Track menu problems

[JoseFernandez]

Hi to all!

I'm a new member of this wonderful forum. Sorry for my bad english, I'm italian!

I'm an old player of F1GP and GP2, with seven world championships on these fantastic simulators, always with my "historical" fictive team, the NewTeam Racing. Always 100% races and Ace opponents (or even faster, via editor). My user name is in fact the name of my alter-ego in GP2, the four-times world champion Jose Fernandez (1994-1995-1996 with F1GP and 1998 with GP2).

After seeing the magnificent "Rush" film of Ron Howard, the flame of racing began to burn again in my heart, so i started again with GP2, after 13 years of hiatus (my last championship was in 2000) and i want to start a new world championship in 2014.

In this great site i have downloaded some great tracks and the 2013 liveries, and with the Steven Young's GP2Edit i managed to update the game to the 2013/2014 years (weight: 690 kg; engines: about 725/740 BHP; points: 25-18-15 etc.).

But after these modifications, the track maps have disappeared. This problem occurs only with a complete export of the modifications with the editor and did not occurs with my old 2000 season package. Why this? How to fix it?

Another question: which is your ideal, 16-races GP2 calendar?
I want to assemble a good racing calendar for this new season and i want to insert the best tracks around. Some fictitious tracks are fantastic, hilarious: Canyon Route, Anchor Bay, Isle Of Palms, but too intricated and pretty undriveable for me (i play GP2 without DOSbox, accordingly with a moderate in-game acceleration of some 10% that makes all very, very difficult). Sudschleife is marvellous, the best track around, but too old-fashion for a 2014 championship. And a nightmare to drive with a 730 BHP and 300 km/h car. I have also tried the Belini Fantasy Track, and the Belini Autodromo is fantastic, but it lacks the history of some real tracks...

I have finally selected some great tracks from the past: Mexico City (1992 version), the old Zolder, along with some modern tracks (Abu Dhabi, La Plata circuit), and some tracks in its old form (the classic Hockenheim). I want to replace Melbourne with the classic Adelaide. Imola post-1994 is okay. I have tried the fantasy Paris street circuit and is great (fantastic accidents in the Champs-Elysées straight!), but is a pretty simple track. I think at the Paul Ricard (with the Mistral straight), Dijon or the classic Rouen for the French GP (no more Magny-Cours!).
Other suggestions?

[rremedio]

Hi to all!

I'm a new member of this wonderful forum. Sorry for my bad english, I'm italian!

I'm an old player of F1GP and GP2, with seven world championships on these fantastic simulators, always with my "historical" fictive team, the NewTeam Racing. Always 100% races and Ace opponents (or even faster, via editor). My user name is in fact the name of my alter-ego in GP2, the four-times world champion Jose Fernandez (1994-1995-1996 with F1GP and 1998 with GP2).

After seeing the magnificent "Rush" film of Ron Howard, the flame of racing began to burn again in my heart, so i started again with GP2, after 13 years of hiatus (my last championship was in 2000) and i want to start a new world championship in 2014.

In this great site i have downloaded some great tracks and the 2013 liveries, and with the Steven Young's GP2Edit i managed to update the game to the 2013/2014 years (weight: 690 kg; engines: about 725/740 BHP; points: 25-18-15 etc.).

Welcome!

It's always good to hear histories from old GP2 fans returning to our game/hobby. I hope you have a lot of fun both driving and discussing with us.

But after these modifications, the track maps have disappeared. This problem occurs only with a complete export of the modifications with the editor and did not occurs with my old 2000 season package. Why this? How to fix it?

Well, this is an old problem. I'm sure you updated the track maps before exporting the carset and that is the reason of the missing track maps (and other menus sometimes vanish as well). What I do is always keep a copy of the original F1PCSVGA.bin safe. Always update a fresh copy with new menus/maps after changing anything with GP2Edit. And if I need to export carsets again, I never export the menu helmets, because it will corrupt F1PCSVGA.bin.

This won't happen if you don't change track maps, because the original F1PCSVGA.bin plays nicely with GP2Edit, but after it was decompressed/compressed again by menu changing tools (like WinHipicPro), exporting menu helmets with GP2Edit will corrupt it.

Another question: which is your ideal, 16-races GP2 calendar?
I want to assemble a good racing calendar for this new season and i want to insert the best tracks around. Some fictitious tracks are fantastic, hilarious: Canyon Route, Anchor Bay, Isle Of Palms, but too intricated and pretty undriveable for me (i play GP2 without DOSbox, accordingly with a moderate in-game acceleration of some 10% that makes all very, very difficult). Sudschleife is marvellous, the best track around, but too old-fashion for a 2014 championship. And a nightmare to drive with a 730 BHP and 300 km/h car. I have also tried the Belini Fantasy Track, and the Belini Autodromo is fantastic, but it lacks the history of some real tracks...

