***Warning**** this is a very long post!
Happy New Year to you all........
This is my first "post" on r.a.s. in the new year. In just a few days, I will have been involved with sim racing six years straight (since mid January, 1995). The last two years it has been a full-time effort (no day job)! That's hard for me to believe.....but it is true. And, its been a blast and a dream lived out in real life. I love racing, plain and simple.
I've learned to do lots of things in the last five years, most of them were completely uncontemplated by me 10 years ago. My education is in pharmacy, I attended the University of New Mexico Pharmacy School, graduating in the early 70's....but never practiced pharmacy. I never liked computers until I started sim racing.....now I build them (2 or 3 every month)! I didn't know what email was, now I can make my fingers sore typing them (or, r.a.s. posts). I used to paint with oils and a brush (as a hobby....taught to me by my mother who was an excellent artist), now I paint with "pixels" and an interesting "paint brush" called Paint Shop Pro (7.0)! I have been doing graphic updates to cars, tracks, you name it....since early N2 days......through to and including, today (I worked on some of the horizon files in GPL's Noonan-converted, Laguna track as a favor for a friend who had corrupted his). A few days ago, I decided I should add some of the old ICR2 tracks to my GPL tracks folder. Heck, I've competed on most of them.....and surely they've all been updated from their pixilated birth from ICR2 (I thought), thanks to David Noonan's brilliance (and guts to do it publicly).
I expected the tracks....virgin from Noonan's converter to be pretty much junk! What I didn't expect, was that the graphic updates I tried (several of them), were pretty much just ...."more junk!" My apologies are extended right now to anyone who has created "GPLEA-grade" graphic updates for the ICR2 converted tracks.....clearly I've not found your website yet.
Now....to the reason for the "title" above, "Help Wanted."
I love to do track graphic editing. Its relaxing to me and I can do it a little bit at a time...or a lot at a time, depending on my schedule. My basic art background, taught to me by my mother......helps me with this "play" and comparing my work to what I consider now the "standard".....all those talented guys at GPLEA (and a few other sites as well)....it holds up quality-wise pretty well to theirs. Most of you have seen my work, unfortunately not as it was intended (eventually I will get Sears Point to allow us to release the "from scratch" track we created for them.....and they are now actually building with real bulldozers)....through the Sears99 track. Though, the version that is out on the web is several generations old, graphics wise. Some of you may have seen my work even if you don't have this track. Why do I say that? Well, one of the "updates" patch I tested today for "GPL - Laguna".....had 7 of my files in it from Sears99 (original files I created, not Papyrus re-colors or resolution upgrades....original files with original TSO's placed in the track). Its not a big deal....and this isn't the point of my "post"....but, it was funny to see this.....I guess somebody likes my trees?
My point is this......I realized today that it is possible that I am the only person within the sim community that has actually competed on many of the race tracks now available in GPL.....and can also do the graphic and geometry work at the level I am capable of. I know there are other real-world drivers now running GPL online, but do they have five years experience doing track graphics too? I wonder.....maybe there's one other person? I have no clue.....I'm the only one that I know about.
I was struck with a sense of "responsibility" when I realized this. A "responsibility" to all of you. Though I've spent many hours updating my favorite tracks in GPL, it has been mostly limited to the tracks that are new and exciting to me.....not the ones I competed on. Even Sears Point, now my "home track".....is only fun for me to race on in GPL if I run it backwards....and thanks to a talented person on the web (John Black), I can now do that against the AI as well as just by myself. It won't be long before you will all be able to do this.....so no sense you posting or emailing me asking for the track. I can't release it at this time. I haven't spent time updating the tracks I competed on for so many years......and I am probably the one person most capable of doing that......accurately...to all of them. I just realized this today.
