Announcing Tuning Prohibited/Clean Run Seasonal Challenges

I've been considering a way to make these Bi-Monthly Race Events more fun for myself and the community. With the forced SRF likely here to stay, interest and enthusiasm for these is dropping amongst those of us who prefer to run without driver aids. So I'm proposing a Weekly Series with certain parameters to liven them up.

In addition to the latest Event, we'll also utilize the older non-forced SRF Events.

Several years ago amar212 staged an Event called Immaculate Challenges which used the Seasonal Races as it's basis. However it had some hardcore rules to make them much more challenging to like minded drivers. That series is the main inspiration for this along with some other Events such as Tuning Prohibited Online Leagues such as Snail and Turtle Racing, WRS Weekly Time Trials as well as Overtake Challenges such as GTAcademy, GT5 License Tests and GT5 Seasonal Overtake Challenges.

The Goal: Fastest Total Race Time.
The Race Events are basically Time Trials with moving obstacles(AI). Most are only 5 laps so think of it as a longer Time Trial but with other cars on track. Most races will only last 7-10 minutes. Winning the race is not the end goal-it's the Total Race Time like the GT5 Seasonal Overtake Challenges.

The Rules:

1. No Driving Aids. If SRF is forced on, there's more than enough car control available. No TCS, ABS*, ASM, Active Steering. Driving Line and Transmission Choice are optional. If SRF is not forced, that aid is not available either.

*In non SRF Events ONLY (If you're new to ABS OFF and having difficulty, you may use the assist. Experienced no assists drivers are expected to not use it. Thanks.) There will be a separate leaderboard.

2. Tuning Prohibited. No added parts, ballast, weight or engine stages. We may add power if a car is too slow for a decent run but that will be very specific. Brake Balance is all that can be adjusted. For inexperienced ABS OFF drivers check out this great guide:https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=267564&highlight=Guide+TO+no+abs

3. Tires. Once more because of SRF we'll be using at least 1 less grade than the AI. Non SRF Events we'll use an appropriate tire.

4. Track Rules: Only fully clean runs. 2 wheels on track at all times. No wall contact. No initiated AI contact. This is what will make this a REAL challenge! Avoiding other cars may be the hardest aspect. No dive bombing! Approach the driving like it's a real life track day and you have no Auto Insurance!

5. Maximum Ten(10) Clean Runs. Restarts or Dirty Runs don't count toward the total. No need to get obsessive like a Time Trial and spend hours and hours. Let's keep this low as there's other Events to do: Online Leagues, Weekly TT's etc... Winning the race is not necessary for a submission. Also since there are usually different grids, we'll see if that needs to be addressed. Since it's not based on winning the race it may not be important although drafting is going to be a major factor.

So that's what I've got in mind. I figure on coming up with a combo each week based on the latest Seasonal Race Event. Premium cars will be the likely choice so anyone can attain it. The Challenge will go up a day or so after a new Race Event comes up so I can test competitive car choices. We'll most likely use the "rabbit" car or something that can be competitive. At least one Challenge per week with a different car and track from the latest Event. I'll add a Challenge from older non SRF Events as well.

This will be pretty casual and really just for a driving skill challenge. A way to break up the monotony of "racing" against boring AI or just grabbing credits. The rules are based on mutual respect and honesty among fellow players. There's no way to enforce them so that's up to the individual's integrity.

I'm going to PM some folks that are frequent posters in the Seasonal Thread and other GTP friends I've raced with to gauge interest. Please post if you're interested. If it looks promising I'll get more organized and official as I've never been a race organizer before. Thanks.

Current Events :
#1. 07 MINI COOPER S at Rome https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=279768
#2. 05 MINI COOPER S at Deep Forest https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=279839
#3. 07 BMW M3 at Nurburgring PG/D https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?p=8360177&posted=1#post8360177
#4. 76 Ferrari 512BB at High Speed Ring https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=280395

OK, I've gone ahead and put up the first Event. https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=279768

07 MINI at Rome.

great idea!!

