New Weekly Race Format - Discussion

[XLR8]

I'm keen that we don't lose the motivation and the people we have racing at present as I think we have a group of talented racers who are mature, courteous and have fun too.
And when netKar doesn't crash it does provide excellent sim racing.

So, following the unfortunate premature termination of last nights one hour race, due it appears to the netcode again, I started thinking of alternative formats for our racing.

It appears to be that the length of the race has some bearing on the problems we have experienced.
When the server is set up for shorter races of 8 laps or so during the week for practice I've never encountered any problems.

Much as I like the focus and endurance aspect of the hour long race I do think there are some downsides to it:
If you sustain anything other than very light damage you can more or less write your race off, I spent 25mins in the pits in one race. Realistic? Yes. Fun? No.
Given that nK can only support 15 car grids it can get very lonely after the first laps (at the front or the back) which effectively becomes like doing practice laps, not racing.
Once damaged a lot of people seem to be disconnecting, this is not only unrealistic but may also upset the netcode? It also reduces the camaraderie if people aren't around for the finish.

So how do we inject some fun and more importantly close racing?

I thought of:
Shorter races but more rounds.
Quali's for 1st round and reverse grids on 2nd or 3rd rounds.
Fuel limits to enforce pitstops on shorter races.

To expand on the above:

Shorter races but more rounds. The 2009 Formula Ford Regulations ( http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/downloads/2009_MSA_Formula_Ford_Championship_regs.pdf ) allow for 3 rounds at each meeting. So maybe it would actually be more realistic if we did the same. This would mean more of a sprint race feel but hopefully would have less separation between cars. If people sustain heavy damage they would only have to wait a while until the next round and therefore they wouldn't leave and would get another chance, or two, to race on the night. To quote the regs above: "The standard minimum scheduled (race) distance shall be 15 miles."
This would mean a minimum of 7 laps at Laguna for example. So say we had three rounds of 8-10 laps we would still be getting 24-30 laps racing which is similar to the one hour race.
And hopefully the netcode won't bomb out!

Quali's for 1st round and reverse grids on 2nd or 3rd rounds. Quali's are fun and demanding in Full Mode, reversing the grid for the other rounds would put the faster guys at the back and therefore hopefully lead to more racing and overtaking. In Full Mode I think this would require some skillful and careful racecraft given a closer pack and a shorter race which should provide lots more interaction and fun?

Fuel limits to enforce pitstops on shorter races. I like the idea of pitting, it adds realism, mixes up the positions and creates more interaction again. However if we have shorter races then pitstops would have to be enforced. I thought if there was a voluntary limit of say 10L then cars would have to do a splash and dash stop at some point to complete the race. Obviously there's no way of setting this limit in nK but it would be obvious in a race due to positions if someone was not stopping. Also the replays could be used. I'm sure everyone here is honest enough to do this anyway.

So what do people think about this, does anyone have any more/better ideas? Would this work? Can we breathe some life back into Wednesday nights?

Of course this would all rely on Ron not getting out his rusty blade just yet and having one more go at this please.

Cheers

Mark

[Pete Franklin]

The idea of going along with shorter but more frequent races sounds like a plan to me.  Running with real F Ford regs is actually more appealing to me than the longer races.  We could still run in full mode to keep the intensity levels high.  Not sure about reverse grids- I guess it could work?  I guess if we went along the bases of quali for first race- finishing positions of race one for race two and reverse grid for the final round.  Each race is approx 20 mins.

One thing I don’t want is enforced pitstops.  They are OK if it’s a longer race but for short races it removes the intensity for me (+ its not realistic).

[Gnomie]

It's seems like a good idea to me. In general I'm very fond of sprint races like this. In my old LFS league we always did 3x sprint races with reversed grids for race # 2 and 3. Very intense, close and good fun!