So, with today being the first day of the new year, and it being the time we all make "resolutions" to improve our life for the new year (and beyond)....here's my New Year's Resolution - 2001:
I will completely update graphically and TSO/geometry wise.....all current GPL tracks that I have real race experience on. This will include graphic updates to the "modern" version of these tracks "signage wise" as best I can do (some tracks I've not personally visited for a couple years), correcting track elevation, track width, track layout, surface texture and the proper placement of buildings, fencing, trees (placement and type), foot bridges and so forth (TSO's, .....these are called Track Side Objects.....in track editing terms). If I can't get enough current pictures off the net, I will visit the track when I travel....or have Bob Davis, the track architect at SMI for Sears Point Raceway....contact the track owners and get detailed CAD drawings and pictures (race track architects are so rare...they are kind of like a "club"...and they all help each other out when needed....lol....). These tracks will be done in the highest resolution possible, based on the tools we now have, and that may be developed in the near term because of N4. I'm not going to cut "quality" corners because of some people not having "enough computer" to run the tracks. As long as it can run on "my race box"....that's the quality level I want (resolution and color depth wise).
I've already done one track for GPL.....Sears Point (with the help of several talented people), it will be released shortly. Here's a list of the others I have competed on in real-life race cars...........and I will update these all to the best of my ability:
Laguna
Mid-Ohio (where we won a 24-hour ESCORT Endurance race driving for BMW...with co-driver, Andy Evans in 1989)
Cleveland (only one race there, however...the track is flat and pretty much "ok" geometry wise as it is now)
Portland (my original home track, we won two SCCA Season Championships there in GT-3, driving a Porsche)
Elkhart Lake (I competed with Tom Cruise as co-driver in an ESCORT Endurance there too....finished 3rd...lead the race for two hours)
Road Atlanta (bad crash here....still gives me goose bumps when I run it in GPL...even though the geometry is a bit off)
Pocono
Riverside
Long Beach
Mosport
Watkins Glenn
Topeka
Brainerd (this will need to be newly created)
Lime Rock (this also will need to be newly created)
Phoenix
Sebring (this also will need to be newly created...I think we should build the ALMS configuration...run this year)
Seattle (this will need to be newly created, the track may now even be closed, but I have pics, accurate drawings and a crystal memory
of it.....bad crash here too)
Thunder Hill (this will need to be newly created, and I have only "tested" on this track, not competed in a race here)
Ok...that's the "list".......I don't think I've left any track out that I've raced on....but if I did...I'll add it. These tracks will be created as close to "GPLEA" standards as I can manage to do and/or direct. I will post each track at several places on the web....within the sim community and the tracks may be freely distributed by anyone wishing to have them on their website (please send me an email and I will add you to the distribution list). I will post the tracks as I complete enough work on them to make it worth downloading and installing. That way, you don't have to wait for ever to get your favorite track....you just have to watch for it to be updated, and/or finished (if that will ever be possible......lol....).
Help Wanted: Obviously, I will need to get some "help" from all of you talented track editors out there. I will "coordinate work" on the projects for each track....and will work on all of them simultaneously when possible........and do the graphics myself to the extent I have the talent. Though, I can edit cam files, I'm not the best at it. I can create, or help create the AI's .lp files.....but I'm not great at it.....I can use OPE (contrary to some claims) but won't do it because that program belongs to Papyrus and they've not authorized its use.....so "gpleditor" style geometry will need to be used (editing existing gpl track by altering layout and geometry) where needed......and I haven't done that at all.......I have had no need to do it. I will work with anyone who wants to "pitch in" and help make these tracks a reality in GPL. No matter what your talent.....if you just want to do one track...or one thing on all the tracks. This isn't anything "official".......so no matter who you are affiliated with.....what website, race team, editing group.....it doesn't matter to me......I can use your help. I will list every persons name in each track's "readme.txt" who contributed to work on that track....and their website affiliation and race team......as a way of saying "thank you" to them for "loaning me" there talent for a short period of time.
I will make space available on PR.com for FTP file transfers for those individuals who will be doing the bulk of the assistance....who ever you are. But, I will not have these tracks posted at PR.com. They will be posted everywhere else but there (I hope???). I'm not trying to benefit from this "business wise".....it has nothing to do with SearsGroup, Bulldozer, Pabst-Racing.com........or any business venture I have or contemplate having.
This is my hobby.....now it has a better purpose than just making the GPL tracks on my computer cool, along with a few close friends!
Let's get after this and get it done!
