rec.autos.simulators

VROC........ Why bother ?

Turbojo

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Turbojo » Thu, 02 Sep 1999 04:00:00

Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race. I
can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
would crash or spin out and leave the race.
Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance to
catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are not
good.

Joe

Doug Schneide

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Doug Schneide » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

Yeah, there's a lot of that, and it's really too bad.  BUT, big but, when you do
find that race where 3 or 4 or more people stay in, and some or all of you are
closely matched, it's incredible.  I've done a lot of trolling, and been in a
lot of races where everyone ***s off, but you gotta work through the trash to
get the good stuff.  On the flip side, I've been in races where faster drivers
have waited for me to catch up and pass, so we could dice some more and actually
race.  I've been in races where drivers have been lapped and still kept going
and finished the race.  Give it some more time.  After the ***you worked
through to actually get up and running it'd be a shame to walk away after one
bad experience.

On the same topic:  Personally, my schedule is too volatile to join a league, so
that's out for myself and probably for many others.  It would be nice to have an
on-line facility whereby you could post a planned race in advance, including
date, time, track, number of cars, maybe a minimum connection speed, etc.
Interested parties could then "sign up", and based on the response, you could
decide whether to go through with the race or not.  If you get a reasonably full
roster you post that the race will be run.  Then the host could e-mail his IP
address or a VROC name and password to the joinees.   I've considered posting to
ras that I'm planning on hosting a race at such and such, but don't think that's
what ras is for and it would be messy as hell.  Maybe someone's web page?  This
could have several benefits.  One could post a list of driver's who have decided
to enter the race, maybe include PB times at the track and the car they will
drive so that prospective joinees won't get in over their heads with a group of
hotshot drivers.  If you do have a horrendous metal-rending start the host could
re-start the race and everyone's still there.  Everyone who's there will have
set aside the time for the race and hopefully won't immediately***of for
greener pastures after an off-track episode.  It would provide many of the
benefits of league racing but on a sort of time-delay pickup basis. Does
something like this already exist?  Does any of this sound feasible, or am I
just blowing smoke out my ass here?

I know this wouldn't solve the instant gratification problem.  You wouldn't be
able to just log on at a moments notice and find a race, and that's probably a
major stumbling block.  You'd have to plan ahead.  But it might provide a more
stable environment to race in for non-league drivers.  I like VROC and use it a
lot, but I'm suffering to a large extent from the same problems Turbojoe is.  It
gets frustrating sometimes joining one race after another until you find one
where not everybody bails.  I don't mind finishing last, I'd just like to have
someone actually on the track to beat me.

            Zog


> Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
> time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
> than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
> Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race. I
> can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
> would crash or spin out and leave the race.
> Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance to
> catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are not
> good.

> Joe

Chris No

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Chris No » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00


>I've considered posting to ras that I'm planning on hosting a race at such and such, but don't think that's
>what ras is for and it would be messy as hell.  

Doug, I think that your idea would be a great use of ras! With the use of a
good descriptive header, with some sort of tag (i.e. [GPL ONLINE]) to help
folks catch on, it should work fine.

I don't think that there's a better, more accessible forum for that sort of
thing than ras.

Chris Noto
cnoto at conc dot tds dot net

Liutger Franze

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Liutger Franze » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

huh? did you start novice races? I did 2 races in monza yesterday with
poletimes in the low 1:28 and noone complained - of course lots of
people left after the obligatory crashes after the start ;-) but thats
monza with standard, i.e. tight grid ...

yep: disconnecters ... the best races I attend are the ones where the
drivers from the league I'm in are joining ... at least they will drive
until they see the checkered flag ...

Lio

steve

VROC........ Why bother ?

by steve » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

I also just got my connection working.  I joined a race at Watkins Glen last
night on pole with a 1.07 (the other 3 cars didn't get a time in!)  After
reading about bad starts, I started easy and was immediately passed by the
car next to me.  After a couple laps, I was the only car still racing!

Michael Barlo

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Michael Barlo » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

        it's the same thing with ever race at all the other racing networks.
As long as you intend to run nothing but pick up races, you'll always
run into this.  Start running league races!  More people try to finish
league races then they do pick up races.  probably a ratio of 100/1.


> Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
> time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
> than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
> Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race. I
> can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
> would crash or spin out and leave the race.
> Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance to
> catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are not
> good.

> Joe

--
=========================================
Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing?
=========================================
Racing online with the help of......

Race Communications Association
http://members.xoom.com/RCA/toc.html
Holodyne Engineering

Mystic Music

(have Your !!Name/Address!! placed here)

Turbojo

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Turbojo » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

Michael,

See Doug's post above. Most of us simply don't have the free time to devote
to a league race. Besides there are only a few tracks that I consider myself
not to be a hazard to other drivers on.(Monza,Rouen and to some extent
Zandvoort) These are my favorite tracks and I would just prefer to race on
them.
Read deep into Doug's post. He has some excellent suggestions that would
really help with the problem if they could be implemented. I have only one
day of VROC experience so I don't see myself as a likely candidate for
trying to put such a deal together. I would  be interested in participating
though and I'm sure lots of others would be also. I'm not trying to cop out,
I just wouldn't know what I was doing. If some one starts this up PLEASE put
me on the mailing list. If the schedule is right I will be there.

