Particiaption - involvement - community

FAQ

The following section is intended to cover any initial questions you may have regarding our applications. Please see other sections of this website for more information.

Overview

Our applications are software plugins for use exclusvely with the iRacing.com Motorsports Simulation

Our aplications extend the information provided by the simulation to better your real time awareness and make race changing descisions about your racing.

Availability

Free To Use - Our applications and simulation plugins are available for everyone to use with all its features enabled for personal use and evaluation.

Software

Our applications are built with standard industry programming languages and require a users computer to have runtime support for these. typically, most users will already have them installed.

Environment

Unlees otherwise noted, Our applications require a running instance/session of the iRacing.com Motorsports Simulation on your (Microsoft Windows) computer to interact with and able to connect to the internet.

Getting started with our applications is easy and requires no technical or computer specific skills.

QUICK START
Download it, Run it. Know you're going to make it. :)

Or for those who prefer instructions;
SETUP

1. Download our applications from the 'GET' link above.

2. Save the .ZIP archive to a easy to get to place on your computer.

3. Locate and Right Click, Extract Files.

USE

1. Run the (RaceToy 'Launcher') application, and/or Toney before or during your iRacing,com Simulation session is running on your computer.

The Race Toy launcher will keep RaceToy up to date as updates to the plugin are released.

You will hear some voice/audio feedback from the application that it is loaded and running once it see's an active iRacing.com Simulation session on your computer.

2. Enter a driving session, Practice, Qual, Testing, Race. You will hear audio feedback from the application that it is active and managing your car's on track telemetry data.

3. You can leave the aplication running at any time, can exit at any time. Be mindful, it will only be managing your car's data once it is running in conjuction the sim

Windows 10 Smart Screen Notes
It has been sometimes seen where some users get warnings from Windows 10 Smart Screen and Defender antivirus warnings with either the download or the first time use of the plugin/s.

Being an executable program on the internet, its valid for these warnings to be seen sometimes for such things. See this Download Help for a bit of a walk through on how to let it complete and should after that no longer nag the user.

For more information about how and what each application does, see the plugins section.

Usage Note

The applictions themselves do not require you to login directly to them for them to function. They just need to run when and or while the sim has a running session that you have joined.

Data projection

Without publishing our own Thesis (although, we probably can and should) on the sheer volume of research we've poured into the development and design of our applications core functions and features, we would like to touch on the concepts, theories, and practical design we've put into our applications to make sure you're going to make it.

Data modelling

In the context of motorsports, in relation to competitive outcomes through real-time evaluation of evolving data, simulation and modelling, we've designed our approach from numerous sources, race proven strategy examples and other proven theories, including but most certainly not limited to;

  • Interactive data, dependencies and fluidity
  • Real time statistical analysis, projection and change forecasting
  • Historical data analytics
  • Near field, multi system data matrixes and interconnected impact
  • Moral Relativity, Human interpretation and decision making influences in relation to dynamically favourable outcomes
  • Object Relativity, Mathematical extrapolation, extrusion, correlation and convergence

Confused yet?

For a user friendly overview of the theory basics, comprehensively extended as exercised in our applications, see;

No.

Our applications use only functions and information provided by the iRacing.com simulation and only in ways they are intended to be used.

Every care has been taken in the development and design of our applications to keep within the bounds of sportsmanship and strictly aheading to the iRacing.com Sporting Code and Terms and Conditions of the service.

We have sought clear and explict written permission for our applications with the senior staff at iRacing.com and have written approval for the use of our applications and the design and intent to which they are provided for use and that our applications do not in any way breach the iRacing,com conditions of use and is in the best interest of open fair play and good sportsmanship.

updates and ongoing development

While we are continually developing our platform, plugins and applications we need to remind users that from time to time the simulation updates the data (Telemetry) that is presented to our plugins and depending on any changes to this provided data how that may or may not affect our plugins and how they behave.

Every effort is made to ensure prompt and reliable corrections of the provided data (Telemetry) and the calculations they depend on. We appreciate your understanding and patience when this occurs, and your constructive feedback and observations are always welcome.

