- 2,980
- The Ramapo Mountains
- jjaisli
Supercar Challenge - Old Timer Event - 250 Testa Rossa - Saturday, October 17th, 2009
EDIT: Oct 16th: * Results Posted - Page 4 *
Several months ago, I started what I had hoped would be a series of classic car events (click me) with System 3's Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli. A group of us here on GTPlanet became rather enamored with some of the older, more unruly cars available in the game--the ones that people looked at and maybe played a few rounds offline but shied away from entering any lobbies with them online to prove their Fangio like prowess against their piers. And we often found ourselves alone or racing in small groups of 2 or 4. How those who stayed away missed out. These cars, with their skinny tires, 50s & 60s era brakes and lower limits of adhesion proved to be some of the best cars for tight, exciting and extraordinary on-line racing. They require a more delicate approach and force you to think about weight transfer and balance and setting up for the next corner before you reach the apex of the current one. We found them an absolute blast.
Due to limitations of the lobby system in Ferrari Challenge, a general migration of players away from the game and my own personal schedule, the series never progressed past round two. With the introduction of Supercar Challenge and it's improved lobby system, I'm thrilled to revive this series and hope to be able to fill the lobby to it's 16 player potential.
The first event will take place on Saturday October 17th, at 19:00 hr GMT. That's 21:00 Continental European time, 20:00 in the UK and 3:00 PM EST time, and will begin about an hour after F1 qualifying from Brazil ends. *(For the record, this has been changed from it's ORIGINAL starting time of 20:00 hr GMT).
This event, and specifically the first race of this event, will be considered more or less a test to gauge how the lobby holds up under the pressure of extended racing, if the lag is acceptable (once the field gets moving) and if any tweaks or changes are necessary for future events. I encourage people who wish to play to post in here but the lobby will be open on first come, first serve basis until it (hopefully) fills to it's full 16 player capacity. If I find enough people have an interest in joining, I may consider opening a second lobby.
Races will follow the current Formula 1 points system:
1st place: 10 points
2nd place: 8 points
3rd place: 6 points
4th place: 5 points
5th place: 4 points
6th place: 3 points
7th place: 2 points
8th place: 1 point
With an additional 1 point going to the fastest lap holder
My intention is to run a series of 3-5 races at each event, with each individual race running between 15~30 minutes. I find with such a large lobby, longer races allow people to settle into more of a rhythm. So please plan on the event lasting about 2 hours in total. The tracks and format will follow in the coming days, but I can tell you this. These are classic cars. And this first car, the 250 Testa Rossa is the car that won the 24Hrs du Mans in 1958 at the hands of Phil Hill and Olivier Glendebien, as well as the 12 hours of Sebring that same year, various SCCA races in North America and class wins in Europe and South America at the World Sportscar Championship with independent teams throughout the 1958, 1959 & 1960 seasons. It features a 3.0 liter V12 producing 300-bhp @ 7200 RPM, state of the art for it's day (51 years ago!). So there will be:
- no anti-lock brakes
- no stability control
- no traction control
- no racing line
I will allow automatic transmission as some people racing with the Sixaxis might have an issue. And I don't consider the HUD or Revbar to be an assist. And here's a teaser. The first track in this event will not count for points but will be considered a 'warm-up' to allow people to settle into the car and practice a start with so many people in a lobby. So, let's get to it!
A) Practice Session : Monza - 3 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
For those already familiar with Ferrari Challenge, Monza has been tweaked and adjusted in Supercar Challenge. The penalty zones have been increased, making any chicane cutting impossible and it should make for some better racing (if a little traumatic at the first corner). Remember, this is a test and points won't count at Monza. So practice your start, get comfortable and brake early!
1) Race No 1 : Riviera Circuit - 12 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
You won't find the Riviera circuit on any map. But think of it as a cross between Monaco and Spa. This track has everything: tight twisty hairpins, low speed corners, medium speed corners, super-fast high speed sweepers, uphill sections, downhill sections, narrow roads and wide open boulevards. If you can master this track, you can master it all. I'm expecting this race to run for roughly25~26 28-29 minutes (slight miscalculation), plenty of time for the faster cars to work their way to the front. But be careful, get spun around here and it may not be that easy to get pointed in the right direction again. It's a street course and that means NO runoff area!
