rec.autos.simulators

We know there's going to be a grid pile-up. We *know* halfway round T1
someone high on chocolate and Mom's orange juice with added tartrazine is
going to take out half the field, and we know that the lucky few at the
front will be about half a lap ahead by the time us mid-fielders get into
the groove.

So why not forget the formality of the standard race format and use the
1st lap as a parade lap. Those interested pull away from the grid as
normal (so as not to annoy those who aren't interested or don't
know/care), then pull over to the "wrong" side of the track, slow down to
a sensible speed, and allow everyone else who's interested to form up. As
soon as car 1 crosses the line at the end of T1, the race is on. (As if
you need telling how parade laps work <g>).

I doubt it's a foolproof solution, but it's something we can do *now* to
reduce the frustration... though it'll be hard to retain qual positions
accurately and some people may find this equally annoying. Personally I
don't give a damn. Clean racing's all I want, don't care where I start or
finish... as long as it's not in a ditch.

Anyway, that's enough thinking out loud for now. Discuss :-)

Andrew McP

PS Paraders will not be forced to twirl batons, wear short skirts, and
smile like their lives depend upon it...though you could if you wanted to.

PPS Of course we'd be missing out on the thrill of a great start (and they
are when no-one screws up), but it's a swings and roundabouts thing... you
lose the start e***ment, you gain a more orderly start to the race.

1. Fools are too ingenious.  They'll still***up the starts.

2. It would require concensus among the participants.  Not ***y
likely from what I can tell from the average field in a VROC pickup
race.

Regards,
Brett C. Cammack
That's Racing! Motorsports
Pompano Beach, FL

This works in our league races.  We sometimes put a "no passing until" a
certain corner also.

But in a pick up race on VROC?  Good luck.

Good idea though; it works. Warm's up the tires too.

Robert Gravel

http://www.racesimcentral.net/

--
Chuck Kandler  #70
K&S Racing
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Competitor in the TopGear MGPRS2 league at:
http://www.racesimcentral.net/;Come on & join the fun!

They'll call you names
And spit in your face,
But legends never die.   --Gene Simmons

    The road courses are a different story..  It takes over a minute to
complete a lap at race speeds, to run a pace lap it'll take way to long.
Then add in the (pick up race) drivers who log on just a second before the
start, they have no idea about the pace lap and will only crash everyone as
the green flag drops.

    So, without the Sim it self having a pace car, there is no way a pace
lap will work for pick up races.  They work great for League races on Ovals,
but not Pick up races.

In my GPVL league, we run a pace lap on all the oval courses that we race
on. All in all, This has been a good solution to cure the traction problems
associated with getting off the line in a GPL car. I have to add that we
also tried one experiment at the New Glen. A second gear multi car pile up
was the result, induced by warping.

This about sums it all up. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the
grids or circuits. It's the mentality of the drivers that causes problems.
It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that after nearly 2 years of
VROC ,  There is still a basic lack of comprehending that you cannot win at
T1 on lap 1, but you can lose it and take out half the field around you.

Better still, Try making some single, inline astern grids to stick on the
servers. We in the GPVL have done this in the past and it works well.

See above

If it's clean racing you want, the simple answer is to join a clean league.
You will never find a solution that all the bozos that frequent VROC will
either comprehend or adhere to.

MS

Only two? :-)

I just think that when faced with a perpetual problem we should be trying
to avoid it rather than just pretend it'll go away.

I'd rather someone hacked to code to make the mirrors work in F10
(which would be great for starts) or made the sideways glances
instantaneous rather than panned.

Overall though I'm not in favour of anything which makes life more
complicated rather than less. The parade lap thing just seemed like
something we could all do now requiring no effort <shrug>.

Andrew McP

Well, I'm not suggesting a parade lap at the 'Ring or Spa, but it wouldn't
take long to sort out which corner to "start" at if people were
interested. Initial reaction (usually a good indicator) implies not <g>.

Andrew McP

There's nothing unique or lacking about the drivers in vroc that cause this. In
real life, at the highest levels of racing, with millions of dollars at stake,
it still happens. IT'S RACING, It will always be that way. The standing start
and all it entails is an exciting and potentially rewarding/disastrous part of
the race which I wouldn't want to miss out on. What I would like to see is even
more spaced out grids than the modified ones we now have, for safer starts, and
to make qualifying a bit more meaningful.
--
Don Scurlock
Vancouver,B.C.

IMO a paradelap will not work. The problem is with drivers who want to
reach T1 as first, no matter at what cost. It's amazing that some
drivers, who can't qualify better then 1:32 at Monza, try to overtake
8 cars before Curva Grande. For them cars will popup from everywhere,
you're just sure you'll hit someone. And the most amazing part is that
they consider themself good starters...

With these drivers around, even after a paradelap you'll get a T1....

Remco

Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Own Grand Prix Legends?  Goto  http://gpl.gamestats.com/vroc

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Own Grand Prix Legends?  Goto  http://www.racesimcentral.net/

Never argue with an idiot.  He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

 I mean with lag you really have to floor it at the start, becaue you'll get
rear ended if you don't and ignore that stalled car in front because it
usually warps ahead anyway.