rec.autos.simulators

rFactor Release Update

Steve Whitt

rFactor Release Update

by Steve Whitt » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 01:21:53




>>>  My worry is that few track builders will rise to the challenge and
>>>create completely fresh/new versions of tracks.  99% of the tracks are
>>>gonna be merely ports of F1c and GTR tracks which came from F1 2k2 and
>>>most
>>>of those started out as SCGT or GPL.  I 'hope' the really smart, clever,
>>>motivated track guys will begin with completely blank screens.

>>>dave henrie

>>  I think you'll find a great number of the dedicated n2k3 track editors
>> are moving over to rFactor.( we know the reason why, so no need to
>> re-hash that subject again)  Yes, to begin with there will be a lot of
>> conversion of tracks.  Probably not done by the original track editor.
>> But given time, the original, good quality tracks will appear.

>> cheers

>> steve
> Umm...hate to be the bearer of bad news...but those oh so talented track
> makers of NR2003 have this neat tool called Sandbox that they used to
> create their tracks with..and it is much,much,much easier than having to
> use the "tool" you'll need to make tracks with in rFactor...which is
> 3dsmax.It can take months and months to model a single track with all the
> goodies in 3dsmax...while you can do a NR2003 track in Sandbox in a few
> days (or a month or two..depending on your time).

> I think it will be months and moreso...years,before rFactor has enough
> "scratch built" tracks to utilize the engine.I too think mostly what
> you'll see will be ports from other games such as
> F1C,GTR,SCGT,GPL,NSR,Nascar Thunder...etc.

> And if you are an oval fan like I am...you might as well stick to what you
> have...be it Nascar Heat,Nascar Racing 2003..or even...(gasp)...Nascar Sim
> Racing.

> Why?...Because it'll be a long,long time before you see good
> quality,scratch made tracks to utilize the engine for the oval fans...and
> that my friends...can't be "hyped up".

I could whip up a track for n2k3 in two hours.  would it look good. no.
would it be drivable? yes.   Now give me 3 months and a few people to bug
test, and you get the bugs, I could give you a good quality track.

Now, I can give you an oval to put in f1c in 2 hours.  not everything would
be working, but you could drive it.  but it would look like shit.

  have you been to dave noonans site lateley?  this looks promising
http://www.racesimcentral.net/

everyone wants new tracks right now.  the game hasn't even been released
yet!   hell, a good quality track takes time.  none of us get paid for it.
its all for free.  you want now.  fine, but you'll get rubbish tracks.

just wait and see what tools are released and available for track editing
before all the doom and gloom.

sorry for the outburst.  but when someone says it only takes a few days to
make a track.   grrrr.  man I spent 3 months on symmons plains.  3 months on
Baskerville.  another 6 weeks each on the v2 versions updates.   4 months on
the BAR Calder Tracks.  At least 4 months on Barbagallo.  and thats not
including tracking down data etc for the tracks.  then I had other people
making mip files for me, to  cut down the time to make the track.  other
people making 3d objects.  yeah, it only takes a few weeks to make a track!

have you ever tried to make the ai files for  a track. that can take a
couple of weeks in itself, trying to get the ai working properly, and the
pace car.

you think sandbox is easy to use.  it was designed to make ovals, not road
courses.  it has a lot of problems, is very unstable, and you could loose
heaps of progress on a track when it decided to crash.  Give me a commercial
expensive program anyday!

yes you can grab the 3do's from a existing n2k3 track.  but a track editor
likes the track to look like the track he's making or if its a fantasy
track, to have its own look.  not some grandstand from this track, the tree
from that track etc etc.  so that takes editing skills in 3dmax or one of
the free programs available.

so don't tell me that its much much easier to make tracks for one game or
the other.  it all depends what quality track you want.

