Thoughts of a bystander.

I've often wondered why those clever creators of new tracks/carsets etc., don't release

their stuff in two formats. A set which uses TSM/CSM for those that want to & can use them, and a simple drag & drop 'into a fresh install' for those that don't want to or can't. In fact, why not go one step further. As Gp4 (patched & no-cd'd) is easily available now to download, why not release complete & 'tweaked' versions for each year. Obviously the 17 track limit presents a problem but someone's got to choose which tracks to include, so it might as well be the creators. Having created all the textures, carshapes (and LODs), they could easily release Hi, Med or Low-res, sets that could be ready to drag & drop from a memory stick onto any machine and be immediately playable. The advantages to us players are obvious but it would also mean that after many months of work, the creators work could be seen, used and appreciated by many more people. If after 19 years Gp4 is to stay 'alive' it needs to be easily available to as many as possible. Perhaps this website could give a 'seal of approval' to the best versions and upload them as torrents.
All Hail! Geoff Crammond (shame he can't help with the 17 track limit).

i think the answer is simple, why the creators won't release their cars or tracks as sets. It's a lot of work to build car or a track from scratch in high quality. It costs a lot of time beside the real life, sometimes a few hours and sometimes a few days, or even a few months to finish a car or a track. I think no one has the time to create a complete season, nor different seasons with all tracks and cars. Most of the guys here have a life with work and family, a house a.s.o. and there's not much spare time to make great projects like complete seasons and the second thing is, in the past there were always some idiots who sold the free files at ebay, to make money for themself. Maybe you can see now the reasons why there aren't different sets and different seasons for GP4 w/o csm available.

Well said Jürgen

Also I unpack the tracks from a TSM format and repack them into folders for an easier install for myself if needed same with the cars

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== FLASH FORMULA MODS Website ==

There's been a bit of a misunderstanding. I'm not suggesting that anyone starts afresh, I'm talking about the carsets and trackpacks that have already been done (of which there are dozens). I'm just suggesting that as not everyone can work with TSM/CSM surely the existing packs could be modified. Someone who can use TSM/CSM could load up a certain year, take a copy of the game and upload it as ready to play. Example: Take a fresh, patched install of Gp4, install the 2009 Carset, Trackpack and any Tweak.ini. Then upload it for everyone to enjoy as a stand-alone Gp4 2009. It's not difficult, it just needs someone who can use TSM/CSM to have an altruistic attitude. Also, not everyone has a top of the range PC, so LODs and texture sizes should be a consideration.
To me, it doesn't make sense to spend ages creating some fantastic stuff but then limiting the amount of people that can enjoy it. Which ironically is exactly what they are doing to F1. Only Sky subscribers can see it 'live', everyone else just sees the highlights a few hours later. Thus interest amongst the non Sky viewers is slowly waning, and with Gp4, those who have problems using TSM/CSM, will get fed up and move onto other things. Like I said previously, If after 19 years Gp4 is to stay 'alive' it needs to be easily available to as many as possible.

doesn't get easier than CSM and TSM imo

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Some mods
F1 1996 | F1 2002 | F1 2007 | F1 2011 | F1 2013 | F1 2015 | F1 2018

I still do not understand why some people say they don't want
Or can't use CSM and TSM.
It is so easy to update the game with new cars, new tracks
Track specific texture etc... that is a real mistery for me.
There is no needs for specific hardware to run smoothly...
I use both since years and with different OS
And it never disapoint me....

+1

#gezere: I totally agree!

@gezere: Fully agree, CSM and TSM are amazing tools for making installing easier

@Butthead: Unpacking the tracks with TSM and making a fresh GP4 with them is pretty easy once you get the hang of it I unpack them for personal use and a way of keeping my files in order, but I also keep the trackpack files too as a backup.

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== FLASH FORMULA MODS Website ==

gezere escribió:
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> I still do not understand why some people say they
> don't want
> Or can't use CSM and TSM.
> It is so easy to update the game with new cars,
> new tracks
> Track specific texture etc... that is a real
> mistery for me.
> There is no needs for specific hardware to run
> smoothly...
> I use both since years and with different OS
> And it never disapoint me....

I don't understand it either ... the longer it can take to compile a wad with CSM ... 20 sec (on very old PCs) and all the advantages of the CSM are lost. Loading a track with a settings.ini file or replacing it in a slot is less cumbersome !!

When making a mod, it is much easier and faster to do it for CSM than conventional. Just one example, in CSM I can have the lods of a car called car_bugatti_car1_lod_o and CSM is responsible for renaming it automatically.

