Track Creator tutorials?

[Hybrid Divide]

So I've had some ideas for tracks I'd like to make, but at first glance at the track creator, my brain kinda seiezes up.

Not sure where to begin. Are there any basic tutorials up for the track creator?

Thanks.

[bigsnake]

If you go to the help menu on the tool bar then go to open documentation it will take you to a google doc which is somewhat competant at explaining how to do stuff. There's going to be in-editor documentation in the future though.

I recently recorded a demo of how to create pitlanes too, looking to do more videos like that in the future.

[Amaroq Dricaldari]

I watched a video that compared the track design (among other things) of F-Zero X and WipE'out'' 64, and it makes me wonder; why is the pit lane always right next to the Starting grid? Is it just tradition, or is there a mechanical (gameplay) reason?

[shotfan]

Not exactly always in Wipeout. Remember Vostok Island and Spliskinanke (which made a point about being eccentric tracks, hence pit lanes placed far away from the starting grid)? I think it is only a convention anyway. (ingame explanation: the track is accessed via the starting grid, which houses the maintenance bay (which itself has these little platfroms that raise the crafts to the track before the race, as seen in Fusion), so it is only natural that the shields recharge field would be constructed nearby).

[Xpand]

I'm pretty sure the reason is simply "because that's what happens in real life", although like shotfan said, there are a few that don't respect that rule.

[Amaroq Dricaldari]

One idea I currently have for a track;
- Right before the starting grid and pit lane, there is a small track split. The branch to the right (with the pit lane) goes downhill, and the branch with the starting grid stays uphill.
- Going through the pit lane, it starts going uphill, while the starting grid is going downhill. They are kept separated by a narrow wall.
- Ships coming out of the starting grid have to turn left, while the people coming out of the pit lane are already going left, and are suddenly greeted by a pair of speed pads, enabling them to fly over a couple of the ships coming out of the starting grid to make up for lost time (the ships on the starting grid are still going a little faster because they were going downhill).

On that note; is there anything in place to keep ships from moving during the countdown sequence (gamecode wise)? If not, then that would explain why there haven't been any starting grids on inclines. Man, that would just be so funny... the game hasn't even started, and people are already crashing into walls because of gravity.

In-universe, you could explain a locking mechanism as a safety maglock, disengaging as soon as the race actually starts.