New competitions

[lemontois]

Hello everyone,

I ask you in advance to excuse the length of this message, but it is definitely the last time I will speak on the topic and thank you in advance for your attention.

We received a number of criticisms (some constructive) about the SBC2016.
I have participated to the organization of the last two SBC, but I think the specifications of this competition are about the same from the beginning, namely (in outline):
- Courses completed by the best pilot between 1:30 and 2:00
- Difficulties set as at least one third of the participants should be able to complete the race on time
- Allow therefore more pilots to participate without disgust them with too selective tasks they will never end (or maybe not in time)
- Vary the types of races between countryside an mountains flights
- And some others

It is a fact that some races have required a little more than two hours to complete for their winner.
It is true that some routes were run with very high average speed, but again we're talking about winners’ performance and believe me for the rest of the pack there is often much less spectacular speeds.
And we cannot prevent pilots who want to flirt with VNE to do so since in Condor you get several lives (they incur the consequences side penalties)
I have some examples of pilots (and I belong) who dared to compete just because they had a chance to put an end sometimes.
For the subject for realism, I am a poor pilot (whether virtual or real), I gave a hand to the organization by offering a few tasks but the vast majority were carried out by people who are great pilots whether virtual or real (competitors, instructors) , they do know what real gliding means and proposed tasks following SBC’s specifications.

I think it should not be done too elitist when creating competitions, otherwise they will be summarized in races reserved for the top 10 best Condor pilots and exclude others.
We are all waiting with great anticipation Condor V2 hoping it will bring improvements (per example) in weather management and why not get the real conditions of that day (see here)?

I understand the expectations of some of you , and I’ll suggest someone of good will should centralize all these suggestions and produce a precise specifications, find people to create tasks that respect these specifications, implement all the required architecture and organization and provides maintenance and production for the time of the competition .
As mentioned PhilippeFP, providing a competition requires a whole infrastructure, a lot of work and time, for several people (only Tony , PhilippeFP and I were in front but other people were working behind the scene).
Having all our professional or personal activities to be managed in parallel, this is not always easy.

So , I wish good luck to those who will embark on this adventure and I will be very happy to participate as a competitor.

That said, thanks to those who read this until the last line, have good flights.

[Pit_R]

Hello!
Thank you very much for very informative post!
You mentioned few problems which are with us almost since beginning of C.

1.
Slow (poor, new) pilots and their less than average performance vs skilled pilots (and their too awesome performance).
There was already few ideas (and tries) how to fix this:
- different classes of gliders for pilots on same server (better gliders for less skilled - rather not enough for them)
- different tasks on same server (hard to do in C. as pda shows only one defined task, hope in C2!)
- different tasks on different servers + separate scoring - kind of two leagues (pilots can decide which they prefer)
- very good conditions, slow pilots have more chance to finish task in reasonable time (arcade/short tasks for skilled pilots)
- more AATs (problem with external PDA)

Condor treated as very serious simulator would be probably boring for many people. This is not surprise.
Would be hard to fly demanding task very often. Condor is for our pleasure finally! So next problem is compromise:

2.
Finding good balance between sim and game in everyday C. use and/or in competitions.
Condor settings, weather etc... This is for long discussion, just signalising. (It was discussed few times on forum years ago, worth to read those voices from past)... BTW: I was surprised in SBC there was no outside view? Why? Personally I like to watch flyby during flights and it is less claustrophobic to me going outside from time to time.


As for SBC principles, if I can comment...

- Courses completed by the best pilot between 1:30 and 2:00

Good timings... Unf. 1:30 probably will provide to too quick for many, while of course 3h for noob pilot is way too long.
That's where great are AAT tasks (unf. C. is not suporting [hope for C2!] them and not everybody have Android phone with XCSoar or similar program). Same with not so great weather. With AAT flying of all ppl takes same time! It may be 2h but also 1h 45 etc. Just distance will be much different.

- Difficulties set as at least one third of the participants should be able to complete the race on time

Was it working? I guess so...

- Allow therefore more pilots to participate without disgust them with too selective tasks they will never end (or maybe not in time)

This may be problem similar to pt. 2. Or maybe wider question: Is Condor boring sometimes in competitions?! I think it is not! Esp. where lots of pilots flying. I am poor pilot as well, but for me it is great to compete with guy who is just above me at score table, not with first!

- Vary the types of races between countryside an mountains flights

It was done, but from my very far POV I think there was more mountain/ridge races than flatland or mix. Dunno tho...


Again! To be clear!
Please don't take it too serious or personally! IMO Probably SBC saved Condor life! And C2 will be soon. I really appreciate your work!
We're just talking about our favourite piece of software. How to make it better. Your ideas may be different than mine, I just share what I think, maybe you'll find something interesting. So that's my 2c.

With all our hope for C2 etc.
Regards
P.