I'm not over!

Okay so this blog may look neglected and covered with dust. Let me tell you all now that it and I are far from over. Only on a break - why? You may ask...

I have like many of you out there devoted much of my spare time to Rfactor 2. However I have not forgotten nor lost my interest in creating circuits. In fact far from it. I have simply been playing other users wonderful creations lately rather than focusing on making my own. Yet this is changing. Already I have begun the preliminary work for Imola 1972. Yes that is right I will be making an all new Imola, and the last version without any chicanes. I have been researching to be sure that this could be ranked among my best releases. However it is at least two months off before I will release it and at least a full month before I will post up any screen shots.

Along with Imola 1972, I will release a much needed update to Imola 1960s to fill in some of the gaps that break the feeling of reality while flying around the circuit in top gear. Chernobyl NPP is also getting a much needed face lift and possibly a short course, possibly. Finally, Circuit d' Avignon will indeed get its much anticipated longer layout, however the modelling is difficult for the castle and rock faces so this is a while of yet folks.

There! Does that spell any doubt that I might be gone with the wind? I should hope so. In fact, I have only been more enthused to create new circuits and improve my older creations with the recent developments of Track Maker / Track Creator. If you have no idea what I am on about then click over to Youtube and look at this video about Track Maker / Track Creator. It looks stunning does it not?! I already am waiting with earnest for the program to come out. I have many circuit ideas in my head, but alas, many must be cropped down or culled completely due to their ambitious nature.

See the problem is not actually building the circuit, that part is relatively straightforward. Even the elevation changes, or track merging are issues for me. The actual hardest part of creating circuits is the ground. Or more to the point, the landscape or what I call the 'scene'. To create a vaguely believable scene is incredibly difficult. Certainly in my judgemental eyes. For example, if you are to drive around SPA, you expect to see the rolling tree filled hills as your car blasts up Eau Rouge. Hitting the 'look-back' key should give you the eye candy we seek from actually getting up the damn thing. Without the surrounding background of the trees, hills, and general scenery, it feels fake - for lack of a better word. Track Creator looks ambitious. In fact, ambitious enough to match my efficacious imagination.

So I am not over, just trying to contain my enthusiasm. I don't know if I will be a master track builder this year, but certainly 2012 is going to be a great year for sim track building!

Format and News

Just a short update folks!

I have formatted my computer today as I installed many new hardware upgrades. Because of my work schedule, I won't be able to work on any circuits for at least the next week at this stage. I am however very close to releasing 1.1 of my Airport terminal circuit. I am mainly bringing in the walls for more hair raising racing as many out there used too much run-off which I did not originally foresee.

In other news. Over at nogripracing, my latest release Circuit d'Avignon has had steady downloads, but I am only about half way of my hope / aim / target of 1000 downloads through Nogripracing. I have already started to plan out how I will improve Circuit d'Avignon with the 'power' layout. Yet if I don't hit that 1000 mark, I will put it on the back burner for early 2012 release (hopefully).

That's about it for now. As always, check back one in a while and see where I am up to with my next creation!

Cheers!

Circuit de Avignon - Released

I know it is not yet the weekend, however I felt that Circuit de Avignon was ready for a 1.00 release.

You can find HERE at nogripracing. If you read through the Readme file, you will discover that I have set my own ultimatum. If I get 1000 downloads before 2012 starts I will make a 'Power' circuit of Avignon and possibly also two shorter courses. I will let you work out where those shorter courses will be. It is no real guess :D

So please check it out, and if you find any youtube videos of people racing my Avignon, please post them here so I can add in the link. That goes for any of my other circuits too! Ok - Enjoy!

Avignon - This Weekend

As per the title suggests, I will be releasing Circuit de Avignon this weekend. Look out for it here and at nogripracing!

I am just doing the final touches this week such as attempting to fix the cameras (buggers are not working right), packing the files into .MAS files. As well as making a loading screen and a bunch of other very minor changes. I have play tested it and aside from the cameras, it works pretty well. Check back over the weekend and you will be able to grab 1.00 Circuit de Avignon!

Avignon, even further progress

Just a few screenshots of my ongoing progress of Avignon. I would say it is in numbers about V0.15. I don't see it being ready for release this month, however I'll see how I go if I can get into a track making groove once more.

Enjoy!

