Circuit Thermalito v1.55 - RELEASED

Hehe it should be worth it some of those textures really help add to the realism and immersion of the track. The terrain features in the new upgrade are definitely worth a license though. Btw, if you do run out of licenses then just email the guy who develops it and let him know...if you've ran out because of upgrades (not number of computers) then he'll probably give you another one .

The AIW is now done btw and so is the CAM file. So...true to my word, I'll be releasing a beta version for a few people to test tomorrow. Check your PM's, you know who you are if anyone else wants to help out too then feel free! I'd only need a few people though.

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2007 04:17PM by Fincent.

Check PM

It's been a while since the last update here, hope you've had a great christmas and new year! Although I've not posted, I've been working away just as hard with the help of a few great beta testers and the track has had quite a few changes recently. Here's the latest video I've just uploaded:


(high quality verion now uploaded here, just make sure you right click and select full screen because it cuts the edges off for some reason?)

There are too many tweaks and changes to list but here are the main points:

- AI done (remodelled pit building to allow for garage spaces) and tweaked for best performance
- Cameras done and all activation bugs ironed out
- Kerbs and all trackside terrain done (rebuilt most existing terrain and added outfield stuff). Fixed all jumping terrain etc
- Added marker/sponsor boards (not final, but a first draft)
- All new tarmac textures (still WIP)
- Reprofiled highway (wider), T6 (now concrete cut out section instead of gravel mound), 7 and 8 (more sweeping now, less bumpy), 9 (less abrupt), 12 (smoother exit), 14 (carousel style banking) and pitlane (buildings, exit/entry smoothed etc)
- Improved circuit infrastructure (barriers/run off areas/marshall spaces/access roads etc)
- Added light sources for night time racing

Theres probably a few Ive missed but if I remember, I'll edit later lol. I'll also post some in-game screenshots if i get the time

Best regards!
-Woffin

EDIT: Uploaded high quality version and added link.

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)




Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2008 07:40PM by Fincent.

ALL of that was done with BTB? How did you get the racing line? And what about the roads with different textures, such as painted lines making three lanes instead of two?

I said it was looking fantastic before, the layout was good. But now that the whole thing is finished it looks stunning. It's a track that's had some good thought put into it.

Please post a link to download it when it's finished, I would love to have a bash at it and I'm sure others here would too

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You know you want to. [judgegrudge.mybrute.com]




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/01/2008 05:53PM by flat tyre.

Hehe cheers flat tyre yep everything you can visually see there is made with BTB. The lanes and stuff are just some new textures I'm helping someone with and making splits and joins and different things match up just takes a bit of practice with the surface editor feature of BTB

The racing line was made using ISI's tool which is an absolute doddle to use once you get past the initial indimidation, and the same goes for the CAM editor I used to adjust the camera positions (made by guitarmaen). The lights were made with trial and error in a text editor (which was fun, lol) but I'm saving that video for a little later

There's a hell of a lot still left to do though. I need to learn how to use 3DS Max 8 and make all the trackside objects and stuff (and fix some inherent flaws with BTB, such as the inability to make walls with closed ends etc, and the signs being single sided and displaying back to front when viewed from the other side...stuff like that) from scratch, including textures, which should be immensely challenging. I dont want to release it until it's upto a generally accepted level, because people's first impressions count for a lot of things. Besides, lol, I'm a bit of a self confessed perfectionist.

So, unfortunately, I'm not going to set a release date but if anyone with knowledge of how to use 3DS Max could drop me a PM or two then that would definitely speed things up . Anyways, glad you like it!

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

I could suggest you downloading that pack for GP4 track makers with numerous models . By the way this is looking very good, I like the changes you made

Quick update...completely overhauled all of the sponsor boards so now its a lot more realistic. The style is similar to the ALMS sponsorship at Belle Isle with hoardings behind the catch fencing and the concrete barriers with adverts on them too. Also, with the help of an american friend, all the road markings are accurate to what they would be over there as in double yellow dividing lines, overtaking lanes and stop lines etc.

Currently I'm working on doing some overhead power lines to add some 3D to the track which is a bit tricky, lol. Hopefully I'll be able to post some screenshots later.

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

I cant tell how addictive this track is !
Its awesome for racing aswell. I bet it will a good online track to race on.

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

All I can talk about this track is that nice GT cars like the Lambo and other super powered beasts have to be very careful here, without TC or SC, it's easy to get a loose rear :P

Cheers for the comments here's a few screenshots I've just taken. No fancy effects, unedited and taken straight from rfactor, just resized down a bit . Btw, the cones you see are just temporary until I get into max so no complaining about the 2Dness


On the straight at the top of the dam, heading down to T6.


