RD MINI Challenge 2019

Jan Larsen · Jan 7, 2019

Dave, the guys that know they're fast dont care about their time, but someone right at the cutoff would really like to know whether they're 3 tenths or a hundreth off. It can make a difference of how much they want to try again.
I understand your irrelevant argument but if I'm 1,5 secs off server 1, I dont want to waste hours trying to improve a couple of tenths. However, if I'm right at the cutoff, I'll do my damnest to improve. But right now I dont know. I believe its critical information to the participants and should be released if it dosent present a massive work overload for you or whoever is in charge.

Chris Shepherd · Jan 7, 2019

In my opinion, and this is only my opinion, you should use the live timing screen.

Having no live timing makes it advantageous towards the drivers who have lots of time on their hands.

Matt Le Gallez · Jan 7, 2019

Dave Stephenson said:
I could equally send whatever spurious data I wanted to the liveracers server. What would be the difference? If I shared the results files, I could also have edited those too, who would know any different. Ultimately there needs to be a level of trust.
The live timing only showed the top three drivers, and only for the current session so was essentially useless as a validation tool for you guys.

No it doesn't, it stores the fastest 3 lap times drivers have done since the server has been live. The fact that some drivers have been able to use it and others haven't should be enough for you to turn it back on.

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 7, 2019

Jan Larsen said:
I dont want to waste hours trying to improve a couple of tenths. However, if I'm right at the cutoff, I'll do my damnest to improve.

And that is exactly the reason why we didn't plan to use live timing. We want it be exciting from the start to the finish so if you are left in the dark the chances are high you will return for another attempt and so will your colleague drivers. I know I will later on today and this week.

Secondly and this is the most important part. We as the organizers are now 100% sure that all drivers who qualify for the league are very well prepared. Everybody will have to master their MINI to make the cut instead of leaving the preq process after doing one fast lap.

For the typical debate that has started again about full transparency (really?) what is the difference if you have all the data now or afterwards?. I really don't want to go into a transparency debate.

We wanted to make this a fun pre-qualification but it's clear that the fun has been thrown out of the door already.

Jan Larsen · Jan 7, 2019

I accept your strategic decision and will just drive the nuts off of it instead

And lighten up Bram, there was no intention to derail the fun, I'm still having fun, but when there's great prizes and much hype building, people start taking things a little more seriously. Even me, and I dont normally do that nowadays

Matt Le Gallez · Jan 7, 2019

We wouldn't have had this debate if the live timing was just left alone once you realized you messed up by having it on in the first place. But, as i thought, i've been trying to get blood from a stone for the last few hours so i'll take it as it is! Onward and upwards!

Davy Vandevenne · Jan 7, 2019

Skinpack is released! Download HERE
A temporary practice server is running for round1 with the pre-qualify password for testing your skinpack install. You can only join the server with the released skinpack.
Follow install directions in download section.

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 7, 2019

Awesome work, thanks so much for all this Davy!

Chris Butcher · Jan 7, 2019

@Bram Hengeveld To be honest that's my fault and not what I'm trying to imply. I don't doubt you for one second, but you are an intelligent person and I'm sure you can understand the conclusions that potentially can be drawn by people that feel aggrieved. Please don't take my post as an accusation of malpractice, it was more intended as constructive feedback and my own opinion. I don't think this situation was communicated before Pre-Q began (please correct me if I'm mistaken, but if it was, it wasn't clear), we probably wouldn't be having this discussion now if it had been.

To be clear, I understand the reasons for not having live timing, it does add an interesting dynamic. As such I hope this doesn't derail the fun, it won't stop me trying my hardest!

I'll shut up now

Bram Hengeveld · Jan 7, 2019

No worries Chris. We don't want external live timing for a couple of reasons (legal and sportive the biggest). We could have coded live timing ourselves but we have decided to focus on other areas instead.

That liveracers page should not have been live anyway as we didn't plan to use it at all. As a matter of fact I have contacted liveracers to have our pages there removed as I don't want real names of our members listed on a third party website we have no control of.

There was also no mention of livetiming in this thread, the info thread or the briefing PM. But i can see why people want to have it, but we decided not to for this series.

