Zezo forum:

Post by huditojo | 2020-10-12 | 21:13:13

Hello, there will be Zezo support for this race???
Thanks.

85 Comments

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 08:05:08

This seems to be another experiment by VR.

The helm control does not display TWA correctly after you changed it.

There is a new feature called Navigation Logbook displaying your commands similar to what Cvetan implemented in VR Dashboard a couple of years ago...

More importantly, the VR server isn't sending boate state messages like it used to. This may mean that VRDashboard will not work for this race and you will have to enter your position manually in the router if Cvetan sets it up.

Post by YC6211 | 2020-10-13 | 08:10:49

Is it possible they are trying to prevent routers from being used?

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 08:41:18

Possible, but I think that rather, they're busy with themselves.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 09:09:55

It has to star sending some kind of position updates after the race start. We'll see.

Post by RaiderOfTheStorm | 2020-10-13 | 09:16:23

Hi, indeed they are changing many features, and of course without any announcement
or tech explanations. Typical VR Style. Meanwhile we run for them another testbed. Bad news if they intend to lock their server and adding a nav-logbook sounds like they are thinking to release and sell their own router

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 09:28:49

Race is added to the list and the home page. Press F5 or something to see it if still missing.

Post by RaiderOfTheStorm | 2020-10-13 | 10:42:29

Great, thanks Cvetan!

Post by Gaffophone | 2020-10-13 | 10:52:00

Well done Cvetan !
Thanks !!!

Post by dparadis | 2020-10-13 | 11:39:53

Warning ! Don't take FP on this race, many people, including me, paid for it and got nothing� Seems that VR got issues on validating FP right now�

Post by tabasco2 | 2020-10-13 | 12:07:06

Was it postponed an hour?

Post by Velaska | 2020-10-13 | 12:09:13

it seems so.. the funny (?) thing is that at 2PM the boats (at least mine) left the harbour... so they postponed after the start.
Odd days with VR !

Post by Jelger74 | 2020-10-13 | 12:09:48

Match delayed an hour due to issues.
I also bought a FP. My sails hang on the Light Jibs. Can't change them manually either.

Post by Jelger74 | 2020-10-13 | 12:53:11

Problem has been solved for me.

two minutes later everything is gone again ....

Post by Furious49 | 2020-10-13 | 12:23:55

Me Too paid for Full Pack and got nothing....It seems the train is going off the rails at VR......
Cheers everyone
Furious49

Post by Velaska | 2020-10-13 | 12:31:16

Hi, did you buy FP with a not updated version on iOS ? I tell you this because I dit it, ad it does not work. But of course you pay...

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 12:28:23

Well, they have brand new game engine, and they're testing it for first time. Exciting!

Post by Velaska | 2020-10-13 | 12:45:18

true ! I've always had the objective to pay to be an alpha tester !
cool !!
:))))))

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 13:06:59

Race started, back-end still not running, boat nailed to the pier ;-)

Edit:

It's running, but they've reverted the boatinfo back to plain https instead of websocket.

Reload is now initiated by the client, probably by hitting the reload button.

So we are now 3 years back in time, not just because of the removal of the cards.

Post by Luis75 | 2020-10-13 | 13:12:36

this is absolutely crazy...:)

Post by Luis75 | 2020-10-13 | 13:13:34

I bought some sails with credits and when I set up the autosail it turns back to the basic sail set, telling me that if I want optional sails I have to pay. But I have paid and I see the credits cut on my home page.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 13:36:20

The return of the refresh button means that boat position can be calculated client-side for hours, and be miles off. Unless you remember to hit "refresh", but it's not synchronized to the game calculation time, so expect to hit more islands than expected.

Post by Reves_de_gosse | 2020-10-13 | 14:43:43

I am sorry, but I don't remember how to get the https messages as in the old time, for example with Chrome Devtool :-((

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 14:48:42

The network panel, select All or XHR

You're looking for geatboatinfos

Request URL: https://vro-api-client.prod.virtualregatta.com/getboatinfos
Request Method: POST

It's json again, with slightly different structure than before. Mostly the same data with different grouping.

Post by misterdjul | 2020-10-13 | 15:09:40

Qui a compris comment marche la nouvelle interface ?
.
Who understood how the new interface works?

