Atticus' Workthread - [RE-RELEASED] Updated Road Atlanta (1997) Beta - All Links on p. 1
Posted by Atticus.
Many thanks.
Bye.
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Hi guys,
I just re-read the topic and I was fully blown away by the encouragement and appreciation I got since I opened it. Thank you very very much for all of it once again. It really makes me happy.
I guess one of my posts around February proved to be on the spot: that I will have things going on that will limit my otherwise seemingly quick work rate significantly. I also realized - by now, but re-reading my posts I became aware of it gradually - that there is so much more to track making that I do not know; still there is a slow improvement on my side, like seeking out and implementing realistic elevations, techniques on kerb making, very very basic (re)painting jobs of basic textures, etc. Most of my work since releasing Lime Rock Park was focused on making improvements to my existing tracks or creating some interesting concepts.
Let's begin with the first one. Making improvements to existing tracks concentrated mostly on the elevation and magic data side. Both Brands Hatch GP and Indy - two of my all-time favorite circuits - received all-new elevation profiles, which are fully realistic - a GPS altitude map of Indy and some online GPS databases helped me tremendously besides the Google Earth elevation profile to fall back on. The latter was also used for Kyalami, the layout of which was also modified slightly - however, I never released my version because there's one already out there, so this is not that important. Still, now it has authentic black-and-yellow kerbs, an unusual concept for the concrete verges surrounding the old layout and as real as possible elevations on the demolished parts as well. I gained access to yet another GPS altitude map, this time for Cadwell Park, which do gets released some time. It is also a real one and it really makes this track, it may seriously be the single most challenging track I ever drove in a sim (no wonder it's called the 'mini-Nurburgring'
. YouTube it for footage, it is awesome - and will be in GP4 as well.
As for magic data, my interest is well-known from the Magic Data Tutorial topic by TomMK. I tinkered with track-specific values (mainly setups, track grip, fuel, air pressure, bumpiness) and general values as well ('rail-line' at the start, spin recovery range). I plan on including them in my tracks, but this is an on-going project as it is mostly time-consuming trial & error, especially for the setups (Paul Ricard is done fully). However, I did update GP4Info for GPxPatch to read in all of my tracks, included in the next re-uploads.
On for the new concepts. First of all, drt01 and myself advanced a lot on a Watkins Glen 2011 version (including the Boot and the Innder Loop) - sadly in the wrong order. Davide made huge efforts and dedicated work only to be ruined by my misjudgements at the initial elevations of the track - so although now the elevations and other post-1991 (post-my version) changes are all in order, the 3D work in still in its early phase. Still, I got to learn how to split parts in .gp4 objects and paint them differently - you've got to, to replicate the unusual kerbing at The Glen. Small thing, I know, but I was so happy to make some progress. Another new thing for me to experiment on was the inclusion of 'naked' .dats in original .wad environments. I did this with Hockenheim, Monaco, Suzuka and Spa. The latter three required modifications to the .gp4 parts as well, but - just as (I got to know by re-reading the topic) drt01 suggested earlier - Hockenheim could perfectly fit in theoriginal environment without chicanes. I do plan on uploading it.
Finally, onto new plans. I have many and although the winter could yield some progress, it will be slowed again by February-March. I'm not sure of the exact order, so I'd not give forecasts now, but I'm sure it will be a new American track - I'd like to finish off some US courses before getting onto UK ones, like the already very much stable Cadwell Park, or the not-yet-done Oulton Park and Knockhill.
In the foreseeable future, I definitely re-upload the current releases with all of them out in their current states - some with magic data, all with GP4Infos and Brands Hatch GP & Indy definitely with the realistic elevation profiles.
Cheers,
Atticus
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2013 11:17PM by Atticus..
I just re-read the topic and I was fully blown away by the encouragement and appreciation I got since I opened it. Thank you very very much for all of it once again. It really makes me happy.
