Hi everyone,
As mentioned on my Trembling Mountain update, I'm also releasing Mexico 1966 here as well.
Once again, huge thanks to everyone that purchased this track over on my sellfy store and for your support - really made the work worthwhile!
I think this is quite a nice addition to the series of 1966 tracks already available in rf2 and I've had some pretty fun races with the AI on this track - although it could certainly be improved. I unfortunately think I've done all I can but if anyone would like to make changes and improve the track that's absolutely fine and should you need any original files just get in touch!
Here's my original post from the end of 2019:
"
Hi everyone,
As alluded to in my V1.1 update for Trembling Mountain, I've also been working on finishing another track - and here it is just in time for the New Year!
I actually started this track before Trembling Mountain but the project stalled because I didn't know enough to complete the track at the time and it's been quite difficult to find references of how the track looked in this particular year and I actually ended up using the GPL version as my main reference.
The track is of course scratch built like Trembling Mountain but some ISI/S397 content has been recycled. All racesurfaces, terrain, armcos, walls, fences and buildings are custom apart from the red toilet building at the end of the pit block which has been borrowed from Zandvoort and modified (texture colour change + language of signs adapted). Many things have actually come across from Trembling Mountain and been edited (e.g. the white tyres are the same as the black ones in Trembling Mountain, I've just changed the colour and the billboards are also the same - I've just changed the texture). All vehicles have come from either Brianza or Belgium which is also true of the crowd textures, marshals, pit items, speakers and wooden barriers. Track textures and terrain textures are custom, as are the banners and advertising (company names changed to avoid legal issues).
The track is fully DX11 and has a puddle map as well as a wet AI racing line - I've made the white and yellow lines RaceSurfaces (instead of simply decals) and included these in the puddle map mapping. This means that the Racing line/groove also builds up on these lines and that the puddle map also affects them. Sounds have also been implemented, with crowd sounds around the track as appropriate, particularly in the grandstand and announcer sounds positioned according to the speakers.
I've adjusted the corridors and collision corridors to make sure the AI keep away from the white tyres but it seems they can still push each other into them and ruin the other's race from time to time (especially with higher aggressive level settings) - but generally they are well behaved, even on lap 1! I've spent a fair bit of time fine-tuning the AI line and speeds to try and ensure they are as fast as possible while making as few mistakes as possible and I think the AI seems to be pretty good overall but you may notice that you're faster/slower than the AI depending on your car (I used the V12 Matra high-wing version to create the AI racing line, so it may not be 100% optimal for other period cars but I think I've reached a nice compromise). Likewise, your fuel usage may vary slightly from that stated in game depending on the engine powering your car (as I simulated fuel usage using the V12 matra, you may find that you're carrying too much fuel for other cars, so I would advise a quick fuel test during practice!).
Please see below for some screenshots.
Please note: some people have suggested that this is an unauthorised conversion of an RF1 track. This is entirely incorrect. Simple comparison proves this. If this track is close to any version, it’s the GPL version as track mesh itself was created from curves which were created based on the GPL track mesh. I in fact used the GPL version as my main reference for everything during this project. I did this because I couldn’t find any suitable aerial photography of the track at the time (I’ve since found that google satellite imagery from 2000 still actually has most of the original circuit – fortunately the track is still very accurate overall, despite this oversight). Track mesh creation process: I created curves using the GPL mesh as reference, before then selecting all points and snapping to grid in the Z axis to “flatten” the curves. I then added the dips and bumps using soft select (especially on corner apexes) based on the period images I found. Once the curves were ready, I then lofted to NURBS before converting to a polygon mesh.
Known issues:
Please let me know what you think and especially if you have any issues/problems.
As mentioned in the Trembling Mountain post, my licenses for 3DS Max and Maya run out early 2020 so this is almost certainly my last track - Hope you like it!
Cheers,
Leighton.
"
Thanks again everyone for your support!
Hope you enjoy this track too!
Best,
Leighton
As mentioned on my Trembling Mountain update, I'm also releasing Mexico 1966 here as well.
Once again, huge thanks to everyone that purchased this track over on my sellfy store and for your support - really made the work worthwhile!
I think this is quite a nice addition to the series of 1966 tracks already available in rf2 and I've had some pretty fun races with the AI on this track - although it could certainly be improved. I unfortunately think I've done all I can but if anyone would like to make changes and improve the track that's absolutely fine and should you need any original files just get in touch!