I have finally selected some great tracks from the past: Mexico City (1992 version), the old Zolder, along with some modern tracks (Abu Dhabi, La Plata circuit), and some tracks in its old form (the classic Hockenheim). I want to replace Melbourne with the classic Adelaide. Imola post-1994 is okay. I have tried the fantasy Paris street circuit and is great (fantastic accidents in the Champs-Elysées straight!), but is a pretty simple track. I think at the Paul Ricard (with the Mistral straight), Dijon or the classic Rouen for the French GP (no more Magny-Cours!).
Other suggestions?

This is a good question. Whatever tracks you like will make your perfect calendar. Personally, I always look for the tracks with the better cclines, because it usually means I'll have no unfair advantage against the ccs.

My 16 tracks calendar would be something like that:
Kyalami 92
Interlagos
Mid-Ohio 2008
Toronto
Salzburgring
Osterreichring
Dijon
Paul Ricard
Donington 2000
Sudschleife
Zandvoort
Keimola
Rijeka
Zolder
Spa
Lakeside

Of course the list would change if I make it tomorrow. And for fantasy tracks: every track made by Petri Karttunen is great, almost every one made by John Edwards also is. Yalta Kiev and Mosgrad, by Tim de Klien are fantastic (and you'll probably like all his other fantasy tracks). Belini tracks all have perfect cclines, but those extreme bumps are not for my taste, so I only really like Ambleside. I've made my own fantasy circuits, like Westsand Road and San Gimignano (both with great graphics made by Andreas Schulz), Autodromo Caccere (my team's test track), Iringa and Linz, and I like racing at any of them.

[RacerBG]

Welcome to our GP2 place. I wish you to have fun again with this good old game.

Usually I prefer the original tracks with edited ads by myself but ths is personal opinion.

[JoseFernandez]

Well, this is an old problem. I'm sure you updated the track maps before exporting the carset and that is the reason of the missing track maps (and other menus sometimes vanish as well). What I do is always keep a copy of the original F1PCSVGA.bin safe. Always update a fresh copy with new menus/maps after changing anything with GP2Edit. And if I need to export carsets again, I never export the menu helmets, because it will corrupt F1PCSVGA.bin.

This won't happen if you don't change track maps, because the original F1PCSVGA.bin plays nicely with GP2Edit, but after it was decompressed/compressed again by menu changing tools (like WinHipicPro), exporting menu helmets with GP2Edit will corrupt it.

Thank you so much! I will try this as soon as possible!

My 16 tracks calendar would be something like that:
Kyalami 92
Interlagos
Mid-Ohio 2008
Toronto
Salzburgring
Osterreichring
Dijon
Paul Ricard
Donington 2000
Sudschleife
Zandvoort
Keimola
Rijeka
Zolder
Spa
Lakeside

Thanks. I'll try Kyalami, Caccere, San Gimignano and Lakeside.

This is my provisional calendar. To me, some tracks are essential for a F1 season (Monza, Montecarlo, Spa) and i kept them to mantain some realism. Also, usually i want only one track for country.

AUSTRALIA - Melbourne
BRAZIL - Interlagos
SAN MARINO - Imola (post '94)
ENGLAND - Brands Hatch
SPAIN - Barcelona (early 2000 version - not sure - suggestions?).
ARGENTINA - La Plata (not sure. This slot can be used for an U.S. grand prix)
MONACO - Monte-Carlo
CANADA - Montreal (not sure - suggestions?)
FRANCE - Le Mans Bugatti Circuit (not sure. Alternatives: Dijion, Paris, Rouen, Le Castellet)
AUSTRIA - Zeltweg Osterreichring (the classic, superfast version)
GERMANY - Hockenheim (the classic layout)
BELGIUM - Spa (the classic layout with the Bus Stop)
ITALY - Monza
MEXICO - Mexico City (classic '92 layout with the Peraltada)
JAPAN - Suzuka
ABU DHABI - Yas Marina (not a great classical track, but on GP2 is visually impressive)

I really want an U.S. GP, and some tracks are great, but most are in the Indy configuration and i really hate to view, instead the lights, the man with the green flag, because is completely out of scale: is enormous, and ruins the external views.
Also i tried the Paul Ricard but have problems - the track, immediately before the starting grid, disappear!

