The latest indieVelo update V0.2.33 released January 22, 2024, adds adaptive-athlete representation and in-game explanation for real-time performance verification flagging and removal.
This week’s release (see below for full details) focuses on both the inclusion and exclusion of riders.
Inclusion: indieVelo is proud to extend its accessibility to all riders through the addition of in-game trikes, as well as the existing handcycles. Seeing yourself in-game is a significant part of what makes online cycling unique. In partnership with Project Echelon and Cybathlon, we’re looking forward to hosting many more events for people with disabilities in the future.
Exclusion: indieVelo continues refining and adapting its real-time Performance Verification systems to ensure everyone can compete on a level playing field. Changes for this week mean that riders will get tailored messages identifying the problem if they’re removed from a race due to malfunctioning or miscalibrated equipment (e.g., if your heart rate monitor stops broadcasting valid heart rate data, you will get a message saying exactly that).
Further, indieVelo has removed checks on plausible cadence as testing has shown that even high-end hardware is too unreliable to broadcast accurate data to use in some Performance Verification checks.
Note for Mac Bluetooth users: If you find that the Bluetooth icon on the pairing screen has turned red, please follow the instructions linked from https://wiki.indievelo.com/docs/apple-mac-ble-permissions/ to first completely remove, and then re-add, permission for indieVelo to use the Mac Bluetooth connection.
Do you want to steepen your indieVelo learning curve? Check out our How-to-Guides page for details!
If all has gone well, you shouldn’t have to do anything to get the new version, as indieVelo will self-update the next time you start it up. If you find any problems, however, instructions on how to manually update are on the website: https://wiki.indievelo.com/docs/updates
Please note that, depending on when you installed indieVelo, you may see a warning message recommending that you update the installer/launcher to the latest version. If you see this, download it again from https://indievelo.com/downloads, and the update will automatically apply. The entire process typically takes a minute or two, often much less.
The full patch notes are below!
As usual, there’s a wide range of other additions, improvements, and fixes across lots of different areas, including bot AI, UI, pairing, and graphics.
“Thanks again for your continued suggestions for further areas to work on – every thought you have and idea shared is hugely appreciated and helps keep indieVelo improving each release. Thank you.”
George Gilbert
Patch Notes – V0.2.33 – Key changes from the last version:
- Added trikes.
- Added new notifications when competing in events with performance verification.
- Added different bot reaction speeds when sensing an attack.
- Added more teams & brandings.
- Removed performance verification checks for trainer cadence miscalibration.
- Improved message displayed when flagged for performance verification.
- Improved detection of miscalibrated trainers to avoid false-positives.
- Improved performance verification checks in time-trial events.
- Improved performance verification checks on different terrain.
- Improved logging of performance verification flags.
- Improved bot AI.
- Improved variation between bots.
- Improved behaviour of equipment colour picker on mobile platforms.
- Improved map scaling when previewing route selections.
- Improved transitions between minimap scaling changes.
- Improved terraforming of island.
- Improved pairing infrastructure.
- Improved pairing performance.
- Improved auto-pairing of previously used devices.
- Fixed bug with trainer calibration display.
- Fixed bug with minimap camera shaking when climbing.
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like Cycling Weekly, Cycling News, road.cc, Zwift Insider, Endurance.biz, and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the Virtual Sports Research Network and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts The Virtual Velo Podcast, too.
I still wonder if and how IV can detect over-reading trainers and what happend ingame when detected. The last days raised some question when a rider got kicked out of a race due to the now fixed cadence-bug, but the fact that the trainer reported higher watts than the powermeter pedals didn’t seem to trigger the auto DQ even if it was 4-6% difference. It got sorted when the trainer was re-calibrated, and now showing pretty much the same watts. But still. If a person doesn’t have external powermeter, wich we should assume not everyone have; does IV detect a faulty trainer showing pro level watts..?