Global Formula Automobilista - Season 0

Jimlaad43 · Aug 3, 2017

Global Formula Automobilista.

The Global Formula Automobilista is a role-play/betting championship held on Automobilista using AI drivers on real world tracks. The teams and drivers are fictional, but all have their own skills and attributes. Race Weekends are simulated, and a video will be produced, along with results and a championship. However, players of the game do not enter a car or a driver. This is a game of betting.

22 drivers in 11 teams compete across an 11 race calendar on Automobilista. The cars used will be the Formula Ultimate series (Effectively 2017 F1 cars), and only default AMS tracks will be used currently.

How to play
Race Department members who want to join must pledge allegiance to a driver. You will be that driver's benefactor, as their performance during a weekend will help fund your betting needs. Each driver will pay out a small amount during each race, and a larger bonus which must be selected prior to your first race as their manager. These bonuses are finishing targets that the driver must hit. You can choose a fast driver and hope he wins everything, or a bad driver and hope he crashes each race - all for the same payout. IMPORTANT: Just because you have pledged allegiance to a driver doesn't mean you have to support them to do well. You may support any driver you like.

To earn more money, you have to go through the betting process. Before each round, users must place bets for anything they like based on the race weekend. The moderator (@Jimlaad43) will at some point give you odds for the bet, and you can adjust your bet accordingly if you aren't happy with them. You can place as many bets as you like. At the end of the weekend, if you are successful, you will be paid back your winnings by the number agreed in the odds.

Generic-User: I would like to place £5 on Fred Frederick to win the race.
Jimlaad43: I can offer you 7/1 on that.
*Fred Frederick wins the race*
*Generic-User wins £35, so a £30 profit*

Another-User: £10 on Herbert Herbison to crash out.
Jimlaad43: He's crashed out of the last 3 races, I'll give you 6/5 on that.
Another-User: I don't like those odds, can I change to Herbert won't crash out?
Jimlaad43: OK, 10/1
*Herbert Herbison crashes out*
*Another-User loses £10*

Before each race, odds for each driver to win the race will be published based on previous form. Another set of 5 generic bets for other things occurring will be published. Each round, players who want to bet must place at least one bet on a race winner, and at least one bet on a generic bet. If nobody picks the race winner, or nobody wins anything from the generic bets, all money will be refunded at a rate of 120%.

Carl Dereks to crash out of the race: 20/1
2 Safety Cars will be deployed: 50/1
Mant Danmon to take Pole Position: 35/1
Masahiro Nakaguchi to lead a lap: 2/1
The race to be won by a driver on a 2 stop strategy: 3/1

Generic-User places £10 on 2 Safety Cars
Another-User places £100 on Mant Danmon

The race ends up being won by a driver on a 2-stop strategy, but nobody has betted on it, and the other 4 don't happen. Therefore Generic-User is refunded the £10 + £2, and Another-User gets £120.

After these bets, users are free to make any other bets they like. These bets can either be safe bets that get you a little bit of money, or something risky that could give you an awful lot. For every bet you make, I will offer odds that give you a profit. The Bookie's bank will never run dry, you will always get paid your winnings. Only if I think it's a stupid bet that will never happen, or is something that Automobilista won't allow will I say I cannot accept it. Bets which are spoiled by glitches or something not normal will be fully refunded. This is up to the discretion of the moderator.

Teams and Drivers
I have come up with 11 teams and 22 drivers. They are all unique teams which will become fan favourites hopefully. Each driver has their own driving style and talents. The teams and drivers are as follows. They are all described fully to allow you to choose your driver with some more background.

Aggression, Courtesy, Composure, Speed, Crash, Tyre Management, Start Skill, Min racing Skill

The teams also need liveries. I will open this up to a community effort. I have produced a table which details the team names and their drivers. Each team has a list of colours next to them. These are a guide to the car livery. An approximate percentage below shows how much of the car needs to have that colour. Users who take a car need to stick with that guideline, but have free reign to design what you like for that car. Each driver needs a helmet too, which is explained in some detail.
Livery Regulations: Each car must have the number clearly displayed on the nose and each side of the rear wing endplate. It must be in the font Trebuchet MS. There are three places for the numbers, please add them appropriately.
The car must advertise Reiza, Race Department and Automobilista somewhere. All additional sponsor logos must be fictional. Each team will have a team logo and engine supplier logo given to the creator so they have a start. I have struggled to find any generic fantasy logos, so feel free to find logos from various games you may have played, films or TV shows you have watched. Just make sure they're not real companies, and you mention which game or show they're from.

What can users do with their money?
As users start to win money, you can invest it on more bets, or start to sponsor a team or driver. If you give a team money, it could improve their chances and allow them to develop, same with a driver. These changes will be small, but should have an effect. You may spend your money on stuff to help improve your driver, or any driver you like. This will be a kind of Dungeons & Dragons thing where you can suggest anything you may think is relevant to improving them, the moderator will offer a price for those things and you choose whether to spend it or not. These are not guaranteed to work, but they should work most of the time.

