Documentation

 

Installation instructions are on the inside cover of your CD package.

 

TDRSim User’s Manual

BarrelSim User’s Manual

TRSim User’s Manual

 

 

 

 

TDRSim User’s Manual

Basic Overview of Tie Down Roping

Tie Down Roping is a popular sport which grew out of ranch work where cowboys would rope and tie the calves to medicate them and evaluate them for sickness.  Soon, neighboring ranches would match the skills of their cowboys against others.  Today, Tie Down Roping is an exciting and popular event for both fans and participants where the cowboys compete for not only bragging rights, but prestigious prize money.

 

One of the things which makes the sport challenging is the athleticism required from both the roper and the horse.  Add to that the fact that there are many things to remember to do during each run in order to make it fast.  Add again the need to make critical decisions during the run which could make you faster or slower depending on the timing of the decision. This game brings all the excitement of this sport to anyone with a compatible personal computer.

 

TDRSim is designed to be as realistic as possible.  It follows the basic rules of the sport.  The roper starts behind a barrier which gives the calf a head start.  This barrier is a line at the point where the calf starts.  The calf has a line of its own between 10 to 20 feet (varies by arena) in front of the chute.  If the roper crosses his line before the calf crosses his, a 10 second penalty is tacked on to the roper’s time.  Then roper then has to rope the calf, get off his horse, flank the calf, and tie three legs together.  When his hands go up, the clock stops.  The roper cannot touch the calf again and goes back to his horse.  Then the calf has to stay tied after he rides his horse up towards the calf.  In this game, the calf has to stay tied for 3 full seconds which begins only after the horse has ridden up giving the calf ample opportunity to get up.

 

The Roper chooses whether to make two wraps around the leg plus the final wrap (called hooey) or, if wanting to be fast, he can only make one wrap plus the hooey.  However, even though this is faster, it is also risky since the calves have a higher probability of getting up after the run.  If they do get up, it gives the roper an automatic 60 second time which is the same as a miss.

 

Game-play options in TDRSim

TDRSim allows 4 ways to play and enjoy the sport of Tie Down Roping

• Practice Arena – Allows you to practice in any arena with 1 or 2 players
• XET Championship – Allows up to a 16 player tournament, side-by-side, tournament style in the XETC style.
• Circuit Tour – Allows you to go on a year tour of multiple rodeos, tour championships, and national finals trying to win the World Champion buckle for the year.
• Compete Online – Allows you to give the same screen name and password used at RopingArena.com then be stepped through the appropriate runs on your computer.  RopingArena.com then totals all the times and award the winners.

 

To find out more details about each option, click the button for the option then click the Help button in that window.

 

Steps to complete a run

Regardless of the game-play option, you make all tie-down roping runs the same way.  The following is the list of sequential steps which must happen to complete a run.  The keys or buttons which are pressed to make these steps happen is described in subsequent sections.

 

1. Start the run.  The lights will count down to green then the chute gates will open.
2. Move towards the calf without crossing your line before the calf crosses his line.
3. When close enough, throw your rope.
4. If you caught the calf, stop your horse and dismount.
5. Move the roper on the ground towards the calf.
6. When you are at the calf, flank the calf.
7. String the pigging string on to the front leg.
8. Gather the hind legs and make one wrap around all three.
9. If desired, make another wrap around the three legs.
10. Make the final wrap, called a hooey, then raise hands in the air to stop the clock.
11. Go back to the horse and ride up to wait the 3 seconds.  This is automatic in all modes.

 

Starting

In TDRSim, you start the run by pressing the Space bar or the #4 Button on your game controller.  This activates the counting down of the lights to release the calf.  This style is what is practiced at the XETC real life events.

 

If a reassignment of the game controller or mouse to a different player is desired, the time to do it is before starting the run.  You do this by pressing F3 and then stepping through the instructions given.

 

Movement

You can move your horse sideways, backward, forward, and fast forward.  This is achieved using the W, A, S, D, Z, and C keys for the Left Player and the Up Arrow, Left Arrow, Down Arrow, Right Arrow, period, and comma keys for the Right Player  Fast forward (called spurring) is achieved by holding down the Alt key (Left Player) or the Shift key (Right Player) while moving.

 

Whichever player is configured to use the mouse (configure by pressing F3 in the simulation) also can use the mouse for left-to-right movement.  This is a fine tuned movement and is a popular way to get the highest accuracy.

