SKG's tracks

[werner]

Great. Nothing to complain about really.

[SKG]

here we go.

Here's another "overhaul" project, upgrading a vintage circuit with modern design trends and safety standards. (Runs anti-clockwise, 3.8km Grand Prix circuit, longest straight 890m)

The first sector layout remains unchanged, with added run-off at the first turn. The first big change comes at the new turns 4,5,6 complex. This change was made to the circuit for 2 reasons, to slow down the the fast left hander onto the long back straight, but also to help create another overtaking opportunity (into the new turn 4).

Another change has been made at the end of the back straight for the same reasons that complex was added, to slow down the kink and the end of the straight and to create a spot for overtaking. Slowing down the run onto the back straight should also aid passing.

The final chicane was added purely for safety concerns, since the start of the pitwall is dangerously close to the exit of the final corner if the cars were coming through at high speeds.

Lemme know what you think!

[bio]

Another great one.

I especially like the section with those blue-white kerbs. That's great.

bio

[ScotsBrutesFan]

I'm liking this one for the most part,

Like your previous one, you need to be a little careful regarding the pit exit.

The long back stretch needs breaking up as you have done, but this comparison with a real life circuit isn't favourable in that it reminds me of one of the Mickey Mouse combinations from the Indianapolis infield.
THere is space for different things, perhaps some really face Esses testing direction change and stability.

The chicane at the end of the back section doesn't really need to be more than 90 degrees but, it works well as you have it so no real arguments about that.

The last change I'd make, would be to move the final chicane up a bit and have the exit lead onto the S/F straight

It looks like a lot written down but really just minor adjustments that for me would make a good track even better.

[bio]

SBF,
funny - I think it's that "Mickey mouse" section that really makes this track.

In fact, I'm considering asking the creator's permission to recreate this one for rFactor. Seems like something that most definitely needs some "real" testing.

bio

[SKG]

Originally Posted by bio

In fact, I'm considering asking the creator's permission to recreate this one for rFactor. Seems like something that most definitely needs some "real" testing.

Of course, that would be great bio!

[SKG]

Originally Posted by ScotsBrutesFan

It looks like a lot written down but really just minor adjustments that for me would make a good track even better.

Thanks for the feedback SBF. I appreciate the time you put into critiquing my designs. It is very useful to get other peoples opinions

[bio]

Originally Posted by SKGThunder

Of course, that would be great bio!

Oh, great!

then all I need is a bit more details: track length, width and elevation details, mainly.

bio

(PS: never mind the track length, it's there in the post )

[SKG]

Heres a preview of the next one Im working on, theres only so much I can do on a laptop and a trackpad! I'll add details later.

Figure-of-8 circuit (obviously) with the full track length (no chicanes) came to exactly 6km. The main paddock and start finish straight is up at the most northerly point of the circuit, with the first corner being the hairpin.

There is a small support paddock (similar to the paddock before 130R at Suzuka) half way down the huge 1.3km back straight.

Various configs:

Grand prix (6km)
Grand prix with chicanes
West circuit (anti-clockwise)
East circuit (clockwise)

[ptclaus98]

That is a really original, really good track. I never could do the figure 8 design but you're tempting, and inspiring me, to do so.

[SKG]

In a surprisingly short amount of time, Bio has whipped up one of my recent circuit designs in Bobs track builder for rFactor. You can see from the images above that is was quite the transformation. Its pretty cool driving your own circuit so I'd like to thank Bio for putting the effort in, and I hope it was a useful exercise.

You can see an onboard lap here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdjOSy1_Lo4

I managed a 1:44.04 in the default F3 car. Im still learning the track so hopefully that should improve. Also, sorry about the video quality, still trying to nail down my render settings.

[bio]

Haha, this video is much better in quality than the ones I usually upload of my laps

(And, I must add, the quality of the driving is also much better here )

Once again, it was a very pleasant one to work with.

bio

[bio]

"Its pretty cool driving your own circuit"

Hah, just to think about it... How far we've come in so short period of time... i clearly remember bringing up the idea to collect some money here and get someone professional to develop some software for us that allwos us to create our tracks in a driveable format and then drive around it - because we knew of no such possibility back then.
And then, when I was first able to do it, back in 2008... using Blender to create the track, then TrackEd to convert it to a format the racing sim software Racer understands and then finally driving my own track the first time, in Racer... It was like heaven. Really. It looked like this (that funky red&blue thing around the lap was some kind of texture reading error):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XCtNWkyeIw

And where are we now...

