Summertime Shenanigans.PS4

[IfAndOr]

I was originally going to run a few test races for some series ideas that I have when it was pointed out to me by Mr Sourly that one of them might just be suitable for some fun races over the summer period. And he was right.

So since it appears to be summer... Gentlemen I present.

So what we have here is a short series starting on Monday the 1st August @ the usual 8pm UK that's planned to run over 5 to 6 weeks - depending on how it's all going!

It might initially all sound a little complicated but it's fairly easy once you've gotten used to it.​

It will feature 4 x 15 minute races each evening using the (road G class) BMW 2002 and the Toyota GT 86 (or just the 86 - both are the same just LHD & RHD).
The 2 cars are quite similar performers but in slightly different ways. Some tracks may suit one car more than the other.

Everyone can use either car at anytime but YOU MUST swap cars at least once per meeting. Even if you don't participate in all 4 races.

If you win a race YOU MUST swap car for the next race.

Your car choice must be made BEFORE the track is drawn - more info below.
Your car choice can be made after the track is drawn. See below.

There will be NO practice or qualification (some tracks don't allow them)

Therefore it'll be Random Grids for every race.

There is one "Joker" car - the Escort - that can be played at anytime, but only ONCE per meeting. Any points scored with this car are worth double. You don't have to use the Joker, it's not compulsory.
(The Ford is slower then the other two but depending on grid position on some circuits is still quite capable)

There are 25 tracks and they will be drawn randomly before each race. Each track will only be used once per series. At 4 tracks per week, depending on the length of the series, most tracks will get used.
(I've written all the names, cut them out and put them in a box, so even I don't know what's coming out next!)

Click below

Spoiler: Shenanigans Track List

In no particular order.

Sakitto - National

Barcelona - National

Red Bull Ring - National

Brands Hatch - indy

Sonoma - Short

Raupuna - Club

Mojave - Sidewinder

Leipzig (Porsche) - Short

Monza - Short

Sakitto - International

Nurbergring - Sprint short

Oschersleben - B

Oulton Park - Fosters

Barcelona - Club

C.o.t.A - Club

Mugello - Short


Snetterton - 200

Donnigton - National

Raupuna - B

Dubai - Club

Hockenheim -Short

Azure - Circuit

Snetterton -100

Mojave - Gila Crest

Silverstone - National

​

​

Many of these tracks everyone will know quite well but there are a few that aren't used very often. These might be the one's to practice on.


So as you can see while there is some luck involved with getting a good grid position and in trying to pick the right car for the right track, there's also a bit of strategy in when to perhaps use the Joker. As we progress and the available circuit list reduces anyone keeping track will know that certain tracks might appear next.

Whatever happens all the cars are fun to drive and just fast enough for some decent racing. I hope you all enjoy the series.

As usual, any questions, ask away.


There'll be the usual settings for this sort of 'just for fun' event.
Grid starts.
Fine weather.
Visual damage only.
Tyre wear and fuel usage - off.
Track limits - off. In fact penalties might well be off altogether for these short races.
TC and ABS allowed - although the cars don't really need them.

 

[IfAndOr]

 

[Hun200kmh]

Looks fun Paul 👍 I will not be able to enter all mondays during this period (summer holidays) but will be on the grid whenever I'm at home.

I had a sigh of relief once I noticed Cadwell Park wasn't on the list

And I'd like to suggest, just for the fun of it, that you had Azure Coast, both normal and reverse. The reverse especially .... I dare anyone to finish it with a car still featuring a recognizable bodywork

 

[Napalm_LT]

So what we have here is a short series starting on Monday the 6th August @ the usual 8pm UK that's planned to run over 5 to 6 weeks - depending on how it's all going!

Small mistake - should be 8th I think. And we won't race next Monday?

 

[IfAndOr]

Small mistake - should be 8th I think. And we won't race next Monday?

Well spotted. I'm glad someone is paying attention. Extra points for Napalm.

Post corrected and updated. (It's the 1st - next Monday)

---

Azure Coast and California Highway, both being one way trips, are a bit awkward incorporating into a series Mario. I've thought about them a number of times.

Perhaps if we are running ahead of schedule on Mondays we could add add an extra non scoring race at the end of the evening. It'd be a bit of a laugh. (Or a 2 hour endurance around Cadwell Park? )

 

[Zolon32]

I had a sigh of relief once I noticed Cadwell Park wasn't on the list

Cadwell is so close to my home that we can quite often hear the bikes there, and I was thrilled to have a go around it in PCars. Good god it's awful! It's bad enough trying to simply hot lap, but racing is an absolute joke. Race circuits must have been really ropey in the era when Cadwell attracted decent meetings.