Joe

> it's the same thing with ever race at all the other racing networks.
> As long as you intend to run nothing but pick up races, you'll always
> run into this.  Start running league races!  More people try to finish
> league races then they do pick up races.  probably a ratio of 100/1.


> > Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
> > time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
> > than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
> > Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race.
I
> > can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
> > would crash or spin out and leave the race.
> > Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance
to
> > catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are
not
> > good.

> > Joe

> --
> =========================================
> Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing?
> =========================================
> Racing online with the help of......

> Race Communications Association
> http://members.xoom.com/RCA/toc.html
> Holodyne Engineering

> Mystic Music

> (have Your !!Name/Address!! placed here)

John Bodi

VROC........ Why bother ?

by John Bodi » Fri, 03 Sep 1999 04:00:00

I understand your frustration -- I do, on occasion, "punch out" of a race
when I'm having a bad go of it, but I do this mainly as a courtesy.  If
there are some "serious" racers dicing it out and I find myself getting in
the way while being lapped, I will often just bow out to let them have a
good race before I become TOO much of an impediment and ruin it for
everybody.

On the other hand, I've been in races where there may be one or two VERY
fast drivers who, apparently, can't do much else besides hot laps.  I say
that because I've seen guys who run fast but seem to have NO ability to
avoid others, and NO ability to pull off a good overtake/pass move on a
slower car -- in an instance like that, I'm not so sure that the
"impediment" to good racing might not be the hotshoe, rather than the slower
guys (like me) who are actually DRIVING on the track and running a race.

In either instance, it can be a tough call to decide whether to stay in a
race (and risk getting in the way) or to punch out and let others have an
enjoyable session.

Either way, it's not easy being a Hiro! <G>

- JB


>Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
>time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
>than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
>Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race. I
>can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
>would crash or spin out and leave the race.
>Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance to
>catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are
not
>good.

>Joe

ESG

VROC........ Why bother ?

by ESG » Sat, 04 Sep 1999 04:00:00

I Kinda have to agree with joe......I tryed vroc for the first time today
and was real dissapointed. I entered 11 races in total, six of them hosted
by me.
I ran an Eagle at Monza in all six races I hosted and everyone complained
that I was too quick (1.28.9 quickest but mostly high 1.29s or early 1.30s)
and vanished.
In the five races I joined nobody stuck around much beyond the first race
lap and I was left alone (didnt seem to matter what my race position was)

I'd be keen to organise a league of some sort for anyone seriously
interested in some good racing.......lets face it, half the fun is in being
able to disect each others performances, learn more, share secrets and watch
different techniques ........its pretty hard to acheive that offline!!

thoughts anyone?


> Yeah, there's a lot of that, and it's really too bad.  BUT, big but, when
you do
> find that race where 3 or 4 or more people stay in, and some or all of you
are
> closely matched, it's incredible.  I've done a lot of trolling, and been
in a
> lot of races where everyone ***s off, but you gotta work through the
trash to
> get the good stuff.  On the flip side, I've been in races where faster
drivers
> have waited for me to catch up and pass, so we could dice some more and
actually
> race.  I've been in races where drivers have been lapped and still kept
going
> and finished the race.  Give it some more time.  After the ***you worked
> through to actually get up and running it'd be a shame to walk away after
one
> bad experience.

> On the same topic:  Personally, my schedule is too volatile to join a
league, so
> that's out for myself and probably for many others.  It would be nice to
have an
> on-line facility whereby you could post a planned race in advance,
including
> date, time, track, number of cars, maybe a minimum connection speed, etc.
> Interested parties could then "sign up", and based on the response, you
could
> decide whether to go through with the race or not.  If you get a
reasonably full
> roster you post that the race will be run.  Then the host could e-mail his
IP
> address or a VROC name and password to the joinees.   I've considered
posting to
> ras that I'm planning on hosting a race at such and such, but don't think
that's
> what ras is for and it would be messy as hell.  Maybe someone's web page?
This
> could have several benefits.  One could post a list of driver's who have
decided
> to enter the race, maybe include PB times at the track and the car they
will
> drive so that prospective joinees won't get in over their heads with a
group of
> hotshot drivers.  If you do have a horrendous metal-rending start the host
could
> re-start the race and everyone's still there.  Everyone who's there will
have
> set aside the time for the race and hopefully won't immediately***of
for
> greener pastures after an off-track episode.  It would provide many of the
> benefits of league racing but on a sort of time-delay pickup basis. Does
> something like this already exist?  Does any of this sound feasible, or am
I
> just blowing smoke out my ass here?

