My Tracks

[pirenzo]

Red, now, Black, my update, blue is the 60's track (don't ask, i don't know why that's there, i just felt like drawing it)

[Lustigson]

Here's my version of Pirenzo's challenge. I'm quite happy with it. The track runs clockwise. I thought I'd better mention it, because I wasn't too sure about the others.

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[pirenzo]

Did you do that in Excel?

[Lustigson]

Who, me? No.

[Lee Janotta]

Here's mine, tried to design the new bits in keeping with the character of the old rements. Definite Spa and Silverstone influences here, I think.

[pirenzo]

See what you mean about Spa and Silverstone influences

What do you think of my Monaco changes?
I saw the available stretch of land for that hairpin on a map of the track i bought in Monaco a few years ago

[Lee Janotta]

Well, I'd like to see something along those lines done to fix the chicane. The hairpin... Mmm, I think I'd miss La Rascasse too much.

[pirenzo]

I just thought for overtaking, then that hairpin might be useful, but it would probably be a bit too tight anyway.
Same idea with the relocation of the chicane to it's prewar location

[Antrodemus]

Originally posted by Lustigson
You did that in Excel?!

Originally posted by pirenzo
Did you do that in Excel?

Yes, Excel. The freeform lines and curve tools are soooo much better than freehand for getting nice smooth flowing bends - and they make chicanes and hairpins look really bad!

[Lustigson]

Wow! That's pretty cool!

[pirenzo]

So, do we import a pic into Excel and then what?

[Lustigson]

I'll stick to Paint Shop Pro, thank you very much? I'm not too keen on learning a new method.

[pirenzo]

Yeah, well if i can make it look nicer, easier, then i'm open to any new method

[Antrodemus]

For those who are up for the challenge of using Excel:

1) Dump pic in Excel
2) Open up the "Drawing" toolbar (View > Toolbars > Drawing)
3) Go to "Autoshapes > Lines" and I use the curve tool for the track and freeform for the other stuff.
4) Get click-happy on your pic. If your first try needs refining, right click on the line and select "Edit Points". Then you can drag the points around. Curves will realign themselves automatically. If you right-click on it again you can add/delete points or change to straight/curved segments.
5) Export to Paint or similar drawing program to save. For some reason I get better results from taking a screendump than copying directly.

The main advantage is you can tweak the design easily without altering the original, but then again I can't speak for PSP - my only alternative is Paint!

[Lustigson]

That doesn't sound too hard, Ant. I might give it a try, just to know how it works.

By the way, judging from your comment about editing lines and stuff, it looks like you're using vectors. That's what I do, too, in PSP.

I also draw my circuits on a larger scale, varying from 800 to 1000 pixels wide. Easier when working on details.

[Antrodemus]

Vectors? This is more like a join-the-dots thing. I suppose that is sort of like vectors but it doesn't churn out coordinates or anything.
For extra detail I just zoom in to about 200%

[Lustigson]

By vectors I mean that you can edit lines that you've already drawn. That doesn't work with bitmap. Then you've only got the eraser.

[pirenzo]

Well, with Picture Publisher i just have pretty much the same tools as in paint, plus a few extras, but the lines are much nicer, and i can smooth things a little, and mask off certain areas as well.
The Excel mathod seems to be definitely worth a go, but i suspect that's what PSP does anyway, which is why both Ant's and Lustigson's tracks look so smooth

[Lustigson]

Once again one of my designs. You probably remember that some time ago we had the Lakeside Raceway challenge. I had made a design then, but one of you posted an aerial photo of the track. I realised I had designed a part of the track to be in water... which tends to be a little difficult.

So, here's my altered design.

[pirenzo]

A club circuit, but it does have facilities for something like FIA GT's or something, but it's supposed to be really a state-of-the-art training/racing school venue, with also a faster outer loop for the daredevils

[pirenzo]

Nice Lustigson, but i think we all agreed in the end that it was best left alone, with some imporved facilities and run-off. Still part of it in the water though, and a very nice track nonetheless.

[Lustigson]

Thanks for the praise, P. And yours is a nice track as well. It reminds me of Thruxton in a way. Expecially the outer track.

[pirenzo]

I based it off Goodwood actually, but yes, i see what you mean

[Lustigson]

I've taken the liberty of making some ajustments to your track, Pirenzo. I added three overtaking spots. Hope you don't mind!

[pirenzo]

Originally posted by Lustigson
Hope you don't mind!

Not at all As it happens, it's good. I hadn't really thought about bothering with overtaking spots when i drew it, i just wnated to try out the excel thing