You would still be able to use it OFFLINE, just not online. As far as hacking
goes, right now, if you try to use a key-coded disc online that is already in
use, it won't let you.
Your response "You would never buy software that wouldn't allow me to use it
because of a mistake." Just proves my point. Just the thought of having your
software shut down online makes you cringe so much you wouldn't buy it. But a
lot of us would, knowing the consequences of our actions.
JMHO
Mike
--
Ian P
<email invalid due to spam>
I'm a courteous and clean online racer. If I spin coming out of turn
two, and hit someone I don't want to be locked out of the game for the
next race. Hell, if I do a total brain fart after spinning and start
off going the wrong way I don't want to be banned. Losing orientation
isn't likely on an oval, but I'd say it's pretty possible on a road
course.
Please remember Papyrus is in business to sell software. If even 1 in
10 feel the way I do about having the program shut down online play,
the lost sales would be significant enough to make them worry.
The best way to handle it is to either have the host able to punt the
jerks at any time (Quake console style), or do it the old fashion way
and be selective about who you race with.
Tim
I dont own it yet, so i cant say.
pez
> What they are about is the following:
> "Gamers" who think they can install N4, run a few laps at
Talledega....then
> jump into online races and be competitive!" Yikes....its Total
> Entertainment Network (TEN), N3 "crash and bash" pick up racing......all
> over again! DeJaVu TEN racing at Tally.....oh my God!
> Have we not learned anything in the three or four years this sim racing
> community has been racing over the Internet, in online Multiplayer? This
> kind of thing virtually ruined pick up racing on TEN (and WON)....and it
> will do it with NASCAR Racing 4, too! Why? Because we....as a sim racing
> community....***allow it to happen.***
> Oh sure, all of us "regulars"....the "old-timers" can just go off by
> ourselves......race online in our little leagues and tight-nit forum
> groups....and "ignore" this issue.....leaving the "mess" to someone else
to
> deal with. This is what many of us have been doing for several years now.
> Can we stop doing that?
> This is the biggest "dis-service" we can do to online sim racing! And,
the
> surest way to ruin this activity as a viable "online sport" or
hobby......is
> if we simply run away from this problem.....as so many of us have been
> doing....then it will never go away....or improve.
> How do we "reach" the newbie online racer........and get our message
across
> to them loud and clear? This is particularly difficult to do without
> "pre-race chat rooms" which are characteristic of VROC and TEN/WON racing!
> In their absence......we have to rely on newsgroups (like this one) and
sim
> racing websites....with "newbie online racing/mulitplayer" FAQ's and so
> forth....to get the message across loud and clear to new online drivers.
> But, how does the "newbie" find us.......BEFORE they spend six months
racing
> online crashing everybody left and right?
> I don't know, there's no "single answer" to that problem. But, I do know
> that if those of us who have been racing online for a period of time just
> "ignore" the issue.....race only in our little "groupie" leagues and don't
> contribute our knowledge and experience to the general sim racing
> community....the "newbie" will never get the message! And, online "pick
up
> racing" will continue to be a complete waste of time! That's too bad.....
> I wish that every racing simulation software.....produced.....and sold in
> the world ......would have the following message plastered across the face
> of the manual, the CD....and the back cover of the "game box".......
> ****BEFORE you attempt online racing in multiplayer mode......go to
> www.XXXnewOnlineRacer.com and read the FAQ list "BEFORE" you attempt
> Multiplayer racing. You must not only read it....you must be capable of
> doing and performing in a manner consistent with the FAQ
instructions......
> during a Multiplayer race with other drivers....absolutely everything the
> FAQ suggests to you and requires of everyone who races online.****
> Of course, not only does this URL not exist....as you probably know if you
> are a newbie and just clicked it......but that "message" doesn't appear on
> one single game box cover or sim racing manual or CD cover in existence
> right at the moment! The developers don't consider it to be their
> responsibility to "moderate" the quality of Multiplayer play in their
> software....and they are right about that (although there a few things
they
> could do that would help the situation.....a few have made
attempts....while
> Papyrus was one of the worst at doing this at one time....I now think they
> are one of the best). It is our responsibility.....as leaders and
> "experienced" sim racing drivers to do this.
> So......to follow my own advise....I am going to "promise" to myself and
> those members of the sim racing community that regularly visit and "post"
on
> this newsgroup.......to "bring this issue up".....to educate and
> help....every "newbie" I detect....who makes a post on this newsgroup.
