Chris Haye Creates Fantasy Hometown AC Track

[Steve Worrell]

Chris Haye's latest video is a beauty and well worth a watch. Watch Chris create a fantasy tack for Assetto Corsa based on his local airfield.

If you have been wondering where Chris Haye has been the last couple of weeks, you're not alone. It was only when I spotted a tweet from the man himself this week responding to a concerned fan that I knew I needn't be worried, in fact, it was cause for great excitement. Chris responded to said fan informing that a new video was due to go live later that day, and boy what a video it is.

Chris has been hard at work over the last few weeks creating something which I think all of us have dreamt about doing at one point or another, and that's building a track based on your home town, or in Chris' case, airfield. I can picture the exact roads I would recreate if I had the time, skill, and patience to tackle a task like this, so I take my hat off to Chris for taking this project on. And it goes without saying, huge respect to the modding community for the awesome work that continues to be made week after week, you guys are absolute legends.

In the video Chris takes us on a trip down memory lane by explaining a bit about where the idea came from and why this particular stretch of tarmac is special to him. Back in the studio we are treated to a high level overview of the process required to create the track using Real Track Builder and some of the challenges he faced along the way.

When Chris finally gets on track the excitement in his voice is evident and you can tell he is genuinely being kicked in his nostalgia as he takes his first laps at his dream circuit. I know this is stating the bleeding obvious, but, this is amazing content and i'm so grateful for the fact that sim racing is Mr Haye's hobby so we get treated to this level of production, even if there is the odd gap in uploads from time to time. This was definitely worth the wait, I for one am inspired.

If you would like to see Chris' new track on RaceDepartment comment below and head to his hometown, track him down, harass him until he gives in...Ok, don't do that second part, maybe just leave a comment of encouragement. Top work Chris!

 

[BP]

If this video inspire some talented individuals to create great new tracks for AC, we will owe to Chris for making AC better and add him to the list of outstanding AC community modder that are tiredlesly working at giving us a better SIM.

He's inspired me...like Chris, I've constantly daydreamed about making a street circuit out of familiar grounds, but figured the tools and time needed would be out of reach...but with tools like this, I think I may give this a go

EDIT: Had to do a double take...the developer's full name is just two letters off from being my full name...this must be a sign: I'm destined to be the next great track builder lol

 

[Cote Dazur]

I think I may give this a go

great news, looking forward to try it.

 

[Eckhart von Glan]

brilliant idea, brilliant video, brilliant track. all around: well done, chris haye!

 

[RaceNut]

Kudos to Chris for taking this on, and for sharing with us.

I think he's spot on in regard to most of us having imagined a local race track in our dreams. In the region where I live, there is only one road course that I'm aware of (Road America). Most are short asphalt or dirt oval tracks, typically 1/4 to 1/2 mile in length. The primary use is for American Stock-car series and the occasional street or beater series races on weekends / summer months.

It would be great to have a phantasy track based on local topography / scenery / land-marks, etc. Another feature (or challenge) of our region being the harsh winters combined with soil high in clay content. The dramatic freeze / thaw cycles make for short road life-spans and very bumpy rides on any surfaces that go without frequent repairs.

 

[Kenny Paton]

This not a discussion about methods and tools used or which is better.
So all off topic posts have been removed.

 

[millen]

Very cool Chris. It's addictive isn't it... Haha.
Although race track builder has it limitations, these can be pushed if you really try... So keep at it.

I have done a very similar thing and created my dream track in my home town... With Race Track Builder as well.

It has been a long long journey of passion and frustration, started around 6 years ago now, and still a long way to go...
But there is just something about driving your own track, in an area that you know so well... When it come to life it's a great feeling.

 

[Dzul]

Kudos to Chris for this brilliant effort! It would be fantastic if he could make his track available!

 

[jeanvendors]

Great video!
The daydreamer in me wishes for a track
building system for sim racing as simple as the one in Trackmania, but RTB is probably as close as we’re gonna get. Even with that I gotta admire the dedication of our community’s wonderful track builders - having given it a shot it’s so, so much harder to make a track that’s good/enjoyable to drive than you’d expect. Good on Chris for giving it a shot.

 

[KittX]

This not a discussion about methods and tools used or which is better.
So all off topic posts have been removed.
View attachment 445241

to be honest if it doesn't go into discussion of tools, methods and preferred techniques, i don't know what we are supposed to get from this topic. Building (dream) tracks for sims has been available for 20+ years.