If you've spotted something that’s not functioning as expected or would like to provide feedback please drop by and let us know about it do we can ensure we can work to resolve it, by getting involved

Licensing

Used under https://www.fmod.com/licensing FMOD Indie License for permission to distribute.

Attribution

Made with FMOD Studio by Firelight Technologies Pty Ltd.

Development Notes


DIVISION 3 - DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT AND SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY, PLUGINS AND TOOLS FOR IRACING

RaceToy represents one of the key components of our dynamic data engine to monitor your racing telemetry data in real-time in order to
accurately predict and action strategy changes for favourable race outcomes.

Through managing reflective comparative data, on the fly pattern recognition and projection, we make race-changing real time decisions
and influence how your race plays out.

Designed from the ground up to cater for both VR and non-VR drivers RaceToy seamlessly monitors and manages driver fuel loads, tire life
and pit strategy for both sprint and endurance races.
No more thinking about your fuel or tires or fumbling with controls, just leaving you the driver to drive flat out.

In development and fine tuning since 2008, hundreds of hours of in-race testing with both team and individual driver events have
proven the algorithm accuracy and reliability of RaceToy to manage fuel loads, deliver accurate fuel levels and make the right call on
tires to maximise your time on the track, and minimise time lost on pit road.

FEATURES INCLUDE

* Real time fuel and tire usage monitoring and projections
* VR / Non-VR enabled fuel and tire management and information
* Fuel and tire stop assisted decision automation: accurate preconfigured settings, fuel used, needed, tire wear, life etc
* Pit Box guides: counting you down to your pit stall
* On-Demand communication about live fuel and tire data
* Out-of-car and in-garage fuel load and pressure tire calculations
* Practice, Qualify, Race and Testing session fuel and tire usage data and projections
* Serial Port output telemetry interface (work in progress)



RUNTIME USE NOTES (Active Mode)

In Active mode (default) the plugin is actively collecting data and managing your fuel and tires for all sessions.

When out of car, or in garage; (This feature is being moved into incar voice feedback at the moment, but reamins in place while in development)

Example: Weather Air: 30.2 (4.7) Track: 44.5 (4.5) %10.1 Warmer, Suggest (kPa) 149.50 (From: 155.05) -1.4 Clicks

Assuming your setup was made using default weather and track conditions, this is advising that the current conditions, altitude, air pressure, track and air temperature, that you should take 1.4 click out of your tires, all around.

Uses live weather from the sim, both session and live telemetry. weather DOES change, track temp changes by use, time of day and weather.
This is part of the tire development in relation to endurance racing where it will be tracking your tires and weather and making psi adjustments when the weather changes enough to need it (work in progress).

RUNTIME USE NOTES (Passive Mode)

Passive mode is for drivers who already have their favorite sim plugins and just helping out collecting data and don't want RaceToy helping them.
Passive mode is optionally configured in the 'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini', setting Passive to 1 to enable passive mode.
During passive mode, RaceToy will no longer copmmunicate to the driver or action any changes it normally would during active mode.
It is collecting session weather, fuel and tire samples only to the machine learning data pool.


MACHINE LEARNING

Much of RaceToy's R3 platform has a number of machine learning teachnolgies built into it.

Ideally, it's learning how you race, how others race, how races play out and how best to forecast sitations for on track gain.
As with any machine learning system it can only learn from what it sees and what it knows. It has a comprehensive pool of learned knowledge and is learning everytime it goes on track.

FUEL: With years of fuel data behind it, its currently doing a great job of nailing that nearly everytime. obviously, circumstance in real time can change and it handles this well when it can.

TIRES: Tire metrics have come along way with RaceToy and while theres more room to go, it has some more to learn. it is getting better.

TRUST: Humans aren't so welcome of machines to do things for them, but while this isn't Skynet, I trust it and let it do the thinking while i just drive my race, and it's doing a great job so far.


