Based on rFactor game, developed by Image Space Incorporated, a lot of modding teams have done some superb mods and additional tracks. Amongst this works there are real masterpieces. One of them is the Le Mans track made by Virtua_LM . Completely built from scratch and from real references, Panogames has covered with some incredible images the 1979 version of this track and managed a great conversation with Nugit, leading designer of the modding team.
Running on this magnificent track made by Virtua_LM you can see the cars from the 83LM bundle of the Virtua_LM Junior team. A squadron of Porsche 956 against 3 Lancia LC-2. The cars are W.I.P. so in the final release they will be even better, with real physics and sounds! The Virtua_LM Junior team is currently converting the prototype-c for Rfactor and creating something new, like this 83LM bundle. So don't forget visit the official site and the official forum:
http://www.emac.sportplanet.gamespy.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=87& for more news "
Here our interview (Q&A) with Nugit:
Q: Why did you decided to model the Le Mans track?
A: Because the existing versions were rather old and to justify the LM suffix of Virtua_LM.
Q: When did all the work start?
A: On 2005, the 19th of October to be perfectly exact.
Q:How many people counts Virtua LM?
A: on the Le Mans credits, we put 29 guys. It doesn't mean so many people worked on the track though. It's the list of people who are still present among us, even retired or not.
Q:Did you collected a bounch of references on Le Mans site?
A: several guys among the team are huge fans of Le Mans and have a lot of references already. We also bought many old books and videos too. At least, few of us did the trip to Le Mans in 2006 to take some photos.
Q: Nugit, can you give us some technical informations about the track such polygon count, textures,ecc?
A: Polygons count is 618994 triangles to be exact. Everything from scratch. All textures had been created from scratch. 439 textures for the common part and 55 for the 55 pits that will change for each year.
Q:Did you used standard technique to do the track, or is something new?
A: For the pure 3D point of view, we used the classical way to build tracks for ISI games. Inside the track, we used some more advanced techniques to build shadows for example but nothing really new. We were already using such techniques on F1 Challenge before.
Q:Used tools for 3D and for texturing?
A: For the 3D, we used 3DSMax. For texturing, it depends of the painter itself. Photoshop, Illustrator, Paint Shop Pro and Xara Xtreme had been used at least. We have the luck for some of us to work in graphical activities for real life and then to be familiar with those tools.
Q:We know that there is an upcoming cars mod to come with Le Mans circuit. Can you describe it? Release date?
A: Many things should coming in the future. For cars, 2 Mods are being prepared : - the first is the already released Prototype-C Mod we built from scratch for F1 Challenge 99-02. This Mod is currently being converted by what we called a Junior Team, in close collaboration with the Senior team. - the second Mod is GTx5, dealing with Group 5 cars from end of 70's. A Mod we started for F1 Challenge several years ago and we are now bringing it to the rFactor standard. The work is frozen since 2 months because of the Le Mans release so we haven't new things to show unfortunately.
Q:Is somebody of you working in the game biz, or are you just racing fans?
A: Few of us have been part of the Simbin/Blimey adventure, especially for GT-Legends but for all of us, the origin of our passion is real racing cars.
Q:New tracks in the near future?
A: Many things in preparation. Some secrete projects and 4 public works in progress:
- Le Mans 1977-86 : we released only 1979 for the moment. We are working on other years right now.
- Le Mans 1991-96 : the other giant project. Everything from scratch too by another team leaded by Sylvain Glapa who built one version of Le Mans for Nascar 2003 in the past. Nearly everything to be rebuild but the experience is here now. We know what is possible with the rFactor engine.
- Fuji Speedway : conversion from the version we built from scratch for F1 Challenge 99-02. Many new 3D objects and new textures. It's done in internal of Virtua_LM.
- Rouen-les-Essarts : conversion from the version we built from scratch for F1 Challenge 99-02. Again, a lot of work has been done here by Elwood and MadHorse who built the excellent track Varano de'Melegari for rFactor.
Thanks Nugit and Virtua_LM and good work for the upcoming releases!
Credits to The Virtua_LM members (in alphabetical order):
Algis, Amax, Aprimatic, Arnold350, Biek, Burger4man, Danilo, Daflava84, Dave_3D, Discocandy, Eden7c, Etone, F1Driver, Joe Bar Team, King Of The Ring, Markus Nissa, Monsum, Nugit, Padajacaba, Racer-BR, Revsect, Swiss Hutless, Sylvain, T-Spark, Tato, Trumpf, Vassalfada, Vince Klortho, Zulu
Credits to The Virtua_LM Junior team members (in alphabetical order):
Ady964, Amax, Andrew Stefanoni, Darky, Greymatter, HarryCS, Puppeteer, Swiss Hutless, Vince Klortho
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