2) Race No. 2 : Autoclub Speedway - 20 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
No, that track map isn't a mistake. We're not driving the infield, we're going oval racing boys. Forget what you've experienced with the AI. If you haven't driven the ovals in this game against live opponents, be prepared. Here, 10ths of a second will count on EVERY lap and slipstreaming your rivals will mean the difference between success and failure. Stay low, stay cool, stay focused. It should all be over in 18 minutes or less.
3) Race No. 3 : Infineon (Sprint Course) - 10 Laps - Wet - Random Grid
Although some people love it, the Infineon track was never one of my favorites, and I always found it tricky to develop a a good rhythm here. With Supercar Challenge, the track has been reprofiled and some of the elevation changes feel much more pronounced. But this is the 'Sprint' Configuration, meaning it's faster and slightly less technical. But don't let the name fool you. This combination will probably end up being the most challenging of the event and for many of you, a nightmare.
The 250 TR with it's narrow tires, high center of gravity and 50s era suspension technology makes this track, especially in the WET, a real handful. Setting a good time with this car at this track under these conditions is all about being smooth. And if you're smooth enough, you'll see the checkered flag in ~ 18 minutes.
4) Race No. 4 : Spa - 12 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
Spa. It's probably almost expected. But hopefully also welcomed. The name speaks for itself. Almost half the people in a Eutechnyx pole rated this track as their favorite in Ferrari Challenge and I count myself among those enamored with it's greatness. As the longest circuit in Supercar Challenge, a 'full race' with this car would take well over an hour. So we've cut it down to around 35~36 minutes (about the limit for the Sixaxis guys before their fingers start falling off).
No matter where you start, if you're fast and consistent, you'll work your way to the front. Hopefully with a lot of quick racers in the lobby, this final event should prove to be an intense and nail biting experience.
So there you have it:
Monza (practice) 3 laps
Riviera - 12 laps
Autoclub Oval - 20 laps
Infineon Sprint - 10 laps
Spa - 12 laps
A maximum of 44 points up for grabs
Let's Get Started! - *New content as of October 16th*
I will open a lobby approximately 5-10 minutes before the event is due to start under my PSN ID: jjaisli . The lobby will not be private as I feel it would create too many hassles and possible disruptions for people who are not on my friend list. It appears we have about 10-11 people interested but I'm hoping we have enough lurkers in this thread to fill the lobby. Remember, it's on a first come, first serve basis so if you want to assure yourself a spot, get there early.
Ferrari Challenge had various problems with it's online lobby system. Although SCC seems to have addressed many of these issues, I encourage all of you, before the event starts, to go into the XMB and check your network connection settings. [Setting --> Network Settings --> Setting and Connection Status] In general terms, for a successful lobby, everybody should be showing NAT1 or NAT2 for their connection status. If yours is showing NAT3, you might want to check through the FAQs (EXAMPLE HERE) to see if you can sort things out.
I encourage the use of headsets, although to be realistic, we know headsets don't work very well when more than 4-5 people are using them at the same time. And if we really have a large lobby, I would like to ask everybody to turn off their headsets completely once the race gets started as it will save bandwidth. Once back in the lobby, feel free to use the mics again.
If you have already unlocked and purchased the 250TR, you're free to create your own unique livery. But be sure to check THIS POST before doing so. if you don't have this car unlocked, the game allows you to select any one of about a dozen pre-created liveries. Selecting a different livery is helpful to distinguish different cars, especially for those of us who turn off the annoying ID flags.
I will set the lobby up as follows:
TC: Off
ABS: Off
SC: Off
RL: Off
Transmission: Automatic (which will allow you to choose manual, semi or full auto)
Collisons: On with penalty
Penalties: Unlmited
Grid Order: Random
- Between each event there will be a 2-3 minute break, longer if needed or requested.
- If we lose a single player or suffer a connection drop, I suggest we keep going but if the problem is widespread, I will keep my mic on and will ask people to return to lobby and reform.
- In general, I think all of the tracks I selected have adequate penalty zones and I'm not worried about corner cutting.
- I will write down times, fastest, laps etc after each event. But please keep track of your own times, just in case. I'll post the results either later that night or the following morning.
