Racing Club Suggestion

[Dave Flower]

Ok so our racing club is starting to build up again, and some events are full with a healthy reserves list.

The Problems

Sign ups that don't show for unforseen or simply inconsiderate, selfish reasons.
Getting reserves into server in a fair order.

Suggested solutions.

1) Penalize serial no showers' with a one month racing suspension from ALL, not just Race07 and not just club events. Harsh but fair on everyone else.
2) Make it Mandatory for Reserves to join teamspeak in order to be instructed when they can join the server. They don't have to have a microphone, as some may not want to chat - Teamspeak supports typed messages and if the suggestion 3 is implemented alongside this then both reserves and those in server will know when to expect reserves to be joining teamspeak and asking if a slot is free. If implemented correctly with clear instructions in the top post of events, reserves would know which order they were allowed to join in from the forum so no one jumps the queue and admin don't have to attend every event to ensure it runs smoothly.
3) Create a Reserves channel, under each game, eg. Race07 Reserves - by doing this the reserves can see who is still in reserve before and after them, before joining the channel for race and asking people in the server if they can join at the predefined (top post again) time.
4) In the event timing (top post) include a time, I suggest 5 mins before the End of qualy, entitled - Reserves join main teamspeak to request server access from members already in server. This is when reserves jump up in reserve order to ask if they are free to join, and remember that can be by voice or text if they don't have a Mic.
5) This is why I like these suggestions - Reserves that don't get into the event are encouraged to stay in the Reserves channel to organise themselves where they Race together, wether that's on other RD servers not in an active event (practice), servers they host themselves, or Public servers - the point is they still get to race with other members, even if its not in the event they hoped to join. The use of a Reserves channel could even be used to fill empty slots in events that are not full because many don't look at the RD forum once in game but could be sitting in a reserve channel, indicating that they are untamed and available to race.

What do you think?

 

[Dave Flower]

Lol untamed - predictive text for in game !

 

[UMC 22]

No-shows are already recorded by staff and are penalised appropriately when necessary.

As for the rest, I think it's rather heavy handed myself. New rules and procedures, more TS channels, forcing people into TS, etc. There are far simpler solutions and when the new forums are all sorted out I'm sure something will be done.

 

[Dave Flower]

Force them into teamspeak, you force them to get involved in something and take 'ownership' of their event and their club whilst giving them a guarantee of meeting the friendly people on RD and opening their eyes and minds to just how much more they can gain not only from their racing 'game's but also from their RD membership. Do that and you increase both commitment and loyalty to RD because amongst other things the names on screen both on RD forums and in game suddenly become far more than just text on a screen, they become living, breathing personalities .... People.... And wether its an internet forum, or in business, or facetube or any where else on this planet its people that interact with each other not forums, or businesses or profiles... Without the people its all just a series of 1's and 0's floating aroung in the ether. . .

 

[Dennis Phelan]

Especially after todays event this is good to bring up.

I'd like to see what the "new " RD forums will have to say about it when they debut!

 

[Marco Bijl]

I understand the point made, but am not sure this is the right way to follow.

For starters, I think it's a bit over the top. Let's not forget that the racing in first place has to be fun. With the rules as mentioned above, it becomes a bit to serious I think.

TS is available for all who want, at any time. There are more then enough rooms to be in, and meet people. It's still a personal choice of every member if you want to race with people, or with the 1's and 0's as you nicely put it . Forcing people in there is not going to give the result you are aiming for, as long as people have no interest in turning the 1's and 0's into persons. It just frustrates people because there is again another rule and application that has to be used.
I see no difference in the current situation, where you can join TS at any time to see who are online, and where they are racing. I see no benefit to keep reservers in there, if they do not want to use that option now, they will not use it then.

No Shows are dealt with in a appropriate way. So that issue is covered already.

In terms of reserves.
At this moment, we are trying to keep up with the lists just before the race starts. Most of the times, we are in the forum thread updating signups, and letting reserves in when places are available. I see no benefit in changing that from the forum thread to TS, besides that the reaction time is a bit shorter there. If you keep up with the thread, you know when you are in or out.