 

With a game pad, game controller, or joystick, you move with the navigation device of your specific controller.  Spurring is not necessary since all movement with these devices is assumed to be a full speed.

 

After throwing the rope, the roper must dismount by moving to the right (game controller, D key, or Right Arrow depending on the Player).  Then he must go to the calf.  Use the same movement controls you used when he was mounted to accomplish this.

 

Actions

The following paragraphs describe which buttons to press at the appropriate time.  As you can see, you really only need to learn a few keys and use those keys at the right time.  Timing is the key, not necessarily the dexterity of your hands. 

 

Note:  This description uses the default game controller mapping.  Since it is possible to remap the buttons on your joystick or game pad, this description should not be taken literally in regards to button numbers.

 

You tell the roper to throw the rope by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.

 

You tell the roper to stop his horse and pitch the rope slack by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.  If you forget to do this, you can still dismount but the horse will continue to run down the arena and subsequently so will the calf.

 

You tell the roper to flank the calf by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.

 

You tell the roper to string the front leg by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.

 

You tell the roper to make a wrap by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.  In Professional mode, you must continue to press this (4 times = one revolution).  Randomly, the calf will kick which causes you to go back to the point where the calf has just been “strung”.  This is real-to-life.  The faster you tie, the less the chance of the calf kicking.

 

You tell the roper to make a 2^nd wrap (this is optional, you can skip and go to the final hooey with the increased risk of the calf getting up) by pressing the G key (Left Player), the Enter key (Right Player), the Left Mouse Button, or the #1 Button on your game controller.  In Professional mode, you must continue to press the appropriate key to finish the wrap (4 times = one revolution).

 

You tell the roper to make the hooey (name for the final wrap) by pressing the H key (Left Player), the Ctrl key (Right Player), the Right Mouse Button, or the #2 Button on your game controller.  In Professional mode, you must continue to press the appropriate key to finish the tie (4 times = one revolution).

 

Modes

You select between three modes of skill:

 

·        Beginner

·        Amateur

·        Professional

 

Beginner – This mode is intended for people who would otherwise find it hard to navigate a horse.  Yet they very much enjoy playing the game.  For example, small children or people not familiar with computers.  In this mode the horse and roper are completely automatic.  It will put you in the right position every time to make a throw.  When you are close enough click on the appropriate key or button, as described above, to throw the rope.  The flank is automatic and the string is automatic but you do have to click the appropriate key or button to make your wraps.  The calf never gets up after the tie in this mode

 

Amateur – This mode is the recommended starting mode for players who first play the game.  In this mode you have to control the horse and roper but do not have to make the entire wraps.  You just click once for each revolution.  The aim is also automatic allowing you to catch most of your calves assuming you are close enough.  You will probably advance through this stage onto the Professional mode after a few hours of play.

 

Professional – This mode allows you to truly hone your tie-down roping skills.  First of all, the aim is not automatic so you have to navigate your horse to allow the crosshairs to be on the calf’s head before you throw.  However, the simulation won’t let you get more than 22.5 degrees (45 degree total window) out of direction with the calf.  The calves are much faster and dodge and dart around the arena randomly mimicking a real calf.  You also have to indicate to flank and string at the appropriate times.  When tying, you have to continue to click to finish the revolutions of the wraps.  The times you are trying to beat will also be more competitive.  Online competition at RopingArena.com always uses Professional mode.

 

One Wrap vs Two Wraps

A calf tied with 2 wraps and the final hooey has a 5% chance of getting up after the tie.  A calf tied with 1 wrap and the final hooey has a 35% chance of getting up after the tie. 

1st Person vs 3rd Person Views

A 1^st person view is when the camera is positioned so it is the eyes of the player.  A 3^rd person view is when the camera is positioned behind and above the player allowing a greater field of vision.  The game will default to the 3^rd person view but you can set your preference in the System Options window.  During the simulation, typically before you begin a run, you can switch back and forth between the two views by pressing the F7 key.  Many people prefer the 3^rd person view while learning until they get a feel for where things are.  The first person view is typically easier to rope the calves since you have a closer view.  When 2 players are playing at the same time, the screen is divided.  Both players will be in either 1^st person or 3^rd person view and the F7 key changes both views.

 

Instant Replays

After every run, regardless of the type of game play, you can press F2 to view an instant replay of the run.  This is taken from a 3^rd person camera vantage point.  You can interrupt the replay at any time by pressing the F1 key.

 

Exiting the Simulation

At any time, you may press the Esc key or the F12 key to exit the simulation.  