[exit soapbox mode]

cheers
steve

dsechres

rFactor Release Update

by dsechres » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 03:40:22

I think you may have misunderstood me Steve.I am merely saying that it
takes less time to make a decent track in Sandbox,than it does in
3dsmax.There is just alot more work involved in making one in
3dsmax,than it is in Sandbox.From mapping all the objects and road
surfaces..to the actual polygon modeling itself...which can take a
long,long time.While it's also true that making a track in Max can be a
beautiful piece of art when it's done,it just takes sooo long to do it.

Being an oval fan,I'm just not looking forward to driving around in some
Nascar,GN1970 or Latemodel mod on strictly road courses for months on
end,knowing it'll take that long to get decent ovals made.That is the
MAIN reason while I'll be sticking to the other "oval" sims until such
time as I see good,quality tracks done for rFactor for the type of
racing I like.

ISI ovals also have had a history of being buggy...so again,I wait to
see what happens.I'll not go running out and pre-order..or even buy it
when it is fully ready either.It will be months down the road...or maybe
even a year or two..before I'll even bother with that game.Of course
this is only my opinion on the matter.

And to John DiFool...sorry...I've been boycotting RSC for a few months
now due to their practices,so I've not bothered checking out any
"official" rFactor forums they have there.

whoo

rFactor Release Update

by whoo » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 04:18:30

Do you have to swear?

Helicon_On

rFactor Release Update

by Helicon_On » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 05:16:17

Silly question maybe, but is rFactor getting a 'real-world' release, or is
it just a download like LFS? Will I be able to walk into a shop and pick up
a copy from the shelf? I'm still on a dial-up connection, so a download
isn't going to be a practical option for me right now...

Tim
--
----------------
I love the smell of vomit in the newsgroup, it smells like...VICTORY!
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If you want to reply by email, replace the asterisks with underscores.

Currently listening to: 'Gravity' - Embrace

dsechres

rFactor Release Update

by dsechres » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 05:51:52


> Silly question maybe, but is rFactor getting a 'real-world' release, or is
> it just a download like LFS? Will I be able to walk into a shop and pick up
> a copy from the shelf? I'm still on a dial-up connection, so a download
> isn't going to be a practical option for me right now...

> Tim

Based on everything I've heard,it will be by download only...and not
sold in stores.They (ISI) are cutting out the middle man (distributer)
and in turn,there won't be a "cd" to buy...but instead,a downloadable
game to get.Yet another reason for me to hold off on getting it anytime
soon.
Byron Forbe

rFactor Release Update

by Byron Forbe » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:11:55



>> "Greetings and thanks for you support of rFactor. It was our intention to
>> release rFactor by this weeks end, but there are still some finishing
>> touches that are required. As a result I have postponed the release of
>> the pre-order codes and have rescheduled it for next week. We are working
>> hard towards making the download available at that point as well. Thank
>> you for your patience.
>> Gjon"

> Fantasy cars on fantasy tracks...I can't wait...not!

    What is the big difference between a track constructed out of asphalt an
concrete and then converted to pixels, and one that is designed only with
pixels?

    The novelty of a sim based on a real life series is great but there is
no substitute for -

a) A good simulator without bugs and with impressive design
b) great tracks.

    There's little point in having a real life sim that stinks eg GTR

    Not too mention I'd say we'll see many tracks and mod series based on
real life stuff that will be probably more authentic than many commercial
efforts.

Byron Forbe

rFactor Release Update

by Byron Forbe » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:28:20



    This is all over the news. We have all been ripped off - there is no
such thing as rFactor! It's all been a huge hoax from the outset!

Tony Rickar

rFactor Release Update

by Tony Rickar » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 07:51:45


>     This is all over the news. We have all been ripped off - there is no
> such thing as rFactor! It's all been a huge hoax from the outset!

If it wasn't for the windfall I'm due for helping a Nigerian Prince get
his money out of the country I'd be worried I'd wasted my money...
Goy Larse

rFactor Release Update

by Goy Larse » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 08:40:16



> >     This is all over the news. We have all been ripped off - there is no
> > such thing as rFactor! It's all been a huge hoax from the outset!

