Glider Contest Operating Manual - COM
v1.1; ©dESPair; Habakuk
The spirit of the contest (why are we doing this?)
The glider contest has been initiated, created and organised to get more fun out of XP. Lots of skilled people are creating freeware stuff, but the glider contest is the first that includes the majority of those elements - wrapped in a beautiful challenge: the glider contest.
The contest is open to everyone. It’s about having fun with a brand new glider, cruising over custom scenery and watch custom objects around custom airports and trying to beat your last flight time. It’s not about being the greatest dude. We are sports, not fighters. We want to have fun like a flying club, not a competition with the “bloodlust” button switched on...
Cheating means cheating on yourself, because you will miss the best part of the whole thing: enjoying the beauty of a glider flight over nice places. You might get at the top of our list. Great. But was it fun for you?
The rules on how to use the contest infrastructure & data
Downloads
You can download the scenery and aircraft data only if you sign up with our contest member database. Once registered, you get the download information. Download and install the whole package, following the installation guidelines posted on the glider contest web site.
Copyrights
All items - documents and graphics, sound files and aircraft files etc.) are copyright protected by the respective author. Modification and redistribution (modified or unmodified) is prohibited. None of the downloadable items may be used for commercial purposes. Just because you can download the items for free does not mean you own them.
Website and database
Use the infrastructure honestly. We don’t want to have security measures, so behave nicely when entering data into the contest database. If you need to edit your data, contact Bob Brown. Send stuff and questions for and about the site to Habakuk.
The goals
Each contest has its own goals defined. You find them on the contest specific description sheet. Usually the goals are to fly as fast as possible, as long as possible, turn around given turn points, fly a given route as closely as possible etc. Usually you are advised to take screenshots. The main goal is to enjoy the flight.
The start data/setup
We expect that you fly with XP 5.54. This is because of the aircraft and airport data format. Before flying a contest, you are asked to remove the XP preferences, and thus force XP to startup always in the same state on all machines. Then you look at the contest data sheet - there you’ll find a detailed description of the settings to be chosen in XP. Follow those directions very closely. It’s easy to cheat, so don’t even think about doing it.
The flight (which rules to respect?)
You get the most fun out of the contest, if you try to fly as “real” as possible. Get involved in soaring matters! Check the links we have on the site. Try to follow all applying rules for the given area you are flying in. The more you care about how to fly, the better you will enjoy the flight! Don’t peek at the XP moving map. Use the VFR landmarks and the maps you get with the download. If you get lost, try to land on any airport. Don’t risk your cyber life. Fly safe! If you crash in the landing the flight does not count.
The flight report filing procedure
Once you are done with your flights, you want to report your results back to our headquarters. Some contests will require you to send in some screenshots or data output. The contest site features a result database where you can enter your results. Once you entered your results, send the requested screen dumps and/or data chunks to the dESPair headquarters. Once we have approved and judged your flight performance, we will activate your entered data - and your ranking will be online.
The judgement/ranking rules
Depending on the contest type, there may be a penalty point system: if you miss a goal, have broken rules or used inappropriate settings etc., you’ll get an overall time increase. Since this is all about fun, we don’t judge for money, but beer might help your case...
The glider organisation committee
Sir Sindley - Initiator, Glider construction and painting, manuals, registration database conception & organisation, reference test pilot.
Sir Habakuk - Tour creator, Scenery, textures, texturing tool, web site, manuals, conception & organisation, worst case test pilot.
Victoria - mental soothening, physical distraction
