Track - High Flying Moto-X Maker - ShaggZ_GZ Genre - Straight-a-way The name describes this one perfectly. Eight lanes of flying jump after flying jump over Crazy 98 dirt and grass set in a high flying motocross fashion. Right off, this tells us that we better be prepared to drive in a chase view - cockpit view leaves you staring at blue sky for at least half the race while you wait to come down again. The jumps themselves are varied - some rolling hill type, some deliberate lauching pads, and some huge drops in elevation - and each carries its own element of risk - a gorge to leap, a landing to get right, a bridge to contend with - around which there is no escape - the terrain design holds your truck on course. Neither is big air this track's only feature. No motocross would be complete without whoops and jumps along the way, and this track has plenty that are nicely spaced but perhaps could have been made slick with a bit of attention to the curvature tool. Very little in the way of scenic eye candy, but the start/finish line is very clearly marked with stands to the left and right and a couple billboards giving the wave to Blackhawk and MTR. This track is the antithesis of the flat boring straight. Lap Time 1:33.16 Track - Straight Shooter Maker - Wildcat Sue Genre - Straight-a-way This is probably one of the hardest tracks to describe. It appears deceptively simple in its design but after driving it for a few laps, you soon realize there is nothing simple about it at all. This is a track for racing, not for looking at. The voodoo island textures and rolling hills create a hard, unyielding atmosphere that reflects the track's intensity - which is, not uncoincidentally, underscored by the track's name and music. There is no big air, but the truck never quite gets all four wheels comfortably on the ground. Though you'll travel vertically through checkpoint four and leap quite high following checkpoint five, the ground is never out of site. There are no deliberate obstacles or contrived jumps on the road, but your truck is constantly bouncing and on the verge of becoming air borne. And the downhill slope starting at and following checkpoint three will push the speedometer right off the scale. This track maker has employed every trick to keep the truck's nose down when it's appropriate, and let's it fly when needed. And it's all done at breakneck speed. This is almost a text book on the track/maker contolling the vehical. The road is wide open, seemingly room enough for all, but one false move or a nudge from an opponent and you're off into the rough where, without helicopter assistance, you can get back quickly into the race but you'll be slowed down enough that you might not ever catch up again. There are no mountains to climb and no valleys to swoop down into, but the drive keeps you constantly on the edge: the edge of your wheels, the edge of the race, the edge between winning and losing, and on the edge of your seat the entire way. Man, that's intensity. Lap Time 1:07.10 Track - Straight Away Madness Maker - FIRE_REOSPEEDtm Genre - Straight-a-way An economic minimum number of five Excavation textures and very few models makes this track a very efficient download and absolutely lag free. The point of interest here is the way the road slants from one side to the other so that we're not always driving with the dashboard parallel to the horizon. It's a nice effect and is a refreshing change of pace from the more typical mountains and valleys as a way to break up the landscape. A draw back, however, is that it's possible to drive around the part that is toughest to navigate. This short cut could probably have been prevented either with an additional checkpoint or with some added hills, trees or models to obstruct the way. The dip through the yatching club is fun and, though sparsely modelled, looks very good. However, maybe shallower water would be in order so that speed loss isn't as extreme. But these are only minor quibbles since by and large the track is solid and features many nice touches, for instance a stretch of mx style whoops and a very well designed dual driving level approaching the finish line. Hey, and the starting formation of the trucks is pretty good too. This track has a chicane feature (used in two places) that's been handled to both extremes. The first of them is located just after the start. REOSPEED has very wisely placed checkpoint one in the passage between the direction signs that make up the obstacle so as to force the racers to use this part of the course. There's no short cut here. However, the signs are placed very close together and you must slow almost to a crawl in order to pass along without colliding with 1) the barricade signs or 2) your opponents. Also, the single course segment of the straight-a-way prevents the computer trucks from passing through at all; thus, virtually eliminating any off-line competition. The easy answer here would have been to use extra course segments (even though it's on a straight-a-way track) to help the trucks. The other chicane is set up in a very similar way but lacks all the problems of the first. This one is located underneath the dual level in the home stretch where a groundbox road is approached by a big-air jump. If