Yea, great idea and props to you for coming up with this idea. I'm sure you will get more than enough people to join and make it fun. Due to my hate of the SRF aid, I'll pass on this tho. Sounds like a good time tho for those that don't mind SRF being on and I'm sure it will be a success once it gets rolling. Good luck with it. Peace.

Good idea yeh. I only barely have enough time prepping for WRS weekly races, don't even manage to do the weekly TT's in the WRS any more, so I really don't see myself giving time to more leagues etc.

Nice though, hope it can kick off

The Rules:

1. No Driving Aids. Since SRF is forced on, there's more than enough car control available. No TCS, ABS, ASM, Active Steering.

If I could find the time I would be interested however having never raced without ABS1 I too will pass on this one.
Thanks for asking.

Good luck with this, But the SRF factor is something I prefer to avoid. That said I'll try to post my times so you can have a good laugh at the slowpoke.

Trust me Cargo, you know I'm extremely opposed to it too. Extremely!

But I did some SRF OFF vs ON testing just to see if I could stand using it. I found that it mostly adds some additional tire grip. And yes it's effects are unavoidable. However for an experienced driver, it feels just like an in between tire upgrade. I took a stock Miata to Tsukuba on CH's SRF ON then OFF. Then drove with CM's SRF OFF. My times were 1 second apart. CM SRF OFF fastest, CH SRF ON next and CH SRF OFF last. No other aids on. CH SRF ON felt so similar to a tire upgrade I had to let it go.

I've wanted to get something like this going for a while and I'm not going to let PD spoil a good idea. If life gives you lemons, you gotta make lemonade! But thanks for checking it out.

I'm on board, sounds like good fun.

I'm on board!

NCRthree

Trust me Cargo, you know I'm extremely opposed to it too. Extremely!

But I did some SRF OFF vs ON testing just to see if I could stand using it. I found that it mostly adds some additional tire grip. And yes it's effects are unavoidable. However for an experienced driver, it feels just like an in between tire upgrade. I took a stock Miata to Tsukuba on CH's SRF ON then OFF. Then drove with CM's SRF OFF. My times were 1 second apart. CM SRF OFF fastest, CH SRF ON next and CH SRF OFF last. No other aids on. CH SRF ON felt so similar to a tire upgrade I had to let it go.

I've wanted to get something like this going for a while and I'm not going to let PD spoil a good idea. If life gives you lemons, you gotta make lemonade! But thanks for checking it out.

Click to expand...

If I may, let me tell you why I don't like using it. No matter what tires you use, it still lets you over drive the car. Lets you drive in a way that you pretty much can just chuck the car into the corner and have it stick. I can really notice the difference if I run SRF for awhile then go to a WRS event. I end up over driving my car and it takes me awhile to get back on track with how I normally drive. Call me a purist if you want, but I am trying to develope my skills to as close to how a real car handles as much as the game will allow. In my opinion, SRF lets you develope bad driving habits due to its unrealism. I'm just in the phase where I need to learn and practice proper driving technics, SRF goes against that as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry to drag your thread off topic, but just thought I'd explain myself to you as to why I won't compete in any SRF events.

Nobody needs to respond to this as it will drag a good thread further off topic than I already have. This is more or less just an information post for the OP so he understands where I'm coming from. Just didn't want the OP to think it was anything personal.

Have fun with the event, I'm sure it will be a success. Peace.

Well you've got a good point and it's definitely something to consider. I also thought we could run some of the older non SRF Events too or instead. The newest Events get the most thread attention so that's why I was going this route. It's a work in progress but I know a lot of folks just won't run with SRF for the reasons you brought up. Stay tuned.

Edit: Just thinking. There's no reason to not include any older Event including ASpecs. The goal is to run cleanly through traffic for the fastest time in a stock vehicle.