Hints

Suggestions for a faster run:

• Use the 1^st person view for faster, more accurate roping.
• Practice getting out past the barrier without breaking it in many different arenas.  Learn to judge where the calf is in relation to his barrier line to know when you should leave.  This of course depends on your starting position.  You can back all the way back to the back of the box to ensure you are always in the same position every time.
• Rope before you get to a fence or something which might slow you down.
• Press the appropriate key or button, as described above, to stop your horse and pitch your slack.  If you notice in the instant replay that your horse is drifting off to the left after you throw rather than stopping, it is because you failed to tell him to stop.
• When dismounting, practice moving to the right just far enough to dismount but not to far.  Then press to move forward immediately so no time is wasted.
• Anticipate when things will happen so you can click at the right time.  For example, be ready to click the key to invoke the string action as soon as the calf is flanked.
• If you’re needing to be very fast and make up some time, go ahead and make only one wrap, skipping the second wrap to do the hooey.  You’ll have a bigger chance of the calf getting up, but if a second wrap would make you lose anyway, what have you got to lose?

Common Questions

How many game pads do I need?

The optimum configuration is to have 2 identical game pads.  That way, each player can have their own device without having to learn different keys on the keyboard.

 

Is there a specific game pad/controller I should purchase?

Any USB style game pad, game controller, or joystick should work fine.  Just make sure it is compatible with your PC.  The game only uses a few of the buttons so you don’t need to spend a lot of money on something fancy.

 

How do I get better at the game?

The Practice Arena allows you to work on your skills.  It will breakdown your elapsed time for you at the end of each run.  This allows you to see where you spent a lot of wasted time during your run.  The Instant Reply feature also allows you to see what you can improve on.

 

Sometimes the screen turns black.  What is this?

Since most of the game can be played by just using the game pad, it is very possible that your screen saver can come on thinking that nobody has pressed a key on the keyboard or moved the mouse.  Since the screen saver uses a lot of the same graphics pipeline as the game, this can take a while to clear up even after you press a few keys.  The best thing to do is to turn off your screen saver or move the mouse once in a while depending on what your timeout setting is for your screen saver.  Right click on your desktop and select Properties to modify the screen saver settings.

 

Basic Overview of System Options

TDRSim requires you to specify the graphics capability of your computer.  You should try the highest level possible and step down to where it runs satisfactorily on your computer.

 

Generally, the higher your screen resolution, the better the graphics look.  If you have at least a 32 Mb video graphics card and are having any graphics problems, you should go to your card manufacturer to download their latest video driver for your computer system.

 

TDRSim requires DirectX v9.0c or above.  This is provided with the game installation and should be installed for you.

 

Your desktop screen resolution must be equal to or greater than the selected game screen resolution.  If the game screen resolution is less than your desktop screen resolution, the game will come up in a window with a title bar.  If the game resolution is equal to the desktop screen resolution (recommended), the game will come up full screen.  You can change your desktop screen resolution by right clicking on your desktop then selecting “Properties” and then “Settings”.

 

In this window, you can also turn on or off the playing of game sounds, the playing of game music, and the playing of announcer commentary.  You can control the volume of the game music using the slider.

 

You can choose the preferred starting view, 1^st person view or 2^nd person view.  A 1^st person view is when the camera is positioned so it is the eyes of the player.  A 3^rd person view is when the camera is positioned behind and above the player allowing a greater field of vision. 

 

You can adjust your mouse sensitivity in the game.  This does not adjust your general mouse sensitivity for other applications.

 

By clicking the “Game Controllers” button you can configure the actions for your game pad, joystick, or other game controller.  There are 5 options to choose from for each button:

·        Start – starts the run

·        Trigger – throw, pitch/stop, flank, string, wrap

·        Hooey – wraps of the hooey

·        Replay – view the instant replay at the appropriate time

·        No action – does nothing

There are defaults for these actions.  You do not need to change any but you can if desired.  Realize that some game pads and joysticks only have 8 buttons.  In that case, don’t assign any critical actions to buttons 9 and 10.  Likewise, some have more than 10 buttons.  These are not used by the game.

Common Questions

I have a new computer but it won’t let me play at the highest level?

Even new computers come with different variations in video cards.  Some things which can affect the ability to use a higher graphics option are:

 

-         The type and maker of the video card on your computer.

-         The amount of memory of your video card (32mb, 64mb, 128mb, 256mb).  The more the better.