That
> should cover the few hundred that don't make posts...but just read the
> postings....... too!
> Here's my first contribution:
> *****Regarding the N4 Function Keys access during online racing******
> Unless you have your keyboard mounted on your race controller...with all
> necessary "keys" within a few inches of your fingers ....and you can
> activate them "by touch" without looking at your hand, or the
> keyboard.....or, they are mapped to your wheel buttons....then you are
going
> to wreck a lot....and "wreck" the rest of us along with you. Please don't
> race online, please! You could get away with "hunt and peck" for the
> "display commands"......in N3 (maybe....because the car physics were much
> more "foregiving").........but that will never be the case in N4. NEVER!
> *****Did anybody pick up on Darrel Waltrip's "story" during the FOX Sports
> broadcast of the Goody Dash yesterday at Daytona? He was kidding about
his
> crew chief having to get into the back seat of his race car......run laps
at
> Tally at 220 mph...in private testing....no other cars were on the
> track.....so his crew chief could record the "readings" on the dash
> instruments. Darrel said, "Hell, I can't take my eyes of the road at
those
> speeds long enough to look at the tach even.....except maybe to tell you
> what general direction its pointing....like "up" or "down".......no way I
> can give you the readings of all the dash instruments.....have you tried
to
> drive this sucker and do it?" Another comment was made about trying to
see
> how far the rpm's fall off when in the turns at Daytona........nobody says
> they can take their eyes off the track....especially when drafting....long
> enough to look at the tach!
> ******************So My Fellow Sim Racers**********************
> If the best stock car drivers in the world can't even look at the tach on
> their dash...right in front of their faces.......what the heck makes you
> think you can search around for your keyboard's F1 key.......and not
> crash........taking a few of us with you?
> Make yourself a simply mounting bracket (out of aluminum 1" strap you can
> buy at any hardware store in the world) for your keyboard mount.......and
> use it when online racing. Or....map the important function keys to your
> race controller wheel buttons...if it supports that option, or use
> headphones and a voice command program like "Game Commander." And if you
> are drafting me at Tally, or Daytona, or Michigan, or Charlotte.....or
> racing behind me at Sears Point or Watkins or Martinsville....please don't
> ever take your eyes off my car...even for a split second! And, unless
> you've been running behind me for 5 to 10 laps....and are totally sure of
> exaclty where and when my braking points are located on every
> turn.....please maintain a 5 car length distance between us until you are
> ready to make a "clean" pass on me! I would appreciate it.....so would
> everyone else who happens to be in front of you!
> And, if you think a good way to pass someone is by outbraking them into a
> tight turn....or **any turn** for that matter.......then please don't ever
> race in the real world....because if you don't get killed on the race
track
> first.....you'll be killed by your fellow competitors in the
> pits.......eventually! No matter who you are.....this applies to Jeff
> Gordon as much as it applies to "Johnny Newbie"......if you wreck someone
> attempting an "outbraking" pass.....its your fault...and you will get your
> butt kicked by the person you wrecked...and then the other competitors
after
> he is done with you!
> If you are new to online racing......here's a couple of "hints."
> If you follow some of these basic rules of racing....don't wreck people
and
> so forth. You can race with me anytime you want. I don't care how fast
you
> are....I care only how "safe" you are driving at any speed! You can also
> ask me questions and pick my brain as much as you want.....and I'll do
> everything I can to help you be a better, faster online sim driver. If,
you
> ever encounter me in online racing.....unless I tell you that I am unable
to
> help you at that moment.....and I refuse to help you or answer your
> questions, or at least get my email address to you so I can do it
> later.......then please come into this newsgroup and post my name ....LOUD
> and CLEARLY.....as to the fact that I would not help you! That's a
"ditto"
> for any other experienced sim racer you run into that refuses to help you.
> Regards,
> Tom Pabst
> tmpa...@home.com
> Pabst-Racing.com
propose a couple of fixes. First the nature of the online community as it is
now,
encourages people to drive like idiots. the reason is that most races are
sprints. One
spin effectivly eliminates you from any possibility of winning. So banzai starts
are
almost a necessity. Second, is that most races are run without dammage which
means that the risk of a tricky takeover manuver has less of a detering factor.
Another
thing is a drivers refusal to recognize the proper passing zones at each
particular track.
