Simulator is down

It's not technically possible to extend a 2D subscription like this I'm afraid.  The best we could do is hand out some reward points.  Please allow me to focus on resolving the problem first though.  I would rather do something like this once the problem is fixed.

Please go back and restart the race

http://igpmanager.com/play/?url=league-info/149

it was just messed up

+1
Resolve the problem and everyone is happy.

I'm sorry Andrew, but the Rookie tier gave a resounding "no" to having their race restarted and I didn't get a particularly strong "yes" vode from the Elite tier.  I meant to check Pro too but didn't have time in the end.  The problem is that all of the tiers must remain in sync.  So I need to get agreement between all tiers before rescheduling.

Besides fixing the underlying problem, we are also planning a system that will automatically judge whether or not a race will be postponed or continue, giving you feedback the second there is any kind of fault.

Once again, I'm sorry about the disruption to your race.

Andrew, check your PM. The subject is: "Failsafe".

Cheers!

When you race once per week, and every Wednesday night with what seems like a target on your back for this specific issue, I don't find it that cheeky.

Why would it be hard? Only if the back end was horribly, horribly coded. Any quick database search would EASILY bring up this information. That last bit lost you every bit of credibility... lol

A future-safe solution would be to include two different 2D subscriptions. The first one being the current one, use it whenever you want as many times as you want without problem (£29.99). The second option could be pay X amount of dollars for say 200 races (say £19.99 or something)

I know this option wouldn't appeal to many people and it rules out them being able to spectate races, but lets face it, most of the guys in "1 race a week" leagues probably aren't online every day like a lot of us are so not being able to spectate probably isn't a problem for them.

Mind you, I suppose that option still doesn't work because if you start a race and have it cancelled you've used up a races worth of 2D without being able to play the game any way. Unless the race could be added back to your account, I dunno how that works though.

This arguement again?

Let me explain what a subscription is.

Subscription is a rental method, which you rent your 2D viewer package for a set ammount of days.
Should you rent your home, should you be charged to sleep their per night, cause you may stay out all night, or perhaps you stay at your partners or parents?

OMG!
David - are you serious?

What Jason describes is a fair solution for a known problem: It's not fair when people who do 4 races a month pay the same like people doing 28 races a month.
Your argument is b.s. and it seems to me like someone searching for arguments just to have no need to think about.

Paying a rent for my home is necessary! Paying an unfair fee for a sim that crashes 3 times a week is luxury -and arguments like yours will only lead in people leaving that game! If you like this game and want to support it, then you should come of your own egoistic point of view and see what people need to stay with the game.
The only reason, why I'm still here - with all the crashes, stillstand, and people argumenting like you - is that I have payed for a one year subscription. And if the game stays in that buggy way and only with the possibillity to renew for a one year subsription: I definitely will quit, when subsription ends. Like many I know did, and many I know will do.

Why not have a flat rate: one year subsription
and a prepaid rate: 200 races or whatever?

EDIT:
A prepaid rate with 200 races makes no sense at all it should be something like 20 races...

Thanks Andrew, appreciate the work you're putting in.

Yes I agree, this is basically what I meant to say but couldn't think of a way to say it this simple haha. It makes sense to have both options if you ask me.

I remember Jack bringing up the point that it wasn't really feasable because people won't be able to spectate races and what not if they used this method, but in all fairness that's at the subscribers discretion. You pay for the subscription -> You choose what is best for you.

I would always go for the yearly subscription because I enjoy joining other races and chatting to people and what not, but I know a ton of people who only log in for their own race and then don't come back online until their next race. This other method would definitely suit them.

Oh dear.

As someone who hasn't purchased the 2D pack yet I can tell you a couple things that perhaps the devs could take note of. When I created my account, I was given 3 free trials of the 2D viewer of which I've used 2 of those 3. They were really cool to see but I know from seeing people's videos, screenshots, and reading the various threads I certainly didn't know how to take full advantage of it. I'm saving my final 2D view experience for probably this season's last race as I've enjoyed the competitive races with the only other active member of my league. The reason I haven't paid for a subscription is mainly what people have been talking about in this thread...it's a risk that if I use it and the race gets an issue then I'm screwed and lose the only piece of bait the game is offering to get my money really as I'm not wanting to pay for the reward points at this stage for sure.

What's another way they can entice me into buying a subscription for a year to the 2D pack? Offer it free for spectating. If there's one thing that the eSports world has learned, it's to get people excited and experience what the players experience. Heck it's almost akin to the real world saying to everyone that likes F1 can watch the race on TV instead of just reading the results on the newspaper or getting an RSS feed of updates (basically what I can see now in spectate mode). If I spend a few races spectating in 2D mode and seeing how cool it looks, I may be more inclined to get it for MY races but if not, what have the devs lost?

Going back to the point of offering both annual/monthly subs for unlimited use AND a per-race package, this makes total sense to me and works on many different types of games and other services. Think of things like gift cards, or pre-paid cell phones. To counter what David has said, and as many have pointed out...BAD ARGUMENT IS BAD. Perhaps you're experience in the world is limited and I feel bad for you but I've actually had a chance to travel around and experience other parts of the world and guess what I've done during that time? I have paid per-night stays at hotels, hostels, and not had to pay for a full month just to stay a few nights out of that month. Another option I've had is to rent for a month or two if I'm going to be around long enough to make it worth while. I've also gone out to eat and some restaurants and guess what types I tend to avoid? All-u-can-eat buffets, because I dont' feel like paying the same amount as someone who's going to take 4 plates while I only take 1 in the same amount of time. Are my analogies strange? yes I'm sure. Are they at all raising an eyebrow or a thought about how to look at this overall argument that came up regarding per-race options? I sure hope so.

Time for my race...not in 2D...not until I'm convinced it's worth it.

Allowing spectating for free seems like a good idea to me

That is a very good suggestion Jeff.
I think the stability issue has to be sorted first, as it looks to me  that when too many people are using 2D the system can't cope (but I may be talking rubbish).

Having said that - removing the 2D trials and giving everyone 'free to look' - might be an improvement.
#sigh# - why didn't I think of that #sigh# - lol

Making spectating free? That will be abused to all buggery though.

Make a second account -> Spectate your own race -> Free 2D for life

It's been brought up in the past and from memory this is why the devs didn't agree with it.

Ah - never thought of that Jason - nice idea while it lasted :(

I keep forgetting about all those cheats out there!

Good point Jason. I had not thought of that either

I should point out that you would only be able to watch the race you wouldn't be able to do anything about set-ups etc.  But as you say somebody somewhere would be able to exploit that.  You would still have to buy at least one 2D package though.  Or am I missing something again!