I have a few "announcements" to make regarding the series of track texture
updates I've been doing for N2K2 tracks. But first, I would like to
acknowledge all of you who have sent me email like the one I received this
morning:
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Hey Tom
I just wanna thank you for your awesome addon's for N2002. I mean, Watkins
Glen with your enhancement's is imho the best looking track, any category up
to date :))
Any plans of further track improvements in the near future? Phoenix (my
favourite) looks imo to cartonish with it's bright colorscheme ;)
Sorry for bothering you by mail, but I'm to stupid to figure out how to
change my mailadress to a nonspammable one at R.A.S :)))
Thanks again Tom, much appreciated...
regards
Thomas
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"Thank you" to everyone who has sent me an email like this over the last
several weeks. At times, I've not been able to acknowledge all of them. I
also don't mind getting private email about these tracks. And, if you have
questions or problems with them, certainly feel free to email me and I will
help out where I can.
Here's a few "Housekeeping Items" about things that have repeatedly come up
via private email over the last few weeks:
1. "Yes" ....I will be doing Phoenix, it is also one of my favorite tracks.
2. I have been re-texturing the tracks in sync with the WC TV
broadcast/race schedule because it allows me the opportunity to get good
pictures of the current signage, by watching the "qualifying" broadcast
(usually on Fridays). Darlington, is getting done this week.......as an
example. However, I may not be able to do this every week (due to traveling
and so forth). Some tracks, like Phoenix....I will do in advance of the TV
broadcast....but I will probably update the track again, once the race is on
TV (Nov 10th).
3. Some times, I will update or re-texture a track that has already been
"posted" at the US Pits. This can happen if I get pics that show certain
things better than what I had when originally doing that track's
re-texturing (or seeing it on TV). Also, sometimes I learn something doing
track #8.......that I didn't know how to do in tracks #1 thru #7. In that
case, when I have the opportunity I will go back to the previous tracks and
re-texture or redo them, using the newly learned technique. In that case,
I'll post it here after Jan Kohl has uploaded the updated track to the US
Pits.
**THIS IS THE CASE THIS WEEK** I have learned a better way to
shadow/texture the walls, paint the "crowd textures" in the grandstands and
a few other more minor things. So, I have gone back and done this to Sears,
Watkins Glen, Pocono and Bristol. When those "new versions" are uploaded to
the US Pits, I will let you know here on r.a.s. It should be sometime
tomorrow or Sunday at the latest.
4. For those of you without broadband connections, I know downloading large
files is a problem. To help you decide if you want to take the time to
download one of my track re-textures.....I am going to put some screenshots
up on the US Pits....for you to look at in helping you make a decision about
downloading them. Each of the tracks will have a "composite" screenshot
consisting of 1) pic of my track, 2) Papy's original track pic, and 3) a
pic of the real track....all side by side. I am producing these now and
will have them to Jan Kohl (US Pits) in the next day or two. I'll make an
announcement here when that's done.
I would like to thank Jan Kohl (and Goy Larsen) for making it possible to
post these track re-textures at the US Pits. As I've said before, I do this
work as part of my "hobby" activities with sim racing.....its a relaxing,
leisure-time activity for me (remember, unlike most of you.......sim racing
is my "full-time job"). I do this for my own enjoyment, but its great that
others can have access to these tracks and get some better "sim racing eye
candy" to have fun with too!
I would also like to state a reminder.....and say, "thank you" to Papyrus
for creating N2K2 (and the whole NASCAR sim racing series - over the years).
Some people would take my re-texturing of the Papy tracks as some sort of a
"knock" on their ability to produce good track graphics.........that is
absolutely NOT the case! They must "paint from scratch" their tracks with
"pixel budgets" and limitations (because of minimum system requirements)
that I don't have to follow. Their tracks are very well done....for "retail
level" track graphics. I just enjoy doing the work to make them
better....for those of us with high-end racing rigs that can handle the
increased resolution and detail.
Okay, that pretty much covers everything that has come up over the last
several weeks, since I first released the Sears track for N2K2.
Much regards,
Tom Pabst
Pabst-Racing.com