So this was originally slated to jump off in October, but thanks to Obsidian Orbital's lengthy construction time, mysterious station malfunctions, the GalMap Route Plot Mutiny of 3301, and the general instability of the space-time continuum of late, Buckyball 9 has been on the back burner. But it looks like that's all changed. We have a finish line, and a way to get there. Let's get this show on the road.
Note to regular racers! This is not the registration thread, but rather a "save the date" notification so pilots wanting to participate know to be in/around the bubble before the race starts. The official registration thread will go up the day before with the specifics of the race (like, the starting line.)
This is also to announce the first LIVE Buckyball, where runners will launch at the same time and scramble to reach Obsidian as quickly as they can. More on that below.
Wait, I'm new here. What's this again?
It's the Buckyball Run, chum! A bunch of pilots getting together to see how fast they can fly and how high they can make their insurance premiums go.
Isn't that what Elite Racers do?
The Elite Racers are kindred spirits, but they keep their action up close and personal, flying in and around space ports. Buckyballers fly rally races throughout the bubble, and sometimes across the galaxy. Think you're fast? CMDR Alot holds the record to Sagittarius A* at 8 hours, 7 minutes and 58 seconds. Maybe you can beat him.
That's insane.
Tell me about it. Alot and some of the other pilots have done it multiple times. Between you and me, they're nuts. I can judge them because I only did it once.
So you're racing across the galaxy again?
Nah, this is a local race but will be in the neighborhood of 500 light years. Again, the details will come in the registration thread.
So... How does this work, exactly?
Buckyball Runs are asymmetric races. They run for about a week. Participating CMDRs follow the race route and document their times with screenshots of the ship's dash clock or video, and then at the end of the race the times are compared to declare a winner.
Sounds interesting. What do I get if I win?
Nothing really. It's just for fun and bragging rights.
Seriously?
Yep.
So this will actually cost me time and money.
Pretty much. Possibly a LOT of both, really.
You lost me.
Eh. Happens a lot. You might as well save yourself the heartache now and click that big red X in the corner to close this window. Do it now, before it's too late!
Forget that guy, this sounds like a blast!
That's the spirit! It is a metric crapton of fun. We couldn't keep doing it going into our third year otherwise. Click here to see the previous races.
And I lied about not winning anything. Once you complete your first Buckyball, you'll never fly the same again. Every trade run, every smuggling mission, every docking will become a race to you. If you think you can get from point A to point B fast now, you'll be amazed at how much time you chop off the clock once you get the technique down. That's a gift that keeps on giving. Not to mention linking up with some pretty awesome CMDRs.
Plus it's just a lot of fun. You like fun, don't you?
Man, I LIVE for fun. So what about this "live" race? This is new?
Oh yeah! So, like I said before ordinarily Buckyball is asymmetric. CMDRs launch and run the race on their own schedules and can keep running the race until they get an optimum time. This time, though, we're gonna try to do a live launch right at the start. Prior to 2100 GMT on 2 January, anyone who wants to can gather at the starting line (location TBD) in whatever ship they like and when 2100 rolls around launch at once. Whoever reaches Obsidian Orbital first is the winner of the live event. Officially, the race winner will be determined at the end of the week as usual, but like everything else we do, the live run is just for the fun of it.
Note that this is not a combat event - it's a race not a deathmatch. Regardless, make sure your insurance is paid up. While it's not combat racing, it can be a bit of a demolition derby in the slot...
Got it. So, official race registration begins January 1st, the race starts January 2nd, with a live event kicking off at 2100 GMT in any ship I want.
Yup, that's it, with the rest of the week being run like a traditional Buckyball. For a better idea of what that looks like, have a look at the Buckyball Run 7 thread:
Or better still, slide into your flight suit, grab your helmet and head off for the Buckyball Racing Club's current event, running NOW!
Hope to see you on the starting grid! Got questions, just ask. Someone will have an answer.
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