Coronavirus and E-sports [Archive]

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rabbit

03-18-20, 10:15 PM

Putting this in here because the article covers all series.

https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/03/18/imsa-sebring-iracing-supersaturday-12-hours-of-sebring/

IMSA becomes the latest series to capitalize on the layoff from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by turning to iRacing. NASCAR will begin holding all-star exhibitions with its drivers Sunday, and IndyCar and Formula One drivers are racing on worldwide online platforms, too.

devilmaster

03-18-20, 10:27 PM

I've been watching veloce esports put on races with Lando, esteban guitierrez, and other drivers vs esports racers and some youtube content drivers... lots of fun....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53kvaMYNtI4

rabbit

03-20-20, 02:51 PM

https://racer.com/2020/03/20/indycar-iracing-challenge-announced/

Lux Interior

03-21-20, 05:19 PM

That's a nice idea - should be fun

TravelGal

03-21-20, 05:43 PM

That's a nice idea - should be fun

Thanks, rabbit. I kept seeing it mentioned by finally saw how to vote. Close call so far between the Milwaukee Mile and Michigan.

devilmaster

03-21-20, 05:57 PM

1034

1035

devilmaster

03-23-20, 12:13 AM

Sebring Super Saturday

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqyjMw3XzrY

devilmaster

03-23-20, 12:15 AM

Not the BahGP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVLTdi4BtPE

devilmaster

03-23-20, 12:16 AM

F1 Virtual GP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYsySLIMOGA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYsySLIMOGA

I forgot about F1's rules about embedding videos... just click on the link to watch it on youtube directly.

devilmaster

03-23-20, 12:21 AM

Nascar Pro Invitational

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNyuj4sQwfM

devilmaster

03-23-20, 12:44 PM

1036

rabbit

03-25-20, 12:42 PM

Big names in lineup for legends race:

https://motorsports.nbcsports.com/2020/03/25/the-race-helio-castroneves-dario-franchitti-tony-kanaan-juan-pablo-montoya-oriol-servia-paul-tracy-indy-500-legends-simulation-racing/

devilmaster

03-28-20, 02:49 PM

Respect. :thumbup::thumbup::cool:

1038

Hard Driver

03-28-20, 06:03 PM

Sage Karem showed the field how it is done in sim racing. Can't believe I was watching a video game.

devilmaster

03-28-20, 06:22 PM

Can't believe I was watching a video game.

1039

nrc

03-28-20, 11:02 PM

Nascar Pro Invitational

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNyuj4sQwfM

Seeing digital Homestead just gave me flashbacks to the old IndyCar Racing game.

devilmaster

03-28-20, 11:41 PM

Indycar race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA00Yj-7ftw

devilmaster

03-29-20, 01:14 PM

Veloce Pro Sports - Pro racers gt3 silverstone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcPbmxESmQY

nissan gtp

03-29-20, 04:30 PM

Indycar race

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bA00Yj-7ftw

This one was good, I liked having the NBC guys calling it.

devilmaster

03-29-20, 06:19 PM

The Race all star esports battle.

This was 5 or 6 races total, but the Legends race is what will be interesting...

Legends race starts 1:48:00 in to the video. Dario, PT, Tiago, Emo Fittipaldi, Tony Kanaan, Gil De Ferran, Mad Max, and more.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRv7-gKAqlE

rabbit

04-13-20, 04:36 PM

Anyone else catch the US 500 v2.0 yesterday?

https://youtu.be/fJpEwI_dlmw?t=716

Somebody even put Bob Varsha's 1996 call on the replay. :rofl: Tweet (https://twitter.com/DLand91/status/1249053710422102018?s=20)

devilmaster

04-13-20, 09:58 PM

And this is why we can't have nice things...... :irked:

Kyle Larsen said the n-word on an iracing race last night. Now, he had his own twitch stream going, but no, that wasn't good enough. He pressed the push-to-talk button on the game so it went live over the game to every other driver racing, and the game also highlights, by name, who is currently speaking. And most of the other drivers have streams going as well.