> If it wasn't for the windfall I'm due for helping a Nigerian Prince get
> his money out of the country I'd be worried I'd wasted my money...

Make sure you get the "My money went to Nigeria and all I got was this
lousy t-shirt" t-shirt

Beers and cheers
(uncle) Goy

"When two or more people are gathered together in my name,
they shall perform the Parrot Sketch..."

--Our Lord John Cleese--

Steve Simpso

rFactor Release Update

by Steve Simpso » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 09:03:22

Way of the future.  Publishing & physical distribution of software on  
media is becoming an outdated concept.

It doesn't really bother me - I usually throw out the box when I buy a  
game anyway.  It's not like having a video game box on your shelf is going  
to impress anyone.  Collector's items are a thing of the past too in this  
age of mass production.

ymenar

rFactor Release Update

by ymenar » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 08:50:12



> Do you have to swear?

Considering the ineptitude and ignorance of the owners of the Pocono
racetrack owners, yes.

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez
Corporation - helping America into the New World...

Dave Henri

rFactor Release Update

by Dave Henri » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 13:12:51



    yeah, it does seem strange doesn't it?  We tried to pitch a CART sim to
Bobby Rahal back when he spent that half year as the Chief Poobah at CART
with the exact same logic,   Have the track owners pay the development
costs, then they could distribute free or low cost single track sims that
could be collected into a fully developed Champcar sim.  
  Didn't get very far.

dave henrie

Dave Henri

rFactor Release Update

by Dave Henri » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 13:16:53

  There is already a small cottage industry springing up for certain
leagues that will dload and copy and mail cdroms to their members or
friends.  You dload the sim, then you pay via paypal or credit card I would
think.   I know some people will carp about that.  My suggestion is to get
a very low limit card, one that allows only 100 or 500 dollars as the max
amount.  Then you can pay it off, or close out the account.  It limits your
online risk.  

dave henrie

Uwe Sch??rkam

rFactor Release Update

by Uwe Sch??rkam » Sun, 28 Aug 2005 18:52:57


>   have you been to dave noonans site lateley?  this looks promising
> http://www.sim-garage.co.uk/

Hi Steve,

thanks for the link, I hadn't been to Noonans site for a while.
That's a cracker, indeed. A website that is "closed over the summer
holidays". What is this, some sort of "yer little shoppe" on the corner?
;-)

All the best, uwe

--
GPG Fingerprint:  2E 13 20 22 9A 3F 63 7F  67 6F E9 B1 A8 36 A4 61

Mitch_

rFactor Release Update

by Mitch_ » Mon, 29 Aug 2005 02:09:52

Way way back (ICR1 days) I met face to face with Rahal.as he was on a
publicity tour trying to get HP to fork over some sponsor dollars so I asked
him how he felt about sims.  Lets just say he blew sims off quicker than he
spun at indy.  He said that without feedback from g's its useless as any
kind training tool and didnt think it ever could be usefull.  (I completely
disagree but thats me)

Lets just say Rahal comes from a different generation (even though age wise
he isnt that old).

Mitch




>> Dave,

>>     I have asked this question before, not directly to you, but how
>>     come
>> hollywood movie, that depicts your product (placement) the movie-maker
>> gets money, yet when AC-Delco gets their add on billboards and car
>> paintjobs, they expect money?  I mean shit you talk about free
>> advertising to the target group (wich has to be as good a demographic,
>> just smaller than say the real life counterpart...)

>> No,I dont get it.

>> I cant agree much more with your post if I had written it myself, but
>> least this way it is coherent (you wrote it).

>    yeah, it does seem strange doesn't it?  We tried to pitch a CART sim to
> Bobby Rahal back when he spent that half year as the Chief Poobah at CART
> with the exact same logic,   Have the track owners pay the development
> costs, then they could distribute free or low cost single track sims that
> could be collected into a fully developed Champcar sim.
>  Didn't get very far.

> dave henrie


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