Can Am for GTL Any interest?

[Jeep]

Hi all,
 Just floating an idea...

I came across a Can Am Mod for GTR2. I searched around (Unsuccessfully) to see if there was anything available for GTL. I found a few links but none seem to work or if they are available seem to rely heavily on other mods and addons for various bits and pieces so aren't really Plug and Play.

I decided to mess around with a fresh GTL install and see if I could make something work. End result is (After becoming very familiar with the GTL trace file) I have successfully converted (Just 1) car [BRM P154] from the GTR2 mod and have it running successfully in GTL.

Obviously permissions etc would need to be granted eventually but currently it's just a feasibility exercise purely for my own gratification and torment.

Do you think there would be any interest in doing this properly so that it would be a complete stand alone pack with no dependences on anything other than the base GTL install?

As I'm working away quite a lot during the next few months I thought it might give me something to do during the evening other than running up my usual exorbitant bar bill.

Even if no one shows any interest I'll probably still have a go and create one of the seasons just for my own enjoyment but I think it could make a nice addition to the UKGTL calendar if done correctly with all permissions etc obtained. (Sorry Tony, I know you already have enough to do)...

TTFN
John.

[Wiltshire Tony]

If it's a legal conversion and not ripped from another game without permission, and if there's enough interest, I'd be happy to host a series here. Would you be interested in sorting out the tracks too?

Oh, and we would need to ask the GTR modder for permission to convert and run here.

[Jeep]

Hi Tony,
 Thanks for the interest.

Yes, All permissions would obviously have to be obtained before anyone other than myself could actually use it. I know who the person is who did the GTR2 version and he has said previously on another forum he would welcome an official GTL conversion so hopefully any contact with him will point me at other people involved in his project. The biggest issue is while I am sure he would grant permission as long as I have something good enough to show him, the GTR2 version itself appears to rely on a lot of 3rd party files (For sounds etc). These might be more difficult to gain permission for (Unless the GTR2 Can-Am author has already obtained these - Perhaps suitable base sounds can be found in a fresh install to get around this). I have a full list of all Can Am entrants for each season from 66 - 73 along with the tracks they raced on so I would need to see how many of the tracks etc are already available for public download and take it from there.

It's just a dream (Or recurring nightmare) I can't shake off at the moment and may end up parked beside a GPL track I work on from time to time but I do have a real interest in these beasts so hopefully I can plug away over the next few months and then make any necessary approaches to the original authors and see if it's worth continuing.

TTFN
John.

[Wiltshire Tony]

Can you name the originals author. We have a lot of previous request's on file so we may in fact already have permission to use his(their) mods in GTL.

[Bob M.]

John:
I don't think finding the tracks that they raced on would be a major problem.  Google is your friend and this was a major racing series here in the US and Canada.  Just like the Trans Am series some of the tracks may be gone to developments and plowed under, but if you are willing to settle for a number of years it shouldn't be a problem finding enough for a season of our racing.  If you need some help tracking down them give me a yell.  Would gladly help with the research....

Bob M.

[Geoffers]

the GTR2 version itself appears to rely on a lot of 3rd party files (For sounds etc).

A lot of the cars from CanAm used big Chevy V8s so I would have thought the sounds for the big block GTC76 Corvette in game would have been suitable for those.

Sounds like an excellent idea for a new series Jeep. 

[Jeep]

Hi Tony,
 Yes sure, The original Topic where I downloaded the GTR2 version is here....

http://www.evolution-modding.com/t1748-absolute-can-am-has-finally-arrived

The original topic author hmmguy is where I plan to start with finding out who I would need to further contact for any permissions.. The thread does actually show a GTL conversion but it's not really suitable to release due to many files not being available in GTL by default and no fully working car selection screens etc due to Enabled/Disabled icons and car preview videos not available.

Can Am itself is a strange one for any sim. It always seems to generate a lot of interest but when it comes to the crunch only GPL has ever really done it seriously as a plug and play package.

I have to say driving the BRM P154 around for a bit it is incredibly fast. It obliterated the BMW Procar at Riverside

Thanks for the offer Bob, (You may live to regret this)

Still a long way off needing anything yet, I'm still basking in the glory that I actually managed to convert a single car so I am under no illusion that I have only scratched the surface and even this car simply "works" but still has no meaningful file structure wrapped around it. I still have to learn about car classes etc and how to add those.