NCRthree

Well you've got a good point and it's definitely something to consider. I also thought we could run some of the older non SRF Events too or instead. The newest Events get the most thread attention so that's why I was going this route. It's a work in progress but I know a lot of folks just won't run with SRF for the reasons you brought up. Stay tuned.

Edit: Just thinking. There's no reason to not include any older Event including ASpecs. The goal is to run cleanly through traffic for the fastest time in a stock vehicle.

Click to expand...

Don't let me rain on your parade, that wasn't my intent. I was just explaining my reasoning as to why I don't like SRF and won't run any competitive events with it on. Go ahead with your original idea and run with it. There are enough people who arn't as anal as I am and will run in your events. Its a good idea, go with it.

Hmm, I'll have to learn to do without ABS, which I'm not opposed to, I'll hesitantly say it sounds like an interesting prospect, though I may find I hate it, we'll see. I use the drive line too, so I'm glad that's not a problem. It was just this seasonal that I skipped out on after doing them for a few months, deciding to explore arcade mode and one-makes since money, exp, and cars is no longer a problem. This is catching my interest though. I'll at the very least give it a try, and I think I'll like it. I may also try with ABS 1 for personal comparison, and post that time with my official one. I hope the one level tire downgrade makes for a good fight.

Brilliant idea and one that I hope gains some traction as I know there are lots of folks that might appreciate something like this. If I hadn't joined up with the WRS I'd be very interested but I have barely enough time for the weekly WRS TT's, another organised event would tip the balance for me.

I very much appreciate your consideration, but I will have to decline your offer.

Unfortunately I have ceased competing in seasonal events that use the SRF aid in protest, however meaningless and insignificant my refusal to participate is to PD it's my own decision that I'm going to stick by.

Again, I do appreciate your PM but I simply have no desire to drive with an aid forced on.. even with this challenge centred around making up for the training wheels.

This looks like fun. Assuming I can find the time count me in, though I may miss some weeks here or there.

A shame a lot of people are turning this down, but I understand their disappointment with the SRF, as I too share it.

Regardless, I'll join up, keep my overtaking skills up to scratch.

Thanks NCR
I too dont have alot of time, but I will try to make some of the events.
Like martin said when I have time, I'm sure I will miss a few of them though.
Great idea by the way.👍

Thank you for giving me a heads up in PM. While I have confidence I wont be pulling any top times, anything to get me interested in cars I normally wouldn't try. Ill give everything a better look when I get off of work tonight.

pm me again when you wanna start and with which car you want to do it. peace.

Thanks for the invite. As it looks like were stuck with srf for the seasonal races this could make them worth bothering with. I'll certainly give it a go when I get the time.

Great, I'm glad we're getting some interest. As the 1st Challenge is very... well challenging, I'll add another Mini event later tonight.

Thanks for the PM, can't wait to begin. Give me a message when things are ready alright? 👍

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=279768

Next Event up!

I'll have go when I can, though I've still got 10 A Spec seasonals to do or finish!

I think I will get in on this, sounds like fun 👍

I have to say, this is pretty darned fun. I've always just run these Events just for credits or just because they're new, nothing more. I'd win a race, get the credits then on to the next one, yawn. Stupid AI, same old tracks, PD's usual rabbit deal.

Now I'm treating it just like a Time Trial. With the AI it's so much better than being alone on track. You have to time passes just right or decide whether to hold up or risk contact. With that mindset, it doesn't make any difference how fast the AI is or if there's a "rabbit". It's not my race with the AI, it's my race with the clock.

This is something that's missing in GT5 badly. An interaction with other players in races like these. Sure we've got TT's but an interactive leaderboard with spec cars and track penalties. I'm as jaded and as critical as anyone, but for some reason tonight I felt like I "got it". The AI doesn't matter, the SRF doesn't matter, the only thing that matters is getting a faster 5 lap run than the last one.