So here is the current fallout:

suspended by nascar
suspended by iracing
suspended by Chip Ganassi racing
lost Mcdonald's sponsorship
lost credit one bank sponsorship
suspended sponsorship by lucas oil products
lost fiserv sponsorship

Lux Interior

04-14-20, 07:51 AM

He's toast. :shakehead:

devilmaster

04-14-20, 12:00 PM

He's toast. :shakehead:
Yep. Officially fired from Ganassi racing

Lux Interior

04-14-20, 12:54 PM

Amazing that he even speaks like that. You wouldn't hear Jimmy Johnson talk that way.

rabbit

04-15-20, 08:01 PM

devilmaster

04-15-20, 08:17 PM

I have a friend who owns his own public relations firm. He texted me after he read about it because he knows I'm a racing fan. He said if he had any drivers in his book of business, he wouldn't let them participate in these sim races. He said the risks far outweigh any potential benefit. Not sure that I agree with him. But if that is a prevailing mentality in the PR sphere, I wouldn't be surprised if car counts start dwindling.

well, it may be already happening. The next pro esports nascar race only has 26 entrants. The official line is that they are trimming the entrants to get away from the 17-18 cautions per race. (because no matter how good the simracers are, tight quarter racing is damn near impossible)

But there are rumblings that sponsors are not happy. Theres a reason why almost every driver has a handler with them from the second they get out of the car to the second they get in it.

gjc2

04-16-20, 05:02 PM

suspended by nascar
suspended by iracing
suspended by Chip Ganassi racing
lost Mcdonald's sponsorship
lost credit one bank sponsorship
suspended sponsorship by lucas oil products
lost fiserv sponsorship

I hope none of the people involved in those organizations ever see the Mel Brooks movie "Blazing Saddles"

I certainly understand that if someone who represents a sport, business or any origination uses a vulgar racist term there should be consequences; but we have given that particular word too much power.

Also there’s the fact that he’s a young guy who did something stupid; who hasn’t.

I hear there’s some (holier than thou) baseball player who has challenged him to a fight.

devilmaster

04-16-20, 06:34 PM

Also there’s the fact that he’s a young guy who did something stupid; who hasn’t.

Willy T has reached out to him...

https://racer.com/2020/04/16/ribbs-on-larson-all-you-can-do-is-show-atonement/?fbclid=IwAR1fE5c8ilJb3jlMybgh7CJCEEUl7-hne-4tqcL7nt5DLU7GkqMifKNFLkU

opinionated ow

04-16-20, 11:39 PM

Willy T has reached out to him...

https://racer.com/2020/04/16/ribbs-on-larson-all-you-can-do-is-show-atonement/?fbclid=IwAR1fE5c8ilJb3jlMybgh7CJCEEUl7-hne-4tqcL7nt5DLU7GkqMifKNFLkU

What a champ. Willy is the first person I've come across who has publicly acknowledged (in this case at least) that racism is really about intent and not just use of any specific word I also like that Willy has basically said you don't have to go through the pretense of lying prostrate at the feet of somebody. Yes he shouldn't have said it but I don't think anybody genuinely believes posturing celebrities "working" in communities they've offended actually does anything. As Willy says "I don't believe he's a racist or I wouldn't have called him."

I also saw that Bubba Wallace has been in touch with him too and they've had friendly conversations.

nrc

04-18-20, 12:57 AM

What a treat it was following GTO and Trans Am back in those days. Willy, Scott Pruett, Jack Baldwin, great cars, great racing. I always hoped that he'd get a better shot in IndyCar. I always figured that it was attitude rather than race that was his barrier but I suppose Robby Gordon was a strong counter-example to that.

Hard Driver

05-04-20, 12:33 AM

opinionated ow

05-04-20, 05:36 AM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDYa2yfeAoM

Pagenaud intentionally taking out Lando in the Indy iracing event. Sorry, that is lame, even if it is just a game. It is still a game with cable TV broadcast and people watching.

Lando was impressive.

I didn't watch it because I'd rather watch paint dry on growing grass but I read somewhere else that Lando had put him into the wall earlier and also caused Rahal and somebody else to crash too

rabbit

05-05-20, 10:11 AM

I didn't watch it because I'd rather watch paint dry on growing grass but I read somewhere else that Lando had put him into the wall earlier and also caused Rahal and somebody else to crash too

Here's the full sequence, in context, from SP's stream. Cliff Notes: Pagenaud leads on restart with nine to go, Rahal second, Norris about four cars back on fresher tires. Pagenaud and Rahal enter T1 side-by-side, Norris decides to make it three-wide. He's overseas, and his internet sucks, so he "netcodes" Rahal up into Pagenaud and takes out P1 and P2 in one fell swoop. Pagenaud comes back out of the pits, allows Norris to catch up to the back of him, and basically brake-checks him in the middle of T4 and claims he was trying to enter the pits (even though he had just pitted and there were only two to go...)

