EA WRC DSP Rally Championship

[DChaps]

Sorry for the delay in getting this off the ground. My thoughts are to make this easy for participation, not too many stages, allow all assists, cross-platform, one week per rally with different location and car class so that by the end of the championship we have hit all 18 locations and all 18 car classes. However, I am open to feedback and ideas on this. I am thinking we start proper next Monday Jan 22 to coincide with the start of the real life 2024 WRC in Monaco. To test out the settings and how this new platform works, I have setup a test championship for this week that starts in approximately 7 hours (midnight EDT Jan 15, 2022). Each day is one rally consisting of three stages using a different location and car class each day. Idea here is that you should be able to complete in one sitting. See details at the link below and post your thoughts comments here. Thanks!

DSP Rally Championship 2 (Test) - Jan 15, 2024- Jan 22, 2024
https://racenet.com/ea_sports_wrc/clubs/2722

[Wilk5280]

I like it!

[pk500]

Thanks for organizing, The Donald!

[Wilk5280]

I'm liking this test championship.

I'm going to miss a few days as I head out on a trip to Arizona, but am looking forward to the real deal once we get through the test phase. I think I'll be back in time to hit the last few of the rallies in this test run as well.

[DChaps]

A couple of thoughts, request for feedback. I am wanting to setup something that encourages participation and does not take too much of a commitment. Ideally, I would like to make it that we run all stages each week and each series, so by the end, we have basically tried out all aspects of the game and can share feedback on what we liked/disliked. However, I am finding that a full 12 stage rally a week is probably just not realistic for me time wise, and may also be a roadblock for others on this board as well. Technically, all locations in EA WRC are just one or two total unique long stages that get broken down into 2's or 3's with some stages reversed, resulting in 12 total. See the links below for a nice breakdown of all the stages and how they link up. My idea would be to 6 to 8 total stages per rally depending on the location and cover all the roads, but not every stage. For example, at Monte Carlo do the first two stages forward, followed by the long stage combo reversed, and then do the remaining two stages, followed by the long stage combo reversed. What this would result in is driving all roads in the game both forward and reversed in the least amount of total time needed. I am also thinking instead of doing an 18 week championship, divide it into 3 x 6 week championships so that it will be easier to make changes if there is something we find we don't like or want to tweak. I am open to thoughts and feedback before I setup the first championship. Thanks!

Monte Carlo Example:
1A - La Bollene - Vesubie - Col de Turini (9.20km)
1B - La Mairis (9.30km)
1R - Peira Cava - La Bollene - Vesubie (18.20km) (this is 1A+1B in reverse)
2A - Moissiere (8.20km)
2B - Ravin de Coste Belle (8.60km)
2R - La Batie-Neuve - Saint-Leger-les-Melezes (16.60km) (this is 2A+2B in reverse)

Official EA WRC Location and Route List:
https://www.ea.com/games/ea-sports-wrc/ ... route-list

EA Sports WRC Stages Spreadsheet:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... =656245719

EA SPORTS WRC Location and stage list - GT Planet (Stages highlighted in blue are the long/unique routes for each rally)
https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/threads/ ... st.423554/

EA WRC Stage Layout Explanation:
https://www.reddit.com/r/EASPORTSWRC/co ... ge_layout/

[Wilk5280]

I think that sounds great!

[GB_Simo]

I didn't get to try much of the trial event - I ran one rally, in which I launched a Group B car off a cliff on my shakedown, couldn't fix it properly before the rally proper and consequently launched it off another cliff - so am limited in the feedback I can offer, but what you're proposing sounds sensible to me, Don.

