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lol for all my years of racing i haven't ever made a track but i have a cool design for one .. based on the olympic rings . anyone want to see the layout and make it real ? drop me a line just__might@hotmail.com

I thought miyh was making your track. :P

Anyway, send me a note or post your ideas. Let's see what you have and we'll see what can be done.

i don't have your email address anymore ok umm i'll upload it to www.rip-racing.com/jm/mtolympus.jpg

Is there more to your vision than the course layout?

I couldn't resist experimenting with your idea so I developed a prototype you can check out...

I have to say there are matters of scale to deal with, there's the mtm terrain itself that has a very coarse grid structure that limits what you can do with it, and I suspect the rings themselves should be kept to scale for the sake of the concept. So, I created a throwaway track to test your idea, a mere skeleton of a track using what I thought was the most usable scale, being close to the best compromise between the terrain grid, usable road width and intersection size, and the rings.

The terrain was created entirely in a paint program and is nothing more than symmetrical linked rings (fyi, the mtm terrain is a 256x256 grayscale image, where white is the highest altitude, black the lowest, with 254 shades of gray in between). Using Traxx I quickly textured the track and added some pointers to demonstrate the course you devised, which works quite well actually.

Download: two tracks, two txx files

Pictures: track / terrain

This is not intended to be the basis of the track you're seeking to have built, it's just a disposable prototype to test your layout, the scale of things, as well as a color scheme. Also, this is not an indicator that I'm willing to take on the project, it's just a bit of R&D that Phin or anyone else can make use of if they like.

There have been a few tracks in the past where the terrain or course was based on words or shapes, but when you're on the track you really don't know it because you're so small in relation to it all. You may feel the same on this course. Also bear in mind that this is only a roughly hewn skeleton of a terrain, much could be done to polish it, and there are many directions you could take the concept once it's fleshed out with more ideas about the track as a whole.

havent been here till now sry .. d/ling now

No problem.

I probably should have taken the time to add course segments earlier to define the map, but I quickly added some just now for the sake of a picture: rings_map.jpg

having the colored track reflect the rings is cool .. i was thinking it would ramp up and down thru a mountain to avoid those "which way do i go" intersections like go up then have a steep turn and drop down @ the tight corner point .. then maybe ramp down further and have a steep up and about at the next tight turn. i realize there is a dificulty in getting the rings / map to align and still make the symbol..


as for the size .. as long as at one point in the track the map actually shows all the rings across that's the determining size factor .

i'm clueless when it comes to track making just had a thot and was seeing idf anyone wanted to run with it .

track makers challenge as it were hehe

just looked at the jpg of map .. would want enuf overlap to show the circles .. hence the tunneled thru and around a mtn part

thats about as far as my thinking it thru towards a track got hehe

I have a minor problem with the repetitive pattern of the course. I don't have any solutions to propose (yet), and perhaps when we give some thought to the intersections the repetition will be removed.

JM, a good part of track making is all about finding solutions to problems. Wint's given us a beginning. Now we just need to refine it bit by bit until it becomes race worthy.

>><I> i was thinking it would ramp up and down thru a mountain to avoid those "which way do i go" intersections like go up then have a steep turn and...</I>

Yes, good thinking. In terms of sharp turns an upward slanting terrain would reduce speed and make them a bit easier in some cases.

Since the map is a priority the circles will need to be smaller, while maintaining the same width or slightly wider (to start with anyway, in a paint program most likely).

Since the map is the priority the terrain doesn't necessarily have to (visually) form precise circles like the prototype (even though the map and the core course will), thus the intersections and turns can probably be widened a bit for better flow. For this track I think I'd optimise the map for it's on-screen appearance and not for computer trucks.

Despite the simple prototype I would not have gone with flat, shared intersections in all cases. Instead I would use different elevations with bridges or jumps spanning the intersections. One or two potential collision spots could be fun though, with enough room and warning for evasive maneuvers.

To combat repetitiveness I think each circle should have it's own unique and consistent geography, one might have a lot of outward leaning convex surfaces that try to loosen you up, another with inward leaning concave banks, another enclosed like a cave with small bumps and jumps, one with sheer cliff ledges, another surrounded by walls, etc. (I'm reminded of the variety of straitaways seen in the Expo2000 tracks).

The center of each ring should contain a fully modelled and animated Olympic event. (just kidding)

i'm going to try and maby make a track like this

that is if you don't mind (i'll wait for a responce befor i start)

Please go ahead. There are no exclusive rights in our game. The more the merrier. I'm sure we look forward to seeing what you come up with.

i think i am just going to use wint's start and edit it