03-01-2008, 01:10 AM
So folks, the word is out on the street and on the GPC website.
Our track got added to THE netKar league around, GPC. We are very happy with that decision and it shows that RD's have confidence in our track.
A bit of history
Work on the track started around 8 months ago at the same time the GPC had an initiative. A little discussion was made (length: about 2 posts) and the idea of our own track had emerged.
The work started completely from scratch. Some 3D software was fired up and some manuals/how-to's were downloaded from the internet.
After a few days of working with paths and messing around with vertices a driveable version was available. And a few hours later everyone was hotlapping a track with 100m high non-transparent walls (Juha: they weren´t quite that high, imo :rolleyes
. Which in fact seems to be the quickest way to learn a new track.
Some versions later, the walls shrunk a bit and even some height difference was introduced. Back then Tjeerd created a movie from that version.
![[Image: th_8bf1a788.jpg]](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t167/sollidsnake/th_8bf1a788.jpg)
(Warning: This does NOT resemble the current track in any way!).
Before everyone was happy quite a few changes to the layout were made, actually it was again...again and again (sorry for that Juha!). Getting everyone satisfied can be an annoying process and some of that frustration can be spotted on one of the track signs
A hint for newborn track makers: as long as you have only the track, making changes to the layout is a process that doesn't take (too much) time. Once the track layout is done, add the terrain: grass, gravel, walls, simply put: everything but the asphalt.
Just imagine the following: initial testing of the layout/track was done without a terrain. So you're testing a track, that has one small piece of tarmac....and the rest is a giant HOLE.
Simple math:
As shown in the picture below:
[attachment=1256]
Also, some funny results can be achieved with new versions of the track. Whenever you change the height or direction of the track and reload an old replay, some strange things can happen. As is shown in the screenshots below:
[attachment=1257][attachment=1259]
After really hard work, mostly done by quantum physicists, the track is getting in really good shape. We demonstrated the track to GPC officials and they got as enthusiastic as us. We were very pleased to find out that we were added to the schedule of the currently ongoing 2008.1 season.
Figures
So what´s this track all about?
It's the first figure 8 track in netKar Pro. Also the first track with a lake you can d[r]ive into. A lap will take around 1m21 in the F2000, it has two long straights (the other one is a bridge actually), fast and slow turns. Pretty much everything a good track has. But be aware that this track is not an egg scramble of "best corners" at all. It's simply a unique design. You could call it "Fantasy", but only because it doesn't resemble any existing track.
Overall the track is wide, it allows close racing with lots of places to overtake and has lots of run-off areas for those who need them (i.e. Tjeerd
). The track has 18 turns and there is a section with 6 consecutive turns which is really challenging in terms of getting your car balance correct.
Open Beta
The first release will be a beta track. This is to test the track properly before it´s released as a final version. It's an open beta and we will organize some races for testing on it.
A date for the open beta will be announced soon(ish). We are currently getting a build done.
Name
The current name for the track is: "lastplace.lake". We might keep it, or we might not. No decision on that yet.
Future
If all goes well, we might also start making a track modelling guide after the track is completely finished. The guide would explain how to get started with the 3D modelling side of making a track for nKPro. But more about that after the track is actually finished someday.
Our track got added to THE netKar league around, GPC. We are very happy with that decision and it shows that RD's have confidence in our track.
A bit of history
Work on the track started around 8 months ago at the same time the GPC had an initiative. A little discussion was made (length: about 2 posts) and the idea of our own track had emerged.
The work started completely from scratch. Some 3D software was fired up and some manuals/how-to's were downloaded from the internet.
After a few days of working with paths and messing around with vertices a driveable version was available. And a few hours later everyone was hotlapping a track with 100m high non-transparent walls (Juha: they weren´t quite that high, imo :rolleyes
. Which in fact seems to be the quickest way to learn a new track.Some versions later, the walls shrunk a bit and even some height difference was introduced. Back then Tjeerd created a movie from that version.
(Warning: This does NOT resemble the current track in any way!).
Before everyone was happy quite a few changes to the layout were made, actually it was again...again and again (sorry for that Juha!). Getting everyone satisfied can be an annoying process and some of that frustration can be spotted on one of the track signs
A hint for newborn track makers: as long as you have only the track, making changes to the layout is a process that doesn't take (too much) time. Once the track layout is done, add the terrain: grass, gravel, walls, simply put: everything but the asphalt.
Just imagine the following: initial testing of the layout/track was done without a terrain. So you're testing a track, that has one small piece of tarmac....and the rest is a giant HOLE.
Simple math:
Code:
netKar + hole = orbital view of track[attachment=1256]
Also, some funny results can be achieved with new versions of the track. Whenever you change the height or direction of the track and reload an old replay, some strange things can happen. As is shown in the screenshots below:
[attachment=1257][attachment=1259]
After really hard work, mostly done by quantum physicists, the track is getting in really good shape. We demonstrated the track to GPC officials and they got as enthusiastic as us. We were very pleased to find out that we were added to the schedule of the currently ongoing 2008.1 season.
Figures
So what´s this track all about?
It's the first figure 8 track in netKar Pro. Also the first track with a lake you can d[r]ive into. A lap will take around 1m21 in the F2000, it has two long straights (the other one is a bridge actually), fast and slow turns. Pretty much everything a good track has. But be aware that this track is not an egg scramble of "best corners" at all. It's simply a unique design. You could call it "Fantasy", but only because it doesn't resemble any existing track.
Overall the track is wide, it allows close racing with lots of places to overtake and has lots of run-off areas for those who need them (i.e. Tjeerd
). The track has 18 turns and there is a section with 6 consecutive turns which is really challenging in terms of getting your car balance correct. Open Beta
The first release will be a beta track. This is to test the track properly before it´s released as a final version. It's an open beta and we will organize some races for testing on it.
A date for the open beta will be announced soon(ish). We are currently getting a build done.
Name
The current name for the track is: "lastplace.lake". We might keep it, or we might not. No decision on that yet.
Future
If all goes well, we might also start making a track modelling guide after the track is completely finished. The guide would explain how to get started with the 3D modelling side of making a track for nKPro. But more about that after the track is actually finished someday.
![[Image: nks4.gif]](http://www.luckeh.nl/lastplace/gif/nks4.gif)
![[Image: nks4.gif]](http://www.luckeh.nl/lastplace/nks4.gif)
