Initial search for interest

gemini

The Crude One
Staff member
This is an idea I've had for a very long time and I've never had the chance to put into action. Now though I'd like to give it a try and see if it's possible to pull it off. I apologise in advance for the wall of text.

Background:
Endurance racing is a type of motorsport based on a fixed period of time, rather than a fixed distance. In a distance race, the winner is the first driver to cross the finish line after completing a specified distance. In Formula 1, the distance is the smallest number of laps that exceeds the race distance of 305km. In endurance racing the winner is the team that covers the greatest distance during a 6, 12, or 24 hour time period. The most famous, and most prestigious of all endurance races is the 24hr Le Mans race, held in July each year at Le Mans, France.

I'd like to recreate this incredible feat of motorsport virtually, and raise some money for charity while we're at it.



The purpose of this thread is to lay out my basic vision of what I see the event being and to scope out how many others would be interested in taking part. In order to make it as realistic and as much fun as possible, there would be rules to taking part, a draft version of the rules is below. This isn't a final list of rules and is highly malleable based on participants opinions, feedback and pre-event testing. The only purpose of this thread is to gather data on if anyone would seriously be interested in taking part.


Details:

All details are provisional and may change based on participant feedback

Location: TBC (Logie Durno, Hotel, Alternative community centre)
Date: TBC (Summer 2022)
Start Time: TBC (12 Noon)
Format: TBC (PC)
Game: TBC (TOCA Race Driver Grid (2008), iRacing, GTR2 - FIA GT Racing Game)
Vehicle Category: TBC

My general view of how the event should be is that it's to be taken seriously. It's not just a long session of Trackmania / Wreckfest / Flatout2 etc where people crash into each other / reset whenever it's convenient etc. My vision is that it's a serious event where everyone is committed to realistic racing as much as possible, good sportsmanship and being the best team possible for the purposes of good sport and entertainment.

Rules:
(Subject to change based on community feedback / Practice sessions / Software changes / Software availability / Hardware availability etc etc)

1) Race teams will consist of 3 participants. Participants will be expected to organize themselves into teams of 3. Individuals without a team, or a teams of two without a final member will be fit together as best as possible to make teams of 3. Each team will have one team leader.
2) Each participant must drive their teams car at least twice. Each drive must be at least 1hr and a combined total of at least 3 hours.
3) Each team will need to provide their own equipment, which will consist of
  • PC / Xbox360 for driver. (1 per team)
  • Legal version of the game in chosen format, updated to latest version.
  • (If format is Xbox360), PC / Laptop for comms.
  • Large screen TV for driver (1 per team)
  • Steering wheel / pedals / gearshift (1 per team)
  • PC / Laptop for pit crew. Can be low performance (1 per team)
  • Large over ear headphones (2 per team)
  • In ear monitors (1 set per participant)
4) The two team members not driving at any point will be "in the pits". At least one of these two must be available "on the pit wall" to talk to the driver at all times
5) Driver changes must be done while the car is parked in the pits.
6) Each participant must make a best effort attempt to take part in practice sessions and must make a best effort to take the race and charity fundraising seriously.
7) Participants are encouraged to practice independently as much as possible.
8) All driving must be done using a steering wheel and pedal set.
9) Drivers will be required to wear in ear monitors for ingame audio and over the head cups. Any communication between drivers and the "pit crew" must be done using radios (simulated with Discord / Mumble / Teamspeak etc)
10) In the build up to the event, each participant will be expected to make a good faith effort to raise money for their team. The team that raises the most money will receive a prize.
11) Poor sportsmanship (deliberately crashing, abusing game mechanics, rudeness to others)
12) Teams will independently choose what charity they raise money for. All team members must be in unanimous agreement regarding the chosen charity.
13) Participants neither driving or "on the pit wall" are allowed / encouraged to sleep.


Supporting personnel / Race Stewards:
In addition to the racing team members, we will need some stewards who will provide support during the race.

Steward responsibilities will include
  • Looking out for participant welfare
  • Ensuring participants follow the racing rules
  • Confer with other stewards and neutrally officiate warnings and punishments to teams if there is any rules are deemed to be broken
  • Confer with other stewards to ensure participant questions or complaints are handled swiftly and fairly
  • Creating content for the livestream
  • Running technical support for the livestream
  • Producing the livestream
  • General event tidiness
  • Assisting participants to make sure the event runs smoothly

Prior to the event, the steward team will be required to arrange and source equipment to create the livestream, for example
  • HDMI splitters
  • HDMI capture cards
  • HDMI matrixes
  • Cameras
  • Production / encoding computers
  • Audio mixers
  • Microphones
  • Production / encoding computers
  • StreamDecks
  • Lighting
  • Cabling
  • Props (Chequered flags, racing paraphernalia)
  • Creating the stream layout / animations in whatever software desired
  • Anything else the production team deems necessary to produce a professional livestream

Entry fees:
Participants and stewards may both be asked to pay an entry fee to pay for services and ensure that BreachLAN does not make a loss. Expressing an interest in getting involved at this point is not a commitment to anything.

Minimum participants:
In order for the event to go ahead, we'll need a certain minimum number of participants. If there are only one or two teams, it's not worth the effort and no amount of production value will make an interesting livestream.

If you're interested in taking part, or want to have any discussions, please post below.

If you want to take part, please state specifically if you would want to be a participant, steward or if you're happy to take either role.

If you want to take part as a different role, please say what you want to do and how you think it might fit in.

Thanks everyone.
 
Last edited:

gemini

The Crude One
Staff member
I'm obviously interested in taking part.

I'd want to be a participant primarily but would happily do steward if we had a lack of stewards.

Before the race start I'd be happy to help stewards with providing equipment they need (mics / cams / computers etc)
 
Top Bottom