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Simulation Racing Leagues => Assetto Corsa => Australian Assetto Corsa League, Tuesday nights => Topic started by: grat on January 05, 2018, 09:30:29 AM

Title: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 05, 2018, 09:30:29 AM
Just one note: do you guys think there is anything we can do to revitalize the public servers racing community in Australia? We used to have a few races during the week on Marty's servers. But that kind of stuff seems to have all but disappeared. I think it was useful for learning to drive in traffic...
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Phil.8 on January 05, 2018, 11:26:29 AM
Just one note: do you guys think there is anything we can do to revitalize the public servers racing community in Australia? We used to have a few races during the week on Marty's servers. But that kind of stuff seems to have all but disappeared. I think it was useful for learning to drive in traffic...

Unfortunately I don't think there is a way. Not enough people play it,  with only 4000 player world wide in a day atm thanks to the recent update, its usually around 2800 or so and currently thanks to the update we are getting 900 - 1300 or so in peak times but that is usually around 600 only, half of them from Europe judging by the ping when they join a server and the rest in leagues I reckon

http://steamcharts.com/app/244210#3m
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Godzilla on January 05, 2018, 11:37:58 AM
ROOZ is running fun run races on Monday nights between seasons, generally a few people there. I think it’s Tatus on Red Bull Ring this Monday
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 05, 2018, 11:41:28 AM
Just one note: do you guys think there is anything we can do to revitalize the public servers racing community in Australia? We used to have a few races during the week on Marty's servers. But that kind of stuff seems to have all but disappeared. I think it was useful for learning to drive in traffic...

Unfortunately I don't think there is a way. Not enough people play it,  with only 4000 player world wide in a day atm thanks to the recent update, its usually around 2800 or so and currently thanks to the update we are getting 900 - 1300 or so in peak times but that is usually around 600 only, half of them from Europe judging by the ping when they join a server and the rest in leagues I reckon

http://steamcharts.com/app/244210#3m
But the numbers were not much different in 2015... what else has changed?
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 05, 2018, 04:52:40 PM
Just one note: do you guys think there is anything we can do to revitalize the public servers racing community in Australia? We used to have a few races during the week on Marty's servers. But that kind of stuff seems to have all but disappeared. I think it was useful for learning to drive in traffic...

Unfortunately I don't think there is a way. Not enough people play it,  with only 4000 player world wide in a day atm thanks to the recent update, its usually around 2800 or so and currently thanks to the update we are getting 900 - 1300 or so in peak times but that is usually around 600 only, half of them from Europe judging by the ping when they join a server and the rest in leagues I reckon

http://steamcharts.com/app/244210#3m
But the numbers were not much different in 2015... what else has changed?
There has been a lot of attempts at making public server racing palatable, none of them successful. The whole process of looking for a server to race on simply doesn't work. People get sick of the hit and miss nature.

I have always believed that if, say, XGN arranged that a race would be run every evening at, say, 9pm then there would be a reasonable turnout. At least enough for a race in a smallish field. Not always the same people but enough to make it worthwhile.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Wally on January 05, 2018, 06:11:20 PM
Is that all it takes though? The practice servers are up all the time, available for racing. I think you need at least MR available, and probably admin presence to keep the idiots out. It's all fairly labour intensive.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 05, 2018, 06:54:30 PM
I think the idea would be to advertise a server as "XGN sprint races everyday from 7-9pm AST" and add a minorating (AB or maybe ABC) with some palatable content for the masses ;)

You do not need too much admin with minorating. But I presume we could share the duties, if needed....
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Phil.8 on January 05, 2018, 08:25:41 PM
I think the idea would be to advertise a server as "XGN sprint races everyday from 7-9pm AST" and add a minorating (AB or maybe ABC) with some palatable content for the masses ;)

You do not need too much admin with minorating. But I presume we could share the duties, if needed....

