RaceDepartment Formula Manager is a forum game in which you own a F1 team and manage it in seasons consisting of practice, qualifying and race sessions. In order to play the game, a daily 5-10 minutes is enough to commit. The game uses a complicated set of formulae made with MS Excel 2007. You give your orders, and I update the races 2/4 laps per day.
How game progresses:
-When you start your team, you make your purchases/testings with your budget. You post your purchases/testings in the thread.
-Race Weekend begins.
-You give me practice and qualifying session orders via PM or in the thread.
-Practice and Qualifying are simulated, then the results are posted in the thread.
-Race begins.
-You give me orders for the first two laps.
-At the end of each day, I simulate four laps and then you give me the order of the next four laps.
PLEASE DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE HUGE WALL OF TEXT IN THIS POST. JUST START A TEAM BY SIMPLY FILLING THE TEMPLATE BELOW. AND DONT HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS. THIS GAME is GRADUALLY LEARNED AS YOU PLAY. YOU CAN ALWAYS
QUIT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.
YOU CAN JOIN ANYTIME. YOU DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT SEASON IF THE CURRENT SEASON IS UNDERWAY.
How game progresses:
-When you start your team, you make your purchases/testings with your budget. You post your purchases/testings in the thread.
-Race Weekend begins.
-You give me practice and qualifying session orders via PM or in the thread.
-Practice and Qualifying are simulated, then the results are posted in the thread.
-Race begins.
-You give me orders for the first two laps.
-At the end of each day, I simulate four laps and then you give me the order of the next four laps.
PLEASE DO NOT BE INTIMIDATED BY THE HUGE WALL OF TEXT IN THIS POST. JUST START A TEAM BY SIMPLY FILLING THE TEMPLATE BELOW. AND DONT HESITATE TO ASK QUESTIONS. THIS GAME is GRADUALLY LEARNED AS YOU PLAY. YOU CAN ALWAYS
QUIT IF YOU DON'T LIKE IT.
YOU CAN JOIN ANYTIME. YOU DON'T NEED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT SEASON IF THE CURRENT SEASON IS UNDERWAY.
Sign Up Template:
(You start the game with 3500 credits)
Manager Name:
Team Name:
Team Colors: (One primary, one secondary)
Favorite Track: The first track of the calendar can't be picked
Sponsors: Check the sponsors list below. Two sponsors are picked and they can be changed between the races.
(You start the game with 3500 credits)
Manager Name:
Team Name:
Team Colors: (One primary, one secondary)
Favorite Track: The first track of the calendar can't be picked
Sponsors: Check the sponsors list below. Two sponsors are picked and they can be changed between the races.
GETTING STARTED
If you are a newcomer, you start with 3500 credits. Name your team, pick two colors, buy engines for at least 1 race, buy tyres for at least 1 race, pick two types of sponsors, pick a favorite track and hire at least 1 driver. (Careful that drivers are not free, check out the Drivers List) (You can name your drivers unless you buy a specific driver from the drivers list. BUT you have to use realistic names, no names like "speed devil" or "boogey man" etc...)
You should make setups for both of your drivers and send them to me via PM. Details on setups are below in this post.
If you are a newcomer, you start with 3500 credits. Name your team, pick two colors, buy engines for at least 1 race, buy tyres for at least 1 race, pick two types of sponsors, pick a favorite track and hire at least 1 driver. (Careful that drivers are not free, check out the Drivers List) (You can name your drivers unless you buy a specific driver from the drivers list. BUT you have to use realistic names, no names like "speed devil" or "boogey man" etc...)
You should make setups for both of your drivers and send them to me via PM. Details on setups are below in this post.
GAME PROGRESSION
When your team is ready, wait for the marketplace period's end. It usually lasts for 3 days. Race weekends start with practice/qualifying sessions.
You send your practice/qualifying orders together.
FREE PRACTICE (You can send practice/qualifying orders via PM to hide them from other managers)
There are a number of options you can pick for the practice sessions. You should pick one (you can pick different options for each of your cars) of the options below: (Effects of practice session options last until the end of that grand prix !minus the random research option!)
-Tune your car for the track. (gives a small speed boost for the race)
-Try a new fuel mode. (gives plenty of speed, but increases fuel consumption)
-Use an aggressive suspension setup. (more tyre wear, but also more speed)
-Use a safer car setup. (less tyre wear, and decrease in speed)
-Make an extreme wet setup. (car performs worse on track with wetness below 50, and performs much better when above 50)
-Adjust brake bias for overtaking. (makes your cars overtake and defend easier)
(If you fail to give a choice, your driver will get "Tune your car for the track" setup.)
QUALIFYING (You can send practice/qualifying orders via PM to hide them from other managers)
Drivers set a single lap time to determine the grid position. Your tyre compound/wear, fuel load and car hp carry over to the race. Tyre heat and engine temperature do not carry over to the race. You need to pick a tyre compound, decide fuel load, pick pace/rev for the qualifying lap. And that is all you need to do for the qualifying session.
RACE (Race orders should be posted in the thread, PMing is not allowed)
You give orders for 2 laps for the first day, then for 4 laps per day. Possible orders are:
-Pace choice:
(From Safe to Give all, the speed increases, wear increases, mistake chances increase.)
Give all
Push
Aggressive
Steady
Easy
Safe (Very slow and driver refrains from fighting for position on track)
Focus (Not available by default, the driver should have focus training, limited usage, it is the best pace)
-Rev choice
High - Faster, but heats up the engine
Medium - Normal, heats up the engine, but not as much as high
Low - Cools down the engine, but slower compared to higher ones. You should go low when there is an "overheating" warning. Otherwise you will burn your engine and retire.
-Driver ability usage
(Driver abilities can be used only for ONCE in each race. They affect only a single lap. They can't be used in Qualifying laps.)
Play Safe - Driver drives more carefully in that lap.
Pace Up - Driver gets faster in that lap.
Hunt Them - Driver becomes better in overtaking/defending in that lap.
Care Tyres - Driver wears their tyres less in that lap.
Cool Down - Driver's engine is cooled a bit in that lap.
Intimidate - Driver in front of the driver gets a bit nervous in that lap. (You have to be at least 0.25 close to the car in front to be able to use it.)
Save Fuel - Sort of an emergency move that limits the fuel usage in that lap to avoid running out of fuel. In order words, your fuel can't drop below 1 in that lap. Useful when you have to pit and you don't have enough fuel left for that lap.
-ERS on/off
Each lap your cars charge up their ERS. More charged up, more speed they provide when used. So it is better to charge them up high and use, instead of keep using frequently.
-Order a driver to stop fighting for track position against their team-mate
-Call to pits
Your driver pit at the END of the lap you called them. It means if they don't have any fuel lap to complete that lap, they will retire by running out of fuel. When pitting you should specify the items below:
- Which tyre compound to take
- How many fuel? (You need to give an exact value, or say "add XX")
- Regular repairs, or complete repairs?
(Regular restores a certain amount of car HP, while complete makes it %100, but it lasts longer as much as car HP you are missing)
When your team is ready, wait for the marketplace period's end. It usually lasts for 3 days. Race weekends start with practice/qualifying sessions.
You send your practice/qualifying orders together.
FREE PRACTICE (You can send practice/qualifying orders via PM to hide them from other managers)
There are a number of options you can pick for the practice sessions. You should pick one (you can pick different options for each of your cars) of the options below: (Effects of practice session options last until the end of that grand prix !minus the random research option!)
-Tune your car for the track. (gives a small speed boost for the race)
-Try a new fuel mode. (gives plenty of speed, but increases fuel consumption)
-Use an aggressive suspension setup. (more tyre wear, but also more speed)
-Use a safer car setup. (less tyre wear, and decrease in speed)
-Make an extreme wet setup. (car performs worse on track with wetness below 50, and performs much better when above 50)
-Adjust brake bias for overtaking. (makes your cars overtake and defend easier)
(If you fail to give a choice, your driver will get "Tune your car for the track" setup.)
QUALIFYING (You can send practice/qualifying orders via PM to hide them from other managers)
Drivers set a single lap time to determine the grid position. Your tyre compound/wear, fuel load and car hp carry over to the race. Tyre heat and engine temperature do not carry over to the race. You need to pick a tyre compound, decide fuel load, pick pace/rev for the qualifying lap. And that is all you need to do for the qualifying session.
RACE (Race orders should be posted in the thread, PMing is not allowed)
You give orders for 2 laps for the first day, then for 4 laps per day. Possible orders are:
-Pace choice:
(From Safe to Give all, the speed increases, wear increases, mistake chances increase.)