I guess one of my posts around February proved to be on the spot: that I will have things going on that will limit my otherwise seemingly quick work rate significantly. I also realized - by now, but re-reading my posts I became aware of it gradually - that there is so much more to track making that I do not know; still there is a slow improvement on my side, like seeking out and implementing realistic elevations, techniques on kerb making, very very basic (re)painting jobs of basic textures, etc. Most of my work since releasing Lime Rock Park was focused on making improvements to my existing tracks or creating some interesting concepts.
Let's begin with the first one. Making improvements to existing tracks concentrated mostly on the elevation and magic data side. Both Brands Hatch GP and Indy - two of my all-time favorite circuits - received all-new elevation profiles, which are fully realistic - a GPS altitude map of Indy and some online GPS databases helped me tremendously besides the Google Earth elevation profile to fall back on. The latter was also used for Kyalami, the layout of which was also modified slightly - however, I never released my version because there's one already out there, so this is not that important. Still, now it has authentic black-and-yellow kerbs, an unusual concept for the concrete verges surrounding the old layout and as real as possible elevations on the demolished parts as well. I gained access to yet another GPS altitude map, this time for Cadwell Park, which do gets released some time. It is also a real one and it really makes this track, it may seriously be the single most challenging track I ever drove in a sim (no wonder it's called the 'mini-Nurburgring'
. YouTube it for footage, it is awesome - and will be in GP4 as well. As for magic data, my interest is well-known from the Magic Data Tutorial topic by TomMK. I tinkered with track-specific values (mainly setups, track grip, fuel, air pressure, bumpiness) and general values as well ('rail-line' at the start, spin recovery range). I plan on including them in my tracks, but this is an on-going project as it is mostly time-consuming trial & error, especially for the setups (Paul Ricard is done fully). However, I did update GP4Info for GPxPatch to read in all of my tracks, included in the next re-uploads.
On for the new concepts. First of all, drt01 and myself advanced a lot on a Watkins Glen 2011 version (including the Boot and the Innder Loop) - sadly in the wrong order. Davide made huge efforts and dedicated work only to be ruined by my misjudgements at the initial elevations of the track - so although now the elevations and other post-1991 (post-my version) changes are all in order, the 3D work in still in its early phase. Still, I got to learn how to split parts in .gp4 objects and paint them differently - you've got to, to replicate the unusual kerbing at The Glen. Small thing, I know, but I was so happy to make some progress. Another new thing for me to experiment on was the inclusion of 'naked' .dats in original .wad environments. I did this with Hockenheim, Monaco, Suzuka and Spa. The latter three required modifications to the .gp4 parts as well, but - just as (I got to know by re-reading the topic) drt01 suggested earlier - Hockenheim could perfectly fit in theoriginal environment without chicanes. I do plan on uploading it.
Finally, onto new plans. I have many and although the winter could yield some progress, it will be slowed again by February-March. I'm not sure of the exact order, so I'd not give forecasts now, but I'm sure it will be a new American track - I'd like to finish off some US courses before getting onto UK ones, like the already very much stable Cadwell Park, or the not-yet-done Oulton Park and Knockhill.
In the foreseeable future, I definitely re-upload the current releases with all of them out in their current states - some with magic data, all with GP4Infos and Brands Hatch GP & Indy definitely with the realistic elevation profiles.
Cheers,
Atticus
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2013 11:17PM by Atticus..
Can someone give me a new link for the monza one ?the link is dead in the first page 
@KimiHeikki: I uploaded it again. Link in first post. Will do the same for the others soon.
Thanks a lot !
Just some track cams & magic data to be set for the VIR and it's done - most probably my fastest ever work, like... ever. Never did, not likely to be repeated. It was quite exhausting.
And it's awesome, I mean the realism of the layout is still high-standard with proper elevation and curves based on real data. (Yes, I was lazy with the bank angles again, but meh.)