That's a good idea, I don't like minorating though because it uses so much data on the server I was getting extra costs.
But maybe the Max Collisions x Km kick until restart server setting might work much the same way ?
Also to do this I will probably have to get a bigger server to run another instance ?   But maybe not, its not like the other 2 will have many on if there a few racing ?   Joe might let me know if hew thinks it will handle more or I should upgrade ?
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 05, 2018, 09:41:00 PM
Could just use the practise server as is for starters. Also, a range of time doesn't really work. If you turn up at 7pm and no one is on; then the 2nd person turns up 5 minutes after you leave; and so on. Ends up there could have been a race of 5 or more people but they all missed each other by minutes. This is the public server dilemma. So, I suggest to choose a time and see if numbers build for enough to race and then go for it.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Godzilla on January 05, 2018, 11:45:59 PM
I can boot up anything you like anytime on my server set up. Don’t have minorating set up though.
Mine are the servers that are named SM_SRV...
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 06, 2018, 12:06:41 AM
Could just use the practise server as is for starters. Also, a range of time doesn't really work. If you turn up at 7pm and no one is on; then the 2nd person turns up 5 minutes after you leave; and so on. Ends up there could have been a race of 5 or more people but they all missed each other by minutes. This is the public server dilemma. So, I suggest to choose a time and see if numbers build for enough to race and then go for it.
I see your point, and you are right. But I would still go for multiple sprint races---they seem to work better for a casual public thing than a single longer race. Maybe we can say "sprint races at 7pm" or "sprint races at 9pm". Personally, 6:30pm or 9pm are both more likely for me, as I typically have cooking+dinner around 8. ;)
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Godzilla on January 06, 2018, 12:56:06 AM
I think you would run something like sprint races every 30 minutes and set the times accordingly. Like 10 min quali and 18 min race (time based race)
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 06, 2018, 12:58:29 AM
I think you would run something like sprint races every 30 minutes and set the times accordingly. Like 10 min quali and 18 min race (time based race)
yes
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Wally on January 06, 2018, 09:13:06 AM
As well as races every 30 minutes, what you also need is a kind of way of registering intent online, like "I'm going to be racing at 9pm". Then others can see that there are a bunch of people going to race at 9, for example. It gives people a chance to clump together, instead of turning up at 8:30 and thinking "well, this is dead, I'm giving up for the night". Part of the beauty of league racing is that you know there is going to be a big grid. I don't like turning up to a public server race where there's just one other guy who's heaps faster than me anyway.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 06, 2018, 09:37:22 AM
Having a start time agreed for the "period of racing" is important to avoid the "ships in the night" problem.

I would have liked the AC Booking system to have been modified to be "I am going to be racing on this server at 8pm" allowing other interested drivers to also add their intent to the booking.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Wally on January 06, 2018, 11:30:43 AM
Someone around here can set up a booking website. All it needs is to have a way of looking at a calender of upcoming public sprint races and adding a booking of intent. Joe... me, maybe. Or maybe there's something already publicly available.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Joe on January 06, 2018, 03:41:15 PM
There is this:

http://www.simracingsystem.com/

They run leagues and you book in and join the race. Only issue I can see is american servers.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Joe on January 06, 2018, 04:36:17 PM
Someone around here can set up a booking website. All it needs is to have a way of looking at a calender of upcoming public sprint races and adding a booking of intent. Joe... me, maybe. Or maybe there's something already publicly available.

I could be added to that web based server manager I made a while back. I haven't really had the time to keep it up to date. Would be easy enough to take bookings and create an entry list, then have the server start up with a specific track and car combo at a certain time. Some guy started adding to it on github and he doesn't really know what he's doing and broke a load of shit, so I need to go in and sort it all out but just don't have the time.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 06, 2018, 05:31:20 PM
Maybe the requirement is simpler than we think. It could be simply a way to indicate that you are interested in racing "this evening" at the preagreed "racing time" ie 6pm or 9pm.

