Tech implications for the new PA ramping rule?

[bulldog2k]

So looks like ramping is here to stay - first the PA and in time the regionals.

Where does that leave us all from a board point of view? Are these boards going to have to be custom made? I speak as an Angel owner - I know Trixs and Timmys have these boards widely available but what will everyone else do?

 

[H]

What PA ramping rule?

What PA? (ho ho ho)

 

[Ben Frain]

Originally posted by bulldog2k
So looks like ramping is here to stay - first the PA and in time the regionals.

Where does that leave us all from a board point of view? Are these boards going to have to be custom made? I speak as an Angel owner - I know Trixs and Timmys have these boards widely available but what will everyone else do?

I would worry about it when it happens. There is likely going to be Angel techs at the PA next season anyway and it will probably simply be a case of flashing your board with new firmware.

Also, this could probably just go in with the current thread couldn't it?

 

[bulldog2k]

well, I thought it was a separate issue - the one in announcements seemed to be about the validity of the rule. This is what the implications are for us from a technical point of view. I didn't think that was the same at all, but sorry for any breach of netiquette...

 

[Beaker]

Originally posted by bulldog2k
well, I thought it was a separate issue -

Agreed - best as seperate thread

And the ramping boards aren't "widely" available.

I don't fancy spending $300 on a chip just to play PA... plus the like of Advantage chips don't have max ROF on the ramping either, so wouldn't help you out anyway.

The only boards that adhere to this rule are NXL boards, which aren't widely available for any gun.

 

[Parksy]

Are NXL boards not full auto though Beaker after so many shots? ie press three times and hold then off it goes?

 

[Beaker]

Originally posted by Parksy
Are NXL boards not full auto though Beaker after so many shots? ie press three times and hold then off it goes?

they can be, but they are 3 shots in half a second then whatever you like AFAIK, so could be FA, or a sustained ramp, but the main this is the 15bps cap.

The problem with this rule is that it says ramping/bounce is "legal" but imposes a cap. That means that unless you programme in an intentional ceiling bps you run the real risk of stepping over the cap with bounce. But... it rare to be able to impose a bps cap when the eyes are on with current boards/markers. Plus if you do impose a 15bps cap under existing software then the likelihood of ramp/bounce is reduced because of the inter-shot timeouts which is negating the reason to have it in the first place.

So basically what the PA is suggesting is all well and good (and I think relatively admirable that they have followed everyone else now rather than later) - but require pretty much everyone that plays the series to get a new board/firmware upgrade for their gun (even anyone with a cheat chip already) to be able to actually play effectively under this rule.

 

[John C]

I thought that angel fly boards had a cap when the eyes are on? I know for sure they ramp! Anyone else care to suggest why they have debounce on an optical switch



Personally I am not happy writing a 15bps cap into our boards, but the end result should still be a pretty quick.




And if you dont have a ROF cap on your marker when the eyes are on, just use a revvy!!!

 

[stongle]

That's what I was going to suggest. Anyone worried about enforing or breaching a 15bps cap should just use an Egg / Revvy.

Job done.

 

[MrPink]

I wonder if the PA's decision has anything to do with the rumoured PSP rules changes which allow first three shots as semi thyen a ramp to 15bps providing you pull at least 5bps on the trigger? Seeing as Tadao Technologies already provide a chip with these settings as standard, it's gonna make it a lot easier for everyone to get the maximum out of this ruling methinks as I'm sure that there are other companies working on similar fire modes.