I have an idea.
During my carrier on CTRA i found tbo class most challenging and fun to drive racing class ever.
Its so sad that no one races tbo nowadays.
My suggestion: make this class so profitable as gt's
To be fair I think having 3 classes on S3 does just that. I'm currently Silver. Took a long time to get there as I'm not that great (read I suck) and I value my clean racing over getting points.
Since being able to race on race 3 I've found that even though I am still not a great driver (though clean ) I am able to earn points MUCH quicker as I can normally get in the top 3 of GFR just by staying in the race till the end as that is how having 3 classes splits the field. The most I have seen start in GFR class is about 7 or 8 and not all those finished. Also the points scored are much higher than in race 1.
Where the hell are you guys when I'm all alone on the Race 2?
Sometimes some people come to the server but mostly I'm there all alone. Except for some unlicensed ones who get the boot.
Becky, it's a bit trivial already on Race 2. I get 28 points per race driving alone. I think my last 10000 points have been gathered as a Lonely Driver. Has my race craft improved? I doubt it. I have more points than you or Sam. But could I compete with you in a race? Well maybe with Sam but, pardon the expression, I doubt I'd get anywhere near your ass.
Come on you lot! Stop my advance in points and make me learn how to race the TBOs!
Edit:
@menantoll
That's how I got my Platinum on Race 2 when it was dual class. I was the sole competitor in the TBO class. The LRF scared me those days.
One fair point: why not do random car classes on the higher servers as well? On the Race2 I could clearly picture like STD and TBO together in a race as well as I could imagine, say, TBO and LX6 on Race3. Interchanging randomly with the current GT2/GT1 combos.
I don't know what way the license-restriction is implemented. By my understanding this is done by car? Then the above would face the problem of an incompatible implementation. If it is differenciated by server and you only can join a server you have a valid license for (and then sub-differenciate by licensed car-class) -> then you would get clean multi-class racing on the higher server and all those lost souls that remember the fun they had in e.g. TBO in the old days but now have platinum or higher licenses would be given back the fun, again Best of both worlds so-to-speak, if you make the randomizer constantly chose a combo of the other classes-group every time it changes track.
Feel free to call me a 'fake genius' - as I know that those currently more-than-happy with all the slick-tyred cars (and exclusively them only) on the gold/platinum/titanium Race3 server would most-probably wish me a most painful of all deaths.
I personally miss the good fun with those TBOs, too - especially when at the time there were enough capable and highly skilled racers still driving them, since there was no higher-class server to evade to. Yes I know in an analogy to RW-racing, where "F1 is king" and every racer feels honored when even invited to a team-test-drive of one of them machines;
Well guess what, money talks!
I personally know quite a few people saying: "F1? not interested, 'cause they neither look like cars nor are they in any way even near 'beautiful to look at." And I am one of them (no offence, SiSe-lovers!). On the other hand e.g. DTM would be a lot more interesting if they used cars nearer in construction and appearance to the production model - which they clearly don't. They use kind of wide-body GT-chassis with an upper shell remotely resembling a real car. And by doing that they spoil the "original" looks and make em - again - not nice to look at: Great!
My point is: is it really a minority that thinks TBO-class on the right tracks can be just as demanding of a driver as the higher-up slick-tyred monsters are? Or is it rather the construction of the license-system and the choice of points- and server-differenciation installed by the CTRA in recent times that lead to a dying usage of TBO? I am not the only one frequently joining the Race1 "beginner-grade" server just because of the chosen car class that can be raced on them. I do most of the time see other gold/platinum racers on there, too - even titanium users for that matter.
Hmmm... ...guess I am just going overboard with all these letters I hack into the keyboard.
Sorry - wasn't my intention to annoy the crap out of you guys, if that's what this is doing.
For those that give my critique some thought I say: "Thank you very much."
to all fellow racers out there:
have a good time (in lfs, too)
DrBen
what kills Race2 participation is the lenght of the races.
the majority of ppl in ctra are too impatient for more than 7 or so laps.
b-n-j recently saw a huge increase in participation, but since the laps have been nearly doubled in most tracks, ppl dont join. or cannot wait long enough for next race. or burn up their tires too soon and get frustrated and leave.
i've seen the same thing in race2, done it myself.
i say keep the license restrictions on race2, but shorten the races.
but then again, who cares what i say....
that might be especially the case on the JnB, yes.
maybe it's more the beginners crowd that behaves like that - don't think long-term fans will be put off it that way.
