NASCAR Mod, for FS

This is going to sound like a lot but just hear me out.

What do you guys think about getting together and making a high-def NASCAR mod for FS? I'm calling it a mod because its more than just a single car addon. I thinking of some detailed tracks (or all of them) in their correct locations around the world. FS2004 and FSX compatible.

For the cars, we’ll need a pace car for races because the FDs would have to be geared so high for high speed racing that standing starts would be almost impossible, plus they use pace cars in the real world. The pace car would need to be able to be easy to drive at 40-60 mph, which is the NASCAR pace limit (depending on track).
We’ll also have to make Dodge/Chevy/Toyota/Ford cars for racing. (maybe COT) The FDs would be the same for the 4 makes, but we would have to make different FDs for different tracks. A fast, slow turning one for Super Speedways and speedway tracks; a slower fast turning one for Short tracks; and one for road courses.

The tracks –
I was thinking of making all of the tracks in the CUP series (or at least two of each type).
I am hoping the tracks will be banked and drivable (which will make it harder for the FDE). Also have detailed pit boxes and garage areas, and correct stands and details for each track.

Now for what I can do
I feel that I can get the cars done really well and fully detailed (but I can’t do really good texturing)
I can do hi-def repaints after someone gets a basic texture done. (I am thinking of doing the whole NEXTEL CUP fleet)
I can never seem to get the basic shape of the tracks down so if someone does the basic shape of each track (pretty much the drivable parts) then I can get all of the small details in.
I can also get any of the research or diagrams, blah, blah that will be needed for this.

Now what I need
Someone to do the basic shape of the tracks
Texturing the cars (I'll do all fo the repaints, just need a basic one to start with)
Someone to do the FDs - (SuperSpeedway, Short Track, Road Corse, and Pace Car)


If someone wants to help with the modeling that is fine but I feel that I can get it all done pretty easy.




If we can pull this off I think it will be one of the best ground addons for FS.





PS: Any Ideas for the pace car?

Sounds like a good mission. It's quite unfortunate that I have two major projects already [Project Ducati and the SimV airport]. I'm sorry to say that I have been neglecting the airport project for quite some time because nobody else in the SimV Design Team [except the one that made his own track] seems to be helping out other than to sit back and watch me do the work on the models.

Anyways, a joint project like a NASCAR mod seems like the perfect challenge to me. And since Project Ducati is close to beta testing already, I think I can devote some spare time to this one.

I think Dirk might be able to handle the scenery part since he is so good at that, while I can handle the race cars. However, it's the dynamics that will have me worried; so I think we'll need an expert on that.

I can also put together an online group in much the same way I did with the SimV Design Group.

Cheers,

Jessy Corrales
FSGV Admin

Yeah I dont expect this to get started until I finish the Trans Am, and then I will probally start modeling the Nascar models.

An online group sounds good too

Ok, I'm leaving tomarrow (right after the race) for a week and a half at our cabin. It gets really boring after we finish dirtbiking during the day, so I should have even more time than usual to work on the cars. I will have a laptop to work on, but no internet, or TV for that matter . I am about 98% done with the Trans Am, and about 50% done with deleting unecceray polys.

When I finish that the next in line is the Nascars. I should have those finished, or very close to finished by the time I get back. I will have half a week back to send these to you guys, and then I'm leaving for another week of camping But after that I will be here for sure.

I was thinking of an idea for this (since it is probally going to be an online mod) and that is to make a hi-poly detailed version of each car for the user, and a lower rez version for the other racers.

I got the idea from PROPS air racing over at westcoastatc.com which is a big online air racing series.
The way it works is in the cfg file there is a TON of different repaints, and a hirez and lorez version of each plane. They are all defaulted to the lorez model, and the user goes in the cfg and changes the model to point at the hirez one. This helps to save a lot of frames during multiplayer and lets the user enjoy all the features of his/her plane (or in our case car )


Anyway, if anyone is dying to model, we'll need a pace car (modeler's choice) and the lorez versions of the cars (since I am really bad with poly count )



I'll attach a picture of my idea of what the file tree would look like, and what I am talking about in the cfg

here are some pics to clear up that mass of words that i wrote





of course with this idea if the user cant run the hirez version well, he can choose to leave the cfg the way it is and have every car lo-rez.



PS: by lowrez i dont mean really blocky, but still detailed eough that you wouldn't mind just runing it if it gave you better FPS.

Again this is just throwing an idea out there

The exteriors are almost done.

Here are some shots of the Chevy model, but I am about as far with the other three.

all cars are pretty much done, just have to do an interior, but that will probally take a while because I want to make it look good so people would drive from the interior


PS: should this topic be moved to a different part of the forum now that is is getting going?

Already Moved.

I've just created a separate category in the screenshots page of FSGV so that we can group together our MOD work for all to see.

Anyways, since I have already know how to create and export scenery using the attach tool and since Dirk Stuck can't be contacted, I decided to get to work on making a track. This time, I'll be combining my AFCAD skills along with modeling as well.

My track of choice:

Homestead Speedway



The best part is that I actually live very close to it. If and whenever I have the time, I can simply drive over there and take pictures.

Alright, cool. I just got back from vacation, and I just have to do interiors, so the cars will be done soon

Here are some updated shots of the track. I managed to scale the map properly by simply calibrating a box to the proper size based on the measures posted on Google Maps. I then used that box as a reference. After that, I started modeling the main road surface using a spline technique.

Looking good. I see you're making the road course in the middle, good idea so we could use it for the F1 cars

I just got an email from Watson, CEO of MoTIS, telling me that he can help with this project. Here is the email that he has sent me.

Of course, I have sent a reply to him that this whole NASCAR project is originally your idea.

Anyways, this is a great chance to expand the project and give it a boost in terms of development. What do you think?

Yeah, sure, any help is great Also, I dont want to be the ultimate decision maker for this project, if you want to do things, go ahead. I'm not a big person for perfection, and i want this to be a group project, so evryone involved can do what they want with it

Small Update:

Got te main shape of the interior done, just time for small details. About 80% done with the car

EDIT:
only 12,000 polys too! My limit is 15, because of online racing, but it will probally be alot lower