Huh?......
Tom Pabst wrote:
> .....So I'm going to try to keep this as short as I can (and it will
> probably still be too long). Sorry.
> My reasons for making this post are based on my love of racing (real and
> simulated) and a desire to see simulated racing become respected as a form
> of racing where the skills of the sim driver approach, if not equal, the
> skills of the real-world driver. I believe I won't get too much argument
> that an enormous amount of good can come to the simulated racing community,
> its members (drivers), its software developers both individual and
> corporate, same for the hardware developers and manufacturers,
> leagues/series administrators...and so forth, if the real-world racing
> community embraced the simulated racing community with something on the
> order of equal stature and respect. Its no secret that I have spent the
> better part of the last five years (full-time for the last three years)
> trying to do my part to bridge the gap between sim racing and real racing.
> So I'm not going to go into all the supporting reasons why I think we'd
> benefit by being respected as racing drivers....by real-world racing drivers
> and their "community"....I kind of figure that's a given!
> I also want to state without any doubt, I totally defend the right of any
> member of this community to choose to enjoy sim racing however they wish to
> do so. If that means they want to treat this activity as a leisure-time,
> fun, game-playing activity.....that is 100% their right to do so. That
> includes the so called "wreckers" even! I would defend their right to wreck
> other drivers in a race with them....if that's their idea of "fun" they are
> entitled to it. They are just not entitled to wreck other drivers who don't
> share their sense of fun. As long as the "wreckers" all race together and
> not with other more serious-minded sim drivers/participants....that's Okay
> with me!
> So, for sake of simplicity......I would like to divide all the members of
> this community into two general groups: Serious sim racing drivers and
> game-playing sim racing drivers. Notice, I did not say "two equal
> groups".......I have no idea how many members of this community, if asked to
> place themselves in one group or the other.....would be in each group. We
> could say, "50/50"....but it really doesn't matter to me....it has nothing
> to do with what "point" I'd like to make. Let's say, there's a substantial
> number of people in both groups....together they make up the sim racing
> community I'm referring to in this post.
> So....to the point I would like to make: When someone who is engaging in an
> activity of sim racing that is clearly "game playing" (like wrecking cars
> instead of racing against cars)......tries to make that out to be serious
> race car driving......sim race car driving to be exact.......then I am going
> to stand up and shout "NO." Why?
> Because I'm trying to get real-racing people to look upon the activities of
> the "serious sim drivers" in this community with some respect.....respect
> because they have the same or close to the same skills as real race car
> drivers. I know that, but at this point, they don't know that! And, I
> can't do that if a vocal minority of "game players" in this online community
> keeps calling what they are doing "race driving".....it discredits everyone
> in the sim racing community when that happens. Or, should I say, it
> discredits them as far as the real-world racing community is concerned.
> And, that is the opposite of what I think....as do many others in this
> community....would be good for sim racing.
> I'm not talking about the "wreckers"....am I. No. They are a small
> minority....true. But they are not very vocal.
> I am talking about the GPL community. Not all of its members of
> course......but a far too large number of them.....and a way to large vocal
> number of them. I'm also talking about a few in the N4 community.....but
> its a relatively small number.....in my opinion at least.
> So, to many of you.....it might seem as if I'm attacking the GPL sim racing
> community.....that often referred to group of "elite" sim racers (a term
> I've heard too much of lately...makes me want to throw up
> sometimes).......and that's why I figured this was not going to be popular.
> Well, I'm not attacking anyone.
> But I am going to ask the GPL community, some (but not all)....of its
> members....to do me, and anyone else in this community that would like to
> see sim racing some day become a full-fledged e-sport form of racing....a
> very big favor! I don't know for sure how many others there are among you
> that would like to see sim racing become a respected form of racing......I
> know I can name a couple hundred.....and that's enough to ask this favor, I
> think?
