OK, guys, it's got the green light.
So basically, as I said, it's just the .dat and related graphical parts that are different from the core 2001 track (so no HD textures, or garage updates, etc.). As for the .dat, it restores the original 1952-1972 Imola layout. That means the classic run from the start/finish straight through Tamburello up to Tosa, an Acque Minerali which runs deeper, closer to the outside fences, an infinitely trickier Rivazza and no Variante Alta or Variante Bassa.
As I said I similarly restored some long gone challenges to other classic GP4 tracks as well, keeping the original 2001 environment. Namely Monaco, Spa, Monza, Hockenheim and Suzuka (where the modified .dat could fit in the original graphics and the circuit is built before 1970).
Some of these tracks, I've already made betas of, or used drt01's modified graphics sets. The reason I re-did them is plain simple: even more accuracy. As I knew the .dat fence borders are extremely precise (see e. g. the Geoff interview about GPS data), knowing where, compared to these fences, the classic layouts ran, yielded a bit better results in terms of realism than those I did a few years ago.
The full list of layout changes is as follows:
- Monaco: a faster turn on an unobstructed Ste Devote, old Chicane and a run on the upper promenade down to Gazometre, instead of the Swimming Pool section. (1929-1972 layout.)
- Spa: slightly more pronounced curves at Eau Rouge, no Bus Stop. (1979-1980 layout.)
- Monza: wide start/finish straight, no Rettifilo, relocated Curva Grande, no Variante della Roggia, relocated Lesmos, Vialone instead of Ascari, narrower back straight. (1955-1969 layout.)
- Hockenheim: no Clark and Senna chicanes, restored Ostkurve. (1966-1967 layout.)
- Imola: classic run from Tamburello to Tosa, an Acque Minerali which runs deeper, closer to the outside fences, an infinitely trickier Rivazza and no Variante Alta or Variante Bassa. (1952-1972 layout.)
- Suzuka: one constant radius for Degner, no Casio Triangle. (1962-1982 layout.)
So now just let me know if you guys wish to race on some of these and I'll upload them in the next couple of days/weeks.