Yes or No?

I, like many of you out there who follow Formula One very closely, have now seen a 'track map' of the proposed NJC Grand Prix (New Jersey) here at F1 Fanatic.

I first saw this and thought how cool it would be to play this in Rfactor before seeing it in real life in the years to come - should it go ahead of course. I am wondering if I should make this for Rfactor. I have already made two circuits based in New York City, and in particular, down around the Lower Manhattan districts. So in a way, I could use some of my models in the background. I would need to remove many faces to drop the detail level of objects that are going to be quite far away, but you get the idea.

Currently I have been working on a proposed Hockenheim layout for the early 1980s. However I have experienced many problems with placing objects and keeping the detail level high. Basically, when I export through a .3ds format from Google Sketchup, the textures / materials convert into .jpeg. This means that the negative space elements (wire frames, fences, crowds etc) all are filled with 'black' which not only adds to the level of details that must be rendered, but they look increadibly ugly.

The only option I have is to export them as collenda files. However, these then are not within the 2X2 format, and all need resizing. That is fine if the object has 5,10, 20 or 30 textures. It just takes a bit of time to the open every single texture / material in Photoshop and resize them. The problem is that the Hockenheim grandstands (you know the massive one's around the pits, final and first corners) has a whopping 120 texture faces. This become annoying to just sit there and convert one after the other. If any come out even slightly wrong, then Xpacker can't open the collenda file and crashes.

Anyway... what I am getting at, is that maybe I need to shelve this circuit for a time when I am not working (in real life) so flat out, and therefore would have sufficient time to work on my circuits.

However! I feel that a circuit from scratch is easier to make, as one does not have people breathing down their neck's telling them what is inaccurate and what doesn't feel right and what is - well to put it simply - wrong.

Let me know if you folks think I should have a genuine attempt at making the NJC GP circuit as proposed recently.

Cheers.

News 31.05.11

Lower Manhattan Continues

I have only just release my latest version of the Lower Manhattan circuit and already I have started a rough model of an endurance layout for the circuit. It will range from between 4.5km - 6.5km in length. I have not yet modeled the new areas that it will have so check back here in a few short weeks to see what the state of progress is on the 'Porsche' layout.

Phoenix 89 Proposal 2.0

I released Phoenix 1989 1.0 Proposal exclusively to rfactor central some time ago, but I feel it is ready for an overhaul. The previous (current) version was not only inaccurate but a rather large compacted folder. About 100Mb unzipped. Too big I guess for some users. The main issue was the fact that the textures are very large to show of more detail. As it turns out, the detail is not what people want. They want speed, of both the load times and circuit framerates. This is very hard to tackle when I don't know what it is like to run one of my circuits off a hopelessly slow computer. Mine is not a brand-spanking new one, but it runs smooth as a whistle with 40+cars and high settings for all. So I do struggle to be sympathetic with those who's computers have been around since the early 2000s. Either way, I am already well in the thick of it and will have a new version out when it is ready.

Imola 1970s

Obviously this will be modeled off my 1960s version, but with new grandstands, pit buildings, walls, trees etc. This is a little while off, but I am aiming for a mid June release.

Hockenheim 1980s Proposal

Do you dislike the current 'cropped' version of Hockenheim that restored the forest to its former 'natural' state? I do! And if you are like me, you probably wonder why the circuit was changed the way it was. Well, I found that they wanted to change it in the early 1980s also and I have a track layout map too. Well it's time to see if this would have ever worked and build it myself. I have never traveled there and therefore I cannot be 100% accurate. But considering the circuit's '1980s proposal' was never built. I should be ok at coming up with something the rfactor users won't dis me for not being a "real" Hockenheim. This is a while off, but check back here in a few weeks as I will upload photos of the progress.

And that was the news!

Looks like we're back in business!

As the title suggests, I am now able to resume track building for Rfactor.

I finally have the net up and running on my PC once more and now will strive to get my Lower Manhattan INDY course out for download by this time next week. I have much to do, so this is post is brief.

Look back here in seven days for the track links. Keep on gaming!

Lower Manhattan - Indy Course

Ever since I completed my Lower Manhattan GP, I have been keen to make a new layout that would be faster, but maintain much of the character that LMGP currently has.

The answer was to create a new course that changed at turn 7 and continued straight past WTC 7 and WTC 1 (north tower). Then make a fast right hand turn where drivers who go over the limit will find themselves in a wall. Continuing along the wide fast straight we then rejoin the original circuit gradually shifting down but without compromising the acceleration into turn 10 which is generally taken with strong breaking and 2nd gear (in an open wheel racing car).

Aside from a new faster layout, I have implemented a number of various changes that the Rfactor community asked for. These include all new kerbs throughout the track. These replace the very abrasive 'pyramid' styled kerbs I had with far smoother and flatter kerbs. I found them rough still in a F1 1992. But they had little effect on my driving in a Porsche Carrerra Cup 2007 car.

The cameras are similar but revised. I am still jiggling around with them to find an optimal line where no 'shots of buildings' occur. Naturally there is an all new AIW for the entire circuit. I have also shrunk the grid size down to 40 at max. This is because many people complained that they had frame rate problems. Ultimately it comes down to the user's own computer hardware. However by limiting the grid / pits to a total of 40 cars, the frame rate should be improved for online servers and singleplayer's alike.

Since the AIW is yet to be ironed out, the release of LM-Indy is at least a full week away from release. So to keep you all interested in the meantime, here are a couple of screenshots from the editor.Above, where the circuit continues to form a new turn 8.Above, where the circuit rejoins forming turn 9.