Season 9 - General Discussion

[Nicolai Nicholson]

NOTE!!! Both fixes causes mismatches with non-fixed packages online.

I know you know this, but ultimatley the track we use needs to be the same as the downloadable once to not make it even more complicated for those who want to join our servers.

Thanks for your great work

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I found another conversion, let's see if that has those missing two components in them.. It's from the same rFactor track so it should be identical in all other senses, i just hope it has a distinctive name too.
http://sim-racing-evolution.fr/fichiers.php It was pointed by the author of the current NoGrip version download thread and he recommends that one so...At least he's honest, kudos for that.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Personally i have to add that my priorities are track authenticity and new members, in that order. We need to protect the integrity of this league, it's such a competitive package we got here where quality is top priority, so i feel that it is should include both racing and content. And everywhere else infact. Content is very closely linked to gameplay, the latter is well presented but i feel that at least the content should be the best available.

 

[Jonas Lex]

Nico:
I support the thought that one must be motivated to practise a lot.
Where I see the problem is that the motivation newcomers need stands in no relation to the motivation experienced drivers need if they join the league because the conditions are so hard (in relation to other racing leagues)
Thats probably why many newcomers quit again after a while.
It has the advantage that the league pace will remain as high as it is now but the league probably will continue not to grow.
Because the league has such a very high pace at the moment (my experience) I think it is possible to make some changes to make conditions easier for newcomers.

I think the idea of having shorter races for division 2 is a good idea and I think thats one thing that would help to solve this problem
But if we have an article posted at the front page then we have to advertise with the fact that Division 2 races are shorter, then this one thing that could really help to get more sign ups and keep these members if we have a div2
But first details like how long should the races in Div2 really be and if the promotion system has to be changed (I think it could stay as it is) have to be cleared.

 

[Alberto Casado]

OK, here are the notes from Spa2008:
- AIW is missing the dark grooves, don't cause any issues, they are purely visual. Fixed it in 5 minutes. (need to check it and possibly adjust some of them..)
- Rain Reflections were included but not activated. Fixed it in less than 5 minutes.

NOTE!!! Both fixes causes mismatches with non-fixed packages online.

Track layout is done very well, all the proper materials have been assigned correctly. Grip levels satisfactory, some bumbs feel quite large but are in right places.

I find the bump at Blanchimont very, very exaggerated. I never felt anything like that in any other game, and I cannot believe they would leave such a thing in the real track in a place where you pass over 300 kph.

Note that there are some lines where you can pass that section with just a twitch, but if you take the sweep just centimeters differently the car just flies to the run-off... or crashes.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Try the Blanchimont with my fix: http://cream.galleria.fi/Shares/LINKED/Spa_2008_rainfix_AIW_fix_by_CreamK.zip (copy over the original files in GameData/Locations/Spa08), it makes a LOT more sense. I tried the french version but it's identical, it even has the same problems.... I sent PM to the author with a link to my fix, hopefully will get a fresh updated and authorized track to use. He seemed to be still active so there's hope for it.

I haven't yet crashed there, one needs to raise the car a bit to make ot thru the track. I raised it to 2.1cm in the front, 0,5cm higher than usual.

 

[Alberto Casado]

@Kennett Ylitalo It's definitively better. Although "The Killer Bump" is still there (and the space shuttle kerbs in eau rouge too, I've jumped the fences a couple times) the rubber in the track helps a ton providing reference to align yourself to the track.

 

[Tim McIver]

I don't have heaps to add on track selection, expect that I'm keen to maintain the Presto ideology of being as close to real F1 as is reasonably and enjoyably possible. Which is what I understand Nico intends to do (and has always done!)

Without being too demanding, the thing I would most like to see if the dates for next season. I'm receiving pressure from the home front to book holidays and commit to things. Regardless of tracks, can we confirm the 10 Wednesdays?

EDIT: In an effort to not be too demanding I thought I would just make up a calender then we can all argue about it (in a good way).

 

[Tim McIver]

TEST DRAFT UNOFFICIAL CALENDER v2.0

8.8 – Presto Race 1 - HUNGARY
15.8 – Spare Wed
22.8 – Presto Race 2 - SPA
29.8 – Spare Wed
2.9 – F1 Spa
5.9 – Presto Race 3 – MONZA
9.9 – F1 Monza
12.9 – Spare Wed
19.9 – Presto Race 4 – SINGAPORE
23.9 – F1 Singapore
26.9 – Spare Wed
3.10 – Presto Race 5 –
7.10 – F1 Suzuka
10.10 – Spare Wed
14.10 – F1 Korea
17.10 – Presto Race 6 - KOREA
24.10 – Spare Wed
28.10 – F1 India
31.10 – Presto Race 7
4.11 – F1 Abu Dhabi
7.11 – Spare Wed
14.11 – Presto Race 8
18.11 – F1 Austin
21.11 – Spare Wed
25.11 – F1 Brazil
28.11 – Presto Race 9 - BRAZIL
5.12 – Spare Wed
12.12 – Presto Race 10

 

[Tim McIver]

This clearly not an attempt to finalise the calender but to get the ball rolling. I've added the other wednesdays to make the spacing easy to see. This calender is simply putting a race the wed before the real F1 races. Nico listed 9 real F1 races, I just added the one before to make it up to 10. For me, it would be easier if the season started a week or so earlier rather than run to far into December.

