Orbiter Rocket Racing League

[wehaveaproblem]

UPDATE: Now that dev has started I have begun a thread here


Howdie folks,

I want to run a concept past you all, to see if there would be any takers for it. Following 2 old forum posts by Piet Barber and HiPotOk1978, and a fairly recent NewScientest article I have been a bit inspired. The forum posts were about flying sub-orbital from KSC to Ascension as quick as possible. The mag article was about a proposed Rocket Racing league for the real world. So, now that Wideawake International is almost released I thought I would combine all these things together into some sort of fun usable 'thing'.

My proposal is to start the Orbiter Rocket Racing league (ORRL) here in the community.

The idea is as follows:
I will release a small addon package which includes some scenarios (and probably a few custom meshes/vessel textures for prettyness). Players can then register themselves with the league and DL the package to take part. Once the player flies one of the scenarios, they register their time with me and I record it on the league tables (in a forum thread/sub-forum/blog). To avoid cheating, The players will also send me a replay file of the flight so that I can confirm the time is legitimate. Only such confirmed flight times will be entered onto the league tables.

I propose we use the XR1/XR2 vessels for 3 reasons:
1. They have the MET timers that can record flight time from wheel up to wheel down.
2. The SCRAM engines and configurable fuel loads are perfect for flight precision/refinement - allowing for some real piloting skill and tactics. Configurable payloads could even allow us to use a handicap system (weight), should we want to.
3. The skins are easy to customise, so people can make their own racing team colours etc. should they wish to (which would be cool).

The league could also be split into different classes and include different length races, to add some diversity and a range of challenges. Whilst I propose we start with the XR1/XR2 craft (for the reasons listed above), there is no reason why it couldn't be expanded to include other vessels and indeed orbital flights also... but let's start simple.

I just think this could make a cool extra thing for orbiteers to take part in. It would be a nice break from 'serious' orbital operations, would take a step towards the multiplayer side of Orbiter and would add some friendly competition/bragging rights to the forum.

So, what do you think? interested? think it sucks? have some suggestions? want to take part?
Let me hear your thoughts.

Cheers for your time,
WHAP

Here's 2 proof-of-concept screenies for you...

 

[mjessick]

Sound like fun.

 

[Kyle]

Sounds like jolly good fun, when do you plan to realease?

 

[wehaveaproblem]

Cheers guys. No definite plans so far, I'm just sounding out the idea to see if it's worth doing.

I added 2 pics to the OP to wet some whistles...

 

[Tommy]

Sounds like fun.

I'm not so sure I'd want to be sitting in a grandstand that close to a runway where a rocket ship was going to take off, though. I'm deaf enough already!

 

[Bj]

Sounds :speakcool:.

Is the race supposed to be around the world or something? Or to the ISS and back?

 

[wehaveaproblem]

haha Tommy, I hadn't actually thought of that! Ummm ok then, free AIA issue ear mufflers for all spectators!... and maybe blast shields...

And Bj, the ultimate idea is to offer a variety of races, including orbital and sub-orbital. With 2 classes: 'Rockets only' and 'Rockets & SCRAMS'. My initial idea is to do a KSC to Ascension sub-orbital hop, an Ascension to Ascension Orbital loop and, yes, perhaps a race to an AIA orbiting module (and back maybe). I think piloting the XR1/XR2, in orbital or sub-orbital flights, will offer challenge and scope alone, so I don't think the races themselves have to be too challenging in flightplan. (Although I was thinking we could also have 2 classes; with SCRAMS, and with Rockets only) to keep a broader range of people happy.

But basically it would be nice to offer a range of challenges for a range of people, from the casual to the hardcore.

 

[Quick_Nick]

This could be useful: http://orbithangar.com/searchid.php?ID=2516

 

[Bj]

And Bj, the ultimate idea is to offer a variety of races, including orbital and sub-orbital. With 2 classes: 'Rockets only' and 'Rockets & SCRAMS'. My initial idea is to do a KSC to Ascension sub-orbital hop, an Ascension to Ascension Orbital loop and, yes, perhaps a race to an AIA orbiting module (and back maybe). I think piloting the XR1/XR2, in orbital or sub-orbital flights, will offer challenge and scope alone, so I don't think the races themselves have to be too challenging in flightplan. (Although I was thinking we could also have 2 classes; with SCRAMS, and with Rockets only) to keep a broader range of people happy.

:speakcool: When does it start?

 

[Linguofreak]

haha Tommy, I hadn't actually thought of that! Ummm ok then, free AIA issue ear mufflers for all spectators!... and maybe blast shields...

If the landing has to be unpowered, then I suppose that could be the finish line. Otherwise, the spectators are quite literally toast.

And Bj, the ultimate idea is to offer a variety of races, including orbital and sub-orbital. With 2 classes: 'Rockets only' and 'Rockets & SCRAMS'. My initial idea is to do a KSC to Ascension sub-orbital hop, an Ascension to Ascension Orbital loop

There's not much time you can take off of an orbit. I suppose there might be room for seeing how low an orbit you can get before drag losses offset speed gains from a lower orbit. But the real competition might be in snap launches and high-g, high temp reentries, since the orbital part is pretty much constant.

 

[wehaveaproblem]

cheers guys, thanks for the link QuickNick.

I'm pretty busy this week, but I'll put my thinking cap on and get to it next weekend.

But please keep any ideas/suggestions coming in the mean time.

 

[Bill LeClere]

Awww...people go to those kinds of things just to see rockets crash....


bill

 

[BHawthorne]

What good is this concept without functional multiplayer?

 

[Linguofreak]

What good is this concept without functional multiplayer?

Well, you can do it just by sending in playback files.

Also, as I understand it, the biggest issue with multiplayer is getting time accel to work in a sensible way. If you're sticking to short flights (a few hours or less) you could forget time accel completely.

 

[Juanelm]

Sounds cool, I would definitely participate, time permitting.

I also think the XR vessels, or the DGIV would be preferable, mainly because they crash if the ship heats up too much. This is what would make the race tricky, otherwise it would be full-thrust all the way, and unrealistic reentries to save time.

 

[Black dog]

Juanelm, the avatar is great :rofl:

 

[penlu]

That would be really fun. Really, really, really fun.

 

[mjessick]

Rules question:
APU and Main Isp realism settings to "Expert" for the XR1?

(seems reasonable)

 

[Linguofreak]

Rules question:
APU and Main Isp realism settings to "Expert" for the XR1?

(seems reasonable)

I'm thinking settings would probably be specified for each scenario...

 

[HiPotOk1978]

I like this idea... I likes it a lot... I have started to research something similar when I discovered the nav beacons that autopilotMFD has to incorporate fuel deliveries to various runways around the world... The only problem I see with XR1/2 craft is that they were not designed with long duration sub orbital flights in mind.... Granted u can fly pretty darn fast with the XR5 doing hypersonic speeds in the mesosphere w/ the radiators extended, Scrams like to overheat that high and if you goof a bit and get that dyn pres up BOOM

Also maybe on the other side of Ascension, you could put up some racing pylons and that stage for when you just wanna try out your piloting skill