 

[LilSki]

to be honest if it doesn't go into discussion of tools, methods and preferred techniques, i don't know what we are supposed to get from this topic. Building (dream) tracks for sims has been available for 20+ years.

While I sort of agree I can also see how that can quickly get out of hand just as much as the "my sim is better than yours" endless debates.

In my opinion this is the perfect use for RTB. But if you want to replicate a real circuit to a high level of fidelity then you best push RTB to the side and learn something like Blender or 3DS. Also nothing wrong with starting the process in RTB to experiment with your layouts and then moving it into proper 3D software.

In the end there is no "right way" per say but do understand that everything has its place. RTB is simple but limited. Proper 3D software has a huge learning curve but the possibilities are pretty much endless.

I still don't like RTB and still stand by my signature. BUT in cases like this it is hard to compete with just to make you dream a reality without spending months scratching your head in the process.

 

[bgil66]

^^^^^^^Track Maker Legend ^^^^^^^THE GLEN!! ;-)

 

[KittX]

While I sort of agree I can also see how that can quickly get out of hand just as much as the "my sim is better than yours" endless debates.

In my opinion this is the perfect use for RTB. But if you want to replicate a real circuit to a high level of fidelity then you best push RTB to the side and learn something like Blender or 3DS. Also nothing wrong with starting the process in RTB to experiment with your layouts and then moving it into proper 3D software.

In the end there is no "right way" per say but do understand that everything has its place. RTB is simple but limited. Proper 3D software has a huge learning curve but the possibilities are pretty much endless.

I still don't like RTB and still stand by my signature. BUT in cases like this it is hard to compete with just to make you dream a reality without spending months scratching your head in the process.

Also i see huge potential in rtb for stuff like rally stages. It's still clunky at times even for that purpose, but it's the kind of tool that's best for such application.
Altho i've had for a while an idea to try using RailClone for rally stage creation.

But my question was about restricting the topic from any constructive talks about actual track making, then what is the purpose of such discussion.
Hats of to Chris tho, he managed to make document the process of creating tracks into something entertaining to watch. Usually it's only entertaining for the person who's doing it

 

[delpinsky]

Congrats Chris!
Wish you could take pictures of the tarmac as it is in real life and apply it to the surface of the track to give it a more realistic look. The track is cool and the only thing missing is maybe the atmosphere of the location. Hope some talented modder may help you giving the track the final step to make it closer to the real location.
Rate: 10

 

[Kenny Paton]

But my question was about restricting the topic from any constructive talks about actual track making, then what is the purpose of such discussion.

Maybe you didn't see the posts already removed so I can understand your query, but a lot of members here rightly complain about bun fights derailing threads so stopping this one before it went any further.
YouTube has a comments section for bun fights.
I think most of our incredible track modders usually discuss their methods in the appropriate threads.

 

[fatal4you]

This not a discussion about methods and tools used or which is better.
So all off topic posts have been removed.

You know that this is RaceDepartment, a site which attracts people because it offers mods to download and extend the base game. Just this year there was a news article here about how to make a skin mod. This news is about some dude making a track mod. Surpressing a discussion about how to make mods is counter productive. Are you sure you're not on Cycling Department?

 

[Kenny Paton]

This news is about some dude making a track mod. Surpressing a discussion about how to make mods is counter productive

Not suppressing just saying not in this thread, if you want to discuss tools and methods start your own thread.

 

[fatal4you]

Not suppressing just saying not in this thread, if you want to discuss tools and methods start your own thread.

The front page is well read, the forums aren't.

 

[Kenny Paton]

The front page is well read, the forums aren't.

Don't know on what evidence you made that assumption on.
The vast bulk of threads have never been on the front page.
Back on topic please.

 

[MattGTX]

I really can't see how talking about methods, tools, and actual track making in a thread about a video that showed exactly that is offtopic but ok.

Back on the "topic", Haye's content is amazing and hopefully, this video will inspire many others to create tracks and mods for AC. To be honest, it even inspired me but it is a shame that I do not have the time needed for such a project

 

[stenovitz]

In fact some years ago I created my practice track/crawl space from my driving school days +30 years ago solely using BTB for rFactor, adding an artificial pitlane. That was my first BTB-project.
Havent published any of it though. Think it's the last 5-15% time demanding finish that prevents me from doing so.