Let's have some fun. See you Saturday!
EDIT: If you haven't practiced with this car, do a few runs. And don't leave your braking too late!!!
.
.
EDIT: Oct 16th: * Results Posted - Page 4 *
Several months ago, I started what I had hoped would be a series of classic car events (click me) with System 3's Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli. A group of us here on GTPlanet became rather enamored with some of the older, more unruly cars available in the game--the ones that people looked at and maybe played a few rounds offline but shied away from entering any lobbies with them online to prove their Fangio like prowess against their piers. And we often found ourselves alone or racing in small groups of 2 or 4. How those who stayed away missed out. These cars, with their skinny tires, 50s & 60s era brakes and lower limits of adhesion proved to be some of the best cars for tight, exciting and extraordinary on-line racing. They require a more delicate approach and force you to think about weight transfer and balance and setting up for the next corner before you reach the apex of the current one. We found them an absolute blast.
Due to limitations of the lobby system in Ferrari Challenge, a general migration of players away from the game and my own personal schedule, the series never progressed past round two. With the introduction of Supercar Challenge and it's improved lobby system, I'm thrilled to revive this series and hope to be able to fill the lobby to it's 16 player potential.
The first event will take place on Saturday October 17th, at 19:00 hr GMT. That's 21:00 Continental European time, 20:00 in the UK and 3:00 PM EST time, and will begin about an hour after F1 qualifying from Brazil ends. *(For the record, this has been changed from it's ORIGINAL starting time of 20:00 hr GMT).
This event, and specifically the first race of this event, will be considered more or less a test to gauge how the lobby holds up under the pressure of extended racing, if the lag is acceptable (once the field gets moving) and if any tweaks or changes are necessary for future events. I encourage people who wish to play to post in here but the lobby will be open on first come, first serve basis until it (hopefully) fills to it's full 16 player capacity. If I find enough people have an interest in joining, I may consider opening a second lobby.
Races will follow the current Formula 1 points system:
1st place: 10 points
2nd place: 8 points
3rd place: 6 points
4th place: 5 points
5th place: 4 points
6th place: 3 points
7th place: 2 points
8th place: 1 point
With an additional 1 point going to the fastest lap holder
My intention is to run a series of 3-5 races at each event, with each individual race running between 15~30 minutes. I find with such a large lobby, longer races allow people to settle into more of a rhythm. So please plan on the event lasting about 2 hours in total. The tracks and format will follow in the coming days, but I can tell you this. These are classic cars. And this first car, the 250 Testa Rossa is the car that won the 24Hrs du Mans in 1958 at the hands of Phil Hill and Olivier Glendebien, as well as the 12 hours of Sebring that same year, various SCCA races in North America and class wins in Europe and South America at the World Sportscar Championship with independent teams throughout the 1958, 1959 & 1960 seasons. It features a 3.0 liter V12 producing 300-bhp @ 7200 RPM, state of the art for it's day (51 years ago!). So there will be:
- no anti-lock brakes
- no stability control
- no traction control
- no racing line
I will allow automatic transmission as some people racing with the Sixaxis might have an issue. And I don't consider the HUD or Revbar to be an assist. And here's a teaser. The first track in this event will not count for points but will be considered a 'warm-up' to allow people to settle into the car and practice a start with so many people in a lobby. So, let's get to it!
A) Practice Session : Monza - 3 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
For those already familiar with Ferrari Challenge, Monza has been tweaked and adjusted in Supercar Challenge. The penalty zones have been increased, making any chicane cutting impossible and it should make for some better racing (if a little traumatic at the first corner). Remember, this is a test and points won't count at Monza. So practice your start, get comfortable and brake early!
1) Race No 1 : Riviera Circuit - 12 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
You won't find the Riviera circuit on any map. But think of it as a cross between Monaco and Spa. This track has everything: tight twisty hairpins, low speed corners, medium speed corners, super-fast high speed sweepers, uphill sections, downhill sections, narrow roads and wide open boulevards. If you can master this track, you can master it all. I'm expecting this race to run for roughly
2) Race No. 2 : Autoclub Speedway - 20 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
No, that track map isn't a mistake. We're not driving the infield, we're going oval racing boys. Forget what you've experienced with the AI. If you haven't driven the ovals in this game against live opponents, be prepared. Here, 10ths of a second will count on EVERY lap and slipstreaming your rivals will mean the difference between success and failure. Stay low, stay cool, stay focused. It should all be over in 18 minutes or less.