In short, they only difference I see in the current situation, and the situation you propose is the obligation to log into TS. All benefits you mention are already available, and all who are on the reserve list can already join TS, and have direct contact with the other drivers. So the options are there, but people just choose not to use them. That's their personal choice, which comes with the consequences that it MIGHT be possible that you could have raced, IF you would have used them. Making the choice NOT to use them, is a personal one, and I think should stay a personal one.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

Are you a track person or a car person... when choosing your events
If there a great track is it ok to use it more often. every week same track just a different car (the cars we dont normally race).

 

[Marco Bijl]

Hmmm Thats difficult Rupe, since we try to match the 2.

We have a rather solid weekly planning of classes we want to run in the racing club. We try to find a matching track for the car we are driving.

F.i.
If you take the mystery track of last week, that's a lot of fun with a relative fast car. But with f.i. the mini, it's a lot less fun. When riding up the first 3 corners, you feel like getting out and push the car up......

Offcourse, some tracks are great fun with multiple classes, but mostly, finding that specific combination makes the race worth trying.

 

[Rupe Wilson]

youre doing a great job.. it was not a dig, i was wondering what makes the fellow racers choose...
i look at the race club and look at the track before what car it is. and often try new events due to that..

 

[Marco Bijl]

youre doing a great job.. it was not a dig, i was wondering what makes the fellow racers choose...
i look at the race club and look at the track before what car it is. and often try new events due to that..

I have to be honest in this....

If I look at a race to ENTER, I do the same. First, I look at the track, if it's a familiar one, and one I know my way around on. Second I look at the cars.

But, If I set UP an event, I work the other way around to get the best combination possible. Then I do NOT look at my own experience with a specific track, I just try to match them both. Mostly, I take a spin out first before I post the event to see if the car's and track match as I expect them to. When I like the combo, I post it. If not, it's back to the drawing board again

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

I look at the car first, then track.. In the events i've organized in the past, it's reversed, first track then car to that track..

What if start putting tested rarely used combos here, the title fits already. Sort of members own picks and the staff can use those to test new events? Since staff can't possibly try all combinations, that could provide some good races.. For ex Curitiba Reverse - FBMW is a combination i haven't ever even tried. There are some tracks that have alternate layouts that never gets used in default content.. The number of likes in the post will tell how popular event that could be..

 

[Dennis Phelan]

There are a few car classes I would rather not drive, when I see them I usually pass on the track. Tracks at the bottom of my list are the armco barrier lined courses, not really tracks.
If I like the car, the track doesn't matter so much.
After the race, when I debrief myself, I try to put it into context.
IRL, you pick a class to race, not like simming where you can drive several classes a day.
You go to the tracks on the schedule.
It's not really a good thing to think, "I don't like this track".

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Yep, that is the reason why members should not dictate what to drive and where. Leagues are the best example, i really really hate Abu Dhabi and Dubai and still i'm so exited of participating RDGTC (don't fancy Hungary either so that 3 out of 5 races that are not to my excact liking). Never would drive Abu Dhabi offline. But when it's "forced" it's totally different challenge. Club racing falls somewhere in between. I've been mostly satisfied with the current line but good ideas are hard to find in the long run..

 

[Petr Kantor]

Yet, the driving club could be more open to its customers if there's demand. Compared to Leagues, where i feel we're at the mercy of logic of the class and suitable tracks for it.

After a run of Imola I'm usually like "wheee, that was fun, lets do one more run" and if I'm switched to Zaandvoort i'm like " I'm so outa here". Of course everybody has a certain opinion, but at any given time certain tracks might be more popular than others (say based on recent appearance in events) and those wishes could be followed. As for me, I'm mostly wtcc and f3000 guy, with occasional GT, but caterhams, or those experimental slide-a-lamas we have in the garages, pffft. I'd bet theres lot of people like this who would happily drive more than once in a month when that combination of a track and a class comes up.

