Is Iracing for me?

[Celestiale]

I seek clean multiplayer racing against people with similar skill.
So far it was quite hard to find for me - tried to participate in AC leagues, but since i don't have too much time to practise (really little to be honest), and i am not the fastest driver, i was always juggling around at the back of the grid without really racing against other drivers, since the worst ones were way behind, and the better ones i couldn't catch.
Open servers are mostly a wreckfest.
So i started thinking about Iracing...
This rating system sounds quite nice, like a matchmaking, throwing people together with similar skill.
Question remains, if there are enough like-minded people in, like me, that are really not that fast? When reading about the Sim, it always sounds like it's really only for the "pro's" and awfully competitive, so i don't know if i am up for the task...
Thoughts?
What do you think, is Iracing only for people that are fast and have a lot of time to commit, or also for "casuals" like me, that want to have good racing, but can't commit too much...?
Thanks for useful answers

 

[burrito]

It really depends on what series you enter. There are a few fixed series where the setups are provided and enforced by iracing, which cuts the difference between those that have time to practice and those that can't but it won't make any difference if they are just faster than you naturally.

iRacing works via splits of irating. So say your irating is 2000 and 80 people enter into one timeslot of the mx5 cup (free car and all tracks). It will order the 80 entered by irating and then split them. So the top 30 goes into the top split. The second 30 into the second split and the last 20 into the bottom split. Now back to your 2000 irating. Often its around the 2000 mark that you may find yourself in a top split or, depending on the popularity of said series, in the 2nd split.

It is a very competitive game. It is full of fast people. But it is also filled with very uncompetitive people. The license system is really way too easy to progress into faster cars based on safety and so if you do not get into that top split you may find the races to be quite spread out in speed.

However all that said I would recommend it at least for a 3 month sub (without buying any content) and just try the mx-5 cup races. They have high attendance so you get narrower splits hence closer racing

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

Hi celestiale, you sound pretty much like my kind of racer: little time, limited talent but hugely enjoying fair online competition. For five years now, that's why i do iRacing rather than league racing. League racing is great because people really take care of each other, however, after lap3 I was alone at the back for the remainder of the race ...
In iRacing, once you get out of the Rookie series', the matching system mentioned above will get you put into a grid of people roughly your speed. This only works in the very popular and populated series, atm this is the Formel Ford Skip Barber cup, the GT3 series, possibly also the new Porsche Cup and maybe one or two more I don't know of. In these series and at the proper times (Friday to Sunday evening / night European time) you will often find more than 100 players joining a race. As these are split according to their iRating (driver strength[which does not influence your SR safety rating]) you will end up with chaps your speed on a grid. For example in the Skip Barber I do 15 mins of "practice" and then jump into one of the races which happen every hour. During the weekend, there are usually five chaps on the grid who are about my speed and most of the time I end battling one or two of these for a number of laps. As safe driving is rewarded (access to more and different cars/series), many players really play very clean and fair. For me, even at a cost of about 300 - 400 dollars the first year (cost comes down a lot once you have booked more tracks and cars during this first year) it has so far been worth every cent. I play one game a week in two series, each game lasting between 35 and 55 minutes, and that about covers my online racing needs (plus some Codemasters`Dirt Rally as a side dish ...).
Like Burrito said, go for a three month plan to see if the cars feel good to you, it took about six months for the system and myself to get accustomed to each other and to find my own (slow) niche, but ever since, iracing has been my 90% gaming choice where before I mostly did Race07, rFactor, LiveforSpeed and Richard Burns Rally in different leagues.

 

[Celestiale]

Okay thanks guys, got a good picture now.
@Eckhart von Glan yeah that's exactly the case with me as well. Sounds good
Guess i'll make a trial after all i definitely won't spend that much money though...
is it not possible to only buy one car from say GT3 series, and take part with it?

 

[Marcus-EMR]

I have, as they called it, a love-hate relationship with iRacing. Let me first say that it could be expensive once you get into this simgame. Besides the monthly or yearly subscription you have to buy cars and tracks. The cars is are not the biggest cost, you can focus on 1 or 2 cars you like but with tracks it's something else. If you want to make a 12 week schedule. Iracing works with a 12 schedule, you will race every week on another circuit. WIth the starting package you will already own some cars and tracks. In the MX5 serie it's no problem to complete this 12 weeks, you will have all the tracks you need. But..if you go, for example, to the GT3 class you have to buy tracks. They cost around 10-15 dollars for 1 track, they offer a little discount if you buy 3 together. Often you own already 4 or 5 tracks but in the next 12 weeks schedule you will have to buy again. You don't have to buy them all in once ofcourse but after one year your costs will be around 200 dollars. After that you have to renew your subscription, doing that at Black Friday it would be around 85 dollars for 1 year.