Dropping down into T6


The loop section, heading into T9 showing the power lines I've been trying out today


Looking back at T10 from T11 with the pit building in the background


And something thats still very very WIP but thought I'd show you anyways

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

awesome work, fincent! btw, are you interested in join forces to make some track conversions and try a real world track from scratch? Ive been messing with BtB recently and indeed its a tough thing to build a track, but so far Ive got a layout and some curbs... and the greatest problem, track elevations are messy because Google Earth is **#@*#@*!!! :P

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."

You're right Senna, it is quite demanding to build a track..extremely time consuming though. Which is why, although I would like to join forces and make more tracks, I'm reluctant to get myself involved in too many different projects. Just being in this one is taking up pretty much all my time! lol, but thanks anyways .

Tip for you about google earth btw. By all means, import a path using it but dont make your track using that imported data. There are too many nodes to try and control at one point and you'll struggle to get any smooth surfaces. In fact, the less nodes you use the better. So what I do is import that path from google and then create a new loop track over the top and get the shapes to match. Once you've done that, delete the imported one and you've now got a track exactly the shape of the google one but with minimal nodes and nice controllable surfaces . You also get your track perfectly to scale this way too, no need to worry about measurments of background images or anything.

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

heh, no problem, I can wait until you finish your fantasy track Apparently it has a fluent layout and its very fast, cool

About google earth trick, wouldnt it be easier to delete a few nodes and realign the existing ones? anyway, my problem wasnt the track layout but yes the elevations - the track was supposed to be completely flat (?) and it has messy elevations at two or three points.

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."

Fincent I strongly suggest that even now you don't rush this track into release, right now your FPS is great, the layout is fantastic and there seem to be very few problems with AI and stuff, but just because you can't find any problems doesn't mean you should automatically release it. People will be far more impressed with a "perfect" track than an "almost perfect" track.

Check your PM

I have no intention of rushing the release the actual track itself may nearly be upto a releaseable stage but having fully completed objects and scenery is another thing when it's all done, it'll be released in due time. The least I can do though is keep giving updates on here lol.

PS. If anyone has any tips for 3DS Max then now is your time to come forwards lol!

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

when I mentioned a 3d objects pack for GP4 I meant to say you should download it and see if you can open in 3d max, then you will have less stuff to build!

[off topic]
I know that it is off topic, but what would be a good test track for f1 in rFactor? a track with a wide variety of corners and straights... a real life one.

Silverstone? its medium downforce, so i think that it would give a good base set to work with other tracks.
[/off topic]

Now back on topic, where are these objects pack Gui?

will the thermalito track have crowd, grandstands and other stuff ?

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2008 03:20AM by Senna.

Senna Wrote:
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> > I know that it is off topic, but what would be a
> good test track for f1 in rFactor? a track with a
> wide variety of corners and straights... a real
> life one.
>

The ones they use in F1 would be a good start they must choose Barcelona for a reason, lol.

> will the thermalito track have crowd, grandstands
> and other stuff ?

As soon as I get upto that stage, then yes for sure lol. BTB doesnt have any 3d object export so at the moment, anything 3D has to be made up out of 2D walls to give the illusion of 3D. Once I learn how to use MAX though then I'll be making some and putting them in ASAP. Also, I'm not too familiar with how it works but is it okay to use small scale objects from tracks that came with the game (i.e trees and signs from Toban etc).

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Circuit Thermalito

Liverpool Waterfront Circuit (WIP)

@ Senna: why do you praise Fincent's track so much when in the F1 forum you say it's sh**? Don't be such a hypocrit!

@ Fincent: awesome stuff

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kv88 Wrote:
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> @ Senna: why do you praise Fincent's track so much
> when in the F1 forum you say it's sh**? Don't be
> such a hypocrit!
>
> @ Fincent: awesome stuff


I didnt said it! I said that the tilkedromes were crap compared to his work, I was saying that everyone could build tracks better than Tilke. Obviously fincent got the joke.

@fincent: like we said on pm Try to get the objects pack commented by Guimengo, should be enough to add more life to your track

btw I was asking for an track that could be an all-round F1 test ground, with a variety of corners found in the entire season, and I dont see them at Barcelona(?), but IF I am aiming for a base setup that could be used to tweak at each track, I'd try Silverstone I think. What I was asking is - "what are the reasons behind the testing grounds chosen by the teams?" I know that they sometimes test at Paul Ricard using a shorter variant for Monaco, but what I dont get is why or what they test at Barcelona, Jerez, Silverstone, Valencia; Ferrari at Mugello, Vallelunga and Fiorano.

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."




Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/08/2008 06:55PM by Senna.