Installation

Find the extension in chrome web store and press 'Add to Chrome'. Confirm the popup by pressing 'Add extension'. Another popup will inform you that the extension was installed and a or is added in the top right corner.

VR Dashboard only runs in Chrome[1] - more specifically, in the Desktop version of Chrome. Mobile versions of Chrome do not allow extensions. Porting to other browser is difficult if not impossible, due to the lack of Websockets support.

Running

The extension can only be activated on browser tabs visiting virtualregatta.com. On other web pages, the extension icon remains greyed out. To activate the extension,

  • Go to virtualregatta.com
  • Activate the extension.
  • A warning banner will appear above the content pane of Chrome:

    Do not cancel or close the warning. This will disconnect VR Dashboard from the Debugger and it will not receive any game messages.

    You can suppress the debugger warning altogether by starting the browser with the --silent-debugger-extension-api command line switch. The exact way to do this depends on you operating system. Please be aware that the switch affects all extensions. While VR Dashboard will not harm your computer, other extensions might.

  • Log in to VR Offshore.
  • Enter a race.

    The zezo.org router page will open in the background, with your boat position and options set.

Closing and Reloading

VR Dashboard is closed automatically if you close the VR browser tab, but it remains open if you simply navigate away from VR.

Reloading the VR Dashboard tab discards all data, but it no longer closes the tab. VR Dashboard keeps running.
Log off from VR Offshore and log into each race again to re-populate the race list.

UI reference

Top bar

  • Boat
    Displays your boat name.
  • Select Race
    Switch races by selecting a race from the drop down list.
    The drop-down list contains all the races supported by Zezo. Entries are greyed out if you do not participate in that race.
  • Go
    Calls the router with your current position and options for the selected race.
  • Auto router window[on]
    If switched off, the router will not be called automatically when entering a race from the VR Offshore screen.
  • Reuse tabs[on]
    If switched on, routing requests for a race will reuse the previously opened tab. Different race always open in different tabs.
  • Local times[off]
    If switched on, timestamps are displayed in the browser's local timezone. If switched off, timestamps are displayed in the UTC timezone.
  • Version
    Displays the installed version. If an update is available, it is installed automatically at the next browser restart.

Race overview table

This table displays the current boat status for each race you are participating. Selecting a race by clicking the corresponding row switches the race selection drop-down and the tabs to this race.

Explanation of columns

  • RT
    Router. Request a routing for the corresponding race.
  • PL
    Polars. Open toxcct's Polars page for the corresponding race.
  • WI
    Windy. Open windy.com with the corresponding boat position.
  • Race
    Race name
  • Rank
    One of several rankings reported by VR. Usually somewhat inconsistent.
  • DTL
    Distance to leader
  • DTF
    Distance to finish
  • Position
    Boat position
  • HDG
    Boat heading. Set in bold if the boat is in heading mode.
  • TWA
    True wind angle. Set in bold if boat is in TWA[2] mode. Green color if the boat is on starboard tack, red on port tack.
  • TWS
    True wind speed at the boat position as reported by the server.
    The game UI uses its own source of wind information, which is sometimes incorrect.
  • TWD
    True wind direction at the boat position as reported by the server.
    As for TWS, the game UI sometimes displays differing (incorrect) values.
  • aSail
    Current sail and auto sail indication.
    Red background means the sail is not the best possible sail.
    Sail names are abbreviated: LJ: Light Jib, LG: Light Gennaker, STAY: Staysail, HG: Heavy Gennaker, C0: Code Zero.
  • Speed
    Current boat speed in knots
  • Options
    Options your boat is equipped with in this race (light wind sails, foils etc.)
  • Cards
    'Action' cards. HL=Help, AS=AutoSail, WP=Waypoint, PR=Programming
  • Pack
    Time until card barrel opens
  • Agnd
    Boat is aground
  • Mnvr
    Boat is maneuvering
  • Last Command
    Most recent command accepted by the server in this race.

    Examples:

    First row: two programmed TWA changes with scheduled execution times; second row: immediate sail change

Tabs

The following tabs display more detailed information pertaining to the race selected in the race overview table. Select a tab by clicking on its name.

RACE LOG tab

This table contains the boat status history for the race selected in the race overview, along with value computed by VR Dashboard (vC, vT, Foils - see below).

The first column Time contains the timestamp of the server message. Columns Rank, DTL, DTF, Position, HDG, TWA, TWS, TWD and aSail correspeond to the Race Overview columns. Column vR (kn) is Speed in the Race Overview (boat speed reported by the server).
The remaining columns are:
  • vC (kn)
    Computed speed (in knots).

