Facebook

Login

Support Sailonline

If you haven't already - join the SAILONLINE YACHT CLUB!

Please also consider making a donation - all amounts are greatly appreciated!

Board » General Discussion » Weather Cast

Posted by
Tommyboomer


Users avatar

Posts
3
Registered at
2008-12-11 17:11:38
2009-05-14 14:40:29 - Weather Cast
I was wondering how the weather is implemented? In the other VOR game, the use time points from specific grib reports.

When is the weather updated in this game, it seems to flow much more naturally without the abrupt changes?

Thanks,

Tom
Posted by
jakob


Users avatar

Posts
364
Registered at
2007-09-04 10:05:30
2009-05-14 16:20:59 - Re: Weather Cast
Correct. We basically use the same source but our smooth interpolation in both space and time is groovy, isn´t it :-) Also note that we shuffle the boats around more often than VOR too ;-)
...one of the guys behind the game...
Posted by
sotil


Users avatar

Posts
10
Registered at
2008-05-18 20:56:51
2009-06-03 00:56:27 - Re: Weather Cast
In OSTAR RACE they go two nights that one does not update the weather. I think fundamental that this type of problems must not exist and his solution has to be priority to support the fair play and equity in the competition.
Regards: Sotil
Posted by
jakob


Users avatar

Posts
364
Registered at
2007-09-04 10:05:30
2009-06-03 05:10:27 - Re: Weather Cast
But the weather IS updated, four times per day actually.
...one of the guys behind the game...
Posted by
captjack1942


Users avatar

Posts
239
Registered at
2008-01-18 03:24:03
2009-06-04 18:58:36 - Re: Weather Cast
Sorry Jakob, but there was no update @ 23:45~24:00 June 2/3 nor @ 06:00 June 3. There was an update at apx 09:00 June 3.

Also, this happened a few days ago when the 23:45 ~ 24:00 update was missed.

I for one would prefer that if an update is missed there should be no update till the next scheduled update. Throwing surprise updates in the middle of the night at us folks on the other side of the globe could cause us much distress.
At least this time it caused me (at least) no loss in the Ostar, but did screw up my course in practice in the VOR. At least it was just practice. I would be a bit pissed if it were to happen after this Sat. ;-)
Posted by
Incognito


Users avatar

Posts
183
Registered at
2008-12-06 13:43:52
2009-06-06 11:35:52 - Re: Weather Cast
I support captjack1942 suggestion that, when a weather update is missed, the next update should occur according to the normal schedule.

On working days, I usually plan my course for the next 12 hours based on the 6:00 UCT update just before going to work. I am usually unable to look at the weather update of 11:50 UCT and just hope for stable weather. But unscheduled updates are difficult to handle.
Posted by
jakob


Users avatar

Posts
364
Registered at
2007-09-04 10:05:30
2009-06-06 13:54:21 - Re: Weather Cast
Good point, we will have this in mind. No promises though.
...one of the guys behind the game...
Posted by
NZL_PaulR


Users avatar

Posts
311
Registered at
2008-07-22 12:21:30
2009-06-06 22:24:02 - Re: Weather Cast
However IRL some forcasts look and sound exactly the same and so no real change is apparent for your particular spot on the ocean.

Against this, sometimes additional forecasts are issued with fast developing situations and the normal 6 hours between forcasts is not adequate nor appropriate.

Rumour has it that some ocean sailors miss forecasts because they are asleep, busy on deck, or have lost power or reception is bad or impossible.

Forrest Gump (movie) said "Shit Happens"

Jakob; Don't panic or worry, IMHO.

Did not Marie Antoinette say to the French peasants "Let them eat cake".
In this case, "Take a concrete pill"
(harden up!)
If it breaks, it's not strong enough!
Posted by
captjack1942


Users avatar

Posts
239
Registered at
2008-01-18 03:24:03
2009-06-07 17:38:59 - Re: Weather Cast
Well Paul, IRL if I can see the sky, I have a real good idea what the weather is going to be. Seascat and gribs have not been around very long...just a few years.
That said, this is not real life. It is a game. It is a game payed by people all over a world divided into 24 time zones. I think that in order to be fair to all these folks around the globe, we should stick to a schedule, even if it means sometimes having a drastic transition for an hour or so from a couple of missed updates.

In every instance of a make up or delayed weather update that I can recall, the make up has occurred mid-morning (or at least midday) in Europe. 09:00 UTC is 11:00 AM in Stockholm, and 9:00 PM in New Zealand, but is the middle of the night in the Americas (2:00 AM PDT in California).

Either stick to a regular schedule or throw in some random updates, say at 2:00 AM in Stockholm or Auckland just to keep it fair.

;-)
Posted by
NZL_PaulR


Users avatar

Posts
311
Registered at
2008-07-22 12:21:30
2009-06-07 19:42:04 - Re: Weather Cast
CaptJack: This is why SOL is such a wonderful game as the experience of using forecasts, gibb files and sail planners is a great learning opportunity. (I'm still to get into the gibb files and downloads. Have been learning Sail Planner though)

Yes it is hard getting up in the middle of the night to start a race or navigate around the green stuff!

