Sometimes you stumble onto something nobody knew yet.
This is one, some time shortly after the release of the Amiga version a track pack was released for the Amiga scene.
The exact details are a bit vague, maybe we discover some more about it. But we have the tracks (well duplode found the tracks, I just found a reference to them)
So here they are.
How many tracks are they?
Quote from: alanrotoi on March 15, 2024, 05:18:47 PMHow many tracks are they?
10 new tracks for use with 4D SPORTS DRIVING are contained on this disk (in a zip now obviously),
And they are actually old. April 4th 1992.
Just took a look at them. Pretty poor, really... but they are truly old, which gives them value. The tracks that come with Stunts are much better, although not nearly as good as the tracks we make in the community.
Looking at the tracks, they are not awful.
Quite what you expect at that time.
Clearly they hadn't found out about the Shift-F1 terrain editor..
| bends | cheap | Dizzy | drive |
| | Last. | Loopy | |
| Ploy | Raven | Sleepy | Sunday |.
One mystery here is who were Bitmask Softworks, the creators of the "expansion pack". So far no references online have come up about them other than credits for Master Tracks I on several database entries (Bitworld (http://janeway.exotica.org.uk/release.php?id=21954), Hall of Light (https://amiga.abime.net/games/view/4d-sports-driving-master-tracks-i), GameFAQs (https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/amiga/931803-4d-sports-driving-master-tracks-i)).
Review #1 - Bends
Very long track. I raced 4:39.20 with Lola. Poor scenery. A lot of elements in the start, but the final part is a lot of flat tracks and sharp corners.
2/5 stars
Review #2 - Cheap
I liked the lenght. I raced 1:34.20 with Lola. Poor scenery too and very few elements. The most defying sector is the jumps with breaking near the fence.
2.5/5 stars
Review #3 - Dizzy
A little bit longer. 3:12.50 with Lola. No scenery like the other two. The concept is a lot of circular entrances and exits in the first part and blind jumps.
2.5/5 stars
Review #4 - Drive
It's almost a square track I had in my first Stunts around 1997. But there are some loops and blind transition between two tunnels. I raced 2:27.35 with Lola. No scenery.
3/5 stars
I like this!
Review #-1 - Sunday
Medium-long track, mainly straight section separated by narrow corners. A couple of jump sequences, the first one requires careful breaking because it leads straight into the first corner. No scenery, but decent use of the landscape.
2:45 with the Lola (always a fun car!)
2/5 stars
Review #5 - Last
A little long, but with some good elements. I raced 3:34.30 with Lola. These laps are not really competitive with a lot of errors. No scenery, but finally a corkscrew.
3.25/5 stars
Review #6 - Loopy
Very short and simple. One loop in a sector, two sequencial loops in the other. I raced 0:49.05 with a lot of errors and Lola.
2.5/5 stars
Review #7 - Ploy
A good lenght, but unnecessary straightways. A good blend of elements. I raced 2:25;50 with Lola.
3/5 stars
Review #8 - Raven
I loved the jump/tunnel/corkscrew sequence. The most inspirated sector so far. I raced a 2:27.65 with Lola.
3.25/5 stars
Review #9 - Sleepy
Very short and maybe childish. It could be better with water all along. 0:58.85 with Lola.
2.5/5 stars
Thanks for the reviews 8)
I added a name overview to the post with the track images. So it is easy to link the track to the review.
Review #10 - Sunday
I raced 2:36.25 with Lola. Some interesting sectors, but a lot of boring sectors too.
2.5/5 stars
My toughts:
The tracks are result of another zeitgeist. In this almost 34 years of Stunts the competition tracks evoluted to a another shape, with different resources as water closed tracks, use of scenery and more dense tracks instead of long straightways and sharp corners. I noticed that the designers didn't used any divided way, slalom, icy or dirty track. Very curious.
Very nice reviews :) By the way, Raven is a pretty nice track indeed! I tried it with Mercedes and GAR, though freer or pseudo OWOOT there could be interesting too.
Quote from: Shoegazing Leo on March 16, 2024, 12:36:05 AMMy toughts:
The tracks are result of another zeitgeist. In this almost 34 years of Stunts the competition tracks evoluted to a another shape, with different resources as water closed tracks, use of scenery and more dense tracks instead of long straightways and sharp corners. I noticed that the designers didn't used any divided way, slalom, icy or dirty track. Very curious.
Basically, it only has elements that were there early in production.
Could this be a bunch of test tracks from DSI production that were given to the Amiga team with the game when they were starting the port to Amiga?
It feels a bit like Vancouver..
Quote from: Daniel3D on March 16, 2024, 07:17:57 AMBasically, it only has elements that were there early in production.
Could this be a bunch of test tracks from DSI production that were given to the Amiga team with the game when they were starting the port to Amiga?
It feels a bit like Vancouver..
On the other hand, the Skid Marks tracks (https://forum.stunts.hu/index.php?topic=3956.0) already had ice and dirt, while Vancouver had a custom terrain.
I've just raced "Bends" with the Jaguar. My impression now on the track, not just looking at it from above, is that it's not boring. It is mostly a changing track, except for two long straightways. Yet, virtually no scenery and it's not very "organic", that is, when a track element is placed, there's no thought of what you're coming from or where your going later. Very tight corners just after you've managed to finally gain some speed, too many corks u/d, etc. I liked the section of the track in which you have several chicanes and some jumps. I think it's the most entertaining part.
The track in general is a little too long for our standards today, but pretty normal in length for the early 90s.
Tring "Cheap" with the Porsche 962, I'd say this one lacks more. It's more reasonable in that it doesn't have so many sharp corners and doesn't use corks u/d, but it's not very interesting. The length is more like what we're used to today. Again, no scenery, same background (country, the default). Once more, something you can be forgiven for when playing with friends at home, but kind of not for an "expansion pack", ha, ha.
I know I like small corners a bit less than average, but just looking at these tracks it feels like they could have done with a few more large corners and maybe some other options here and there.
The default terrains and to some degree the lack of scenery are what make this feel the least "DSI" to me. Even if these were leftovers from early in development repurposed by the Atari localization team I'd expect more thought put into those aspects.
The original game did kind of invite attempts like these though. How hard would it have been to just make a few more tracks to launch your racing game with?
Great reviews - excited to try these with some favourite cars. These tracks are an interesting way to see how Stunts track construction has evolved.
I sometimes like to use more simple tracks like these to 'wind down' between competition tracks! :D
Having now driven the tracks (with Ryoma's Oxia), I'd say Ploy was my favourite. Fun jumps and a surprise squeeze from a l/r cork into that tunnel! ;D
The others were fairly so-so, with a lot of small and/or blind corners.
Enjoyed the raised s-bends in Dizzy, might try this in future tracks.