> Here's the favor: Please stop referring to, in public places (like this
> newsgroup, race chat rooms, VROC, etc.)....referring to "hot-lapping," or
> the GPLRank - (Hot-lapping scoreboard).....as racing, race car driving or
> having anything to do with racing skills. I'm not asking you to stop doing
> it. I'm not asking you to stop liking to do it even! I am asking you to
> stop calling it "racing".....because it isn't. And, when members of the
> real-world racing community see you doing this.....you discredit everyone
> who is a serious sim driver in this community....and would like to bridge
> the gap between themselves and the real-world race drivers. I don't think
> this is an unfair "favor" to ask of you.
> I would like to make a few "points" in support of my request:
> 1. In case there is any doubt that this "game" activity of hot-lapping is
> being referred to by its participants as "racing"....here's a direct quote
> off a web page displaying the GPLRank list: **When players reach the magic
> sub zero score, they would have reached a milestone putting them in a
> category of excellence in driving. A point we all strive for.** That is a
> direct "cut and paste" copy from the following website:
> http://www.technobyte.com.au/Advantage1/GPL/subzero.html
> 2. Real world racing does not engage in any activity that even resembles
> "hot-lapping" or keeps any records or "lists" that would resemble the
> GPLRank system list of drivers. Nobody in real-world racing could afford to
> crash their cars....what....several hundred times (some of you say several
> thousand times).....in order to pull off some totally lucky "flyer lap"
> ...and then post it somewhere so they can be thought of as an "excellent
> race driver." Of course, nobody in real-world racing would live through
> such an activity, either.
> 3. The closest thing I can attribute in real-world racing to something that
> maybe some of the "hot-lappers" have confused to be similar to what they
> do.....and call it racing......is maybe "qualifying" or....."fastest race
> lap"......or maybe even "track record holder." But, let's be clear about
> this. No race driver I know of, made it to the "hall of fame" of public
> opinion (or the real one) in racing because they had a lot of
> races.....where they had the "fastest lap" in that race. They don't keep
> that score in real-world racing. I don't think anyone made it for having
> the most "track records" either. I know they don't put you in the hall of
> fame for having been on the most poles.....heck, no one can even remember
> who the pole sitter was....come Monday morning...usually (unless of course
> you also win the race on Sunday). The only thing they put you in the "hall
> of fame" for....is winning races....winning championships (based on
> winning/finishing position...in races).
> 4. I spent an hour.....maybe it should have been longer.....but I couldn't
> find a single GPL related website that listed all the GPL drivers in ranking
> of the number of races they've won. Or, the number of podium finishes
> they've had. I have no idea who the good race car drivers are in GPL....or
> what they do or where they race....and certainly not how they rank amongst
> themselves. I do know however, who all the best "game playing hot-lappers"
> are. That took me just a minute or two to find. Too bad, because no one in
> real racing cares about that....I know I certainly don't. It might be
> fun....but its not about racing.
> 5. In real-world racing.....there's a sub-amateur form of driving called
> "autocross".....and even a professional form of it in the USA, called "Pro
> Solo II" sanctioned by the SCCA. Its quite a fun activity....I've done it
> several times and its exciting and challenging...and not easy to beat the
> guys who do nothing else but autocrossing. For those of you that don't know
> what this is.....its racing against a clock....solo....through usually a
> parking lot full of "gates" marked out by yellow or orange cones. The car
> (usually they are ranked in classes) and driver who traverse the coned gates
> in the shortest time.....and don't knock any cones over (they penalize you
> for knocking over cones).....is declared the winner of the autocross event.
> They have second and third places too. Sometimes, if your autocross club
> has a lot of members, they can afford to give you little trophies or plaques
> if you come in first, second or third. I don't think anyone in real-world
> racing would confuse autocrossing with racing.....or autocross drivers with
> race car drivers....although many autocross drivers have moved up to amateur
> SCCA racing and then gone on to full professional racing as well.
> Autocrossing would actually be a level or two above "hot-lapping"...if they
> did hot-lapping in the real world.....because in autocrossing, you can't cut
> the corners off....go over the curbs...or go off into the grass.....because
> you'd knock over a cone and be penalized a second for doing that.
> Autocrossing would be a lot harder than hot-lapping...but they
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