ZCT283 - Shadowplay

[CTG]

OK, I'll win this one.

[Duplode]

Comeback Time, Groovy! 

[Duplode]

Here are some notes on the current PTB situation:

Alan Rotoi (197:17 at last midnight, the end of the public days) is still in contention for PTB +2 (528 stunts hours). To achieve that, he can afford to lose no more than 29:43 of PTB time in the remainder of the race (that is, 15 days from midnight to the start of quiet days, or 360 real hours). That means he must swiftly deal with the lead challenge by Argammon (148:47 at midnight), who, by retaking the lead in the morning (about ten hours ago), has already consumed almost five hours of Alan's 29:43 margin.

Elsewhere, both MiDiaN (60:56 at midnight, currently 3rd) and KyLiE (72:56 at midnight, currently 4th) have decent odds of reaching PTB +0.5 (132 stunts hours) in this race (360 real hours amount to 120 stunts hours from 3rd, and to 72 stunts hours from 4th). There's plenty of racing yet to happen, though, and ensuring that might yet require them to defend their positions or push upwards.

[Duplode]

To achieve that, he can afford to lose no more than 29:43 of PTB time in the remainder of the race

Three days later, Alan's margin at midnight was 14:39, having been halved by the millisecond war.

[dreadnaut]

Is it just me seeing 8 bits encoded in these hills?

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[alanrotoi]

Musocal notes, maybe?

[Frieshansen]

When I duplicate the upper half of the Map and vertically mirror it to the lower half and then rotate everything 90° clockwise I can see a face 

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[Duplode]

These are all interesting theories (the musical notes one is a good idea for some future terrain, and the face one is quite astonishing!  ), but none of those things were consciously added. Something that was planned: the road pattern at the northwest is made of peaks on the horizontal plane, while the hill pattern at the southwest is also made of peaks, but in the vertical plane.

Other things I noticed after the race start: the start/finish line and the final corner are in the middle of the map. Also, the "eye" lake and the "headland" little hill are symmetrical relative to the "beach" line that goes behind the banked corner after the split:



These weren't planned either!

[HerrNove]

Do people usually also go sightseeing in the maps, like in this case visiting the city districts far from the racing line? With SuperSight the experience would be even more pleasant, but also detract time that could instead be invested in optimizing out another 0.05 seconds...

In my TODO list there is a free-flight mode that would decouple the camera from the car, but whether I'll find time to work on it, is very unclear.

[Duplode]

@HerrNove I think they do, especially when a map lends itself well to exploration -- thinking of ZCT268's triangle valleys now 

[Duplode]

Quick notes on the midnight PTB update: Alan has guaranteed PTB +1 but can no longer reach +2, the margin discussed above having been exhausted. Argammon is about to get PTB +1. Current leader MiDiaN already got PTB +0.5, and has a viable path to +1 in this race if he can hold the lead for a few days more. Everyone else would need to move upward to remain in contention.

[Duplode]

With the final week underway, does anyone dare to bet about cars? Is the Lotus domination about to be confirmed?

[alanrotoi]

I only know my podium presence is compromised.

[HerrNove]

Betting is fun. Let's say my beginner's opinion, so that the events can prove me wrong.

A Lotus domination is not a given. The Diablo has great potential, MiDiaN holds #2 time in it. Given that top speed and car bonus seem the most important factors here, I'd even say the Countach has chances, but at present it seems not to be happening.

[Cas]

Being a very bad pipsqueak, I think the Lotus remains the easiest-to-drive car that's competitive, so I'll stick to it, but I'll do some tests