Yes it's true, this really came in a dream.
I wanted to return to the old ZakStunts, the old feeling it gave to me. When I started this competition, my favourite change was that I could finally race with any car. The versatility.
But was it freedom as well? No. Because The car was set each month, and you had to race with all of them - doesn't matter if you liked it or not. This is over now.
In 2008 you can finally race with the car you would like to, each and every month!
How is this possible? I have made hard testing in the past days, I drove all the original Stunts cars on 4 test tracks (straight, curves, jumps, loops and jumps) and 4 former race tracks(ZCT16,ZCT55,Kofola,ZCTP2). I compared all the achieved times to the fastest - the Indy. And now I got some nice percentages, exactly how slower are the cars compared to the Indy.
When you submit your replay, your time will be multiplied (1-bonus percentage), and that'll be your time on the board. So now you can compete the Indy with the Lancia for example :) With this new system I expect to reduce the insane RH a bit, and improve your strategic skills. If you have a real favourite car, you can race with it throughout the year if you'd like to.
Of course these percentages can never be perfect, they are always biased. There are three factors helping this:
1. Two tracks are never the same (except maybe ZCT14 and ZCT41 :)) Each track suits different cars. This way, with some strategic thinking you can always make a wise choice, and gain some advantage with it. Your choice turned out to be wrong? Never mind! Change your car and redrive the track anytime throughout the month. If you change your car, of course your time with the previous car disappears.
2. Of course it could still be a problem, that one car has simply better percentages than all the others, and will be chosen again and again. Not in ZakStunts! Each month the winner car will get -1%, the second -0.75% the third -0.50% bonus change. All the cars which were not chosen on the track (in final classification!) get a +0.50% bonus. This will help to maintain a healthy circulation of the cars.
3. The percentages can be also modified by me with each track a little bit. This will most likely happen after the first tracks, to fine tune the percentages. For example on a track clearky suitable for power gearing, power gear capable cars might get a temporary penalty percentage, or there still could be a track of the month, with a considerable bonus.
Of course when the percentages are set and chosen for a track, they will be announced with the track, and they won't change again until the next track is out.
That's it in a nutshell. Other rules won't change much: Point system will be a 12 to 1, one by one, LTB will stay as usual +2/+1, and your two worst results a year doesn't count. We'll have 10 to 12 tracks next year depending on my time, starting with ZCT80 ;) There'll be no noRH championship or team championship anymore, but teams can still work together of course.
The initial bonus percentages are (multiply it with your time achieved and add it together):
Porsche March Indy 0.0%
Porsche 962 IMSA 10.00%
Jaguar XJR9 IMSA 10.75%
Ferrari GTO 26.50%
Audi Quattro 26.75%
Lancia Delta Integrale 26.75%
Acura NSX 27.50%
Lamborghini Countach 28.25%
Chevrolet ZR1 28.50%
Porsche Carrera 30,50%
Lamborghini LM002 34,75%
example:
Roy Wiegerinck goes for the granted, and drove 1:12.25 with the Indy. That's 1:12.25 (later of course the Indy can also have a multiplier!)
Fdzierva is a masochist, chose the Ferrari, and drove 1:40.50. 1:40.50=10050ms; 10050*(1-0,265)=7386,75 ~ 7385 = 1:13.85 he is behind Roy.
Mark Nailwood loves the Jaguar, and drove exactly 1:20.00 with it. 1:20.00 = 8000ms; 8000*(1-0,1075)=7140 ~ 7140 = 1:11.40, he is leading.
Nice rules! I really like them! Now I won't have to race with GTO or Countach ever again (at least not in Zaksunts). The only thing is that you compared your percentages, of course Argammon's Countach handicap is not the same as mine but, as you said, these can be corrected later.
Marvellous, Zak! Your contest is become more professional each season! Of course yo calculate the whole result automatically, so I can see my rank at the scoreboard just after contributing my replay - genius! 8)
(I guess my contest will be dead again in 2008... *sigh* :'()
What if the track becomes a Corvette powergear speedway? Result is quite irrealistic then...
I guess we can count the ZakStunts powergear tracks on one hand. :) Of course if this happens most pipsqueaks will use powergear cars (and there are a few)
I think like CTG : a simple loop and NSX bonus percentage is not correct (that means, too strong).
I think these values are for non-powergear ZR1 and NSX. Besides, Zak said that these values may be adapted to the track so I don't worry too much. ;)
What about some of the cheated cars (those with some realistic behaviour : Melange, Speedgate, Pulsar Coronet, ... Not Niva Comeback or so) ?
Very brave, maybe even a bit risky concept, and we'll see a lot of fine tuning during the initial months - but that's the spirit, freedom and discovery! 8)
On Krys' last post, it's true perhaps there should be a different base % for PG-NSX at least. And I'd like to see some cheat cars too - though I believe Speedgate might have negative %...
Quote from: Krys TOFF on December 18, 2007, 03:47:28 PM
What about some of the cheated cars (those with some realistic behaviour : Melange, Speedgate, Pulsar Coronet, ... Not Niva Comeback or so) ?
Quote from: Duplode on December 18, 2007, 03:55:30 PM
And I'd like to see some cheat cars too - though I believe Speedgate might have negative %...
Zak, so what about these cheated cars...? Will we see them in ZakStunts 2008?
not yet. They might be available later this year. I think they'd overthrow the balance towards the faster cars. But maybe not.
Very interesting concept. I like it.
It's just that PG still looks like a problem. So this month, the indy is superior to all the other cars as it is the only car to reach PG. And it can do so in 99% of all tracks...