Always nice to remember my dream of actually testing my own track and how impossible it seemed - and how good it was when it came true...

bio

[ptclaus98]

Originally Posted by bio

"Its pretty cool driving your own circuit"

Hah, just to think about it... How far we've come in so short period of time... i clearly remember bringing up the idea to collect some money here and get someone professional to develop some software for us that allwos us to create our tracks in a driveable format and then drive around it - because we knew of no such possibility back then.
And then, when I was first able to do it, back in 2008... using Blender to create the track, then TrackEd to convert it to a format the racing sim software Racer understands and then finally driving my own track the first time, in Racer... It was like heaven. Really. It looked like this (that funky red&blue thing around the lap was some kind of texture reading error):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XCtNWkyeIw

And where are we now...

Always nice to remember my dream of actually testing my own track and how impossible it seemed - and how good it was when it came true...

bio

So do you still do tracks in Blender? Can I ask how and if there are any tutorials?

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by SKGThunder

In a surprisingly short amount of time, Bio has whipped up one of my recent circuit designs in Bobs track builder for rFactor. You can see from the images above that is was quite the transformation. Its pretty cool driving your own circuit so I'd like to thank Bio for putting the effort in, and I hope it was a useful exercise.

You can see an onboard lap here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdjOSy1_Lo4

I managed a 1:44.04 in the default F3 car. Im still learning the track so hopefully that should improve. Also, sorry about the video quality, still trying to nail down my render settings.

Extraordinary work at both bio and SKGThunder's ends... one of the best tracks, 2D-wise, I've seen in a long, long time. And bio just made it even better by doing that rendition!!!

One thing though - make those kerbs smaller on the rFactor.

[Yannick]

That track is pretty good, a little like the New Nürburgring. That jump on the back straight which you can see in the video is very nice. I like the flow of the circuit. SKG, Is it possible to race on the track as well, using the same racesim, or does it merely work in testing mode?


I guess it's a dream of every amateur track designer to one day run his own tracks on a racesim. Mine, too, of course, but I've usually always been a kind of a dork when it comes to learning how to use new software.

Bio, it's pretty gracious of you to turn SKG's track into a racesim with Bob's Track Builder, considering the amount of time it takes. Is there a tutorial for it somewhere? How much of a programmer do I need to be to be able to use it for adding additional tracks to racesims? I haven't used a racesim since around the year 2000 (and that was the old Micro Prose GP2 from the mid-90s even). So my knowledge of that kind of software is limited to say the least.
Yet, it would be kind of enticing to try and implement some of my own circuits (Duckburg, Keneieune, Camiria, Nansentown, Nomenlos, etc.)
Bio, would you have the patience to teach the essential things on racesim add-on design to a complete newbie (who has got time constraints somewhat, too)?

[werner]

Great work. It looks magnificent. I wonder, why is there a big cross at the entrance of the complex at the backstraight?
And offcourse, your bridge is at the wrong place...

[Beetle]

Originally Posted by Yannick

That track is pretty good, a little like the New Nürburgring. That jump on the back straight which you can see in the video is very nice. I like the flow of the circuit. SKG, Is it possible to race on the track as well, using the same racesim, or does it merely work in testing mode?


I guess it's a dream of every amateur track designer to one day run his own tracks on a racesim. Mine, too, of course, but I've usually always been a kind of a dork when it comes to learning how to use new software.

Bio, it's pretty gracious of you to turn SKG's track into a racesim with Bob's Track Builder, considering the amount of time it takes. Is there a tutorial for it somewhere? How much of a programmer do I need to be to be able to use it for adding additional tracks to racesims? I haven't used a racesim since around the year 2000 (and that was the old Micro Prose GP2 from the mid-90s even). So my knowledge of that kind of software is limited to say the least.
Yet, it would be kind of enticing to try and implement some of my own circuits (Duckburg, Keneieune, Camiria, Nansentown, Nomenlos, etc.)
Bio, would you have the patience to teach the essential things on racesim add-on design to a complete newbie (who has got time constraints somewhat, too)?

Yeah, bio, do some of my street circuits for me! NOW!

