The online racing simulator
iRacing
(13603 posts, closed, started )
Shoulders locked up, heels numb, hands blistering..... but I just don't care, Dallara is so much fun
thnak god someone else ends up with bad hands and neck/ shoulders, i thought it was just me holding on too tight. i've got a patch of hard skin on the side of my right thumb from where i grip the wheel thats about 3mm thick these days
Quote from DaveWS :But in terms of moment of inertia of the 2 cars, I can't see them being too different. The Corvette is lighter, but at the same time it has a longer wheelbase. At the moment the Corvette in iRacing is more responsive in direction change than a Kart for me. Of course it's a terribly crude way to test the theory as like you say suspension plays a part etc. It would be interesting to know how values of rotational inertia are obtained for sims, because TBH I wouldn't be suprised if iRacing were making do with poorly education guesses ATM, and as I said it makes a huge difference in rFactor for example.

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration released data on nearly 400 vehicles in at least two SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) papers dated 1992 and 1998. There are two versions of this data out. One in metric and one in SI units. This is the latest metric one with about 80 vehicles:

http://www.not2fast.com/chassis/sae1999-01-1336.pdf

I've referred to this in my little hobby sim test bed over the years many times. Do other sim developers? I don't know, but it'd be surprising if the iRacing guys didn't. If the exact vehicle you want isn't specified you can still get a pretty good estimate by looking at similar vehicles. At least you're unlikely to be off by 100% or something using this.

To answer one of your earlier questions: Yes, the three values for yaw/pitch/roll are indeed used in sims. More specifically you specify a 3x3 matrix called an "inertia tensor." The yaw/pitch/roll values go along the diagonal while the remaining values can just be 0. I.e., you wind up with an array for each car that looks something like this:

Car(0).InertiaTensor(%X,%X) = 100
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%X,%Y) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%X,%Z) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Y,%X) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Y,%Y) = 125
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Y,%Z) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Z,%X) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Z,%Y) = 0
Car(0).InertiaTensor(%Z,%Z) = 150

In the rigid body dynamics code this is used to calculate the angular acceleration (in full 3-D) given all of the forces on the car. If the car is made up of multiple rigid bodies, each body gets its own inertia tensor.

In Virtual RC Racing we used this data straight out of the car designs in Pro-Engineer in which every single component has its own tensor. This meant the software calculated the cars' inertia tensor using all the masses and mass distributions of every single piece of each car. So it's possible to get very accurate if you have the original, complete designs in good engineering software without testing it directly. I doubt other sims have done this, really, but my point is it's possible to get this without testing the vehicle. A test is the best way to go about it though.
Sporting code has been updated and it made me really happy once I saw this:
Quote :
5.1.12.5.
Drivers may not drive damaged vehicles on the apron at reduced speeds with the intent of gaining positions from drivers that have retired or disconnected due to damaged race cars. The intent of this action is contradictory to the spirit of competition and creates an unsafe environment for the remaining drivers not damaged and still racing. This may be protested in accordance with Section 8.

It's actually not that bad on large ovals which have apron, but on Milwaukee and Phoenix you have those slower cars run 50km/h on the racing line.
Quote from Crommi :Sporting code has been updated and it made me really happy once I saw this:


It's actually not that bad on large ovals which have apron, but on Milwaukee and Phoenix you have those slower cars run 50km/h on the racing line.

yup..... the new issue on sporting code for Hosted servers is causing a bit of an issue
People don't do it to gain positions most of the time though, they do it to salvage SR after someone takes them out lap 1 turn 1. I've actually never seen someone do this on a track that didn't have an apron, I could see it being a problem though if someone was dumb enough to attempt that. I'd like to see them put in a black flag if someone drives X amount of laps under a minimum speed like they use in real life, and tell the person to park it for the rest of the race.

I don't like how iRacing seems to just update the sporting code and doesn't actually fix problems. Recent examples:

-Club points reward you for finishing high in lower splits compared to mid pack in higher splits, which caused sandbagging. Instead of fixing the club points to reward you for finishing as high as possible, they just update the sporting code to say stop sandbagging, now users have to police the system when they see it happening.

-People are wrecking each other in hosted races. iRacing does not want to police hosted races, so they say you can't protest in hosted races any more, makes perfect sense to me. But instead of giving people options to control the race they paid for with kick/ban options, iRacing's solution is simply to set a password. Which means you can't just set up a fun open hosted server on a weekend without the fear of wreckers doing whatever they want. Kick/ban for you server is a basic option and I can't even wrap my head around how iRacing couldn't include the most basic functionality for this on the first roll out.