Yes, I know British Superbikes still race there, but it's a bit like Monaco, they only do it because Louth is the best place they visit in the season (I've heard that directly from people associated with the meeting, while they were in town sampling the local "culture".)

 

[tal]

Sounds like a fun format! Lots of tracks I don’t know, will be interesting

 

[xeronima]

Looks fun Paul, I'll join the shenanigans on all the mondays I can 😁

 

[Hun200kmh]

Some fun racing last night, even if I was a bit crappy, sorry guys (especially Paul and beachboy, I may have spoiled some races for you guys ... )

After 4 races where I used:
1 - Barcelona - BMW
2 - A1Ring - Toyota (86 or GT-86, can't remember)
3 - Nurburgring - BMW
4 - Leipzig - Escort

About the cars:
1. The BMW is the car that is more enjoyable to drive, it just slides around nicely and has enough power to outrun all others in a straight line (not sure about top speed, but as far as accelerating out of corners it is the best).
2. The Toyota is also fast, but sounds terrible and the gears are all wrong, I didn't get much pleasure from driving that one.
3. The Escort is possibly slower, but not by much (as Zolon clearly proved at the Nurb and raeggee equally demonstrated in Leipzig), and is also nice to drive, it is a very forgiving car.

All in all I think with these 3 cars the field will always be open and the races unpredictable, which is nice.

About the possible tweaks mentioned last night:

1. Practise - I'm speaking against myself here because I am one of those that need a few laps to "learn" a car/track combo. However, the "straight to racing" formula pleases me as it adds to the unpredictability of the event. I know this isn't a democracy (Paul is our benevolent dictator, but dictators dictate, it's their thing ) but if it was I'd vote against practise or quali

2. Race length - Again I think 15 minutes is just fine. Especially because without previous practise or quali the first couple of laps are needed to learn how to go around that track in that car and in a ten minute race we would all be too eager to gain track position in the first lap and that usually ends up badly for some.

3. Track list - I'd recommend Paul: a) edits the track list out of the opening post; b) opens this event to any and all possible (short versions) of the tracks this game has on offer. It would add to the randomness of the places we will race in.


Finally, my suggestion because someone mentioned yesterday we had time for a 5th race. I agree but would make that 5th race something different. I would do it with everyone in the same car (to be picked by Paul right before that race) and for that 5th race I would use the "point to point" roads we have available (Azure and California), normal and reverse versions (that's 4 mondays already). No point scoring needed, just a "end of night bash" with us all doing something different just for the fun of it.

 

[half_sourly]

Results from round 1 below. To avoid a double post:

• Somewhat of a disastrous evening for me with no controls in race 1 and being kicked in race 3. Not practising in these cars did not help either.
• Race length is fine.
• I second @Hun200kmh 's suggestion for a final point to point race.
• I would like to see a warmup/ practice/ 1-lap race of some sort ahead of race 1 only, just to resolve any technical issues. After that jumping in is great.

Re the results:

• I didn't keep a note of who was in the Escort and the screenshots @IfAndOr kindly sent me are not clear to my old eyes, so I've had a guess at who was in it when. It appears Beachboy didn't use it. All points where an Escort was used are doubled and marked in blue - let me know if you think there are errors.

 

[IfAndOr]

I'm glad you got some fun out of it Mario. I thought you were driving just fine. In fact if you were driving "A bit crappy" that means I can keep up with you for a change.

1: As much as I'd like to add a spot of practice some of the tracks we will be using won't allow it - no pit entrance/exit. Of the 4 from last night Leipzig didn't have that option (it's the one that probably needed it most) so it seems best to leave it off for all tracks.
As for race 1 mentioned by @half_sourly - what I'll try to do is get online a little earlier than usual and run a couple of short races just to check equipment and connections. I think that'd work.

2: Yes on reflection I think 15 minutes was just fine. It usually ends up over that before the clock runs down anyway.

3: a) Already done last night b) We've pretty much got all short versions of the game's tracks. The missing ones either don't allow 16 players or aren't too good as multiplayer.

4ish: Hmm a 5th non scoring race. Hmm the point to points. Not a bad idea. Let me ponder.
Maybe that Ford F150 truck might do...

let me know if you think there are errors.

I'll take a look later, it's a bit clearer on the originals.

 

[tal]

Really fun races yesterday!

The highlight for me was Nurburgring. All throughout the race, and up to the last curve, I (Ford) was battling with @Pantheons (Ford) and Raeggee (Toyota). It was down to the very last curve. Great race! And of course my win at the Porsche circuit, where I was lucky enough to overtake @Zolon32 on the last lap after a small mistake on the blind left.

