rec.autos.simulators

Newbie type question on track add on's

Glen

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Glen » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 10:27:38

Why is it that there appears to be so many add on tracks for GPL, and
none other than detail modifications for extsting tracks on sims such
as F12002?

Is there something in the programming that doesnt allow access to the
tracks to add extra? or is it a copyright thing?

Don't get me wrong, I love sims, and the more realistic the better,
including season tracks.

But the opportunity to race f1 on some desginer tracks, a la GPL would
be a ball buster>

Possible?

cheers

David L. Coo

Newbie type question on track add on's

by David L. Coo » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 10:54:08

F12002 has been out how long?  Look at all the mod's that have been done for
F12001 and I would expect that you will see the same thing in time for the
new title.  I also wondered though, why no new cars were ever able to be
introduced into GPL when so many tracks were converted.  With modifications
to physics and new cars GPL would live on forever - well it may do that
anyways...

Just my 2 cents.

- David Cook


David Butter

Newbie type question on track add on's

by David Butter » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 11:08:13


<snip>

Simple: GPL has been out since 1998, yet there's no sign (and
probably no chance) of a sequel. So doing what F1-200x drivers can, and
just waiting for next year's release, isn't on. Which means that the
only way to extend the sim is for people to write their own utilities.

A related point is that GPL, being a *** sim, has a higher than
average percentage of owners who like to get their hands dirty and muck
about "under the bonnet" of the thing. The really hard work was done by
the people who reverse engineered the file formats etc and wrote the
editing utilities. Now, even a thicko like me can produce a driveable
track (though producing a *releaseable* track is a different matter, as
that needs artistic skills and a *lot* of tedious number crunching).

To summarise: a very committed user community has had four years to
work on a program they love. This is the result.

--
"After all, a mere thousand yards... such a harmless little knoll,
really" - Raymond Mays on Shelsley Walsh.

The GPL Scrapyard: Back again! http://www.racesimcentral.net/~gplscrapyard

Dave Henri

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Dave Henri » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 11:33:50

"David Buttery" > To summarise: a very committed user community has had four
years to
   And...most of these track mods, but not all, have come about in just the
last year.  The track format for GPL is a known item.  The physics are body
shapes are not as easily altered.  Some sims like Nascar Heat and the EA F1
2001 titles have a more open architecture that allows not only  changing of
the shape of the cars, but the physics as well.  In GPL those items are very
hard to change.
dave henrie

rik zeppeli

Newbie type question on track add on's

by rik zeppeli » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 13:35:10



He meant F12001

Look at all the mod's that have been done for

He means why no new tracks for F12001? Its a damn freaking good question,
and something I have been wondering myself. IIRC, SportsCar GT had tons of
aftermarket tracks made for it? I could be wrong correct me if I am.
I figured they would work with F12001, but all we have is a couple of
carsets(mods), and the same 17 tracks.
(don't get me wrong, the Mods are awesome)

Andreas Nystro

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Andreas Nystro » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 21:13:27

Im not so sure about F1 2002, and why that?
Well, the guy who did the mts-filter which made us able todo new cars and
tracks for F1 2001, stopped his
development of the filter/converter. And the way he was put off in, im
pretty sure he will not do a converter
for F1 2002, so the only way to import new cars and stuff into F1 2002 is to
hope that it uses the same
data-format as F1 2001. (Or that someone makes a converter for F1 2002).



Stev

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Stev » Wed, 27 Mar 2002 23:23:45


Just curious but what's the story with this guy who did the mts-filter?

so the only way to import new cars and stuff into F1 2002 is to

> hope that it uses the same
> data-format as F1 2001. (Or that someone makes a converter for F1 2002).



> > F12002 has been out how long?  Look at all the mod's that have been done
> for
> > F12001 and I would expect that you will see the same thing in time for
the
> > new title.  I also wondered though, why no new cars were ever able to be
> > introduced into GPL when so many tracks were converted.  With
> modifications
> > to physics and new cars GPL would live on forever - well it may do that
> > anyways...

