I hope Tim dosnt mind me posting this here : Lime Rock is one of those race tracks that I could quite happily race on until the end of my days. It’s fast, it’s fun, and it is a no-brainer when it comes to a content license. I’ve attended a few events there, too, back when I lived in Massachusetts. It’s a superb facility to watch a race at because, at only 1.5 miles, you can walk from one end to the other in no time, and find a new perfect spot, even more perfect than the last one. There’s some history, too… It’s been around for a long time by US road racing standards. I released a few screenshots of Lime Rock to the rFactor Web site last month, and also put up a work-in-progress written guide to the track. I had actually driven on the track before, back in 2006 I did a racing school there. Good fun, but not that serious, the main outcome was that I understood how to drive a bit better (doing what I understand is a different matter), and I understood the racing line at Lime Rock’s main layout very well. Back in June I visited again, this time to do the surveying the guys would require to make the track for rFactor2. I was pretty tired when I got there, having driven from Illinois, USA to Montreal, Canada, then down to Connecticut. I slept in the shirt, trousers and shoes I had worn to the F1 Paddock Club on Sunday, in the car, in the middle of a Lime Rock parking lot. I got a very early start, got a nice ride in the pace car, and then was let loose on the track… I managed to get everything done within the day (the benefit of being at a 1.5 mile layout), and then drove 14 hours home. The guys then started the track a while later, and released it to the testing community last week. It has been pretty well received, but people being people, there’s been some comparing, and there’s been some people saying that we ‘missed’ things which aren’t even at the real track anymore (the concrete patches which were REMOVED in 2008, for example, and the whole track was resurfaced, two chicanes added, and the surroundings landscaped). Their reference for these ‘missing’ things, of course, is Lime Rock in other software, rather than Lime Rock in real life. I don’t really understand comparisons sim to sim (nobody releases the same thing at the same time), but I do understand comparisons between a sim and the track which was surveyed to build it. So without further introduction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYlRQl_m8RE&sns=em I’m driving the car on the left (in real life, during my survey), AI is driving the car on the right in rFactor2. I think the guys did a great job with the data. You can see (if you take the go pro field of view into account) the good positioning of trees, buildings, other objects. You can also pretty easily see the track surface itself, the elevation, etc, is accurate. Everything important, everything that has any effect on the racing experience, the learning experience, or the fun, is all there. You can also clearly see a distinct lack of concrete patching on the racing line… Because that hasn’t existed since 2008. Understood? For the video I had to cut the video of me driving into sections, then adjust it to match the pace of the AI. You can then properly compare the same section side by side. I also tried to overcome the enormous field of view that the go pro camera I was using on the left has, by making the rF2 footage a little smaller and similar to the size of the unaffected area of the go pro footage. The go pro footage is still quite heavily skewed towards the edges of the frame though, and it was actually a LOT darker than it looks (4-5am I think)… But whatever.
They did an awesome job on the track so thanks for your all your travels Tim. I wonder what he was doing in Montreal? ;-)
Good job on accuracy, not tried it in game, gonna skip this build but the track looks very lifelike. Now give us a decent GT car for it please
Gathering business cards and contacts which should lead to more licenses. Secured one car license and got reference material for it over the three days.
No problem. As you can probably guess, my reason for using the blog is to keep something within the sim community (which our forum is, of course). As an 'unofficial' bit of info. I don't notify media of anything at the moment though, even when it's posted on our site or released to testing.
I don't know much of Canada, but I found cars of Canada http://www.reginaantiqueauto.ca/carsofcanada.htm Or maybe Volvo, those were actually made at Halifax that were sold in Canada and US, from PV to S/V70. I think Tim should get Lincoln, it has been said from Mark V that you will refreshed instead of tired when driving it. Don't know what part is true in that, maybe on flat ground as those tend to wander a bit if there is banking and turns are really not it's best area either, but comfy they are. Fuel economy might be something that spoils the idea though Distances at that country, I think that Winnebago would be only way to travel comfortable really, would have shower too 14 hour drive after last day of hard working week is something common, next day is always then wasted, just recovering.
Yes, it does look like... err... Canadian *ducks* But I must say that I kind of like that car, it refuses to fit into norm and probably is disliked enough so I just have to like it
Well, some media you do I'd like to mention though, a bit of a bugbear for me, maybe. Posting of entire articles instead of links to the article, and especially not including said link if you do, is a bit harsh on the original author. In this sense, it's Tim's personal blog, and fine, but yea, always nice to post links instead of a copy/paste if you like being nice to people. This bugbear probably comes from some archaic attachment to intellectual property i havem, or something. I'm probably just old fashioned. I've never had trouble with it here though, personally. So seems to be a mostly nice place.
Have you seen AMC Eagle SX4 before? AMC Eagle models contain some rather interesting things, 4wd small cars, bit like compact car and suv cross breeds.
The AMC Eagle looks a lot like a cartoonish 240Z, not a pretty one, but not as ugly as say the Aztek... However, SSang Yong's "design"department should collectively be taken outside and shot. Their entire range of vehicles, led by the Rodius are completely horrifying.
