Community Event / Creation Speedbowl IV - New Grounds - 21/22 November 3306 - Hypersonic gravity assisted racing is back!

PrimetimeCasual
presents


Speedbowl IV - New Grounds


zBncccPcaeXt38m9ASKPnLRodZSmcMCrtYTRh-r6HlOCb7Gn7wu9NtwNhg2d_oaM43cenCVToAPSJwTn3amNScBacU_VMS1Z9FPylZM9qVDzE1Qd0dwNJ-9d-fzmh_uA6DRA66qK



Approved by the GSA
Powered by EDSM.net
Sponsored by BPMC
Event artwork by CMDR Rheeney
Original artwork by Allcrowsareblack​


What is a Speedbowl and why should I care?
Speedbowl I was conceived out of CMDR PrimetimeCasuals find that high G worlds break the speed limiter built into our ships. Using the correct technique, CMDR Sanderlings final run achieved over 9.000m/s in normal space during the Speedbowl.

Speedbowl II built on that and added a planetary outpost as the finish line, requiring pilots from all around the Bubble to not only fly fast but with high precision as well! The signature "Sanderling Flip" over the finish line was just the icing on top the cake that made this event so special.

Speedbowl III further refined the process - introducing a Discord-based, automatic submission feature via Discord. Margulis Depot, with its tall towers and narrow gaps, proved to be the perfect venue, showcasing the skill of veteran pilots while still being perfectly accessible for all participants.

If you are looking for a quick introduction to FA OFF, enjoy speed and a challenge but can't invest the time and resources to build a bespoke ship - this event is for you!

And with the addition of Fleet Carriers, it is now easier than before to get bowling.


A short retrospective on Speedbowl III
Speedbowl II was a great iteration on the premise of Speedbowl I. All participants enjoyed it and Frontier Developments once more provided some highly sought after exclusive prizes.

After a hiatus due to Distant Worlds 2 - where we hosted a special, friendly edition of Speedbowl - it was time to look for things to improve. We could not find many, as the combination of a short run (only 10 minutes), a target to aim for and a shipyard to rebuy was close to perfect. For Speedbowl III, we simply went looking for another location that would tick all those boxes and provide an added challenge.

And we found it.



In short - Speedbowl IV will cover new terrain, again!



Rules in a nutshell for Speedbowl veterans
If you participated in Speedbowl III, you might think you know all about precision bowling. Here is a short refresher.
  • Drop-in altitude remains at 200 km!
  • There is a set of target coordinates!
  • There is an upper altitude limit for the finish line!
  • We require full run videos to be eligible for the official leaderboard!
  • You are required to follow a given flight vector!
  • Race run duration stays at less than ten minutes!
  • Rebuy your ship just in orbit!
  • Fleet carrier shuttle service available!

Event location
The event location is HR 6164 ABC 1, a beautiful world of 3.30g just a short way from Sol.

The finish line is GEO 8, a geyser location on the edge of a large crater with a distinctive middle peak - the small canyon dividing the ridge forms the finish line.

The fleet carrier MZH-B3Z Lithobrake will be in orbit at all times. It provides not only a shuttle service on event start and end, but also much-needed rebuy, repair, and relaxation.

Event date
All times referenced are according to the ship clock and calendar.

The date for the Speedbowl IV race weekend is the SAT 21. / SUN 22. November 3306. Any submissions showing a cockpit clock between 00:01 on the 21st and 23:59 on the 22nd are valid. Please try and not cut it THAT close, though.

Please be aware that due to time zone differences the final results might not be available until the evening of the 23rd of November. We will aim to publish preliminary results as soon as possible though.

Signup
There is no signup. Just turn in up to three submissions during the 48 hours "Speedbowl Weekend" and you're in! To plan the amount of organizational work needed, I would still appreciate a short "I'll go bowling" in this thread.

Ship and engineering limitations

You do need to have a Detailed Surface Scanner installed.

This is a zero-mass module, with no power consumption. Other than that, there are no restrictions at all.

Open / Private Group / Solo
Whatever you want! Lone wolf or pack racer, everyone is welcome!

Platforms
Like all Speedbowl events, this one will be open to ALL PLATFORMS.

Full rules for event submissions

0) Each contestant has a limit of THREE official submissions. Try as often as you like, but once Speedbowl weekend is here, you have THREE submissions to make it count. Details are outlined below.

1) The official race venue is HR 6164 ABC 1, GEO 8. Submissions from other locations will not be accepted.

2) All entrants must remain in normal space (no Supercruise). All types and modifications of thrusters are allowed.

3) No limitations on flight techniques as long as you stay in normal space and do not exceed the 200km starting altitude.

4a) The video has to start on the system map with the calendar date visible.

4b) All entrants must start the run at zero metres per second at 200 km altitude with Geological Site 8 selected as the target. The ship clock should show a time before the deadline on Sunday. You are allowed to cross the finish line after that, as long as you start your run before midnight.

4c) While there are no fixed starting coordinates, we recommend starting your first run at around 1400 km distance to the target and adjust from there.

5) The finish line is the canyon of GEO 8, with a maximum altitude of 2000m and a heading of roughly 120°, pointing towards the central peak!

5b) The main point for "roughly" is to be inside the small canyon, i.e. the GEO 8 POI to the left of you. If the GEO 8 POI is not to your left, i.e. you are not inside the canyon, the run may be judged ineligible.

6) Survival is mandatory! You may not impact the ground at any time, and your video must show that you are in control of your ship on a stable upwards trajectory.

7) Editing your submission post is disabled to prevent tampering with the contained video.


Important note
Contestants do NOT need to land.


Submission - Video
Simply record your race run, upload it to a provider of your choice and link to it in the official Discord submission channel (see below).

