I am having some fun doing a little GPL track editing again (haven't done
this stuff for over a year) and I have some general questions for the GPL
editing community...and/or anyone with answers (...lol...). Currently, I'm
working on creating a properly colored "Fall Colors" version of the original
GPL Watkins Glen......just to sort of "grease my wheels" in this type of
work again. I'm quite impressed with some of the track editing work I've
seen recently.....and the fast computers we now have allow a lot more
"creativity" than I was allowed a couple years back (and more). I have also
acquired some tools for Viper Racing......and I will be creating a "race car
***pit" for the GTS-R Viper.....I'll post its availability here if and when
I can create something worth downloading. I am amazed how many people are
still running VR.......!
Here's my questions:
1. Where's the best "Forum" for mixing with tech-types on GPL track
editing? Is there a Forum where everyone that does some track editing
gathers, gets technical problems discussed, share information, etc.? Or, is
that community divided by the racing sim they work on? I have no
clue....these Forums didn't exist when I was actively track editing
(although Alison Hine had tried to start an email-type Forum among the track
editors).
2. I am planning to purchase either 3dsMax 4 or MultiGen (with Road
Builder). Which is the most versatile....anyone using these currently
outside of the game developers? Any recommendations (game developer tech,
or private)? ["Yes," I do know how much they cost.]
These questions are regarding GPL track editing specifically.........
3. I want to figure out what my new "pixel budget" would be for a GF3 video
card running on a 1.x Gig AMD platform (or a high-end Pentium platform).
I'm assuming that even with this kind of computing power, there is some
"limit" to the total mip textures the video card loads (and the CPU
processes) for a track, that will begin to severely hit the FPS. How do I
figure out what that "new" limit is for a GF3, 1.x Gig CPU system? If I can
accurately determine (or estimate with some reasonable level of accuracy)
the total mip texture limit for a track.....then I can allocate the
"high-res" textures accordingly (to those mips with more
"presence"......creating lower-res mips for the less obvious textures....all
from the standpoint of the view from the***pit). What's the process/steps
necessary to make this calculation? I have some "good guesses" on how to do
this....but I thought I'd just ask.....why try to "reinvent the wheel"....?
4. Does the mapping instruction for a texture exist in the track.3do?
Where is it in the 3do for the track surface.......and can this be edited
with a simple text editor? Or how can this be edited? Specifically, I'm
interested in altering the mapping for the track surface texture so that if
it tiles the surface texture mip, to change the tiling so it places mirror
images of the texture side by side. Most of the GPL tracks map two sets of
the surface texture side by side across the width of the track....but not in
mirror images. This prevents creating light and dark track surface shading
between the middle and edges of the track. Some GPL tracks do "mirror" the
surface texture....so I know this can be done (Noonan's RoadA track for
example).
5. Does the horizon.3do specifically control the horizon panels (page03.mip
and page03b.mip) independent of the track.3do, and nothing else? Has anyone
tried adding panels, subtracting panels, or changing the resolution of the
existing panels? In my opinion, one of the biggest weaknesses of the
original Papy GPL tracks is the incorrect scaling of the horizon
textures......its just not realistic (although I can understand the need for
it being done the way Papy did it....because of the GPL minimum specs
issues) on many of the tracks (but not all).
That's it for now....if I can locate a good track editing Forum.....I'll
take further questions of a tech nature on this topic there. But, I
couldn't think of a way to avoid asking these questions here.....sorry for
those of you who have no interest in this topic. Thanks for your patience
on this long post.
I have been really impressed with some of the GPL track and car editing work
I've observed in the last week or so since I sort of took up this "hobby
activity" again. It looks like we might eventually see the end of the days
where we are all forced to race on fluorescent colored simulation
tracks......bright colors and shades more appropriate for arcade consoles in
a bar and/or comic books.....not realistic racing simulations. The only
thing bright and fluorescent at a real-world race track on race
day........is the crowds, the sponsor signage and the race cars. Everything
else is muted and subdued in tone and luminescence......it will be nice to
have those kinds of tracks (and cars) to sim race with....its long overdue
(IMHO). Perhaps Chris and Tony West will have left a legacy to this sim
racing community (whether they ever release WSC or not).....their track
screen shots and race cars are absolutely the best....spectacular work of
creating real-world imagery in a racing simulation. I believe their work
has inspired others........"thank you - Chris and Tony West!"
Wouldn't it be great if Papy could "tear a page" from Chris and Tony's
inspirational work and finally get the grass color down out of the
"luminescent ozone layer" for N5? Man, that would be great! [N4 is a vast
improvement over N3 and N2.....but that fluorescent green grass
color....along with some others.....just makes me gag! I don't understand
why they continue to do this?]
Thanks for allowing my "rambling" on this topic.....
Regards,
Tom