    VR Dashboard attempts to verify the boat speed reported by the server using the elapsed time, previous and current position which are also (directly or indirectly) reported by the server. It attempts to take course changes into account. If this value differs from vR, it may mean that the server is doing something odd (which it did in the past but usually, VR Dashboard is in error).

    If the value differs from vR, it is displayed with a red background.

  • vT (kn)
    Theoretical speed (in knots).

    This is the speed your boat could achieve, using the best sail available. VR Dashboard computes it using the TWA, TWS, available sails and options reported by the server. The best sail is indicated in parenthesis.

  • Foils
    Percentage of foils efficiency
  • Δd (nm)
    Distance sailed since last status message
  • Δt (s)
    Elapsed time since last status message

    The VR server usually sends status updates approximately every 5min.

    The delta is sometimes zero or even negative. A zero delta often occurs if you switch back to the race in the game UI.
    Negative values could to be indication of messages from another server (assuming VR uses load balancing). The effect may be related to lost commands, but there is no conclusive proof yet. In any case, be sure to check your course if duplicate status messages occur!

  • Sail, Gybe, Tack
    Sail change, tacking or gybing penalty in effect, with the remaining time indicated.
  • Commands

    Each command issued by the user and acknowledged by the server is displayed in the race log.

    There is no separate column in the race log table, but Rank and Position are used as shown below.

    The Command @time is the time when the command was issued. The Time columns shows when the command will be executed.

FLEET tab

This tab displays information about your followed players and players of various other categories as selected by VR. Click on a category in the Filters box to toggle the displaying of boats in this category.
Some information (like a player's start time in a record race) is only available on the player's 'User Card'. The User Card is only transmitted on request, by clicking on the respective boat in the game UI.

The FLEET tab has three additional columns Start Date, ERT and avgS when displaying a record race.
The table can by sorted by Skipper, Rank, DTF, DTU, Sail, State, HDG, TWA, TWS or Speed by clicking on the column header.

Note: If VR Dashboard is activated after opening the VR Offshore page, VR Dashboard has no information which races are record races and the above columns will not be displayed. Re-enter VR Offshore to fix this.

Note: Your own boat is displayed in the table in red color. However if you log on to VR Offshore before starting VR Dashboard, it does not know your user name. In this case 'me' is displayed instead of your user name.

  • RT
    Call router for this player

    Your own boat's options are used. Reuses the router tab if 'Reuse tabs' is checked.

  • Skipper
    Player name
  • Start Date
    Only in record races.
  • ERT
    Estimated race time. Only in record races.

    VRDashboard estimates the overall race time based on the average speed achieved since the start. It uses the elapsed time, distance from start and distance to finish provided in the VR server 'UserCard' message.

  • avgS
    Average speed since the start. Only in record races.
  • Last Update
    Time of last (periodic) update.

    Please note that ERT and avgS are not updated automatically, as they depend on the UserCard message.

  • Rank
    Player's current rank
  • DTF
    Distance to finish

    DTF is available from a player's User Card. If you did not request the User Card yet, VR Dashboard instead displays the great circle distance to the finish (in parenthesis).

  • DTU
    Distance to 'us'
  • BRG
    Bearing from 'us'

    Negative bearing means the other boat is astern of yours.
    The bearing can used to tell if you are going to cross in front of an opponent when you are on opposite tacks:
    If the bearing diminishes, you are in front.

  • Sail
    Sail used by opponent boat.
  • State
    One of racing, waiting or finished.
  • Position
  • HGD, TWA, TWS, Speed
    Heading, true wind angle, true wind speed and boat speed
  • Factor
    The boat's current speed factor over a no-options boat.
  • Foils
    Indicates boat's current the foil benefit.
    'no' is displayed if the boat is in foiling conditions but has no foils.
    '?' is displayed if the boat is not in foiling conditions (and therefor, VR Dashboard cannot determine if the boat has foils).
  • Hull
    Indicates if the boat has the hull polish option.

Note: VR Dashboard does not remember the foils option or the sails used by a boat.

MAP tab

The map displays all boats reported by VR, including your own. It also displays the race gates and the location of your waypoints.

For record races, the map displays the leader ghost track and the ghost track of your own best try.

Hovering the mouse over a mark displays its position (latitude/longitude) and other mark properties.

Please note:

  • You need to exit and re-enter a race to refresh the waypoint locations after you modified them in the game UI.
  • The position of the waypoints is displayed correctly relative to the position of race marks.
    However, the position of land features can not be relied upon. This is because VR uses a different map than VR Dashboard.