FUEL AND TIRE ANALYTICS

These are performing well, in additional to background cloud machine learning analytics data is being looked at experimentally.
Such as the Cloud Data check for fuel burn high previous session, logging these observations to D3_RaceToy_Plugin.log when you come down pit road.
I'm interested to see the D3_RaceToy_Plugin.log after you have a run to see how thats travelling.
In this release (3.023 onwards) it is active and recalculating fuel needed as you come onto pit road.
this has proven to resolve 'faster last stints'. be mindfull, it is experimental, as is machine learning it's only able to learn what you teach it.

Added a preliminary function to check current weather for an incoming pitstop and log pressure change avice to thelog file. this is a work in
progress and does adjust if needed tire pressures if the conditions merrit a change for the next set of tires.

ON TRACK

While most of RaceToy's learning is on track, its still learning to mimic human descision making habits, most notable in the space for Oval Racing.
It's getting better, but has a way to go before its learnt more, so remember, its learning, help it learn by showing it how you strategically race. :-)


DIAGNOSTIC TEXT DISPLAYS (FUEL)

Fuel L:79.508 U:0.492 0.36L/Laps SL: 6 FL: 1 EL:223.90

Is displayed in car on the application console, mostly as a visual reference.
Typically, the driver doesn’t need to see this as its more for diagnostics.

Fuel:
L: Level of fuel in the tank
U: Used fuel from last fuel reset.
x.xx/x current fuel burn per minutes/laps
SL: Session laps, laps driven in this session
FL: Fuel Laps, how many laps driven on this fuel load since fuel reset.
EL: estimated/calculated laps left of fuel in the tank.

This text is for development and diagnostic use between versions and will be removed as things progress.


OPTIONAL PLUGIN CONTROLS (Keyboard fixed settings)

RaceToy - Optional Controls: (When on track, and in-car)
There are 6 main control that a driver can action if needed. These are optional but are useful for making quick changes or for session infomration feedback.
These are available when on track, and in-car. These will perform an action and verbally feedback.

Current controls are;

FUEL - Report fuel burns, projections
TIRES - last read tire wear, quick set tire changes on or off, advise pressure changes
WEATHER - report current weather, weather deviation from baseline weather
STINT - Planning pitstops outside of usual circumstances.
OPTION - Toggle the live tire management features on or off. (if you don't want it handling your tires)
CONFIG - Manual Fuel Numbers Reset.

Fixed keybard mappings; (Can be mappeed to yoru favorite macro application, such as decks and Voice Attack)

RCTRL + RSHIFT + INSERT = Fuel
RCTRL + RSHIFT + HOME = Tires
RCTRL + RSHIFT + DEL = Weather
RCTRL + RSHIFT + END = Stint
RCTRL + RSHIFT + PGDOWN = Option
RCTRL + RSHIFT + PGUP = Config

Some controls perform other functions depending on if you are in the car, out of teh car, on pitorad, or in the pit box.

In Car, On Track
FUEL - Reports current fuel burn, laps remaining in tank, needed fuel, current fuel plan and next pit window
TIRES - Reports last read wear
WEATHER - Reports current weather deviation from baseline weather
STINT - Cycles through active Fuel Plan Modes 1-4, when available to do so.
OPTION - Adaptive Tire Management Control Toggle ON/OFF (Toggles the managmenet of Tires on or off)
CONFIG - Manual Fuel Numbers Reset. (Diagnostic action)

In Car, On Pit Road
TIRES - Manually quick set tires to change, All, Right Sides Only, None.

In Car, In Pit Box
FUEL - Advise starting fuel. (information permitting)
TIRES - Manually quick set tires to change, All, Right Sides Only, None.

Out of Car, In Garage
FUEL - Advise race starting fuel, current session information permitting.
TIRES - Advise starting pressure clicks change
WEATHER - Reports current weather deviation from baseline weather


OPTIONAL PLUGIN CONTROLS - Button Box / Game Controller button mapping feture. - BETA - (When on track, and in-car)

This feature is for mapping the controls above to game controllers, such as button boxes and (where vendor supported) sim wheel buttons to plugin functions.
Current build ships with setting default set with Setupcomplete=1 and not prompt for buttion mappings unless the user chooses to reconfigre it.
The default keyboard mappings above are live at any time.

