I've been racing on the )Outlaws Race World( server a lot lately. Its XFG at Blackwood and its set for 10 laps with a compulsory pit. I love it. The pitstop makes the racing really exciting because poeple pit at different times and you have to try and work out what your real postion is.

And you can really push around you pitstop and jump people - just like in F1. Also, it means that the super fast guys don't always win. If you're quick in and out of the pits, with no repairs and very little fuel delivery you can make up as much as 10 seconds.

The risk of drive through penalties makes things more interesting too.

Anyway, I'm hoping there's a few of you on there tonight. Its been a while since I raced with a full grid on that server.

But I also know that some poeple hate compulsory pitstops. What do you think?

I think compulsory pitstops can add something to a race yes. But not on a 10 lap race, way too short.

We recently had the discussion, the result was somewhere around 50% yes, 50% no.

The only way a pitstop is justifyable is when you either need fuel or new tyres. In any different situation a pitstop will only spread the field appart and effectively disturb any close racing that is going on. As a result every driver on the track should ignore the mandatory pit and finish without it in order to maximize the fun and tension of the race.

Vain

Quote from Vain :

We recently had the discussion, the result was somewhere around 50% yes, 50% no.

The only way a pitstop is justifyable is when you either need fuel or new tyres. In any different situation a pitstop will only spread the field appart and effectively disturb any close racing that is going on. As a result every driver on the track should ignore the mandatory pit and finish without it in order to maximize the fun and tension of the race.

Vain

I enjoy the racing when someone has pitted a lap or two before you and you have to push to try and get in and out of the pits in front of them. To me its just as much fun as wheel to wheel racing.

Quote from Gentlefoot :

I enjoy the racing when someone has pitted a lap or two before you and you have to push to try and get in and out of the pits in front of them. To me its just as much fun as wheel to wheel racing.

Im with Gentlefoot here I like compulsory pit stops its just that extra dimension to a race.

Compulsory pit stops just ruin the race IMO.

i like them.....

until someone smashes the crap out of you in T1 and then you have to pit and wait a very long time

I'm with ajp71, they ruin public racing (the short ones). Anything less than 20-25 laps with compulsory pitstops are just ridiculous. It just turns into hotlapping and blue flagging.

Short races are ruined before they start anyways.

I dont like them, Pits are there for refuelling and changing tyres. Not artificially creating interesting moments.

Until pitting on the last lap is disallowed i will try to avoid them.

Don't get me wrong though, i love the pit strategy element of the racing once the race is long enough to need it.

yes but it deffinetly makes cleaner races usually, that way people figure the better shape they keep their car in, the faster their pit stop times

its not like you have to refuel or change tires or anything

Pits add strategy and thought to the game, which is cool. Even on shorter races (10 laps), it adds another element to the game.

Slightly OT; Is it possible to change pit strategy mid race, as far as tire wear limits and fuel loads go? It would be nice to change the pit strategy if, for instance, you get into a crash early on and don't want to stop again. Set the fuel level higher and force a tire a change.

hit F12

I love it, but i feel it needs to be made mroe clear the mandatory pits are required at the start of the race, maybe put a big message across the screen before the lights go green at the start saying they are required.

Quote from Stellios :

I love it, but i feel it needs to be made mroe clear the mandatory pits are required at the start of the race, maybe put a big message across the screen before the lights go green at the start saying they are required.

QFT

er... gonna have to look that one up

oh.. incase you guys (like me) didnt know, QFT stands for quoted for truth

(cant people just.. say quoted for truth?)

Quote from Metalstar :

I dont like them, Pits are there for refuelling and changing tyres. Not artificially creating interesting moments.

+1

Quote from Stellios :

I love it, but i feel it needs to be made mroe clear the mandatory pits are required at the start of the race, maybe put a big message across the screen before the lights go green at the start saying they are required.

That is exactly what happens. It says "pit required" as soon as the grid is set before the green right in the middle of the screen. Also in the server list it lists "P" where all those seemingly random letters are on the right. Once more, hit F12, and you will see "Pit: yes" or if you already did your pit then it says "Pit: OK". 3 chances to let you know a pit is required.

after this latest patch, i've never seen the mandatory pit stop sign come up

is it just me, or does everyone else have this problem?

i feel as though its something to do with start grid lag though

I'm not particularly fond of forced pitstops. IMO it adds nothing to racing, as you're not trying to conserve tires or fuel to get to your optimal pit window, you just pit when you feel like it. I don't know about other people, but on forced pit races, I turn the fueling all the way down, and the tire replacement threshold all the way up, so no work gets done to my car. At this point, it's more of a forced stop/go penalty than forced pit.

I would, however, like to see accelerated fuel/tire usage rather than forced pitting. That would put all the fun elements of pitting back in, and actually give you a reason to pit.

it does help you learn to preserve your car better and learn how to do quick stops if need though, thats a plus in the longrun

On the XFG the tyres aren't a problem and do not require changing at the stop. I always fuel up before hand to make my stop quicker too. The amount of faster drivers I've surprised after my pit stop is amazing. Everyone seems to push ten tenths in the race but then many people will lose several seconds during pitting. I've never understood that.

Quote from Stellios :

I love it, but i feel it needs to be made mroe clear the mandatory pits are required at the start of the race, maybe put a big message across the screen before the lights go green at the start saying they are required.

perhaps a pit light on the dashboard or something could be useful. i don't think it happens like that in the real world, but i know the V8 supercars have an exterior light to show they haven't made a compulsory pit stop.

I love to make a pitstop BUT: sometimes I'm not aware when I joined a race I had to pitstop and I really don't know I had to.. is it just I missed it somewhere or can a message on the screen help ppl like me? Also a pitstop in a 10 lap race is a little overdone, maybe in races of 20+ laps.

I would enjoy mandatory pitstops more if there were options to tell my "pit crew" not to fix any damage and to not fuel up at all. The way it is right now fueling up when I definately don't need it and fixing the damage that I know has no effect on the performance of the car at all feels illepall. Now in longer races fuel may be a factor, I will find out some day.