What happ to the Pits?

Larry wrote:

> I've tried this. A couple of times. The odds of you having the right
> track, version or mod is getting lower and lower as time goes on.
>
>

Yeah, mod makers also need to not constantly release updates to the
mods. Release it when it is finished, and make sure it is by beta
testing with trusted sources!

AFAIK The V8Factor mod is pretty solid and so is ETCC and CTDT
F1-2005... Tracks wise, well, the latest versions are usually on
rfcentral.

I think the key is league racing, that way everyone knows what they
need because it is the same for everyone. I guess the "mix and match"
that is the rFactor community is just not too good for pick up racing.
Personally, I have had my fill of pick up racing and would rather race
with people I know and that I can trust on the race track not to
(virtually) kill me.

Jon.

wrote:
>
> I think the key is league racing, that way everyone knows what they
> need because it is the same for everyone. I guess the "mix and match"
> that is the rFactor community is just not too good for pick up racing.
> Personally, I have had my fill of pick up racing and would rather race
> with people I know and that I can trust on the race track not to
> (virtually) kill me.
>
> Jon.

This is the key to the ideas mentioned above. A "central repository" is
the league home page. Trying to keep up with all the changes for pick
up racing is near impossible. However, league will simply select a mod
and some tracks, set up a schedule and then run them. They ignore the
incremental updates (unless it fixes something critical, I suppose).

OF course leagues often have their racing at set times, which may not
fit someones schedule, thus the need for p/u races. I imagine that
there are enough leagues out there to find ONE that is close to
everyones needs.

I haven't raced a p/u race in 3 yrs, and my mental well being (as far
as sim racing goes) has never been better.

What might be more important right now is a central listing for
LEAGUES. Kind of a "personal ads" for rF.

"SWM seeking rF OWR league, Fri-Sat-Sun after 7pm est." or perhaps "rF
COT league needs drivers. Fixed Sets, 50% dist., Tues 8pm est."

> What might be more important right now is a central listing for
> LEAGUES. Kind of a "personal ads" for rF.
>
> "SWM seeking rF OWR league, Fri-Sat-Sun after 7pm est." or perhaps "rF
> COT league needs drivers. Fixed Sets, 50% dist., Tues 8pm est."

AutoSimSport did run a Classified's section for a while where such a
thing could have been possible, but as with the letters page, we got an
extremely low amount of interest.

I know what you mean about mental health, not sure I have ever actually
enjoyed a pick up race, but you are also correct that many people
cannot really work a league into their lives... Of course, you are
ALSO right that there must be a league out there for everyone!

The problem with p/u races is that people use them as practice time.
Personally, if I cannot lap a given circuit with a certain degree of
competency then I won't go online on that circuit because I will just
ruin everyone else's fun.

You see, call me a selfless maniac, but I think that if I am either:

1. Trying so hard to stay on the track that looking in my mirrors is
out of the question.
2. Doing 50mph through a 140mph Corner.
3. Unable to complete a lap without a spin.
4. braking 400 metres before I should be...

Then I need to be offline. Sure, I don't need to be on Huttu pace (Not
sure I ever am!) to go online, and pace is not the question. Being able
to be within 4-5 seconds of the pace, to drive with other drivers in
mind and to be able to complete normal practice laps without spinning
or crashing heavily (We all get carried away in races and qualifying
crashes can be understandable) I feel should be some kind of
pre-requisite for being "let out" with everyone else.

Frankly, in real life, you don't get out on track without a licence,
and the licence is all about safety, driving with due care and
attention and knowing where to put your car on the track. Not about
being the quickest person in the world.

Of course, it's fairly unlikely these things willchange any time soon,
so I will stick with racing people I know.

/rant

And yes, rFactor could well end up being the author of it's own
downfall.

Larry wrote:
> What would make this entire problem go away is a button on the online screen
> that says:
>
> "Download and install track" or "Download and install Mod".
>
> It downloads it from a central repository and installs it, then allows you
> to race.
>
> If they do that, then I'll re-visit rFactor.

And you're willing to pay for that service, right? Thought so...

Tell that to an FPS player. Oh man, there are thousands of maps for Q3A,
I hate that game. I can't decide, which one to play! Somebody should do
it for me. Get some backbone and limit yourself to the mod you like.

Yikes!

ronny

There's a reason why a lot of us can dedicate to leagues. Time. We have
real-life problems to address, such as that pesky work thing or house
maintenance

-Larry

"Darus" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>
> wrote:
>>
>> I think the key is league racing, that way everyone knows what they
>> need because it is the same for everyone. I guess the "mix and match"
>> that is the rFactor community is just not too good for pick up racing.
>> Personally, I have had my fill of pick up racing and would rather race
>> with people I know and that I can trust on the race track not to
>> (virtually) kill me.
>>
>> Jon.
>
> This is the key to the ideas mentioned above. A "central repository" is
> the league home page. Trying to keep up with all the changes for pick
> up racing is near impossible. However, league will simply select a mod
> and some tracks, set up a schedule and then run them. They ignore the
> incremental updates (unless it fixes something critical, I suppose).
>
> OF course leagues often have their racing at set times, which may not
> fit someones schedule, thus the need for p/u races. I imagine that
> there are enough leagues out there to find ONE that is close to
> everyones needs.
>
> I haven't raced a p/u race in 3 yrs, and my mental well being (as far
> as sim racing goes) has never been better.
>
> What might be more important right now is a central listing for
> LEAGUES. Kind of a "personal ads" for rF.
>
> "SWM seeking rF OWR league, Fri-Sat-Sun after 7pm est." or perhaps "rF
> COT league needs drivers. Fixed Sets, 50% dist., Tues 8pm est."
>

Actually, yes.

