GPLRank

GPLRank was/is the first really successful Internet ranking system for participants in simracing (races for racing simulations, often run via the Internet, where participants directly compete against each other on virtually-recreated tracks). From the year 2000 onwards, it focused its comparisons on registered laptimes (the faster/lower, the better, and the higher one's standing on the worldwide ranking).

Its ranking system was based on the popular Grand Prix Legends F1 racing simulation for x86-based PCs. This came with "example replay laps" driven by its designers and beta testers, one for each of the 11 default tracks used in the 1967 racing season. Netizen and GPL fan Don Scurlock around the year 2000 came up on Usenet with the idea of putting these 11 laptimes together, creating a total target time of 25:20.218.

Participants could then measure how fast or slow they were by comparing their best laptimes from the 11 tracks, combined into one GPLRank time, against the target time. Those who had lower combined laptimes than 25:20.218 were given a negative 'ranking' (like -12, or 12 seconds faster than the total target time), those who stayed above the target time were considered 'positive' (like +80). The faster a driver became, the more 'negative' he or she was. Participants could also compare their laptimes to the default replay laptimes on individual tracks (like 1:30.9 at Silverstone), thus being 'negative' or 'positive' on a single track. Gradually, a speed-based ranking emerged where the fastest drivers would lead and the slowest entrants would bring up the rear.

This idea proved very popular in the following years and thousands of GPL simracers participated by submitting their laptimes. By comparing the laptimes and totals against each other, a ranking system developed. Around the year 2005, more than 7000 people had registered on GPLrank despite GPL's limited popularity (being a simulation rather than a game, it was generally considered 'too hard' or too labour-intensive for most fans of arcade 'video games'). The fastest drivers worldwide had scored negative ranks of around -92. Statistically, most drivers were still positive (on average, around +20) but getting 'negative' was generally considered achievable for most GPL drivers. Around 2001, a decision was taken to specifically extend the Ranking system for tracks not originally included with the simulation and new benchmarks were gradually implemented. [ [http://www.autosimsport.net/backissues.php#top AutoSimSport Magazine Vol 1 Issue 5, May 2005] ]

GPLRank also emerged as the system were World Records for individual tracks would be set. A fastest laptime, verified by GPLRank officials, would be the world record in GPL. Unverified times were registered but not considered a WR, because of the (limited) possibilities for cheating or GPL timing errors. Usually, faulty times would be deleted from GPLRank after a while.

Separate rankings were later developed based on other car classes, like 1965 F1, Formula 2 and Formula 3, all simulated in GPL and its mods. Participants could also measure their laptimes only against fellow racers from their own country or their own age group. Rankings for other racing simulations like Nascar Racing 2003 (NASCAR) and GTR (sports cars) followed suit. Despite the emergence of these classes and rankings, GPL's 1967 F1 ranking generally remained as the general 'yardstick' for estimating someone's speed in simracing.

Initially the GPLRank server was a Linux box that ran in Germany at Uwe 'Hoover' Schuerkamp's employer, but when Uwe switched jobs and he called for help to host GPLRank, Brian Wong kindly provided a server and a connection to the net. The server is now a Sun box running on the Solaris operating system.

References

External links

* [http://gplrank.schuerkamp.de/php-pub/gplrank.php GPLRank]
* [http://www.autosimsport.net/backissues.php#top AutoSimSport Magazine]