I don't see any real disadvantage in using CSM / TSM and many benefits for the user and for the modders.

In a text file you can assemble the track profile, and you can assemble the amount of profiles you want! By country, by continent, by championship, by season, by category ... only with the word pad !!!

Use CSM / TSM there is no reason not to do so

Mods & Tracks for GP4 - [www.mediafire.com]

Keeping alive the GP4

You guys have totally missed the point. Whenever I check out the forums, there is always someone having a problem with TSM/CSM either directly or indirectly and when people just say "Well it works fine for me", it's really not helpful. I have several PCs and only one runs TSM/CSM properly. It's an old twin-core running XP with an Nvidia GT GFX card. TSM/CSM doesn't work on my most powerful machine an i5 running Win 10 with a GTX card. So, sometimes it's a hardware/software conflict which can only be resolved by a change of PC or GFX card. It is for all those with problems and lack the resources to change or upgrade (or even downgrade), that I posted this in the first place.
As for not everyone having a top-of-the-range pc, surely, when textures are painted it's not difficult to re-size them, so there's a hi-med-lo res option. The same when developing a car-shape. Is it too difficult to create some lower LODs? I've always thought there was some comradeship, a unspoken bond between GP4 users, all there to help each continue the game into the future, but it seems that some are getting left behind and others don't really care.

Butthead écrivait:
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> You guys have totally missed the point. Whenever
> I check out the forums, there is always someone
> having a problem with TSM/CSM either directly or
> indirectly and when people just say "Well it works
> fine for me", it's really not helpful. I have
> several PCs and only one runs TSM/CSM properly.
> It's an old twin-core running XP with an Nvidia GT
> GFX card. TSM/CSM doesn't work on my most powerful
> machine an i5 running Win 10 with a GTX card. So,
> sometimes it's a hardware/software conflict which
> can only be resolved by a change of PC or GFX
> card. It is for all those with problems and lack
> the resources to change or upgrade (or even
> downgrade), that I posted this in the first
> place.
> As for not everyone having a top-of-the-range pc,
> surely, when textures are painted it's not
> difficult to re-size them, so there's a hi-med-lo
> res option. The same when developing a car-shape.
> Is it too difficult to create some lower LODs?
> I've always thought there was some comradeship, a
> unspoken bond between GP4 users, all there to help
> each continue the game into the future, but it
> seems that some are getting left behind and others
> don't really care.

So what is your problem? Does it a problem of skill, or are you simply too lazy and waiting from us a solution for you?

CSM and TSM are working whatever the OS used!! at least for me... sorry.... as it works, I can't explain why...
Looks like it is not helpful for you, but what is the real issue when it doesn't work?
I can't remenber as well a full explanation about the problems...

How can you write I (we) don't care about some users? If you don't mind, I care first at my private life.
As you said, it is not difficult to create lower LODs, so do it by yourself and share it.... You have my full permission!!
About the textures, there are some tools or softwares available which don't need any specific skill, allowing you do the job.
So, ones again do it. and stop to complain!! We are doing and sharing stuffs for free!!





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/12/2020 09:00PM by gezere.

For a long time wanted to express on this theme. I edit tracks which were created by many authors.
I want to tell many thanks to ALL authors for their work as I represent huge volume of work.
All WADs did it for itself, under the requirements and computer possibilities. Any of the works never exposed.
In 2008 I have transferred a cancer, have removed one lung. Now to me of 66 years. I think it will be wrong, if I not
I will share that has made. I have edited about 220 tracks, since a season 2006 on 2018, the beginnings 2019. Has made while Monaco-2019. Beginning approximately with a season 2010 tried to achieve full "photographic" accuracy of tracks.
For all seasons I have created the sets (not CSM). In tracks and cars has cleaned ALL errors, not used structures and textures, errors in asphalt, "holes" and т.д. It is impossible to describe All.
But: all tracks do not contain "Wet Reflection" (I repeat, did for myself).
Question to authors and old residents: How to share everything, what I have made?
I can prepare the complete list of tracks .
I apologise for my English.

I'm wondering what Beavis' opinion is.

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My Grand Prix 4 Files
I'm a total dick. How many people can say that?

He's jackin' off behind the neighbours toolshed and doesn't give a @#$%& and quite frankly my dear, I'm not that bothered either. As I've previously stated, TSM & CSM work on one of my older machines and that's good enough. It was for all those with problems I started this post, hoping that some of the creators might see my point. They obviously haven't. The guy just above though "esv" seems to have the right idea. Perhaps he can be persuaded and helped to make his efforts available to all.