Free Track Design Software?

[ChrisPage]

Hi folks

I really like doodling circuits - pleased to see others do too! We'd have a great set of tracks if some of yours came good!

Does anyone know of any free (or cheap!) software that would help me do tracks on a pc? Paint is ok, but it's hard to get corners how you want them. At the minute I do outline drawings, then scan them and fill the colour in - gets the corners better, but still a bit rough and ready.

Thanks

[Tathrim]

Google Sketchup is free, and that's what most people use. then it's up to you if you want to draw to scale or not. Or you could use Blender, it's jsut personal preference.

Regards

Tathrim

[bio]

Hi,

Tathrim mentioned the two softwares I would have. The main distinction, I might add, is that while Sketchup is an easy-to-understand and use 3D modeling software, I found it less and less tolerable as the model became larger and larger, with more and more elements. That, of course, is only due to the computer's memory - if you have a more powerful one, you'll experience no problems.
Blender, however seems much ahrder to use - until you get useg to the keyboard shortcuty and other "unusual" things. After that it's a really useful tool - I completely abandoned Sketchup since I've been using Blender.

Oh, a third one i should have mentioned right away: Ocad. It's a map-design software, and not a free one, but the homepage of the software (www.ocad.com I believe) offers the earier versions for totally legal free download - and they are just as good. They offer only one-dmensional view, of course It's my "default" software when I get down to business. You can see the tracks I made wuth it in my thread ("bio's tracks" - way down on the thread-list roght now).

bio

[clarkma5]

Bob's Track Builder is available for a free 2 week demo, but it costs $80 australian I think for the full version. It outputs tracks to games from the GTR series or the rFactor series so you can drive them. I used it to make a drivable version of a sketch that was on my desk and it was a lot of fun...a bit finicky to use sometimes, but powerful software.

http://www.bobstrackbuilder.net/

[ChrisPage]

Thanks for this help I'll check out some of these.

I also want to be able to take an exisiting track and produce my own image showing track layout, spectator sport etc. Would these programes help with this.

I've tried scanning immages to then overlay with paint, but the tricky thing is getting the corners just right. Plus paint always is a bit pixelly.

Thanks for the feedback so far.

[Yannick]

That demonstration video of Bob's Track Builder looks like I would need an introductory course before I'd work with it.

I guess I'm too busy at the time to go digital with my own designs. But I'd surely love to try out some of them in a race-simulator.

[bio]

Well, getting the corners just right is always tricky, regardless to the software youre using. I guess there's just no way around it if you want to do it well

bio

[ChrisPage]

Originally Posted by bio

Well, getting the corners just right is always tricky, regardless to the software youre using. I guess there's just no way around it if you want to do it well

I suspected as much. A bit of patience and metaphorical elbow grease is whats needed then!

I do love this style, but suspect this is waaaaaay beyond me at this stage. http://www.mallorypark.co.uk/Circuit_Map

[bio]

Believe me, you'll get the hang of drawing the corners really fast. Just a little practice and you'll feel is before you know it

BTW, drawing a map like the one you linked - with Ocad it's about half an hour tops. With some practice it's 15 mins. I could do it in about 10, but I've been using Ocad for loooong years so it doesn't count
And i'm not saying this because i want to brag about my design software skills, but to show you it's not at all a vefry hard thing to learn in a rather short time. See, I'm not a very talented designer, so if i could do it anyone can

Here are some examples of what you can do with limited Ocad skills, for example:







bio

[xlr8r]

Using sketchup to design tracks is really easy. It is much easier to design corners in sketchup than ms paint. Just use the line and curve tools to create a single line outline of your track than use the offset tool to create a second outline. Than paint the middle and you have created a basic track. After that you can get more detailed to the point of designing runoffs, walls and buildings. Its just a matter of how much time you want to spend on it.

[bio]

I'd say it's much harder to draw curves WELL in Sketchup - but still not "hard" is you ask me

bio

[Toads]

Originally Posted by clarkma5

Bob's Track Builder is available for a free 2 week demo, but it costs $80 australian I think for the full version. It outputs tracks to games from the GTR series or the rFactor series so you can drive them. I used it to make a drivable version of a sketch that was on my desk and it was a lot of fun...a bit finicky to use sometimes, but powerful software.

http://www.bobstrackbuilder.net/

This is about the best lightweight program I've come across to date. It is quite noob friendly and after watching a couple of video's and/or seek help in their forum. You'll be up and running in no time, even to get your track in game is a peice of cake. All the materials (textures) are already prepared for you. Only gripe with the program is how it creates tight corners, they can tend to end up messy, at times.

But personally, I prefer 3D Studio Max or Maya, though they're neither cheap or easy to learn.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Just started on Sketch Up, anyone know how to do elevation changes for individual sections?

I can only seem to move the whole track up and down :P

Selby

[ScotsBrutesFan]

For Elevation changes using Sketchup, there are two option available.

Take a look at Trent Park where only the circuit is shown in elevation.

Or try Gallant Park where you create different levels and then run the track around and over them. The Tunnel in that one was just me showing off.

I've done others but don't have the time going through many of the tracks to find them.

[ECW Dan Selby]

Thank you

More help needed... I've drawn a lined layout of what I want in different pieces (ie. used free hand, straight lines, arcs). Now when I go to 'Offset' it to create an actual piece of tarmac, it will only let me do it to the surface its on, which is a massive rectangle :/

What am I doing wrong?

Selby

[ScotsBrutesFan]

You need to offset each section in turn to the same size.

It won't offset on a slope so you have to then manually join the lines between the section on the slope.

Why not start a thread and post what you've done. say what you want to happen next and those of us who use Sketch-up will advise the best way or at least how we would do that particular thing.

Since 10-10ths won't host the Sketch-up files themselves, if you haven't worked it out, take the screen shots by using the Export option and "2D graphic"

[bio]

This was one of the main reasons I quit using Sketchup - this unability to nicely do elevation changes. That's where Blender has an unbeatable lead I'd say.

(The other main reason was that SketchUp tended to slow down considerably as the desgins got more and more elaborate. Blender seems to use much less memory with more stuffed designs than Sketchup.)

bio