In the OSTAR I was 27 hours late starting, but pleased to go from #621 to #333.

So I suppose I'm just against "pandering" if things are not going one's way.

The one thing that is certain is that the weather will be "CHANGEABLE".

Personally I dislike the computer precision of steering a course to two decimals of precision. IRL the nearest 5 degrees are the only marks on my compass! Even then the best would be steering to within 2 to 2.5 degrees. Autopilots can be set to 1 degree increments so I would suggest steering should only be set in whole degrees.

Wind? nearest 5 degrees at the best! Showing one decimal precision for wind is OK in a wind tunnel but IRL, the wind is never constant.

My 2 cents worth today.
If it breaks, it's not strong enough!

Please login to post a reply.

Races

Next Race: 00d 00h 00m

Current Races:

Cape Town to Java 2025

Get ready for an exhilarating new challenge as we set sail on the eighth leg of the 2025 Ocean Championship Series! Reversing the 18th century footsteps of the indentured Cape Malays that inspired Isna Marifa’s moving novel known 'Mountains More Ancient' , this leg takes us from Cape Town South Africa to the Bay of Belbuhan on the south west coast of Java - a 5100 nm journey of endurance, strategy, and pure sailing adrenaline, aboard the 125 ft Orange catamaran. Do you have what it takes to conquer the Indian Ocean? Join us and put your skills to the ultimate test!
PRIZE: SMPF
Race #1937
INFO by brainaid.de
Orange 125 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: OCQ3 - OCCH - SUPSOL - SYC
Race starts: Aug 04th 11:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Lago Viedma Ice Race 2025


Less than one third of the land mass of the planet is to be found in the southern hemisphere, and most of that in tropical to temperate latitudes or in Antarctica, so it is difficult to find good natural ice to race DNs anywhere in August! However, if you take an internal flight from Buenos Aires to Aeropuerto Internacional Comandante Armando Tola de El Calafate by the shores of Lago Argentino, it’s only a 100km taxi ride to Lago Viedma, where we have set out a few beacons on the ice for you for a quick 80nm blast around the four corners of the lake, and as it’s so remote here, no need to worry about breaking the solitude of monks or suffering PL!
Race #1852
INFOby brainaid.de
DN PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: DN - SYC
Race starts: Aug 03rd 09:00 Registration will open soon
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Tall Ships Races 2025 - Kristiansand to Esbjerg


Welcome to the fourth of four virtual Tall Ships Races in European waters which are concurrently being organized in-real-life by Sail Training International . This fourth race is from Kristiansand in Norway down Denmark’s North Sea coast to Esbjerg; circa 150nm in Sailonline’s magnificent 90m Barque.
NOTE: Starts and Finishes in tall ships racing are always offshore to avoid conflict with shipping and shipping lanes; online and real-life may not match exactly.
Race #1926
INFO by brainaid.de
Barque 90m PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: TS - SYC
Race starts: Aug 02nd 16:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Marstrand to Cowes 2025


We invite you to another race, which will kick off the third quarter of our ARCH series. We'll set off from Marstrand, Sweden, which, along with Skagen, Denmark, marks the line commonly recognised as the border separating the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. The 650nm route will take our Ripitide 50 across the North Sea and the English Channel to Cowes, England. Watch out for the fast ferries crossing the Channel from Calais to Dover 😊.
Race #1935
INFO from brainaid.de
Riptide 50 PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking:
ARQ3 - ARCH - SUPSOL – SYC
RACE CLOSE: Wednesday,
August 6 at 2300 UTC.
Race starts: Jul 28th 17:00 Registration Open!
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Sinbad by Balloon 2025 - Baia de l'Oiseau to Carnarvon


How ever shall I return to report with clarity to my Great Sultan – asked Sinbad. It needs be told this island and all its fables shall be expunged from the annals of every thousand and one night. The wind howls – and sun be none (it’s Winter, Sin’bro, ed.) – and all days from the west, but let’s launch anyway and see if we can work our SOL Balloon north as the days pass aiming for Asthralaya, where The Mahabharata tells the ancients once tested mighty weapons, about a quarter and a million qasbah away (2500nm, ed.), perhaps one month.
Race #1885
INFOby brainaid.de
SOL Balloon PARTICULARS
WX Updates:
0430 / 1030 / 1630 / 2230
Ranking: SYC - SBB
Race starts: Jul 23rd 11:00 Registration Closed
▶ Flash
GO TO RACE

Go to race archive

SYC Ranking

  1. Sailonline Yacht Club Member WRmirekd
  2. Sailonline Yacht Club Member CriticalHippo
  3. Sailonline Yacht Club Member vida
  4. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Kipper1258
  5. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rafa
  6. Sailonline Yacht Club Member KaSToR
  7. Sailonline Yacht Club Member BRENTGRAY
  8. Sailonline Yacht Club Member rumskib
  9. Sailonline Yacht Club Member Sax747
  10. Sailonline Yacht Club Member YANN

View full list

Series

Mobile Client

SYC members have the benefit of access to our mobile/lightweight web client!

The mobile client