-People running damaged on the apron. Instead of putting in a black flag rule to stop this, again make the users police it themselves.


You know, as much as people complain about the development speed here at LFS, at least when Scawen does something, he does it right the first time and doesn't half-ass it through three builds until he gets it right. I have to give him credit for that.
Quote from UncleBenny :You know, as much as people complain about the development speed here at LFS, at least when Scawen does something, he does it right the first time and doesn't half-ass it through three builds until he gets it right. I have to give him credit for that.

This is a good point, but one thing is that although those are knee-jerk reactions on the part of iRacing, I gaurantee they're not final solutions. It's really more them saying that they acknowledge the problem(s) and putting in temporary band-aid until they resolve it properly. Whether or not it's effective is almost a moot point because it's probably more to show their alignment and future intentions on certain issues. I'd take that over silence any day
bunch o lazy ****s if u ask me. Could they spare five minutes to code a kick/ban option for server admin, nope they decide thats to much like hard work & give us a few 'pointless words' in some vain attempt to sort out an really simple issue.

way to go iRacing......
Quote from jtw62074 :...

Very interesting to have your input as always Todd, thanks. Could I ask how KartSim is going?
Quote :bunch o lazy ****s if u ask me. Could they spare five minutes to code a kick/ban option for server admin, nope they decide thats to much like hard work & give us a few 'pointless words' in some vain attempt to sort out an really simple issue.

way to go iRacing......

Of course, the only reason private racing is even an option is because they were too lazy to add it at the request of the community right?

So lazy in fact that they push out content and updates at breakneck pace compared to anything you'll find around here (simply due to physical limitations that is).

iRacing has shortcomings no doubt, and some of them major; laziness really doesn't appear to be one of them however.

I think you'd have to be pretty damn driven to try and innovate in the sim market, and indeed actually GENERATE a market where one doesn't really exist to justify the expenses involved.

Quote :Originally Posted by DaveWS
Very interesting to have your input as always Todd, thanks. Could I ask how KartSim is going?

Nevermind Kartsim, I want the inside scoop on Racing Legends!
-
(Ball Bearing Turbo) DELETED by Ball Bearing Turbo : double post really
Quote from anttt69 :bunch o lazy ****s if u ask me. Could they spare five minutes to code a kick/ban option for server admin, nope they decide thats to much like hard work & give us a few 'pointless words' in some vain attempt to sort out an really simple issue.

way to go iRacing......

Yeah, this is why I hate the iRacing band-aids. I realize they're busy, but some of the stuff they don't fix is ridiculous. Kick/ban would probably take no more than a week to implement. Its the most basic of dedicated server functions. I can't believe they'd even consider adding hosted racing without that feature. How about steering offset for oval cars that has been requested for how many seasons now? Its a number, and you offset the steering wheel that many degrees. Its so damn simple, yet they can't take a day to add that to the garage, so we'll keep turning right to get left until they do. I'm not trying to belittle the complexity of their software, but I'm a software engineer and I know for a fact some of these things are not all that complicated. How many times have people asked for a freaking clock in the F-keys so we can see when races start? It's kind of a big deal when the whole system revolves around a very strict schedule, and its not rocket science to add to the game. Saving control schemes on a car-by-car basis...I could go on with the list of basic features they still don't have.

They seem to succeed on their big projects, but then they drop the ball on so many easy things. Its just frustrating for me to watch.
Quote from UncleBenny :People don't do it to gain positions most of the time though, they do it to salvage SR after someone takes them out lap 1 turn 1. I've actually never seen someone do this on a track that didn't have an apron, I could see it being a problem though if someone was dumb enough to attempt that. I'd like to see them put in a black flag if someone drives X amount of laps under a minimum speed like they use in real life, and tell the person to park it for the rest of the race.

Two seasons back, I protested a situation like this that happened during at Milwaukee during Mazda race. Rest of us kept asking for this driver to park in pits because it wasn't fun for rest of us spending half of the race trying to avoid this slow and unpredictable car. Protest didn't go through as he didn't directly cause any wrecks (multiple close calls, though).
Looks like the honeymoon is over , for me I'm still head over heels.
The more I drive the GTI of Iracing the more it blows me away.The ever present stats,SR..etc.. pidgeonholing people into where they should race depending on the colour of there 'license' is a bit sad TBH

I now return to my mistress
License level determines what series you're eligible to run, not what you need to run.
Quote from Crommi :License level determines what series you're eligible to run, not what you need to run.

