If you would like to be the premier maker of auto racing simulations it will
be necessary to carefully consider how you might set up the company.
Leagues support is critical. Most of these games get extended playability
and late buyers from racing leagues. Off-line racing should be supported by
ideas such as no saves during races, *fixed* random weather codes that the
league administrator can send out before the race, and extensive race
information in the save files. Online racing must conform to the Global
Online Racing proposal. All employees should be asked to read the sim
newsgroups and one of the employees sole responsibility should be to read
the newsgroups and bring all pertinent idea before the respective divisions.
All games must have pure simulation modes as well as arcade modes. This may
mean two games for the price of one but, if consistent, once the public gets
the hang of it the Sierra name will be the only name in racing simulations.
Of utmost importance is the ability to compare the simulations to reality.
Sierra labs must be set in the middle of 400 acres of varying landscape.
Most of this area will be actual race tracks. In this area you will need
every type of turn for both road course and dirt. This includes high banked
ovals, creek beds, uphill off camber turns, bottom of the hill apexes, and
everything else you might imagine. Watching Speedvision for a week with a
notepad could help achieve this.
Two of each type of vehicle should be purchased for each simulation
produced. So, if it's GP 1990, then two 1990 cars in the stable. Every
employee at the ranch must be required to drive the racing vehicles. The
first two work days of each month should be spent with a driving instructor
and the vehicles. The tracks should be open to all employees at all times.
During employees spare time lower maintenance vehicles could be run. A
professional race driver should be at the ranch at all times.
Test drivers with particular talent at both activities should be hired.
Christer Anderson and Jacques Villeneuve being prime examples.
A complete audio recording studio should be on the ranch and the head
engineer must have final say in all things audio. The studio should have
access to the tracks and vehicles at all times.
The games should be released as early as possible in demo form in an effort
to maximize the user friendliness of the GUI, test playability, and create
interest in the game.
All of these ideas and many that will surely follow will only increase the
company's popularity once it's known for this type of thinking.
Most importantly, follow the comments on this news group. We spend more time
with these games than you could afford to pay us all for.
and...
Geoff Crammond. Pay him like he's Michael Schumacher. :-)
--
mark
"You *will* hit what you look at. In that case, try looking at the apex
instead of the gravel at your turn in point."
F1RS - http://www.racesimcentral.net/~chaser/car/results.htm
Remove us here and there to mail me.