Player Designed Race Courses

[racketear]

Players like to compete, but currently setting up race courses and trials is not possible and has to be completely imagined and explained in some detail.

Possible Solution
Allow players to purchase and drop limpets designated as race / trial 'start-points', 'end-points' and 'way-points'.

Start-points form persistent points of interest that could be set to expire if not rebooted by the maker to aid junk collection.

Each limpet to be assigned to the player that bought them so only they can program them for purpose and make changes in place. Limpets would be reassignable by the owner unlocking the start-point for a set period, during which point another local player can take command of the start point controlling the other limpets dropped in that area.

Open race circuit assignments could be defined requiring the visitor to use a simple, single shot to initiate the 'ready-set-go' timer.

Usage
Players buy limpets, drop and program a start-point with an ID, timer and prize-pot if required. This can be in space or on a planet surface.

Further limpets are dropped to make waypoint 'rings' through which the players have to travel across the surface, through a canyon or across space.

A final limpet is dropped to make the end point of the race or time trial.

Any player having been in the vicinity of the start-point when the race began will, upon reaching the finish-limpet, stop the timer and broadcast the entrant, time and prize received to local.

Obviously theres a load of ways it could work, but I reckon however it was done, setting visible trials and courses would be a huge player created content boost.

Jim

 

[trollson]

Oh sporty type Races

I read it as Species...

 

[Lestat]

Ok, I can go for this one. Or be able to draw one for Frontier and they can make the track. Either way, it would be cool.

 

[Alec Turner]

Always happy to support suggestions for racing (and yeah, introduction of player-placeable "gates" is the obvious way to do this). Alas FD have said, in the not too distant past, that this isn't on the roadmap but it doesn't harm to keep requesting it.

In the meantime, if you fancy some time-trial race action, the next Buckyball Race is currently scheduled to start on the 29th September and run for one week. Keep an eye on buckyballracing.org.uk or on my "Best of Forum" thread linked in my sig below for more details closer to the time.

 

[racketear]

Thanks for those replies and the support. Yeah, I should have put racing courses or something, Races is too vague! I don't think I can edit the title :/

I think one of the benefits is the variety of courses that would come out of community participation. I can see that there is the possibility of junk build up and cluttering of worlds which could be undesirable. If FD could allocate a few dozen planets to the cause, with a status allowing planning permission for race courses and set some conditions, with an 'expire unless propped up' mechanic, the junk could take care of itself.

It should be relatively quick to set up courses for events and could allow for some temporary, persistent player participation that could satisfy several requirements.

Currently, sub-community events are relatively hard to get going because there aren't any mechanisms available. With some relatively simple tools (I know nothing is simple to code) endurance and sprint races could be made on planet surfaces, canyons and through space with verifyable winners and losers.

The PvE and PvP crowds would both have events to take part in or crash.

The existence of slog, run and combative courses, every man for himself, capture the flag, team runs etc would also be a very good reason to develop new SRVs *nudge* which would, of itself be a VERY welcome thing Imagine the paintjob variants, markers and beacons of light or smoke canisters for teams and individual players to make them easier for spectators to spot as they progress. Decals for winners and champions, participants and regular losers Perhaps these could also be bought pre-match and automatically allocated to participants at the end.

There's development loot in it as well as variety

 

[torbach]

suggestions for this have been around for a while and while you're able to use other player ships...
i think glowing blue Ancient Relic's might be able to map a course


but i think racing outside isn't ideal - i'd rather see an indoor circuit, 2-3 stations/megaships you get to and queue (no need to dock, and unified matching so it is the largest pool of players possible)

i think a few various options that rotate - small ships only, med only, no weapons, or complete ffa no restrictions