MTM2.com

Guys, can you help test Catfish? I will be referring to it as that instead of Catfish International Speedway.

There are no checkpoints because I'm waiting for you to pick up on any shortcuts.

There may be jerky game play. If so, tell me where and for how long.

Look for my very first scratch-made 3d model, a working GP style start light.

Lay it on us brotha, I'm looking for something to do today.

Just leave a link to it.

Rep, its on the track page. Btw, if you want to know, its fast and designed as amultiplayer track. Get a few guys on it with you and see how it goes. Here is a link: http://mtm2.com/~tracks/
First one on there.

First off, excellent model layout and placement! The track <i>looks</i> great -- terrain textures too, and the working start light -- excellent work. As for shortcuts, they are always based on checkpoint placement, in the absense of checkpoints or even CP markers (I didn't notice any) there is no way to point them out.

As for lag, it's quite full of it. When your parking lot is in view my framerate drops to a crippling 12 fps, that with only one stock truck in the game, which I'm driving. Your fencing and the parking lot contribute to poor framerates due to their high vertex counts. At the very least you need to switch them to complex, and you should think about thinning them out. The bales could be made more efficient too if you wanted (from 18 vertices and 11 polygons each to 8v and 6p), without changing their look one bit. I also question the number of large model textures used, 44 of them in total, equal to 704 small ones. Do you realize the <a href=http://rhinoseros.com/~mtmg/models/Custom/cvehical.html>56 Chevy</a> prop uses more textures than your entire terrain? It uses eight large textures plus a small one (equal to <b>129</b> small ones, on one little out of the way vehicle). I don't care who made it -- that model should be taken out, shot and buried deep, it's a bloody menace to track making (we need to stick a warning label on that turkey!).

overall a very very nice track, well done Crashcart!

I agree with WK on the abundance of models that need to be thinned out by setting the higher vertex and non essentials to complex, otherwise the track would be unraceable online with multiple opponents.

as for cp placement I'd set them up something like this



>>>... that model should be taken out, shot and buried deep...

lol

I agree with Wint here, I was doing fine till I hit that parking lot area, then my pc about locked up a for a few split seconds.

Seeing as how most of the models there mine, I would reduce them to half the amount, maybe one of each. Besides, the lot sits low enough that you can't really see it till you drive up to it. Losing a few wouldn't hurt.

As far as the layout goes, I love it. But could it be longer? Seems kinda short. You have to be driving a Monster Truck/Porsche to get it swug around that hairpin, very cool.

All in all, I dig it... alot!
imo, I think you should stretch it out some, add a few more turns, but keep what you have there, especially the hairpin. Online that turn should be fun trying to get a bunch of trucks around that at once, I think it would look like a few St. Bernards trying to go in through the same doggie door.

Thanks you guys. I'll take out a couple of those models. Since I last posted I've been experimenting with some more stuff such as 1986 500cc racing motorcycles in pit lane, and a crashed blue Bear Foot that has destroyed itself in contact with the fence.

As for layout, Rep, I'm making another few tracks with the same textures and stuff so I'll make probably the next one up to 4 times as long. Mal, I'll use those checkpoint positions and upload beta II, we'll just see how it goes. If you can decide, I'll keep some ideas and maybe add some new ones, just tell me if you'd like to see those mentioned or others.

Hang on, Rep Fan, if you want, I can make 2 versions of the track (1 short, 1 long) and merge them as one pod. The long version will break off from the original just before the hairpin and will have another hairpin in the extension.

Btw, have you tried racing CPU trucks and watching them at the hairpin? During my first run the CPU courses weren't perfect, and the trucks would all pile straight into the fence around the soccer field.

One last thing, I've got some other guys testing this track and it might be their introduction to the MTMG. Look out for some tracks (possibly) by them.

well crash, i thought it was a very nice layout. decent amount of models. got a bit of studder ,not much, coming out of the hairpin.
so far, so great!

Cr@$hC@rt,

please redownload the 56 chev model.

http://cownap.com/~mtmg/models/Custom/cvehical.html

leg has remapped it so it uses only have the number of textures from before. Just unzip to your working folders, and reload the new model (same name but with a 2 added to it) and the next time you pod up the track, bingo, less textures.

Also, you don't have to take all the models out. Just set some of them to normal and complex scenery level. Leave sparse open for the racers, and give the eye candy fans something to look at on complex. That way everybody is happy.



Also, I like the idea of finishing this one, then later doing a newer longer version. However, I don't think you should merge them. Get one working good first. There's always time to do a second one later. But nothing says they have to be in the same pod. Also, keeping them separate let's downloaders have the choice what they want to keep. Choice is good.

At this moment I'm deciding on some custom music to get racers in the fast-paced mood. I'll be making up to 13 in this style in the same series and one of them will be the extended version. The series will be in order like an F1 season and each track picture will be like a real race day programme.

I'm keeping the 500cc bikes and the crashed truck on the course. Have set some fencing to complex and taken out a few models. Beta II out later.

Beta II uploading as I speak. Some models on Complex or Normal. A couple of bikes, crashed no.10 Bear Foot, some trees at the hairpin. Other than that and the fact that there are checkpoints, nothing as changed. New track selection picture. Hope you like it. I'll see you on the zone racing it if I can get my zone stuff working.

What are your best laps?

What happened to my beta testers? I haven't heard from you in a week. Are you racing somewhere or what? As for the track, the extension is almost done and I'm working on lag caused by the bikes. It even appears in Traxx. This circuit has been sent to fellow drivers. Please post as soon as you can.