One problem which still remains, though, is the false race-length at the beginning of some combos (or was it just that what you are on about?). First one has to race start-to-finish like 9 laps of a certain combo and then when the system restarts the next race the message appears: "fuel-warning: new race-length 3 laps", which I think is a rather hilariously paradox message - but well, to laugh more frequently means to live a healthier life
I really do not see this as the greatest flaw of that server. Hey, don't you think the lack of sincere competition is putting people off more than a simple wait (mid-race join in order to practice/get warm with the track would still be possible, don't you think?).
However, race-length in general is not what I would describe as a fun-killer. The opposite is the case: ridiculously modified setups then will ensure a 'sudden-death' to all those hotlap-mode fast-pacers with no functioning eyes either right nor left, front or back - mostly after 3-4 laps.
Talking of a reason why probably too short a race-distance was taken care of. Really, if you want clean and enjoyable, rewarding races for everyone you should stay clear of any tempting variables such as too short race-distances that provoke aggressive behaviour. If a race is long enough to fight back in a clean and well-regarded manner then people will refrain from taking irresponsible and ill-behaved actions in the first place.
JnB though, is another story, of course!
edit:
GREAT IDEA:
just make up a thread in the lfsforum.net / ctra section like a
" CTRA Race 2 TBO activity - bouncer-counter "
Step-1 :
log-on to lfsforum.net
Step-2 :
fire-up lfs, join the potentially still empty 'CTRA Race 2' server
Step-3 :
find the bouncer-counter-whatever thread I just thought of and state that you are willing to accept any fellow moving targets to shoot off the track at will
Step-4 :
don't bother my ridiculous humor and just enjoy some good and clean racing with (hopefully) more than the thin and still virtual air involved on Race 2 server
[quote=DrBen;1001107]
However, race-length in general is not what I would describe as a fun-killer.
i agree totally. but we are considering the majority of those in attendance in ctra.
i personally enjoy the extra laps, as it takes me i bit longer to get into a rhythym. and there's nothing more gratifying than getting scraped up as a hot-head passes me only to burn up his tires one third of the way thru the race, and passing him back-cleanly-and giving a little beep on the way by cuz i like to manage my tires.
I am sure, that peole would race tbo,s if it was so profitable as racing on gfr class.
I noticed lot of gold, platinum and higher rank players racing GFR's!! on Race 3
Why Ctra points system does not award fastest and cleanest racers instead of the smartest? Because it should, no matter what class you have chosen to race on.
TBO, as silly as it may sound, its one of the most challenging classes in LFS. Your probably right that many of us can drive somewhere near WR sometimes, even try to get one if you feel lucky , but thats just one lap... The real challenge comes with the tyres nowadays.
Shortening just a little bit the race could make the server have a little traffic bump, or at least I hope that, as a TBO fan. Its sad to never find anyone racing with this class, but now seems to be somekind of TBO revival week, Ill try to join you next time I go online to CTRA.
I actually think the races should be longer and no restart! Maybe have the races lenghten as more people join the server?
ie: 5 people= 5Laps
10 people=15 laps
20 people=25-30 laps
I think the tyre issues most people have is because they are using either old, or hotlap setups. I can't remember which patch, but one of them affected the tyres significantly.
A lot of my old setups were running camber at -2 to -4 in some cases.
Changing this to a less severe amount makes the tyres last.
Variable lenght could be nice, but with a certain limit. IMO anything beyond 20 minutes of race, will make a driver race only one full race (and being very enthusiastic of course ).
And Bean, yes, many drivers keep using the old setups hosted in inferno i.e., with those Hotlap Mode cambers and suspensions, but anyways TBO tyre consumption is the worst simulated in LFS %100 my opinion
i am just guessing, where do u think scirocco would fit. With it high power on front wheels and traction controll... another class with fz5 or maybe, just maybe...
Well, it might fit with the TBOs. At any rate, I hope CTRA will have a server for it when it's released. I already have my skin with the CTRA logo on the side ready.
Back in the time when it was announced there has been some discussion on this point and the consensus seemed to be it would need a class of its own.
OTOH Scawen has said you just need an S1 license to drive it, so maybe it can be made to fit in the TBO class... but then it would be a TBO+VWS class, since the VWS is N/A.
Just not by myself
) I am able to earn points MUCH quicker as I can normally get in the top 3 of GFR just by staying in the race till the end as that is how having 3 classes splits the field. The most I have seen start in GFR class is about 7 or 8 and not all those finished. Also the points scored are much higher than in race 1.
I'll take some B&J sets next time we meet up on there and your kickin my ass