How to improve online ranked participation?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by VFX Pro, Feb 19, 2023.

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  1. Stelcio

    Stelcio Active Member

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    I think the biggest issue is that the current playerbase isn't actively funnelled into racing together and instead is left to funnel itself on its own, which doesn't work.

    Raceroom pretends to be a big online racing provider that offers races around the clock, but instead it's an eternal startup that offers few races a day on random times when people happen to show up, while for the rest of the time the grids are empty. And it will remain such startup until it owns it and starts to offer few races on select times in a limited schedule, tailored for its playerbase. Until it starts to actually organize stuff for people.

    If you offer one race at 8pm, people, who want to participate in online races, will show up at that time, and you will have a full grid, maybe even a few splits. Some won't be able to race at this particular time, sure, but the rest will adjust their schedule and take part, be happy with the full grid experience and spread the word around. But if you offer 30 races from 4pm to 12am, people will spread over them and drive 5 people at the time, then leave unsatisfied.

    This sort of organization took place with ranked championships - there were full grids and there was great racing involved. But it needs KW to take a step back and acknowledge that 24/7 servers are not only a waste of resources, but they're detrimental as they're spreading the playerbase and need to be dialed back, organized to actively funnel the playerbase together and regularily managed based on participation.

    At least that's what I would suggest.
     
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  2. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    We can't have only "scheduled" races, it's impossible to manage across all time zones... that's why they have both types, scheduled and 24/7 races.
     
  3. Stelcio

    Stelcio Active Member

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    I don't know what's so impossible about that. Can you elaborate?
     
  4. Surge

    Surge New Member

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    Maybe have a look at how Rocket League does the scheduled Tournaments. They are like 4 times a day or something like that.

    As for capping participation based on ratings etc that's probably hard to do with a small community. That may split the fields just as much as having too many random servers always active. Later on that may be useful to make sure people race against their own ranks.

    I don't think that RR should try to appease the no-prep simcade players. Part of the appeal in a sim is the realism. Fancy graphics, special effects, unrealistic damage, drift bonuses, unlocks, barn finds, etc doesn't make for a good sim. Plenty of titles already offer that and those kids always want the next version to grind all over again. Sims should always be a niche and it will likely always grow more slowly.

    There are some communities that dedicate time to populating the ranked servers, like on sundays etc. Having that kind of participation along with scheduled times rather than non-stop empty servers could make it look a lot more active and could have people looking forward to a scheduled race time. We can't go from zero to iRacing level of organization but things like that I could see helping build it up.

    Most organization/activity happens in racing communities like ESR (esr-race.org). Last saturday we started a MX-5 series with a full 36 car grid. Races are 2 weeks apart so you have time to practice and you know there will be competition. That's super fun. That doesn't fill servers every day, but it does make for good racing and feels worth doing. I think you owe it to yourself to join such a community. Those are the pillars under RR right now.

    It's all growing pains. The KW team seems small yet still puts out IMHO the best sim. If the company could somehow reinforce that team with more hands/talent that would maybe help get the sim more current faster, have fewer bugs, better support, faster resolution, etc and become more polished which by itself can attract or retain the audience. Many people these days just have a super low threshold for any hurdles/issues/bugs and will just uninstall. They should be learning to drive, not troubleshooting right after launching the game. Just recently a friend ran the game for the first time and just got a black screen. Had to edit files and what not to finally get it to work. Another time it was all black when in the car in cockpit view. He got it resolved but plenty of people would probably say gbye over that. Never get to taste the game.
     
  5. Maskerader

    Maskerader Well-Known Member

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    I don't get you.

    Do you mean that Raceroom tries to appease to those who would pick a game with "fancy graphics, special effects, unrealistic damage, drift bonuses, unlocks, barn finds"? That's not that happens, Raceroom is the opposite of that.
     
  6. Surge

    Surge New Member

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    I read the whole thread and kinda replied to everything I saw in one post lol. RR doesn't do that and shouldn't.
     
  7. Maskerader

    Maskerader Well-Known Member

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    Then why you bring that up in a thread about ranked races participation? If you meant it as a counter-argument to those people who ask for graphics improvement/weather/night, then these things don't belong to simcades only, most modern sims have that.
     
  8. Rowan Unning

    Rowan Unning Well-Known Member

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    mm.. nah. probably required around broad partecipative events.

    mm.. nah. graphic is secondary to the basic game dynamic engaginess

    probably some.. the vague idea a title, that is not felt to be fine tuned by gamers, but feel to be followed by a dev crew team into it.. is able to keep userbase around it

    etc..
     