The rating system is quite ok but can be very frustrating from time to time but it's the best there is, but also the only one that exists. No other racingsim has something like this. I am casual driver and i hade some fun races in the MX5 but after some weeks you want to something faster and I started in the Skippy class (singleseater Skib Barber car). Had nice races but also a lot of frustrating races because a lot of other racers think that the race can be won in turn 1 or lap 1. You get penalties for getting offtrack(1x) but also if you hit another car (4x). You also get 4 x if someone hits you. The ratingsystem cannot see the difference and that's one of the frustrating parts you have to deal with. 10x's and you are out of the race. That's 2 times offtrack, hit one other car and getting hit by one car. Sometimes I just made a bad qualitime and started at the back of the field... just to avoid all the idiots in lap 1.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

GT3: you in fact only need one of the four cars on the grid. You need the B-licence to participate I think. but if you do not race the first two laps in the lower classes and stay out of trouble and on the gray stuff for the rest of the race, your Safety Rating (which determines which cars you can use) will quickly go up. I would guess about 15 extremely clean/safe races will do the job.
Buying tracks (you actually never buy anything at iRacing but just pay a fee so you can use it for as long as you (or iRacing) want - but you never get your money back ) is not as bad as it seems. Most series run a schedule organized by the players at the end of the season before. So often there are 4 free tracks in the 12 week schedule (each new week starts on a Tuesday in the iRacing universe). At the end of the 12 week schedule only the best 8 results are counted, so you really only need to buy another four. Discounts are given for 3 pieces bought at the same time or a better discount if you buy 6 items. We are currently in week 10 of the schedule, so we have three weeks (10/11/12) left, then another week (week 13) in which the software is undergoing maintainance and new releases are put on the market. So the next series start in 5 weeks from today. If you join in two weeks, you could do the races required to get out of rookie class in week 12 and then buy the Skip Barber and the tracks needed for next season (schedule will be out in week 12). With a three month stint, you could then do a full season in the Skip Barber to see how you like the system, advance to B or A-licence and either leave iRacing or do GT3 the following season. Feel free to drop me a pM if you have more specific questions or need advice once you are on the service.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

schedule for next season is out, very early this time.

 

[burrito]

Formula Renault schedule looking good. As a series it's very popular and there are many people that share setups on the forums and elsewhere. I don't have that much time to practice or race and I manage at least one race most weeks and say 1 hour of practice beforehand (I am familiar with most of the tracks already though). I would certainly recommend it.

Its easy to access as well. C class means you only need to reach D class and then can reach C class by racing the Cadillac CTS-V (free) or the Skip Barber (paid) on free tracks to get your safety rating up and an automatic promotion to C class.

 

[Marcus-EMR]

uuh maybe in other topic so we don't crash his question

 

[burrito]

uuh maybe in other topic so we don't crash his question

Why is this not relevant? I would have loved to see a schedule of the season before I joined and it makes planning how much you have to spend easier. Especially if you have a target in mind.

 

[Celestiale]

Yeah i think it's fine to put it in here. Thanks for all the information guys..next weeks are packed, but i am definitely going to get a look into

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

I'm with burrito on the formule renault, after 13 seasons in the skip i did 2 in the renault, doing the skip just now and will probably from now on alternate between the two series from season to season, so renault is up next. They neatly fit together.

 

[burrito]

For anyone starting in iracing I'd recommend signing up to the Apex Racing UK forum (setups (free) and driving tutorial if you want to pay for it) and the VRS (virtual racing school) site. They offer setups as well and cover many of the popular series. They are all from their top drivers and I haven't had one I can't quickly adapt to the weather yet

 

[OogieBoogie]

I did start iRacing like a month ago and before that I never was a race fan at all. Well this changed quiet a lot! iRacing has a nice skill and safety rating structure to keep out the crazy ones (except in the rookie leagues). But once your have a D-license (after only a few days) the real fun and learn effect starts. With every race you will learn some little things, which will make you just a bit better - but you will! Still you will find some crazy drivers, but just take your time to make a short replay analysis after the race and watch what went wrong and what you could done differently. And in some cases the crazy idiot in the race was I. It is a great game and during time you buy now and then a car or other track. Many of my friends are playing iRacing now for years. So this is really something you will have fun for a very long time.