Gunne

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Gunne » Thu, 28 Mar 2002 08:37:17



> > Why is it that there appears to be so many add on tracks for GPL,
> > and none other than detail modifications for extsting tracks on
> > sims such as F12002?
> <snip>

> Simple: GPL has been out since 1998, yet there's no sign (and
> probably no chance) of a sequel. So doing what F1-200x drivers can, and
> just waiting for next year's release, isn't on. Which means that the
> only way to extend the sim is for people to write their own utilities.

> A related point is that GPL, being a *** sim, has a higher than
> average percentage of owners who like to get their hands dirty and muck
> about "under the bonnet" of the thing. The really hard work was done by
> the people who reverse engineered the file formats etc and wrote the
> editing utilities. Now, even a thicko like me can produce a driveable
> track (though producing a *releaseable* track is a different matter, as
> that needs artistic skills and a *lot* of tedious number crunching).

> To summarise: a very committed user community has had four years to
> work on a program they love. This is the result.

        I think it's important to relaize that Papy actually MADE the sim
extensable from the start. Tracks are ridiculously simple to add, additional
cars (once obtained) are also simple to add. That's not true of most other
sims, and I can guarantee you it's one of the reasons I stay committed to
Papy sims.
        Hasbro did very good when they patched Heat and actually "supported"
user-created mods - Trucks, BOATS, you name it! It's a lesson WELL learned
IMHO.

Gunner

remove EATSPAM to repl

Newbie type question on track add on's

by remove EATSPAM to repl » Thu, 28 Mar 2002 11:22:47


You have to keep in mind that GPL has been out of many many years.

--KC

na_bike

Newbie type question on track add on's

by na_bike » Thu, 28 Mar 2002 15:00:21



Not on purpose, I can tell you that! The track format is compressed
and encrypted and IIRC Papy has not given away ANYTHING in the way of
information about it. Papy even said that it was "impossible" to add
tracks, but later revised it to "extremely difficult". :) I remember
an interview were they were pretty darn impressed that someone
actually pulled it off. -"That's some serious hacking" or something to
that effect. Not exactly "ridiculously simple", IMHO.

It took almost two years before an addon track was released(March
2000?). And that was only the extremely rudimentary first Noonan
tracks with no camber et.c.

Goy Larse

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Goy Larse » Fri, 29 Mar 2002 05:28:36




> >        I think it's important to relaize that Papy actually MADE the sim
> >extensable from the start. Tracks are ridiculously simple to add, additional
> >cars (once obtained) are also simple to add. That's not true of most other
> >sims, and I can guarantee you it's one of the reasons I stay committed to
> >Papy sims.

> Not on purpose, I can tell you that! The track format is compressed
> and encrypted and IIRC Papy has not given away ANYTHING in the way of
> information about it. Papy even said that it was "impossible" to add
> tracks, but later revised it to "extremely difficult". :) I remember
> an interview were they were pretty darn impressed that someone
> actually pulled it off. -"That's some serious hacking" or something to
> that effect. Not exactly "ridiculously simple", IMHO.

> It took almost two years before an addon track was released(March
> 2000?). And that was only the extremely rudimentary first Noonan
> tracks with no camber et.c.

I think the first time they claimed this to be impossible was when
people asked for ICR2 tracks to ne converted to N2 (could have been the
other way around :-), Papy have learned over the years, you don't see
them making that statement anymore :-)

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

http://www.theuspits.com
http://www.teammirage.com

"Animation isn't the illusion of life; it is life"
--Chuck Jones (1912-2002)--

Glen

Newbie type question on track add on's

by Glen » Fri, 29 Mar 2002 08:08:12

I cant imagine its as simple as that!

Surely someting would have come out by now, theres been 3 versions of
it to my knowledge.


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