Regards,
Tom Pabst
Email: [email hidden]
PS: I am going to make a "post" here in a couple days....listing each track's "needs" initially......by category (graphic update, texture update, new TSO placement, TSO relocation, track geometry mods, etc.). Some of the tracks need very little work....others probably need to be scrapped and created from scratch. Elkhart Lake is an example of that....the ICR2 track barely resembles the real world track. As this "process" progresses into the new year.....I will post "updates" to this "needs list".......until all the tracks are done. If you have a spare couple hours....see something on the list you know how to do......just download the track and do it.....or email me if you need something from me in the form of a "tagged graphic" file created or something...and you don't know how to do it yourself.
Those of you who are new to track editing....this may be a chance to learn it....or something about it. The topic will be discussed here.....I'm sure.....and if you do work....send it to me and its not right.....I'll tell you "why"....and how to fix it....if I know how. And, if I don't know how....I'll try to tell you to contact that will know how. I'm reserving the right to reject any work not up to the standards set by GPLEA tracks...any of them for that matter.
If by some chance no one chooses to help.....I'm doing this anyway....so you all will just get frustrated by how long it will take....if you don't chip in and help out! Those of you who live close to some of the tracks.......please let me know by email. I may want to have you go to the track and look at something for me, or take a picture of something? Or, if you've raced on the tracks.......I want to send you early beta versions, particularly where track geometry or layout is being modified. Some of these tracks I haven't raced on in a few years......so memory lapse....or recent changes in them, will need to be accounted for as well. You guys could really help out on these issues....big time!
Anyone who wants to discuss "racing" on these tracks....if I have enough "seat-time".....real-life or in GPL....I'd be glad to "BS" with you about the line....or race strategy...."starts" strategy...what ever your question.....make a post here about it. I'm sure others with more "experience" than I have will chip in their "two cents"...and we can all benefit from that, I think. I know I can.
See you on VROC......TP
I'll do it Tom! :-)
(this doesn't constitute employment does it?)
PS - OPE is not a track editor Tom
"Tom Pabst" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Ysy46.77520$[email hidden]...
***Warning**** this is a very long post!
Happy New Year to you all........
This is my first "post" on r.a.s. in the new year. In just a few days, I will have been involved with sim racing six years straight (since mid January, 1995). The last two years it has been a full-time effort (no day job)! That's hard for me to believe.....but it is true. And, its been a blast and a dream lived out in real life. I love racing, plain and simple.
I've learned to do lots of things in the last five years, most of them were completely uncontemplated by me 10 years ago. My education is in pharmacy, I attended the University of New Mexico Pharmacy School, graduating in the early 70's....but never practiced pharmacy. I never liked computers until I started sim racing.....now I build them (2 or 3 every month)! I didn't know what email was, now I can make my fingers sore typing them (or, r.a.s. posts). I used to paint with oils and a brush (as a hobby....taught to me by my mother who was an excellent artist), now I paint with "pixels" and an interesting "paint brush" called Paint Shop Pro (7.0)! I have been doing graphic updates to cars, tracks, you name it....since early N2 days......through to and including, today (I worked on some of the horizon files in GPL's Noonan-converted, Laguna track as a favor for a friend who had corrupted his). A few days ago, I decided I should add some of the old ICR2 tracks to my GPL tracks folder. Heck, I've competed on most of them.....and surely they've all been updated from their pixilated birth from ICR2 (I thought), thanks to David Noonan's brilliance (and guts to do it publicly).
I expected the tracks....virgin from Noonan's converter to be pretty much junk! What I didn't expect, was that the graphic updates I tried (several of them), were pretty much just ...."more junk!" My apologies are extended right now to anyone who has created "GPLEA-grade" graphic updates for the ICR2 converted tracks.....clearly I've not found your website yet.
Now....to the reason for the "title" above, "Help Wanted."