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 15:28:49

It mostly does not. No tracks, positions update at random, own boats jumps around, no competition locator, no rank in player card.

You _have_ to use the refresh button, but it still results in client-estimated location. To make things more fun the update interval of the button is in sync with you last clicked it, not with the game update time.

Oh, and the client-side estimation drives your boat a lot faster than the game engine. Also the TWA is calculated client-side so it shows incorrect twa because it shows the calculated one, not what you have set.

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-13 | 15:32:08

I'm writing an email to VR. Does anyone know the French word for "clusterfuck?"

Post by turtle 1663 | 2020-10-13 | 15:42:17

baise en cluster, or maybe better; merdier

It also states �Race Started Registered� but I never did.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 15:44:17

It's called "testing in production". All-time VR specialty.

Post by turtle 1663 | 2020-10-13 | 16:05:28

Yup, make up a little race and see how goes. Why not run a free Beta race when needed and do all the testing you want

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 16:52:49

Could've done it properly. Announce it's beta, provide free packs to everyone, maybe a VIP status for a bug report. Everybody's happy.

Can't be that hard.

Post by Furious49 | 2020-10-13 | 20:12:32

le clusterfuck est vraiment mauvais cette fois

Post by The ShadowWarrior | 2020-10-14 | 17:47:46

😂

Post by Reves_de_gosse | 2020-10-13 | 16:10:42

Thanks. I will look at it.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 16:59:27

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-13 | 17:53:56

Go home Cvetan. You're drunk.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 19:05:39

Because of all of the rum.

Seriously, it looks like the game uses random old positions/directions to estimate your current position. Even got two boats at one time in different places. But maybe it's also because of the rum.

Post by RaiderOfTheStorm | 2020-10-13 | 17:55:41

Great trimming in the Caribic:-) I've got similar amenities I can post, how to attach an image to the forum?

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 20:11:45

I brought back some Dashboard features and published it (I desperately need beta testers).

The verification process will likely take even longer as usual, because VRDashboard needs additional privileges to read HTTP requests.

The new version is also available here http://bitweide.de/vrdashboard/VRDashboard.zip but I recently restricted the Google API key and therefore, the map only works with the official version (I think).

At least calling the router should work.

Post by GeGaX | 2020-10-13 | 20:42:30

Hi Michael 😉,
OK to do the beta tests from tomorrow evening.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 20:52:29

You the man. Knew it I should not write code because it would be duplicate work ;-)

Works here (at a first glance).

You don't need those permissions, btw. Debugger can already do that. webRequest is separate api, called like

chrome.webRequest.onBeforeRequest.addListener

I used it in the previous iteration of the protocol and extension to parse and fetch boat data.

May be worth migrating if VR get rid of the ws entirely and we stop using the debugger api, but is easier this way.

Edit: They won't get rid of the WS because it's too easy to spoof a POST. But there can be a limited extension that only listens to the POSTS and does not require debugger permission.

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 21:15:47

Ah you're right, I had tried webRequest first, added the permission and the forgot what I wanted it for when I reverted to the Debugger.

The Fleet tab isn't working yet. There is a getFleet request that I'm not evaluating yet, and there may be parts in the boatInfo message that I'm not using.

I am very surprised that VR resorted to HTTP. They had already changed the WebSocket protocol, there are more frequent authentication requests now. I was expecting additional changes to the WebSocket.

For now I'm happy I have my auto zezo routing back, and I'd rather wait until the dust has settled before I put a lot of effort in it.

Post by zezo | 2020-10-13 | 21:24:37

Same here. Would not bother making more changes too soon.

WS is nasty in a sense because it keeps a connection for every user. RESTful apis can be more efficient if combined with lightweight http server.

The main benefit of the WS is the push notification, and they got rid of it now. But still keeping all those thousands of connections alive.

They could get rid of the notification just by changing the initiator.

So either the WS are gone for good or everything is back to WS soon.

Post by Marty6 | 2020-10-13 | 20:21:22

It's all over the place for me as well. At start, which i was late, it moved the boat all over the place, not taking commands or not letting select the bought sail.

Even now some commands are not taken. Total FU by VR again. Thought they got better but since the changes last week complete radio silence again and ignoring costumers and community.