Got the impression from reading the forums that racing in rookie servers is frowned upon if you have a better 'license' which would be a shame if you really like the car/ track combo.

Saying that if the Skippy is as much fun to drive as the Solstice I can't wait
Some people say that but you can often find Pro licensed drivers in Skip, SRF, and Solstice races.

Just pay them no attention.
I don't think I've raced on my license level since the first season in Skip Barbers. Right now I'm running Dallara Indycar without ever having A-license
Quote from DaveWS :
Very interesting to have your input as always Todd, thanks. Could I ask how KartSim is going?

I'm not involved with KartSim any longer so can't say anything for sure other than they're working on it. I'll leave that up to them to discuss out here in forum-world though.

Quote from Ball Bearing Turbo :
Nevermind Kartsim, I want the inside scoop on Racing Legends!

We've been hogging Tony West on Virtual RC Racing for many years now so his time is limited. Chris is still at it though.
I`m a Pro driver in road and i`m driving the Skip Barber, why shouldn`t I do that? I payed for all the cars and i`m driving what I want when I`m in racing mood.

Im not faster than many Rookies, D, C, B and A licensed drivers. I don`t like the bigger cars I`m more into the smaller ones. I don`t care about what other people thinks about that - I`m there to RACE and having fun...
Quote from SilverArrows77 :Dale Earnhardt JR is PRO and was racing Rookie Solstice at Lime Rock the other week, though i think he is only PRO ive seen in rookie field, certainly see many A Class drivers in rookie races though, good fun beating them too - I think its not so bad or uncommon really, they stand to lose more in a rookie race than a lower classed driver.

Actually i think we were in a practice session together yesterday John?

Hi Ken Limerock late last night GMT?, what an amazing car ehh, was trying it at Laguna last week, first few laps I hated the combo then it grows on you a little then it becomes an addictive obsession, the way the car reacts when you start to push it especially at the left hander after the corkscrew is simracing heaven.
I'm hoping to get another go on this at the weekend - Solstice you say? Bit disappointed that the single seaters are awful, but will see what the tintops are like.

Shame I can't play online, but that's the nature of the game.

Unless there is a revelation over the weekend, I shan't be renewing my licence for another year or two, and I will continue to state that iRacing is overpriced and under-realistic. Fingers crossed.
Quote from JohnPenn :Got the impression from reading the forums that racing in rookie servers is frowned upon if you have a better 'license' which would be a shame if you really like the car/ track combo.


it's more a case that racing in rookie servers with a higher licence is frowned upon if you then spam the servers with complaints about how the rookies drive and how they've hurt your SR and how much easier it is for them to get it back than for a higher licence driver.

personally if you're a pro licence holder and want to race rookies then fine, just don't expect the whole field to be able to run the whole race without making a mistake, the name rookie should give people a clue


re dale, he appeared on pole for my first ever rookie race, never saw him after the first corner till he almost lapped me on last lap. he crops up fairly often in various practice sessions and he's always very pleasent and down to earth with a great sense of humour, i particuarly liked his suggestion to john henry that he should demote pat o'hara to a rookie with minus 100 SR after pat had taken out dale, john henry and tony george jnr in one accident in a mazda practice at milwakee
Quote from JohnPenn :Got the impression from reading the forums that racing in rookie servers is frowned upon if you have a better 'license' which would be a shame if you really like the car/ track combo.

Saying that if the Skippy is as much fun to drive as the Solstice I can't wait

oh my, John... Skippy is a dream. I love it!!!!
Licenses, with the exception of Pro, are really just an indication of how long you've been a member of iRacing and are in no way an indication of driver skills (IMO). I get my butt whooped by so called Rookies all the time.

Just drive what ever takes your fancy. The Spec Racer Ford is a great little car, I'm intending to do a full season in it this time round, well inbetween Radical, Truck and Mazda. I was going to squeeze in the Daytona Prototype but can never find any races, it seems to have died a death since the arrival of the Corvette and Dallara.
This thread is closed

iRacing
(13603 posts, closed, started )
FGED GREDG RDFGDR GSFDG