I love to do track graphic editing. Its relaxing to me and I can do it a little bit at a time...or a lot at a time, depending on my schedule. My basic art background, taught to me by my mother......helps me with this "play" and comparing my work to what I consider now the "standard".....all those talented guys at GPLEA (and a few other sites as well)....it holds up quality-wise pretty well to theirs. Most of you have seen my work, unfortunately not as it was intended (eventually I will get Sears Point to allow us to release the "from scratch" track we created for them.....and they are now actually building with real bulldozers)....through the Sears99 track. Though, the version that is out on the web is several generations old, graphics wise. Some of you may have seen my work even if you don't have this track. Why do I say that? Well, one of the "updates" patch I tested today for "GPL - Laguna".....had 7 of my files in it from Sears99 (original files I created, not Papyrus re-colors or resolution upgrades....original files with original TSO's placed in the track). Its not a big deal....and this isn't the point of my "post"....but, it was funny to see this.....I guess somebody likes my trees?
My point is this......I realized today that it is possible that I am the only person within the sim community that has actually competed on many of the race tracks now available in GPL.....and can also do the graphic and geometry work at the level I am capable of. I know there are other real-world drivers now running GPL online, but do they have five years experience doing track graphics too? I wonder.....maybe there's one other person? I have no clue.....I'm the only one that I know about.
I was struck with a sense of "responsibility" when I realized this. A "responsibility" to all of you. Though I've spent many hours updating my favorite tracks in GPL, it has been mostly limited to the tracks that are new and exciting to me.....not the ones I competed on. Even Sears Point, now my "home track".....is only fun for me to race on in GPL if I run it backwards....and thanks to a talented person on the web (John Black), I can now do that against the AI as well as just by myself. It won't be long before you will all be able to do this.....so no sense you posting or emailing me asking for the track. I can't release it at this time. I haven't spent time updating the tracks I competed on for so many years......and I am probably the one person most capable of doing that......accurately...to all of them. I just realized this today.
So, with today being the first day of the new year, and it being the time we all make "resolutions" to improve our life for the new year (and beyond)....here's my New Year's Resolution - 2001:
I will completely update graphically and TSO/geometry wise.....all current GPL tracks that I have real race experience on. This will include graphic updates to the "modern" version of these tracks "signage wise" as best I can do (some tracks I've not personally visited for a couple years), correcting track elevation, track width, track layout, surface texture and the proper placement of buildings, fencing, trees (placement and type), foot bridges and so forth (TSO's, .....these are called Track Side Objects.....in track editing terms). If I can't get enough current pictures off the net, I will visit the track when I travel....or have Bob Davis, the track architect at SMI for Sears Point Raceway....contact the track owners and get detailed CAD drawings and pictures (race track architects are so rare...they are kind of like a "club"...and they all help each other out when needed....lol....). These tracks will be done in the highest resolution possible, based on the tools we now have, and that may be developed in the near term because of N4. I'm not going to cut "quality" corners because of some people not having "enough computer" to run the tracks. As long as it can run on "my race box"....that's the quality level I want (resolution and color depth wise).
I've already done one track for GPL.....Sears Point (with the help of several talented people), it will be released shortly. Here's a list of the others I have competed on in real-life race cars...........and I will update these all to the best of my ability:
Laguna
Mid-Ohio (where we won a 24-hour ESCORT Endurance race driving for BMW...with co-driver, Andy Evans in 1989)
Cleveland (only one race there, however...the track is flat and pretty much "ok" geometry wise as it is now)
Portland (my original home track, we won two SCCA Season Championships there in GT-3, driving a Porsche)
Elkhart Lake (I competed with Tom Cruise as co-driver in an ESCORT Endurance there too....finished 3rd...lead the race for two hours)
Road Atlanta (bad crash here....still gives me goose bumps when I run it in GPL...even though the geometry is a bit off)
Pocono
Riverside
Long Beach
Mosport
Watkins Glenn
Topeka
Brainerd (this will need to be newly created)
Lime Rock (this also will need to be newly created)
Phoenix
Sebring (this also will need to be newly created...I think we should build the ALMS configuration...run this year)
Seattle (this will need to be newly created, the track may now even be closed, but I have pics, accurate drawings and a crystal memory
of it.....bad crash here too)
Thunder Hill (this will need to be newly created, and I have only "tested" on this track, not competed in a race here)
Ok...that's the "list".......I don't think I've left any track out that I've raced on....but if I did...I'll add it. These tracks will be created as close to "GPLEA" standards as I can manage to do and/or direct. I will post each track at several places on the web....within the sim community and the tracks may be freely distributed by anyone wishing to have them on their website (please send me an email and I will add you to the distribution list). I will post the tracks as I complete enough work on them to make it worth downloading and installing. That way, you don't have to wait for ever to get your favorite track....you just have to watch for it to be updated, and/or finished (if that will ever be possible......lol....).