-         The amount of RAM memory you have.  The more the better

-         The resolution and refresh rate capabilities of your monitor.

 

I am unable to run the game?

Select the lowest option then try again.  If still unsuccessful, reboot, select the lowest option and try again.  If you are still unsuccessful and you know you have at least a 32mb video card, download from your video-card manufacturer’s website an updated graphics driver.

 

Basic Overview of Practice

The Practice option allows you to specify a Player Name, Roper, Horse, and Arena.  Upon clicking “Play”, you will be taken to the simulation and will be able to make 10 runs in the chosen Arena.  During each run, the following statistics are kept and displayed to you at the end of each run:

·        Seconds late at the barrier (a negative value indicates that you were early and broke the barrier).

·        Elapsed time from the start of the clock, which is when the steer crosses its barrier line, until the roper throws the rope.

·        Elapsed time from the throw of the rope until the rope between the horse and the calf is tight.

·        Elapsed time from when the rope becomes tight until the string (called pigging string) is around the front foot of the calf and the calf is ready to gather and wrap.

·        Elapsed time from the front leg being strung until the roper has finished the tie and has raised his hands.

Common Questions

Can multiple players play in Practice?

Yes.  You can define two players, Left and Right, which will practice side-by-side, XETC style.

 

What if I only want one player to Practice?

Leave the name of the Right player blank.

 

Basic Overview of XETC Play

This is the feature mode of the game.  Xtreme Elapsed Time Championships (XETC) is a new competition variation of the Tie-Down Roping sport.  The rules of the sport are basically the same but the ropers compete in an exciting, crowd pleasing, tournament style, roper vs. roper event.  You can go to www.xetchampionships.com for more information about the real events and their schedule.

 

In the game, you can setup a tournament of 2, 4, 8, or 16 players.  These can all be real human players or you can designate for some to be controlled by the computer.  This allows a single human player to compete in a tournament of 16 and have 15 of the players be controlled by the computer.

 

It is a single elimination tournament.  “Win or go home” is the common phrase to be heard at real XETC events.

 

Depending on the winners of each bracket of the tournament, players who start on the right side might have to compete from the left side and vice versa.  If one of the players are only comfortable with the mouse, or a certain game pad or joystick, they can re-assign the mouse or game controller before each run.

 

Before starting the simulation, you can specify the amount of purse for the event.  At the end of the tournament, a payout schedule will be shown.  A small amount is awarded to the winners of each bracket at each level.  Most of the purse is given to the overall winner of the tournament.

Common Questions

Why are there fireworks and flames at the beginning.

XETC events introduce each contestant to the crowd with plenty of pyro, music, and special effects.  If you wish to skip past this intro and go straight to the game, just press F1.

 

What if I need to quit before finishing an entire Tournament?

The status of the tournament are saved up until the last time the tournament chart was shown.  You can check the box for Finish Previous Tournament and then play to finish the previous game.  You can quit and change horse assignments or change arenas but you cannot change the number of players in the tournament.  You can also quit TDRSim altogether then come back in and finish the tournament.

 

What if there is a tie?

If both ropers have a “no time” (60 seconds) or both ropers finish with exactly the same time, the match will be redone.  The same ropers will show up next to compete as opposed to advancing to the next match.

 

Basic Overview of Circuit Tour Play

A Circuit Tour is a series of rodeo competitions each with a different set of runs and a different purse payout.  In this game, 19 fictitious competitors plus yourself compete at a series of rodeos trying to make the National Finals and finally trying to win the World Championship.  The Top 20 standings are ranked according to money earned.  You never see the runs made by the other players.  However, you do see the winning times which you have to beat for each run.  You will always be the last to compete for each run.

 

Some arenas have a long score which is the distance between the roper’s barrier line and the steer’s barrier line.  Others have a short score.  This makes it challenging to know when to leave and not be late but at the same time not break the barrier which results in a 10 second penalty.

 

Each rodeo has a different total purse (money) to pay out to the winners.  Some (40%) of the purse is used to pay the top 4 places in each round.  The remainder (60%) is paid to the top 4 places in the Aggregate.  The Aggregate is just a name for the combination of times for all runs (rounds) at that rodeo.  So if you make fast runs on all of your rounds at a rodeo, you can win money for those runs in each round but can again win for being top in the Aggregate which is the combination of all run times.  Likewise, someone might not win in the rounds but may have a fast enough overall combined time to win in the Aggregate.

Common Questions

Can more than one player play on the Circuit Tour?