And, for the record, below you can see my car for the new championship, the NewTeam-Ferrari NT-15A. With the "NewTeam" monogram on the side.
Drivers:

#31 Jose Fernandez (myself )
#32 Elio De Angelis (a little tribute to the beloved Italian driver, died in 1986 at Paul Ricard)

[JoseFernandez]

Calendar - a new proposal:

1. Australia - Melbourne
2. South Africa - Kyalami
3. San Marino - Imola
4. Great Britain - Brands Hatch
5. U.S.A. - Sebring
6. Argentina - La Plata
7. Monaco - Montecarlo
8. Canada - Mosport
9. France - Le Mans Bugatti
10. Austria - Zeltweg
11. Germany - Suedschleife - with restrictor plates (NASCAR style) and power reduction of 250 BHP for security reasons
12. Belgium - Zolder
13. Italy - Monza
14. Mexico - Hermanos Rodriguez
15. Japan - Fuji
16. Abu Dhabi - Yas Marina

[JoseFernandez]

Some news.
I have tried the rremedio's trick, and finally the old track maps are restored. But the restored F1PCSVGA.bin is not the original file (because already altered with the installation of the 2000 pack) and the original GP2 cd-rom is missing, and i don't have access to the original F1PCSVGA.bin... so I can't install the new track maps, for the moment...

Instead, with the rremedio editor i could modify the magic data for various slots, and this is my new provisional calendar:

1. Melbourne
2. Kyalami
3. Sebring
4. Mexico City
5. Imola
6. Zeltweg
7. Montecarlo
8. Mosport
9. Brand Hatch
10. Le Mans Bugatti
11. Nurburgring Suedschleife
12. Zolder
13. Monza
14. La Plata
15. Yas Marina
16. Fuji

[JoseFernandez]

News: i have find the old CD of GP2, so i can recover the original F1PCSVGA.bin for the new trackmaps. Meanwhile, i have assembled a new - near official - provisional calendar. I have tried to touch all the continents and racing eras with at least one race. Well, the Suedschleife/Yas Marina combination is striking... I'm not convinced yet. An alternative is: replace Yas Marina with Dijion and make a Switzerland GP (as in reality for minor categories). What do you think?

Also, i took tracks where I've never raced (except Monaco and Monza).

1. Australia - Surfers Paradise
2. South Africa - Kyalami
3. Europe - Mugello (Italy)
4. U.S.A. - Sebring
5. Mexico - Hermanos Rodriguez
6. Austria - Zeltweg
7. Monaco - Montecarlo
8. Canada - Mosport
9. Great Britain - Brand Hatch
10. France - Le Mans Bugatti
11. Argentina - La Plata
12. Belgium - Zolder
13. Italy - Monza
14. Germany - Nurburgring Suedschleife
15. Emirates - Yas Marina
16. Japan - Fuji

My idea is a double championship: my "piloted" champonship, with realistic teams and performances, and a "Forum" championship (computer only), with fantasy teams and drivers, submitted by the forum users.

[RacerBG]

From my personal experience I would suggest you to run only one. It's good decision but it's very time consuming. I had tried to make my own forum championship but I stopped it around 5 or 6 races later. And I had developed 41 fantasy seasons ready season by season...

[Peze]

Mosport and Mugello were the tracks on (one of) my calenders when had races in earlier GP2-years, I like those (and many others too from the list, but also there is tracks yet to try too).

[JoseFernandez]

In the last days i've tried the Brasilia track: a fast and interesting circuit, that i have immediately inserted in the calendar instead of Abu Dhabi (very well crafted, but a little too slow for my taste). So, the Brazilian GP is reinstated in the championship.

In these days, two other tracks have caught my attention: Montecarlo and La Plata.

La Plata is a modern and fast track, but the location is a little unattractive. I started to think at Buenos Aires.

Montecarlo. I know, i know: I stated that it is a firm point in the calendar, but has really bored me: i have raced here countless times and, surprisingly, i started to think to substitute it with another city circuit where i haven't ever raced. The Paris fantasy circuit is the first candidate. Mugello was already moved from European GP to San Marino GP, leaving free the "European" designation for this circuit, if confirmed.

If Montecarlo will be removed, the only original circuit that will remain in the schedule will be Monza (my home GP).

[JoseFernandez]

OK guys, this is my final calendar. The trackmaps are in place (thanks to rremedio).

1. Australia - Surfers Paradise
2. South Africa - Kyalami
3. San Marino - Mugello
4. USA - Sebring
5. Mexico - Hermanos Rodriguez
6. Austria - Osterreichring
7. Monaco - Montecarlo
8. Canada - Mosport Park
9. Great Britain - Brands Hatch
10. France - Paul Ricard
11. Europe - Paris fantasy track
12. Belgium - Zolder
13. Italy - Monza
14. Germany - Nurburgring Sudschleife
15. Brazil - Curitiba
16. Japan - Fuji