If there are tracks where GTO and the like can get PG relativly early also, those cars are advantaged.
So, there's a need to make non PG cars able to win the race.
And he's also afraid of Indy... ;D
(oh yes, the usual stupid insults from CTG ;D)
says one of the most mediocre drivers of stunts history... ;D ;D ;D
I don't care about your opinion, Mr. Quarter Season Hero.
LOL. I know that you do. And deep inside yourself, you know too.
But anyways, I won't waste my time to continue another silly "CTG-incinerated" flamewar.
Don't expect any further replies 8).
I really don't care. Maybe you should show up something to make me believe your words. Or admit that you are Ayrton. :P
Quote from: Argammon on January 06, 2008, 08:22:22 PM
It's just that PG still looks like a problem. So this month, the indy is superior to all the other cars as it is the only car to reach PG. And it can do so in 99% of all tracks...
I agree to that. Unlike the other PG cars, with Indy it's possible to find a PG way in almost every track (just think of Kalpen's CTRACK-B...). Unfortunately I can't see for now a viable solution that does not involve banning Indy use someway at certain races...
Quote from: Duplode on January 06, 2008, 10:53:51 PM
Quote from: Argammon on January 06, 2008, 08:22:22 PM
It's just that PG still looks like a problem. So this month, the indy is superior to all the other cars as it is the only car to reach PG. And it can do so in 99% of all tracks...
I agree to that. Unlike the other PG cars, with Indy it's possible to find a PG way in almost every track (just think of Kalpen's CTRACK-B...). Unfortunately I can't see for now a viable solution that does not involve banning Indy use someway at certain races...
Maybe a dosed and cute use of water... What do you think about the way wherewith drivers have to leave PG in Track B of ISM Eliminatory Round, just after to have crossed the initial lake...?
I'll try to keep track relatively PG-free. But believe me, the bonuses will also help. If on this track the full podium will be Indy, thats -1.5% for the Indy. At the same time, all unused cars get +0.5%. The difference is already 2%, which is quite a lot.
Quote from: Mark L. RiversMaybe a dosed and cute use of water...
"cute" may not be the word I would use to describe water :D, but this is exactly my idea too. ;)
Sorry Mark, but this one looks horrible... :D
Quote from: CTG on January 07, 2008, 11:22:58 AM
Sorry Mark, but this one looks horrible... :D
But works fine in-track anyway, at least for Indy :)
Quote from: Mark L. Rivers on January 07, 2008, 08:01:44 AM
Quote from: Duplode on January 06, 2008, 10:53:51 PM
Quote from: Argammon on January 06, 2008, 08:22:22 PM
It's just that PG still looks like a problem. So this month, the indy is superior to all the other cars as it is the only car to reach PG. And it can do so in 99% of all tracks...
I agree to that. Unlike the other PG cars, with Indy it's possible to find a PG way in almost every track (just think of Kalpen's CTRACK-B...). Unfortunately I can't see for now a viable solution that does not involve banning Indy use someway at certain races...
Maybe a dosed and cute use of water... What do you think about the way wherewith drivers have to leave PG in Track B of ISM Eliminatory Round, just after to have crossed the initial lake...?
I actually managed to keep PG there... The problem was that my way was slower than losing PG and got me 18 seconds penalty time :)
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 07, 2008, 07:30:19 PM
I actually managed to keep PG there... The problem was that my way was slower than losing PG and got me 18 seconds penalty time :)
Let's say it is "almost" possible... :)
By the way, a somewhat less "cute" :) but anyway possibly useful alternative to water would be placing SDR-style checkpoints on track, possibly delimiting no-PG sections, or even IRC sections...
Quote from: BonzaiJoe on January 07, 2008, 07:30:19 PM
Quote from: Mark L. Rivers on January 07, 2008, 08:01:44 AM
Quote from: Duplode on January 06, 2008, 10:53:51 PM
Quote from: Argammon on January 06, 2008, 08:22:22 PM
It's just that PG still looks like a problem. So this month, the indy is superior to all the other cars as it is the only car to reach PG. And it can do so in 99% of all tracks...
I agree to that. Unlike the other PG cars, with Indy it's possible to find a PG way in almost every track (just think of Kalpen's CTRACK-B...). Unfortunately I can't see for now a viable solution that does not involve banning Indy use someway at certain races...
Maybe a dosed and cute use of water... What do you think about the way wherewith drivers have to leave PG in Track B of ISM Eliminatory Round, just after to have crossed the initial lake...?
I actually managed to keep PG there... The problem was that my way was slower than losing PG and got me 18 seconds penalty time :)
I see that you actually did the same PG trick there! (except I went left of the bridge). Nice idea to brake at the hillside, I didn't think of that...
Yep, I wanted for quite some time to find an opportunity to use the "fence/water bug" in an actual race :) And still speaking of that sector, I really enjoy to watch you handling the sharper corners one gear above everyone else... 8)
@ Duplode
It was used on the corvette track C10 January 2002.
I am still proud of that victory because I didn't use advanced replay handling and I think it is likely Roy used it. Moreover it was my first zakstunts victory ever. :)
@Argammon - I knew it was a very classic trick (in fact I first heard of it through BJ's article at ZakStunts), and only referred to my wish of pulling it off myself. Anyway, gonna watch your Z10 lap later ;)
New rule effective from ZCT84 and onwards:
In order to further improve car balance, if a car received the "non used" +2pts bonus on the previous track as well, it'll receive +3 on the actual track. If it still won't be used, it'll get +4 on the upcoming track and so on...