Gates
Gates and buoys are called checkpoint in VR. A checkpoint may consist of one ore more gates. All gates of a checkpoint are displayed in the same color (of the dashed line between the port and starboard mark). You need to pass only one gate of a checkpoint.

  • Gate is displayed in bright color if not passed yet
  • Passed gate appears dimmed

Gate/buoy tooltip
The tooltip displays the checkpoint number followod by a '.' and a buoy counter, whether to leave to port or starboard, name (if any), position, and wether the mark was passed.

  • Example 1
  • Example 2

Boat tooltip
Displays name, heading, TWA and speed. Displays elapsed race time of user if boat was clicked on the VR map (User Card is available).

  • Example: Boat in normal race
  • Example: Boat in record race, User Card not available
  • Example Boat in record race, User Card available

RAW LOG tab

If Log messages is checked, all Websocket messages sent and received by the game UI are logged.
Messages are in JSON format. Incoming messages are prefixed <<<, outgoing messages are prefixed >>>

How to retrieve boat polars
Boat polars are transmitted in the response to the "Meta_GetPolar" request. The game UI sends this request when you enter a race for the first time after logging on to VR Offshore.

  • Switch on message logging
  • Log on to VR Offshore
  • Enter the desired race
  • Locate the outgoing message starting with {"@class":".LogEventRequest","eventKey":"Meta_GetPolar" and note its requestId.
  • Locate the corresponding LogEventResponse (usually it is on the next line but sometimes may be found further down).
  • Mark whole line by triple-clickin it and press Ctrl-c to copy the line.

Tips and tricks

Fine-tuning TWA

The command log (in the RACE LOG table) can help you to fine-tune TWA.
  1. Select the desired program step in game UI
  2. Switch to heading mode, move the programmed time forward or backward and switch back to TWA mode
  3. Observe the TWA value in the Dashboard
  4. Repeat steps 2-3 until the desired fractional TWA is reached
To fine-tune heading instead of TWA, move the programmed time while switched to TWA mode.

Superseding commands

Notice that commands are always executed on the full minute. This allows you sometimes to undo a command issued by mistake, or to avoid double penalties by performing a gybe or tack and a sail change at the same minute.

Bugs and known issues

Please report bugs to michael.kappert.01@gmail.com or submit as a 'Problem' in the chrome web store. You can also submit questions and suggestions in the web store.

  1. The first entry in the race overview table only appears when the second message is received.
  2. Reloading the Dashboard tab closes it and disconnects the Dashboard.
  3. The map should resize automatically to fit the race course, but there is still a bug in the resizing logic. Click on the selected race again to force resizing.
  4. 'Elapsed time' display in boat tooltip is meaningless in normal race

Frequently asked questions

  • Race xxx is not available from the race selection drop-down?

    Cvetan may not have added the race yet. Please ask (politely) on the zezo.org forum.

  • Race selection is empty?

    • Please check that you are not blocking zezo.org (check your firewall/virus scanner/proxy, especially in a company network).

  • VR Dashboard isn't working / has stopped working?
    Some table cells are empty/only display a '-'?
    My boat name is not displayed?
    No race are listed?

    • Please be sure to activate the Dashbaord before you log on to VR Offshore as described above. It is necessary to follow this sequence because VR sends some information that VR Dashboard requires immediately after you log in and after your first join a race.
    • Do not cancel or close the Debugger warning banner. VR Dashboard requires the debugger for intercepting the game messages.

  • The button remains greyed out, I can't start VR Dashboard?

    VR Dashboard is only active on the game homepage virtualregatta.com. Some big regattas (like Vendee Globe, Ocean Race) make the game available on their sites, but you can't activate the extension on these site. Head over to the VR Offshore homepage and join the race from there.

  • Can you please add <your favorite feature> to VRDashboard?

    Probably yes, but I only have limited time and I might reject your request if it's too much work, and especially if it involves adding columns to one of the tables. The Dashboard UI looks quite crowded already.
    Btw, the VR Dashbaord source code is available on Github.

About

VRDashboard was created by Cvetan Ivanov (Big Bird @ zezo.org) and Michael Kappert (Hardtack fka Raumzeit aka mak08).
The map was contributed by Patrick Guelat (Xeelee).
Further contributions were made by Romain Le Lamer (GeGaX), Nicolas Guittet (toxcct) and Guy Juy (mcmgj).

Footnotes

[1] There is a compatibility plugin for the Opera browser which allows Chrome extensions to run in Opera.
[2] TWA: True wind angle, the angle between boat heading and wind direction.