A.R.S.E.

"I'm glad Dave and I didn't take the attitude that it's too expensive. Sure we knew it was going to be expensive. But we really thought the overall project was worth the expense. Now we know we were correct. I think we have more than $18,000,000 invested thus far and we're going to invest a lot more. It's absolutely worth it to create this sport. We love what we're doing and this is exactly what we want to do. We now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are going to create exactly what we've been talking about since day one - day one.

People still don't know exactly what we are going to offer. How could they? We're announcing things one step at a time. People haven't really run in divisions yet or seen what competing for the World Cup of iRacing is going to be like. I don't think anyone should rule out the excitement those are going to bring until you've had a chance to participate.

My apologies, and I mean it, to those who don't think there is enough value at this point. We have been really slow to implement Club competition and the Clubs aren't large enough to have a real impact on members - they still don't have any infrastructure of setup experts, instructors, strategists, psychologists, orthopedics, liasons, bloggers, reporters, statisticians and nurses. Our stats right now are still very rudimentary as are the standings (no division standings for instance as yet or the ability to see who is scoring what for the Clubs).

So I think we would all agree that a lot of fun features are still to be implemented. How many will be implemented over the next month? I can't say. But they will happen.

To anyone saying, "It's too expensive or their isn't enough value at this point" - we understand it's not cheap and we know that you will be pulling for us just the same. We'll be pulling even harder for you to rejoin someday. You've been terrific and we've been listening.

We're just not large enough a company to accomplish all that we have with all the cars and tracks and infrastructure and behind-the-scenes testing necessary to make this a 24/7 global service and still be able to get far enough for some of you. It's been slow. But the most difficult parts are now behind us. You've seen just in the last month a lot more visible progress.

The posts about all the worries about licensing and other possible things that could happen, are justified. But they are only justified if you have reason to believe that we aren't dead serious about this.

Finally, I again want to thank the strength of character of all of the testers here who once again showed they are not going to bash those who are critical. Don is right. Your criticisms are helpful. But we can't do anything about a lot of them - at least right now.

I'm going to be out for about a week with some minor surgery - nothing life threatening. But it just reminds me that we are set even if something were to happen to Dave or to me. We've spent a long time planning the long-term future of this enterprise. A good sanctioning body like NASCAR, for instance, is built for the long-term and to live on even when their founders retire or pass away.

So, I'm making the point that there's no hurry to sign up with us for this ride as it unfolds. We'll be here when and if you can return. And everyone here right now will be really happy to see your name again out on the track.

See you in a week,
John"

We have been really slow to implement Club competition and the Clubs aren't large enough to have a real impact on members - they still don't have any infrastructure of setup experts, instructors, strategists, psychologists, orthopedics, liasons, bloggers, reporters, statisticians and nurses.

KNAPPO wrote:

We have been really slow to implement Club competition and the Clubs aren't large enough to have a real impact on members - they still don't have any infrastructure of setup experts, instructors, strategists, psychologists, orthopedics, liasons, bloggers, reporters, statisticians and nurses.

I must say the Club aspect sounds interesting.

I look forward to the day an Australian club is formed and if we are lucky with the Aussie numbers imagine Aussie State Clubs

Speed wrote:The Radical is indeed awesome & while we're talking awesome I recommend some laps at Virginia East...wow, what a great track.

thornz wrote:

Speed wrote:The Radical is indeed awesome & while we're talking awesome I recommend some laps at Virginia East...wow, what a great track.

Just bought this track and been doing some laps in the formula mazda. I think this is the hardest track I have ever driven in a Sim ever, so many blind crests, no idea where the road goes, been on it the last hour or so and have yet to finish one lap without going off track somewhere. Even though I know where all the corners go now, its just soo bloody difficult to get it right! So frustrating, but fun at the same time!

VIR... My nemesis!

This is one of the most enjoyable tracks I have ever seen. But every configuration, as I drive around, I half love it and half hate it. I love the circuit, I hate how many mistakes I make.

Take a look at my last few races. I've always had an OK safety rating but in every race this week (so far) I have had up to 17 incidents per race I think and my iRating is dropping like a stone. I've only had one incident that involved someone else, I think, and I'd like to say sorry for that one, the rest of the time I just put a wheel on the dirt and wheeeeeeeeeee! I spin, spin, spin over that white line at the edge of the racing surface.

Mind you, just now I had to answer the phone and quit the race to do so, but check that race result when posted and I probably have more incidents than the rest of the field put together and I only did a few laps of the race!

It's funny because ever since trying VIR in the early alpha I thought to myself how tough the track was for me and I have maybe given myself a mental complex about it... It's pretty funny really as I've never found something so hard, yet wanted to go back and do it badly all over again!

Righteous wrote:I just had a race a summit point only had 1 incident, won the race but somehow lost SR... What's up with that?