Post by YourMomSA | 2020-10-13 | 20:40:21

Damn I'm glad I didn't notice this race until after it started and therefore am not participating.

At least these beta test races are Cat 6.

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-13 | 22:22:26

Michael, remind me again how we load the beta version please? I downloaded and unzipped it, now I'm looking at a folder full of files.

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-13 | 22:30:29

- Open chrome://extensions/
- Enable Developer mode
- Click 'Load unpacked'
- Select your VRDashboard folder & click 'Open'

Post by Jelger74 | 2020-10-14 | 17:40:29

Works fine for me, tanx!

Post by Velaska | 2020-10-13 | 22:30:06

Hi Boo, you have to select developer mode into the chrome's extentions page
then in the upper left corner click on load unpacked extension (something like that) and point the folder where you exploded the zip

Thanks to Michael and Cvetan, once more !

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-13 | 22:52:30

Up and running. Thank you!

So, looks like it's feeding "last calculated" as opposed to "last estimated," right?

It seems to be better now, but earlier today I couldn't get a "calculated" position more recent than half an hour.

Edit: First observation is it seems to call the router and generate a fresh route every time you click the refresh button in the game.

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-14 | 11:12:18

Thanks for trying it out! Meanwhile, the (identical) Chrome store version is released.

Yes, the "last calculated" position is used. The estimated position is calculated by the browser client, and is not accessible to VR Dashboard.

You are also right that the router is called on each refresh. There used to be two types of messages containing position updates, and the first one was only sent once when entering a race. We used it to auto-call the router. Now there is only one message type, issued when you enter a race and when you refresh, and I didn't see how to tell what triggered the message.

Post by QuiVaSadoVaMaso2 | 2020-10-13 | 22:58:48

Thank's a lot folks !

Post by Margaron | 2020-10-14 | 05:32:04

The jibe I scheduled at 00:30 did not occur. The boat continued its way all along the night. Considering people around me seems I'm not the only one. Is it general or only some of us or I mistook somehow?

Post by zezo | 2020-10-14 | 05:50:00

Same here. scheduled jibe at 02:20 not executed.

Post by rastafouille | 2020-10-14 | 06:28:21

Same here..... :-(

Post by UNMAGUNMA2 | 2020-10-14 | 05:50:17

Thank's a lot Hardtack for the zip folder.

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-14 | 07:18:56

Same here, commands not executed. There must be other irregularities as well. My boat did not stall because of the missing commands, just went at TWA 100 instead of 85. Still, I see some boats 6hrs straight ahead of me. Even though I don't have any options, this can't be correct.

Post by etrille17 | 2020-10-14 | 07:43:36

empannage de cette nuit � 0h00 non effectu�.Tout droit jusqu'a 08h00.

Post by Gaffophone | 2020-10-14 | 09:34:11

Hi hardtack are you on FP,
I bought several options, just the useful, so i'm not in FP, and at this moment : i have the choosen sail, even if Vr is allways telling me that's the wrong, & i programmed a tack last night, and this morning it's ok :)
so i think, for one time, contrary the wish of VR, the best option was to buy only the useful options but almost not the FP ! & i don't know for VIP.
This morning my heading only begins to be correct and doesn't change any time as at the start of the race

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-14 | 10:59:03

No, I'm not on FP but it's also not true that I don't have any options as I wrote above, I got the C0 from the start credits.

Post by Pingi RIP | 2020-10-14 | 13:26:25

Acces to the bought sails:

1. Open the menu for changing sails
2. klick on the refresh button of the navigation logbook

Bought sails should be displayed in white and are available.

Change of sail will be displayed after the next f�ll refresh - 10 min.

Post by tabasco2 | 2020-10-14 | 15:03:57

The new system is totally ridiculous !!! Nothing works!!!!. Last night I wanted to do a jibe at a certain time and I continued straight as if nothing had happened. I just made a jibe and left, after an hour I came back and hadn't done it. It always gives a sail error !!!. It is impossible to be precise. I don't want to think when we have a regatta with many islands and many maneuvers ...conclusion: never fix something that works !!!

