Community Event / Creation Buckyball Racing Club Presents: Kick the Alien (and run like hell)
- Thread starter Alec Turner
- Start date
Seven minute range? I'd love to see the video of that!
But still, it's a good thing I'm competing against myself. And on that note... finally beat my first official run's time: 21:36 submitted.
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For me it's all the spin-outs, plus the occasional tumble. Reviewing my video showed that I probably lost 30 seconds on the final uphill climb to the research center, because I lost control and tumbled back down to the bottom of the hill.
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Darth Raijiin
Broke his phone.
I didnt take a vid, I have issues with framerate sometimes in VR on the recording, so, I didnt record, just screen shot. You just need to practice, Nookie and I have been doing runs for the past few days, we have run the course probably 20 or 30 times a piece.
Lol, amen to that.
Yeah, I was flying with Nookie earlier on today (got some nice footage of an 8:30 run that I'll post tomorrow). I must say these sub 8-9 minute runs are pretty amazing. Have to confess I couldn't quit believe that first Relooops time, genuinely thought that 15m was pushing the limits. Fairly stunned by the race action of the last 24hrs.
Hey Aken. If you don't manage to pick up a scanner and happen to see me on tomorrow then give me a shout. I can drop you a wing beacon to home in on.
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Darth Raijiin
Broke his phone.
Welcome to the Thunderdome boys and girls.... my eyes are bleeding from VR speed shenanigans, but, I will see if I cant resub my time. I didnt think I could do it, but.... 7:03. Drops space gloves. i need to lie down. :O
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Darth Raijiin
Broke his phone.
Did you film Nookie on one of his runs?
Thank you for the support Alec, the guys at Darnielle's Progress already had this sorted out.
Then, I proceeded to the race area and made a couple of attempts. I broke the 7 minutes barrier very easily...when I was 7 minutes into the race. Then I had to break another 7 minutes barrier completely identical to the first one, exactly 7 minutes later, just as I was pulling my battered srv into the hangar.
Turns out that, apparently, my "Tumbling Initiative" has some sort of boulder magnet hidden somewhere around its bubbly nose. At each and every long jump, I could be absolutely, positively sure that some kind of very hard, protruding and abusive type of rock was waiting for me at the very end of my descent trajectory. A very bouldery type of bummer.
But! Still a week ahead, plenty of time to get used to srv driving with a hotas, and for the eventual lucky run on top of that.
I feel like that (for me at least) there's got to be a technique gap somewhere as well. Usually I have a good idea of what I could do to go faster, but I have to admit I'm a bit flummoxed on this one. I can see ways to shave off seconds, but not minutes! Looking forward to learning.
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Darth Raijiin
Broke his phone.
I feel like that (for me at least) there's got to be a technique gap somewhere as well. Usually I have a good idea of what I could do to go faster, but I have to admit I'm a bit flummoxed on this one. I can see ways to shave off seconds, but not minutes! Looking forward to learning.
getting down to the site is pretty easy, mostly stopping in time and near it at speed is hard. I had to woah her down at nearly 130 m/s ish on my last run, stop, take a pic, then finding a fast way up is hard, if you can get speed and ramp up, and keep the SRV going over 80 or so, you can get over the bad stuff, and bounce her up the mountain. takes a lot of practice, and lots of luck. really, a lot of luck. hahaha...
Has anyone been using the tall upright bit of alien structure as a means to stop? (jump over the ship, smack into that upright, bounce back for the kick, spin around and off you go). Not managed it myself but seems like it might be a handy way of stopping.
Re: the journey back, is it me or does the SRV feel like it wants to turn left and go directly up hill? (i.e. you have to cut across that slope with a hell of a lot of right lock to counter what the SRV is naturally trying to do). Has anyone done any RL off-road driving? Is that an accurate physics model (only it seems counter intuitive to me).
Edit: looks like I have nearly a dozen race submissions in my inbox this morning, gonna need lots more coffee before I get to work on the scoreboard. Expect an update around 10:30ish.
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Had a recon run this morning, which turned into an exercise in mountaineering. Just under 40 minutes, so I'm aiming straight for last place.
Lots and lots of room for improvement.
Lots and lots of room for improvement.
Brilliant camerwork, brilliant flying! I must say it warms my heart to see so many people out there having such a great time.
Scoreboard? Yeah yeah - it's coming!
<= The fastest she's gone downhill is 45 m/s.
But there's still plenty of time left. I'll break that 20 minute mark yet!
I've noticed the same tendency to slip downhill on the way there, and I've decided that both are one of my sources of spin-outs. Not sure if it's an accurate physics model, but it does make a certain amount of sense to me. The slope and your direction of travel would be applying uneven pressure on your tires, which I imagine would exert a torque on them, in order to even that out.