https://youtu.be/MN8ZjH5ls_c?t=6394

So now you have the Norris fangirls and people who know nothing about oval racing claiming his move on Pagenaud and Rahal was clean and DM'ing death threats to Pagenaud (according to Marshall Pruett), and Pagenaud fans saying Norris had it coming. Meanwhile I'm just sitting here like, well, you both are idiots.

rabbit

05-05-20, 10:32 AM

I watched all six races out of curiosity and found I enjoyed it much more than I expected. The problem with it is you have two sides: the "it's only a video game" crowd, and the "this is just like the real thing" crowd. I found, the truth is in the middle and, if people would accept it for what it is instead of trying to force it into one of those two boxes, it's actually a fascinating undertaking. It can be a serious, competitive venture, but it can also be fun at the same time.

The best thing about it was getting to watch not just the races, but the practice events leading up to them, via the various driver streams and hearing the drivers communicate with each other during the sessions. Rookies were getting immediate feedback from the veterans on "wanker" moves. You got to hear drivers communicating with their strategists in real time in their private team chats. It was all very enlightening.

I thought it was fitting that (spoiler alert, if you haven't seen it) Scott McLaughlin and Conor Daly finished 1-2 in the Indy race. These were my two favorite driver streams to watch for very different reasons.

McLaughlin came in as a rookie to IndyCar but a veteran of iRacing with a fancy rig. Daly came in as a veteran of IndyCar but a rookie to iRacing, sitting on a kitchen chair with a big-box-store wheel clamped to his desk and just a single, standard computer monitor. McLaughlin was all business. Very focused and analytical, open to feedback from his spotter T.J. Majors, who was BRILLIANT in getting him acclimated to ovals, quick to apologize if he made a mistake and ask how he could do it better the next time. Meanwhile, Daly's stream (which included Alexander Rossi, Ed Carpenter, James Hinchcliffe, Colton Herta, and Rinus Veekay in his chat) was, by far, the most entertaining. Constantly cutting up, talking about how bad they sucked at "fake racing," ripping on the McLaren boys and other "weapons" out on the track. Two completely different approaches.

I think it is something that could be very useful as an off-season stopgap, if done properly. Stop pretending it's real racing, but at the same time acknowledge that it can be a useful tool and fun entertainment at the same time.

indyfan31

05-05-20, 11:06 AM

Here's the full sequence, in context, from SP's stream. Cliff Notes: Pagenaud leads on restart with nine to go, Rahal second, Norris about four cars back on fresher tires. Pagenaud and Rahal enter T1 side-by-side, Norris decides to make it three-wide. He's overseas, and his internet sucks, so he "netcodes" Rahal up into Pagenaud and takes out P1 and P2 in one fell swoop. Pagenaud comes back out of the pits, allows Norris to catch up to the back of him, and basically brake-checks him in the middle of T4 and claims he was trying to enter the pits (even though he had just pitted and there were only two to go...)

https://youtu.be/MN8ZjH5ls_c?t=6394

So now you have the Norris fangirls and people who know nothing about oval racing claiming his move on Pagenaud and Rahal was clean and DM'ing death threats to Pagenaud (according to Marshall Pruett), and Pagenaud fans saying Norris had it coming. Meanwhile I'm just sitting here like, well, you both are idiots.

Ok, I watched it a couple of times. Pagenaud is a liar, he did exactly what he "meant" to do.
Now, can you explain to me how sucky internet or latency on Norris' part made Rahal lose it and drift up into Pagenaud; 'cause it looked clean on the overhead view. :confused:

SteveH

05-05-20, 11:09 AM

Once things return to normal (whatever that is) how many series will schedule iRacing events in the offseason to feed their fans? Car sponsorship could include the iRacing events for an additional fee. Wouldn't appeal to every fan but it might generate enough attention to hold some fans attention during the offseason. Wouldn't have to be on traditional TV channels but maybe just streamed.

rabbit

05-05-20, 11:35 AM

Ok, I watched it a couple of times. Pagenaud is a liar, he did exactly what he "meant" to do.
Now, can you explain to me how sucky internet or latency on Norris' part made Rahal lose it and drift up into Pagenaud; 'cause it looked clean on the overhead view. :confused:

It's called netcode. It's built into the iRacing software. Think of all the data that is being transmitted back and forth across servers across continents as drivers are competing in a sport that requires absolute precision. If one driver's connection lags in the slightest, in the absence of actual data, the software basically has to guess where the car will be or would have been had the connection not lagged. So while two cars may visually not touch, the software thinks they have and a crash happens.

