http://www.rfactorcentral.com/detail.cfm?ID=S%C3%A9rie%20Internationale%20Du%20Mans

Yes, this will be the mod and version for our upcoming series. Now that it is released, I plan to announce the full details including sponsorships and awards this coming week.

Just gave the ILMS 2.78 Corvette a try at Norisring. A huge difference from the DTM mod. Lower top speed, but quicker laptimes.
With a noticeable lack of auto-spin, the back end can step out without instant frisbee action. (without using a realism reference)
I'll have to try the EnduRacers GTs there too, just for comparison, but this ILMS version should be fun to drive/race.

Would it be at all possible for SimHQ to obtain and use the larger, extended private version for this series?

Just had a run with it around Sebring 12hr classic, and damn those cars look much nicer in this update... there's a little bit of a difference in the feel to some cars, I think I'm going to find a home in P2 for the season, but we'll see what I'm like after I get a wheel, that might change things...

Oh and which layout of Sebring will we be using?

Yes. It was offered and I don't want us to use it for this specific series. Better we use the public version.

That one is sticky Pumbaa.

IF Virtua_LM releases their Sebring in enough time for practice and testing, and IF it includes enough slots for 37 drivers with unique pit stalls (so there is no sharing), then it will be the choice.

-or-

The 12h iDT version with 37 unique pit stalls. The expanded AIW is being edited for testing as we speak.

The 12hr Classic

Awe, that's a shame. Can I ask Why?

Because it has 'borrowed' content. Rather than upset anyone it's best for us to stick to the 'Public' version. Besides, VOR and Champion etc require you to sign agreements etc not to share the full mod outside of their private leagues (for the same reason). We would probably have to do the same - and that doesn't fit with the open series we're running.

Anyway, it looks like the mod makers are planning on releasing a fully legal expanded version with no more borrowed cars some time in the summer so there won't be long to wait

Thank for the info Jon. I didnt't realise it had such content. that explains it. Oh well, roll on summer

People need to GPL their mod content, and I don't mean Grand Prix Legends.

Don't get me wrong, I understand people want to be credited for their work, or they want people to think they're awesome and kiss their feet or whatever - but for the most part it all devolves into mudslinging about who copied this and who stole that. Just the other day someone was slamming VHR with a youtube video "proving" it had ripped content from Stock Car Evolution. And who knows, maybe it did...I don't care. I just want to race, I don't care who provides the best option and the person who provides that is no more important to me than whatever I had for dinner on Wednesday of last week. Meaning - it's already forgotten about.


In the end we wind up with no new mods to play and a community full of whiny #%&*$# trying to look important. If people would open up their work for everyone to share, it would benefit the community immensely.

Meh - I've been doing too much Linux lately.

most likely you did pay for what you had for dinner on Wednesday last week, didn't you? :-)

I do respect the result of people talent and time devoted for developing things. They have right to set rules and price under which it can be used. And we have a right to 'eat' this food or not. That's our choice.

Sure, I paid for my dinner. But let's say I had a hamburger - after I bought it, I didn't have someone run up and try to snatch it out of my hand and tell me that he actually invented the hamburger first, and that the guy I bought it from stole his design, and that he should be put out of business.

Look, I get the idea of mod makers being credited for their work - I don't think that's too much to ask.

I just think the community would benefit more if people didn't keep such a death grip on it.

I'm with Lugnut on this... I can understand if a sponsor of a car has caused troubles but the modders should be happy to see so many people enjoy the mod...

I think it's important to differentiate between developers being overly restrictive and 'stolen' content. I agree with Lugnut that some developers can be overly precious but given the phenomenal amount of work that goes into some of these mods I don't think it's unreasonable to accept that if he/she doesn't want their property used under certain conditions then we have to live with that. We are getting some amazing content and we don't pay a penny for it. You also need to remember that modding teams are often made up of several people which can lead to a lot of politics behind the scenes about who did what and how they want it to be used. Regardless of the rights and wrongs, the least we should do is respect their wishes.

Blatantly stealing other peoples work without permission is wrong and unfortunately a lot of this goes on which is what causes the problems in the first place. If i spent months working on a mod and then released it only to find out that people were nicking my car models and passing them off as their own work without permission or credit, i wouldn't be too happy and in all likelihood would never release anything else unless it was under strict conditions. As with most things, if everyone could be a little more tolerant then everyone would benefit.

Just for a bit of clarification, hopefully.

This isn't about Carpe Noctem protecting their own content. The public release that we use contains a combination of their own work along with the work of a number of other modders from whom permission to release was sought and granted.

The private version - IIRC - contains Simbin models plus other content for which I think I'm correct in saying that they don't have permission to use. So rather than release this version and have half of the modding world up in arms as well as being forced underground probably, they decided to keep it to private leagues so it's distribution could be 'controlled' to some extent. Right or wrong that is what they decided to do.

Of course this p'd off the other half of the community who want everything (me included probably).

TBH this argument has been explored from all angles and a read of the mod thread over at rFactor Central will send you blind and bored of the whole topic - although current argument is ILMS vs ER SP1.

Hopefully getting the thread back onto a more useful topic - anyone tried or have any comment on the revised physics etc? Notice anything different?