Currently on startup if 'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini' file has Setupcomplete=0, it will walk through mapping the 6 controls (listed below) of RaceToy binding them to selected controller or button box buttons.
Supports a generic range of 3rd party wheels, jopystick and button box controllers, however testing has been posative on most consumer wheels and button boxes so far.

Note; You can map only selected ones, and optionally set others to '0' in the 'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini' after you've run throught the mapping of the 10 functions.
Eg, only map 'Report current fuel numbers. (Voice Feedback)', and once completed dummy mapping the rest, open the 'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini' file and set the rest to 0, saving your changes.


FUEL PLAN FEATURE NOTES - WIP (September 2020)

Conceptually the fuel plans are relavent to when tanks for fuel needed is less than 2, as normally, these would be tank and a bit type situations.

The Fuel Plan feature is a fuel delivery plan mode setting. Primarily for a driver to choose how the fuel levels delivered is configured.
Typically used for situations where a driver wants to choose to pit early in a stint, late, or balance out the fuel delivery over shorter stops, reconfiguring the plugin's normal fuel metrics.

Current plans metrics are;
0 = 100% Fuel plan, normal full distance metrics. (Default setting)
1 = 25% fuel plan, 1/4 Distance, stop early, run long.
2 = 50% fuel plan, 1/2 Distance, , balanced half now, half later.
3 = 75% fuel plan, 3/4 Distance, , run long, short fuel later.
4 = Add extra lap of safety Fuel.

Any current Fuel Plan Mode is reset to default (0) when taking fuel, exiting the car to garage, leaving a session or performing a manual fuel reset.

This feature will also have a 'take tires or not' function added to align with this fuel planning.
Currently not live as it is in development, however the mode toggle controls are live and can now be assigned for when the feature is made live in a coming update.


STARTING FUEL SUGGESTION FEATURE NOTES - WIP (July 2020)

When out of the car, not in the garage, pressing the Fuel Read Mapped button or keyboard shortcut (above) will verbally advise on starting fuel level, and
additional fuel if needed.
Note, this is conditional in that the session you are in has a race component, and there is current fuel burn data for the session, eg, laps turned at race pace.

It's currently noting various vales to the log file for diagnostic purposes. Still looking to see if its seeing the right data to be accurate.
Hosted practice, qual race sessions should be good, however, offical racces where there is a warm up, and no prac or qual, it may not yet be good.
planning to add a call to the cloud data, should no session fuel burns be available, wich will be added shortly.


DRIVE TO A FUEL NUMBER FEATURE (Experimental November 2020)

Deployed in the build is an expirmental race situational verbal feedback per lap feature where if the condition exists that you've pitted for fuel, and the
fuel delivered was calulated at the stop based on previous fuel burn numbers and then later you're drving faster in the following stint.

For example, your fuel burn early on might be X, and half way you pit for remaining fuel needed. Fuel delivered is updated on best fuel burns it can find, as well
as AI updates for burn projections during pit service, and even if after that, you're still drving faster than previous seen numbers, it will start telling
you to fuel save Y.YY per lap or minute, depending on session type each lap.
This is currently experiemental, but working ok so far. very much a work in progress. Verbal feedback currently disabled while logging checks confirm its working.


AUDIO INTERFACE NOTES

Current R3 build is now using the FMOD sound engine and ships with default set to 0 for auto windows default audio unless the user chooses to reconfigre it.
For most users this is fine and does not need to be changed unless users want to change an audio out where RaceToy audio goes to, such as front, rear, specific headphones, etc.

If you want to specify a audio interface each time it loads instead of picking it, open the 'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini'
in notepad, and set;
PreferedDevice=1024
Setting 1024 and running the launcher will send it into listing available audio interfaces for you to choose to set it to.
Example, if you want to set it to use windows current default audio out, set;
PreferedDevice=0
and save it.
Feature pending shortly is for it to save your last chosen interface as the default. - yet to be done, work in progress there.