Norris has had multiple connection issues in a number of events he has competed in over the past several weeks. So drivers knew to give him an extra three feet or so of buffer. You don't go wheel-to-wheel with a guy who could netcode you. At the same time, as a driver, if you have connection issues, you don't go three-wide through the short chute at Indy then act surprised when it takes out two other drivers.

Edit to add I'm not defending Pagenaud. What he did was very unsporting. But Norris created the situation.

rabbit

05-05-20, 11:42 AM

rabbit

05-05-20, 11:45 AM

rabbit

05-05-20, 03:23 PM

Pruett: Lessons from the IndyCar iRacing Challenge (https://racer.com/2020/05/05/pruett-lessons-from-the-indycar-iracing-challenge/)

“Without a doubt, every IndyCar team also needs an Esports team,” (Daly) says. “I think that’s huge just for the racing community, just for kids who like to go racing. Not every kid who loves racing is going to get a chance to be a race car driver. I love what NASCAR has done. I think a lot of those guys, even some of the drivers themselves have their own teams. I think that would be great.

“Should we as IndyCar drivers do more of it? I don’t really know, because we’re never going to beat the professional sim racers. But I do think we should be supporting that, and I do think that there were a lot of positives to come from this, without a doubt. Definitely more positives than negatives, for sure. Because if we weren’t doing it, we would just be dead in the water, and there would be nothing to talk about at all, nothing to say.

“There was so many good things that happened. I still think it outweighs whatever kind of controversy came up. It will make for some really interesting interviews when we get back to the real race tracks. iRacing is so burned into our brain right now that I can’t wait to hear what people say when we get back to real life.”

Mary

05-06-20, 09:44 AM

I hope none of the people involved in those organizations ever see the Mel Brooks movie "Blazing Saddles"

I certainly understand that if someone who represents a sport, business or any origination uses a vulgar racist term there should be consequences; but we have given that particular word too much power.

Also there’s the fact that he’s a young guy who did something stupid; who hasn’t.

I hear there’s some (holier than thou) baseball player who has challenged him to a fight.

I'm African American but I'd probably give the guy another chance. I am also aware the the "n" word is used incessantly in rap songs. I'm in my 60s, rap isn't my thing, but growing up and living Black I'm not unfamiliar with our community's use of the word.

Having said all that, I am sick and tired of the implication that we need to get over it. I don't know if that what you meant, but it is how I take it. I am tired of being made to feel I should be grateful. I am no less nor more grateful than the average white American. I don't have to be. I go to work, pay my taxes and obey the law. Willie T. (don't think he ever got a fair chance, but I've never liked him) & Bubba Wallace should not have to reach out to him. It would be more meaningful to if a non-minority driver did. The implication that everything is okay if he gets the Black Driver Seal of Approval is annoying and a bit disgusting.

Things change. Recently, IIRC CBS has run a few episodes of All In the Family (AITF), The Jeffersons & Good Times (GT), with modern actors (like a play) and then they re-broadcast the originals. I saw the first set they did. Much of the AITF dialogue was a bit shocking today. I didn't like the show back in the 70s (loved The Jeffersons, hated GT) but I remember how cutting edge is was then. However, even Norman Lear said that is wouldn't be allowed today. BTW, I am aware that much of the show's message was anti-bigotry and that the message of The Jeffersons was that all bigots are not white.

Words have power and they can have different meanings depending on who says them and the context in which they're said. I don't really think this was dog whistling, but it could have been.

Finally, to gjc2, this isn't personal; I hope it doesn't sound that way. The only thing you wrote that I really take issue with is the line I highlighted.

Off the soapbox now.