  9. Collywobbles

    Collywobbles Member

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    I am an on and off subscriber to iRacing. I'm currently in an off phase but will almost certainly resubscribe soon. The main reason being is that the online racing is so much better organised.

    Most series run a race every hour with different series having various start times during that hour. This means that you always know when races are running and you can plan ahead to enter at a time convenient to you.

    The other major convenience is that you can sign up for an upcoming race in advance which means you can see the upcoming race participation which encourages others to sign up. Once signed up you can enter an open online practice session until your race starts, at which point you will get a notification to switch to the race server.

    This, along with ranked splits and championships, all adds up to a satisfying online racing experience, which I suppose is why so many are willing to pay for it (it's certainly not for the graphics!)

    Unless RR can come up with something similar it's never going to win over those players like me that want this type of easily accessible full online experience. Maybe it isn't possible in RR, but then that's why you have 20 or 30 people on a couple of rookie servers whilst iRacing has thousands spread across different series. That's just how it is imo.
     
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    Last edited: Mar 27, 2023
  10. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    I'm on EAST US and the servers are always empty... :( Even the servers on AMS 2 have people, but the MP is complete chaos, stuttery, high ping, car disappearing, it's a huge mess... RRE really need to communicate their roadmap and plans fast, their Steam stats is declining every month. I suspect the lack of communication vs AMS2 has something to do with it since people feel "closer" to the Reiza since they are open with their shortcomings, errors, change of plans, etc... That's my opinon.
     
  11. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    In order to do my part to increase participation, I spun up a new server in Azure called EAST US. Hopefully, people will join in.
     
    Last edited: Mar 27, 2023
  12. Andi Goodwin

    Andi Goodwin Moderator Beta tester

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    how will a non ranked server help with ranked participation ?
    Andi
     
  13. ⅀ℕiↅϻΔ

    ⅀ℕiↅϻΔ Member

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    You are right!!
    I think its all of this and a lot more...physics,gameengine,tracklimits, No Mod support or stupid simple things like you lose reputation if leave or crash in a ranked match.
    Me for example does not play ranked anymore cos i lost my full reputation and stuff when the game crashes 2 times im done with ranked.
    Now im reputation is around 60 or so :D
    Also the game needs something like a driver license like Gran Tourismo has!!!
    To prevent the free to play crash kiddies with the Hillclimbcars or other idiots to join online servers.
    As this sucks as F**k o_O
     
  14. elstpizarro

    elstpizarro New Member

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    Seeing your effort, it seems that you are having a hard time accepting that there are no platform ticking all the boxes. While it's probably the case for everyone, it may be easier to have couple simulators dedicated for different things than pursuing R3E team to improve the game according to your needs. I mean, they had a decade to analyze and introduce iRacing-like multiplayer, or to add other features, but they didn't, and probably won't. Especially as the effort required probably makes a poor business case in current stage of game's lifecycle.
    However, I'm not against poking them about this from time to time :)
     
  15. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    if that is true, I might have to (very sadly) say goodbye to RRE and move on to AMS2, RennSports, etc... RRE checks all the boxes for me, except ranked multiplayer and the graphics.
     
  16. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    Are you saying that unlike AMS2 (where every server is ranked online), that RRE doesn't allow private servers to be part of the ranking system...? If that is true, then I'm going to shutdown the new server.
     
  17. Stelcio

    Stelcio Active Member

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    Allowing privately initiated ranked servers is actually a good idea IMO. Not necessarily in "I set up a server and it's ranked" way, but maybe with some kind of application process, where communities can apply for creation of a specific ranked server on a specific date and time adjusted for their needs, with basically guaranteed participation.

    Ranked leagues could become a thing, for example.
     
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  18. FeltHλt

    FeltHλt Moderator Beta tester

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    didnt you already stop playing raceroom and moved to ams2? thats what you wrote under new dlc trailer on yt.
    About rankeds, i believe you can use rep/rat as filter for your server, but race itself wont impact said stats
     
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  19. ravey1981

    ravey1981 Well-Known Member Beta tester

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    He leaves raceroom at least twice a month.
     
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  20. VFX Pro

    VFX Pro Well-Known Member

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    It's not funny... It is my favorite sim for single player, but the online ranked racing is not happening in the US leaving no choice :(