[DChaps]

Hi All, I am sorry but I neglected to post that the DSP Winter Rally Championship has started. I made it a 3 week championship to start.

https://racenet.com/ea_sports_wrc/clubs/2722

Week 1 - Rallye Monte Carlo - Jan 22, 3:48am EDT - Jan 29, 3:48am EDT
Car Class: WRC
1 - La Bollène-Vésubie - Col de Turini, Length: 9.2km, Weather: Clear (Ice), Time of day: Dawn, Service area: Medium
2 - La Maïris, Length: 9.3km, Weather: Partly Cloudy (Ice), Time of day: Afternoon, Service area: None
3 - Peïra Cava - La Bollène-Vésubie, Length: 18.2km, Weather: Light Snowfall (Ice), Time of day: Sunset, Service area: Short
4 - Moissière, Length: 8.2km, Weather: Heavy Snowfall (Ice), Time of day: Sunrise, Service area: Medium
5 - Ravin de Coste Belle, Length: 8.6km, Weather: Light Snowfall (Ice), Time of day: Afternoon, Service area: None
6 - La Bâtie-Neuve - Saint-Léger-les-Mélèzes, Length: 16.6km, Weather: Clear (Ice), Time of day: Dusk, Service area: Short

[Wilk5280]

Hell yeah!

[pk500]

My only suggestion would be to go with lower-powered cars to compensate for various folks' experience and skill at the game. But I say that selfishly, as I need training wheels more than most!

[Wilk5280]

These Monte Carlo winter stages are way more difficult than any other rally game I've ever played. Once you get up high in elevation the ice becomes a real pain in the d*ck!

[DChaps]

Just a reminder, there are about 36 hours left to complete the Week 1 - DSP Rallye Monte Carlo. So far, 5 people have completed the first two stages, and no one has yet to complete the full rally. From my estimates, its about an hour to 90 minutes to complete the whole thing depending on how quickly you switch between stages, do repairs, etc. Day 1 took me about an hour and that was with some messing around and recalibrating my wheel. Day 2 should be much shorter.

[GB_Simo]

Enjoyed that. Nearly drove off a cliff on stage 5 and lost 90 seconds fitting a new tyre on stage 6 because I occasionally crash into big, solid things, but the goal for these stages is to face the right way for as long as possible rather than being a hero and I did that, as long as you ignore the bits where I did not do that at all.

[DChaps]

Congratulations to Adam! Pretty impressive, especially considering that 90 sec tire change on the final stage! I had to make some tough decisions in that final service area and should have made sure my lights were working properly. Had to be very conservative as I could barely see anything, not that it would have made a huge difference! On to Sweden for Week 2 of our Winter Rally!

Week 1 - Rallye Monte Carlo - Final Results
1. theycallhimsim Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID 51:04.460
2. WPatrick-22 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID 53:11.851 +2:07.391
3. Wilk5280 Toyota GR Yaris Rally1 HYBRID 53:52.443 +2:47.983
4. DChaps Hyundai i20 N Rally1 HYBRID 56:47.088 +5:42.628
5. SG_Aceman Ford Puma Rally1 HYBRID 58:10.444 +7:05.984

Week 2 - Rally Sweden - Jan 29, 3:48am EDT - Feb 5, 3:48am EDT
1 - Spikbrenna, Length: 11.1km, Weather: Light Snowfall (Snow), Time of day: Morning, Service area: Medium
2 - Åslia, Length: 10.4km, Weather: Heavy Snowfall (Snow), Time of day: Afternoon, Service area: None
3 - Åsnes, Length: 21.5km, Weather: Clear (Snow), Time of day: Night, Service area: Short
4 - Älgsjön, Length: 3.4km, Weather: Light Snowfall (Snow), Time of day: Sunrise, Service area: Medium
5 - Stora Jangen, Length: 4.9km, Weather: Cloudy (Snow), Time of day: Afternoon, Service area: None
6 - Lövstaholm, Length: 8.2km, Weather: Clear (Snow), Time of day: Sunset, Service area: Short

[pk500]

Sorry I didn't finish. Had a lot going last week, and sobriety was not a premium at night!

What are the ground rules for assists? All are available? I was shockingly slow -- not helped by being f*cked up when I drove! -- but noticed that I was the only one of four who had posted times at that juncture on the first two stages who was using no assists.

I'm not pulling the hardass "You must drive these cars as they do in real life" card. I'm going to continue to use no assists; that's how I like it. Just checking that all assists are welcome.

Thanks.

