Proposed ICS 2005 league idea

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 2:48 pm

Boys:

I have an idea for an IndyCar Series 2005 league.

We run half-distance races Tuesday night on the same track where the IRL IndyCar Series will race the upcoming weekend. No AI cars, no caution autodrive, no assists, qualifying, full flags and rules, prefer everyone running auto trannies to avoid drops.

We'll each pick a different driver at the start of the series and keep him so everyone is familiar with everyone else's liveries. Good for when checking mirrors!

I'll keep results and points after each race. That would give us a nine-race season, as the IndyCar Series has 10 races left, including the inaugural race at Milwaukee, which we can't run because it's not in the game. Maybe we can run Indy on Milwaukee week to give us a 10-race season.

Here's the proposed schedule, with our race date, the actual IndyCar Series race date in parens and the track:

June 29 (July 4): Kansas
July 13 (July 17): Nashville
July 20 (July 25): Indianapolis (series actually runs at Milwaukee)
July 27 (Aug. 1): Michigan
Aug. 10 (Aug. 15): Kentucky
Aug. 17 (Aug. 22): Pikes Peak
Aug. 24 (Aug. 29): Nazareth
Sept. 7 (Sept. 12): Chicagoland
Sept. 28 (Oct. 3): California
Oct. 12 (Oct. 17): Texas

I see this working really well for a lot of reasons.

One, Tuesday night won't interfere with any TOCA racing. Two, this isn't a weekly series all the time, so it won't monopolize a lot of time. Three, the stretched-out nature of the schedule will give guys plenty of time to become more competitive by the last few races of the season. Four and finally, you guys can watch the real race a few days after the virtual race and compare lines, techniques, etc.

Let me know if you cats are interested in this. We can start tonight at Kansas or delay the start of the series until Nashville.

Thanks,
PK

Granatofan · Post by **Granatofan** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:06 pm

I'd like to be in, but I can't start tonight and I'll probably miss all of the July races. It doesn't bother me as long as you can let me come in after August 1.

Ted

mixdj1 · Post by **mixdj1** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:15 pm

I'd be interested. So, I'm guessing this will replace GR:IT on race nights?

mixdj1

slimer · Post by **slimer** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 3:44 pm

I'd be up for it on any night.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:10 pm

Mix:

It doesn't need to replace GR:IT. But honestly, between two nights of TOCA, upcoming football and GR:IT, we're running out of nights when one considers that Monday-Thursday usually are the only nights that work for most.

I didn't mean for this to replace GR:IT or undercut tonight's GR:IT session. It's simply a proposal.

Take care,
PK

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:12 pm

I would be interested, but I am wary until all the niggling online issues (d/c's mostly) are patched up. A race as long as 1/2 distance could see a lot of d/c's and with the communication system, it's impossible to tell who's still on unless you hit autodrive and check the players list.

Also, the stuck car phenomenon could really screw the whole thing up. Last night there was that race where I finished, and in the lobby it showed there were still 6 laps left. As the drivers each entered the lobby one by one, each said that he had finished 1st among humans.

I'm not being a nay-sayer here, I just don't know if it's wise to start a points league in 1hr. long races while these issues still exist. I can't imagine anything more frustrating than getting all jazzed up for the race, tweaking the setup in practice, qualifying decently, and then getting d/c'ed in the 5th lap of a 100 lap race. Unfortunately until the game is patched, I think this will happen too often to too many people.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:26 pm

Zeppo:

Very good points; appreciate the wisdom.

Let's put this idea on the shelf until either the servers are synched or the Codies issue a patch. But I still want to do this in some fashion!

Let the bullets fly tonight in GR:IT. Sh*t, it's hard for me to resist that. I may just jump in.

Take care,
PK

DChaps · Post by **DChaps** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:40 pm

Damn, I was all set for this.

What if we just made them 1/4 distance races?

PS - Thanks for all the invites last night guys (I saw them in my MSN Messenger list this morning). I actually forgot that I had logged into the game last night. Went to take care of some chores and never went back to the game. My bad...

mixdj1 · Post by **mixdj1** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:40 pm

PK:

That's cool. I was just curious if the plan was before GR:IT, after GR:IT, or instead of GR:IT. Doesn't matter either way to me.

mixdj1

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 4:53 pm

I can be swayed to do this with quarter-distance as an appetizer. We don't have to follow the IRL schedule and can do one or two races per week or night, one night or two nights per week.

Let me know what you think.

Take care,
PK

Mixdorf · Post by **Mixdorf** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 5:29 pm

I'd love to be in a league. I want to race some people that don't crash on the pace lap and I'd like to race some longer distance races with fuel and tires, not some 20 lappers.

XXXIV · Post by **XXXIV** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 5:58 pm

Pk.............I can start in Nashville......I cant make it tonite.............besides Im still not any use except as a crash dummy.

sign me up.

Edit:.sign me up whenever your ready.........Im fine with any distance you guys like.

JRod · Post by **JRod** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 6:05 pm

Pk,

What if we did Quarter races until the online issues got patched. That is to say if they do get patched.

Also is the anywhere that provides a resource on race set-ups. I don't have the patience to run 100 practice laps just to get a good set-up. I don't know much about set-ups or the tracks so I'm at a loss when it comes to what works.

TCrouch · Post by **TCrouch** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 6:19 pm

I could make it tonight, but seriously...I am a f*cking hazard like no other. If I start causing too much crap I'll park it and practice while you guys are racing.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 6:36 pm

I would love to do the 1/2 length races. I just don't think the game is in a solid enough state yet. I don't want drivers to be bounced out in the 10th lap.