Post by blkhd48 | 2020-10-14 | 16:31:37

Hi All,
Anyone know how that bunch of boats that are miles ahead of everyone got there.I clicked on the top 50 a while back and they were all doing 2.something kts at 160 degrees. Very few of them have any extras, but more interestingly, if you get their tracks and follow them back, they all join up and exactly overlap each other. Also none of the tracks go back to the start. and they all start from the same point

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-14 | 20:26:17

If they all jumped on the Frigate that might explain the tracks that start well away from the start line.

It's still fishy though. The guy leading has basically sailed the rhumb line. There's thousands of boats in every race that try and do that. How did this guy end up 50 miles ahead of the rest of them?

Post by blkhd48 | 2020-10-14 | 21:41:07

Hi BooBill, Its wierd, All the boats Ive clicked on in the top 50, their tracks start in the in exactly the same place, go in all directions, rejoin the leaders track again exactly for a while and then separate. As I said they were all sailing at 160 degrees which is slow and none of them had all the options. No way should they be where they are

Post by huditojo | 2020-10-15 | 05:38:05

Maybe, if this is a beta race, those boats are bots or fake boats, like the name of the first one: oufgege-'FAYC'...That's what I think it is.

Post by Gaffophone | 2020-10-15 | 06:52:32

Hi all
I invite you on VR forum VR "Nouvelle version - au RDV des b�ta-testeurs" to have a look at 2 screenshots from a few minutes ago.
Interesting...

Post by Luis75 | 2020-10-15 | 11:38:51

Hi Gaffophone,
do you have a link?
Thanks!

Post by PML | 2020-10-15 | 18:55:16

You need to sign in on VR forum in order to be able to see this topic.

Post by blkhd48 | 2020-10-15 | 12:41:49

My suspicion is that all the late starters joined where the the frigate was, and the frigate was much to far in front of the boats that started at the correct time

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-15 | 15:29:02

I've considered all the possibilities. Such as, that going up the middle was actually the better strategy. The router, based on GFS has consistently been pushing us further south, seeing a big windless hole on the rhumb line. ECMWF has consistently shown enough wind up the middle to make it competitive with the detour south.

However, even if the wind strength on the rhumb line has held above forecast, the direction has been less advantageous. Those that took it have had to VMG gybe most of the time.

The boat way out in the lead has sailed pretty straight down the line without gybing, meaning that he should have been way beyond max VMG angle much of the time. Those gybing should have made better progess than him. And yet I have teammates who have done just that and are 100 miles behind.

Gaffophone's screenprints kind of proves it. oufgege-FAYC has been sailing in dramatically different wind than the rest of us. The screen print even shows him in a 20knt puff, which has not occured anywhere in the vicinity of the race course in the last 3 days.

So, my hope is that VR acknowledges this obvious error and corrects the results. I don't know what you do about the boats that benefited from it. Surely it's not their fault. But someone needs to calmly sit them down and explain that no, they have not all of a sudden become navigational geniuses ;)

Post by Rostef | 2020-10-15 | 15:59:02

I do not sail in the Jamaica Nightmare, but I remember too well the last volvo, where some late starters profited from the fregate to be well ahead of the fleet. Back then they did not do anything about. The late starters have not done anything wrong, just profited from a bug in the game. It ended up by the quys saying they would be waiting before the finish to not take an undeserved win. Eventually the top shots managed to overtake them before the finish, so everyone accepted the result. But this time I guess it's not enough time to correct that bug sailing...

Post by Hardtack | 2020-10-15 | 17:06:15

VR have acknowledged that there are problems with the new game engine.
Click the red bar at the top of forum.virtualregatta.com.

Among other things they promise that results will not be counted and FP players are eligible for a free FP in a cat 5 or 5 race within the next 6month.

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-15 | 18:59:46

And they actually apologized !!!!!

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-15 | 17:06:27

That reminds me of a regatta I travelled to in Quebec a number of years ago. Someone obviously made a calculation error and they announced a guy as the winner who was consistently near the back of the fleet. When everyone screamed they said the results had been certified by the race committee and were final.

