Virginia Intl Raceway beta

[Kenners]

Time to get this out to you all, get some feedback. The track is not modeled yet. It's a bit rough around the edges, still has the lame default skybox.. It is a port, kind of; I had to do a new .road file, and I made new terrain, but am using some of the textures & some of the models, as well as the track cross section, from the rFactor version of this track, with permission.

I was able to use Model Importer, Track Editor, and Texture compressor to do the work in Snow Leopard, but I couldn't figure out a way to make Plugin Packer work in Snow Leopard.. I'll boot into Leopard to properly pack it when I'm ready to release it.

edit - changed the link to the new beta..

http://www.legacyoflies.com/devuploads/kenners/VirginiaIntlRaceway.redplug.zip
Kenners

[Tomte]

I've done a road file & roadtyping for this track. Please feel free to download it, drive it, & make comments/suggestions. We'll see if this dies on the vine or not..

Enjoy! (hopefully)

http://ajmckenzie81506.ftpaccess.cc/VIR.zip

Kenners

I checked out the track. It's quite difficult for me to realise where I am, as the visibility is quite limited
I think it is quite a long, difficult track. One really needs to learn the layout before racing on it. It has some very interesting corners and a good stretch of high speed. Dunno about real overtaking opportunities apart from waiting for the mistake of others.

That being said, it's quite smooth, but it would need a good deal of work and added detail to make it a good ride.

[Kenners]

Hi, Folks-

See first post..

Kenners

[Fuglz]

Very nice Another high quality track for Redline! Long and difficult - I like it

Fps rate is pretty low though (about 20 lowest, using 2,4Ghz macbook pro, Redline on highest settings). I expect that slower computers will have a lot of problems.

[djpimley]

I like the track a lot, but the frame rates are yo-yoing between 75 and 30. I played with the models and mapinfo and there isn't one single culprit. I think the problem is simply that you need to split your objects to help Redline cull polygons. For me the frame rate dives when the entire track is in view and then steadily improves as I get more and more of the track behind me.

Your inner tree line should be split in two, your outer tree line and your terrain into at least four pieces each, six would be better.

[Kenners]

I like the track a lot, but the frame rates are yo-yoing between 75 and 30. I played with the models and mapinfo and there isn't one single culprit. I think the problem is simply that you need to split your objects to help Redline cull polygons. For me the frame rate dives when the entire track is in view and then steadily improves as I get more and more of the track behind me.

Your inner tree line should be split in two, your outer tree line and your terrain into at least four pieces each, six would be better.

If you like the track, that's what matters.. It is just a beta, and you can bet the models will be split up appropriately.

I'm modeling the track now (UV mapping).

Keep comments coming.

Kenners

[DonaemouS]

As first release is just incredible. A new track with a different driving style compared to the others. Long and fast "curved" straights, with a lot of lift.

I think this track will be a master in multiplayer games, cause I see a tons of corners in which try to overtake each other!

well done and thx!

[djpimley]

Long and fast "curved" straights, with a lot of lift.

Yes, the long flowing curves are amazing, more like a river than a road. There are going to be some crazy races.

Glad to read your plans, Kenners. Hopefully that will fix the frame rates.

[alphonse]

A track for serious racing - great.
And it flows like just great under my fingers. Still have not found the right line on all curves but i like it a great lot.
Poor frame-rates (relatively) here too - but i know this is in good hands and will be resolved.

Will be a "must"-track for the racing in redline - thanks a lot!

alf

[A-rod]

Very nice work, Kenners! Just got a chance to drive thomm's Alfa 33 on it, it really is a great looking and driving track. Agreed on the low fps, but hopefully that will soon be remedied

[Valentin K]

This track is leaving my speechless. Just wow. I really love the scenery and the track's unique layout!

[Kenners]

I was really getting tired of the work; the comments are just what I needed to keep me motivated.

Cheers,

Kenners

[Toad]

Have to agree with the others K, this track is really interesting. Very much worth your effort so far. I remember you mentioned the attraction you had to it a even before you got started on Mid Ohio. Glad you stuck with it.

I can see some fierce high end racing happening here.

[Tuktuk]

Amazing stuff, as usual beautiful scenery and fluid track layout. Thanks a lot.