you're successful at making the jump, then you drive onward completely unaware of any blockade or obstacle at all. If, on the other hand, you don't make the jump, then you fall beneath the ground box road where the chicane punishes your weak driving. No check point necessary to force you on course because through the barricade is the only way to escape your unfortunate situation. Very nicely handled. The bottom line here, then, is that this track succeeds in overcoming the boring straight problem. It's a very competent effort but one that could benefit from a tweak or two. Lap Time 1:16.33 Track - Old Drags Maker - OLD_NICKatNITE Genre - Straight-a-way A dragway park constructed from stands made out of the terrain and the track walled off with ground boxes that have some pretty original looking advertising banners. This track makes daring use of a flat, paved surface as it's base and builds up from there. Well spaced dirt mounds break up the flatness, as do a deep mud section, jumps over water and jumps over bunches of train cars. But this tracks strongest appeal is the way it looks. It has really captured the race track atmosphere right down to the checkpoints. The driving is good and the track is ideal for a crowded online room. Lap Time 1:03.00 Track - Straight On Maker - Fatal Error Genre - Straight-a-way This track uses a combination of stock and custom textures, and is so loaded with models that, thankfully, Fatal Error has made use of the levels setting to help ease the strain on weaker computers. Among these models are long, slow-moving freightliners, high-speed dayliners, trucks travelling down a highway, helicopters flying over head, arched bridges (you cannot drive under), and great looking tunnels (the walls of which you can, unfortunately, drive through). The road leaps over a highway and under a tressle that supports the speeding trains, and it travels along side a railroad used by the freightliners and is flanked by water and islets the whole way. The scrapyard road textures are interupted by a beach-like section where it appears the causeway has been washed away. A very nice touch that is in keeping with the track's theme. One quibble, and it's a small one, is that the intersecting highway and railway imply off-road areas, but there are none. Areas to explore are certainly not a requirement on any track; however, it should be considered a courtesy to follow through on off-road roads, even in those nothing areas (if for no other reason that it helps a driver get back without struggling). On the plus side, the course offers enough jumps and dips and leaps to keep you paying attention but few enough it wont slow you down. Despite the profusion of models in the track, there are no obstructions on the road, so it's clear sailing from start to finish. Straight On looks and drives well, and, if your hardware can hack complex scenery mode, the models lend themselves well to a rugged, industrial ocean-side envrionment. Good job. Lap Time 1:03.82 Track - Redneck City Straits Maker - Driven_out Genre - Straight-a-way A highway that by-passes a small town (Redneck City) built of ground box buildings. This is farm country so the landscape is mostly flat as is the highway. And that's the thing, the road is "almost" too flat. The saving note, however, is that there has been a lot of thought put into this track and there is some fine attention to detail. The road itself meets a few rolling hills out of town, you can't really stray off the road where it crosses the pond and canals (is that a moat?), there is a constuction zone in the middle of town that'll slow you up and the short cut around can be hazardous if you tangle with the cows (which are heeeaaavy) or if you swing too far to the left it defeats the purpose of using it, and just when you think you have a lot of room to pass, the billboards that greet you as you enter and leave the town will force you back in your lane. As an added touch, the checkpoints are marked with street lights that work so that night driving is probably more challenging than clear weather. The attention to detail extends to the off road parts as well. All the trees are set to no collide with trunks set (a greatly overlooked detail in a lot of tracks). This really makes driving near trees much more satisfying. If you're running around in town there is a little lift at the end of a long-ish straight that'll help you across the canal without getting wet. And if the country is more to your taste, you can visit the farm houses of the surrounding area. The off-road farm part is almost as good as the main road and could probably be used as the starting point for another track. And lastly, the music "cotton eyed joe" by Rednex(?) is in perfect keeping with the atmosphere and theme of the entire track (tho it could use a volume boost). A solid track. Lap Time 1:05.67 Track - Hills of San Juan Maker - Nrrivas Genre - Straight-a-way Yikes! Straight-a-way indeed. All custom textures with dirt trail over sandy/grassy (mostly sandy) hills. As you dodge the moguls over rough trails you'll encounter big air, bigger drops, an underwater tunel, roads aslant, multiple race lines is almost an understatement, over and under ground boxes, and just when you think you have it