3) Race No. 3 : Infineon (Sprint Course) - 10 Laps - Wet - Random Grid
Although some people love it, the Infineon track was never one of my favorites, and I always found it tricky to develop a a good rhythm here. With Supercar Challenge, the track has been reprofiled and some of the elevation changes feel much more pronounced. But this is the 'Sprint' Configuration, meaning it's faster and slightly less technical. But don't let the name fool you. This combination will probably end up being the most challenging of the event and for many of you, a nightmare.
The 250 TR with it's narrow tires, high center of gravity and 50s era suspension technology makes this track, especially in the WET, a real handful. Setting a good time with this car at this track under these conditions is all about being smooth. And if you're smooth enough, you'll see the checkered flag in ~ 18 minutes.4) Race No. 4 : Spa - 12 Laps - Dry - Random Grid
Spa. It's probably almost expected. But hopefully also welcomed. The name speaks for itself. Almost half the people in a Eutechnyx pole rated this track as their favorite in Ferrari Challenge and I count myself among those enamored with it's greatness. As the longest circuit in Supercar Challenge, a 'full race' with this car would take well over an hour. So we've cut it down to around 35~36 minutes (about the limit for the Sixaxis guys before their fingers start falling off).
No matter where you start, if you're fast and consistent, you'll work your way to the front. Hopefully with a lot of quick racers in the lobby, this final event should prove to be an intense and nail biting experience.So there you have it:
Monza (practice) 3 laps
Riviera - 12 laps
Autoclub Oval - 20 laps
Infineon Sprint - 10 laps
Spa - 12 laps
A maximum of 44 points up for grabs
Let's Get Started! - *New content as of October 16th*
I will open a lobby approximately 5-10 minutes before the event is due to start under my PSN ID: jjaisli . The lobby will not be private as I feel it would create too many hassles and possible disruptions for people who are not on my friend list. It appears we have about 10-11 people interested but I'm hoping we have enough lurkers in this thread to fill the lobby. Remember, it's on a first come, first serve basis so if you want to assure yourself a spot, get there early.
Ferrari Challenge had various problems with it's online lobby system. Although SCC seems to have addressed many of these issues, I encourage all of you, before the event starts, to go into the XMB and check your network connection settings. [Setting --> Network Settings --> Setting and Connection Status] In general terms, for a successful lobby, everybody should be showing NAT1 or NAT2 for their connection status. If yours is showing NAT3, you might want to check through the FAQs (EXAMPLE HERE) to see if you can sort things out.
I encourage the use of headsets, although to be realistic, we know headsets don't work very well when more than 4-5 people are using them at the same time. And if we really have a large lobby, I would like to ask everybody to turn off their headsets completely once the race gets started as it will save bandwidth. Once back in the lobby, feel free to use the mics again.
If you have already unlocked and purchased the 250TR, you're free to create your own unique livery. But be sure to check THIS POST before doing so. if you don't have this car unlocked, the game allows you to select any one of about a dozen pre-created liveries. Selecting a different livery is helpful to distinguish different cars, especially for those of us who turn off the annoying ID flags.
I will set the lobby up as follows:
TC: Off
ABS: Off
SC: Off
RL: Off
Transmission: Automatic (which will allow you to choose manual, semi or full auto)
Collisons: On with penalty
Penalties: Unlmited
Grid Order: Random
- Between each event there will be a 2-3 minute break, longer if needed or requested.
- If we lose a single player or suffer a connection drop, I suggest we keep going but if the problem is widespread, I will keep my mic on and will ask people to return to lobby and reform.
- In general, I think all of the tracks I selected have adequate penalty zones and I'm not worried about corner cutting.
- I will write down times, fastest, laps etc after each event. But please keep track of your own times, just in case. I'll post the results either later that night or the following morning.
Let's have some fun. See you Saturday!
EDIT: If you haven't practiced with this car, do a few runs. And don't leave your braking too late!!!
.
.
Last edited:
And when does it end officially? If not already.