I liked this season spacing the races perfectly every two weeks and not matching real F1 quite as strictly as we have before. It certainly gave me maximum opportunity to negotiate practice time.

EDIT: I've added two week spacing and the real tracks that correspond best. I think 19th December is too close to Christmas to finish so I'll add August 8th.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

TEST DRAFT UNOFFICIAL CALENDER...
8.8 - Race 1 - HUNGARY
15.8
22.8 - Race 2 - SILVERSTONE 2011
29.8 -
5.9 - Race 3 - SPA
12.9
19.9 - Race 4 - MONZA
26.9 -
3.10 - Race 5 - SINGAPORE
10.10 -
17.10 - Race 6 - KOREA
24.10 -
31.10 - Race 7
7.11
14.11 - Race 8
21.11
28.11 - Race 9 - BRAZIL
5.12
12.12 - Race 10

This is the reason why I didn't make a draft immediatly, because it was not easy, I forgot that the autumn season is a bit short on time for 10 races.

I thought to myself that starting the season the Wednesday after the Spa race is probably a bit too late considering 10 rounds and X-mas and all that.

At the same time I suspect 8th of August is a bit early for many Europeans, weather they live in Scandinavia where we know to appreachiate the short summer time we get or if you are from central Europe where I believe the holidays stretch well into August?

Regardless, the only way to solve this is like Tim says, to get the ball roling. The way I see it we will have troubble dodging all the points below:
-have to start very early (like 8th of August)
-have to skip one round (having 9 rounds)
-having a race or two with only 1 week brake in between

 

[Reik Major]

Im fine with all 3 solutions!

It would be new (and therefore interesting) to have our race before the real event. But finally I'm always highly motivated.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Having the race after the real event will give us some nice video footage like track guides etc. But any solution works for me too. Season finale could be only one week apart. Or season start if there has to be 10 races like i hope.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Off-topic but one the most influential articles ever written: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084161/1/index.htm

 

[Peter Marshall]

Nice to see Silverstone 2011 find its' way into the proposed calendar. I must do a lap or two...

I don't imagine that any one week gaps between races will "worry" any presto veterans. As usual, I expect to attend any and all races; which reminds me to replace the batteries in my trusty alarm clock....

 

[Sean Greenlaw]

One week apart from a race or to fine with me also early or the late start fine. Im in scotland so summers over before its began anyway , i work a crazy shift pattern so may miss at worst 2 races looking at all proposed dates

 

[Valter Ostman]

Any calendar is fine with me. I have only one planned event beside my own racing career right now and that heavenly pleasure starts July 19th

I like the Spa 2008 track. Bus stop and pit-lane are a bit improved I think.

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

-I have no problem starting 8th of August personally (I am more worried about everybody else).
-If one are having 1 week brake between some races I think it is better to do it early in season when motivation is high, and before an "easy" track that we all already know very well, e.g. Monza.
-The Silverstone talk; we did Silverstone last season, do we wish to race Silverstone in Autumn instead of Spring or are you thinking we should do it both (all) seasons?

It would be new (and therefore interesting) to have our race before the real event. But finally I'm always highly motivated.

Making the calendar work is the most important, but if I had a free choice I would always prefer to race after the real f1 race. As soon as we have completed a race I start focus on the next one, iow if we race Spa 5/9 and Monza 19/9, then I will spending time on Monza 6/9-19/9, and if the real f1 Singapore race was the 16/9 it would not make the same sense if you know what I mean.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

We used the old layout and i for one would like to drive the current layout too. So if we use this http://www.nogripracing.com/details.php?filenr=34805 instead of the old layout that could be a good compromise. And one week before Monza is excellent idea, that track really does not take so much practice.. Allthou Monza practice is more race setup dependant than any other track so individual practice sessions takes a lot of laps.

Silverstone 11 has the same author as the version we've used before so i expect it to be 100% working

 

[Nicolai Nicholson]

Still, we raced Silverstone in season 4, 6 and 8 and if we now want to race it in season 9 as well I assume it is implied that we do not wish to race it in season 10 but in 11 instead? I'll bow for the majority, but I have always enjoyed driving different tracks throughout the year.