The format looks great. The cars look balanced so far, although it did seem the BMW might have a slight upper hand on most circuits. The exception yesterday was Barcelona, where the Toyota looked to be the better option.

I would also prefer to not have any practice, and go straight into the race. That first left corner on the Porsche circuit was hilarious. Does anyone have that replay?

I'd also be up for a 5th race. 👍

 

[Hun200kmh]

3: a) Already done last night

What I meant with "edit the track list out of the opening post" was "remove it entirely" so (coupled with adding every other short track in the game to the list of possibilities) we can't guess what's coming our way

 

[IfAndOr]

What I meant with...

Ah I see. The reason I've done it that way is for those astute racers amongst us may be able to use a bit of strategy knowing which tracks might possibly be coming up next. All benevolent dictator-ish.

 

[Pantheons]

Good fun racing (like the format), even if I didnt do too well, adds a new dimension not knowing whats coming. Especially handy as not being able to get much practise in at the mo. Didnt like the Toyota much, couldn't really hear the engine very well, the other two were fine.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Here I came hoping for some BTCC/Snetterton pics ....

 

[Zolon32]

I was a bit crappy

Seemed about normal to me Mario


Needless to say, I really enjoyed it, completely against my expectations. I usually feel like I've go to have a minimum of three years practice at a circuit, and drive a car two thousand miles before I get a feel for it.

Maybe all that will show next week...

 

[Hun200kmh]

Yeah, crappy is my new normal ...

 

[IfAndOr]

Yeah, crappy is my new normal ...

Excellent, I'll get to see more of you then. Could you perhaps teach Duarte your new driving style? 😉

 

[tal]

I've just now realized the track limits are set to off. This explains why I did found the racing director too lenient

 

[IfAndOr]

Oh yes, I forgot to mention...

A fifth race was a popular request so I'll add in a just-for-fun-non-scoring-event at the end of the evening. It'll (probably) be at one of the point-to-point tracks and we'll be driving the Ford F-150 RTR "Funhaver". And it actually is quite fun on these tracks.

We'll see how that goes and if everyone (who wants to join in) likes it.

This explains why I did found the racing director too lenient

He's gone away on his summer holidays. He'll be back, all refreshed, in the autumn. Probably still unforgiving though.

 

[half_sourly]

A no-points point-to-point race?! What's the point?

 

[half_sourly]

Oops. Double post. Sorry.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Excellent, I'll get to see more of you then. Could you perhaps teach Duarte your new driving style? 😉

I tried to do that in the Nurburgring (even forced him to a last lap ) but he simply doesn't learn good manners now, no respect for the elders!

btw, litle story, I entered an open lobby two days ago with LMP2 at Le Mans for a 30 minutes race. All very "pro" (setups open, cockpit view forced, damage on FIULL, that kind of thing) but constant weather and time of day which I found odd.

Lobby was nearly full when race started, 12 drivers I think, but by midrace the field was already down to 5 (I don't get these people ...) I had an enjoyable race, only one incident in the final lap - a 360º without damage consequence - and I finished second. The guy that won was incredibly fast but I think he probably had less downforce that myself because I would lose a lot of time in the straights (and gain only a litle in the twisty bits). Anyway, massive respect for him, it isn't easy to hustle a car around Le Mans with litle to no downforce and not crash at least once every 3 laps. Not sure if anyone here knows him, PSN was Braddock1929 and his rating was off the scale (I never even saw such numbers), it was well over 2600 !! I guess last time he lost a race was probably when dinaosaurs still roamed the Earth

PS - Nice! When I wrote about it I did point to a pointless, no points, point to point race!

 

[Pantheons]

Here I came hoping for some BTCC/Snetterton pics ....

umm thats in a week or two.

 

[IfAndOr]

umm thats in a week or two.

Mario is from the future.

 

[Hun200kmh]

Yes, that's why I know the Snetterton pictures are (for you guys: will be) awesome !

 

[IfAndOr]

Yes, that's why I know the Snetterton pictures are (for you guys: will be) awesome !

I'm also interested in time travel Mario. Let's talk about it after last Monday's race.

 

[Zolon32]

Hello chaps, I’m stuck at a wedding do. I didn’t think it would interfere with my racing, but the wife is drinking and bashing on about having a dance!

If I don’t turn up tonight I’m truly sorry. But at least you’ll know that I’m trying to look like I’m having a good time whilst downing exorbitant drinks in a room full of strangers I can’t talk with because it’s too noisy 😐

 

[Hun200kmh]

Well, this week I was a bit crappy in my first race with the Toyota, but in all others I was just fine.