SimRacing.org.uk

Season 37 - Handicap Race – Monza 67
The summer break is giving us a chance to try out some novel races. So here is another one. You may have noticed a new version of the Pit Stop patch (v2.0) (http://srmz.net/index.php?showtopic=13367&hl=%2Bpit+%2Bstop+%2Bpatch) was released by Lee Bowden on 25 Mar 2020. Lee has very kindly produced a custom version of the Pit Stop patch for UKGPL which allows the Pit Stop time to be adjusted by the user. This means we can run a Pit Stop race without worrying about keeping a track of the pit stop time with a stopwatch, the new patch does it all for us.

To try out the new patch we are proposing a handicap race at the new Monza 67 track. “Privateer” drivers will be allowed a free choice of car but the “Works” drivers will need to take an extra long fuel stop (i.e. a handicap) if they decide to take one of the faster cars. In a 67F1 50min Long race, the tyres will last about 60% race distance. So one pit stop for tyres is required (I definitely wouldn't recommend trying to drive 40% of the race distance on worn tyres). Privateer drivers may decide to fuel for the full race distance or combine a fuel stop with their stop for tyres.

This is a fun race so we will be using the intermediate damage option and unlimited resets without a S&G in the pit lane are allowed. However, a reset will refuel the car and replenish the tyre wear. Drivers who perform a reset are still required to do a pit stop for tyres and fuel. Privateers who decide to fuel for the full race distance but take a reset are still required to stop once for tyres.

Race list	iGOR
Server	UKGPL_4
IP address	77.102.28.179
Date	23-08-2020
Track	monza67 (http://srmz.net/index.php?showtopic=13537)
Mod	67F1 with 60fpsV2newmod
Damage	Int Long
Race time	~ 21:30 UK time
Qualifying	20:45 UK time - 45 minutes
Race length	33 laps
Replay	here (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1r1PEnoJrRMBS42jurr5Tif4m9qwxPBAy/view?usp=sharing)

Please restrict chat to emergency messages only including at the end of the race until ALL drivers still racing have crossed the line.

Password: see above (#post_event_password)

Instructions on how to download and use the Pit Stop patch are here (https://www.ukgpl.com/index.php/rules/pitstops). However, for convenience they are reproduced below:

Download the UKGPL Custom Patch from here (https://www.ukgpl.com/files/77C%20Pit%20Stop%20v2.02.zip) and follow the installation instructions in the "Read_Me" file.

The handicap time must be set using the "Pitstop Handicap Manager" before starting GEM+. The steps to be taken for a 67F1 race are:

• Delete the "gplc67.exe" from the GPL installation directory (normally "C:\Sierra\GPL").
• Open the "Pitstop Handicap Manager" (i.e. run the "Pitstop Handicap Manager.exe").
• Use the slider to set the required handicap time.
• Press the "Save to Patch" button.
• Start GEM+ to rebuild the executable with the required handicap time.
• Ensure both options "77C Pit Stop v2.02" and "78X KeyPress v.08" are enabled in GEM+.
• Although not essential, it is advisable to check the pit stop time by performing a fuel stop off-line before starting a league race.
  

During the race, the pitstop is performed by following these steps:

• The driver should enter the pits carefully and slowly approach their pit stall.
• The car should be brought to a stop exactly at the point where the pit board disappears.
• Pressing the "P" key initiates the refuelling.
• Pressing the "T" key initiates the tyre change.
• Refuelling and tyre changing is carried out sequentially not concurrently.
• The accelerator is disabled during refuelling and tyre changing and the pit board reappears.
• The pit board disappears when the refuelling and tyre changing is complete and the accelerator is re-enabled.

If you find the above steps confusing, please have a look at this guide (https://www.ukgpl.com/index.php/rules/fuel_and_tyre_stop), it contains screenshots which should clarify matters.

I cant get it to work.
The pits stop works in terms of t&p but the time delay doesn't.

Did you delete the gplc67.exe first? GEM+ doesn't always rebuild the patch.

