First track attempt
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Nice! Three comments:
- I think the lane changer on top is maybe too close after the corner. I would place that farther away from the corner. Otherwise it can lead to sensor failure if a car is drifting in that corner.
- Personally I would add more R1 curves to create more variation in speed. Now you have a very fast track especially with mags. But if thats what you want it's fine
- I think the two lanes are pretty much difference length wise. Have you thought about a cross-over bridge? What you can do is first test how fast each lane is and then correct. Some people say that for digital the lane difference does not matter, but I don't agree with that. I think the two lanes should be quite equal in lap time.
Good luck!
- I think the lane changer on top is maybe too close after the corner. I would place that farther away from the corner. Otherwise it can lead to sensor failure if a car is drifting in that corner.
- Personally I would add more R1 curves to create more variation in speed. Now you have a very fast track especially with mags. But if thats what you want it's fine
- I think the two lanes are pretty much difference length wise. Have you thought about a cross-over bridge? What you can do is first test how fast each lane is and then correct. Some people say that for digital the lane difference does not matter, but I don't agree with that. I think the two lanes should be quite equal in lap time.
Good luck!
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4,301 Posts
Theo is right, think about moving the XLCs (straight lane changer) at the top straight in one or two pieces - to the right that is.
To some degree,I feel track length is not too critical, but you want to think about not ending up with all drivers finding the same "fastest lane". You want to offer a bit more variety per lap, especially if you want lots of overtaking.
To that end, I'd think of putting another XLCS half way along theriht hand straight - a chance to overtake just before the badgers section.
The most implant thing is to not commit to a permanent fixing until you have run several races on the track. This is to make sure you are 100% happy with everything - you may be surprised at how many little tweaks bad adjustments you may want to make after even a few laps.
I like the look of it, and it sloops like it will be fairly easy to Marshall with good lines of site. Enjoy building and racing it, and share some photos of both!
To some degree,I feel track length is not too critical, but you want to think about not ending up with all drivers finding the same "fastest lane". You want to offer a bit more variety per lap, especially if you want lots of overtaking.
To that end, I'd think of putting another XLCS half way along theriht hand straight - a chance to overtake just before the badgers section.
The most implant thing is to not commit to a permanent fixing until you have run several races on the track. This is to make sure you are 100% happy with everything - you may be surprised at how many little tweaks bad adjustments you may want to make after even a few laps.
I like the look of it, and it sloops like it will be fairly easy to Marshall with good lines of site. Enjoy building and racing it, and share some photos of both!
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486 Posts
A few comments
Where do the drivers stand? I'm guessing the top (in the diagram) is against a wall so they have to stand at the bottom?
Careful they don't block one another's view of the loop to the bottom left of the diagram.
I'm guessing the squares on the diagram are half meter?
Can you get round the end of the track for access to the top right corner?
If not, that's a long reach from the front. A fairly tall guy can probably reach that far with one hand if they put their other hand down on something solid. Think about that when designing your scenery. The reach from the front to the top left is almost as far, so that needs planning for too.
Long handled grabbers are an option, but sometimes there's no substitute for putting you hand on the problem.
It's still a problem if you are running full marshalled racing, but I'm guessing you won't
The differance in lane length will be just under half a meter with Scalex sport track. Difficult to predict a lap time differance, the inside lane will probably be quicker, but the gain will almost certainly be considerably less than half a meter per lap. It's a matter of opinion how much that matters in digital.
Putting in a bridge will make the lane lengths exactly equal, the lap times should be much nearer the same but are unlikley to be identical.
Where do the drivers stand? I'm guessing the top (in the diagram) is against a wall so they have to stand at the bottom?
Careful they don't block one another's view of the loop to the bottom left of the diagram.
I'm guessing the squares on the diagram are half meter?
Can you get round the end of the track for access to the top right corner?
If not, that's a long reach from the front. A fairly tall guy can probably reach that far with one hand if they put their other hand down on something solid. Think about that when designing your scenery. The reach from the front to the top left is almost as far, so that needs planning for too.
Long handled grabbers are an option, but sometimes there's no substitute for putting you hand on the problem.
It's still a problem if you are running full marshalled racing, but I'm guessing you won't
The differance in lane length will be just under half a meter with Scalex sport track. Difficult to predict a lap time differance, the inside lane will probably be quicker, but the gain will almost certainly be considerably less than half a meter per lap. It's a matter of opinion how much that matters in digital.
