APPENDIX H - The HSO Sporting Code

APPENDIX H – The HSO Sporting Code

The Appendix H is a tribute to the old FIA ruleset of the same name, which is the section of the International Sporting Code pertaining to the rules presiding over the organisation and overall management of the vast majority of the races held around the world.

Our version is adapted to our virtual platform, and gives the details of the general rules applied by default (unless specifically precised otherwise in an event's rules) to all HSO races and series. Every HSO member is considered by admins as having full knowledge and understanding of the present rules.

Any change, modification or addition to the Appendix H rules will be notified to the members as and when they occur.


1) REGISTRATION TO THE LEAGUE


1.1 Registration to HSO is free and open to all.


1.2 To become an HSO member you just need to create an account on the forum, using your real name – nicknames are not allowed.



2) BEHAVIOUR ON TRACK


2.1 As one of HSO’s main goals is to recreate the atmosphere of an era long gone, it goes without saying that every participant is by default assumed to have in mind, character and behaviour all the attributes of a gentleman-driver of the XXth century. Back when, as the famous saying goes, “motor racing was dangerous and sex was safe”, not only were drivers more civil on track, they also didn’t need a whole set of complicated rules to tell them how to overtake, nor did they need a bunch of omnipotent old buggers to enforce such rules. The same thing is expected at HSO from both drivers and admins.


2.2 There will therefore be no tolerance for unsportsmanlike behaviour both on and off the track. As far as incidents such as collisions during events are concerned, you can mention those in your race report in the dedicated race thread. All quieries regarding a race incident made via private message to one of the admins will be ignored. There is no elaborate scale of penalties to be applied after lengthy (more or less impartial) examinations and deliberations by the admins. Instead, there is a simple proven two-step rule : our way or the highway. Drivers showing evident signs of mismatching with the HSO standards will banned without any form of contest or appeal.  If ever you are not too sure about the boundaries of said standards, just stick to the “don’t be a fool” rule and you should be OK. And if you’re not OK then most likely there is nothing we can do for you anyway, so we might as well part ways.


2.3 Having said that, a healthy competitive spirit is obviously encouraged and indeed welcomed. Racing is racing, and winning is winning. Just don’t make it your everthing.



3) CAR ATTRIBUTION RULES


3.1 There are five different methods by which cars are assigned in HSO races and series :


- FREE-FOR-ALL  Everybody can drive any of the cars available, booking on a first come / first served basis.


- RESTRICTED     Fastest drivers cannot drive the fastest cars available, booking on a first come / first served basis.


- STANDARD       Each driver gives three (3) car choices from those available. Admins sort the field out, trying to grant everybody their wish while still aiming for a balanced field.


- INVITATIONAL For drivers invited by the organisers only.


- SPECIAL           Any other method, details of which will be disclosed in the rules of the relevant event or series.


3.2 For the methods in which this applies, the list of “fastest cars” and “fastest drivers” will be determined by the admins and posted in the rules’ topic of the relevant event.



4) STARTING PROCEDURE


4.1 Unless stated otherwise in the relevant rules of an event, all HSO races will use the formation lap + standing start procedure.

4.2 Notable exceptions to this might be for instance races on ovals, or any other event for which the method proves not adapted and/or troublesome on any level (technical problem, historical accuracy, practicality, …etc.).


4.3 Reconnaissance Laps Procedure


When enforced by the rules of an event, the Reconnaissance Laps procedure will act as a the only on-track warm-up session between qualifying and a race, as the session named “warm-up” will exclusively be used from the drivers’ briefing. Once the briefing will be over, the server will switch to “race” session, triggering the start of the Reconnaissance Laps procedure.


4.3.1 at the start of the race session, you will get the usual 30 seconds countdown which usually is the time you have to click on the “race” button and directly joi the starting grid. In this case the 30-second countdown shows the time left before the pit lane opens. Once it reaches 00:00, the lights at the exit of the pitlane turn from red to green, and the track is accessible to drivers.


4.3.2 At this point, a 5-minute countdown starts, telling how much time there is left before the pitlane will close back. So you now have 5 minutes to go from your pits to your starting grid position, by doing a complete lap of the track. At the end of this “reconnaissance lap”, you can either :


a) take your place on the starting grid (as usual materialized by a red rectangle), or


b) do another reconnaissance lap. However, to do a second (and eventually third or more) reconnaissance lap, you must go through the pitlane to do so and most not drive through the starting grid where some cars will already be placed for the start.


4.3.3 Drivers who would still be in the pitlane at the end of the 5-minute countdown will not be allowed to join the grid and will start the race rom the pitlane after the others drivers have started.


4.3.4 At anytime during this procedure you can press “esc” and you will find yourself back in the pits. Any damage you car could have sustained in an accident during a reconnaissance lap will be repaired, and you will have all latitude to modify your car’s setup as in a classic warm-up session.


