22nd-Nov-23, 11:16 AM
Very late to the game, we had two of RikoRocket's collision-avoidance XLC-Pros (first developed nearly ten years ago as a collective effort on Slot Forum) in our layout for Saturday's WHO/digital Tin-Top event...
The first modified XLC was placed at the end of the longest straight (directly below the driver on left of the picture) and the second at the end of the following straight. They eliminated entirely the couple to maybe half a dozen end-of-straight collisions we'd normally expect in a day's racing. So we will continue with these in future layouts - and maybe add more.
However, I'm not sure we'll get all our XLCs done - the jeopardy of overtaking within technical sections of the track is something that has become part of our digital racing and drivers' skill set. And it's probably more 'realistic' - that is, if digital racing is about simulating real motorsport. Getting nerfed at the end of a 20 foot straight and put on the floor is another matter!
Keeping that realism in mind - and encouraging driver skill and keeping some jeopardy - I'm not keen on some of the neat technical solutions for problems that don't really exist. Like an automatic 'racing line' change - surely the driver already has that choice in their hands? There's also an argument over modifications to eliminate tailgating - where the tailgater is normally forced into the same lane change as the car in front... The standard XLC set-up teaches the driver not to tailgate, which is a good thing rather than a deficiency. True, it's not realistic, but...
I agree that these features might help less-experienced digital racers in the short-term, I don't think the modifications help them become better drivers in the longer-term. I guess there's a time and a place to use them.
In terms of lane-changing features, one other thing does interest me - and that's a sorting system in a two-lane pit lane. i.e. the first car to enter goes left, the second car goes right, third car left etc etc. Yes, drivers should have this in their skill set - and a pit-lane marshal can sort the cars if necessary - but it would be a neat upgrade for our WHO/digital racing, especially our Wednesday evenings aimed at beginners. Having said that, actively choosing the empty lane to splash-and-dash can be a skill that wins a race - and I wouldn't want to lose that entirely.
The first modified XLC was placed at the end of the longest straight (directly below the driver on left of the picture) and the second at the end of the following straight. They eliminated entirely the couple to maybe half a dozen end-of-straight collisions we'd normally expect in a day's racing. So we will continue with these in future layouts - and maybe add more.
However, I'm not sure we'll get all our XLCs done - the jeopardy of overtaking within technical sections of the track is something that has become part of our digital racing and drivers' skill set. And it's probably more 'realistic' - that is, if digital racing is about simulating real motorsport. Getting nerfed at the end of a 20 foot straight and put on the floor is another matter!
Keeping that realism in mind - and encouraging driver skill and keeping some jeopardy - I'm not keen on some of the neat technical solutions for problems that don't really exist. Like an automatic 'racing line' change - surely the driver already has that choice in their hands? There's also an argument over modifications to eliminate tailgating - where the tailgater is normally forced into the same lane change as the car in front... The standard XLC set-up teaches the driver not to tailgate, which is a good thing rather than a deficiency. True, it's not realistic, but...
I agree that these features might help less-experienced digital racers in the short-term, I don't think the modifications help them become better drivers in the longer-term. I guess there's a time and a place to use them.
In terms of lane-changing features, one other thing does interest me - and that's a sorting system in a two-lane pit lane. i.e. the first car to enter goes left, the second car goes right, third car left etc etc. Yes, drivers should have this in their skill set - and a pit-lane marshal can sort the cars if necessary - but it would be a neat upgrade for our WHO/digital racing, especially our Wednesday evenings aimed at beginners. Having said that, actively choosing the empty lane to splash-and-dash can be a skill that wins a race - and I wouldn't want to lose that entirely.
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