Track designer advantage myth

[alanrotoi]

There was a myth at the beginning that who designs the track has an advantage over the other pipsqueaks. Maybe it's true or maybe just a small one but the numbers are the numbers. A small change in one element or sometimes decorative elements doesn't change the possible advantage. It only equals the racing time for everybody.

Only 36 from 245 tracks had his/her designer in the podium:

1st place: 7 times
2nd place: 11 times
3rd place: 18 time

Only the 2,85% of the tracks were won by its creator.

[Cas]

If you add to that that there's a mild correlation by which good pipsqueaks are more likely to enjoy building tracks, then the number should be even smaller.

I see the correlation this way: if you're a good pipsqueak, that partially is because of how much you play Stunts, which in part is because of how much you like the game, which means it's more likely that you enjoy more aspects of the game than other people, which makes it more likely that you'll enjoy creating a track. Of course, this only means that people who play well are more likely to enjoy making tracks, not that they are the ones that enjoy making tracks the most. I absolutely love making tracks and I'm an average-to-bad pipsqueak, ha, ha.

[KyLiE]

I think the track designer might enjoy racing on their track more, but as you have already proven, the measurable difference is little to none.  It might be a different case with live racing though if the track is only revealed right before the race.

[Daniel3D]

Some good drivers like Zak like certain difficulties in a track or make a powergear track. They would automatically have an advantage against those who are less trained in that.
But. That advantage is a skill advantage that applies to most tracks regardless of who makes them.

There is enough time for everyone to learn the track and set the best time they can. Most tricks are well known and are often shared.

There is no fun in winning via a trick that nobody knows (right?)

[Overdrijf]

There is no fun in winning via a trick that nobody knows (right?)

When you put it like that, it would be kind of fun to secretly develop your own complex shortcut and then design a track around it. Keep posting faster laps throughout the non-public days and see if anyone figures it out.

Also @Alan: I don't suppose you have sorted the data by "Zak" and "not Zak", did you? That might be an interesting point of viewing it. Zak designed so many tracks, he'll be submitting very varied designs and he won't be tempted to try harder on his own tracks. It's possible that you'd see a slightly stronger effect without him.

Overall I feel like I gain more of an advantage from using a car I'm more familiar with than from having designed the track.

[alanrotoi]

There is no fun in winning via a trick that nobody knows (right?)

Also @Alan: I don't suppose you have sorted the data by "Zak" and "not Zak", did you? That might be an interesting point of viewing it. Zak designed so many tracks, he'll be submitting very varied designs and he won't be tempted to try harder on his own tracks. It's possible that you'd see a slightly stronger effect without him.

Overall I feel like I gain more of an advantage from using a car I'm more familiar with than from having designed the track.

No I didn't but those who won in his own tracks were: 1 Gutix, 1 dreadnaut, 1 Alan Rotoi, 1 Akoss Poo and 3 Duplode.

[alanrotoi]

The winning rate almost started since 2015 when pipsqueaks started to build all the tracks wich is logical. From ZCT01 to ZCT163 it only happened once when Gutix won ZCT123. Then came Akoss Poo in ZCT164, dreadnaut in ZCT194 and since 2018 the podiums became more frecuent with a 3 track designers per year in average. The 1st places were: Duplode ZCT217, Alan Rotoi ZCT219, Duplode ZCT230 and Duplode ZCT245.

I think the reason of this last small acceleration (but acceleration anyway) is for other reasons such competitiveness, community objectives, individual goals, etc. Maybe it is possible to explain some of the "new generation" motivations with the name of a competition wich started in those years: Race for Kicks. Also GAR spirit joins to this idea to find fun not only winning races or being highly competitive. Following this meaning the new concept of an Amateur League is right. A current goal of the community is to give more relevance to not podium participations. "Amateur" is only a name, since you are racing here guys you're not amateur anymore Todays community is more complex than just winning races wich is also good of course. There are too many possible objectives around: managing competitions and events, building cars, building tracks, making tools, reversing the code, racing in competitions, just being around posting or commenting...

[CTG]

There are three types of tracks in my world:

- FUN: that's a dangerous one. If I like it very much, I tend to take it less seriously. Previously I always built a "CTGish" track in ZakStunts, with my favorite tricks, track element combos and fast left corners. I could not win any of them. (However, it used to be a gentlemen's agreement in the 00s/early 10s to give <100% performance on your own track.) 

- CHALLENGE: probably it's a bit hard or seems to be a crappy one at first, but I feel inspired to race on it. I guess this type covers all of my ZakStunts victories.

- PURE PAIN: it's needless to say more (e.g. Poo tracks).

[Akoss Poo a.k.a. Zorromeister]

Well, since the car bonuses determine the car of the track, there is no real advantage. Now I foresee that probably I have to design a track for an unwanted (custom) car.

[alanrotoi]

You're right! That's why I exteded the analysis to podium places wich by the way we have another podium builder with CTG's zct246.

1st place: 7 times
2nd place: 12 times
3rd place: 18 time

Just to get clear because language issues. I don't think it is a significant advantage so please don't get me wrong. Also we could extend the analysis to the custom cars and I'm pretty sure we will find the same results or even fewer.

[Daniel3D]

How many of those who got a podium on their own track did not get another podium in that season?
I guess the list will be very short then 

I mean that I believe the advantage is even smaller.
That the might have won that race regardless of who made it.