rec.autos.simulators

Given the lack of Vegas, Daytona, and Pheonix tracks, why on earth
didn't Motorims allow racing on the fantastic Pikes Peak oval that is
ALREADY THERE IN THE GAME?

The Pikes Peak oval is closed, and you can race on a twisty
inner-track. But the oval is not only modeled, it is incredibly fun to
drive! (You can get a lap or two in before getting a penalty.) Now I
know that the oval is not part of the AMA circuit. But given that
there are three tracks missing, that every track in the game is
basically a road-course, and the ovals are generally the most popular
tracks in racing sims, doesn't it make sense to use this oval to
replace one of the missing tracks, like Daytona?

Everytime I try racing at another track now I just think how much fun
racing on that oval would be. Please, Motorsims, give us an oval! It
can't be much work with the track already modeled.

Joe McGinn
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Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
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Maybe because they don't race the oval in AMA no ? I mean let's be
realistic, the tracks in AMA follow the season, they aren't just "there" to
satisfy the needs of some fantasy ideas.  Ok they might model a fantasy
tracks, so I agree your idea could be fun, but not essential at the moment
;)

With the versatile game engine in the simulation, Im sure it is possible,
and I remember seing some guys at Motorsims say that someday they might look
into that.  It's nitpicking at the moment IMHO, I mean you should say the
same for Loudon also.

If you like road-courses it's nitpicking. If you liek high speed ovals
it's a real pain.

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

Rick Miller (Arrowhead)

Hmm, I'll have to look at fixing that! :):)

Some of the oval track real life problems will crop up in the game too.
;)
Just like at Daytona (where the AMA run's a couple of the fast
oval corners as part of the road race) you will trash the left side
of your tires pretty quickly, even with the hardest compound, if you
run too many PPIR oval laps.

--
Matthew V. Jessick         Motorsims

Vehicle Dynamics Engineer  (972)910-8866 Ext.125, Fax: (972)910-8216

Daytona is missing, yes.  But not Motorsims' fault on that one.  And it also
may be a licensing issue with Pikes Peak too.  They may only have the
license to model the entire environment, but only use the "official" AMA
track as a track in the game.

Well, the vast majority of AMA IS road courses.  Gp500 is all road courses,
so is SBK.  Perhaps N3 would work better? :)

Las Vegas isn't on the schedule this year or next, Phoenix was run
this year, but isn't on the schedule for 2000 either.  Daytona, of
course, will always be on the schedule but apparently Motorsims
didn't want to pay they kind of money ISC wanted.  Regardless,
each of the tracks you mention are run on infield/oval hybrids, it is
after all the AMA 'road racing' series, there is no strictly oval course
in the AMA series.  One or two corners are borrowed from the
oval track and grafted onto an infield road course.  This is done
for the purely logistical reason of having to put spectators in
seats (most of the top flight oval tracks have purpose built
road courses independent of the oval that are used for club
type racing, these tracks just don't have the accommodations
for spectators) and is also done at great risk to the riders.

So lamenting the absence of 'ovals' in a 'sim' doesn't really compute.
They aren't allowed in the game because they aren't run in real life.
They aren't run in real life because the tires can't take that kind of
abuse and no road racer wants the misfortune of slamming into a
concrete wall at 160+ MPH.  The oval portions that are currently
run are dangerous enough as are the all too common substandard
dirt track ovals.

Please Motorsims, give us realistic physics, let some one else
(cough, Test Drive Cycles, cough) be masters of unrealism.

 - George

I'm very new to it, yes.

Thx for the info, I didn't know that.

Well, there's realism and there is fun. I understand choosing the
former as a philosophy - and often it IS fun - but if you don't
sometimes compromise for the latter you WILL lose a lot of potential
customers.

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

Oval racing isn't part of that format.  As for it being fun, that
is your relatively uninformed opinion, but judging from the
events that are being dropped from the AMA calendar I
would say that opinion is in the minority.  The riders really
don't care for high speed banked corners lined with concrete
walls and apparently the fans don't either.

 - George

Dale

Fair enough - just don't expext it to sell to anyone BUT those fans.

What is fun in reality, and fun in a computer game, are two completely
different things.

Joe McGinn
==========================================
Staff Writer for the Sports *** Network
http://www.racesimcentral.net/***.com/
==========================================

What is fun in a simulation is very much related to what is
fun in reality.

 - George