You have to use the UKGPL custom patch, not the standard v2 from SRMZ but it looks like you are doing that.

yes and yes.
I will delete it and start again. I firmly believe it is user error.  ;D

When I first followed Lee's instructions on SRMZ I couldn't the patch to work. It took it bit of trial and error. I've tried to carefully write down the correct steps but it is easy to make a mistske. I'll do a few screenshots to augment the instructions on the UKGPL web site. Hopefully that will make it easier for everyone.

A suggestion for anyone who hasn't experienced the tyre wear. The wear in "Training" is far higher than it is in any of the "Grand Prix", Long" or "Short" race formats. So if you try a training session you should hit the tyre wear limit in a few laps and see the smoke from the tyres as shown on Lee's SRMZ page (you need to have smoke enabled in the GPL Graphics Options).

Thanks Phil,
I recon its a bit Morecambe & Wise.
Im doing all the right things, but not necessarily in the right order. :oops:

LOL, one of my all time favourite sketches (https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DuMPEUcVyJsc&ved=2ahUKEwiZpN-quovrAhXYWRUIHTOlAokQwqsBMAB6BAgIEAM&usg=AOvVaw3CHPaQ8HfFMJfrIFJoo0Pr).

Please let me know when it works. I need to confirm my instructions are clear and understandable. It looks like you are the beta tester  :o

im my little test...
The delay only works with fuel, tyres take 15 seconds regardless.
I can only get the delay to register what i have asked in the slide bar if i delete "gplc67" every time i change it, then launch gem to recreate it.

One point of ambiguity;
The read me file says..."Run the "Pitstop Handicap Manager.exe" and it will prompt you for the path to your GEM+ installation." is that the GEM folder or the exe.
Also the browser window is asking for just the gplsecrets folder.

Yes that is right. Changing tyres is separate and always takes the same time. You can do a fuel stop only or a tyre change only or both in the same pit stop. If you choose both the delays are done one after the other (not at the same time). It is entirely down to which P and T keys the user presses and in what order.

Yes that's right. GEM+ doesn't rebuild the executables by default (even though it flashes up messages to say it has). If it decides it doesn't need to rebuild, it doesn't. However in this case it gets it wrong and doesn't rebuild as it should. So, as you have confirmed, the only way to be sure the patch is applied is to delete the gplc67.exe file first.

OK, thanks for checking that. I'll update the installation instructions.

Thanks for the feedback Gareth. Much appreciated.

Although this race is a few weeks away, it would be good to have an indication of those who intend to try this new Pit Stop patch.

Also, all feedback about the install/the setting of the time/ and the actual pit stop in action would be greatly appreciated. Please give us your thoughts about it if you trial it offline ( which is probably a good idea  ::) ).

Lee Bowden ( he did the software) has been very accommodating and has included several changes that we requested, but it has to be you guys who use it in a race, who will decide how much fun it really is??!!

In a perfect handicap race, the fastest driver/car combination would have the biggest handicap and the slowest would be the benchmark with zero handicap. If all drivers perform to their PB on each lap, the whole grid should reach the chequered flag almost together......if the track is wide enough!!
Of course, this will never happen and all people make mistakes, big and small.

But, the handicap should ensure that the aliens cannot run away at the front for 20 laps then relax and cruise to the finish. It is certain that the fastest driver will find that they are maybe a lap behind when they exit the pit stop ( lap record at Monza 1:26...pit stop for Lotus 1:30secs!!)  :scared: and will have to really push hard to get back to the front of the field.
Meanwhile the slower driver who has kept up a steady pace will have to concentrate right up to the end of the race as it is quite likely that the aliens will be chasing him down in the final few laps.
We hope that this format will generate exciting races for each and every driver, with nothing decided until the final laps........................... ;)

I have tried it offline. In 'training' the tyre wear hits in 7 laps like flicking a switch, and its impossible to carry on, you'll have the same control and pace as if on 3 wheels.
There seems to be a minimum 10 second refuel time, even if you set it to less.
Whilst stopped it will register the T or P keypress request to refuel or change tyres if you are currently having the other done, even if its already been done. i.e. Stop. press T, then immediately press P. As soon as the tyres are changed it will start refuelling, if, when refuelling you press T again, when it finishes refuelling it will change your tyres again. It doesn't register beyond 1 cycle.
The handicap delay times seem OK on the face of it, but the pros will be starting with half tanks, the ams wont.