[Kenners]

Here's the link to the new beta. The track is modeled and UV mapped. Plenty left to do..

As always, many thanks to Leo for the web space, and his efforts on behalf of Redline.

http://www.legacyoflies.com/devuploads/kenners/VirginiaIntlRaceway.redplug.zip

Kenners

[T5]

Here's the link to the new beta.
Kenners

great work Kenners, Thanx!

[Waderz]

Awesome. This has quickly made my top 5 list of favorite tracks. The only I see is the actions of the "AI" cars, especially in the first turn, they go way off track. Any chance to fix this? Only asking because I never have the opportunity for multiplayer racing and can only play against the AI cars.

Very nice job. Wish I could learn to model like that. I've pretty much abandoned Mt. Panorama for this reason.

[Kenners]

Awesome. This has quickly made my top 5 list of favorite tracks. The only I see is the actions of the "AI" cars, especially in the first turn, they go way off track. Any chance to fix this? Only asking because I never have the opportunity for multiplayer racing and can only play against the AI cars.

Very nice job. Wish I could learn to model like that. I've pretty much abandoned Mt. Panorama for this reason.

Thanks-

I did a lot of racing with AI cars. Well, with a couple of the cars, anyways.. I didn't see this behavior. Can you tell me which cars go off the track?

Kenners

[Waderz]

Thanks-

I did a lot of racing with AI cars. Well, with a couple of the cars, anyways.. I didn't see this behavior. Can you tell me which cars go off the track?

Kenners

Interesting you don't see the AI cars flying off the track. All of them do this for me. Don't know why they would react differently on different computers. I do have the latest version too.

I'm on a MacBook Pro, latest model. Sorry it took so long to respond.

[Kenners]

Can anybody else confirm Waderz' issue with AI cars? I've done a lot more testing, with a wide variety of cars, and I'm not seeing this behavior.. Here's an example of some of the cars I've tested:



And I did some races against 11 Minis, they stayed on the track. I can't beat them..

Kenners

[alphonse]

All AI's are very fast - i cant beat them.

did some races against 12 ais - noone ever left the track. they are stick on the road.

i have no idea why.

MacBook Pro 17" 2.8 btw.

[Kenners]

All AI's are very fast - i cant beat them.

did some races against 12 ais - noone ever left the track. they are stick on the road.

i have no idea why.

MacBook Pro 17" 2.8 btw.

thx for the feedback!

K

[Tuktuk]

All AI's are very fast - i cant beat them.

Which cars are you using to beat them? And which AI's you are racing against?

EDIT

Mini against Minis:
AI-Minis are accelerating like hacked cars - no chance to follow. After I can't follow them too. Sometimes they kick each other out into the grass.

The same situation I have on MidO and Laguna Seca. (On LS they drive a bit slower. If I stay in front they play Bad Love with me - but I guess this is a Redline issue). On Watkins Glenn I can stay in front.

EDIT II:

I wish other tracks would have a similar AI behavior anyway. Are there some tricks or links with tricks? I would like to improve the AI's for MUG (line and speed)

[djpimley]

IMHO it is a mistake to make the AIs too good. I think the only reason any of us would race AIs is to practice our racing skills, such as overtaking and drafting. If the AIs are terrible, of course there is no challenge, but if they are so good that it's impossible to catch them, what is the point of racing against them?

I raced a few different vehicles against AIs at VIR and they all drive like hacked cars, it's like I am racing sim and they are all in turbo mode.

[Kenners]

IMHO it is a mistake to make the AIs too good. I think the only reason any of us would race AIs is to practice our racing skills, such as overtaking and drafting. If the AIs are terrible, of course there is no challenge, but if they are so good that it's impossible to catch them, what is the point of racing against them?

I raced a few different vehicles against AIs at VIR and they all drive like hacked cars, it's like I am racing sim and they are all in turbo mode.

Can Redline drive the AI cars beyond the limits of the .car files, somehow? Or are the calculated braking points and points where the AIs get back on the throttle just that much better? I mean, I can almost always pick up time on AIs on the curvy straight at VIR, but around the first hairpin, or around Oak Tree bend, no way, I always lose time..

The AI I set up on LS, M-O, Watkins, and VIR are according to the instructions that Clarus provided me a long time ago, and I think they are on the Wiki somewhere..

K

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