Tacticat Wish List
Here is the list of improvements/requirements expressed by users , with comments.
It has been extracted from e-mails sent to Tacticat at adecat.com, messages among users while Tacticat sailing and entries in Tacticat fora.
Your comments are welcome.
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1. “We would like another type of cat”.
A-class sailors think that current Tacticat cats tack slowly. F-1x sailors miss the spinnaker. I suppose all would like some cat that is modelled after the boat we sail in reality.
Tacticat models the boat dynamics using
· two standard polar sets (for the two different trim states)
· one set of polars for acceleration
· a couple of parameters identifying the standard tack and gybe duration
The current parameters are set according to the averaged experience of A-class and HC-16 sailors. It gives a ‘something-in-between’ good enough for most of us. Changes can be made easily but it doesn’t seem so far a strong requirement.
If there is a group of users, big enough, to request for some kind of behaviour it is always possible and easy to open a new regatta field for them with all boats reacting as A-class, F-16, or Tigers.
So, nothing to be done in the near future.
2. “We want a ‘real’ B-mark”
Now the race course has a shift buoy near the windward A-buoy. It is only 20 or 30 yards off.
The reach from one buoy to the other is tricky, as you have to really steer the boat. It is a difficulty for new users.
True, for advanced users, a longer reach course will give plenty of opportunities to out-smart robots or other users.
If there is quorum we will consider to make the changes, but not now.
3. “We want more data associated to users”
Yes, currently server manages only the nick name for every boat/user.
We are working to add optional info: country flag, real cat class sailed, other personnel info.
There are, although, a couple of problems: flag icons risk to take more code space than the actual application code (Tacticat java classes take 100K for client and server together!)
Tacticat is launched from several web sites to-day (not only
www.tacticat.com) , managing more data requires integration with the other sites…
4. “We want a easier access, we don’t want to register any place”
Completely understandable.
Anonymous accounts will be created to allow anyone enter the races. Registering will only be required if you want a boat with your name or you want to keep classification records in organized regattas.
And now that we are with this, I want to make it crystal clear that the current register process is something that is used because it is cheap. We have no interest to collect e-mails and we would be happier if you use an ad-hoc e-mail. We do the usual to protect our site from hackers but we cannot guarantee that the data will be kept secretly forever.
5. “We want a long distance race. We want a Texel”
Wait, wait, please, three problems,
a) This kind of racing requires the wind not to be as it is today. Today wind is created by adding to a prevalent wind a random number of wind modificators. Long distance, be that around an Island or in a big lake, requires a bit more complicated modelling. Easy, but takes some time to code it and someone to give the knowledge of how is the wind normally in this race.
b) These races make sense for a number of boats much bigger than the numbers we are currently experiencing. Currently we are peaking at attendances of 10 concurrent boats.
c) These races take some time to finish, currently a race is completed in, say, 10 minutes. That makes possible for people to enter anytime. A race to complete in half an hour has to be organized.
This requirement will be addressed soon if there is real interest.
6. “We want more languages support”
Current application is prepared for several languages. If memory serves right: Spanish, English, French, Nederlands, German and Valenciano-Catalan. Users are given a default from the site they enter and can switch using the L key…. But only Spanish and English are translated (well, only Spanish is really Ok, we have made our best for the English) … so don’t look for it.
Adding more languages is just getting the translations.
7. “We want better graphics”
No way.
We’re not competing against Virtual Skipper.
(In fact, we don’t know how to do it)
8. “We want tuning for the boat”
No way.
All boats are created equal. And will remain that way.
Handling and tuning and trimming control will be kept as simple as possible.
9. “We want better rules management”
That is very difficult. It’s the hardest programming area. Much worse than server-client synchronization.
Interior overlap at buoys is something missing, the same for rule 17.2.
We’re sorry, and that will be something missing for some time.
10. “We want better English documentation”
I also would like to change my cat for a newer one.
Seriously, the read-me-first is improved almost every day, the same for the FAQ. I think we don’t have time, or even the required English knowledge, to generate an up-to-date english manual.
That’s all.
aestela.