Yes, hence my suggestion that to try to finish a race on worn out (smoking) tyres would be a mistake.  It is possible to teeter around for half a lap to get back to the pits to change tyres but more than that would cost too much time.

Yes, that's why the minimum handicap time is 10 seconds.

Thanks for spotting that, I hadn't noticed. I'll amend the instructions.

Well it depends if the Privateers want to make a fuel stop. A zero handicap will result in a minimum 10 second fuel stop. I say "minimum" but it will be 10 seconds in this case. This is because the refuel rate is about 1.5 gallons/seconds and so in 10 seconds it will be possible to put about 15 gallons in the tank. In a 33 lap race there is no way any of the 67F1 cars will use 15 gallons in 17 laps (the Lotus should do at least 21 laps).

So the Privateers can fuel for 33 laps and not refuel or fuel for 17 laps and refuel when they stop for tyres. They will have to stop for tyres unless they want to try to do 5 or 6 laps on worn out tyres (not recommended as you have confirmed).

Incidentally tyre wear is dependent on driving style, so if you drive carefully you can make the tyres last a "bit" longer but not a "lot" longer.

I'm just playing with it and saying what I see.
Nothing better than a race to test stuff. Look forward to it. :-*

All testing feedback is good, but I think we agree that race conditions are the way to test this new patch.  ;)

Is there any interest for a fun race this evening ( Tuesday 11th )??

Not neccessarily with pitstops, maybe an F2 at Snetterton? or Sports Cars at Le Mans/Tucuman or somewhere just plain FUN!

I'll set my server up to run the F2s at Snetterton. If there is enough interest I can start a short 30 min qually followed by a 30 min race. Qually would start at 9.00 GMT +1.

looks like the track temp was too hot for the tyres  ::)

Plus, I could not connect to UKGPL4 either via Igor or IP Phil? Not sure if there were others who tried.

 I set my own PC up as a server to check if I could connect to Igor and had no probs.

There was a firewall issue that I corrected before I restarted the server at 9.00.  I noticed that Paul V had connected but not sure about anyone else. Perhaps it was too short notice. An F2 race on Sunday might be better attended?

There is a link (https://www.ukgpl.com/index.php/rules/fuel_and_tyre_stop) to a pictorial guide to a handicap pitstop in the race announcement.

F2 race on Sunday now posted - will need a server.

I am happy to host ;D

If I set the slider to 18 seconds, will refuelling and the tyre change be done in this 18 seconds, or does it take 18 seconds each time for changing and refuelling? ?

The time delay only applies to fuel, the tyres will take 15 seconds in addition to the fuel.

Yes, Gareth is right. Perhaps I need to update my guidelines to make it clearer.

Andreas, the patch works off-line too so I suggest you have a play with the patch until you get comfortable using it. You can do one lap in qually in an an off-line "int long" race and pull into the pits to check your settings. Try a tyre stop only, a fuel top only and a combined stop. You can try it with different handicap times. After a while you will find it easy to use.

I think it will be a different situation in the race. The pit lane could get quite busy. It will be interesting  :o

Thanks for the feedback. I'll just keep trying for a while.  :)

Question.
As I won't have an extra time handicap (slow enough anyway) then I don't need to go through the steps of deleting the "gplc67.exe" & setting the slidebar in Pitstop Manager? I can just stop fill up = change tyres?

Answer
No

Reason: The patch is shipped with a default pit stop time of 60 seconds. It just happens to be the value Lee set it to. In hindsight I could have changed it to zero when I saved the patch but I didn't. I think I'll do that but for anyone who has already downloaded the patch they will have to go through the steps of "deleting the "gplc67.exe" & setting the slidebar in Pitstop Manager". Even if it was set to zero, Lee still recommends deleting the "gplc67.exe".

So the safest thing is to follow the steps in the guide (https://www.ukgpl.com/index.php/rules/fuel_and_tyre_stop). Trying to shortcut the process is likely to lead to problems.

Try as I may, I cannot get the patch work 100%.  I get a tyre swap without problems but the top off in refueling refuses to be anything but the default 60 seconds.  Sigh...  Trust me, I've worked it over a dozen times using Phil's very comprehensive procedures and still no dice.  BTW, thanks muchly for that, Phil.  It was very helpful.

