For the second year running Coronavirus restrictions in the UK have meant that the annual "Lavecon" fan convention has had to be cancelled in its live form and moved to an online format.
The good news is this means that the Buckyball race for the event has once again moved out of the LAN room and into the wild where everyone can enjoy it.
The race, which we're calling the Lavecon Lockdown Challenge, will run from Saturday 3rd July to Sunday 11th July inclusive and is available to all players, in either Odyssey or Horizons, and on any platform.
Buckyball races are time trial events which mean you can have a go at them whenever you fancy (and as many times as you like) throughout the week of the race. You follow the prescribed course (more on that in a second), capturing your run as video or via a small set of required screenshots, which you then submit as evidence to the race organiser who checks it and then records your time on a leaderboard that's maintained for all to see on this forum thread.
As our first race since Odyssey launched I wanted to showcase some of Odyssey's features so there are actually two versions of the race, one for those competing in Odyssey and one for those in Horizons.
The Odyssey version takes place at The-Rheen Haven on Kremavi A 3, a planetary port added for Cmdr Rheeney of the Buur Pit on the permanently daylit side of a beautiful atmospheric high metal content world.
The race begins with a 200m on foot sprint to your SRV, then a 5km long SRV dash to the port's entrance tunnel. You then board your ship (which needs to be a Keelback for this race), deploy a ship launched fighter (whichever type you prefer), fly the fighter through both entrance tunnels, return to your ship, fly the ship through both tunnels, and then land. I've prepared a short demonstration video to illustrate this more clearly. Note that in the video I mention targeting your SRV from the ship when you're getting setup but in fact you should leave the SRV untargeted since the HUD then displays both the distance to the SRV and the distance to the station (see screenshot #1 in the spoiler below).
The Horizons version of the race is basically a re-run of an event we organised for a Frontier Livestream some time ago and takes place at the Napier Installation planetary port on Ross 671 B 3. It's essentially the same as the Odyssey event but without the initial on-foot sprint. Here's another video illustrating this version of the race.
For the Odyssey version you will be required to provide the following 7 screenshots (typically shared via a link to an IMGUR album), each clearly showing the time in the HUD clock:
1) Parked in your ship at least 5km from the planetary port with your SRV visible 200m further up the hill (this screenshot will provide your start time)
2) Driving in through the entrance tunnel of the planetary port in your SRV.
3) Flying in through an entrance tunnel in your SLF.
4) Flying out through the opposite tunnel in your SLF.
5) Flying in through a tunnel in your Keelback.
6) Flying out through a tunnel in your Keelback.
7) Landed back on one of the port's landing pads with the station services menu visible (this screenshot will provide your finish time)
Note: all tunnel screenshots should be clearly inside the tunnel and not just approaching it.
Here's an example set of screenshots to illustrate what I mean.
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If you're able to then you may find it easier to simply record a video of your entire run and then extract the screenshots from the video afterwards (make sure to capture the latest possible start time and the earliest possible finish time). You are permitted to simply upload and share a link to the video itself as your evidence if you want although it's generally preferred (and quicker in terms of upload time) if you just provide the screenshots.
To submit evidence of a completed run please use the following Google form link.
Submissions for the race will be accepted any time from 00:00:00 UTC on Saturday 3rd July until 23:59:59 on Sunday 11th July.
As I mentioned earlier you're welcome to try this more than once during the week - that's essentially the spirit of Buckyball - to post a time, see someone else beat it (or not) and then have another go and see if you can improve upon your personal best and reclaim your rightful place on the leaderboard (even if that's bottom - the only losers in a Buckyball race are those who don't take part). This race has several aspects to it so there are all sorts of areas where you'll be able to shave off a few seconds (or even minutes).