BrunoMancebo · Jan 7, 2019

How I join to this races? I click on server password and do not see the server password. I need to register in some site área to join this race? Sorry my english i'm brazilian rsrsrs

rustyjabs67 · Jan 7, 2019

Amazing what else is there to say!!! But thanks

rustyjabs67 · Jan 7, 2019

Andrew Harper said:
Looks like a simple case of the alpha channel going a bit wrong. An easy fix so not an issue. Did you save it as DXT5? If you saved as DXT1 by accident it will leave out the alpha channel and the windows go solid. Otherwise I can quickly sort this for you.

Thanks Andy, it is a dds file? I don't recall seeing DXT's

Dave Stephenson · Jan 7, 2019

BrunoMancebo said:
How I join to this races? I click on server password and do not see the server password. I need to register in some site área to join this race? Sorry my english i'm brazilian rsrsrs

League signups are now closed and qualification is already in progress. We do have non league races regularly each week. Users need to have an active premium membership to join and access the passwords.

There is more info available here.

Manuel Alves · Jan 7, 2019

Yesterday I put a time (2m32sXXX) on the server but can't find it on liveracers results (http://racedepartment.liveracers.com/Results)
It was around 23h00 (11pm?)

EDIT: I've installed the skin pack and I'm always kicked out of the server.

EDIT2: I was trying to use my custom skin. I deleted it and now it works.

Andrew Harper · Jan 7, 2019

rustyjabs67 said:
Thanks Andy, it is a dds file? I don't recall seeing DXT's

No worries matey, I assume it was all sorted for you by Davy.

DDS files come in different "flavours" DXT5 is the standard type for most bodywork liveries in racing sims. You have the main layers which have the livery design on and then a separate alpha channel which in the livery case determines the speculator of the livery, on other words how shiny it is.

Saving as a DXT1 DDS file, misses out this alpha channel. Why would you do that you may ask? Well if you have a driver helmet but it's inside a car, an alpha channel is not really necessary as no light will hit it, same for the racing suit and so on.

On the glass images that AMS uses, the black parts of the alpha channel are totally see through, white is solid.

Here's the alpha layer below to show you what I mean. You can see I've selected Channels and then the alpha layer.

If this is lost for some reason the window file becomes slightly messed up and you end up with solid windows. Great for privacy, not very good for seeing where you are going! lol

What I assume is either the alpha channel is missing from your file or it's become all white in colour.

I'm a bit busy at the moment with other liveries but if RD want me to I can maybe write up a proper "how to make windows" guide in the main AMS forum page.

rustyjabs67 · Jan 8, 2019

Thanks for the info, and I can now see out the windscreen....

rustyjabs67 · Jan 8, 2019

Davy Vandevenne said:
Skinpack is released! Download HERE
A temporary practice server is running for round1 with the pre-qualify password for testing your skinpack install. You can only join the server with the released skinpack.
Follow install directions in download section.

Fantastic @Davy Vandevenne all works, tried and fully tested..Thank you

Manuel Alves · Jan 8, 2019

How do I know the time I set is recorded?
Sunday night I did several laps (best 2m32sXXX) and can't find it on liveracers results (https://racedepartment.liveracers.com/Results). It was around 23h00 (11pm?) so before removing the server from liveracers. Has something to do with the use of Esc Key?

rustyjabs67 · Jan 8, 2019

Bram Hengeveld said:
And that is exactly the reason why we didn't plan to use live timing. We want it be exciting from the start to the finish so if you are left in the dark the chances are high you will return for another attempt and so will your colleague drivers. I know I will later on today and this week.

Secondly and this is the most important part. We as the organizers are now 100% sure that all drivers who qualify for the league are very well prepared. Everybody will have to master their MINI to make the cut instead of leaving the preq process after doing one fast lap.

For the typical debate that has started again about full transparency (really?) what is the difference if you have all the data now or afterwards?. I really don't want to go into a transparency debate.

We wanted to make this a fun pre-qualification but it's clear that the fun has been thrown out of the door already.

I defo come back and thanks to the advice I have already posted my best time....time for a new run...lets get it on!!!