Jon

I haven't tried any of the cars thoroughly enough to comment on the physics yet but with 2.78 i can run a 40 car grid (all visible) with no slowdown. When you consider the quality of the car models that's quite something. I wish all mods were this well optimized.

I have tried a few of the cars and they seem considerably more bouncy than before. They have raised the center of gravity on the cars, although why that influences the suspension like it does, I donīt know.
As far as setup changes goes, the ones I made previously are usable, I think, though softening the fast bump/rebound and increasing the anti rollbars seems to work better. Also increasing the differential preload a click or two seems a good idea.

I have no idea what you just said in terms of the setup but I hope it works good.

I ran all four of the P2 cars last night to try and get a feel for them using the setups that were posted previously - I'm still leaning toward running P2 this season so I'm trying to narrow down which car is going to fit me best.

After learning that I was running the wrong course layout for Sebring (I was using the current, and we'll be racing the classic) I had to readjust. I'm still not quite there, and TBH I have no idea what sort of laptimes I should be looking at. I had a few sectors where I felt like I was really "on" but I never put together a completely clean lap.

All of that said...for the most part the cars felt just fine. My driving needs some work, though.

I think the centre of gravity change that LC mentioned has added some differences to some of the cars, the Corvette does feel different when cornering then it did at Elkhart, and the P1 pescy does feel a lot more tail happy than the 2.77 version... Also I've noticed I can now get more out of the P2 Acura than I can with either of the other 3, while in 2.77 they were all pretty even with the Spyder trailing a little for my style... I haven't run the GT2s yet but might give them a run before the weekend to make my final choice... At the moment It looks like I'll be challenging Lugnut in the P2s...

I've now given the P1 Dome and the GT1 Aston a quick blast. Both cars felt really 'racey'. Might be my imagination but the P1 felt quite a bit heavier through the steering than I recall. It felt a little more alive as well which is good. The Aston didn't feel any heavier but it did feel really good through the corners. Both were using the Spa setup from last year.

I don't know Sebring and have never raced here. However, judging from the few laps I've done with these cars I'm going to like it a lot. Plenty of sections that you can really attack and really quick in places.

Should be real fun

Jon

While the proto's are really fun, my heart lies in tin-top land so i'll be taking the GT1 Aston this year

Driver sign-up for Sebring will be open at 4 PM Eastern time U.S. (2100 GMT) on Sunday, March 6th.

Custom skins required so once you get your car number in registration, you're ready to paint.

I do have one concern - in the communications section it says:

Please do not use Teamspeak during the race for "pit in / pit out".

Please do not use the text chat during the race including "pit in / pit out".

So we are not to communicate "pit in" at all? Is that going to cause issues?

I would not worry about that. While in theory it could give you info what cars you compete against are doing, I don't it's practical with 30+cars grid. I personally find it distructing when so many 'pit in/pit out' chats pops out one after another, during pit window.

Of course if guys don't manage to secure non duplicate pit boxes, I agree, it might be neccesary for those who have to share same pit crew position.

I'm also uneasy about this. If you are not in close proximity of other cars then I agree that there is no need for non-essential pit calls. However for closing cars and nose to tail race situations (and especially in multi-class racing), prior knowledge that the driver in front intends to pit is important information. No need to risk a potentially dangerous overtaking move if the car in front is pitting anyway. In almost every endurance race i have run there have been situations where i have changed my behavior based upon someones pit call.

I would say avoid them where possible but do not ban completely.

I agree with Darren completely... It will cause some unnecessary collisions at Sebring as the pit in will require a slower last corner to get in cleanly...

I would say though that doing it over TS can be useless as you most often can't make out who has said something and what they've said exactly.

Via chat is fine with me - it is distracting but you have to learn to ignore it if you're not directly following someone approaching the pit entrance.

Guys, lets try not doing "pit in" / "pit out" in our practice races on Wednesday and Saturday's, and if its a big issue we can change it. I really do understand the concerns of it, but 36 drivers verbally say it over Teamspeak is definitely out. And I've heard just as many complain that text popping-up on screen causes them a distraction. Let try it without it and we'll adjust if necessary, okay?

Fine by me.

Head's up drivers.

I'm about to release the placard and series logo art for the cars, create a new thread for the cars, fix a couple of things Darren caught, then the SCES forum will be opened-up for posting. I'd originally though about leaving it read only, but its going to be opened. Also, I'll lock this thread and a couple others so we can start discussing the series in the SPES forum.

BTW, I'm using "SCES" as the acronym for the series. Hopefully it doesn't mean "your momma wears combat boots" or worse in some language.

Grand Opening of the SCES Forum

Please switch your discussion to that forum and let's let this fade out. Thanks!

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/258/1/2011_Sports_Car_Endurance_Seri.html

If you see you have someone close on you (or closing rapidly), that's the time to make a pit-in call. If you're relatively alone on the final straight, then no call required, IMO.

Pit out would be a good call if the blue light is on, just so the guy approaching turn-in for turn 1 doesn't ram you. Again, if you're by yourself on the s/f straight, then no call required.

Will the default cars still be available in the SCES version of the mod?
I may be able to at least do some practice sessions.

Yes, all default cars will be available for practice, but not for the races.

If it works in real life without a chat box the surely we can manage too? It should be second nature to take extra care near pit entrances and exits anyway.