Putting in a bridge will make the lane lengths exactly equal, the lap times should be much nearer the same but are unlikley to be identical.
i dont run digital so these are just thoughts if i did. the layout looks good, fast the way i like tracks. the only place i,d put lane changers are after 1 straight coming out of a bend, just when your getting on the throttle and the abrupt lane change wouldn,t upset the cars too much. never on a straight or just before a bend when your braking. this is based on how a crossover track unsettles the car in these situations. john
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2,714 Posts
Top left - I would make a nice big R4 curve instead of two small ones with a short straight in between.
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17,964 Posts
I think it looks like a fun track, and that's the whole point, right?
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I think that it will probably change significantly over time as you learn what you like and try new things.
A couple things I've found are quite common in the end result of many tracks, which you might give some thought to, or try out when you are in the mood:
1) one long straight, as long as your space will allow, is nice to have so that you can really let the legs out on your cars. Just one per lap, though. Many laps means many chances to run that fast straight.
2) a sweeping turn somewhere, usually in or out of a long straight.
3) some technical turns to slow things down a bit. For some, that's R2, and for others (like me), it's R1. It looks like you're ok with R1 turns, and you've got them in a couple of good places.
4) lots of interesting curve combinations. Most people find that over time, having to move the trigger MORE in order to get the best speed at any point in the track is a good thing. Tracks with little more than fixed radii turns and longish straights in between tends to get boring very quickly. Fortunately, you've already got this one down pat. There are a lot of great curve combinations in there.
These are just rules of thumb suggestions, of course. Some people don't like some of those things, but it's always worth giving them a try just to be sure.
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The good part about plastic track is how easy it is to change things around.
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I think that it will probably change significantly over time as you learn what you like and try new things.
A couple things I've found are quite common in the end result of many tracks, which you might give some thought to, or try out when you are in the mood:
1) one long straight, as long as your space will allow, is nice to have so that you can really let the legs out on your cars. Just one per lap, though. Many laps means many chances to run that fast straight.
2) a sweeping turn somewhere, usually in or out of a long straight.
3) some technical turns to slow things down a bit. For some, that's R2, and for others (like me), it's R1. It looks like you're ok with R1 turns, and you've got them in a couple of good places.
4) lots of interesting curve combinations. Most people find that over time, having to move the trigger MORE in order to get the best speed at any point in the track is a good thing. Tracks with little more than fixed radii turns and longish straights in between tends to get boring very quickly. Fortunately, you've already got this one down pat. There are a lot of great curve combinations in there.
These are just rules of thumb suggestions, of course. Some people don't like some of those things, but it's always worth giving them a try just to be sure.
The good part about plastic track is how easy it is to change things around.
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36 Posts
Ok Ive had a think and tweeked it a bit, added a few more R1s and some R4 on the back straight. so this is the plan now,
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Ive actually built this and currently testing it to see how it goes. The back straight has a hill where the bend starts in middle to be like 'eau rouge' at Spa.
I'll add some photos if i remember to take some while testing. Nothing is fixed down yet. and the pit lane needs imagination at the moment.
Ive actually built this and currently testing it to see how it goes. The back straight has a hill where the bend starts in middle to be like 'eau rouge' at Spa.
I'll add some photos if i remember to take some while testing. Nothing is fixed down yet. and the pit lane needs imagination at the moment.
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36 Posts
Ok here are some photos: firstly the track as above
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Then after some adjustment:
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and the view of faux rouge
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and the other end of the track
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It turns out i'm rubbish at photos
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Now I'm starting to think I want more track and go for less scenery. I have built my own pit sensing system USB powered, which I may use for anti collision.
Then after some adjustment:
and the view of faux rouge
and the other end of the track
It turns out i'm rubbish at photos
Now I'm starting to think I want more track and go for less scenery. I have built my own pit sensing system USB powered, which I may use for anti collision.
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3,881 Posts
This is going to be great ! I love Spa, I go there at least one time a year and I love what you did with eau rouge. If possible, I would shorten the straight before eau rouge, and lenghten It after. Taking eau rouge good is critical for building up speed in the straight after. In real life, the track actually raises after eau rouge. Track barriers and room to slide will be crucial. I like to see where this is going, keep us posted !
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