[Wilk5280]

The only assist I’m using is AT vs Manual, but don’t care either way if people do or don’t use them

[WPatrick]

I’ve used assists to this point, but I don’t mind turning them off. In my multiplayer experience with GT Sport & GT 7 I was led to believe that assists make a driver slower.

[WPatrick]

I tend to use the throttle wrong & spin out coming out of slow corners………….accelerating out of a slow corner= kryptonite for me!

[pk500]

I think guys should be able to use whatever assists they like. It's all fun. I was just checking on the rules.

I'm sticking with no assists. I like to drive the cars in their real-life spec.

To each their own!

[GB_Simo]

Rolled it 5 times in Sweden, 3 of those in the first half of stage 1. That deep snow is a swine once you drop a wheel in it. Also received a corner cut penalty while upside down in mid-air, which I thought was a tiny bit harsh, but whatever.

[Wilk5280]

Getting back from work travel today and looking forward to running this.

With all that happening to you, I’m sure i still won’t even see your taillights haha

[pk500]

I live in an area that averages almost 10 feet of snow per year, although we're well below that the last two winters. Pressure is on for me to deliver in the white stuff! No excuses!

[DChaps]

Rally.TV Free 3 Month Subscription For Playing EA SPORTS WRC
I didn't even have to input a credit card. All you have to do is play one stage to get a redeem code, but you need to do it quick!

Details here:
https://www.racedepartment.com/news/ral ... -wrc.1754/

Watch at least three real-world WRC events live, for free, by driving in EA SPORTS WRC for a limited time. (Plus all the recent Rallye Monte-Carlo)

If you’d like to watch every stage of an FIA World Rally Championship round for free, then be quick and first up EA SPORTS WRC.

Rally.TV, launched last year, is the relatively recent home of live online coverage for the sport. It broadcasts every WRC stage throughout each event – but it’s not cheap, recently increasing to €12.99 per month or €119.99 for the year.

EA Sports Racenet Rally TV Promotion Clubs

The first 3,000 people to complete (first come, first served) one stage within EA SPORTS WRC’s ‘Official WRC Club’ event will receive a three-month pass to the service.

If claimed and redeemed now, that will allow you to watch at least three rounds: Rally Sweden 15th-18th February, Safari Rally Kenya 28th-31st March and Croatia Rally 18th-21st April.

To take part, log in to the Racenet service, either on your browser or via the mobile app and join this club. The event at present is in Sweden, ahead of the actual event, using the Rally3 Ford Fiesta or a Builder Vehicle to the same specification.

Once you’ve completed at least one stage of this event, re-visit Racenet. Click on the relevant club, find the promotional area and click on ‘redeem now’. This code can then be used on Rally.TV.

The first round of the 2024 season, Rallye Monte-Carlo, was won emphatically by Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe. Elfyn Evans initially led, before nine-time Monte-winner Sébastien Ogier took over.

But, Neuville fought back from an earlier spin to win, also claiming all the possible points from a new scoring system.

[GB_Simo]

Incredibly poor form from me this week.

I always pick the Sierra Cosworth where the option exists in a game, solely because my Granda had a Sierra when I was little (it was a 1.6 litre base model, but still...) and I like the little nostalgia hit I get. I've always wanted to own a Sierra Cossie too but they go for ridiculous money now, so this is as close as I'll get.

I'd never driven a rear wheel drive car on gravel, though, and my brain was not processing the idea that I couldn't drive it like a 4WD machine. A number of spins later, I came at a steady pace to the start of stage 3 where, tired and a bit annoyed with myself, I spun some more.

At this point, I resolved to park up until I was more alert and less rubbish, at which point I'd Quick Resume back into the fray. Now, I don't actually know if that would have worked anyway. What I do know is that when I went on tonight to pick up where I left off, I was met with a mandatory update and no chance to Quick Resume.

Lord knows what time I was awarded for stage 3, if any, but I pressed on undaunted into stage 4 where I spent half of it being moderately competent and the other half hitting things. I resolved to go full send on stage 5, which had its inevitable result, and there was not a stage 6.

Never mind.