So, is anyone ready to get insane with me?
A couple years ago, I ran a thread called Generations, where companies submitted cars in chronologically succeeding rounds (starting in 1946 and ending in 1999). This was a LORE competition, and this successor will be as well. It served as a way for people to showcase and compete various cars against other players, and their companies against each other over time. For those (like myself) who needed a kick-start to their lore threads, it also served as motivation. This is a direct successor, thus:
- This will be a lore-heavy thread. ALL vehicle submissions MUST be from company lore.
- You MUST have a company lore thread in the car sharing forum to participate. I will be requiring a link to your lore thread with your first submission.
- Your submitted vehicle for each round must either already exist in your company’s lore thread, or be posted to it prior to the close of the round.
- Inter-company rivalries are strongly encouraged (like the Bogliq-Ardent rivalry that can be seen in other threads), as is lore RP in general. Company reactions, internal communications, etc. all play in to the flavor.
- Setting will be the United States, using historical socio-economic events to drive scoring. (ex: 1973 Oil Crisis, early 1980’s recession, 60’s counter-culture movements, etc.)
- I will complete and score rounds with reviews in the fictional “Motor Review World” magazine (yes, the very same one that Barry and Eve used in CSR67… man that was a long time ago!). There will be at least two “Best of” categories each round. They can be split between multiple vehicles, or one astounding vehicle can “mop up” the awards ceremony, so to speak. All submissions will get at least a pros-cons list, with the winners getting a more detailed review.
- Scoring will be a “relative rating” system for each round so that you have an idea of how your car compared overall, and your company cumulatively for the competition as well. This will be a mathematically based rating
- Ardent Motors will be submitting a vehicle each round as well, to serve somewhat as a benchmark. It WILL get a relative rating score, which means it influences the market. It CAN also win “best of” titles, but will never win them solo; instead, it will tie the runner up.
But Wait, There’s More!
Did I mention this is a FULL LINE challenge? That’s right… you’re not submitting ONE car per round, you are submitting THREE OR FOUR cars per round (though 3), depending on the round. This challenge is only for full-line manufacturers, not specialty or supercar manufacturers!
You will be submitting one car per category in each round, and as mentioned before, this will be between 3 and 4 total categories. The relative ratings for ALL vehicles will be run through a number cruncher, and an entire company’s relative rating will be spit out at the end. The vehicle categories are all weighted differently in this calculation, based on the importance of that category at the time. But don’t spend all your time making one great creation and churning out turds elsewhere, because your competition can still catch up!
This also means that the rounds are spaced farther apart. Previously I was running a 7 day turnaround. 14-ish will be the norm this time around, with longer rounds for the 4-car rounds.
Some rules, yo.
Competition starts in 1956, and there will be 3-6 years between rounds. The amount of time between will be rolled individually at the start of the new round. File naming format will be posted in each round’s initial post.
Import brands entering the country may enter 1 year before their official Lore entry to the States, in a limited capacity. (-10% Relative Rating, simulating independent importers rather than a dealer network)
Overall brand rules (may change before Round 1 starts):
- ALL vehicles MUST be branded under the originally used brand name with the exceptions listed in 2 and 3.
- Brands created by merger: One brand must be selected as the “lead” or “primary” brand. Submissions will only be accepted from that brand before the merger, and only by the new company after the merger. (Ex: Company A and B merged in 1956 to create Company X. Only A OR B can submit up to '56, only Company X after) (Real life example: Nash and Hudson, becoming AMC. Up until 1956, you could submit ONLY Nash OR Hudson, and '56 or later ONLY AMC.)
- Companies that are non majority investments (less than 50%): May have individual models used as “Captive Imports”. Vehicle must be branded, marketed, and sold as a product of the parent (original) company, and the Lore thread must make it clear this is a captive import, as well as which brand/model it is a copy of. (Real life example: If a player was playing Chevrolet, they could submit a Chevrolet Prizm from 1998 - 2002.)
- Sub-brands of a main company: May be used, but must either have their own (updated) lore thread, or the main lore thread must clearly explain the relationship AND contain the submissions as the competition progresses.
- Import groups (single player): If any company in the import group is distinctly separate, it requires its own lore thread.