Thanks for all your efforts, Alec. Always fun to operate outside the box.
Okedoke folks, day #3 and the weekend has seen an absolute flurry of activity ...
Cmdr Markzx59 has shaved over 4 minutes off his time to drop down into 5th place (doh!) with a time of 16:35 - nice improvement - well done.
Next we have the first entry from Cmdr Orange Sheets piloting the "Hives Bug" into 7th place with a very respectable 17:14 despite nearly getting "stuck in the alien" ... urghhh!
Cmdr Relooops has cut another 30 seconds from his amazing entry time to break the 9 minute barrier with an 8:26 run. In any normal gathering of SRV racers that would easily be enough to win ... but this is no ordinary gathering of SRV racers.
In first place, with a truly "blistering" time (his own modest words) of 8 minutes 2 seconds we have ... drum roll ... Cmdr Raijiin in "SRV La SRV" (it's red, as in "Ferrari La Ferrari"). Just WOW! The Candy Crew Guild have well and truly arrived.
What of our intrepid Inga Stevenson I hear you cry. Well, she's back - battered, bruised but 17 seconds faster, to cling on to a top 10 place (just) with a time of 21:43. Keep going Inga, practice makes perfect!
Next up sees the welcome return of long time Buckyballer, deadly forum poster and all-round nice guy, Cmdr Ozric. Despite reckoning there's a few more minutes to be shaved off his time yet, he's put his foot in the door and landed the "Little Blue Dune Buggy" in 9th place with a time of 19:07.
Having read about the race on Galnet, Cmdr Disorganise has dropped in to say hi on his way back from Beagle Point. Despite not having been to a land base before (and thus losing a couple of minutes learning what a "garage" is), he's managed a perfectly decent time of 21m48s in the "Rock Diviner" to take 11th place. Welcome to Buckyball Racing commander!
We also have another new face in the form of Cmdr Brianpmack. Stopping off on his way to the Christmas Carriers Convoy, Brian takes 8th place in his buggy "Yellow Fever" with an excellent time of 18:45. Welcome and Bon Voyage sir. Thanks for stopping by and say hi to Santa for us.
And finally, in the early hours of this morning, Cmdr Bruski,driving flying the brilliantly named "Eight Extraneous Wheels", grabs himself a well earned 5th place with an excellent time of 15:24.
Excellent racing everyone and thanks to all of you for your submissions!
Just a couple of other notes ...
I don't have a time from Nookie Mr.Smith yet! You can submit as many runs as you like commander and I know you've already got some cracking times (I have a video of one that I'll be uploading later on today) so don't hold back!
Please remember to check the rules (and the illustrative screenshots in the OP). I hate doing this but I've had to dock one commander (I won't say who) a bunch of 5 second penalties for not starting/finishing inside a garage (any garage will do), and for failing to get the SRV inside the Alien Kicking triangle. I cut them a break this time but as the competition heats up and things get serious I will have to start discounting invalid submissions entirely.
And finally, don't forget that between 3pm and 5pm today, Ghost Giraffe will be broadcasting a "Spawrks and Mars" livestream of their attempt at the race.
https://www.twitch.tv/aghostgiraffe
If you haven't come across Ghost Giraffe then I highly recommend you check out their hilarious series of videos over on YouTube ...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUDzSklGdoK3lvl6Z8wdtA
Kick It!
P.S. please let me know if I made any mistakes on the scoreboard re: your time, your name or the name of your SRV, or if you've sent me a submission and can't see it on the board at all.
Cmdr Markzx59 has shaved over 4 minutes off his time to drop down into 5th place (doh!) with a time of 16:35 - nice improvement - well done.
Next we have the first entry from Cmdr Orange Sheets piloting the "Hives Bug" into 7th place with a very respectable 17:14 despite nearly getting "stuck in the alien" ... urghhh!
Cmdr Relooops has cut another 30 seconds from his amazing entry time to break the 9 minute barrier with an 8:26 run. In any normal gathering of SRV racers that would easily be enough to win ... but this is no ordinary gathering of SRV racers.
In first place, with a truly "blistering" time (his own modest words) of 8 minutes 2 seconds we have ... drum roll ... Cmdr Raijiin in "SRV La SRV" (it's red, as in "Ferrari La Ferrari"). Just WOW! The Candy Crew Guild have well and truly arrived.
What of our intrepid Inga Stevenson I hear you cry. Well, she's back - battered, bruised but 17 seconds faster, to cling on to a top 10 place (just) with a time of 21:43. Keep going Inga, practice makes perfect!