Best example;MONZA-ASCARI- why would anyone in their right mind (or left mind)
think that this is a good place to fight for a spot. you have a super long and
wide straight
seconds away and much safer for passing, but no, people feel the urge to dice it
out at
Ascari and one or both are out of contention after the incident. I firmly
believe that longer
race distances and damage enabled would help to alleviate most of the unecessary
aggression. My last point is much more controversial, but i think it holds
truth. If game
makers didnt release multiplayer at the same time as the game it would force
people to race
offline for a couple of months and they could use this time to hone their skills
for when
multiplayer is released. A 2-4 month delay from game release would be pretty
good.
Multiplayer is not a right - It is a privilege!
Each racing game is different and to help newbies, it would be great if the
regulars could
offer to run behind the newbie in practice and wait for him if he spins just to
give experienced
observations to the new driver. If people would do this alone, it would be a
great benefit to the
newbie. We must realize that most newbies will never wait till their laptimes
are fast enough to
compete online, so helping them is a step in the right direction, not flaming
them for being
stupid.Pickup racing is necessary for people who cant join a league or race only
passworded
races and a lot of the league people like to do the occasional pick up race so
coexisting
peacefully is going to help all involved enjoy online racing a little more. And
finally we
should'nt waste our time with people who want to ruin races. These drivers are
anti-social misfits
and will always be around to irritate us. Its the drivers that cause accidents
by mistake and are
genuinely sorry that our efforts need to be aimed at.
Just my $7 .83 worth lancemanyun
thanks for reading! Please reply with your thoughts.
> Just some thoughts
> Rob
> "Tom Pabst" <tmpa...@home.com> wrote in message
> news:UGXh6.87024$R5.3949031@news1.frmt1.sfba.home.com...
> > ......from what I can see....these complaints don't have anything to do
> with
> > N4 programming or software issues at all!
> > What they are about is the following:
> > "Gamers" who think they can install N4, run a few laps at
> Talledega....then
> > jump into online races and be competitive!" Yikes....its Total
> > Entertainment Network (TEN), N3 "crash and bash" pick up racing......all
> > over again! DeJaVu TEN racing at Tally.....oh my God!
> > Have we not learned anything in the three or four years this sim racing
> > community has been racing over the Internet, in online Multiplayer? This
> > kind of thing virtually ruined pick up racing on TEN (and WON)....and it
> > will do it with NASCAR Racing 4, too! Why? Because we....as a sim racing
> > community....***allow it to happen.***
> > Oh sure, all of us "regulars"....the "old-timers" can just go off by
> > ourselves......race online in our little leagues and tight-nit forum
> > groups....and "ignore" this issue.....leaving the "mess" to someone else
> to
> > deal with. This is what many of us have been doing for several years now.
> > Can we stop doing that?
> > This is the biggest "dis-service" we can do to online sim racing! And,
> the
> > surest way to ruin this activity as a viable "online sport" or
> hobby......is
> > if we simply run away from this problem.....as so many of us have been
> > doing....then it will never go away....or improve.
> > How do we "reach" the newbie online racer........and get our message
> across
> > to them loud and clear? This is particularly difficult to do without
> > "pre-race chat rooms" which are characteristic of VROC and TEN/WON racing!
> > In their absence......we have to rely on newsgroups (like this one) and
> sim
> > racing websites....with "newbie online racing/mulitplayer" FAQ's and so
> > forth....to get the message across loud and clear to new online drivers.
> > But, how does the "newbie" find us.......BEFORE they spend six months
> racing
> > online crashing everybody left and right?
> > I don't know, there's no "single answer" to that problem. But, I do know
> > that if those of us who have been racing online for a period of time just
> > "ignore" the issue.....race only in our little "groupie" leagues and don't
> > contribute our knowledge and experience to the general sim racing
> > community....the "newbie" will never get the message! And, online "pick
> up
> > racing" will continue to be a complete waste of time! That's too bad.....
> > I wish that every racing simulation software.....produced.....and sold in
> > the world ......would have the following message plastered across the face
> > of the manual, the CD....and the back cover of the "game box".......
> > ****BEFORE you attempt online racing in multiplayer mode......go to
> > www.XXXnewOnlineRacer.com and read the FAQ list "BEFORE" you attempt
> > Multiplayer racing. You must not only read it....you must be capable of
> > doing and performing in a manner consistent with the FAQ
> instructions......