Not wanting to miss the round, I'll select the Brabham...slated for a 46 second refuel window...and just eat the extra 14 seconds.

Doni,

Same issue as you. I am getting an error saying GPL can't find the patch for any of the mods & a minimum of 60 secs for fuel.

Need to experiment a little more but my tyres don't seem to last much more than 5 laps. After that they just lose grip.

I think this patch may be a bit too much realism for me.

Think I am doing something wrong. Never see any tire smoke with this patch?

Has everyone downloaded the correct version? We should be using v2.02. Please don't use the v2.0 patch (i.e. the file 77C Pit Stop v2.0.xml) with the Pit Stop Manager. That combination won't work!

I've replaced the v2.02 zip file on the UKGPL web site with a patch pre-configured for zero handicap. Please download via this link (https://www.ukgpl.com/files/77C%20Pit%20Stop%20v2.02.zip).

Then replace the 77C Pit Stop v2.02.xml file in your directories:
C:\GPLSecrets\GEM+\Options
C:\Sierra\GPL
with the downloaded one.

That will set the handicap to zero which means the refuel time takes the default 10 seconds.

Billy and Doni, this should set you refuel time to 10 seconds.

Billy, if your tyres are not lasting more than 5 laps when you have selected a "Long" race, then I'm 99% certain you are using the v2.0 patch. Either that or you have selected "Training".

Andreas, try selecting "Training" and have "Smoke" selected in your GPL options. You should see tyre smoke after a few laps.

With the Lotus at Monza 67:

In "Training", I get the tyres smoking on lap 5 at the Curva Grande.

In "Long" I can make the tyres last about 20 laps.

In "Grand Prix" I can make the tyres last about 58 laps.

I seem to be sorted.

In  Training mode the tyres lasted 5 laps. Tried in a simulated race & did about 10 laps & tyres were still in reasonable shape. Fuelling lasted about 10 secs.

In training mode my front tyres found a pack of Gaulois & were smoking away to their hearts content.

:thumbup2: :thumbup2: :thumbup2: :thumbup2:

:thumbup2: :thumbup2: :thumbup2: :thumbup2:

Which gives you a feel for what it would be like if you tried to do the whole race without a tyre stop. The last 10 laps would be very tough.

Just need to get Doni and Andreas sorted now  :)

I'm quite sure that I'll experience 'tyre smoke' as trials are certainly indicating that there is a life to the rubber.  My concern is with the refuel duration.  Using Phil's pre-configured patch above, I now have petrol stops only at 10 seconds.  Right as advertised.  I cannot seem to alter that value in a test.  Sigh...  There's something still not quite right but I'll be buggered to find out what.

Perhaps the problem is my initial lack of a 'GPLSecrets' directory.  I had that directory many moons ago but somehow, it went be the wayside.  I've recreated it but am not sure of exactly where it should be placed.  As well, I'm not sure beyond what we see here concerning the patch just what it should contain.  Any suggestions, lads?

If I leave Phil's configuration 'as per' at 10 seconds, I can look to take out the Cooper at Monza on Sunday.  That will work.

I think I understand what is wrong.

The "GPL Secrets" directory is the one where you have GEM+ installed. You must have called it something else when you installed GEM+. You have it somewhere or you wouldn't be able to run the other mods and set the 60fps patch etc. In fact you must know where it is because you have set the Pit Stop time to 10 seconds by overwriting the 77C Pit Stop v2.02.xml in the options folder:
C:\<the path you used when you installed GEM+>\GEM+\Options

The default install path is:
C:\GPLSecrets\GEM+\Options

So for "GPL Secrets" directory, read GEM+ installation directory.

To set the path to the "GPL Secrets" directory, delete the "Pitstop Handicap Settings.ini" file and then run the "Pitstop Handicap Manager.exe". Because you have deleted the .ini file, the first thing it will do is to popup a window that asks you to navigate to your "GPL Secrets" directory. Do that, then set a handicap (in this case I've set it for 15 seconds) and close the Pitstop Handicap Manager. You should find the "Pitstop Handicap Settings.ini" file has been recreated and if you open it with Notepad (assuming the default GEM+ install path C:\GPLSecrets) it should look like this:

If you've missed the windows popup and failed to enter a path to your "GPL Secrets" directory or cancelled the popup it will look like this:
If this is the case you will get a warning "A 77C Pitstop Patch File v2.02 Was Not Found In Any Mod Physics Or GPL Secrets Directory" when you run the "Pitstop Handicap Manager.exe".