 

[Rodent]

If you want clean online racing you can't have GT3 racing, at least not in Iracing.

Apart from that Iracing, while expensive is really cheap you try out, looking around you should have no trouble finding a referral key with a 3 month sub+whatever car they're doing atm. If nothing else the Mazda races can be a bit of fun if you get a good split, sometimes it's just like racing any other game online where you spend lap 1 dodging the rest of the field and then you can coast to podium. After Mazdas people will recommend the Skip Barber series and they are right, probably the best racing you will have outside of the top split strength of field races in other series.

A word is warning is to look at a series participation numbers and when races go "official" though, I quickly lost interest in Iracing when what I wanted to race wasn't happening during the time I had availible. But if you like Skips, Formula Renault and I'm guessing the Porsche Cup cars are popular now as well you should be golden so long as you don't mind paying roughly the price of all the other sims together for a season. Another thing to watch out for is while the racing for the most part is clean, I find the tone of people in Iracing is VERY aggressive compared to what you'll find here on RD and other places, keybind the mute button unless you love hearing arguments while you race.

TLDR: Try a discounted 3-month sub and find out if it's up your alley, it's usually the price of a pint and will give you a chance to form your own opinion.

Edit: Personally I have buyers remorse when it comes to my Iracing sub, but it's the buyers remorse you get from that car/bike in your garage you wish you took out for a spin more, rather then regret over a lack of quality in the product. I don't use Iracing enough to justify it's cost.

 

[burrito]

If you want clean online racing you can't have GT3 racing, at least not in Iracing.

Apart from that Iracing, while expensive is really cheap you try out, looking around you should have no trouble finding a referral key with a 3 month sub+whatever car they're doing atm. If nothing else the Mazda races can be a bit of fun if you get a good split, sometimes it's just like racing any other game online where you spend lap 1 dodging the rest of the field and then you can coast to podium. After Mazdas people will recommend the Skip Barber series and they are right, probably the best racing you will have outside of the top split strength of field races in other series.

A word is warning is to look at a series participation numbers and when races go "official" though, I quickly lost interest in Iracing when what I wanted to race wasn't happening during the time I had availible. But if you like Skips, Formula Renault and I'm guessing the Porsche Cup cars are popular now as well you should be golden so long as you don't mind paying roughly the price of all the other sims together for a season. Another thing to watch out for is while the racing for the most part is clean, I find the tone of people in Iracing is VERY aggressive compared to what you'll find here on RD and other places, keybind the mute button unless you love hearing arguments while you race.

TLDR: Try a discounted 3-month sub and find out if it's up your alley, it's usually the price of a pint and will give you a chance to form your own opinion.

Edit: Personally I have buyers remorse when it comes to my Iracing sub, but it's the buyers remorse you get from that car/bike in your garage you wish you took out for a spin more, rather then regret over a lack of quality in the product. I don't use Iracing enough to justify it's cost.

I know the raging is a thing but I've never had one single instance of it in my races. And I drive the FR2.0 seasons 1, 3 and onwards Maybe I am lucky.

 

[Andy_J]

And obviously, if you like your oval racing in the Nascars you can get some great races during your free 3 month trial.

 

[Rodent]

Hah Burrito, maybe I've just been unlucky? The few times I myself have been the target of the rage it's been pretty justified due to driver error on my part. I get why the rage is there, but prefer the more mellow club races we have here.

 

[burrito]

Hah Burrito, maybe I've just been unlucky? The few times I myself have been the target of the rage it's been pretty justified due to driver error on my part. I get why the rage is there, but prefer the more mellow club races we have here.

Yes. I think when you introduce a speed rating is means people take it more seriously and don't wreck so much but on the other hand they can take it a bit too seriously. I mean you lose maximum of 100 irating if you retire and that 100 irating isn't going to move you into different splits every race and is easily recoverable

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

I mute the talk anyway and never use vocal chat myself. It is far too distracting either way, at least for me.