I remember years ago we had several tracks selected for the night, with mini qualification between them?

Also how about an open racing day where tracks / classes get voted up in advance and then picked based on preference for that day?
(of course voters would have to be available if their combo got chosen - they'd automatically got signed up).

my 2 cents.

 

[Martin Leyfield]

Teamspeak
=========
Please make this mandatory for a drivers briefing towards the end of practice. The drivers briefing can be used to ask people to leave if they need to be asked. It should not be mandatory for qually or race.

After race races
============
I think there should be a vote for a circuit to race after each event. It does not matter if the same circuit is used for two or even three consecutive 'after race races'.

 

[DR3D9]

its nice to be important but its more important to be nice...

 

[Martin Leyfield]

I used underlining to separate the two different subjects. Sorry if its rude.

Race organisers have to use chat at the moment to ask people to leave when the server is full and a reserve needs to make way for a signed up driver. There is often a discussion about which reserves(s) need to leave. I think a drivers breifing via Teamspeak at the end of practice would be much better than chat.
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I have enjoyed going to another race with people after events. It would be nice if there were more people and it would be nice to go to a safe racedepartment server with a circuit that has been voted for so most people have it and like it.

 

[Petr Kantor]

I used underlining to separate the two different subjects. Sorry if its rude.
I have enjoyed going to another race with people after events. It would be nice if there were more people and it would be nice to go to a safe racedepartment server with a circuit that has been voted for so most people have it and like it.

Knowing there will be more short events after the main part is done, i'd stay even if i crash in 1st lap... Say before leaving, the admin sets up couple most requested tracks into queue and we can duke it out even more? Admin presence would not be needed after that, but we would get the treat

 

[Martin Leyfield]

Cool. There are two servers tonight. I am on server 2. After both races have finished I will join server 1 and also use teamspeak to see if anyone is doing more simracing.

After a very long race I usually don't do any more simracing until the next day. However, sometimes I do want to simrace after a long race, albeit after a brake.

If I have done a short event (less than 30 minutes) I usually want more simracing and don't need a brake.

 

[Marco Bijl]

Hmmm A lot to respond to here... Let me take out some parts, and comment on them.

Teamspeak.
Yes, I know the benefits of TS. However, it's NOT going to be mandatory. There are several reasons for that. We do not want to force anyone in using TS, especially during a club event. The options are there now like I said before, and are open for all to use.
Secondly, please remember that we as race staff also have a private life (yes, I know it's hard to believe ). I am pretty sure my wife is not so fond off me sitting with a headset on, not hearing her, and talking a foreign language. I also do not think that, when you are concentrating on the track, and hear my little girl shouting in your ear will help you as well
In relation to people needing to leave a server, chat will do at this time as well. If discussions arrise, we always have the kick button to get people out.

Setting up rare combinations.
Setting up combinations that are sort of unused, has a downside. Their is a reason why those matches are not used. Bevause it's not that much SIMracing fun. It's fun, but it will quickly start to look like a fun event, and that's not what we want.

Races after races
We are talking and exploring the options at this moment to set up a full time server with multiple tracks and cars on it. This server will be open for RD members to join, so they can have a race at any time that suits them.

Members ideas.
You are all free to spam my inbox with ideas for the club, as are the inboxes of the other staff members. Not saying we will use all ideas, but we do discuss them. However, as the past has shown us, the ideas need to have a relative big popularity. We do not host "private" races for 1 or 2, just because they have an idea that they like. So it must be something that the public would like, and confirms with the RD standards we are trying to uphold.

Forced tracks
Kennett, I totally get your point... I have the same with Hungaroring. Me and the Hungaroring are not friends sort of speak Would not choose to drive it in a club event, but I have done a lot of practice for RDGTC on it. Because it's in the league, I need to do it, which in the end only makes my driving improve overall. So it's a good thing to get out of your comfort zone sometimes, and just do things you would otherwise not do.