Race Timing System Version 1.4.2

MAJOR UPDATES made since first reviewed!!
Try the demos for yourself!!

See it at http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Toucans%20RC/23/128/502

or http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Distorted/210/191/3001

General Description
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The Race Timing System is race time tracking and display system. It will record and display each racer's elapsed time from the 'Start' waypoint to each intermediate waypoint and to the 'Finish' waypoint. You can have up to 10 racers in a race. They can race one at a time or all together. The race course can even span multiple regions. It is important to understand that each racer is timed separately, so the order in which they start or finish, or how far apart they are during the race doesn't matter.

The Race Timing System can be used for any type of timed race or event. Racers can be on foot, skates, skis, or riding on/in (sitting on) a vehicle, bicycle, boat, airplane, animal, whatever. Because you can set up your race course to cover multiple regions, it can also be used for various timed events such as hunts or contests. Its uses are limited only by your imagination.

A unique feature is that the elapsed time differences (faster/slower) between each racer and the fastest finisher at the same waypoints are also displayed. This is similar to the 'ahead' or 'behind' times that are displayed at Olympic ski races and other time trials. The elapsed times and time differences are shown in real-time on both the Racer HUD and the Status Board, letting racers see how they are doing at each waypoint and providing spectators more opportunities to cheer for their favorite racer.

The Race Timing System can be used by racers with or without the board's owner or admins being present. Authorized racers will only see the "Add Racer" and "Delete Racer" menu buttons. All other buttons are visible only to the status board's owner or administrators. The status board also includes an inactivity timeout (30 minutes default) that automatically deletes racers who have not been registered or have been either finished or disqualified for longer than the inactivity timeout.

The system uses fast, low-lag HTTP communications between the Racer HUDs and the Status Board to provide real-time updates regardless of where the waypoints are on the Second Life grid.

The Race Timing System consists of the following components:

Status Board: Displays the following information for up to 10 racers; the racer's name, latest waypoint crossed, the elapsed time to the waypoint from the racer crossing the "Start" waypoint, the time difference (faster/slower) between the fastest finisher and the listed racer at the displayed waypoint, and a status light indicating the racer is Ready/Registered (amber), Racing (green), Finished (white), or Disqualified (red).

Racer HUD(s): A HUD that must be worn by all racers. It shows the same data as the Status Board but only for the racer wearing the HUD. In addition it has a "Register" button to register for the race and a "Connected" status light to indicate it is connected (green) or not connected (red) to the Status Board. In most cases, the HUD will connect and register for the race automatically.

Racer HUD Dispenser: A device that enables racers to attach a Racer HUD by clicking on the Dispenser, then granting attach permission. The HUD attaches temporarily so it does not appear in the the racer's inventory. The HUD can be detached by right-clicking it and selecting "Detach". It will detach automatically when the racer logs off.

Waypoint Marker(s): Waypoint markers consist of two orange cones and a transparent, phantom prim between them through which HUD-wearing racers must pass. These are rezzed to mark the waypoints of the race course that all racers must pass through in the correct order (as entered by the owner on the Status Board). If they don't they will be automatically disqualified.
NOTE: You can modify the waypoint marker objects as needed or even create you own waypoint objects by copying the Waypoint script to them.

Permissions
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Status Board: mod, copy, no-transfer
Racer HUD Dispenser: mod, copy, no-transfer
Racer HUD: mod, copy, transfer (buyer must set next owner perm to no-transfer)
Waypoint Markers: mod, copy, no-transfer
All scripts: no-mod

Specifications
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- Status Board land impact: 33
- Waypoint land impact: 2
- Max number or racers: 10
- Max displayed characters in racer name: 16
- Max displayed characters in waypoint name: 8
- Max elapsed time: 24 hours
- Elapsed Time format: hh:mm:ss.ss
- Max time difference (faster/slower): ±1 hour
- Time difference format: ±mm:ss.ss
- Timing resolution: 1/100 of a second
- Timing accuracy: Dependent on simulator performance
- Max number of waypoints: 20
- Max distance from status board to waypoints: unlimited (anywhere grid-wide)