New sims and old tracks...

This is an issue which I've seen people dance around off and on over the past year or so (with all the new sims announced and/or released- rFactor, First, LFS, GTR et al.), but it's never been discussed directly. One advantage that an established sim, one which manages to maintain a core audience beyond the first six months of release (after which most games in most other genres go from being played to being history) is all the add-on tracks that it has accumulated through the efforts of dedicated fanatics. When deciding to try a new sim over an older one, one has to consider whether it is worth forgoing favorite tracks in favor of the base stock tracks which come with the new game. For example if I buy GTR, I have to say goodbye to such excellent NR2003/GPL tracks as Isle of Man, Bullrun, Mosport, or Le Mans, at least until and if said tracks are ported over to the new sim. I am to understand that the Ring already has been, but it was of mediocre quality, which brings me to my second topic: SHOULD new sims be made with an eye to converting tracks from older yet popular titles? Or will having to keep that door open hamper the physics, visuals, and trackbuilding features of the new sim, preventing it from taking simming to a whole new level, where a conversion of an old title will be either impossible or look hopelessly dated (if not glitchy) in comparison to the state- of-the-art tracks which shipped with the new sim? John DiFool

That is exactly the case for me. I'm just now really getting into NR2003 because of all the great short tracks that have been released in the last few months, and the PWF ones. Short tracks are what I like and Nr2003 is finaly getting close to the level of fun for me that N3 was. I personaly don't have any thing more than a passing intrest in GTR or rFactor because they don't simulate what type of racing I like to do. The new EA title probably won't be of much use to me since the current NASCAR schedule only has three short tracks on it. So I don't see NR2003 coming off my hard drive any time soon. I now know how the GPL'ers feel. :) As for converting tracks it would be great if there was an easy way to convert them between games, but it will never happen. Even if it would be possible to just convert the 3d model over with stuff like AI and the alike having to be recreated would be a great start. Although I can see the bitch about who takes credit for what all ready. MadDAWG

>"John DiFool" <[email hidden]> wrote > I am to understand that the Ring already has been, but it was of > mediocre quality, which brings me to my second topic: SHOULD > new sims be made with an eye to converting tracks from older > yet popular titles? It's impossible, developpers have too many difference in the way they architecture their data and information for either the 3d track model, objet placement, textures on those objects, etc... I've said it long ago, some company should have been formed and should have "sold" tracks to developpers. How many versions of Donnington do you need? I've seen almost a dozen version of it in various sims throughout the years. Same for all the F1 games who model year after year the same tracks, Monaco, Monza, Spa, etc... That's why, rFactor, why should I buy it when I'm gonna have to wait 6 months until we have even average looking third-user tracks? -- -- Fran�ois M�nard <ymenard> -- This announcement is brought to you by the Shimago-Dominguez Corporation - helping America into the New World...

Not a bad idea (selling track models), but I bet the licensing would be hell. And with a beancounter saying "why pay top dollar for a super accurate version when we can cobble one together and nobody will be the wiser" - would it even be viable? I don't share your concerns about rFactor - I doubt it'll be 6 months to get reasonable tracks. Anyone want to take bets on how long it takes for every good F1C track to get ported to rFactor? They could finally be taking the successful FPS-engine model into the racing sim world - build a good core, and let other people mod it for free, or have someone pay for the licensing and sell thier own sim. That's practically what GTR is, apart from coming from an earlier engine. I do very few "release-day-1" purchases - I expect rFactor will be one of them - that and Racing Legends ;). Kendt

In article <41e6cc0c$[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted text (20 lines)

> That is exactly the case for me. I'm just now really getting into NR2003 > because of all the great short tracks that have been released in the last > few months, and the PWF ones. Short tracks are what I like and Nr2003 is > finaly getting close to the level of fun for me that N3 was. I personaly > don't have any thing more than a passing intrest in GTR or rFactor because > they don't simulate what type of racing I like to do. The new EA title > probably won't be of much use to me since the current NASCAR schedule only > has three short tracks on it. So I don't see NR2003 coming off my hard drive > any time soon. I now know how the GPL'ers feel. :) > > As for converting tracks it would be great if there was an easy way to > convert them between games, but it will never happen. Even if it would be > possible to just convert the 3d model over with stuff like AI and the alike > having to be recreated would be a great start. Although I can see the bitch > about who takes credit for what all ready. > > MadDAWG > > >

Hey, do you have a setup for North Wilkesboro 2004?

In article <41e6cc0c$[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted text (18 lines)

> That is exactly the case for me. I'm just now really getting into NR2003 > because of all the great short tracks that have been released in the last > few months, and the PWF ones. Short tracks are what I like and Nr2003 is > finaly getting close to the level of fun for me that N3 was. I personaly > don't have any thing more than a passing intrest in GTR or rFactor because > they don't simulate what type of racing I like to do. The new EA title > probably won't be of much use to me since the current NASCAR schedule only > has three short tracks on it. So I don't see NR2003 coming off my hard drive > any time soon. I now know how the GPL'ers feel. :) > > As for converting tracks it would be great if there was an easy way to > convert them between games, but it will never happen. Even if it would be > possible to just convert the 3d model over with stuff like AI and the alike > having to be recreated would be a great start. Although I can see the bitch > about who takes credit for what all ready. > > MadDAWG >

I forgot to mention that the setup should be for the CTS mod ...

[email hidden] wrote: > I do very few "release-day-1" purchases - I expect rFactor will be one > of them - that and Racing Legends ;). If rFactor is released on April 1st you can make both purchases on the same day. :) Fred

> Hey, do you have a setup for North Wilkesboro 2004? I'll send you what I have. I didn't actualy make it myself so I take no credit or blame. :) And yes its for the CTS mod. It about the only thing I run. MadDAWG

Email me and I'll send it to you. MadDAWG

Hi John, I love those short tracks! Wilkesboro was always one of my favorites. I have a setup for it posted on my web site if you're still looking for one. I haven't had a chance to test extensively there yet, but it seemed to work okay for me in the races I've run. Good luck, let me know if you get to try it. PeptoJoe www.peptojoe.com "John Simmons" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> In article <41e6cc0c$[email hidden]>, > [email hidden] says... >> That is exactly the case for me. I'm just now really getting into NR2003 >> because of all the great short tracks that have been released in the last >> few months, and the PWF ones. Short tracks are what I like and Nr2003 is >> finaly getting close to the level of fun for me that N3 was. I personaly >> don't have any thing more than a passing intrest in GTR or rFactor >> because >> they don't simulate what type of racing I like to do. The new EA title >> probably won't be of much use to me since the current NASCAR schedule >> only >> has three short tracks on it. So I don't see NR2003 coming off my hard >> drive >> any time soon. I now know how the GPL'ers feel. :) >> >> As for converting tracks it would be great if there was an easy way to >> convert them between games, but it will never happen. Even if it would be >> possible to just convert the 3d model over with stuff like AI and the >> alike >> having to be recreated would be a great start. Although I can see the >> bitch >> about who takes credit for what all ready. >> >> MadDAWG >> >> >> > > Hey, do you have a setup for North Wilkesboro 2004?