If you set the path to the wrong directory you will also get a warning "A 77C Pitstop Patch File v2.02 Was Not Found In Any Mod Physics Or GPL Secrets Directory" when you run the "Pitstop Handicap Manager.exe".

I'll do some screenshots later and add them to the guide.

Thanks so much for this, Phil.  I really appreciate your efforts to get me properly configured.

I have created a special, stand-alone install of GPL strictly for the testing and use of the new Lee Bowden patch.  As mentioned in my last note, I have it working at the 10 second refuel marker as set in the file you provided.  I'll work to get all my ducks in a row before post time tomorrow.

Thanks, again, mate.   :thumbup2:

Sure I had "Smoke" enabled in the options. But I had not been in the "Training" Mode for Ages. While I done so the left back tyre started to smoke and the driving was horrible. Then the Parabolica was reached and it ended in the gravel. So I was heading for the pits and looking for some new Rubber...

Some good...  Some bad...

I've created a GPLSecrets directory on my C:/ drive and have all mods now working through it.  Previously, GEM+ was in a separate folder altogether.  With this, I am at least happy and relieved to have the swap over of the GEM configuration successfully accomplished.  However, I still cannot get the Pit Stop Patch to recognize changes in the time duration.  I'm quite sure that I'm following the correct procedure.  Sigh...

I intend on using Phil's 10 second patch with the Cooper today.  I have verified it as being spot on for a petrol top-up.  I shall do another trial prior to the race today to be quite certain that it's good to go at that value.

I did mention that I created a special, separate install for this patch and this race.  I decided to use the original Papy carset graphics instead of up-gunning to my usual GPLEA makeovers.  Quite a difference!

Thanks again to Phil for all his assistance on this.

Edit: Just a few minutes later from the post above...  Tested on the server.  Ten second refuel confirmed.

Hi Doni

Can you tell me what the full path is to your GEM+ options folder (mine is C:\GPLSecrets\GEM+\Options) and what the path is in your "Pitstop Handicap Settings.ini" file. Hopefully I can help resolve this problem.

Are you deleting the gplc67.exe file every time you try to change the pit stop time? GEM+ doesn't rebuild the executables (although it says it does) you must delete the gplc67.exe after you set the pit stop time and before you start GEM+.

My path is exactly as you state it above, Phil.  I'm wondering now if I've been forgetting to delete the gplc67.exe each time.  Let me try that with a random value for the patch and we'll see what happens.  Stay tuned...

Edit: Only a few minutes after posting the above and an off-line test with a random value.  Nope.  Still stuck at 10 seconds.  For sure, I deleted the executable.  I'll get in touch with Lee Bowden for a remedy.  He'll suss it.

Well that was an interesting race. I expected my tyres to last 20 laps (I have tested the Lotus at Silverstone but not at Monza). However it seems, the tyre wear at Monza is more severe than it is at Silverstone. The left rear was getting hotter than the other tyres and the grip was getting marginal, but on lap 16 I decided not to pit because needed to do one more lap to get over half way. Unfortunately I didn't make the next lap unscathed, my left rear gave up at the Curva Grande; it started smoking badly so I had to limp around the rest of the lap which cost me my 20 seconds advantage over Billy.

After my 90 sec refuel and my 15 second tyre stop, I dashed out of the pits dead last and just in front of Doni who was about to lap me. But with fresh tyres I got the hammer down. I caught Paul just as he took a trip into the sandpit at the Parabolica. Next it was Dave but I thought he was too far ahead. Dave was also in a Lotus and was having similar tyre problems. He decided to pit for a second new set with 5 laps to go and as he came out of the pits I was right behind him. I managed to sneak past before his tyres got fully up to temperature and the last 3 laps were very hectic. We had a drag race out of Parabolica on the last lap, both of us trying to extract the most out of our squealing tyres. I just hung on as we got to the finish line.