[Doorman]

Man, he speaks purdier than a twenty dollar whore. :norty: (Slim Pickens voice)
I'm willing to give it a go. I wonder if full mode is the problem. Stuart, any insight into that aspect?
I'll have to have a look-see about the server setup for what you suggest. After a quick look I couldn't see an obvious way of making it work.
I'll report back

[Doorman]

One thing I don’t want is enforced pitstops.  They are OK if it’s a longer race but for short races it removes the intensity for me (+ its not realistic).

They weren't enforced actually. If you could get your car to run 30 laps on a tankful you were allowed. :norty:
As we talk, I'm warming to the sprint race format.

[Pete Franklin]

They weren't enforced actually. If you could get your car to run 30 laps on a tankful you were allowed. :norty:
As we talk, I'm warming to the sprint race format.

I wasnt talking about the 1 hr races- I know full well i needed a pitstop or 2 for those and i was happy to stop for fuel and tyres- that is realistic.  I was just saying that i dont like them enforced in short races when they are not required. (I thought thats what XLR8 was talking about in post 1?)

[Doorman]

I wasnt talking about the 1 hr races- I know full well i needed a pitstop or 2 for those and i was happy to stop for fuel and tyres- that is realistic.  I was just saying that i dont like them enforced in short races when they are not required. (I thought thats what XLR8 was talking about in post 1?)

I know you weren't Pete. I've sent you a copy of 'Doorman's weird humour' (£4.99, Penguin. At all good bookstores)

[Pete Franklin]

I thought I saw something fly over my head... I'm gullible enough when face to face- there is no hope when its in text form.

One question? how could you send me the book if you dont have my address?

[Doorman]

One question? how could you send me the book if you don't have my address?

:doh: Go stand in the corridor.

[Doorman]

I've put the server up with three sessions. Qualifying, Race 1 and Race 2. There's a 3 minute wait between 1 and 2. An admin has to 'next session' it in order to reverse the grid...As I see it. It's an open server and on 'mode normale'
/Strops razor.

[XLR8]

Man, he speaks purdier than a twenty dollar whore. :norty: (Slim Pickens voice)

WOOHOO! Ron rates me twice as good as a ten dollar whore :yahoo:


Also I just realised, as well as, or instead of, the reverse grid option there is the add ballast option which could be used for the 2nd + 3rd rounds?

[The Moose]

I'm all for 3 sprint races Sounds good.  I like the idea of reversed grid for race two, and race 3 in finishing positions from race 2. No enforced pitstops though.

 Now, do any of the problems have anything to do with full mode?  That's certainly something which we should test. I'd never even considered it.

 

I took part in Race2Plays netKar Promo race tonight.  10 laps of Newbury, F1600's, non full mode.
 US based server, drivers from all over the world.  10 of us, no lag, no warping, no invisible objects, no discos.
 Funny old game :sideways:

[Katsushika Matsumoto]

The shorter (sprint) races seems like a good idea, i'm up for it.

Also i kinda like the idea of using real regulations, always thought in real life   races would span for about 30laps but guess i was wrong.

After last night being really disappointed an giving nKP  a rest i guess the following applies

[Doorman]

I'm all for 3 sprint races Sounds good. I like the idea of reversed grid for race two, and race 3 in finishing positions from race 2. No enforced pitstops though.

I'd do that in a shot...But how the hell do you configure the server for a set up like that? Four sessions: Qualifying, Race One, Race Two (reversed grid) and Race Three (grid, fishing positions of Race Two) :blink: :blink: :blink: My head hurts! :doh:
 

Now, do any of the problems have anything to do with full mode? That's certainly something which we should test. I'd never even considered it.

I'm pretty much decided to run this weeks race, whatever form it takes, in normal mode
 

I took part in Race2Plays netKar Promo race tonight. 10 laps of Newbury, F1600's, non full mode.
US based server, drivers from all over the world. 10 of us, no lag, no warping, no invisible objects, no discos.
Funny old game :sideways:

I took part in an iRacing race tonight. 33 laps, one warper, no discos except one self inflicted one and...like that.

[Doorman]

After last night being really disappointed an giving nKP a rest i guess the following applies

Yeah I know, bugger ennit?