No.  The Circuit Tour is for one player at a time.

 

What if I need to quit before finishing an entire Circuit?

Your status in the circuit is saved after each completed rodeo.  The information is saved in a file for that player’s name.  If you do quit before finishing, you can return to finish the circuit by clicking on “Finish a previous game” and then selecting the file in the list for that player’s name.  Only one unfinished game is available for each name.  In other words, if a player named “Ralph” quit before finishing a circuit, if he started a new circuit with the player name of “Ralph”, his previous game would be lost.

 

Why did it skip me at some rodeos?

Some rodeos allow only the top 10 or top 15 to be eligible for that rodeo.  Therefore, you want to maintain your position in the top 10 so you make all events and have a chance to qualify for the top 15 which go to the National Finals and try to win the World Championship.  Just like in real rodeo, the events for which you have to qualify, pay the most money to the winners.

 

How are the times of the other players calculated?

The other players in the circuit are fictitious.  Their times for each round are randomly assigned.  Sometimes the roll of the dice will make it such that it is very hard to win.  Sometimes it will be easier to win.  Professional mode is intended to be challenging. 

 

Does Circuit play have anything to do with the Online Competitions?

No.  The online competitions are managed separately.

 

Please visit www.RopingArena.com for all details about how to compete online. 

 

Basic Overview

First you create an account at RopingArena.com.

Second you enter one or more of the current TDRSim events at the site.

Third, using TDRSim and the Compete Online option, you choose a roper and horse then specify the same screen name and password used at RopingArena.com.  It will then step you through making the appropriate runs on your computer using your TDRSim game.  After each run the time will be uploaded to RopingArena.com.  You go back to RopingArena.com in your browser to see how you are standing against other competition.

 

You can view replays made by other contestants by clicking on the View Replays button.

Common Questions

Does it cost me money to compete?

Creating a login at www.RopingArena.com is free and is the only way in which you can compete online.  You are given some free entry credits upon creating your login account.  Entry credits are used to enter events.  You can purchase additional entry credits or an entry subscription from the www.RopingArena.com website at any time.

 

What if I have a slow internet connection?

Once you have installed the appropriate Arena for the event you will compete in, the amount of information going between your computer and RopingArena.com is very small.  Therefore, any speed of internet connection is sufficient and has no adverse affect on your chances of winning.

 

What if I lose my internet connection before finishing my event?

All of your event and entry information is stored at RopingArena.com.  Losing your connection at anytime will not affect your competition.  When you re-establish your connection, click the “Connect to Compete” button again with the correct Screen Name and Password and you will see that your events have not been lost and you will pick up right where you left off.  Your previous times are still intact.

 

Do I have to finish all runs of an event immediately?

Since all the information is stored on the RopingArena.com, you can choose when to make the runs.  You can quit, go back, quit again, etc. until all runs are finished.  You can even do runs for different events before finishing any one event.  However, you do need to be aware that most events have a time limit on the RopingArena.com and you need to finish all runs during the allotted time.  You can find this information from the RopingArena.com at any time.

 

Is it safe for kids to compete online?

Every precaution has been taken to keep the site safe and simple for kids.  However, CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE PARENTAL SUPERVISION WHEN DOING ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BarrelSim User’s Manual

Basic Overview of System Options

BarrelSim requires you to specify the graphics capability of your computer.  You should try the highest level possible and step down to where it runs satisfactorily on your computer.

Common Questions

I have a new computer but it won’t let me play at the highest level?

Even new computers come with different variations in video cards.  Some things which can affect the ability to use a higher graphics option are:

-         The type and maker of the video card on your computer.

-         The amount of memory of your video card (8mb, 16mb, 32mb, 64mb, 128mb).  The more the better.

-         The amount of RAM memory you have.  The more the better

-         The resolution and refresh rate capabilities of your monitor.

I am unable to run the game?

Select the lowest option then try again.  If still unsuccessful, reboot, select the lowest option and try again.  If you are still unsuccessful and you know you have at least an 8mb video card, download from your video-card manufacturer’s website an updated graphics driver.

 

 

Basic Overview of Practice

The Practice option allows you to specify a Player Name, Rider, Horse, and Arena.  Upon clicking “Play”, you will be taken to the simulation and will be able to make 10 runs.

Common Questions

Can multiple players play in Practice?

No.  You should choose “Circuit” instead which allows you to setup up to 4 players.