If anyone hasn't seen the smoking tyres, I'd recommend a look at the replay. My smoking Lotus trying to complete a lap with Billy and Andreas hunting me down looks cool.

Definitely introduces a new factor to racing.

As it worked out my race ran according to plan. I took a stop for tyres & some fuel on lap 16/17 & didn't have any trouble with tyre degradation. It probably needs a little more thought about how the time penalties are allocated but it could be a very interesting option for handicapping. We had 8 cars on the grid last night. Double the number would have made it very interesting.

Another lap and Billy would have taken the lead.  Two more laps and I would have been skating off into the kitty litter for a certainty.

I decided to pit for fuel only at the end of Lap01 to avoid congestion in the pits.  This meant that I needed to start with a load of fuel suitable for the full distance.  The timing of the stop went off perfectly at 10 seconds.  Thanks to Phil for providing that file parameter.

I was obliged to run near qualifying laps after my pit stop as I hadn't a clue where I'd end up after everyone dropped in for service.  There was some grief along the way.  Axel with a couple of incidents before retiring.  Evil seemed to not get his pit stop to go off properly.  David and Paul with some dramas.

After all had made their stops, I had Andreas chasing me about a dozen seconds back and always a threat if he'd taken tyres on his stop.  I had to assume that he did.  In a pre-race test, I discovered that the tyres would give out after 30 laps.  I was very careful over the last three laps moderating my pace.  On my cool-down lap, I kept the pace up and sure enough, by the time I got to the Parabolique, traction was way, way down.  The tail was swinging out with great abandon.  My tyres weren't smoking, though.  Must look into why not.

I'll be contacting Lee Bowden in the next days to find a solution to my configuration of the refuel timing.

Thanks for organizing, Axel & Phil!  :)

Grats on the win Doni! An interesting tactic, I'd never have thought of doing it that way.

The variation in tyre wear between the chassis was quite a surprise to me. I'd only tested the Lotus so I didn't expect the Cooper to be able to go practically the whole race on one set of tyres. It would probably last the full distance with ease at Silverstone. The Honda is usually hard on tyres, I wonder how long it would have lasted?

Hi, Phil.

Over at the F1Historic Esports League site...

Forum
http://www.gpl1967.dk/GPLDK/forumdisplay.php?34-F1-Historic-Esports-League

Website
http://f1historicesports.com/

...we use Olaf Lehmann's most excellent Dirtgear patch which features tyre wear.  Events are on Thursdays with the Summer break about to close.  Most drivers must pit by half distance or shortly after with the rubber burnt to a crisp.  I've never had to make a stop eking out a finish with reduced grip which many a time is much higher than my speed potential by comparison would otherwise achieve.  Guess I'm kinder on the tyres than most.

I hope that in future we'll see more events here at the UKGPL which feature Lee's Pit Stop Patch.

I've never tried Olaf's patch, I'll give it a go.
We can definately run some more fun races to explore the use of the patch. We'd need to understand it a lot more before we could use it in a full series, and that would depend on how much interest there is. However, given that Olaf's patch seems to be very popular in the F1 Historics League, Lee's patch may catch on here?

I've downloaded Olaf's patch (v8) and installed it. It took me a while to set Pribluda up (I needed to search for v7 of the patch to get the necessary files). But I can run it.

First impressions are it is very good but I prefer the pit board and keys used in Lee's patch. However, the repairs and reduced grip from touching the grass in Olaf's patch are brilliant.

I can't say how the tyre wear compares, I'd need to do a lot of testing to work that out. I'm not sure there are enough hours in the day! ::)

Success!  :)

I contacted Lee Bowden re the patches and his notation of what should be where was the key.  It wasn't that I was lacking anything; I had too many files to read in various locations and GPL was getting confused.  In my special install for our Monza race, I can now dial up any duration of a refuel and it's spot on.  As a further test, I fitted up the needed files to my stand-alone GP69 install and it works at treat there, too.

Thanks for holding my hand on this, Phil.  I'm confident that I can get the patch working across the board with all mods now.

Great news Doni. Hopefully we'll have another go with the patch very soon.