- Import groups (multi-player): Same as above, but I also need to know upon registration who is controlling which company.
Fixtures/regulations: I will try to specify any new regulations for fixtures and/or equipment on vehicles at the start of each round. This will also include emissions and safety requirements in the later stages. So pay attention to the regulations at the beginning of each round!
Design: Design is highly subjective, and putting a points emphasis on things could really screw up and complicate the math, so I’m not going to be judging it… other than “no 3-fixture wonders”. You MUST build a car with at least the minimum fixtures required each round, and if you consistently put in ABSOLUTELY no effort, I might ding you. But I don’t want “2nd” and “3rd” tier designers to be discouraged from entering because they think they’re at a disadvantage, because they’re not.
Socioeconomic factors: Every round, I will give a snapshot of the current economic conditions as well as the short-term forecasts. As well, I will give one or more significant social trend or event, which may help you direct your designs.
Car categories (new): At the beginning of each round, I will specify the general categories of vehicles that will be graded/reviewed during the round. You may submit one car in any given category, and must specify which category it’s being submitted for. Think of your target audience before you submit, and may the odds be at least slightly in your favor!
Bonuses/penalties for reusing trims/engines: You can earn up to a 5% Relative Rating bonus in a round for reusing an existing design. Just don’t reuse for TOO long without major revamps, or your competition will overrun you.
Engine design outliers: I will not boot or ban any design for using specific equipment, but just know that if it’s too “weird” or “advanced” for market tastes, it’s not going to do well. You probably don’t want to use independent rears (unless you’re FWD), DOHC, or multivalve setups for the first 25-30 years.
Sliders: May be used. But do so sparingly, as making your ET and PU shoot up might make your design less attractive compared to competitors.
Number of companies: Once I open registration, it’s first come, first served. While I have not, at this time, set a limit on the number of companies, I do reserve the right to do so at any point in order to keep the workload “doable”.
COMPANY REGISTRATION IS CLOSED
To register: PM me that you’re entering, with which company, what country they are based in, and the lore thread for it. If you’re using a new company, start a lore thread with a placeholder post and send me the thread. If you happen to want to register as a lore group, please PM me all of the above plus your partner(s), which company they are using, and their lore thread as well.
Current round: COMPETITION HAS ENDED
List of companies entered:
VicVictory - Ardent Motors Corporation (Sub-brand Townsend until 1979, Captive Imports from Suzume 1974+)
DukeOFhazards - Charge Motors (Sub-brand CCM 1960-2010) ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
thecarlover - Dominion Motors -> Royal Canadian Motors (Name change 1977) (Subbrands Mont Royal, Solo, Mosport, Cascadia)
mart1n2005 - Courageux Motor Company (Société de Moteur Courageux)
Mikonp7 - Deer and Hunt Automotive (Subbrands Bambi and STAG)
lddrs - Rocha Motor Company
FitRS - Katsuro Motor Company Ltd
Arn38fr - Watson Motors ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
patridam - Earl Motor Company (Sub-brands: Silverhare, Hirondelle, Steed)
Elizipeazie - Anhultz Automobile Manufacturing -> Anhultz Automotive Holdings Ltd. (name change 1976) (Sub-brand: Keika 1977+) WITHDRAWN
vri404 - Valence Automobiles of America (sub-brands: Strig 1987+, Hades 1990+) WITHDRAWN
Rise_Comics - Platinum Motors ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
ProfessorP3PP3R - Silver-York ELIMINATED DUE TO INACTIVITY
abg7 - Hampton Motor Group
interior - Hakumai Autos Incorporated - Founded 1972
FINAL OVERALL RANKINGS FOR GENERATIONS 2: THE FULL LINE CHALLENGE
Earl/Silverhare/Hirondelle - 95.94
Hampton - 91.20
Katsuro - 86.66
Bogliq - 85.90
Anhultz - 85.64 (WITHDRAWN, SCORE FROZEN)
Ardent - 80.26
Dominion/RCM - 79.41
Rocha - 76.64
Courageux - 72.78
Deer and Hunt - 66.29
Valence - 62.31 (WITHDRAWN, SCORE FROZEN)
Hakumai - 58.94 (JOINED IN ROUND 4)