This is going to sound like a rant, possibly, but it is not meant like that. I just want to set out my position, not only as the person who creates the leaderboards, but as a player who wants the boards to contain meaningful information.
As I noted
here, I'm not keen on the idea of adding player choices; not even keen on showing wheel or controller. Since the time of that post, the leaderboard has grown a few columns which already makes it difficult to read, more so when it is a Gr.x week where I show cars used.
My main issue with showing player optional choices is that how each player chooses to play the game is up to them and is not an indicator of some sort of advantage. Each player needs to find the method that works best for them, within their budget (controller, wheel, direct drive wheel), within their physical constraints (space for a rig, space for pedals; bodily physical constraints - bad backs, sciatica (not fun, trust me!), disability) and home life constraints (only allowed to play certain hours, in a certain room, with sound off?), and within their abilities (TC might help a beginner get better lap times, but a good driver will be held back by it).
The variables are endless and not always (or ever?) an indicator of anything other than personal choice. Do you use a wheel; is the wheel mounted on a desk, or a cheap rig, or an expensive solid rig; what pedals do you have - potentiometer or load cell? Potentiometer with performance kit? Brake calibration level? How are the brakes mounted? If you use a ghost, what offset do you use? Do you always use it or only to find lines over the first day or so? If you use a controller, which buttons and sticks do you use, or do you use motion? How many miles to you put into each TT? Do you restart when your lap goes red, or carry on? Do you play with music on or off?
To further illustrate the point that I do not believe these choices add value, I cannot drive with a ghost - it distracts me to the point that I can't get round the lap. Others are possibly held back if they can't use a ghost - I seem to remember
@Barareklam saying he always uses a ghost. So if I put a 'Yes' against ghost on the leaderboard, what value does that add? 'Yes' against my name would mean my time was compromised; 'Yes' against
@Barareklam name means his time was better than it would have been without. So really it is meaningless.
Similar for TC, choice of ABS, ASM, and all the other variables I listed. It may help one person, but hold another back.
If there is strong and overwhelming support for the idea of adding these personal choices to the leaderboard, then I'll add it for those who want to supply it, but I'm not in favour. Also be aware that the extra columns will make the leader boards more or less illegible.
. Improving my 1:20.881 shouldn't be difficult, but I don't think a sub .700 is very realistic. I'm away this whole week, so only going to have time for maybe two sessions the following week.
