Real FX Racing

I've just posted my first impressions of Real FX Racing >here
I put it on a Slotforum blog rather than in post so that I can update it after Santa has released the goods and I can test it more comprehensively.

Any comments or questions can be posted in this thread.

Cheers,
Chris

Well, my own personal jury is still out on the Real FX Racing system... it certainly looks interesting, but I'm not convinced it'd be an alternative to my slot club racing. However, I have no space for a permanent slot track at home, so it does strike me that this'd be a great toy to set up temporarily to play about on - and I love the pace-car feature, even if they are more mobile chicane than worth adversary. Still, I won't pass judgement without trying it out - wonder if the designers will give us the opportunity at UKSF 2015?

Opinion of the product aside, you've definitely written a great article, Chris! Really good to read not only about the system itself, but also about how you 'took the plunge' and became a supporter on Kickstarter - must be a great feeling to see a product that you've invested in come to fruition. The comparison photos really helped me understand the specifics of the system and the videos are a great way to see it in action.

Question: as the AI used the graduated-fade on the track as a guide... could you not simply print your own track?

I have just read through this post and thought the system looks really well developed and I the price will attract many people.

Just a few of points.

I noticed that there were a few Doctorates floating around in the video and they made setting up the system quite easy. I'm not completely stupid, but my brain does tend to hurt when I have to go through a lot of menus. How is the thing to set up?

I wonder how some thicko who when asked to name a famous Engineer says "Kevin Webster off Coronation Street" will get on listening to the hand controller telling him what to do...is it me and am I just too old for this sort of stuff?

There is also something not quite right about the way they drive around the track constant twitching and adjustments rather than a smooth path like a real car, but still a very clever system. How do the light sensors work on the track some sort of "Moire Fringe" setup of Polaroid method perhaps. This might limit the system if you wanted to make your own scenic track.

Hi Martin,
QUOTE (martinprice2004 @ 18 Dec 2014, 00:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I noticed that there were a few Doctorates floating around in the video and they made setting up the system quite easy. I'm not completely stupid, but my brain does tend to hurt when I have to go through a lot of menus. How is the thing to set up?
Pretty easy and very quick after a few runs if you just use the defaults for novice or expert.

The controller/car pairing is intelligent and automatic. For the menus, the voice leads you through it - you can just choose practice or race with one of two buttons, wait for others to join, then press the tick button and go. The steering wheel will optionally toggle options like novice/expert.

The other options like sound and custom races aren't totally intuitive at first and require a combination of the "I" button, steering wheel and trigger to scroll through and select. Not quite at doctorate level though.

These are two flow charts from the Kickstarter page but they make it look more complicated than it is- what you hear is in italics.
The full manual is here


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QUOTE (martinprice2004 @ 18 Dec 2014, 00:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There is also something not quite right about the way they drive around the track constant twitching and adjustments rather than a smooth path like a real car, but still a very clever system. How do the light sensors work on the track some sort of "Moire Fringe" setup of Polaroid method perhaps. This might limit the system if you wanted to make your own scenic track.
No idea how thesensors detect. They are looking for the mid density in the black to white gradient. The further the car moves to away from it the more the wheels turn in direct proportion to the distance/density variation.
They are twitchy at the slow speeds like the the pacers, but you don't notice it so much when you are controlling it and going faster.

@Greg,

Chris

Yes but only in the same way that a Rail Car was not a Tether Car & a Slot car was not a Rail Car. They all however share one thing in common and that is that some form of additional guidance / assistance is provided, be that a Tether, a Rail, a Slot and now a Steel Wire & Magnet or a Shaded Gradient and an Opto Sensor.

Who knows which will survive & flourish into the future? But what for me is quite certain is that increased use of electronics, microcontrollers and AI in general will add to the enjoyment and realism of a guided model car.

Rich

Cause the $20 car lasts about a day and was a pile of rubbish before it left the factory
Usually infrared or MHz control etc.