Tracks Watkins Glen International

[ALB123]

I didn't mean to derail towards a Group C discussion, sorry. Also there should be no reason for folks to be sad around here .

Is there ever a bad time to have a Group C discussion? That's like apologizing for serving great pizza three days in a row!

I've known the race track Watkins Glen International forever, but I never realized they raced Group C there. That's great to learn! I know it's become expected that a Lilski creation be outstanding, but it's still worth stating that this track is shaping up so nicely.

I love how much time Lilski spends on making sure the subtleties are there. That's what really separates a really, really good track from a great track, in my opinion. The twisty wire on the catch fencing is a great example. You're most likely never going to even see it - especially at race speeds. But, if a track camera is placed nearby, or if someone is taking still photos nearby with their own custom placement, those wires may very well become prominent in the shot. Again...that's taking really good catch fencing modeling and turning it into great catch fencing modeling.

I never knew about The Bog at The Glen so I just did a quick Google search to get an overview about The Bog. I do know Lilski really likes this track IRL but I have no idea if he wants to recreate The Bog or not. However, if he did want to recreate The Bog it shouldn't be hard to have animated flames on a destroyed car, right? It'd be almost like the flames from our exhaust, except it's always burning every frame or am I talking out of my ignorant a$$? I suppose even a static shot of a burning car would suffice. But knowing how Lilski builds his tracks, if he does recreate The Bog it's going to be great or he's not going to include it at all.

 

[AccAkut]

Is there ever a bad time to have a Group C discussion? That's like apologizing for serving great pizza three days in a row!

I've known the race track Watkins Glen International forever, but I never realized they raced Group C there. That's great to learn! I know it's become expected that a Lilski creation be outstanding, but it's still worth stating that this track is shaping up so nicely.

Look a feew pages back, we linked to full Group C race coverages that IMSA made available on youtube a few weeks ago

 

[ALB123]

Look a feew pages back, we linked to full Group C race coverages that IMSA made available on youtube a few weeks ago

How did I miss that?! Thanks for letting me know.

Wow...Watkins looks like it can be bumpy. 190mph by time the cars get to the Inner Loop. According to the video I'm currently watching, the GTS cars could also get up to about 190mph before the Inner Loop. That's crazy fast.

I love this map of Watkins Glen:

It's like a freakin' rollercoaster! I'm a sucker for elevation changes.

 

[LilSki]

How did I miss that?! Thanks for letting me know.

Wow...Watkins looks like it can be bumpy. 190mph by time the cars get to the Inner Loop. According to the video I'm currently watching, the GTS cars could also get up to about 190mph before the Inner Loop. That's crazy fast.

I love this map of Watkins Glen:

It's like a freakin' rollercoaster! I'm a sucker for elevation changes.

Bumpy then but not so much anymore after 2016.

 

[Ryno917]

Bumpy then but not so much anymore after 2016.

It was also resurfaced sometime between the GTP days and 2016 as well; wasn't nearly that bumpy through the 2000s AFAIK.

How did I miss that?! Thanks for letting me know.

Wow...Watkins looks like it can be bumpy. 190mph by time the cars get to the Inner Loop. According to the video I'm currently watching, the GTS cars could also get up to about 190mph before the Inner Loop. That's crazy fast.

I love this map of Watkins Glen:

It's like a freakin' rollercoaster! I'm a sucker for elevation changes.

The thing I always hate about those maps is that they hugely overemphasize the elevation changes. Watkins is still quite the rollercoaster, but not nearly as much as that map shows. I see the same thing even on modern F1 tracks which are practically all billiard-table flat these days, sadly. Talk about misrepresenting data

 

[LilSki]

It was also resurfaced sometime between the GTP days and 2016 as well; wasn't nearly that bumpy through the 2000s AFAIK.



The thing I always hate about those maps is that they hugely overemphasize the elevation changes. Watkins is still quite the rollercoaster, but not nearly as much as that map shows. I see the same thing even on modern F1 tracks which are practically all billiard-table flat these days, sadly. Talk about misrepresenting data

Correct. This is what it actually looks like.

 

[RufGTI]

@LilSki do you already know which track layouts you want to realize? I guess the GP and NASCAR layouts should be beyond question but are there any other layouts planned/possible?

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

The only other layouts possible are those two, but without the inner loop; neither of which are currently used anymore IIRC.

 

[LilSki]

4 are planned. Both long and short with and without the inner loop. Obviously I won't be getting rid of the inner loop for the classic layouts but I might move the brake markers.

 

[Ryno917]

Can't wait to bypass the inner loop and fly into turn 5 at 190mph in the Porsche 962 like they did in the early 90s!

 

[Jebus]

Can't wait to bypass the inner loop and fly into turn 5 at 190mph in the Porsche 962 like they did in the early 90s!

Heh, 962 will be the car I will take for a spin first when the track is released. It's been my go to car for a while now and mostly at Riverside long. But great to get more IMSA tracks for it.

 

[LilSki]

Not much to show but AI is working on all layouts as well as a base groove on all of them too. I have been going back and fine tuning some of the details on the curbs. The grass transition was my main point of concern and I think it turned out pretty good. Obviously no 3D grass yet.

 

[CobraCat]

Stunning attention to detail. I'm sure it doesn't look this good in real life !!

 

[Mitja Bonca]

Looks stunning indeed. Maybe just the green color of the grass surface is a bit strange, a bit more green.

 

[LilSki]

Looks stunning indeed. Maybe just the green color of the grass surface is a bit strange, a bit more green.

Yeah all the colors need tweaking. Nothing is final at this stage. When I start on 3D grass (the end) is when I will go over all the colors.

 

[LilSki]

Had to get the grass color sorted so I could finalize all the curb textures. Actually looks like a sunny day now.

 

[guidofoc]

Yay! It's coming!

 

[Daggerman]

Hey man,

Are you going to put some mud / dirt textures behind the kerbs to make the grass look more cut up / worn?

 

[LilSki]

Hey man,

Are you going to put some mud / dirt textures behind the kerbs to make the grass look more cut up / worn?

Where it makes sense yes. And for Watkins the only places it makes sense it at the bus stop and maybe exit T9. Due to the high speed nature of the course there actually isn't allot of curb use at turn apex, and most turn exits are paved except for T9. The only video I have where there is a lot of dirt behind the curbs is in 2016 and the grass has not grown back in yet after the repave. In all the other videos I have the grass grows right up against the backside of the curb with no dirt.

 

[Leonardo Ratafiá]

Had to get the grass color sorted so I could finalize all the curb textures. Actually looks like a sunny day now.
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