Here's my original post from the end of 2019:
"
Hi everyone,
As alluded to in my V1.1 update for Trembling Mountain, I've also been working on finishing another track - and here it is just in time for the New Year!
I actually started this track before Trembling Mountain but the project stalled because I didn't know enough to complete the track at the time and it's been quite difficult to find references of how the track looked in this particular year and I actually ended up using the GPL version as my main reference.
The track is of course scratch built like Trembling Mountain but some ISI/S397 content has been recycled. All racesurfaces, terrain, armcos, walls, fences and buildings are custom apart from the red toilet building at the end of the pit block which has been borrowed from Zandvoort and modified (texture colour change + language of signs adapted). Many things have actually come across from Trembling Mountain and been edited (e.g. the white tyres are the same as the black ones in Trembling Mountain, I've just changed the colour and the billboards are also the same - I've just changed the texture). All vehicles have come from either Brianza or Belgium which is also true of the crowd textures, marshals, pit items, speakers and wooden barriers. Track textures and terrain textures are custom, as are the banners and advertising (company names changed to avoid legal issues).
The track is fully DX11 and has a puddle map as well as a wet AI racing line - I've made the white and yellow lines RaceSurfaces (instead of simply decals) and included these in the puddle map mapping. This means that the Racing line/groove also builds up on these lines and that the puddle map also affects them. Sounds have also been implemented, with crowd sounds around the track as appropriate, particularly in the grandstand and announcer sounds positioned according to the speakers.
I've adjusted the corridors and collision corridors to make sure the AI keep away from the white tyres but it seems they can still push each other into them and ruin the other's race from time to time (especially with higher aggressive level settings) - but generally they are well behaved, even on lap 1! I've spent a fair bit of time fine-tuning the AI line and speeds to try and ensure they are as fast as possible while making as few mistakes as possible and I think the AI seems to be pretty good overall but you may notice that you're faster/slower than the AI depending on your car (I used the V12 Matra high-wing version to create the AI racing line, so it may not be 100% optimal for other period cars but I think I've reached a nice compromise). Likewise, your fuel usage may vary slightly from that stated in game depending on the engine powering your car (as I simulated fuel usage using the V12 matra, you may find that you're carrying too much fuel for other cars, so I would advise a quick fuel test during practice!).
Please see below for some screenshots.
Please note: some people have suggested that this is an unauthorised conversion of an RF1 track. This is entirely incorrect. Simple comparison proves this. If this track is close to any version, it’s the GPL version as track mesh itself was created from curves which were created based on the GPL track mesh. I in fact used the GPL version as my main reference for everything during this project. I did this because I couldn’t find any suitable aerial photography of the track at the time (I’ve since found that google satellite imagery from 2000 still actually has most of the original circuit – fortunately the track is still very accurate overall, despite this oversight). Track mesh creation process: I created curves using the GPL mesh as reference, before then selecting all points and snapping to grid in the Z axis to “flatten” the curves. I then added the dips and bumps using soft select (especially on corner apexes) based on the period images I found. Once the curves were ready, I then lofted to NURBS before converting to a polygon mesh.
Known issues:
- The AI can sometimes get a little too feisty and push each other off-line into the white tyres which will destroy suspensions and end races - generally though the AI are well behaved thanks to fine-tuned corridors and collision corridors.
- Fairly aggressive LOD settings mean that you may occasionally notice distant objects clipping in/out of view. This is necessary to ensure smooth performance though.
- ImageSpaceInc/Studio 397 for documentation and information regarding mod development, GJED and GMTexporter plugin for 3DS max (despite removing GJED and the wiki half-way through this project!).
- Gysbers for his videos on using Maya and exporting into GJED for rf2 (would have been impossible without them!).
- Mark Pearce for his videos on AIW creation in rFactor 2 (really helpful!)
- Dave Noonan & 3dSimEd (also invaluable!).
- Maya 2017 & 3DS Max 2017 for providing this software free of charge under a student license.
- sketchuptextureclub.com for royalty free seamless textures.
Please let me know what you think and especially if you have any issues/problems.
As mentioned in the Trembling Mountain post, my licenses for 3DS Max and Maya run out early 2020 so this is almost certainly my last track - Hope you like it!
Cheers,
Leighton.
"
Thanks again everyone for your support!
Hope you enjoy this track too!
Best,
Leighton