Avignon Progress

I understand that I have been neglecting my circuit design for what has become months. This is hopefully beginning to change with these :

While the circuit has a long way to go, it is clear to see that progress has started up once more. I have not populated the circuit with some trees, the two pontoons the key medieval city wall. I have already play tested with the trees and found that cars hit invisible walls, so I want to be sure to fix this before continuing on the pit buildings and all other objects. Finally I will change / add roads to make it feel a little more real.


I will have updates by Friday this week (at this stage), so check back then for more information on Avignon's progress. Currently I rate the circuit as 0.10 complete - quite a way to go!

News!

Recently I learned that I will not have my contract at my current employment renewed for Nov2011-onward. They are downsizing the position and sadly I lost out on this one.


It seemed to be a pure 'first in gets it' scenario. I started one week after the fellow who will become the sole junior editor. At first this was a real pain and frustration. Though this is very different now. Being dropped from my work has enabled me to work on things I have wanted to for some time. The first is to resume working as a graphical artist for a magazine (already in the pipeline). Secondly to start looking seriously into motorsport and motoring photography as a side income (if possible). I will probably start a new blog dedicated to this, but it is still early days.


Finally, it means that I will now be resuming my circuit designs for Rfactor. I have neglected my passion in the last few months to focus harder on my actual work (perhaps I shouldn't have bothered haha!). Now I will resume my circuit designing. I have already started updating my Airport Terminal GP circuit after I found a few videos on youtube showing people not driving on the actual circuit but getting the best line from everything. I have brought in many of the walls, and plan to remake most of the ad boards around the circuit to bring down the file size.


Other than this all progress has stalled on my other projects. Though as of very early November they will resume. Look out for news and updates on Avignon which I will work on again very soon. But for the next week or two I won't be able to do much.


I have been compiling all of the circuits I have downloaded and installed to my rfactor directory into a Microsoft Access document. I have well over 1000 circuits and plan to release this document in the coming weeks. It includes data such as what I believe is the level of difficulty, speed of the circuit relative to the 'best' mod series for it. Also a grid size so then we don't flood the circuit with more cars than can actually be supported without them flying into the air or starting buried in the 'ground' -  you know what I mean!


Look out for this also early November. More news to follow this weekend!

News!

I know that I said I would be posting up some screenshots of my latest creation Avignon about a week ago. There has however been a lot going on in my world which has taken up my time. Not to mention my strange interest in playing other games lately, which has eaten good chunks of my free time. I will however continue the work this weekend and hope to have something to show off around that time.

I have also been working with some people at Virtual Classics forum on various 1970s Monza layouts. The  sharing of work is excellent even if the language barrier sometimes makes it a little complicated (most speak Spanish). I may be able to show off the 1974 layout soon, I am just waiting on some textures to be made and placed.

I have been inspired to update my NYC GP once more and will be working on a new layout again soon which will make it three different versions of the Lower Manhattan 'project'. That's about it for now, check back here this weekend for more news and updates!

Avignon

I found a great little gem of a website the other day. It had a number of circuits detailed up there including all of the Formula one world championship rounds and track maps of the non championship races also which was pretty cool. But the best part was that many of the circuits (F1 and not) had reference pictures with them.

I trawled through them looking at interesting circuits from all over the globe, until I found one that I thought I might be able to whip up over the weekend. It is simply called Avignon. I assume because the town/city is also called Avignon. There is a big castle wall which runs along the eastern part of the track (clearly from medieval days) and is lined (effectively) with trees and concrete blocks. Again, it is a proposal from 2005 for a round the the DTM, but it never went ahead for some reason. I figured I would give it a good go.

Firstly I mapped out the layout and set it to the length of the track (as was proposed) 1.731km. I drove around in an F1-1974 car, but found it a little tight and pokey. Since I always mesh reality with fiction. I have already tweaked the layout to 2.240km which makes for a better circuit. I think I will base this around either the 1990s F1 cars or 1970s F1 cars. I have made an Xpack recently for other 1970s F1 projects I am working on, but I am still umming and aarring over what this one will be. What I can tell you is that it won't be for 2000s F1s or other series (unless others use it that way of course). I know the 'purists' out there will have a go saying how it is not a 'real' this and that. But to be honest - I don't care. If it feels like where it is, then that is good enough. Chernobyl NPP anyone?

Anyway, I have already make the cambers, heightmaps and some basic bumps. I will release some screenshots some time this weekend and hope to have it out within 14 days. I need a simple yet long castle wall. Can't seem to find one that is right. But I do have some of the Ponte's that the cars will pass under and next to, as well as some 'french' inspired buildings. Check back here in the coming 48hrs for some early screenshots!