Yes Geoffers, I already started scouring the GTR & GTL packages for existing engine files I can re use. Presumably there would be no problems with copying original game files to other locations and renaming as appropriate as long as mention was made of this in any credit lists? (Obviously I could just leave them were they are and access them via paths if not).

So don't hold your breath waiting for this one. I will either do it right or not at all but at the moment I've not been this excited since I built the terrain packages for a now defunct WW1 flight sim a good few years ago.

TTFN
John.

[Wiltshire Tony]

We don't hold a note of permission from hmmguy so this will be required.

[EvilClive]

I am no expert on this sort of thing, but it might be worth getting in touch with the GPLPS gang who have recently released a Can Am 71 mod and we are promised an imminent release of a 66 Can Am car set. Both come complete with historically correct circuits.

Hats off to you Jeep for taking this on. I would think that GPLPS would be forthcoming with much data/info etc and might save you a lot of footwork?

[Wiltshire Tony]

I have reviewed the tracks used in this formula and the only one we wouldn't be able to use is Edmonton (not the airport based track).

[BillThomas]

Can Am 71 Yes please! Remember seeing them at Silverstone the whole track shook at the start when all those clutches were released at full rpm. Black lines in any gear.

[EvilClive]

I have to confess that driving the 71 Can Ams in GPL is something that is genuinely scary even in sim racing!!

If you think that a 1955 5.7 litre Maserati is insane...try an 8 litre V8 Mclaren Can Am that weighs less than a supermarket trolley!!  Navigating your way around a series of bends at racing speed gives one an insight into just how "special" those guys were back then.

[Wiltshire Tony]

Interestingly I have another series well underway, also from 1971. Perhaps this is a theme that could be developed for the full season? Maybe Bob.M could look into a 1971 Trans-Am series 

[Jeep]

Well, my thoughts of diving into this during the evenings while I was away did little to suppress the bar bill.   It was an exercise in frustration. I really need to get more organised for the next trip.

I have sort of decided on the 67 season. I don't want to do 71 mainly because GPL already have this covered and with the bad feeling around the GPL modding community regarding the 66 season release I also decided to leave that well alone. I think all the tracks are available in GTL for the 67 season as well.

One thing which is very apparent is the cars have way too much grip. I did think they were too fast originally but I now think it's the grip level which is excessive which means I will need to learn about the tyre model eventually I guess. (Although they are probably a bit too quick). I'm not going to look into that at the moment though as learning all the other stuff is already making my head hurt.

Progress is being made though and I now have all cars available for the 66 season working in game although only 1 actually has working preview video, active/inactive icons and sounds which I feel are in the ball park. My own research seems to show the spread of the cars across the seasons as supplied in the mod has a few anomalies. The M6B Mcleagle is listed as a 67 car whereas I'm sure it was actually entered in the 68 season or possibly only the final one or two races  in 67. It's definitely faster than the other 67 cars. A number of the cars are also missing cockpits, not sure if that is a show stopper for use in a league series. (I do know that these are under development for the GTR2 version so I would hope to add these as and when they become available).

My biggest issue currently is all attempts to make contact with the original distributors has met with a deafening silence. I can't get access to the Evo Modding forums (I receive notification of my request but no activation mail). I have also tried contacting the administrators directly but again no reply. I also recognise some names on the No Grip forums as well but again no reply to PM's. So this may just end up sitting on my hard drive forever after all.

If I continue to be ignored I may have to rattle a few cages to elicit a response.

EDIT* Forget the replay question. (Removed) I was just being thick as usual.. I needed to set the flag to date/timestamp the replays. *ENDEDIT

TTFN
John.

[Jeep]

I was contacted by the GTR2 guy today (Thanks Tony if you had anything to do with that).

He is more than happy for me to continue this little project and release it once I'm happy with it as long as I include any readme's and credits from the original package and state it's origins.

Although the thread related to the GTL version on the Evo forums has been dormant for some time apparently there is a lot of progress behind the scenes and they are working on a new release for both sims to be released in the future (When I have no idea).

So I'll continue with this with the aim of producing something which is stable and slots seamlessly into the original GTL install but with the knowledge it will be replaced by something bigger and better at sometime in the future.

If I can do this in time for a possible series in 2017 I will.

I'll hopefully post some videos of where I am on youtube in the not too distant future.

TTFN
John.