3 seconds off the pace and that is without the 5% handicap. I'm in trouble. I hate to say it because I never like to see it but I can only hope for there to be "racing incidents" to help me get up the order. I'll do my best.
Dont feel like the lone ranger..Ive had problems with these tracks......im hoping to be back in time...Headed to the lake and hopefuly Ill be back in time.....If you dont see me on then its all up to you
Not sure if I'll be even online this weekend. I got info that my entire weekend will consist of an overture of work with sounds of overtime and doubletime following close behind. All weekend looooooooong. Next paycheck brings nothing but a smile to my face just thinking of it.
Can't wait for a little redemption after last week.
off for a pool party, hope to be back in time...
My entry for tonight if its still cool to attend...
Nice looking ride you have there Gunny!
Thank you sir! No where near our real painters talents but I tryin and getting used to it.
I am still out and won't make it
Different week, same stuff.
Yup