LOG FILE

On application startup, it clears any previous log file and creates a running log of application logging for situational events.
Such as, when pitting, a log is written of its actions and selected values for diagnostic purposes, and logs for feature experiments.
The log file is created in the same directory as the RaceToy plugin, called D3_RaceToy_Plugin.log.
If you have any issues, its important to ensure you grab a copy of this file before starting RaceToy again so i can see these logs.


OPTIONAL PLUGIN RDI EXTENTIONS

RDI optional extenations are aditional runtimes to provide supplimental RaceToy telemetry information to the driver.

They are experimental and works in progress at this time.

WIP Current Exported Data made available to the extentions are;

Current Position,
Current Lap,
Remaining (Time or Laps - Session defined),
Laps Fuel Remaining in Tank,
Litres Fuel to Add,
Pit Service Settings Flag (Bitfield), (Tires, Fuel, Windshield, etc)
Car Status Flag (Bitfield);
-Flasher (Alternating indicator, half second on, off (Eg On pit limter flash)
-Pit Limiter Active (On cars that have it)
-Pit Overspeed Indicator (Too fast when approaching or on pit road)
-Shift Light Indicator (based on in sim default shift indicators)
-ABS Indicator (Simulated algorithm, All cars)
-Engine Overheating Warning (Water over temp, useful for oval drafting)
-Fuel Pressure Warning (Low Fuel)
-Engine Warning (Low Oil Pressure)

OPTIONAL EXTENTION - RDI WEB CONNECT PIT BOARD (WIP)

Now included is internal frameworks for providing RaceToy's data to external sources, such as a new Web
feature, where a Browser on your Pc, Mobile or Tablet conencted to the same network as you race pc can now see a Pit Board style presentation of
basic (Pit Board like) Data. Position, Lap, Laps left of Fuel, When to pit, and what for.
This data is live with a web refresh of every 5 seconds (current setting).
Current State; Work in Progress, functional, not yet available.

OPTIONAL EXTENTION - RDI SERIAL OUTPUT (WIP)

Frameworks for Serial Data output for use with Arduino and similar devices is now live with the plugin via a user selected option in the
'D3_RaceToy_Launcher.ini' file section under the [Setup] seciotn and UseSerial=0, set to UseSerial=1 and saved.
The current build selected the highesdt seen COM port on your race pc and uses that. Soom there will be an option the Ini to specificy a port.
Initial output over serial is a small sub set of data for use with devices such as Arduino who can serial read. We'll expqnd this data set soon.
Ideally this feature is for DIY drivers who want to create hardware extentions, devices, displays, gauges, etc. futher information will be available
soon on the Division 3 website - DIY section.
Current State; Work in Progress, functional, not yet available.

OPTIONAL EXTENTION - RDI SCREEN OVERALY
An extention to provide a minimal set of additional real time fuel information to the driver on screen to suppliment the audio feedback.
Currently being sent to the primary monitor for overlaying the graphic screen.
Current State; Work in Progress, functional, not yet available.


SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS UPDATE

The current build of RaceToy v 3.026 onwards requires updated system runtimes. (VC140) as the current build is compiled under Visual Studio 2019.
If you receive a runtime error stating not found 'vcruntime v1.40.dll', will require installation to your system of updated vcruntime140,
available from Microsoft from the links below. You'll need to install both x86 and x64 runtimes.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2977003/the-latest-supported-visual-c-downloads
x86: vc_redist.x86.exe https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vc_redist.x86.exe
x64: vc_redist.x64.exe https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vc_redist.x64.exe


CONTACT

Your constructive feedback and questions are appreciated. you can Contact us via our DISCORD COMMUNITY CHANNEL ( https://discord.gg/pse5eGS )

Readme updated for Plugin Version 3.030 (November 2020)


Updated: November 15, 2020

If you have any quieries not covered in this section, or other sections of this website, please contact us.