Then, the best part, this guy goes up and accepts his trophy and parties like he won the lottery :D

Post by blkhd48 | 2020-10-16 | 00:47:43

I was in a classic yacht regatta in San Tropez. We had 2 firsts and a second and got beat by a boat with 2 firsts and a third

Post by tabasco2 | 2020-10-15 | 18:59:35

News fron Virtual Regatta!!!!!
Dear navigators
As you have unfortunately seen, the switch from Virtual Regatta Offshore to the in-game engine did not go as we expected. Despite preliminary tests, going into production turned out to be much more complicated than expected. We apologize for any inconvenience encountered.
Our team of developers are busy fixing all the bugs in order to get the game fully operational. In this delicate context, the Jama�ca Express race will continue until its end. It will allow us to make all the necessary fixes to make the game stable, smooth and efficient.
In this sense, regular updates will take place in the coming weeks, each one will include many fixes, and some new features to come.
We read the forum carefully and in particular the topic "New VR version - meeting with beta testers" which is a valuable source of information.
We thank you for this initiative and we would like you to continue to feed it with as much detail as possible and, if possible, screenshots.
Once this race is over, we will ensure that the results are not taken into account in your prize list.
Participants who have purchased an all-options pack will have a credit for a new pack on a level 5 or 6 race to be taken at their convenience within 6 months. They will have to make a request to the support, specifying the race for which they wish to activate it by attaching the confirmation of their payment on the Jamaica Express race.
We may organize another race in a few days to check that everything is in place and operational. You would then be informed in the usual way.
We know your attachment to the game and we are going to do everything we can to make the Vend�e Globe the big party we are all waiting for.
We know we can count on your patience, your involvement, your passion and your loyalty to get through the seeds together.
See you soon,

Post by lorenzo | 2020-10-16 | 14:35:41

[quote]Despite preliminary tests ...

seriously?

Post by zezo | 2020-10-16 | 17:12:45

VR preliminary testing goes like "It does not crash at start, at least on some platforms, therefore it works".

Then they update the iOS app, which crashes and takes a week to resubmit.

Post by Lazy_Hikers_Finland | 2020-10-16 | 05:09:16

😂

Post by Pingi RIP | 2020-10-16 | 12:43:40

Lost Progs. and change of heading.
I think it could be a problem with the time-stamp of the sent data.
In the dashboard I see everytime exact the same timestamp eg. 12:20:00 UTC even if the datapack is sent 2 Minutes later.
So every action between the time-stamp and the time of receiving the data-pack seems to be overwritten.
I tested several times Progs,:
Progs at minute 03, 13, 23, 33, 43, 53 worked every time
Progs at minute 00, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 were ignored.
Also changes of heading.

Post by blkhd48 | 2020-10-16 | 22:34:41

tacked inshore, about half an hour later tacked back out. boat jumped to where it would have been if I hadn't tacked at all. Is this relevant to what you are talking about.

Post by Marty6 | 2020-10-17 | 16:14:14

Also lost programming already several times. It is really the usual VR clusterfuck when they do a major change. Alpha testing with all costumers and players always a good idea ;)

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-17 | 18:47:19

So, the statement they posted indicated that the results would Jamaica would not count. Now that I've finished, very poorly, for all the common reasons, it's saying I lost 1pt and won 300 and some credits.

I think they should allow people to keep the credits and maybe give everyone a bonus for being an alpha tester, especially if they expect us to participate in additional "test" races. The 300 they've added to my total are a fraction of what I spend on sails when the FP did not work in the early hours. A lot of people did the race fully on credits, they should be compensated, not just people who paid cash.

Points either count in your VSR ranking or they don't. 1pt is not a big deal, but there are some top VSR people who clearly quit racing when they saw that statement.

I guess I should go post this in the official clubhouse. VR clearly don't monitor this one, and probably shouldn't for their own self-esteem.

Post by Luis75 | 2020-10-17 | 22:21:12

I fully agree!
I spent more or less 1200 credits for a pack of options that did not work for a long time. I would feel really fooled if they compensated only the FP's.

Post by BooBill | 2020-10-17 | 22:27:43

Got an almost immediate reply from the moderator when I posted the above in the VR Clubhouse.

"It is customary to distribute VSR points and credits at the finish of the race, the cancellation occurring when it closes"

So, it looks like you get the usual fireworks at the end, but they will be cancelled when the race closes.