I am new at LFS and after exploring many of the servers I have decided to start at the bottom and joined CTRA and their Race1 server.
The main reason I race CTRA is that there are a good set of rules that cater for the experienced and new racer as well for civil behaviour on the server.

These are my experiences and impressions so far:

Busy Server

I only have a limited time in the day I can race, about an hour round 17:00GMT. Unfortunately this is the busiest time on the server. I often need to wait race after just to join. This is naturally very frustrating.

When I do join it's normally mid race and I use the time to practice or start the race a few laps down (depending on how many laps are left). During this I try my best to stay out of the way of the yellow triangles.

First Corner

If I start a few laps down I normally finish and get a mid grid position. The race starts and I do my absolute best to go easy into the first and second corners. I go tight or wide (depending on the side of track I'm on) and keep a look for cars next to me.

And then BAM:irked:, I'm taken out by someone behind me. This happens at least 50% of the time. Please understand how frustrating this is to me after having waited so long to join the race.

So I go to the pits and start the race when the pit opens. The end result is no points and I’m promptly kicked from the server. I then need to re-join and go through the whole process AGAIN!

Hooters

If I do survive the first corner I race hard, but I am normally lapped at least once. Some guys are really great about this, but then you have your hooter spammers.

As an example, a few races back I'm on the line heading for a tight right corner (just after a tight left). The leaders appear behind me racing abreast. It's a narrow street track and I have NOWHERE to go. The one guys comes along side and starts to over take and of course I in the way of the guy behind me (hooting starts), through the corner I take the line as if I don't I'm hitting a barrier, now the hooter spammer is really upset. Once I'm out the corner I stay to the side and let him by. He's still hooting like crazy.

The Point

My point here is that Race1 server is the bottom entry point (I can't start any lower). How am I ever going to get points at this rate? I also think that the fast paced guys should realise that there are lots of slower people on the server and give them a break, especially those guys who can race on higher servers.

@Hooters:

If you have someone particularly, that's being overly aggressive with his horny, and just can't keep it in his pants. Feel free to report him, and one of the amazingly sexy and friendly admins will take a peek and sort him.

I'm going to pick out the points that make the most sense to respond to. Some of the points you make are common sense and don't need reinforcement from me While we set our standards, we cannot escape the fact that this is a multiplayer environment. While we structure the environment, we have no control over the people who won't drive within the structure if their victims will not file reports against them. Some accidents are simply racing incidents. The same accident repeated over multiple races stops being a racing incident and becomes an issue to be addressed.

Quote :

And then BAM, I'm taken out by someone behind me. This happens at least 50% of the time. Please understand how frustrating this is to me after having waited so long to join the race.

Everybody can expect a shunt or two in a race, primarily at T1, probably 50% of the time. I have observed that there are two types of "victim". I have no idea which kind of accident victim you are. I haven't watched to see, but here are my observations after over a year of watching replays as an STCC/CTRA admin:

1. There are the accident victims who, on being struck, immediately take countermeasures, eg: countersteer, to recover. Usually they don't even lose a position.
   
2. The other type of victim, on being struck, makes absolutely no steering input whatsoever. They just resign themselves immediately to being victims of an accident. It's like they're pointing their wheel in the direction they want to go, and are bloody-minded about it, and if something interferes with that, they're to blame and that's the end of it.

The latter type of driver will not be able to progress on CTRA servers until he changes his own approach to racing with other people. Race drivers do not accept being the victim of happenstance, and determine to be proactive.

Quote :

So I go to the pits and start the race when the pit opens. The end result is no points and I’m promptly kicked from the server. I then need to re-join and go through the whole process AGAIN!

Unless you are ignoring a message from the server, there is no situation where the server will kick you. Are you repeatedly trying to rejoin and ignoring a no-midrace join message?

Quote :

If I do survive the first corner I race hard, but I am normally lapped at least once. Some guys are really great about this, but then you have your hooter spammers.