Generic User: Can I buy Verne Vergne some gym equipment to make him stronger?
Jimlaad43: You can buy some cheap dumbells for £25, a proper weight kit for £300 or a gym membership for £1400.
Generic User: I'll get him the membership. What will that improve?
Jimlaad43: He'll get more aggressive and his speed should go up.

Press release in the thread
Jimlaad43: Verne Vergne has unfortunately broken 2 fingers in a gym accident, which will affect him for the upcoming Mongolian Grand Prix
(Courtesy increases, Composure drops, Speed drops for the next round. When his fingers heal, they'll go back to normal, and Aggression and Speed should slightly increase following this)

Stuff like Loan Sharking or Match Fixing could be possible in the game between users or teams/drivers. I will not say how to do it, that's up to you to work out how to do it, but the moderator must be notified of shady deals just so it can be noted and dealt with secretly.

Calendar

How to sign up
Currently I am only interested in the liveries being made. Once they have been created and added to my mod, I will open up the process of getting people playing the game (stuff like starting budgets are still to be finalised, so patience will be needed). For the moment, please state which three teams you would like to make a livery for in order, and once I have enough people wanting to do it, I'll allocate the teams to users. I will be active on the forum, and if someone is ready to make a livery and others are happy for them to do it, I'll say yes to it. Basically, wait for me to confirm it until you start.
If you don't want to make car skins, you can also take some drivers helmets to paint too. These are less of a priority than the liveries, but must also be done. Users can take a livery and some helmets too. Please nominate up to five drivers you would like to make the helmets for.

Remember that team liveries also include stuff like the driver suits and team pitboxes. If another user is making the helmets for your team, feel free to give them the suit templates and what you want it to look like if you're willing.

Jimlaad43 · Aug 3, 2017

Global Formula Automobilists teams.

Schnellmann AW (GER)

Schnellmann are the current defending champions of Global Formula Automobilista, and are one of the biggest spenders in the sport. Based in Germany, they are an engine manufacturer and supplier to other teams, so Schnellmann have great political power behind them, as well as two prolific drivers. Schnellmann should be winners, losing is unacceptable.

Frank Phillips (GBR)
Frank is the reigning champion who is quick, consistent and doesn’t crash often. His weakness is managing the tyres as he has an aggressive driving style, but it is only a small weakness.

Alessandro Corsado (ITA)
Corsado is considered by the team as a solid number 2 driver. He isn’t as quick as his team mate, but he can still keep up with the rest of the grid and cannot be ruled out when the others fall away.

Scuderia Pizzola (ITA)

Scuderia Pizzola are the longest running team with great history behind them. Italian based and funded, Pizzola also supply engines to the rest of the grid. Pizzola employ drivers who can drive exceptionally well and have a ruthless edge to them as well. Expect them near the top.

Jan van der Meer (NED)
Jan is a Dutch veteran who has just hit his peak in terms of raw pace. Super-aggressive off the line, Jan can make overtakes you’ve never seen before, but they do go wrong every so often. A title contender always.

Jacques Blanc (FRA)
Jacques does what he says on the tin. Racing drivers are supposed to be fast and consistent, so he tries to so that. Pizzola needed a second driver who was guaranteed to bring the car home near the front – which is exactly why Blanc was employed. When he retires, it’s never his fault.

Yeoman Racing (GBR)

Yeoman Racing are a British team who are entering their third decade in the sport. The yellow and black cars have a fluctuating performance, sometimes near the front, other times near the back. A recent resurgence, helped by two quick drivers, makes the team’s lower budget look bigger than it is.

Hiro Samurano (JPN)
Hiro is an average driver who keeps his nose clean, but stays at the top of the standings when he can. He’s a reliable pair of hands to lead a team near the front.

Mathias Huszar (HUN)
Mathias has shown himself to be a master of managing tyres when he’s driving alone, but is prone to damaging them on other cars. An on-off driver if anything.

CBA Dragsports (NED)

CBA Dragsports are a Dutch team of motoring enthusiasts who flatter themselves, usually managing to punch above their weight. The team always sport a new fierce animal subtly on the livery every year, and enjoy being a “scary” team. Two rather aggressive drivers help keep this act up.

Rafael Belasque (ESP)
Belasque is not the quickest of drivers, but he is very aggressive to try and make up for it. Unfortunately, he is regarded as more of a pay driver, but the money helps the team (and pays for repairs).

Bertram Frides (SWI)
Frides has recently been promoted from the junior categories (Specifically the European Au-2-mobilista Championship), so is a bit rusty to the cars, but should get better as he gets used to them. Was renowned for being a little bit hasty in overtaking in his junior career, but against Belasque, he’s the calm one.