Next up sees the welcome return of long time Buckyballer, deadly forum poster and all-round nice guy, Cmdr Ozric. Despite reckoning there's a few more minutes to be shaved off his time yet, he's put his foot in the door and landed the "Little Blue Dune Buggy" in 9th place with a time of 19:07.
Having read about the race on Galnet, Cmdr Disorganise has dropped in to say hi on his way back from Beagle Point. Despite not having been to a land base before (and thus losing a couple of minutes learning what a "garage" is), he's managed a perfectly decent time of 21m48s in the "Rock Diviner" to take 11th place. Welcome to Buckyball Racing commander!
We also have another new face in the form of Cmdr Brianpmack. Stopping off on his way to the Christmas Carriers Convoy, Brian takes 8th place in his buggy "Yellow Fever" with an excellent time of 18:45. Welcome and Bon Voyage sir. Thanks for stopping by and say hi to Santa for us.
And finally, in the early hours of this morning, Cmdr Bruski,
Excellent racing everyone and thanks to all of you for your submissions!
Just a couple of other notes ...
I don't have a time from Nookie Mr.Smith yet! You can submit as many runs as you like commander and I know you've already got some cracking times (I have a video of one that I'll be uploading later on today) so don't hold back!
Please remember to check the rules (and the illustrative screenshots in the OP). I hate doing this but I've had to dock one commander (I won't say who) a bunch of 5 second penalties for not starting/finishing inside a garage (any garage will do), and for failing to get the SRV inside the Alien Kicking triangle. I cut them a break this time but as the competition heats up and things get serious I will have to start discounting invalid submissions entirely.
And finally, don't forget that between 3pm and 5pm today, Ghost Giraffe will be broadcasting a "Spawrks and Mars" livestream of their attempt at the race.
https://www.twitch.tv/aghostgiraffe
If you haven't come across Ghost Giraffe then I highly recommend you check out their hilarious series of videos over on YouTube ...
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOUDzSklGdoK3lvl6Z8wdtA
Kick It!
P.S. please let me know if I made any mistakes on the scoreboard re: your time, your name or the name of your SRV, or if you've sent me a submission and can't see it on the board at all.
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Darth Raijiin
Broke his phone.
The physics are about right, the SRV though needs work. It's not engineered for racing in mind at all. It's wheel base needs to be longer for starters, the rear end specifically, it will help with it wanting to oversteer, which is also caused by 4 wheel steering and the middle wheels, which do not travel as much I suspect. They are bottoming out on travel I think and causing the vehicle to pitch right or left. I would increase the rear arms, reduce the rear wheel steering angle, remove the middle wheels, and increase tire size, actual tire size, meaning taller sidewalls as well, it will help tremendously with the rocks, maybe 5-8% bigger diameter at most. Talking maybe a couple inches. The tire size will also increase top end speed by a little bit, not much. I think with those changes, it will be a much better vehicle for racing, and it can still fit in a ship since it still can fold up anyway. A bit more engine capacity couldn't hurt either, but we can see after some suspension upgrades.
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That scream of anguish you all just heard was the base doctors finally resetting my arm from last night's final, and disastrous , attempt to fly uphill in my SRV, ending up wedged upside down in the jagged rocks below, and not me finally remembering to check on my Survival Fallout Shelter game, and seeing five dead wasteland explorers.
Really.
edit: thanks to progenitor cell treatments, I should be good to go in eight hours. Coincidentally, when I get home from work IRL.
Really.
edit: thanks to progenitor cell treatments, I should be good to go in eight hours. Coincidentally, when I get home from work IRL.
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See ... this is the sort of detailed insight and engineering know how that comes from spending real time with the SRV, not just casually messing around in it like some of us.
And speaking of Raijiin's SRV expertise ... it transpires that I've done him a terrible disservice. There was actually another submission from "SRV La SRV" sat in my inbox which I completely missed. A rather extraordinary submission in fact and one that deserves an immediate (if somewhat hasty) patch to the scoreboard.
Ladies and gentlemen, prepare to have your wheels blown off ...
My money is on that time not being beaten ... EVER. (ooohhh, there's a challenge).
P.S. Awesome Nookie run video uploading as we speak (55% done).
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The Buckyball Racing Club presents: Cmdr Nookie Mr.Smith (dude, you're breaking my immershun wiv dat name!) demonstrating how to run "Kick the Alien" in under 9 minutes (throwing in a few tricks while he's at it).
[video=youtube_share;pSx9bN-0nAU]https://youtu.be/pSx9bN-0nAU[/video]
[video=youtube_share;pSx9bN-0nAU]https://youtu.be/pSx9bN-0nAU[/video]
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