figured out, you get nailed by a train. Forget the cactii and the general store in the tiny village because you'll need to keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road or you'll be out of this race for sure. This is one track I wouldn't want to see with corners. Ouch! Looks great and a challenging drive. Lap Time 1:45.39 Track - Gone Fishin' Maker - ObeOne Genre - Straight-a-way Although ObeOne admits in his readme that he's disappointed with his track, there can be little doubt that the textures are first rate. The emphasis here has been placed on the submarine aspects as well as the exploratory nature of the track. The setting is every forest ranger's nightmare as monster trucks ravage the serenity of a camping ground in a pine tree forest. The underwater environment is not nearly so pristine. Here, you use fences to jump over the old scrapyard pickup truck, ram the old school bus (good luck if you can budge it), and run over the old tires that inevitably will be hooked by some poor fisherman up above in a row boat. Veer to port and you find a maze where you can zoom around without letting the water slow you down, and when you're done there, come back out, head up the old sewer pipe and off to finish the race. Are campers really that messy? Anyway, if we agree with Obe, then we might be inclined to label this one a novelty track that is only good for a bit of playing around. And since the computer trucks don't give much competition, we might lean this way. However, on-line is a different story. Your time underwater is minimal and the road is wide with plenty of hazards to knock your opponents out. There is a race here if you and a few pals want to give it a run. Snorkels not required. Lap Time 1:15.66 Track - Great Wall of China Maker - Andy Genre - Straight-a-way This one is made from only six Excavation textures and a nicely rounded 600 ground boxes, and forms, like its name, a great long wall along which you race. In addition to Sir James' backdrop or exploring the observation areas (both quite obviously done in the oriental tradition), the appeal of this track is finding a faster lap time than its two lanes will allow. There are only slight variations in the road altitude, and almost too few to think about, but, conveniently, the transitions can be used as ramps up to the ledges that hem you in and over which you can make some big gains on your opponents. But the risks are as high as the benefits. Get it right and you'll leave your unadventurous opponents behind on the slower roadway. Miss it, and there is plenty of opportunity (including going too far and putting yourself right over the wall and out into no-man's land), and you're all but out of the race. Andy has found a way to make a flat straight-a-way exciting by tempting you to walk a tight rope. This track is for the daredevil in you and is as fun off line (against no computer trucks) as it is on line against your friends. Lap Time 1:03.20 Track - HAC-MAN's Drags Maker - Hacman Genre - Straight-a-way A race track environment with stands on both sides of the track. Walls and baricades separate the trucks from the stands. The roadway travels over flat paved areas, there are small jumps over mud patches, a huge jump over crushed cars as well as some really big air. The track also dips down into a couple tunnels that can be a challenge to get through. Overall, the models and custom textures are done well enough, but this track's drawbacks are the finer details. The pile of crushed cars cause considerable lag, the altitude transitions are sharp and abrupt, the texture type and depth make it extremely difficult to pass beyond the first ground box tunnel. and a little bump and grind with your opponents can push you over a barricade making it hard, if not impossible, to get back on the track. Of course, not all these things are a problem in and of themselves, but they combine to make racing tough. Some thought needs to be given to matching various aspects of the track to one another. For instance, the steepest uphill climb is probably not the place for deep mud, or if an exit from the main road is possible then it is expedient to provide a way back in, or the level setting should be invoked when the number of models starts to verge on an acceptable vertex limit rather than being used to eliminate the barriers that hold the trucks on course (there is a twenty second lap difference between sparse and complex scenery mode but both will lag). There are some very good ideas in this track. They just need some drawing out. Lap Time 1:28.33 Track - Alaskan Sunset Maker - Bad311 Genre - Straight-a-way In this one, the all custom textures and rugged terrain create a tough drive through the Alaskan Rockies. There are some really nice touches here. For instance, checkpoint poles with draping banners, flowers on the hillsides, ceiling lights in the tunnels, old-style lettering on a train tressle, as well as flowing rivers and waterfalls. And all well done. The course itself travels up and down sharp gradients with some tight, blind corners, and added to the jagged terrain (the track's one sore spot) there are bridges out and contruction zones. You'll need some driving skill for this track as you constantly need to be shifting between