Tiger Lily GP (CHI)

Tiger Lily is a team funded by a rich Chinese businessman who has some decent racing experience. He is able to run a slick operation out of Guangzhou that can compete with the larger factory teams from Europe. Their only real downside is the contractual obligation to run a Chinese driver in one of the seats, as the current driver is not exactly great.

Manuel Ramirez (SPA)
Ramirez is a star of the future who has been guided through his junior career by the Tiger Lily owner. Now in his third year of GFA, is this his season to shine?

Wei Jie Chen (CHI)
Chen is the defending champion of the Touring Cars of China Championship. The prize for winning each championship in the TCOCC is a 1-year contract at Tiger Lily GP. It has never worked as these drivers are not quick enough for GFA and are out of their depth. Chen does not look like the driver to break this stereotype.

Australian Autosports (AUS)

Coming from Down-Under, Australian Autosports bring a touch of fun to the paddock, while also being able to switch straight into serious mode when the car needs to be dealt with. AA do their best, even when it’s not possible. A good livery is part of the team’s motto, as they are extremely marketable, but still struggle for money, leaving them with two under-par drivers who bring a load of sponsorship money.

Keith Wie (NWZ)
Keith is not a quick driver, but he can keep it out of the wall. That’s about his only redeeming feature.

Simon Bradley (GBR)
Bradley is even worse than Keith, and is often heard on the radio asking how far behind the rest of the pack he is. Struggles at all points of the race.

Ludovic GFA Team (BEL)

Ludovic Vambrilyev is an eccentric Belarusian who loves spending money on motorsports. However, his other passion is an unhealthy obsession with the evil Harry Potter character “Dolores Umbridge”. He has therefore decided that his car must be painted pink – like her clothing and décor – and must be covered in kittens – like her office is. How the drivers are able to drive it without vomiting is something only they can answer.

Sami Koskinen (FIN)
Koskinen is a driver who can fight for points regularly through talent and consistency. Rarely putting a foot wrong, his only criticism is a tendency to back out of overtakes.

Norman Jensen (GER)
Jensen is an old master who is still in GFA due to a love of the sport rather than results. His talent has reduced considerably, and slight colourblindness means he was one of the only drivers who didn’t take one look at the Ludovic car and rip up his contract with them.

FizzBucks RCT (USA)

FizzBucks are a relatively new addition to the grid from America. The team is backed by sponsors from the aerospace industry and have therefore been able to set up shop quickly and efficiently. One homegrown driver is relatively inexperienced, but their other driver is a potential star of the future. A team to not underestimate.

Chad Rodrigues (USA)
Chad finished the Amercanapolis Championship in 3rd place last season, but showed enough talent to get the nod at FizzBucks. However, he still has problems with turning right (or so he says), which may or may not be the reason he crashes a lot.

Oliver Wyvern (IRE)
“The Frothy Bullet” as he is known in Dublin is one of the best drivers not in a top team. Impressive at the starts and good at looking after his tyres, Wyvern has the skills to keep his grid slot, which is usually near the sharp end.

Équipe Delacroix (FRA)

Équipe Delacroix are a French manufacturer team who had a dreadful past few seasons, leaving them struggling to score points. Delacroix supply engines to teams beating them, and this annoys the factory. With the help of an Arabic Billionaire in one seat, and a previous champion in the other seat, who knows where this team could go?

Bert De Vries (RSA)
Former champion De Vries was tempted to Delacroix with the promise of lots of money, and the chance to help rebuild a team that had fallen apart. He has the talent to get and stay near the top, but it remains to be seen if he can hold it up for a season without bottling it.

Ahmed Al-Hussain (OMA)
Al-Hussain is an Oil Tycoon who has shown himself to be quite good in a racing car, with a few Formula Delacroix wins across the Asia-Pacific region. He is hopelessly outclassed in a GFA car, but his money keeps the team afloat. He crashes a lot, but excels during Lap 1.

Hypernova (FIN)

Hypernova are a Finnish racing team that keep to themselves. The team rarely brings updates to the car, and looking at the livery, it’s because they’ve spent all their money making it as garish and awful to look at as it is. The drivers are nothing special, so the team are in it for the fun of it only (I think).

Dimitriy Kerbatov (BUL)
Kerbatov is a fun person to meet, but on the race track he is an absolute danger. On the (his) limit, uncourteous or consistent, he is often found bouncing off walls and through gravel traps than anywhere near the top of the timing sheets. To this day, nobody understands why Hypernova employ him.

Eduardo Nunes (BRZ)
Nunes is quicker than Kerbatov, and much more reliable, but isn’t anywhere near as good as the rest of the grid. He is consistent, but won’t be setting the world on fire with his performances.