Hooter spammers are hooting because if they shout "blue flag get out of my way" they get a screenful of text. That doesn't make hooting okay. We will pull drivers aside for over-use of the horn. Your responsibility is to allow blue-flagging cars through at the earliest safe opportunity, so it sounds to me like you've got things right. However, if you're not reporting people for being overly aggressive on the track, that is where you are not doing things right. We're happy with people giving the occasional toot on their horn to ensure the car ahead knows they are there, but anything more than that will attract the attention of the admins - but only with your help.

Quote :

My point here is that Race1 server is the bottom entry point (I can't start any lower). How am I ever going to get points at this rate? I also think that the fast paced guys should realise that there are lots of slower people on the server and give them a break, especially those guys who can race on higher servers.

Drivers on CTRA servers are not prevented from progressing, except by their own shortfalls. It has been said many times before, but CTRA licences are not a rite of passage. You will be awarded points on CTRA servers if you earn them. I understand the frustration of being beaten down the field by higher-licenced racers, but the fact is that a Copper licenced racer has no less opportunity to win a race than a Platinum licenced racer, and has no greater entitlement to that win than any other driver of any other licence level.

@Sig_ZA

Hi.

I (and many others like you, in your position) know exactly what you mean and how you feel.

Although I have managed to reach National B on the Single Seaters, I, just like you, I am still struggling to reach Bronze on Race 1.

It is worth the struggle however, because there is good, clean racing to be had on the second tier servers. Don't worry though, on the second tier servers you'll still feel at home - people will still lap you , but things are much less ... erm ... 'eventful'.

All I can say is stay calm, don't indulge in retribution, use the reporting system and be persistent. You will get there if you want it bad enough.

Remember that as you endure your 'baptism of fire' your driving will improve, your survival skills will improve and you'll get the points you need eventually.

If you need proof, you'll notice that Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum drivers all return to the first tier servers to race from time to time and they manage to enjoy themselves, survive the carnage and win races.

It can be done, because it's been done before by others.

Sam, thanks for the reply.
Don't get me wrong, I not knocking the CTRA setup.
And yes I know some of the limitiations are mine, ie. time constraints and erm, skill.

But the others like the race being full and the first corner stuff can be (very) frustrating.

I haven't been racing too long, but mid field first corner carnage with a full grid, especially on the tight street circuits, is high imho.

Sometimes I enjoy starting at the back of the grid and then picking my way through the debris and gaining a few spots in only one or two corners.

Regards reporting, yes will do in extreme cases. But I have also caused some damage myself and people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

If the server is very full I am almost always booted (connection lost) a minute or so after I finish the race when I'm down a good number of laps.

I thought that the server may be set up like this so to allow the others a turn to race?

@dungbeetle
Thanks. I haven't given up yet, this sure beats those okes dodging cones.

Quote from SamH :

I'm going to pick out the points that make the most sense to respond to. Some of the points you make are common sense and don't need reinforcement from me While we set our standards, we cannot escape the fact that this is a multiplayer environment. While we structure the environment, we have no control over the people who won't drive within the structure if their victims will not file reports against them. Some accidents are simply racing incidents. The same accident repeated over multiple races stops being a racing incident and becomes an issue to be addressed.


Everybody can expect a shunt or two in a race, primarily at T1, probably 50% of the time. I have observed that there are two types of "victim". I have no idea which kind of accident victim you are. I haven't watched to see, but here are my observations after over a year of watching replays as an STCC/CTRA admin:

1. There are the accident victims who, on being struck, immediately take countermeasures, eg: countersteer, to recover. Usually they don't even lose a position.
   
2. The other type of victim, on being struck, makes absolutely no steering input whatsoever. They just resign themselves immediately to being victims of an accident. It's like they're pointing their wheel in the direction they want to go, and are bloody-minded about it, and if something interferes with that, they're to blame and that's the end of it.

The latter type of driver will not be able to progress on CTRA servers until he changes his own approach to racing with other people. Race drivers do not accept being the victim of happenstance, and determine to be proactive.

Unless you are ignoring a message from the server, there is no situation where the server will kick you. Are you repeatedly trying to rejoin and ignoring a no-midrace join message?