Give all
Push
Aggressive
Steady
Easy
Safe (Very slow and driver refrains from fighting for position on track)
Focus (Not available by default, the driver should have focus training, limited usage, it is the best pace)
-Rev choice
High - Faster, but heats up the engine
Medium - Normal, heats up the engine, but not as much as high
Low - Cools down the engine, but slower compared to higher ones. You should go low when there is an "overheating" warning. Otherwise you will burn your engine and retire.
-Driver ability usage
(Driver abilities can be used only for ONCE in each race. They affect only a single lap. They can't be used in Qualifying laps.)
Play Safe - Driver drives more carefully in that lap.
Pace Up - Driver gets faster in that lap.
Hunt Them - Driver becomes better in overtaking/defending in that lap.
Care Tyres - Driver wears their tyres less in that lap.
Cool Down - Driver's engine is cooled a bit in that lap.
Intimidate - Driver in front of the driver gets a bit nervous in that lap. (You have to be at least 0.25 close to the car in front to be able to use it.)
Save Fuel - Sort of an emergency move that limits the fuel usage in that lap to avoid running out of fuel. In order words, your fuel can't drop below 1 in that lap. Useful when you have to pit and you don't have enough fuel left for that lap.
-ERS on/off
Each lap your cars charge up their ERS. More charged up, more speed they provide when used. So it is better to charge them up high and use, instead of keep using frequently.
-Order a driver to stop fighting for track position against their team-mate
-Call to pits
Your driver pit at the END of the lap you called them. It means if they don't have any fuel lap to complete that lap, they will retire by running out of fuel. When pitting you should specify the items below:
- Which tyre compound to take
- How many fuel? (You need to give an exact value, or say "add XX")
- Regular repairs, or complete repairs?
(Regular restores a certain amount of car HP, while complete makes it %100, but it lasts longer as much as car HP you are missing)
RACE ORDER TEMPLATE
1st Lap
Schumacher easy/medium use driver ability "save fuel"
Barrichello steady/low dont fight your team-mate
2nd Lap
Schumacher steady/high use ERS
Barrichello safe/low pit for hard tyres and refuel to 120 lt, regular repairs
3rd Lap
Schumacher safe/high
Barrichello steady/low use driver ability "pace up"
4th Lap
Schumacher safe/high
Barrichello push/medium pit for soft tyres, refuel to 100, complete repairs
1st Lap
Schumacher easy/medium use driver ability "save fuel"
Barrichello steady/low dont fight your team-mate
2nd Lap
Schumacher steady/high use ERS
Barrichello safe/low pit for hard tyres and refuel to 120 lt, regular repairs
3rd Lap
Schumacher safe/high
Barrichello steady/low use driver ability "pace up"
4th Lap
Schumacher safe/high
Barrichello push/medium pit for soft tyres, refuel to 100, complete repairs
ENGINEER SYSTEM
Sometimes you might miss some updates, or simply miscalculate and go into a lap with not enough fuel. In such situations, your engineer acts to save you.
FOR ONCE, for each of your drivers, they will be called to pit before running out of fuel or retiring with chassis failure due to %0 car HP. That safety pitstop will put hard tyres and refuel your car to 100 liters. Will also repair you car to max. If the track wetness is not suitable for hards, the engineer will pick inters or wet depending on the wetness level.
Remember! The engineer can save you for ONCE for each of your drivers at each race.
Sometimes you might miss some updates, or simply miscalculate and go into a lap with not enough fuel. In such situations, your engineer acts to save you.
FOR ONCE, for each of your drivers, they will be called to pit before running out of fuel or retiring with chassis failure due to %0 car HP. That safety pitstop will put hard tyres and refuel your car to 100 liters. Will also repair you car to max. If the track wetness is not suitable for hards, the engineer will pick inters or wet depending on the wetness level.
Remember! The engineer can save you for ONCE for each of your drivers at each race.
HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR TEAM?
After a race ends, you will get prize money from your finishing position and sponsors. With this money, you can buy items from the marketplace and this way develop your team. Marketplace and Supplier lists below give details on what things you can buy.
It is a good idea to develop your car "durability" first as it increases your car HP which is vital in surviving the race-distance. For driver trainings, "tyre mastery" and "concentration" are the fundamental ones for it keeps things more reliable for you.
After a race ends, you will get prize money from your finishing position and sponsors. With this money, you can buy items from the marketplace and this way develop your team. Marketplace and Supplier lists below give details on what things you can buy.
It is a good idea to develop your car "durability" first as it increases your car HP which is vital in surviving the race-distance. For driver trainings, "tyre mastery" and "concentration" are the fundamental ones for it keeps things more reliable for you.
