Is BTB still the best choice for a newbie?

P_Cote · Oct 20, 2013

Hi all,

I'm considering building my own tracks and I want to know if BTB is still my best option the get started. My main sim are GTR2 / GTL. I would like to convert to AC eventually (another story, I know...).

I read stuff about 3DMax being more flexible and so on (and costly), I don't mind being somewhat limited (without fancy options) to start as long as I can get something that looks reasonnably good.

From what I see here it would seem BTB would do the trick, any comments or warnings before I buy my license? (I'll get the demo first)
Thanks in advance!

Erwin Greven · Oct 20, 2013

To start with is BTB Evo the best solution for you. It is suitable for exporting tracks to GTR2 and GTL.
Keep in mind that the program was originaly build to run on Win Xp. But many have this program running on Win7 32/64 bits.

Lee Knight · Oct 20, 2013

If your looking to build for Assetto Corsa then Pro might be the better option as it can Export to .DX file type which can then be converted fairly easily into A-C's format...
(I was looking forward to building for A-C too until it went to steam, but that's another tale...)
Unfortunately BTB Pro doesn't Export to the other sims you mentioned but SimEd can as well as a plethora of others, but the advantage with Pro is that background images of the terrain can be blended into the terrain textures which Evo can not do...

P_Cote · Oct 21, 2013

Thanks for your comment guys, I really appreciate.

One more thing, BTB Evo would seem like the logical choice to start with GTR2, but It seems like it lacks some nice features.
How difficult (or time consumming!) is the conversion thru 3DSimed? If I have to convert every time I want to test in GTR2, it could mean a lot more time.
Can a track developed with EVO, be openned and modified later with PRO?

Lee Knight · Oct 21, 2013

The projects BTB build files can be opened in either Pro or Evo versions of BTB.

Erwin Greven · Oct 22, 2013

Keep in mind that when you add a new terrain or road texture in pro, you have to check if Evo also combines the texture with the right surface, found in venue materials.

ebrich · Oct 22, 2013

If the nice features you talk about are the terrain blending and your making a track for GTL etc. those games cannot show those blended textures. Thats why its not a tool in EVO.

If you get my drift.

Erwin Greven · Oct 22, 2013

I point to the situation i had with a track i build in BTB pro. After i exported this track in Evo to GTR2 many textures were undriveable. Some track surfaces are supported by rfactor, but not in GTR2.

P_Cote · Oct 22, 2013

Ok I see, I'll stick with EVO in that case!
Many thanks for all your inputs.
With a bit of luck (and work) I'll have some nice WIP screenshots to show .... eventually !

Shawdad · Oct 22, 2013

Good luck! Looking forward to seeing what you make. I very much enjoy using Bobs Track Builder. I mostly build tracks for myself and just for the fun of building them and BTB takes a lot of the technical work out of the equation.