Even quarter distance races aren't soo long that you can't get at least some racing in during the evening's session. The 20 lappers are great at this point, 'cause even if you're bounced, if it's a public session you can just join back in and practice for the 10 minutes of the race, if not you might get that invite during a yellow. The point is, the down time for a d/c'ed driver is reasonable, and you can get in a full race or two. With the long race, it's a one-shot deal, and if you get d/c'd, that's it for you, chimpy.

I'm not going to insist on GR:IT either, unless there is big response in that other thread. Right now, it's like mixer and me, and provo is a maybe, all of whom could be easily swayed into some ICS. Well, except for provo. Believe me, I'm loving the racing. It's just that in recent times when a new game has gotten huge play (seems like once every two weeks these days), I've found those GR:IT nights to be extra enjoyable, one as a change of pace (played ICS like every day) and two, to get with the guys who aren't into racing.

I'm up for either, I just want to game tonight (what's new?).

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 29, 2004 7:10 pm

All good points, Zep. You are the voice of reason.

See my new thread for plans for ICS 2005 20-lap racing tonight. Hope you and many more can join us.

Take care,
PK

Sport73 · Post by **Sport73** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 1:18 am

I'd love to join in if you can handle another road hazard.

Fshguy · Post by **Fshguy** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 12:47 pm

I'm up for a league, add me in...

James_E · Post by **James_E** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 4:59 pm

I'm in... 1/4 or 1/2 length... whatever.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 6:36 pm

OK here's more.

I was racing with this Av8torfool (sp?) cat and he insists on 2 things. One is that he always plays with 'caution auto-drive on,' which is whatever. He insists it helps, it certainly avoids most crashes under caution. In fact, i didn't see any weird auto-drive shenanigans in the room, though we had no AI cars.

But here's the other thing; press start at the rolling start of the race and don't hit A to take control until you are either at the start/finish line or at least on a straight. The biggest issue we had in his room was yellows at the start, and the problem I think is more about the game than the players. It's certainly not impossible to do it manually, but it's tougher than it should be, especially for beginners. The big problem is when it turns off auto drive and gives you control on a turn. This happens way too often at the starts of races, and a place like Indy is really tough. Another problem is that the signal the game gives that the CPU is turning off auto drive is far too subtle. There should be a HUGE countdown in GIANT numbers in the MIDDLE of the screen, maybe even some subtle audio cue, to let you know it's about to happen. Even when i'm thinking about it, i sometimes miss it.

So, these days I am going to hit start at the start of the race and maybe on restarts, and let the autodrive take me at least to the first straight, or at least till it starts to get some speed (spinning due to too much throttle at low speed is another thing that happens to guys at the start). If I'm on the pole (or in front on a restart) I'll gain control much earlier than if I'm in the middle or the back and take off.

If everyone gets that pause screen up until they get to the front straight, then there are no yellows at the start. The problem in this guy's room today was every time a new guy came in the room, it was the same old, same old. It's especially key at some of those short tracks.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 6:44 pm

I should at least mention that Av8tor was the host of a 1/4 length at cali today, and it was by far the best experience I've had yet in the game. We had 2 cautions total, neither very long, and it was amazing racing. Me him and this dusty somethin-or-other guy started up front and were 3 wide a few turns in the first few laps, and later Dusty and I were side by side for at least 4 laps, as I was sutbborn that I could get him on the outside. Absolutely great racing.

Then, everybody pitted and I ended up in front. I caught up to lap traffic, tried to go outside, and got clipped (hint: take the inside on the lap traffic) and out came the first yellow. Later at the 2nd caution, dusty was right behind me in line, but he was in P6 somehow and a lap down. So, foolishly I thought I'd be a gentleman and let him get by on the restart and see if he could make up ground. Of course all that did was bunch up the field at the restart, I lost the lead, but we had an amazing last 10 or so laps with 4 or 5 guys all in contention, with tires at various states, fuel loads and mixes, it was great stuff.

Oh, and no one got bounced from the race itself, at least as far as I noticed.

So rest assured, the great racing fun we all know just HAS to be in there, well, it's in there!

At this point I think it's all about the super-speedways. They are just so easy to drive and make for great racing because of it.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 7:26 pm

Zeppo:

And all of this came with caution autodrive on? I wouldn't mind that one bit, as it would give the aching right index finger a rest, but it seemed that so many glitches were caused by caution autodrive.

If that's not the case, then I'll try it with overdrive turned on, especially with no AI cars.

Thanks,
PK

Granatofan · Post by **Granatofan** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 8:40 pm

I did some testing with autodrive on for cautions with AV8R last night. We had an interesting 20 lapper. We raced about 7 laps under green. Under auto drive I was crashed into by the pace car and an AI car. The AI car in front of me got out of order and wouldn't catch up to the field or let the field catch up (other side of the track). As soon as auto drive let off on the restart a human who wasn't paying attention smashed into me when he veered hard left to try and get in the pits. There are issues playing with it on and off. My preference is off because the pitting options are to restricted and unpredictable with it on and I'm really want to be able to use pitting strategies when I'm racing.

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 9:13 pm

I also ran right into the ass end of the pace car on autodrive in one of our online races, so its not worth it,.

Were gonna be known as the carpul tunnel generation any way so oh well.

All these cool racers on xbox and no decent wheel or usb or keyboard, i think its time dont you ?

Jimmydeicide · Post by **Jimmydeicide** » Wed Jun 30, 2004 9:16 pm

Wait it may have been slowing down to exit , i cant remember for sure but i remember talking to Ted when it happened so maybe you can still try it.

Especialy if your leading and behind the pace car.