Mary

indyfan31

05-06-20, 11:42 AM

Here's another netcode example of, coincidentally (?) another McLaren driver trying to go three-wide and taking out P1 and P2. This is from the Motegi race. With 10 to go, Power leads followed by McLaughlin and Oliver Askew, who is on fresh tires and trying to unlap himself.

https://youtu.be/mhEY8AaiSSc?t=3441

To anyone who isn't aware of what you just explained that can be extremely confusing. By all appearances Mclaughlin, who was at least 6 ft away from Power, simply spun on his own. I assume the only way to prevent this is to have all the drivers in the same physical location.

nrc

05-15-20, 12:49 PM

Things change. Recently, IIRC CBS has run a few episodes of All In the Family (AITF), The Jeffersons & Good Times (GT), with modern actors (like a play) and then they re-broadcast the originals. I saw the first set they did. Much of the AITF dialogue was a bit shocking today. I didn't like the show back in the 70s (loved The Jeffersons, hated GT) but I remember how cutting edge is was then. However, even Norman Lear said that is wouldn't be allowed today. BTW, I am aware that much of the show's message was anti-bigotry and that the message of The Jeffersons was that all bigots are not white.

We've been going through the old Carol Burnett shows starting from the '60s. Some of the skits are straight up racist or homophobic by today's standards. It's a bit cringey at times. But at the time I'm sure that they saw it as an attempt to raise those issues with humor. In general I think we need to be careful about judging people from another era by modern standards. I hope that our progeny will be so kind to us.

nissan gtp

05-15-20, 07:23 PM

We've been going through the old Carol Burnett shows starting from the '60s. Some of the skits are straight up racist or homophobic by today's standards. It's a bit cringey at times. But at the time I'm sure that they saw it as an attempt to raise those issues with humor. In general I think we need to be careful about judging people from another era by modern standards. I hope that our progeny will be so kind to us.

Our kids (and their kids) will have a lot to say about climate change, and our poor response (not trying to be political).

rabbit

05-20-20, 11:17 AM

TravelGal

05-21-20, 07:01 PM

https://the-race.com/esports/andretti-alonso-to-contest-legends-trophy-round-on-indy-oval/

A chance to watch Mario, Emmo, JPM, Alonso, Dario, Helio, and other legends go at it? I don't care if it is a video game, I'm in! haha :eek::cool:

I'm in also. I had a go at this in the F1 mock car on the Norwegian Joy so I have the vaguest idea of what they'll be doing. Should be great fun and fodder for trash talking for the summer.

TravelGal

05-23-20, 02:43 PM

Worth everything (including listening to Paul page) to see the smile on Mario's face after the second race saying, "I had a blast."

opinionated ow

05-24-20, 05:32 AM

Worth everything (including listening to Paul page) to see the smile on Mario's face after the second race saying, "I had a blast."

Not a Paul Page fan? He was the voice of CART during my childhood. Could never quite get into Jeremy Shaw in Champ Cars.

nissan gtp

05-24-20, 07:13 PM

Watched a bit, it was cool to hear Paul again

TravelGal

05-26-20, 02:16 PM

Not a Paul Page fan? He was the voice of CART during my childhood. Could never quite get into Jeremy Shaw in Champ Cars.

Not a fan (nor of Jeremy). I was a a Bob Vasha fan in his heyday. My problem with Paul on this broadcast was that what he was saying so often did not reflect what I was seeing on the screen. Whether my feed was slow, or his faster than everyone else, or he wasn't paying attention, I don't know.

swift

05-26-20, 03:35 PM

Formula E driver uses a ringer for sim-racing, gets caught.

https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/daniel-abt-suspended-audi-controversy/4796782/

rabbit

05-26-20, 04:00 PM

Formula E driver uses a ringer for sim-racing, gets caught.

https://www.motorsport.com/formula-e/news/daniel-abt-suspended-audi-controversy/4796782/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ktOUffssTA

Seems waaaay overblown. He wasn't trying to cheat, and didn't exactly try to hide what was going on.

devilmaster

05-27-20, 10:46 AM

For right or for wrong, teams and bosses are proving that its more than 'just a game'.

devilmaster

05-28-20, 08:29 PM

Now this is a flashback....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1tiLNGEAwY

nrc

05-29-20, 01:38 AM

Now this is a flashback....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1tiLNGEAwY

Talk about "visible from space."

rabbit

05-29-20, 10:12 AM

Now this is a flashback....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1tiLNGEAwY

Thursday Night Blunder has been amazing. TNB with a Paul Page-Delta Force intro is off the charts.