Treble Clef (GBR)

A pun on their team owner’s name “Cliff Tribble”, Treble Clef is a team new for this season. Nobody know what to expect, especially as both drivers are unknown rookies. All we know is that the livery with sweeping music all over some light pastel colours looks awesome.

Tyler Roleaux (CAN)
Roleaux appeared almost out of nowhere to win the Canadian Formula Dubbl-Yew championship in his first season, followed by a pretty crash filled Americanapolis campaign a year later. Thrust straight into GFA, this rookie may struggle.

Christoph Muller (LIE)
Muller has spent the last three seasons in the 3uropean Formula Championship, and close ties with Tribble meant he managed to convince him to give him the seat. The accomplished violinist can hold his own on the race track, and should steer clear of the walls all the time.

Team Liveries
The two required files are linked here and here. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts, I have been unable to create a model which can be viewed in zModeler for the car, so the best you can hope for is to be able to open this model in 3DSMax, which I appreciate few of you may have. Please keep in contact with those who have Automobilista so you can ask for screenshots from them in-game.
Follow the instructions in the .txt files, and PM me if you are still stuck. I advise strongly you use Photoshop, as that's the format they're all saved in.
Teams

Follow the colours and the percentages as closely as you can. If you decide to slightly alter the colour - fine, but nothing too major. Do whatever you like to the livery that suits your style, your abilities, your idea of a good livery, but still abides to the livery guideline. Remember to add the logo for the engine - detailed on the right.
Drivers

Each helmet must have the team logo on it somewhere. That is the only extra requirement.

Jimlaad43 · Aug 3, 2017

Calendar added, thread unlocked. GFA is GOGOGO!

Liveries made by:
Schnellmann AW: @Jimlaad43
Scuderia Pizzola:
Yeoman Racing:
CBA Dragsports: @Lesley Buurlage
Tiger Lily GP: @Lesley Buurlage
Australian Autosports: @kedy89
Ludovic GFA Team:
FizzBucks RCT:
Equipe Delacroix: @Jimlaad43
Hypernova: @Lesley Buurlage
Treble Clef:

Helmets made by:
Frank Phillips:
Alessandro Corsado:
Jan van der Meer:
Jacques Blanc:
Hiro Samurano:
Mathias Huszar:
Rafael Belasque:
Bertram Frides:
Manuel Ramirez:
Wei Jie Chen:
Keith Wie:
Simon Bradley:
Sami Koskinen:
Norman Jensen:
Chad Rodriguez:
Oliver Wyvern:
Bert De Vries:
Ahmed Al-Hussain:
Dimitriy Kerbatov:
Eduardo Nunes:
Tyler Roleaux:
Christoph Muller:

Benutzername · Aug 3, 2017

Will be able to have a look at those files next week

Jimlaad43 · Aug 3, 2017

My livery preferences are Equipe Delacroix or Yeoman Racing

rubaru · Aug 3, 2017

Do we need to use some fancy program to make the liveries or can I just whip something up in Paint or other?

Jimlaad43 · Aug 3, 2017

photoshop is best

Lesley Buurlage · Aug 4, 2017

I think i would have a go at the liveries of dragsports, ludovic or fizzbucks

Also the one who is going to do the scuderia, good luck with that one, in my imagination wine red+normal red together with cyan looks awful in every single way xD

rubaru · Aug 4, 2017

Photoshop is best, I know, but I have zero skills. Do you have a bitmap template or something I can follow? I'll use my own program and save as bmp?

My picks would be:
Fizz Bucks
Delacroix
Tiger Lily

kedy89 · Aug 4, 2017

try gimp, it can handle most of the stuff photoshop can, and it's free.

might do Australian Autosports

some of the sponsor - primary colour combos are aweful imo.
also seems you accidentally picked the new Hockenheim layout

Jimlaad43 · Aug 4, 2017

kedy89 said:
some of the sponsor - primary colour combos are aweful imo.
also seems you accidentally picked the new Hockenheim layout

Deliberately awful

No accident. The choice was a dull Hockenheim or a fantastic one, so I went with the fantastic modern one.

kedy89 · Aug 4, 2017

Jimlaad43 said:
Deliberately awful

Why do you have to be like that?

Jimlaad43 said:
No accident. The choice was a dull Hockenheim or a fantastic one, so I went with the fantastic modern one.

Been to the "fantastic" modern one twice, it's as dull as it gets.

Jimlaad43 · Aug 4, 2017

kedy89 said:
Why do you have to be like that?

Been to the "fantastic" modern one twice, it's as dull as it gets.

The Hypernova car is supposed to be something that hurts the eyes.

When I went to Hockenheim I thought it was awesome, because it is.

Jimlaad43 · Aug 4, 2017

Photoshop CS2 is old, but is freeware released by Adobe. I've used it for years and don't feel the need to update to a more modern version. Look for it.