Please announce your submission in this format, to enable us to automatically process your entry:

%submit <cmdrname> - <shiptype> - <shipname> - <link>
e.g.:
%submit PrimetimeCasual - Hauler - Fat Bottomed Girl - http://www.youtube.com

The race judge will respond if the submission is judged a valid run or not.

You are also allowed to fast-forward the video after the start, in case upload size is an issue - please leave at least the first 30 seconds, "a good amount of time" around the finish line and then the final stop and hover at normal speed.

Prizes
There will be prizes for the fastest speed achieved, as judged by CMDR PrimetimeCasual.

The podium winners will have a choice from a pool of Community Prize Packs, Frontier Paintjobs, and possible a special prize as well!


Tutorial
CMDR PrimetimeCasual has put together a short introduction to Gravity Effect Flying. This should help first-time participants to understand the concept, while also serving as a baseline for veterans as to what speeds to expect.


The theoretical top speed is 3725 m/s, with top finishers expected to achieve 3675 m/s.


Communication

Discord - We will accept submissions in the official Discord channel only. You can also use the provided voice channels to organize yourself into groups for the event or just for chatting with fellow speedfreaks!

Discord: https://discord.gg/BfHc4Uh

If you are unfamiliar with Discord, "Don’t Panic"TM! A member of the admin team will respond if you ping them with any issues or queries.

Forums - Please also continue to use this thread to chat about ships, engineering, and techniques. You can also post your race submissions for all to see during the event weekend.

Twitter - There is no official Twitter channel for submissions, but we are using the official #Speedbowl4 hashtag for all tweets related to this event. You can also follow @PrimetimeCasual for more event coverage:


https://twitter.com/PrimetimeCasual


Updates
Please keep an eye on both this top post and the second post in the thread in advance of and during the Speedbowl event. We will keep them updated to communicate any changes to the rules.


CLOSING WORDS
Thank you
The event organizers and Speedbowl founders would like to thank all parties privy of this document and the early stages of planning "Speedbowl IV - New Grounds" for their enthusiasm and willingness to help. We are constantly pushing the envelope and try to bring new elements to every Speedbowl event.

The Buur Pit has been a great place in the past and the continued support and promotion they provide are invaluable, as is the support of Frontier Developments directly.

The addition of Speedbot to Speedbowl III was perhaps the most significant update to the event we have ever done and was a resounding success.

We hope to bring you even more ground-breaking and ground-shaking action this year.


As always, fly safe and avoid the ground!


Cmdr PrimetimeCasual

Chairman of the Galactic Speedbowl Association
 
Last edited:
Ok here is a first...I`m in with an honest attempt to not explode. This should be interesting as I have not actully figured out steering and levelling out at the right height yet. I can get speed though. I will also have my carrier "Emilys Retreat" available for use if anyone needs. I will be leaving Bavarigga at 12 - 1pm uk time tomorrow if anyone needs some ships delivering. Please allow a day or so cos I may have to refuel on the way.
 
Last edited:
Ok as a complete novice to Speedbowl..I have one question that I need to ask...how do you compensate for side drift. I can get speed and even get the target in site, but my side drift was off the scale and well.....boom!
I have all week to practice so any tips useful please.
 
Ok as a complete novice to Speedbowl..I have one question that I need to ask...how do you compensate for side drift. I can get speed and even get the target in site, but my side drift was off the scale and well.....boom!
I have all week to practice so any tips useful please.
So the main thing I learned during previous speedbowls was about paying attention to space dust (something I know FA Off pilots talk about). Basically tiny particles flying past your canopy which give away the direction you're actually flying in as opposed to the direction you're facing. Staying on top of this using left/right lateral thrust to keep the dust coming straight towards you from your target location is a key skill to learn. You also want to keep facing forwards using yaw but that's actually secondary to making sure your direction of travel is forwards.
 
Yes that helped..I managed to explode near the target. I never considered that levelling the flight is also not so easy lolol.
 
Ok its official..I have no idea how the hell to pull out of the dive. Guess I need more practice/rebuys
 
Last edited:
Yes that helped..I managed to explode near the target. I never considered that levelling the flight is also not so easy lolol.

"Missing the ground" is both the essential and the hardest part. ;)

What I always do is, as soon as the vertical speed indicator (to the right of the HUD) appears, give it a good boost with only vertical thrusters up, until it visibly moves. That way, you know you are within two or three boosts of levelling out. Especially since you need to slightly drop into the target zone.

Also, I will record a proper, on-site tutorial this week, and as usual, a "Masterclass" stream closer to the event itself.
 
Well its getting better I managed to almost level out at 7km..backwards mind you! Then trying to turn it around I ended upside down going backwards and hitting the ground. Oh boy.
 
I'm in orbit with the FC 'Agnostic Ascension' and a couple of practise runs under my belt to figure out this speedbowling malarky again.
Survived both runs and I was reasonably happy with the second, could practically smell the sulphur off those fumaroles and hit 3.3km/s just got to find another 300m/s to be competitive now :D
 
Well its getting better I managed to almost level out at 7km..backwards mind you! Then trying to turn it around I ended upside down going backwards and hitting the ground. Oh boy.

That sounds like you'll be ready for the event in time! Just remember that the thrusters on the side of the ship won't be able to hold you, so rolling the ship is a major no-no.


I'm in orbit with the FC 'Agnostic Ascension' and a couple of practise runs under my belt to figure out this speedbowling malarky again.
Survived both runs and I was reasonably happy with the second, could practically smell the sulphur off those fumaroles and hit 3.3km/s just got to find another 300m/s to be competitive now :D

3300 isn't bad for the first attempts - you'll be able to hit a semi-competitive 3500 easily!
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom