That were some straight words Kennett.
I will share my opinion too. Not that I feel it is a big "issue" itself, whether or not to forcibly shut down the other populated servers during official race server is up. But overall this has become an interesting discussion.
Only answer that comes to mind "don't have to drive in traffic" That is an advantage, specially if the race server is wet.... What you do before official race server opens is nobodys business and having guys ready and driving in q server before that time: excellent idea. Using it parallel: hell, no. If you want no traffic, go to offline practice. If you want to race, effing suffer from all the traffic, weather etc that everybody else is suffering from. If not, then the idea of official practice is demolished. I won't suffer from traffic if that's what others are doing and log on to race server 10 minutes before practice starts. Thing need to be equal to all and the opportunity to do so is not an excuse to do so.
Either all populated servers are to be shut down, and people can run their own public internet servers if someones want to join up for something else than official practice. Or we can focus on the whole purpose of the league -
to have fun - and let people play around at the other servers if they want to. Personally I happily join the race server fast to enjoy the short time when the most people are joined together. Those, though, who think that is "suffering" and not an enjoyment should not be forced to be there and feel they would like to do something else.
What is your view of what the "official idea" of practice is?
There's something worrying me about the integrity of the league, creating "two tier" classes, attitude of "midpack and us".. " i don't want to drive amongst the rookies spinining, i got a championship to focus on.." Those are the motives i have in mind and i want to get rid of that ASAP (specially if and most likely, i'm wrong). [...]
If there are feelings that two "tiers" exist, that is a serious one, I think. I really welcome such things to be brought up - they should always be, and the effect if they are not just becomes that league-members do not have a good time and drop off instead. I can just speak for myself and I do not feel those vibes at all, but there shall be zero tolerance for that.
[...] So why would the q server be open, what is the reason it should be, why should one group practice amongst themselves etc. It's not unlike F1, one team starts doing something, others caught on and try to ban that miniscule or non-existing invention. [...]
Since I don't feel the vibes of two tiers, I do not see that as a reason why the Q server would be open. Everyone is free to join both race and Q server. Or any other server for that matter.
[...] The benefits, if any, are minimal but even a tenth more on q pace is too much. [...]
If people succeed to gain time by preparing at another server (or any other way, just hopefully not by taking drugs or apply cheats) I cheer for them. Everyone should be free to use all the available options to prepare for a race. The official practice server is one among many.
Also, if there were price-money involved, sponsors, professional ambitions etc. I would be concerned about time-gaining. Not at presto. (How one even could be sure if there is any actual time-gaining from running at the Q server - or doing whatever else - is an interesting topic to discuss science-wise. If only time-machines could exist, empirical studies would be something else than today!
)
Personally i love the traffic and chatting with guys. In Interlagos, i could do only three outings because of weather not suitable for my needs... I could've been on q server and hone qualy setup in the mean time.
All in all it is a balance everyone has to make between different things. Go for the Q server alone to hopefully gain lap-time but miss all the social fun? Stay in the chat all practice session instead of focus really hard to use every single practice-session second?
Should the rules forcibly prioritize the contender's time to be put at the race-server's practice-session?
Hell no.
Have I said I am a liberal?