> I know this wouldn't solve the instant gratification problem.  You
wouldn't be
> able to just log on at a moments notice and find a race, and that's
probably a
> major stumbling block.  You'd have to plan ahead.  But it might provide a
more
> stable environment to race in for non-league drivers.  I like VROC and use
it a
> lot, but I'm suffering to a large extent from the same problems Turbojoe
is.  It
> gets frustrating sometimes joining one race after another until you find
one
> where not everybody bails.  I don't mind finishing last, I'd just like to
have
> someone actually on the track to beat me.

>             Zog


> > Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
> > time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
> > than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
> > Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race.
I
> > can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
> > would crash or spin out and leave the race.
> > Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance
to
> > catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are
not
> > good.

> > Joe

Eldre

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Eldre » Sun, 05 Sep 1999 04:00:00


writes:

I wouldn't have a problem racing with you, but I wouldn't have a PRAYER of
keeping UP with you..
!:28, *indeed*..   :-)
Eldred

__
Own Grand Prix Legends?  Goto  GPL.GAMESTATS.COM/VROC

If all the world's a stage, where is the audience sitting?
remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Doug Schneide

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Doug Schneide » Sun, 05 Sep 1999 04:00:00

Agree with Eldred.  I like racing with fast drivers, it makes me push a lot harder
and half the time I end up improving my PB by a few hundredths.  As stated
previously, winning would be nice, but I'd rather lose to a full grid and have
fun.

            Zog



> writes:

> >I Kinda have to agree with joe......I tryed vroc for the first time today
> >and was real dissapointed. I entered 11 races in total, six of them hosted
> >by me.
> >I ran an Eagle at Monza in all six races I hosted and everyone complained
> >that I was too quick (1.28.9 quickest but mostly high 1.29s or early 1.30s)
> >and vanished.
> >In the five races I joined nobody stuck around much beyond the first race
> >lap and I was left alone (didnt seem to matter what my race position was)

> I wouldn't have a problem racing with you, but I wouldn't have a PRAYER of
> keeping UP with you..
> !:28, *indeed*..   :-)
> Eldred

> __
> Own Grand Prix Legends?  Goto  GPL.GAMESTATS.COM/VROC

> If all the world's a stage, where is the audience sitting?
> remove SPAM-OFF to reply.

Piers C. Structure

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Piers C. Structure » Sun, 05 Sep 1999 04:00:00



Online 'pickup' races can be frustrating. Yesterday I won one at Zandy
with only 3 other drivers left in, although some of the rest ran right
up to the last three laps. The next two I was disconnected in the
practice sessions after running good laps and getting top grid positions
in both. Then managed two races for the full distance, both of which
seemed to attract fast and courteous drivers. I managed 9th at the glen
after spinning from 3rd on the lasp lap (the only mistake I made *duh*),
then a 5th or summat at zandy after some ***y good racing close racing
(too close when someone nudged me from behind on the opening laps to
lose me 3rd). I ran a little of monaco before bedtime (had to be up
early) called and I disconnected in the middle of the race (shame on
me).

At it's worst, online racing can be nothing but frustration and boringly
practicing on an empty track. At it's best it rocks; going into the
first corner at zandy and comming out in the lead I suddenly felt 'the
pressure', totally different from any AI racing I have ever done.
generally, if I get one really good race in every ten, then I consider
it worthwhile. As it is I seem to get 1 race in 3 or 4 that could
qualify as good.

--
Suck The Goat

Joel Willstei

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Joel Willstei » Mon, 06 Sep 1999 04:00:00


>Just FINALLY got everything setup to run VROC today. Why did I waste the
>time ? Got into several races and each time I would find myself no later
>than 4 laps in and racing by myself.
>Hell, its more fun racing the AI. At least they stay for the whole race. I
>can't even get enough action to really see what it is all about. Someone
>would crash or spin out and leave the race.
>Hey, if you spun maybe some one else will too. You don't have a chance to
>catch up if you don't stay. I gotta say my first impressions of VROC are
not
>good.

>Joe

Joe,

    That has always been one of the main problems with VROC. Crazy drivers
that use you for brakes,then disconnect.  But every once in a while,you will
hook up in a race that will make it a truly worth while experience.  And I
had one such race earlier this week at Mosport.

      I led 18 of the 1st 27 laps of a Pro long event,and dueled every lap
with a Brabham on the tail of my Lotus. Then I lost it on the 19th lap,and
my race was over. But it was better than running away with a win.

Joel Willstein

Mike Whit

VROC........ Why bother ?

by Mike Whit » Mon, 06 Sep 1999 04:00:00


>    That has always been one of the main problems with VROC. Crazy drivers
>that use you for brakes,then disconnect.  But every once in a while,you
will
>hook up in a race that will make it a truly worth while experience.  And I
>had one such race earlier this week at Mosport.

>      I led 18 of the 1st 27 laps of a Pro long event,and dueled every lap
>with a Brabham on the tail of my Lotus. Then I lost it on the 19th lap,and
>my race was over. But it was better than running away with a win.

Not many of you glass half full guys left in the world :)

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