Help Wanted: Obviously, I will need to get some "help" from all of you talented track editors out there. I will "coordinate work" on the projects for each track....and will work on all of them simultaneously when possible........and do the graphics myself to the extent I have the talent. Though, I can edit cam files, I'm not the best at it. I can create, or help create the AI's .lp files.....but I'm not great at it.....I can use OPE (contrary to some claims) but won't do it because that program belongs to Papyrus and they've not authorized its use.....so "gpleditor" style geometry will need to be used (editing existing gpl track by altering layout and geometry) where needed......and I haven't done that at all.......I have had no need to do it. I will work with anyone who wants to "pitch in" and help make these tracks a reality in GPL. No matter what your talent.....if you just want to do one track...or one thing on all the tracks. This isn't anything "official".......so no matter who you are affiliated with.....what website, race team, editing group.....it doesn't matter to me......I can use your help. I will list every persons name in each track's "readme.txt" who contributed to work on that track....and their website affiliation and race team......as a way of saying "thank you" to them for "loaning me" there talent for a short period of time.
I will make space available on PR.com for FTP file transfers for those individuals who will be doing the bulk of the assistance....who ever you are. But, I will not have these tracks posted at PR.com. They will be posted everywhere else but there (I hope???). I'm not trying to benefit from this "business wise".....it has nothing to do with SearsGroup, Bulldozer, Pabst-Racing.com........or any business venture I have or contemplate having.
This is my hobby.....now it has a better purpose than just making the GPL tracks on my computer cool, along with a few close friends!
Let's get after this and get it done!
Regards,
Tom Pabst
Email: [email hidden]
PS: I am going to make a "post" here in a couple days....listing each track's "needs" initially......by category (graphic update, texture update, new TSO placement, TSO relocation, track geometry mods, etc.). Some of the tracks need very little work....others probably need to be scrapped and created from scratch. Elkhart Lake is an example of that....the ICR2 track barely resembles the real world track. As this "process" progresses into the new year.....I will post "updates" to this "needs list".......until all the tracks are done. If you have a spare couple hours....see something on the list you know how to do......just download the track and do it.....or email me if you need something from me in the form of a "tagged graphic" file created or something...and you don't know how to do it yourself.
Those of you who are new to track editing....this may be a chance to learn it....or something about it. The topic will be discussed here.....I'm sure.....and if you do work....send it to me and its not right.....I'll tell you "why"....and how to fix it....if I know how. And, if I don't know how....I'll try to tell you to contact that will know how. I'm reserving the right to reject any work not up to the standards set by GPLEA tracks...any of them for that matter.
If by some chance no one chooses to help.....I'm doing this anyway....so you all will just get frustrated by how long it will take....if you don't chip in and help out! Those of you who live close to some of the tracks.......please let me know by email. I may want to have you go to the track and look at something for me, or take a picture of something? Or, if you've raced on the tracks.......I want to send you early beta versions, particularly where track geometry or layout is being modified. Some of these tracks I haven't raced on in a few years......so memory lapse....or recent changes in them, will need to be accounted for as well. You guys could really help out on these issues....big time!
Anyone who wants to discuss "racing" on these tracks....if I have enough "seat-time".....real-life or in GPL....I'd be glad to "BS" with you about the line....or race strategy...."starts" strategy...what ever your question.....make a post here about it. I'm sure others with more "experience" than I have will chip in their "two cents"...and we can all benefit from that, I think. I know I can.
See you on VROC......TP
Im a little hesitant about the *editing* you do of the track, changing curves and all.
Seems to be you wanne change so much stuff that is so fundamental you might as well start from scratch. But then at least you can use the to-be-published GPLEA track creator incl. documentation.
Martijn
Tom Pabst heeft geschreven in bericht ...
***Warning**** this is a very long post!
<snip>
See you on VROC......TP