I have no problems with a well designed, paid service. I'm willing to put
my money where my backbone is.

Now, don't you feel silly?

-Larry

"Ronald Stoehr" > wrote in message
...
> Larry wrote:
>> What would make this entire problem go away is a button on the online
>> screen that says:
>>
>> "Download and install track" or "Download and install Mod".
>>
>> It downloads it from a central repository and installs it, then allows
>> you to race.
>>
>> If they do that, then I'll re-visit rFactor.
>
> And you're willing to pay for that service, right? Thought so...
>
> Tell that to an FPS player. Oh man, there are thousands of maps for Q3A,
> I hate that game. I can't decide, which one to play! Somebody should do
> it for me. Get some backbone and limit yourself to the mod you like.
>
> Yikes!
>
> ronny
>

Larry wrote:
> There's a reason why a lot of us can dedicate to leagues. Time. We have
> real-life problems to address, such as that pesky work thing or house
> maintenance
>
> -Larry


It would seem to be a contradiction then, IMO.

If you have time to race pickup races online, then they ought to have
the same amount of time to run in a formal league. As I said, there are
so many leagues out there that ONE is bound to be close to a time that
suits you.

Or not. I don't know what circumstances every sim racer faces, but it's
my position that if a driver hates the pickup crowd and their less than
mature online etiquette, then either run offline, join a league with
like minded, serious racers or quit the hobby and play "Bejeweled".

Darus wrote:

> Larry wrote:
> > There's a reason why a lot of us can dedicate to leagues. Time. We have
> > real-life problems to address, such as that pesky work thing or house
> > maintenance
> >
> > -Larry

It's a matter of priorities though. Way i see it, I watch every F1
race of the year, most MotoGP races, quite a few NASCAR events, etc,
etc...

Those events are at set times, I know about them weeks in advance and
can easily set aside the time to sit down and watch them, I might miss
the odd one or two, these things happen.

Of course, in a league unless you are single and have nothing in life
to do other than simrace, you may not make every event. Unless you are
really keen on winning the championship in the league then this won't
be a problem.

You see, if my wife wanted me to do some "house maintenance" during an
F1 GP I think she knows what response she would get, also, if I tell
her a week or two in advance that between 15.00 and 18.00 on a given
Saturday or Sunday afternoon that I will be taking part in a race, she
should know the same response would be forthcoming.

As for work, well, I got plenty of that but everyone needs "happy
time!"

Of course, I say all this, and I am not part of a league because I
don't have time! I would like to remedy this, but racing every two
weeks would be far too regular for me.

Maybe I will setup a league for busy people!

Larry wrote:
> Actually, yes.
>
> I have no problems with a well designed, paid service. I'm willing to put
> my money where my backbone is.
>
> Now, don't you feel silly?

What a silly comeback. You can't stand the amount of free content, and blame
the game producer for allowing it. For free...

The big point about rfactor was it's modability, guess you missed that.

Whatever...

>
> -Larry
>
> "Ronald Stoehr" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Larry wrote:
>>
>>>What would make this entire problem go away is a button on the online
>>>screen that says:
>>>
>>>"Download and install track" or "Download and install Mod".
>>>
>>>It downloads it from a central repository and installs it, then allows
>>>you to race.
>>>
>>>If they do that, then I'll re-visit rFactor.
>>
>>And you're willing to pay for that service, right? Thought so...
>>
>>Tell that to an FPS player. Oh man, there are thousands of maps for Q3A,
>>I hate that game. I can't decide, which one to play! Somebody should do
>>it for me. Get some backbone and limit yourself to the mod you like.
>>
>>Yikes!
>>
>>ronny
>>
>
>
>

I can <understand> the desire for the ability to auto download/install
all new content. And, to be honest, it would eliminate a LOT of the
compatability issues when trying to run online race. We have
experienced the various mismatch errors, and often enough, have not
known why.

But in reality, (and this is me only, so YMMV) I keep a max of 3-4 mods
installed in my main rF directory. That's enough variety to scratch any
itch I may have. Stock cars, F1, go karts and Supercars, pretty varied
genres. More than that and something gets forgotten and goes unused.
It also makes "keeping up" a lot easier. I need only focus on posts
that relate to a mod I am running. If the McLaren F1 mod has an update,
then I get it. If I see the Dunebuggy mod has a huge update, I simply
skip over it and don't waste any time.

As Ronald points out above, the sheer volume of the content available
to me (for FREE) is astonishing and I am glad to be part of the
experience. There is a LOT of NR2003 stuff too, but primarily tracks
and carsets. rF gives me that, plus new physics almost on a weekly
basis. I'll tolerate a little patching and file manipulation for that
anytime.