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Zandvoort made by Vanderstok (originally for SCGT).

Importing SCGT tracks has a lot in common with importing SCGT cars. You might want to skim that first before reading this document. Also note that some tracks are already available more or less (with less work). Check out the Fast Track page.

Before continuing, make sure you get the following:

• A copy of SCGT (or F1-2000) if you don't already own it.
• Tony Hirst's VRL2VRML
• Tagforce's MASpuce (v1.0 or higher, perhaps MAStudio might be the choice of today)
• An SCGT track
• Racer's TrackEd (see the download page)
• At least about 50Mb of free disk space while converting

THE STEPS IN SHORT

• Unzip the track files into a temporary directory, say C:\T\MONZA.
• Run MASpuce and extract the MAS files to get to the VRL files and the BMP texture images (in for example C:\T\MONZA\RACER). Often you'll have 2 .MAS files; one XXXMAP.MAS file, which contains textures, and a XXX.MAS file, which contains the geometry (the 3D objects).
• Run VRL2VRML and convert the VRL files to VRML (this creates .wrl files).
• Create a new track directory, for example C:\SIMS\RACER\DATA\TRACKS\MONZA.
• Copy an existing track.ini from another track (try the Oval1/TRACK.INI) and adjust it for the new track, or create your own from scratch (see below for an example). This track.ini should remain small, as it will be loaded to determine global details of available tracks.
  Example changes are the track's name and author.
  
• Move (don't copy to keep disk space low) all .BMP files from C:\T\MONZA into the track directory.
• Create a SCGT/wrl directory in the Racer track directory (i.e. C:\SIMS\RACER\DATA\TRACKS\MONZA\SCGT\WRL).
  Move (don't copy) all .WRL files you created with VRL2VRML into this directory.
• Run TrackEd, select the new track, and click the button 'Convert SCGT wrl's' to convert all WRL files to DOF format. This may take a while, but has to happen just once. All WRL files from <trackdir>/SCGT/wrl will be converted. They will be optimized, packed and prepared for fast usage in the Racer environments. You'll find the DOF files in the track directory (yes, it's getting crowded there). If all has succeeded, you may want to remove the WRL files now, since they take up a lot of space (especially compared to the DOF files).
• Import the DOF models into your track. You will see them appear (hopefully) as they load. Specify '*' to load all DOF models (you'll have to do this eventually). You may also test a subset of models, for speed (and still, leaving out the skyboxes is a good thing for now). Save your track when done. This will store the model descriptions in geometry.ini in the track directory.
  If you want to remove geometry later, you must edit the geometry.ini file directly.
  
• Import the scene file (.scn) from SCGT. This is the tough one, as it's not automated yet. You'll have to create cameras, grid positions etc. yourself.
  In practice, this currently (28-02-01) means you'll have to create at least 2 timelines, a grid and a pit position. Don't forget to save the track after you've done this.
• Optionally add lighting by clicking 'Add lighting'. After that, save & reload the track (click 'Select track' and press OK). This adds some rough form of lighting (it adds normals actually and lights the track while rendering).
  
• Test the track. Drive around, see how it works. Get back to TrackEd, load the track and modify it until you're satisfied.

Here's an example track.ini file.

;
; Monza - my own version with banking
; Generic information file (for all track file formats)
; 12-12-00: Created!
;
track
{
  ; Type of track; flat=simple track format, vrml=SCGT-like modeled track
  type=vrml
  name=Monza with Banking
  creator=Mr. Trackypants
  length=7.3 kilometers
}

Further steps will include:

• Determining which objects you can collide with, which are pit areas, etc.
• Placing cameras around the track for replay purposes.
• Determining a start grid.

I'll have to elaborate on these things more when they get more shape.

COMMON PROBLEMS

To avoid having to reinvent the wheel too much, here are common problems you probably will encounter:

• Symptom: while driving, you often hit mysterious invisible objects.
  Solution: this probably is because you imported the X*.wrl (or .dof) files. These are used in SCGT to mark timelines, and pit entry/exit. In Racer, this is done in other ways, so remove the X* files from geometry.ini, or rather don't import/convert them at all.
• Symptom: the sky is imported but is dark and doesn't move while driving.
  Solution: the sky needs special flags, as it is handled differently from other objects. Edit geometry.ini and set the sky flags to 73 (magic!). Reload the track, and see if the sky behaves better.
• Symptom: once on the track in Racer itself, the car immediately falls and keeps falling (through the track).
  Solution: you need to set Collide and Surface flags for all objects that can be driven on. Just enter Object mode (F4), click the object, and press C, S. You can check the flags in the top left of the TrackEd window. A lot of objects will NOT be collidable, and for efficiency the default flags for objects is thus nothing.

Q&A

• Q: Can I move my track into another directory, if I come across 2 tracks with the same name?
  A: Sure, I believe in directory-freeness. Racer scans the data/tracks directory for tracks, and the real info is obtained from the track.ini file, so there's no reference to the actual directory name whatsoever.

I hope you'll find TrackEd useful and fun.

(last updated November 13, 2012 )