Hooter spammers are hooting because if they shout "blue flag get out of my way" they get a screenful of text. That doesn't make hooting okay. We will pull drivers aside for over-use of the horn. Your responsibility is to allow blue-flagging cars through at the earliest safe opportunity, so it sounds to me like you've got things right. However, if you're not reporting people for being overly aggressive on the track, that is where you are not doing things right. We're happy with people giving the occasional toot on their horn to ensure the car ahead knows they are there, but anything more than that will attract the attention of the admins - but only with your help.


Drivers on CTRA servers are not prevented from progressing, except by their own shortfalls. It has been said many times before, but CTRA licences are not a rite of passage. You will be awarded points on CTRA servers if you earn them. I understand the frustration of being beaten down the field by higher-licenced racers, but the fact is that a Copper licenced racer has no less opportunity to win a race than a Platinum licenced racer, and has no greater entitlement to that win than any other driver of any other licence level.

Quote from Sig_ZA :

If the server is very full I am almost always booted (connection lost) a minute or so after I finish the race when I'm down a good number of laps.

This is very possibly because of the distance you are from the server itself, and problems sending a large amount of data to you.

Try going to $prefs in the server and, for the option "Auto-Show Results", choose "off". This should solve the problem, if the problem is what I think it is.

Quote from Sig_ZA :

Sometimes I enjoy starting at the back of the grid and then picking my way through the debris and gaining a few spots in only one or two corners.

...and there you have found the perfect solution.

It didn't take me long to realise that i got much better results starting from the back on Server 1.
Relax, let the numpties knock each other off at T1 drive through the carnage and pick up points

In the process of avoiding the T1 madness you are likely to come through undamaged, therefore giving you the opportunity to do some nice fast laps, hopefully resulting in a good starting position for the next race.


Good luck. Frustrating as it may be sometimes it really is worth the pain for a while, as racing on the higher servers is (mostly)a different class.
I haven't heard a horn for longer than i can remember either. I forgot they existed until you mentioned them

Quote from Sig_ZA :

My point here is that Race1 server is the bottom entry point (I can't start any lower). How am I ever going to get points at this rate? I also think that the fast paced guys should realise that there are lots of slower people on the server and give them a break, especially those guys who can race on higher servers.

I find that SS1, which you can also join has a much better level of driving. That might be a place to get some relief and pickup more skills whilst you wait for your tin top points to grow.

If you are loosing connection after the race goto $prefs and set results display to be slower, the quantity of info sent for results is quite high which is why the info on the screen is not as comprehensive as I'd have liked.

My opinion is whenever I get a blue flag message or some starts using the horn they've lost any right for me to let them through. I'll hold a line but won't pull over and if I want it I'll take the inside line and let them make a move which I won't challenge, just like you're allowed to IRL.

If they start making contact trying to pass me in the middle of a chicane or spam relentlessly then I'll race them cleanly just like I'd race a car I was racing for position and given the fact normally I only get lapped when I mid-race join I tend to be about the same speed as them and have fun really winding them up when they can't get away from me.

Quote from ajp71 :

I tend to be about the same speed as them and have fun really winding them up when they can't get away from me.

I wish I could do the same. I'm just not fast enough.

If someone is obsessively blowing their horn, they are probably guilty of over-aggressive behaviour. That needs a report. If you're a mid-race joiner, however, you still need to allow them through.

The only time you can race a blue flagging car is if they utter the words "blue flag - move!" or words to that effect. As soon as they do that, they relinquish their rights to easy passage and you can challenge them all you want. It's not a licence to race dirtily though, obviously.

Mid-race joiners very often *are* faster than cars involved in the race. They usually have a fresher set of tyres, for starters. Being faster than race competitors is not itself a right to track position.. as a mid-race joiner, you don't effectively possess a track position.

Quote from yeager :

I find that SS1, which you can also join has a much better level of driving. That might be a place to get some relief and pickup more skills whilst you wait for your tin top points to grow.

Well, kind of, maybe, sometimes

Once you get a grid slot above the midfield then it can be ok. But try being near the back into T1 on KY2. Utter carnage. Remember Demolition Derby? Lol.

I steer well clear (boom boom!) of SS1 now that I can access SS2.

But to the OP, stick at it, once you can access Race 2 it is an absolute pleasure.