[bio]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

So do you still do tracks in Blender? Can I ask how and if there are any tutorials?

Hi,
no, I've long moved over from Blender. Much better looking tracks can be done in BTB, in much less time. And also, rFactor is a much better racing sim than Racer. The only thing about the Blender/TrackEd/Racer trio is that all of those are free, while BTB and rFactor aren't (well, assuming we're playing nice and don't torrent them, of course...)

Yep, there was a tutorial for Blender, that's what I used to learn the thing. It's a pretty good one, but not flawless, that's why I decided to write one - but I never had the chance to finish it

The original tutorial is somewhere on one of my old HDD's - maybe I'll have the time to try and find it. It explains well enough how to create a track in Blender and then how to convert it in TrackEd for Racer.

bio

[bio]

Originally Posted by Beetle

One thing though - make those kerbs smaller on the rFactor.

I used this track to experiment with some of the things and were unable to "undo" some of those, after one of my experiments caused BTB to crash. Those big kerbs are a result of that. As soon as I touched them again it crased right away. So, I left them as they were.

bio

[bio]

Yannick, no "technical" skills are necessary to use BTB - if I could make it, anyone can

And BTB will convert you the tracks for a couple of racing sim sofwares if you tell it to - so, it's literally a touch of a button

The best way to learn to use BTB is just start fidgeting around with it. The software's website has a good video section (http://www.bobstrackbuilder.net/videos.aspx) with a lot of good tutorial videos, BTW.

I can only speak for myself, but once I started using BTB I never really looked back. BTB certainly has its flaws and problems - but still it's the best tool out there.

bio

[bio]

Originally Posted by werner

I wonder, why is there a big cross at the entrance of the complex at the backstraight?

Nothing special, I just put it there for decoration. I imagined the place as once part of a very old highway - and you see crosses by those.

Originally Posted by werner

And offcourse, your bridge is at the wrong place...

Why, should I have put it ON course? :P

Seriously - if theres one thing I've learnt at 10/tenths is that there's no good place for bridges. ANYWHERE you put it, someone will tell you it shouldn't be there.

Let me ask you then: where would you have put it? Remember the criteria:

- it can't be put over a section where it blocks some part of the track from the spectators (because half the forum population will jump at your throat instantly);

- it should be on a location that makes sense - e.g. the trucks won't have to travel through a cliffside to reach the paddocks, and they won't have to take hairpins, etc...);

- it should be put on a location so that the trucks and other vehicles can reach and leave the paddocks as fast as possible.

Good luck finding that spot

bio

PS: Oh, and anyway... the bridge was an experiment too: since most of the "prefab" bridges available in the BTB XPacks are rendered incorrectly in rFactor, I was wondering how one custom-made (of wall sections) would look. Well, now i know

[werner]

I'd put the bridge halfway along the backstraight. It ends directly in the paddock. And it does not need to be as long, since it doesn't have to cross a run of area.

I must add however, placing bridges in simulations is different than in real life. Money, safety and spectators are less of a concern than IRL, beauty and challenge more.

[bio]

Originally Posted by werner

I'd put the bridge halfway along the backstraight. It ends directly in the paddock. And it does not need to be as long, since it doesn't have to cross a run of area.

I must add however, placing bridges in simulations is different than in real life. Money, safety and spectators are less of a concern than IRL, beauty and challenge more.

That's where topology comes into the equation: there's a steep climb between the paddocks and the back straight. I don't think leading the trucks through it would be any wiser - if they would be able to climb it at all.

Just watch again the lap video: at around 0:10 - 0:15 you can clearly see the almost vertical slope between the paddocks and the back straight.

bio

[bio]

Originally Posted by werner

I must add however, placing bridges in simulations is different than in real life. Money, safety and spectators are less of a concern than IRL, beauty and challenge more.

The biggest difficulty in placing the beidges in sim tracks is that wherever you put them someone finds fault with it. It either blocks the view for a dozen spectators, or is dangerously close to the track - or maybe takes the place of an important gravel trap.

You're right: in real life they won't have any grudge against placing a bridge so it blocks the view for some spectators - there are numerous examples. We've also found examples of "shorter than it should be" gravel traps because a bridge was in the way. In real life the direction from which the trucks come is more or less given, so where the bridge should be is much more "automatic" than for us.

bio