4.3.5 Once this second countdown reaches 00:00 and the pitlane is closed, a third and final 2-minuted countdown starts. Any driver having left the pits just before they closed therefore now has 2 minutes to complete his reconnaissance lap and take his place on the grid.


4.3.6 When the countdown reaches 00:00 the start procedure begins, with or without a formation lap depending on the event.


4.3.7 It is of course highly recommended that once you reached your starting grid slot you switch your engine off, and only switch it back some 10 to 20 seconds before the end of the last countdown (and thus of the start of the race).



5) RESTARTS


5.1 Being one of the most critical moments of a race, starts will obviously be closely scrutinized by the admins and any unsportsmanlike behaviour or irresponsible manoeuvres will be swiftly dealt with along the lines exposed in section 2) of the present appendix.


5.2 As a general rule, restarts will not be given except in the case of force majeure such as technical issues on the server. In the case of collisions involving several cars, restarts will not be given.



6) SERVER SETTINGS


6.1 HSO races tend to have the most realistic settings possible on its race servers. Typically, time scale will be on “x1” (no accelerated time), fuel usage and tyre wear on “normal” and damage mod at “100%”.


6.2 The flag rule for rFactor 2 races will usually be “black only”.


6.3 Needless to say, no driving aid of any sort is allowed on HSO servers. The only exception to this rule is the tolerance for automatic clutch to allow even those with particular wheel/pedal setups to participate.


6.4 All our rFactor 2servers use Stefan_L_01's Weather Plugin and Client (v4.5.2.), with real live time predictions from the OpenWeatherMap service. This way, HSO servers will enjoy the same weather as the real one present over the area where the circuit is located.



7) CHATTING


7.1 Chatting on the server is strictly forbidden in race session. It is allowed in qualifying sessions for technical issues only.



8) APPLICATION AND INTERPRETATION OF THE REGULATIONS


8.1 The admins alone are qualified to solve any problems raised by the application and the interpretation of the present regulations.

Does writing silly semi-novelized race reports qualify as "being a fool"?

Timo

On the contrary I would say, that is spot on as far as gentlemanship is concerned, old boy

Very nice!

Already read.

Frank Verplanken wrote:

6.4 All our rFactor 2servers use Stefan_L_01's Weather Plugin and Client (v4.5.2.), with real live time predictions from the OpenWeatherMap service. This way, HSO servers will enjoy the same weather as the real one present over the area where the circuit is located.

What a brilliant idea!

Jacob Fredriksson wrote:

Frank Verplanken wrote:

6.4 All our rFactor 2servers use Stefan_L_01's Weather Plugin and Client (v4.5.2.), with real live time predictions from the OpenWeatherMap service. This way, HSO servers will enjoy the same weather as the real one present over the area where the circuit is located.

What a brilliant idea!

According to the Weather Channel: 40% chance of rain for next Sunday and 8 degrees Celsius temperature
If these cars are difficult to drive in the dry and with the tires in optimum temperature, can you imagine being cold and wet?

I dont know how this plugin works, will it reflect the night real time weather, instead of the "virtual time" the race will happen? Having a cold track in a sunny day?

Claudio Navonne wrote:

Jacob Fredriksson wrote:

Frank Verplanken wrote:

6.4 All our rFactor 2servers use Stefan_L_01's Weather Plugin and Client (v4.5.2.), with real live time predictions from the OpenWeatherMap service. This way, HSO servers will enjoy the same weather as the real one present over the area where the circuit is located.

What a brilliant idea!

According to the Weather Channel: 40% chance of rain for next Sunday and 8 degrees Celsius temperature
If these cars are difficult to drive in the dry and with the tires in optimum temperature, can you imagine being cold and wet?

It is actually not that bad in the wet but once the track dries you can watch the tires melt away.

Andre Cunha wrote:

I dont know how this plugin works, will it reflect the night real time weather, instead of the "virtual time" the race will happen? Having a cold track in a sunny day?

You will see a range of possible weather conditions. As we get closer to race day the accuracy will be much better. On race day you will have a good idea of what to expect.

Section 4) STARTING PROCEDURE has been amended.

The reconnaissance laps procedure is dropped until further notice for all rFactor 2 events.

Most races will use the regular formation lap + standing start procedure, unless stated otherwise in the rules.

Frank Verplanken wrote:

Section 4) STARTING PROCEDURE has been amended.

The reconnaissance laps procedure is dropped until further notice for all rFactor 2 events.

Most races will use the regular formation lap + standing start procedure, unless stated otherwise in the rules.

Why?

Because it is bugged online in rF2, often randomly disconnecting a player from the server. Probably what happened to Vaclav at Imola F1 '79. I love the recon laps, but if it's not working we can't use it