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The track talk section is a great idea. Just prior to it's announcement I came up with an idea I wanted to suggest and pursue, and that is to compile a list of tracks that contain fully explorable terrains. I am talking about tracks that have extensive off track areas to explore or drive on. This type of track is my favorite and they represent considerable care and effort on the part of track makers. Two recent tracks made me think about this and I wanted to see if people would be willing to help compile such a list, hopefully with descriptions of just how explorable a track might be.

Please feel free to provide your own listing and commentary, nevermind if you are repeating what others may have suggested, it will be worth repeating ;-)

If this generates enough response then perhaps I can set up a webpage to feature the recommendations and information, available to any who may want to re-publish it.

I'll come back later with a list of my own.

Yes, I agree, this kind of thing is exactly what we need more of. On the mtmg general track download and as far back as the first track vote idea, I have tried to create broader categories and descriptions than what the game provides. This is one more area that could probably benefit from more exposure. So here goes.

I think the grand champ of the fully explorable terrain is DBK's Dream World (my apology if I've overlooked another track). It really must be experienced to be fully appreciated. I love those helicopters too.

On the other hand, there are tracks like PIn§aNe! Baja by PinWzrd. Despite the appearance of almost total barreness, PinWzrd shows an awareness of the entire terrain area with the inclusion of the small homestead that is so far off the beaten trail it would be impossilbe to find had he not provided visual clues to help get you there.

Of course, there are those tracks which contain those naughty bits and their makers shows a twinge of conscience or shame (I don't know which) by going to great lengths to hide the uh exploratory areas. And to help them along in their aim, I won't mention their names so finding them will remain tough.

Oh, and then there's CNR 008. Multi-level detail and regardless of how far out you try to make your escape, all roads lead back to town. Really well thought out design.

Another interesting thing that I found was running all of enocell's tracks yesterday. Although I did not stop to roam around, and I don't think there's a lot outside the immediate course, it was fun to play the tourist and marvel at the work and designs he's put together. Over the span of all his tracks, there was a lot to see. I could only wish he hadn't made such extensive use of texture types.


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- Phineus

All of Zoon's have interesting and entertaining off-road parts. I too enjoy a course with more than the actual racing track but I have found that this does make the pods bigger (obviously). I have one ongoing project that hopefully will one day be complete, My "By 'Eck" track which has more off-road than track!
I will be interested to see your list when you get around to it.

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Keep on Monster Truckin'

EmceeMart

I wonder if this idea means more about tracks that use the entire terrain, or tracks that use the whole terrain but not necessarily for the course. In addition to the ones mentioned above, we have Pop Corn by Sir James, Cumbria by Guitar Bill, Siberia Creek by that guy on Team WAS, Wilderness by derz, a pile of Mont Gris tracks, and of course Wake up. On the other hand, Smoke n' Mirrors uses a large part of the terrain but there sure isn't much to explore.




PS I think Snowbound by Sky uses a good bit of ground, as does Rush by COW.

Noting that you've just replied to a topic that's been dormant for nine and a half years, I think my original intent was to highlight tracks that used the available terrain to it's fullest, but with an emphasis on any kind of extensive off-course explorable and 'secret' areas (something that used to be quite popular in the early days).

A few years later I posted my own list (sort of) in the form of this webpage:


(click the image)


However, Wilderness by Derz is the king of such tracks. (see Phin's link)

Just look at these old TrackViewGL shots, there are no objects shown, just textured terrain:
http://mtm2.com/~trackville/minimaps/tv2.htm

Derz is a local friend of mine and I witnessed the development of his one and only track as he carved on it, bit by bit, for years. It was made without regard for a particular course, the entire landscape was formed on an epic scale with one section naturally flowing into another, and the quilt-like texturing scheme (a brilliant bit of work) is the only kind possible on a track of this scale and variety. The terrain is completely filled, and even the borders of the world wrap seamlessly together.

If you've only seen the mapped course you haven't seen Wilderness at all. The real beauty of the track is in it's free roam capabilities, everywhere leads to everywhere else, and everywhere is a 'where'. Pick any direction and you'll be going to some where, presented with numerous paths at every turn. There are low speed goat trails meandering up cliffsides, high speed banked areas. Hilly, mountainous and even flat areas. Narrow ridges, many cliffs, crevaces, and ledges, and smooth hills, swoops and jumps. Tropical looking island areas, with bridges over water, a snowy mountain region, with bridges spanning between cliffs. Mazelike intermediate areas, little 'secret' areas and some ramps to fling one just for kicks. You could drive aimlessly, or with aim, for hours, and still not see everything.

The one course version that was published could be considered a beta test version. I have in my posession multiple .txx files that were formed along the way, with some alternate courses on the terrain. In fact, I was supposed to refine these in subtle ways (mostly with custom models) and compile them into a multi-track pod, I also had the option to create my own course layouts on the existing terrain. The truth is that there are dozens of possible courses in the Wilderness world.

It's clearly the most fully developed terrain ever and a true work of art (check it out and you'll know my praise isn't biased).

Thanks for the links. Those are what I was looking for.

And I quite agree about Wilderness. First-rate, excellent work.