high and low gears and speeds. It takes several laps to learn the course, but once you do it's an enjoyable challenge to knock seconds off your lap time. Alaskan Sunset will grow on you. Lap Time 1:32.08 Track - MCstraightaway Maker - EmceeMart Genre - Straight-a-way It seems the best way to make a straight track more interesting is to put a few curves in it, which EmceeMart has done to create a very tight and narrow slolam track. A few slight altitude changes and a couple jumps round out the terrain detail which has been handled with deft precision. The biggest eye catcher here are the all-custom textures. The earthy colored road winds its way through bright green grass hills topped with some great looking rocks. And everything lines up perfectly. Toss some custom bins into the mix and we have a first rate track. Don't expect much from the computer trucks, but online you can expect some stiff competition from your opponents as they vie for the inside edge on the weaving course. Fast paced and full of action, this track stays intense. Really well done. P.S. the flying pigs are alright, but I could have lived without Black Stallion (annoying when you aren't aware of it; an easy dodge when you are). Lap Time 1:08.44 Track - Stealing Dudley's Horse Maker - Phineus Genre - Straight-a-way A fast track with some big jumps and breakneck downhill sections. It uses Nrrivas' Merida textures and Malibu's backdrop. I like it. Lap Time 1:07.75 Track - Volcano Blast Maker - K-Dawg Genre - Straight-a-way This track is made using mtm1 as well as custom textures. You drive over roads destroyed by and covered with lava and volcanic ash. The heat is still on, however, as the flames and hot steam still smolder all around (those bridges must have been built out of some lumber to have withstood the eruption). The course is very rough and the road zig zags back and forth as it goes over and around mounds of scoriaceous slag. And there's the thing. The road is narrow in spots and one touch the wrong way will spin your truck right around - let's not talk of ditches. To run this one successfully, a driver needs attitude, and plenty of it. K-Dawg's Volcano takes a bit of getting used to, but can be a Blast once you do. Lap Time 1:24.63 Track - Dire Straits Maker - Malibu350 Genre - Straight-a-way Some great looking new custom road textures...right down to the bike lane. This one offers multiple racing lines on multiple roads. It's a rough ride in a hard, barren landscape dotted with a few cactii and, of course, cows. There are no large altitude changes but the road constantly flirts with water, and there are a couple reeeeally long jumps. Interestingly, Malibu, ever attentive to detail, has created off road sections that are in keeping with the expo's theme. That is, there are two additonal straight-a-way roads for you to explore (one running perpendicular to the main, and one running diagonally across the terrain). Although the readme complains of time constraints, he's found a way to squeeze in a new water tower (used as checkpoints here), a couple new billboards (including one for our expo 2000), and a great new backdrop. A fine looking track and a challenging race. wtg. Lap Time 1:04.49 Track - Box Canyon Maker - MIYH Genre - Straight-a-way Breakneck colors supplemented with a few new custom textures, you find yourself driving down at the bottom of a very deep gorge. No eye candy to mention, the challenge here is to find the fastest racing line along multiple roads that zig zag back and forth on a collision course with one another. The trick is to try and keep your wheels on the ground as much as you can because gaining air, even small bits of it, will slow you down. You'll need all your driving skill for this track and especially so where the canyon is blocked and the only passages through are three caves(?), each one a bit faster than the other and each one carrying a slightly higher degree of risk than the alternatives. The quickest route is sort of like threading a needle where your truck must hit a small hole in the wall in mid air. A great race online or off. Lap Time 1:00.97 Track - Winterwood Maker - Winterkill Genre - Straight-a-way Well, what can be said about this one. A masterpiece of efficiency, most notable of which is ninety models mapped to only thirteen textures for a total of the maximum 540 models in the track and all of it without a bit of lag. Buildings, fences, trees, and parked cars are densely strewn along the entire course which spans the terrain, not once, but two times - made possible by means of a crossover weave that stays within bounds of the eight lane limit. The course is a gradual drop in elevation with slopes and small jumps. You then cross the weave, climb a tall hill and do it again. But no matter how many times you drive through this winter village, your attention is always drawn to the models - from huge pillars and bridges (no, they're not ground boxes) to small details like street lamps and mail boxes outside homes. If you can pull yourself away from the road, which is an excellent drive in and of itself, slow down and look around. There has not been an mtm track so utterly populated with scenery objects and yet run so smoothly. Looks and drives great. Lap Time 2:18.63