Feel free to ask questions or just generally banter about the race in this forum thread and definitely post screenshots and/or videos of your glorious
Odyssey results
| Position | Cmdr Name | Ship name | SRV name | SLF name | Mode | Platform | Time |
| 1 | Sgurr | Driftfinder General | Uncertain emotions | Barrier magnet | Odyssey | PC | 05:16 |
| 2 | Shaye Blackwood | Emily | Speedwagon | Artemis | Odyssey | PC | 05:29 |
| 3 | Aken B. | Albion Skunk | The Tumbling Initiative | The Bumbling Initiative | Odyssey | PC | 06:22 |
| 4 | Sulu | The Vaccinator | Hyperdermic | Needle | Odyssey | PC | 06:26 |
| 5 | Epaphus | Hull integrity critical | Spinny Boi | Tunnel Phobia | Odyssey | PC | 06:42 |
| 6 | Darplata94 | Junebug | Greased Lodestone | Mosquito | Odyssey | PC | 06:57 |
| 7 | Inga Stevenson | Great White | Hail a Crab | Remoraz | Odyssey | PC | 08:16 |
| 8 | Elfener | Elfener's Lavecon Taxi | Totally Driveable | NotAFighter | Odyssey | PC | 08:18 |
| 9 | Crotalus | Carina | Odyssey | PC | 08:23 | ||
| 10 | Psykit | the fuchsia fighter | invisirock discovery service | tiny but mighty | Odyssey | PC | 08:45 |
| 11 | Cheetah | Impenetrable Darkness | Last Rolo | Dingo's Kidney | Odyssey | PC | 09:19 |
| 12 | Isurus | Jaws | Jumper | Stinger | Odyssey | PC | 09:42 |
| 13 | Haypoch | Keel'B Back | Amma Gon' Be Sick | Fly Me A River | Odyssey | PC | 09:49 |
| 14 | CMDR Zekonnd | TFS KIBAC PLUNGE | TFS SRV 1 | TFF KIBAC PLUNGE 1 | Odyssey | PC | 10:03 |
| 15 | New Model 15 | Stucko | Flat Spin | PaintScraper | Odyssey | PC | 11:52 |
Horizons results
| Position | Cmdr Name | Ship name | SRV name | SLF name | Mode | Platform | Time |
| 1 | Shaye Blackwood | Emily | Speedwagon | Artemis | Horizons | PC | 04:30 |
| 2 | Manti | Skunkback | Pretty Little Ditty | iPod #0004 | Horizons | PC | 04:46 |
| 3 | Bruski | StuckBack | The Self Preservation Society | Fidget Spinner | Horizons | PC | 06:10 |
| 4 | Stan2021 | BRICK GOES BRRRRRRRRRR | wuuuuuuuuuwwwwwww ... | nyauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu ... | Horizons | PC | 06:18 |
| 5 | Epaphus | Hull integrity critical | Spinny Boi | Tunnel Phobia | Horizons | PC | 06:24 |
| 6 | Elastul Ma'Fer | Brick | Little Dune Buggy | Out of Control | Horizons | PC | 06:34 |
| 7 | TechyMr B | Quick Brick | Torvill | Pancake | Horizons | XBOX | 06:39 |
| 8 | Edelgard von Rhein | Eyes Wide Open | Spin Cycle | Red Robin | Horizons | PC | 07:59 |
FAQ
Q) Does the Keelback require specific outfitting or engineering?
A) No, for this race I'm allowing any outfitting and engineering you like (although you will of course require a planetary vehicle hangar plus SRV and a ship launched fighter bay plus fighter).
Q) Does it matter which ship launched fighter I use?
A) No, you can use any fighter you like (even a Guardian variant).
Q) Do I need an NPC crew member?
A) No, you'll be able to deploy, fly and re-dock the ship launched fighter without an NPC crew member.
Q) Why does the Odyssey race not simply start on foot?
A) Because there's no clock in the on-foot HUD and thus no way to see the start time.
Q) Did you put the previous question in here purely to pressure Frontier into adding a clock to the on-foot HUD?
A) Yes.
Q) How do I know which pad my ship will be on (i.e. which garage to drive my SRV to)?
A) It doesn't matter, having requested boarding permission from the SRV's Contacts panel you can then drive to any garage you like (the video illustrates the closest).
Q) Do I need to dismiss my ship once I'm heading to the station in the SRV?
A) I think it's probably a good idea, otherwise you might run into problems when you get to the station (note that there's a keybind you can set up in controls to dismiss/recall your ship).
Q) Where the hell are the damn tunnels, I can't find them!?!?
A) Learn to look out for the ramps that come down from the tunnels inside the port (and which are clearly visible from the air ... at least they are at the The Rheen-Haven)
Q) Will there be any prizes for the winners?
A) Oh crap, I forgot ... yes, the Lavecon organisers may well be providing us with some ship skin prizes.
Q) Is it me or is my Keelback drifting like a balloon?
A) It might be you but it could also be the following issue: https://issues.frontierstore.net/issue-detail/36213. If you're fairly convinced it's the latter then feel free to go and vote on it and then try re-starting the game to see if that clears the problem.
Q) Can I employ an NPC pilot and get them to dock the fighter?
A) No, you have to manually dock the fighter back with the mothership yourself.
Q) Can I use the docking computer to land my ship at the end?
A) No, you have to manually land the ship yourself.
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No it isn't, but we're heading away and right now I doubt I'll have time to do a run before we leave.