> > during a Multiplayer race with other drivers....absolutely everything the
> > FAQ suggests to you and requires of everyone who races online.****
> > Of course, not only does this URL not exist....as you probably know if you
> > are a newbie and just clicked it......but that "message" doesn't appear on
> > one single game box cover or sim racing manual or CD cover in existence
> > right at the moment! The developers don't consider it to be their
> > responsibility to "moderate" the quality of Multiplayer play in their
> > software....and they are right about that (although there a few things
> they
> > could do that would help the situation.....a few have made
> attempts....while
> > Papyrus was one of the worst at doing this at one time....I now think they
> > are one of the best). It is our responsibility.....as leaders and
> > "experienced" sim racing drivers to do this.
> > So......to follow my own advise....I am going to "promise" to myself and
> > those members of the sim racing community that regularly visit and "post"
> on
> > this newsgroup.......to "bring this issue up".....to educate and
> > help....every "newbie" I detect....who makes a post on this newsgroup.
> That
> > should cover the few hundred that don't make posts...but just read the
> > postings....... too!
> > Here's my first contribution:
> > *****Regarding the N4 Function Keys access during online racing******
> > Unless you have your keyboard mounted on your race controller...with all
> > necessary "keys" within a few inches of your fingers ....and you can
> > activate them "by touch" without looking at your hand, or the
> > keyboard.....or, they are mapped to your wheel buttons....then you are
> going
> > to wreck a lot....and "wreck" the rest of us along with you. Please don't
> > race online, please! You could get away with "hunt and peck" for the
> > "display commands"......in N3 (maybe....because the car physics were much
> > more "foregiving").........but that will never be the case in N4. NEVER!
> > *****Did anybody pick up on Darrel Waltrip's "story" during the FOX Sports
> > broadcast of the Goody Dash yesterday at Daytona? He was kidding about
> his
> > crew chief having to get into the back seat of his race car......run laps
> at
> > Tally at 220 mph...in private testing....no other cars were on the
> > track.....so his crew chief could record the "readings" on the dash
> > instruments. Darrel said, "Hell, I can't take my eyes of the road at
> those
> > speeds long enough to look at the tach even.....except maybe to tell you
> > what general direction its pointing....like "up" or "down".......no way I
> > can give you the readings of all the dash instruments.....have you tried
> to
> > drive this sucker and do it?" Another comment was made about trying to
> see
> > how far the rpm's fall off when in the turns at Daytona........nobody says
> > they can take their eyes off the track....especially when drafting....long
> > enough to look at the tach!
> > ******************So My Fellow Sim Racers**********************
> > If the best stock car drivers in the world can't even look at the tach on
> > their dash...right in front of their faces.......what the heck makes you
> > think you can search around for your keyboard's F1 key.......and
read more »
The host _can_ punt anyone he wishes, if he configures the password box
right. You can do this and still have an open race.
The host uses the !Eject command. Bye Bye Rail-Runner (the lowest of all
scum).
-Larry
> >Your response "You would never buy software that wouldn't allow me to
use it
> >because of a mistake." Just proves my point. Just the thought of having
your
> >software shut down online makes you cringe so much you wouldn't buy it.
But a
> >lot of us would, knowing the consequences of our actions.
> I'm a courteous and clean online racer. If I spin coming out of turn
> two, and hit someone I don't want to be locked out of the game for the
> next race. Hell, if I do a total brain fart after spinning and start
> off going the wrong way I don't want to be banned. Losing orientation
> isn't likely on an oval, but I'd say it's pretty possible on a road
> course.
> Please remember Papyrus is in business to sell software. If even 1 in
> 10 feel the way I do about having the program shut down online play,
> the lost sales would be significant enough to make them worry.
> The best way to handle it is to either have the host able to punt the
> jerks at any time (Quake console style), or do it the old fashion way
> and be selective about who you race with.
> Tim
Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Homepage - http://www.racesimcentral.net/~epickett
GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
>The host uses the !Eject command. Bye Bye Rail-Runner (the lowest of all
>scum).
>-Larry
Eldred
--
Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
I tried to be objective when reading this and I thought I was going to
resist making a post, but the sheer arrogance of it finally got to me
and I have to at least make a point or two.
First of all, we bought the game with our hard earned money, we will
play where we damn well please. I have owned every version of Nascar
as well as Heat and a few others. I'm not that good, but I like to
have fun. No, I never wreck people on purpose, but sometimes things
happen and people get wrecked...deal with it. You're talking like
it's a real car that you have thousands of dollars invested in,
instead of the pixels that it really is. If it gets messed up, you
always get another one.
There are no other games that I own where someone comes on and
preaches to me that I shouldn't play online until I have become good
at it. Hell, some people don't even play single player games anymore.
They buy a new game and immediately go online looking for Tom Pabst.
They have that right and it's your right to find a way to avoid them.
Maybe you meant well, but your post really took me the wrong way. I'm
41 years old, mature, and enjoy playing my games as much as anyone.
I might wreck someone and I might not, but when I get ready to play,
I'm gonna play. If I find something that puzzles me, then I'll read
Keith
>What they are about is the following:
>"Gamers" who think they can install N4, run a few laps at Talledega....then
>jump into online races and be competitive!" Yikes....its Total
>Entertainment Network (TEN), N3 "crash and bash" pick up racing......all
>over again! DeJaVu TEN racing at Tally.....oh my God!
>Have we not learned anything in the three or four years this sim racing
>community has been racing over the Internet, in online Multiplayer? This
>kind of thing virtually ruined pick up racing on TEN (and WON)....and it
>will do it with NASCAR Racing 4, too! Why? Because we....as a sim racing
>community....***allow it to happen.***
>Oh sure, all of us "regulars"....the "old-timers" can just go off by
>ourselves......race online in our little leagues and tight-nit forum
>groups....and "ignore" this issue.....leaving the "mess" to someone else to
>deal with. This is what many of us have been doing for several years now.
>Can we stop doing that?
>This is the biggest "dis-service" we can do to online sim racing! And, the
>surest way to ruin this activity as a viable "online sport" or hobby......is
>if we simply run away from this problem.....as so many of us have been
>doing....then it will never go away....or improve.
>How do we "reach" the newbie online racer........and get our message across
>to them loud and clear? This is particularly difficult to do without
>"pre-race chat rooms" which are characteristic of VROC and TEN/WON racing!
>In their absence......we have to rely on newsgroups (like this one) and sim
>racing websites....with "newbie online racing/mulitplayer" FAQ's and so
>forth....to get the message across loud and clear to new online drivers.
>But, how does the "newbie" find us.......BEFORE they spend six months racing
>online crashing everybody left and right?
>I don't know, there's no "single answer" to that problem. But, I do know
>that if those of us who have been racing online for a period of time just
>"ignore" the issue.....race only in our little "groupie" leagues and don't
>contribute our knowledge and experience to the general sim racing
>community....the "newbie" will never get the message! And, online "pick up
>racing" will continue to be a complete waste of time! That's too bad.....
>I wish that every racing simulation software.....produced.....and sold in
>the world ......would have the following message plastered across the face
>of the manual, the CD....and the back cover of the "game box".......
>****BEFORE you attempt online racing in multiplayer mode......go to
>www.XXXnewOnlineRacer.com and read the FAQ list "BEFORE" you attempt
>Multiplayer racing. You must not only read it....you must be capable of
>doing and performing in a manner consistent with the FAQ instructions......
>during a Multiplayer race with other drivers....absolutely everything the
>FAQ suggests to you and requires of everyone who races online.****
>Of course, not only does this URL not exist....as you probably know if you
>are a newbie and just clicked it......but that "message" doesn't appear on
>one single game box cover or sim racing manual or CD cover in existence
>right at the moment! The developers don't consider it to be their
>responsibility to "moderate" the quality of Multiplayer play in their
>software....and they are right about that (although there a few things they
>could do that would help the situation.....a few have made attempts....while
>Papyrus was one of the worst at doing this at one time....I now think they
>are one of the best). It is our responsibility.....as leaders and
>"experienced" sim racing drivers to do this.
>So......to follow my own advise....I am going to "promise" to myself and
>those members of the sim racing community that regularly visit and "post" on
>this newsgroup.......to "bring this issue up".....to educate and
>help....every "newbie" I detect....who makes a post on this newsgroup. That
>should cover the few hundred that don't make posts...but just read the
>postings....... too!
>Here's my first contribution:
>*****Regarding the N4 Function Keys access during online racing******
>Unless you have your keyboard mounted on your race controller...with all
>necessary "keys" within a few inches of your fingers ....and you can
>activate them "by touch" without looking at your hand, or the
>keyboard.....or, they are mapped to your wheel buttons....then you are going
>to wreck a lot....and "wreck" the rest of us along with you. Please don't
>race online, please! You could get away with "hunt and peck" for the
>"display commands"......in N3 (maybe....because the car physics were much
>more "foregiving").........but that will never be the case in N4. NEVER!
>*****Did anybody pick up on Darrel Waltrip's "story" during the FOX Sports
>broadcast of the Goody Dash yesterday at Daytona? He was kidding about his
>crew chief having to get into the back seat of his race car......run laps at
>Tally at 220 mph...in private testing....no other cars were on the
>track.....so his crew chief could record the "readings" on the dash
>instruments. Darrel said, "Hell, I can't take my eyes of the road at those
>speeds long enough to look at the tach even.....except maybe to tell you
>what general direction its pointing....like "up" or "down".......no way I
>can give you the readings of all the dash instruments.....have you tried to
>drive this sucker and do it?" Another comment was made about trying to see
>how far the rpm's fall off when in the turns at Daytona........nobody says
>they can take their eyes off the track....especially when drafting....long
>enough to look at the tach!
>******************So My Fellow Sim Racers**********************
>If the best stock car drivers in the world can't even look at the tach on
>their dash...right in front of their faces.......what the heck makes you
>think you can search around for your keyboard's F1 key.......and not
>crash........taking a few of us with you?
>Make yourself a simply mounting bracket (out of aluminum 1" strap you can
>buy at any hardware store in the world) for your keyboard mount.......and
>use it when online racing. Or....map the important function keys to your
>race controller wheel buttons...if it supports that option, or use
>headphones and a voice command program like "Game Commander." And if you
>are drafting me at Tally, or Daytona, or Michigan, or Charlotte.....or
>racing behind me at Sears Point or Watkins or Martinsville....please don't
>ever take your eyes off my car...even for a split second! And, unless
>you've been running behind me for 5 to 10 laps....and are totally sure of
>exaclty where and when my braking points are located on every
>turn.....please maintain a 5 car length distance between us until you are
>ready to make a "clean" pass on me! I would appreciate it.....so would
>everyone else who happens to be in front of you!
>And, if you think a good way to pass someone is by outbraking them into a
>tight turn....or **any turn** for that matter.......then please don't ever
>race in the real world....because if you don't get killed on the race track
>first.....you'll be killed by your fellow competitors in the
>pits.......eventually! No matter who you are.....this applies to Jeff
>Gordon as much as it applies to "Johnny Newbie"......if you wreck someone
>attempting an "outbraking" pass.....its your fault...and you will get your
>butt kicked by the person you wrecked...and then the other competitors after
>he is done with you!
>If you are new to online racing......here's a couple of "hints."
>If you follow some of these basic rules of racing....don't wreck people and
>so forth. You can race with me anytime you want. I don't care how fast you
>are....I care only how "safe" you are driving at any speed! You can also
>ask me questions and pick my brain as much as you want.....and I'll do
>everything I can to help you be a better, faster online sim driver. If, you
>ever encounter me in online racing.....unless I tell you that I am unable to
>help you at that moment.....and I refuse to help you or answer your
>questions, or at least get my email address to you so I can do it
>later.......then please come into this newsgroup and post my name ....LOUD
>and CLEARLY.....as to the fact that I would not help you! That's a "ditto"
>for any other experienced sim racer you run into that refuses to help you.
>Regards,
>Tom Pabst
>tmpa...@home.com
>Pabst-Racing.com
Is it a man's right to go in and shoot a half a dozen people because he was
stealing and his boss caught him? Was it those people's right (or
responsibility) to find a way to avoid that? Sure the stakes of this
analogy are much higher but the ethic is the same.
Let's try this analogy: Let's say I go out and buy a brand new Yamaha dirt
bike. Does that afford me the right to immediately drag it to an arenacross
event and wreck the day for all these people who do this week in and week
out, putting a hell of a lot of effort into it?
No it most certainly does not.
Should I buy a ball and bat and immediately jump in there with a really good
local farm team?
Hell no. I crawl before I walk. THAT'S what Tom's trying address. I don't
even do pickup races anymore and haven't for a long time because it's a
waste of my time... and it's a shame because I lose the opportunity to meet
new people who may take this as seriously as I do. All because I got sick of
dealing with twerp, know-it-all 9 year olds with an Athlon and a bad
attitude.