Suggestion:

Create 2 new Channels under the XGN Discord server
Labelled one "6pm Races" and the other "9pm Races"
If you want to race at either of those times then simply join that group.
If you want to see who will be around for the races at a particular time then just check in Discord for who has joined the Channel.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: grat on January 06, 2018, 06:25:08 PM
Maybe the requirement is simpler than we think. It could be simply a way to indicate that you are interested in racing "this evening" at the preagreed "racing time" ie 6pm or 9pm.

Suggestion:

Create 2 new Channels under the XGN Discord server
Labelled one "6pm Races" and the other "9pm Races"
If you want to race at either of those times then simply join that group.
If you want to see who will be around for the races at a particular time then just check in Discord for who has joined the Channel.
True, but we would like to reach beyond XGN somehow...
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 06, 2018, 07:48:18 PM
Maybe the requirement is simpler than we think. It could be simply a way to indicate that you are interested in racing "this evening" at the preagreed "racing time" ie 6pm or 9pm.

Suggestion:

Create 2 new Channels under the XGN Discord server
Labelled one "6pm Races" and the other "9pm Races"
If you want to race at either of those times then simply join that group.
If you want to see who will be around for the races at a particular time then just check in Discord for who has joined the Channel.
True, but we would like to reach beyond XGN somehow...
Good point. Then I thought about it and realised that using Discord is only there to "prime the pump" so to speak. What I mean is that once a few people are interested to race and then get on the server there is nothing restricting the server to only XGN people. Discord machinism is only there in the background helping  you know if there are others interested in racing at that time.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Wally on January 07, 2018, 08:02:15 AM
I've been looking around at all sorts of various free online event booking type sites where you can set up events and let people book for them, but none of them are really 100% suitable, although some come close.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Phil.8 on January 07, 2018, 11:58:18 AM
I reckon just set a server up with short qual and 5 lap races or something on a Friday or Saturday night, set up a collision per km for whatever and a few of us agree to get on at a certain time and more will come if around,  will at least get an idea if people are interested
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 07, 2018, 12:51:20 PM
I reckon just set a server up with short qual and 5 lap races or something on a Friday or Saturday night, set up a collision per km for whatever and a few of us agree to get on at a certain time and more will come if around,  will at least get an idea if people are interested
Sounds good. Are you going to use KMR for collisions per km? or is there a new AC feature I am unaware of?
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Phil.8 on January 07, 2018, 01:29:42 PM
There is a server setting Max collisions per KM, which can ban till server restart or kick player
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Mael on January 08, 2018, 12:19:23 AM
Also noteworthy is the choice of track if looking to attract a large number of drivers, mod-tracks never attract as many drivers as standard AC tracks.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Wally on January 08, 2018, 07:05:00 AM
Also noteworthy is the choice of track if looking to attract a large number of drivers, mod-tracks never attract as many drivers as standard AC tracks.
True. You've got to make it as easy to join as possible.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Phil on January 08, 2018, 08:51:02 AM
I'm always looking for MP servers and unfortunately I often have to drive on servers in Europe with pings around 280-300. To be honest it's not terrible you can still race bumper to bumper as long as you leave a tiny bit of room for lag.

I know it's not going to be super popular amongst experienced drivers but if you want to attract players, load up SPA with GT2/GT3 cars and you'll see people connect. The two most popular servers in the past month have run this and LS and those servers always have 20+ drivers on lap one.
Title: Re: Public server racing
Post by: Gratulin on January 08, 2018, 10:47:02 AM
I'm always looking for MP servers and unfortunately I often have to drive on servers in Europe with pings around 280-300. To be honest it's not terrible you can still race bumper to bumper as long as you leave a tiny bit of room for lag.

I know it's not going to be super popular amongst experienced drivers but if you want to attract players, load up SPA with GT2/GT3 cars and you'll see people connect. The two most popular servers in the past month have run this and LS and those servers always have 20+ drivers on lap one.
And about 5 drivers by lap 2 :D
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