Cars and rules for 2025

[dreadnaut]

Looking ahead 🔭
With a large enough telescope, I'm sure we could see ZakStunts 2025 from when we stand today. They are a bit small, but I can see tracks. Can't tell if they are twelve or more 🤔 What to you think?

While the game stays the same, the Competition is open to rule changes. This thread is here to collect and discuss suggestions, and also to decide which custom cars will be allowed for the coming season.

See also: Cars and rules for 2024

[Duplode]

I feel the LTB system could be well worth looking into in this pre-season. Last year there were plenty of interesting ideas for reform (here is some of the discussion in the previous thread), but there was little time left in the cycle for them to mature and become actionable.

[Spoonboy]

Regarding cars:

The original Stratos could be replaced by the Gr4 Stratos. I believe @Ryoma had expressed a wish that this version could be used in future, now it has been published. I can confirm it is even more fun to drive, faster and with a digital dashboard!

There have been many other great cars sent this year, such as Zapper's Mazda 787B, Ryoma's Ferrari 499P, though these may clash with the stock P962/JAG.

Alan Rotoi's Baronetti A-70 would be a worthy addition. It has established itself as a part of recent Stunts history, been tested in races and drives well!

I'll also put in my annual request for Ryoma's Peugeot Oxia. Great looks, great speed, great handling with fun grip levels. Crying out to be challenged in the ZakStunts arena.

[alanrotoi]

Cars
We have several car packs now (imsa, dtm, muscle cars 1, rally, muscle cars 2, indy, offroad, 50's cars). Zakstunts adds 5 custom cars per year. What if we add 4 cars plus a car pack? The pack would share the same bonus modifier to assure a car pack battle!

If a car from the pack has a plus or a minus or one of them wins, the whole pack gets the same treatment.

Teams
What if every team has an academy? Let's say 2 academy slots. The pipsqueaks in the academy must be in the amateur league. They earn points in the amateur league and they are promoted from the academy when they reach 10 points as usual.

So you have the school porpose of the team, extra slots for newbies and a grown ex-newbie promoted ready to build a new team.

[Shoegazing Leo]

Idea:

General bonus for crowded races

Races from 15 to 20 pipsqueaks:

Points multiplier: 1.25

Races with 21 pipsqueaks or more:

Points multiplier: 1.5

Positive effect: races with a lot of pipsqueaks are harder. It's more difficult be the 12th when 22 are racing than be the 10th with 13.

Negative effect: fear of ghosts made just to made a race more pontuable.

[alanrotoi]

I propose some of these:


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About Baronetti A-70, Chevrolet Camaro, Chevrolet Silverado Monster Truck all were tested in live race. If I have to choose only one of mine I would choose Camaro.

About the cars of Zapper I would like to see Lotus Esprit again, it's a masterpiece.

About Ryoma's I think Ferrari Testarossa or Lamborghini Diablo are great options.

[Spoonboy]

About Ryoma's I think Ferrari Testarossa or Lamborghini Diablo are great options.

The Testarossa is very nice. Its grip levels make cornering very fun and challenging.
Ryoma's F512M like is a newer, updated Testarossa with more power/acceleration and a clearer dashboard, but still with the same great handling. Maybe worth consideration?
https://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=3673.0
Of course, the Oxia still wins for me!

[Spoonboy]

The original Stratos could be replaced by the Gr4 Stratos. I believe @Ryoma had expressed a wish that this version could be used in future, now it has been published. I can confirm it is even more fun to drive, faster and with a digital dashboard!

To expand/correct myself on Ryoma's Stratos:
In comparison with the Original Stratos, the Gr4 adds acceleration (but not top speed), and the display could be considered semi-digital - an analogue rev counter with digital speedometer.

Now he has added the Gr5 to the garage!
This has the Gr4's acceleration, but a top speed of 183mph!

If the Stratos was to retain its position on the roster, these variants should be considered. I'd recommend they are tested to compare - with the Gr5's combination of grip/speed, the Gr4 may be considered easier to handle.

[Duplode]

Idea:

General bonus for crowded races

Races from 15 to 20 pipsqueaks:

Points multiplier: 1.25

Races with 21 pipsqueaks or more:

Points multiplier: 1.5

Positive effect: races with a lot of pipsqueaks are harder. It's more difficult be the 12th when 22 are racing than be the 10th with 13.

Negative effect: fear of ghosts made just to made a race more pontuable.

This is an interesting idea! Though attendance has been reasonably steady as of late, the number of pipsqueaks sure makes a big difference in how a race plays out, specially around the middle of the scoreboard. Though it was implemented for a different reason, the scoring-from-the-bottom points system at CCC and NTT, which also addresses this issue, has worked fine.

The main downside I can think of for such a system is that it would be harder to make plans about a season scoreboard target, or make forecasts generally, as you'd not know in advance how many points would be in play. (Though I can see how, from a different point of view, the extra unpredictability might be seen as a nice thing.)

[Duplode]

I feel the LTB system could be well worth looking into in this pre-season. Last year there were plenty of interesting ideas for reform (here is some of the discussion in the previous thread), but there was little time left in the cycle for them to mature and become actionable.

So, LTB... I should begin by noting that I'm probably not the best person to make the case for LTB reform, as I kind of made my peace with the current system during this season (maybe the hangover from ZCT266 has cleared ), and wouldn't really mind going into 2025 without major changes. Anyway, it's certainly an important topic which is well worth discussing now. We could perhaps begin by looking at possible motivations for changing LTB. Looking back at past discussions, I would highlight two issues that I've seen mentioned with some frequency:

• Most pipsqueaks never or only rarely partake in LTB fights.
• Intense LTB fights can be exhausting and time-consuming.

Do these cover the perceived issues well? Are there other aspects worth highlighting?

Edit: As a conversation starter, I have just posted a sketch of a possible "position time bonus" system, which would expand LTB further down the scoreboard.