... This place has some of the largest ever run-off areas. Often 120m wide. Insane. And a more than 1.6km straight. More like 'straight' as it has numerous little-bittle curvatures in it.
And it's awesome, I mean the realism of the layout is still high-standard with proper elevation and curves based on real data. (Yes, I was lazy with the bank angles again, but meh.
)... This place has some of the largest ever run-off areas. Often 120m wide. Insane. And a more than 1.6km straight. More like 'straight' as it has numerous little-bittle curvatures in it.
Aaand it's up. Roughly 5 days of non-stop work. It's somewhat hard to imagine none of this modelled terrain existed only a few nights ago.
I chose 2012 as my basis (I incorrectly wrote 2013 in the gp4form file) for a coupler of reasons.
First, I did not wanted to include those controversial new green-and-yellow kerbs on the outside of the grey ones. Not because of their controversial, rough profile, but because they would widen the track on critical places and I wanted to retain the narrowness of its character; it is so very much defining it. (Part of it, in the Climbing Esses, is already lost from the sheer downforce of an F1 car.)
Second, I wanted the Oak Tree Turn to be created with the opportunity for someone to add the Oak Tree itself - the iconic tree has sadly fallen late in the summer of 2013. R.I.P. Barriers are also closer in that turn, T12, this way, making it more intimidating.
Third, I wanted a year before the current resurfacing and widening of the track, which concluded just a fortnight ago or so. Again, this would eliminate the narrow nature of the course while also providing more grip - I intentionally decreased track grip to low levels based on numerous notes on it by real competitors; this in turn makes negotiating turns harder.
As I said, have fun with it and feel free to improve or modify it as you wish.
I chose 2012 as my basis (I incorrectly wrote 2013 in the gp4form file) for a coupler of reasons.
First, I did not wanted to include those controversial new green-and-yellow kerbs on the outside of the grey ones. Not because of their controversial, rough profile, but because they would widen the track on critical places and I wanted to retain the narrowness of its character; it is so very much defining it. (Part of it, in the Climbing Esses, is already lost from the sheer downforce of an F1 car.)
Second, I wanted the Oak Tree Turn to be created with the opportunity for someone to add the Oak Tree itself - the iconic tree has sadly fallen late in the summer of 2013. R.I.P.
Barriers are also closer in that turn, T12, this way, making it more intimidating.Third, I wanted a year before the current resurfacing and widening of the track, which concluded just a fortnight ago or so. Again, this would eliminate the narrow nature of the course while also providing more grip - I intentionally decreased track grip to low levels based on numerous notes on it by real competitors; this in turn makes negotiating turns harder.
As I said, have fun with it and feel free to improve or modify it as you wish.
Thanks for this track Atticus 
@tojepo: You're welcome.
Thank you, guys.
Next up is Oulton Park - coincidentally, it just might be a little more known for the community. (I'm beginning to wonder if the majority of GPG even knew about the VIR before...)
This also means I'm off to some UK tracks now, before returning for some more US ones.
Next up is Oulton Park - coincidentally, it just might be a little more known for the community.
(I'm beginning to wonder if the majority of GPG even knew about the VIR before...)This also means I'm off to some UK tracks now, before returning for some more US ones.
Thank you, as always.
Re-ups are... well... up.
Smaller and bigger changes all across. Changelog is basically GP4Info for all (except The Glen, work is now on a 2011 version anyway), magic data for some circuits and new, realistic elevation profiles, CC-lines and a lot of small changes for the two Brands Hatch tracks.
Smaller and bigger changes all across. Changelog is basically GP4Info for all (except The Glen, work is now on a 2011 version anyway), magic data for some circuits and new, realistic elevation profiles, CC-lines and a lot of small changes for the two Brands Hatch tracks.
Layout DONE, Width DONE, Banks DONE.
A little longer than the real thing, but otherwise perfectly-shaped curves and everything. Should be a stupid fast track to drive - no chicanes, of course.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2014 01:17PM by Atticus..
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