Mark McCuen
www.hooters-racing.com
>propose a couple of fixes. First the nature of the online community as it is
>now,
>encourages people to drive like idiots. the reason is that most races are
>sprints. One
>spin effectivly eliminates you from any possibility of winning. So banzai
>starts
>are
>almost a necessity. Second, is that most races are run without dammage which
>means that the risk of a tricky takeover manuver has less of a detering
>factor.
>Another
>thing is a drivers refusal to recognize the proper passing zones at each
>particular track.
>Best example;MONZA-ASCARI- why would anyone in their right mind (or left
>mind)
>think that this is a good place to fight for a spot. you have a super long
>and
>wide straight
>seconds away and much safer for passing, but no, people feel the urge to dice
>it
>out at
>Ascari and one or both are out of contention after the incident. I firmly
>believe that longer
>race distances and damage enabled would help to alleviate most of the
>unecessary
>aggression. My last point is much more controversial, but i think it holds
>truth. If game
Although I somewhat agree with you, I see the other side. As a 'serverdude',
I've noticed that the longer, damage-enabled races go idle 90% of the time.
Why have a high-speed connection running if no one even USES it? Want to make
sure your server gets used? Run a novice race at Monza. It's not the races
that are served that are causing the problem. It's the MTV attention span of
the racers IN them... :(
Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
There is a way for people with the right password to eject racers if they
know the supervisory password for the server...
-Larry
> >The host _can_ punt anyone he wishes, if he configures the password box
> >right. You can do this and still have an open race.
> >The host uses the !Eject command. Bye Bye Rail-Runner (the lowest of all
> >scum).
> >-Larry
> Does N4 allow dedicated servers? If so, then there's usually no 'host',
so to
> speak. If I'm not racing on my own GPL server, no one can eject the
people...
> :(
> Eldred
> --
> Tiger Stadium R.I.P. 1912-1999
> Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
> GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73
> Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats
you
> with experience...
> Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.
Your points are well taken. I want to share my experiences with N4
with you (don't worry - I'll keep it short!).
Got the game on Feb 9, got my new wheel, started driving.
I started with a couple of tracks, taking the well-worn advice to
master one or two at a time, rather than fumble my way around all of
them at once.
I then took to running single races at Daytona, Dover and Dega (the
three I started with), and even learned to pass, draft (well, sorta -
the replays still make for a pretty funny "spot the loony" game), and
eventually started placing well and won a race.
Last weekend, curiosity got the best of me, and I began wondering how
I compared to other non-AI drivers, and I spent a good part of last
weekend trying multiplayer.
Performance-wise, I was impressed. I'm stuck with a 56k modem, yet
was able to race in crowded fields with good performance (well,
relative to what one might expect from the internet). The drivers
were another story, and I came away from my experience having lumped
other drivers into 3 general categories.
First, there were serious racers, who had put in some practice, and it
showed. I'm certainly on <insert favorite driver here>, but I can get
around the track. I saw several others who seemed to be in my boat -
they weren't bad, they were clearly working on their skills, and they
were trying to measure themselves and watch and observe and compete.
Nice to see.
Second, there were the all-too-typical jerks who seem to have mistaken
the exercise for a demolition derby. I probably don't need to
elaborate.
Third, and probably most frustrating, were the "I'm special" racers.
These might have wall-hugged their way around the qualifying lap, and
they might be pretty talented. But this race is clearly just a stage
for them to be***y and try to impress (see wall-hugging). If they
spin out or wreck, they disconnect, leaving behind a stream of
obscenities directed toward whoever they decide is at fault for their
crash (it's never them, of course).
I wish the folks who aren't serious about it could run somwehere else,
but don't know how to make it so. Turning on damage and cautions
might help - dragging yourself around Daytona for several caution laps
tries the patience of even the serious driver! I was equally annoyed
by those who quit once they were out of contention. One of the races
I won Friday night began with a field of 14, and ended with 4 cars on
the track!
Okay, that's my $.02. In short, I'm really happy with the game, and
am really working on improving, and want to eventually get into a
league or a group of more serious drivers. I'm glad that there are
ways for a "newbie" like myself -- who's taking this seriously -- to
break into this community. But even at my novice level, I'm feeling
and sharing Tom's (and others') frustrations.
So, when you see Routerhead tooling about in his half-ass-paintjob 98
Dodge, give me a wide berth, but know I'm trying!
Eric Carr
Eldred
--
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001
Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett
GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73
Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you
with experience...
Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.