We don't all have the ability or time to make real tracks, so I think it's worth having a thread where we discuss things that can make a fictional track look real. Occasionally I see a new track which has extreme banking, or some other feature that we wouldn't see on a real track. Conversely they sometimes lack features that a real track would have.
Here are my thoughts:
Aerial photographs: Use Google Earth to look at race tracks from above. You can see the walls, service roads etc.
Service roads: Every track should have these. They don't have to be fancy, just some terrain with a plain tarmac texture will suffice. Move/create terrain anchors to give it a suitable shape.
Gaps in the barriers: Don't have a continuous wall all around the track. There needs to be gaps for marshals and vehicles to get through.See below.The arrow is the direction of the track. The curved part of the barrier is to prevent a sharp edge that cars could collide with.
Fences: Where there are people (marshals or spectators) there should be fences to protect them from debris. Other places can do without them.
Pits location: Usually the pits are inside the track.
Bridges: If the pit complex is inside the track there will need to be some way to get to it. Some club circuits just let vehicles drive over the track itself (see Brands Hatch), but I think a bridge is more common. Make sure it's sturdy enough for trucks to get over.
Corners and straights: Purpose built tracks usually have constant radius corners(http://simtrackipedia.wikidot.com/crc) and straight straights (http://simtrackipedia.wikidot.com/btb:perfect-straights). The same usually goes for modern public roads. Things may be more variable for country roads.
I'll continue this later but feel free to add your own suggestions.
Here are my thoughts:
Aerial photographs: Use Google Earth to look at race tracks from above. You can see the walls, service roads etc.
Service roads: Every track should have these. They don't have to be fancy, just some terrain with a plain tarmac texture will suffice. Move/create terrain anchors to give it a suitable shape.
Gaps in the barriers: Don't have a continuous wall all around the track. There needs to be gaps for marshals and vehicles to get through.See below.The arrow is the direction of the track. The curved part of the barrier is to prevent a sharp edge that cars could collide with.
Fences: Where there are people (marshals or spectators) there should be fences to protect them from debris. Other places can do without them.
Pits location: Usually the pits are inside the track.
Bridges: If the pit complex is inside the track there will need to be some way to get to it. Some club circuits just let vehicles drive over the track itself (see Brands Hatch), but I think a bridge is more common. Make sure it's sturdy enough for trucks to get over.
Corners and straights: Purpose built tracks usually have constant radius corners(http://simtrackipedia.wikidot.com/crc) and straight straights (http://simtrackipedia.wikidot.com/btb:perfect-straights). The same usually goes for modern public roads. Things may be more variable for country roads.
I'll continue this later but feel free to add your own suggestions.