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Topic: New comer survival guide to GPRO |
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This is intended to all the new managers.
From the start, I wish to say that a lot of what I write here can be found elsewhere. I am simply putting it in a way that can help new players to sort out the numerous information they are flood with at first.
So, this is your first season. You are very excited about the game. You want to know everything there is to know and you want to know it now.
Of course, you want to win on your very first race. After all, you have been playing games for years, either on the web or on your computer or on your console. You are a fan of Formula One and there is no way anyone can beat you, right?
I am afraid you are in for a big disappointment. Let me give you a few pointers on how to survive your first season in GPRO.
First, let me make something clear: this is not a racing game.
I repeat: this is not a racing game.
This is a management game. What you are required to do here is to manage. Some will tell you that the first thing you have to manage is your finance. I disagree. Finance is only the second thing you must learn to manage. The most important thing you need to manage is data.
You may as well accept this right now: your first season (indeed, your first few seasons) is/are all about collecting data in order to analyse it later.
And you will need data for everything: drivers’ stats, car setup, car upgrade (cost and return), etc.
«Ah! Not to worry! I played a lot of game on the internet. All I have to do is to go to the forum and I will get all the answers!»
Hmmm! If this is your plan, be warned that this game have another disappointment in store for you. You will soon find that the other players here keep their card very close to the vest. And actually they have to, or they would be sanctioned. Here is what the rules say about disclosing too much information on the forum:
9.1 Forums
Any user, who is registered and approved by the administrators, is entitled to use the forums. The official language of the forums is English. Other languages may be spoken in the national forums only. The rules for the forum are:
(…)
• No revealing detailed information about the game
So when you ask for help on the forum, there is a limit that experienced players are forbidden to transgress in the amount of information they can give you. But some managers are applying this rule with a lot of zele to say the least. That is how you will come to learn a new word: FOBY. Take a look at how the Wiki defines FOBY:
What does "FOBY" mean?
FOBY is an acronym for "Find Out By Yourself".
But the same Wiki also add this:
You might at first think this is offensive (and GPRO crew members will frown on people who use it exclusively with no explanation),
Many an experienced player seem to not have read it or has forgot about it and there is a lot of «FOBY» going around in the forum.
In order to avoid this, here are a few suggestions:
1. You are expected to read all the information that is provided to you: Game rules, Newbie Guide and Wiki. If you come asking a question whose answer is explicitly written in one of those, you can expect some nasty comments from other managers. I would recommend that you not only read it all, but also that you take the test and get your certification. Here is the link: /gb/CertTest.asp
When your get certified, you show that you care about the game, that you understand that it requires a lot of learning and that you are willing to do your part. Then, when you ask for help, you run a better chance to have you call answered.
2. In many a game, players get into open discussion over strategy, and freely exchange ideas and opinions.
Here it is not that easy. Very often GPRO managers seem a bit blasés. They have seen it all. Very often answers are limited to say that such or such topic has already been discussed and that you should know about it. So for your own sake, be sure to research the forum with key words related to your topic before posting a new thread.
The problem is: sometime one does not even know what key word to use. This is particularly true for all of us out there whose first language is not English. So, as an alternative, you could just ask if this or that topic has already been discussed and how to find it.
3. When I say that many GPRO managers are acting like they are blasés, I also mean that it is not very easy for a new comer to make suggestions. In all truth, a lot of thought has been put into this game by the administrators and the early gamers, many of whom were also play testers. So once again, be sure to research the forum before launching yourself into suggestions about the game or reporting a possible bug.
Now let’s go back to managing your game. I said that you will have to collect and manage a lot of data. To do that, there are two things that can help you. First there is «GO» which is a public tool that you can download and use to keep, organize and analyze your data. To learn more about GO, please follow this link: /gb/forum/ViewTopic.asp?TopicId=2376&Page=1 .
A word of caution: I lost my first two seasons worth of data because I missed manage the saving function. Yes, I can be dumb, thank you! What I want to suggest is that when you save you data with GO, you also save at least one backup. It could save you a lot of frustration.
The other way to manage your data is to become a supporter. This means you will have to spend real money and that you have access to a credit card of some other means to make payments over the web. You decide if you want to spend the money. However, if you do become a supporter, then a lot of data is stored for you on GPRO site. To learn more about it, please follow this link: /gb/GPROSupporter.asp .
«OK! So I have to collect and manage data! I got it! What else should I know?»
Well, I already said that you must learn to manage you finance. For many, this seems to mean that one should not end up «in the red». Indeed, there are serious consequences for have a negative balance. See what the rules say about it: /gb/GPRORules.asp .
«Not fair! You did not quote the relevant part! Now I have to read it all!»
Lol, well I told you you should read it, no? But what I really want to bring to your attention is this: in Rookie, you start with 30M. If at the end of the season you finish with anything less than 30M, than you ran a deficit. Now how long do you think you can afford to run deficits? Of course I assume you are trying to promote to Amateur. As long as you stay in Rookie, your balance gets re-initiated. But if you promote, you do this with whatever money you have at the end of a season. So if you finish your Rookie season with, say, 20M instead of 30M, do you think it is going to be easier or more difficult to survive in Amateur? My point is the following: you have to try to win races and score points and at the same time try to make a PROFIT!
«But.. how do I do that?»
Well that’s the question isn’t it? You will do that by managing your data in order to discover what to spend on, when to spend on it and how much return such spending will give you. And look at me: I am still struggling to get out of Rookie, so you can guess that I don’t have all the answers, no? But... I have a few pointers and I am willing to share them with you.