Sorry Cr@$h - overlooked this one guy. On my way to bed, but I'll d/l it tonight, check it out, and get some comments back asap!

I like the track it's a good little flat circuit with some generous elbow room that's perfect for 3 or 4 racers, the only problem is that there are still two areas that stand out by causing a significant frame rate chug. The first instance is just before cp4 and I believe it's caused by the wreck that you have set up on the outside of the bend there, The models are relatively low in vertice count but each truck uses two 256x256 textures which is bad. I would set all those models to normal or complex. The next spot which is even worse than the last is just before cp6 we get another big lag hit, this time it's caused by the trucks in the parking lot and the motorcycles by the tents... they all should be set to normal or complex. If you do that then the course will be playable with more than just one racer.

Include in the tracks readme.txt that a good portion of the tracks models are set to normal or complex for multiplayer compatability and to please try it out in complex to see it as it was intended. it's a win win situation, you get to release the track just how you want it and the racers get a fun track in sparse that they can have a lot of fun on.

I think ya did a good job with the cp placement, some could probably stand a little adjustment forwards or backwards by just a couple feet but for the most part they keep the race on the track, mission accomplished. Lastly you may get some complaints that the little cement block cp markers will stop a truck in its tracks so you may want to set those to no collide and leave it like that or insert a small object box that the trucks can drive over to add a realistic little bump there.

S'alright guys. In case you're wondering, the reason I haven't picked up on the lag is because on my puter I can run 80 fps through cp6 and 40 through cp4. Should I make Beta III and upload it or just upload the final version? If I do make the next one the final version, I can push on with another one that I have a feeling Cope will like. I'll work on the lag and if I release a Beta III, should I include the extension?

Btw Copey, if a track appears in the Beta Room, does that mean that it doesn't get reviewed?

Just for racing online, I will upload a truckset with 24 or so trucks, numbered and with paint jobs like MotoGP was in 2001.

Hehe ok I'm still behind the power curve, but I'm catching up slowly lol. Just ran the track, and I do have comments, but I'd also like to take a few pics, which I'll do tomorrow. For now I have to get back to work. I also want to run the first version to compare to the 2nd. Just lettin ya know I haven't dropped the ball, guy.

Ack - didn't see your post before I posted my last one.

Hold off on Beta III for now if you would please. As for reviews, I will be getting back to those in the very near term...and it'll be a blessing after what I've been thru with the Expo in terms of workload lol. And no, just because a track gets beta tested has absolutely nothing to do with it being reviewable. Ideally I'd love to review every track, but that's just not possible, so I kinda pick and choose. Not that it matters much, but about 1.5 yrs ago not many new tracks were being made, so I started reviewing the ones that were coming out just to show the guys/girls that were hanging in there that their work wasn't going unnoticed. It was easy back then because as I said, there wasn't a whole lot to choose from. Nowadays there are tons of tracks being made, and I think that's fantastic, but at the same time, there's no way I can possibly review them all. Heck I'd never get to play lol...and we can't have that!

Anyway, hope that explanation helps. Btw, I think it's great that you're dropping your tracks in here, guy. I sure hope more ppl start following your lead.

I'm not surprised you missed my previous post Cope, do you realise you posted a minute or less after I did? That was pure fluke because I'm over in the UK. I will hold Beta III on my computer and set the bikes and parked trucks and the wreck to complex.

Do you guys think I should make a rallycross circuit added to this? Maybe I'll do some 2x2 trucks with motorcycle bodies. The MotoGP trucks will be out this week.

Well, I have to go and feed my official mascots. I have a fish tank that contains tropical fish including 2 catfish.

All righty - here we go:

Very nicely done, first of all - I like it. Simple, but it should be lots of fun and accommodate a few racers...that is, if you manage to reduce a little more of some of the lag-inducing characteristics.

- I run with a 16meg Riva TnT (by choice, mind you lol), and I got a little studder where you have all the tents. I think setting 2 or 3 of them to complex wouldn't hurt either. On the other hand, it could have been something else in the immediate vicinity, but my best guess would be the tents.

- This picture drew my attention, and that's because it seems you tried to create a random crowd kind of thing down on the field. My suggestion would be to use a few individual models, like the ones found in Winterkill's "Wake Up!". The ones currently in place all have that little guard rail in front of them giving off somewhat of an unnatural look. On top of that, they're the same model, just inserted several times over. Just a recommendation, mind you....as all this stuff is.

- I agree with Mal on the checkpoints wholeheartedly.

- I'm guessing that the road texture is set to default? Most ppl try to set their tires according to the surface type, and I'd go so far to say that most would probably opt to use shallow tires here. With that in mind, you might want to consider going with a cement setting.

- As for a longer version - sure, but I would'nt make it into a rally, and you might consider some slight elevation changes if you opt to go with another version for the sake of variety in lieu of longer, but more of the exact same thing. Also bare in mind most Zoners prefer short, easy to digest circuits for the most part. There are, however, a few diehards that love em all - short :43 circuits (like this one) to 12 min marathons.

That's it for me...for now. I'll make some more runs to see if anything grabs me. Thanks for being patient!

OK, when did Monster Jam come to town.....lol. This thread is getting old now. I'll be uploading Catfish Final Beta about now. This has added features and hopefully less lag. I can run at highest 125fps and lowest 35fps.

Thanks for the comments Cope.

I have completely restarted work on those 24 trucks. On no. 18.
I hope for lots of comments and maybe a review of the track, hint, hint. Reply soon please. Enjoy!