Introduction
J.T.Canyon is my contribution to the rally stages in the GPL Rally 2 competition.
Madcowie asked if I would make a stage way back when, and it didn't
take much persuading to get me back in the editing groove :-) The track
is set in nowhere-land; is most definitely a fantasy stage; and whilst trying
to make a fun-to-drive ribbon of road, I made sure that a hint of evilness
remained. Elements of the track have been carried over from when that
most famous of vaporware tracks JTRC (Junp Trak Roler Corster) was being
designed, and the official sponsor might be familiar to those who braved
a certain short GPLEA track !
Installing
Run the wonderful installer program by Martin Granberg. Check, double-check
and triple-check your seasons/.ini files if it doesn't appear in the track
listing.
Track Guide
Section One- Start to Sawmill
Join the track and you're placed some way behind the start line, for a high-speed
flying start. The timing only starts when you pass through the spinning
Pants adverts. Down and under the bridge, fast left-hander, then line
up for the first jump. Get it right and being a series of medium-speed
right-left-right corners. A smooth line through here is important,
and avoiding the hares is quite sensible. Flat-out across the bridge
(chase-view drivers beware!), and take extra care through the left-hander.
You'll need at least 100mph/160kph to negotiate the next jump safely;
crossing the river at speed without using the jump is not advisable!
Section Two - Sawmill to Tunnel
After destroying your suspension during the landing, the next three slower
corners are most appreciated. Cross the second bridge and dip down
into the tree-lined section. Beware the track debris, then hold a drift
through first a long 180degree left hander, then a long 180degree right hander
into the tunnel.
Section Three - Tunnel to Butt Canyon
Take it easy out of the tunnel, for the next corner is tighter than you
think. Speed over the lava flow into the start of the canyon. Admire
the crudely mipped desert plants (;-)) and keep it floored until the Moai
appear.
Section Four - Butt Canyon
Not much to say about this really. Get the start right and sit back
for the ride. Curse yourself for not getting the top-gear ratio right
and wait for the end! Spotting the next tunnel entrance will be quite
easy once you've been up and down the canyon walls once or twice after not
scrubbing enough speed off from the downhill run :)
Section Five - Drive to the Beach
Out of the second tunnel, slam the anchors on for the evil uphill hairpin,
then judge your braking point for the next hairpin. A long long slow
right-hander, and the beach sand greets those who took too bigger a bite
of the gas pedal.
Section Six - Beach
Don't get distracted here, the water bites (and sometimes ctd's!)
those who fail to stay on the asphalt. The right-hander leaving the
beach is a very slow one, and the next left needs care as well.
Section Seven - Beach to Finish
A quick right-hander, then ignore the asphalt as you pass the refreshment
stop. If you get that bend right, the final turn will be approached
at plenty of speed for a nice opposite-lock moment, trimming the tunnel wall
as close as you dare. Floor it until the crowds greet your arrival
in the middle of the night (that tunnel took longer than you thought!). Through
the spinning adverts and straight on into the wall. Get out, apologise
to the team owner for destroying another car, and start again!
Warning!!!
Because of the locations of the start and finish, you must NOT shift-r your
car before the Start line, or anywhere after the start of the final tunnel.
You'll either have a long flight, or an immediate crash-to-desktop.
Fun things to see
GPL tracks can be too serious, I went for the fun approach here.
Stop off for some pizza, figure out which advertising logos were 'modified'
for Monkey and Pants enterprises, seek out Monkey Nuts International's advert,
and go hunting for.. 8 aliens, 10 beach-going celebrities, 10 other
movie characters/stars, a rather old flakey character and a lone pachyderm.
I suggest a very slow lap- best of luck!
Statistics
Length: 13.582km, 8.44miles
Corners: 31 (depending on your definition of a corner)
Top speed: 230mph+, 370kph+ (make sure you have some good gear ratios!)
Altitude difference start->finish: -490metres
Credits
- I tried making textures, but most of the time found that the other
GPLEA tracks had perfectly usable alternatives to my excuse for artwork.
Many thanks to Fredrik Nornemark and Matt Knutsen for those.
- Track design and building was by myself.
- Madcowie and the rest of the GPLRally2 team.
- Nigel Pattinson[RaceCon, RPY2LP], Klaus Horbrand[WinMip], Joachim Blum
[TrkCamEdit], Ruud van Gaal [GPLEx], Martin Granberg and Jonas Matton [GPLRA
and Track Installer], Ed Solheim, Martijn Keizer for their applications,
help and past suggestions (going back to JTRC, that probably makes this the
longest in-development track!).
- Everyone I failed to remember at this moment in time,
- All the contestants who are going to crash :-)
Phil Flack, GPLEA[mgd], January 2003.