Drivers: what skill is important? How to discover the most important skills and the value there should be on each of them? Here is a way to find out. Suppose you could find what drivers were employed by the best Rookies, those who made it to Amateur and scored of lot of points. Suppose now that you could access these drivers stats. Suppose you had a great enough number of such drivers so that patterns started to emerge. Do you think it could help you? Yes? That’s what I thought. Well, GPRO gives you all the tools to do that and you don’t have to be a supporter. They are there for you to use. Now it is up to you to figure out what are these tools and use it.
Car setup: Many experienced players have developed theories on how to find out what is the best setup for each race. All I can say is that you should engage into private conversation with more experienced managers and try to get some hints on how to do this. Many teams also have their own tools...
Car evolution: Should I upgrade? Should I test? Both can reward you with better car character. But at what cost? Will an upgrade allow you to win enough money to offset the expense? Think about it and also take into consideration not only the original expense but also the recurent costs that come with it.
There is more, much more to GPRO than that. But one, I am still in the process in figuring them out myself. Two, you already have enough to get you started. Enjoy the game for what it is: an immersive data management game, not an instant reward arcade game. Do your homework, get certified, engage into private conversations with other managers, join a team (if only for company), collect your data and be patient. If this is the kind of fun you enjoy, you will soon get hooked to GPRO.
:)
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#2 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:33:04
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not a bad guide Serge! Probably would need some ''fine-tuning'' but could be a good read for many newcomers imo.
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#3 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:33:15
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Good job mate.
What i like about this, is it's a rookies guide by (and this isn't meant offensively) a relative rookie. Makes for easier reading for the newbies. I'd sticky this personally.
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#4 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:34:49
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Nice job Serge! Not sure why someone has "thumbed down"...
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#5 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:34:49
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#6 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:35:05
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Quote ( Serge Girard @ November 2nd 2011,21:27:05 )
Many teams also have their own tools...
The Trolls do.
Quote ( Serge Girard @ November 2nd 2011,21:27:05 )
join a team
The Trolls
/gb/forum/ViewTopic.asp?TopicId=16685
Quote ( Serge Girard @ November 2nd 2011,21:27:05 )
or they would be sanctioned.
They wouldn't, they just don't share because they want the best for themselves and themselves only.
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Thanks for the nice comments. Please feel free to expand on this guide. I am sure there would be more to tell to new players. :)
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#8 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:43:26
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i would vote for you in the contribution manager of S28. i wish you soon also use your data and make it higher level. nice help to new guys...
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#9 posted Nov 2nd 2011, 21:49:32
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Quote ( Serge Girard @ November 2nd 2011,21:39:24 )
Please feel free to expand on this guide. I am sure there would be more to tell to new players. :)
I would say... little bit more emphasis on that ''build connections with other managers, you won't be successful alone'' -part wouldn't hurt.
Otherwise... as Jon said, easy to read, easy to understand, should newbies a better picture about what gpro actually is =)
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nice !! you have really put some dedication to it. it will help newbies.
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Probably the best post by a rookie in the history of the game, probably :-)
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+1 agreed with Jezz, sould be put into the site top links instead of Newbie guide ;)
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Guys! You make me blush! lol
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I have read an awful lot of rubbish in the forums, some of it my own lol (ok a lot of it ;-), and I am telling you that is one of the most informative, non-FOBY, posts I have read, well done mate!
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what a read Serge....awesome work there :D
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Missed out the best way to move forward.
JOIN A TEAM
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Quote ( Larry Watkins @ November 3rd 2011,04:26:39 )
Missed out the best way to move forward.
JOIN A TEAM Not true, I think it's better for your own understanding of the game to at least get yourself out of rookie before joining a team! Actually, I think it ought to be a requirement for joining any team, but that's just my controversial hat speaking, feel free to ignore it ;-)
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i liked it,but really should had been there when i joined the game in s14 wont have taken that time to reach PRO then..:)
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Now you tell me that this is not a racing game :)
great guide
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1 tip to add in about forum searches....
Wiki - Did You know can do a detailed search of the forums (or anything else for that matter) using Google. If you go to Google http://www.google.com you can then enter your search parameters but prefix it so that it only searches the GPRO Forums. Do this by prefixing your search with "site:gpro.se" adding forums etc if you want to search a specific part of the site ..for example http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=site%3...You can then use the multiple words search that you cannot use on the GPRO Forum search option.
Can help when you dont know a keyword for the internal search etc
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Awesome work there Serge..!! :) It really is an informative tool for newcomers..!
Well, i have never being to Masters in this game, and planning to be there soon..!! So, would like to have such a guide for newcomer "for masters" too..!! Lol... :D :D
Kiddin...
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I like this guide. The problem with it is that it is aimed mainly at newbies that do not read the rules/wicki because they just want to get stuck into the game without reading an essay. This is a pretty long essay.
That aside great job Serge
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And the "newbie guide" is writing a person who has no driver at the beginning of the season in Rookie, and already spent 3.000.000 before the first race. Interesting?!
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He may have a very good reason for having spent that 3mil!
Nice and simple Serge in language that anyone should be able to understand. Good job ;)
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I just read it and I guess this can be a great help for newcomers. Great job Serge :) Now your next step may be to translate it into Russian, Italian, Czech, Spanish etc etc for those who don't understand english ;)
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Nice guide Serge, have read and understood it fully. And does it matter that he has spent 3million he has put the work in to help others and doesnt need the criticism.
Again thanks for the effort Serge.
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Great stuff, and just in case some of you noobs missed it, the criticism from some people is a sad example of some of the things that happen in an open forum.
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