 

 

Basic Overview of Circuit Play

A Circuit is a series of arenas each with a different set of runs and a different purse payout.  Each step in the Circuit series can be either Barrel Racing or Pole Bending.  Typically, most Circuit series consist of smaller purse events with a final event with significantly more money being paid out.  Several default Circuits are shipped with the game.  You can also build your own Circuit by choosing “Create Your Own Circuit”. 

 

BarrelSim allows you to setup 4 players to play in the Circuit.  The first thing you should do is choose the options to setup each player.  Do this by clicking on “Setup Player #” for the appropriate player number.  Then choose the desired Player Name, Rider, and Horse for each player.  If you will be playing with less than 4 players, erase the Player Name for the unwanted players.  For example, if you are playing with just 2 players, erase the name for Player #3 and Player #4.

 

Once you have finished setting up your players, click “Choose Circuit and Play” which will bring up a new window allowing you to select the desired Circuit and then to Play.

Common Questions

Can each player use the same Rider or Horse?

Yes.  All can be the same or all can be different.

Do you have to qualify for the final event?

No.  Every player gets to compete in the final event of the Circuit.

Can I create my own Circuit?

Yes.  Choose “Create Your Own Circuit” from the Circuit window.  Then follow instructions from that page.

Does Circuit play have anything to do with the Online Competitions?

No.  The online competitions are managed separately.

 

 

Basic Overview of Defining your own Circuit

A Circuit is a series of arenas each with a different set of runs and a different purse payout.  Each step in the Circuit series can be either Barrel Racing or Pole Bending.  Typically, most Circuit series consist of smaller purse events with a final event with significantly more money being paid out. 

 

The top half of the window is where you setup each event of the Circuit.  Here you specify the Arena to be used, the name of the event, the purse to be paid out, the number of runs, and the type of event.  When you are satisfied, click the “Add this Event to Circuit below” button.  Continue to do this for the number of events you wish to have in your Circuit.  You can have a series at the same Arena.  Or you can travel to different Arenas. 

 

When you are satisfied with the events in your Circuit, type in the name of this Circuit and click the “Save” button.  To play in this newly created Circuit, click “Return” and then “Choose Circuit and Play”.  This new Circuit will show up in the list of available Circuits.

Common Questions

Can I do both Barrel Racing and Pole Bending at each Arena?

Yes.  You do this by creating two events right after each other with the same name but with each type (one with Barrel Racing and one with Pole Bending).

Are the Circuits saved in a file?

Yes.  If you wish to delete a previous Circuit, select that Circuit and click “Delete”.

 

 

Basic Overview of Online Competition

Please visit www.BarrelArena.com for all details about how to compete online. 

First you create an account at BarrelArena.com.

Second you enter one or more of the current events at the site.

Third, using BarrelSim and the Compete Online option, you choose a rider and horse then specify the same screen name and password used at BarrelArena.com.  It will then step you through making the appropriate runs on your computer using your BarrelSim.  After each run the time will be uploaded to BarrelArena.com.  You go back to BarrelArena.com in your browser to see how you are standing against other competition.

Common Questions

Does it cost me money to compete?

Creating a login at the Entry Website (www.barrelarena.com) is free and is the only way in which you can compete online.  You are given some free entry credits upon creating your login account.  Entry credits are used to enter events.  You can purchase additional entry credits or an entry subscription from the www.barrelarena.com website at any time.

What if I have a slow internet connection?

Once you have installed the appropriate Arena for the event you will compete in, the amount of information going between your computer and the Entry Website is very small.  Therefore, any speed of internet connection is sufficient and has no affect on your chances of winning.

What if I lose my internet connection before finishing my event?

All of your event and entry information is stored on the Entry Website.  Losing your connection at anytime will not affect your competition.  When you re-establish your connection, click the “Connect and Compete” button again with the correct User Key and you will see that your events have not been lost and you will pick up right where you left off.  Your previous times are still intact.

Do I have to finish all runs of an event immediately?

Since all the information is stored on the Entry Website, you can choose when to make the runs.  You can quit, go back, quit again, etc. until all runs are finished.  You can even do runs for different events before finishing any one event.  However, you do need to be aware that most events have a time limit on the Entry Website and you need to finish all runs during the allotted time.  You can find this information from the Entry Website at any time.

Is it safe for kids to compete online?

Every precaution has been taken to keep the site safe and simple for kids.  However, CHILDREN SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE PARENTAL SUPERVISION WHEN DOING ANYTHING ON THE INTERNET.

 

 

 

 

 

TRSim User’s Manual