Another update from our Team Leader Marcel.

The next release of RCS64 will support the Arduino Nano to drive start lights, besides the already existing support for the Uno, Mega and SmartSensors.

A small update of where we are with the development of the next release;

– practice/qualify, GP and Endurance tabs are gone and replaced by 1 Race tab.

– Race setup, Race Management and tyre wear/test tab added

– ‘Normal’ racing, practice and qualify with fuel load, damage and weather is working

– Tyre wear is completely new. As has been said, intermediates are added and we now have track conditions.

Instead of forced throttle profiles, we now have a different way to ‘ feel’ the track surface. Throttle delay, brake delay and tyre wear are now completely user definable for every combination of tyre and track condition. This means you can now adjust them to your hearts content and even store your preferences and save them.

We have introduced several standard settings and named them after tyre brands. If you choose Pirelli you have better grip and slower tyre wear than Michelin. It is all adjustable but of course you can use the settings provided to make it easy.

So the programming and testing for normal racing is almost done. Martin has started working on Race Management – that is something we want to have in the next release before other nice features.

When the above is finished there is still a lot of work to do like re-introduce pace cars.

But in the meantime you can still enjoy v87.

Marcel
Team RCS64 Team Manager

Marcel gives an update on the next RCS version on SlotForum –

A few things I want to mention;

– Yes we will have a fourth tyre; Hard/Soft/Intermediate/Wet

– Yes you can choose how many of each you want. 0 intermediates; of course !

– The pit menu is totally different now. Easier to control and very clear.

– Options/tyres you have not selected will not be in the pit menu

– Instead of a sudden transition from dry to wet and vice versa, we introduced damp track.

– You can use intermediates on that, but you don’t have to. Use wets or hard tyres, it is up to you

– We will have default settings for the ‘feel’of the tyres, but if you want and you know what you are doing you can change the settings and even add a custom setting.

– Not only will there be influence on brake behaviour for every different tyre on any different surface, also the same will apply for reaction to throttle for every combination of track and tyre.

– There will be a separate tyre wear/test tab to try all the settings.

– I have done a few tests now and It feels very natural.

– And influence on brake and throttle will increase lap by lap, not just at 50% and 20%

– I really, really feel good about this. It is a lot of work but all worth It.

– We promise you it will be better than ever, and if you don’t like It, you can always go back to ‘just’ fuel load simulation.

Marcel, Team RCS

Marcel posted this screenshot of the next RCS version on SlotForum.

Note that this is a work in progress. It is not likely that this version will be available until the new year.

Andy P
Team RCS

Marcel from RCS64 HQ gives an update on the next RCS64 version –

Hi Guys,

Sorry to say that the eagerly awaited new fully revised and rewritten release of RCS64 will not be finished until the new year. Luckily v87 is still available for download and is working virtually flawlessly.

Completely rewriting the original RCS and adding new features at the same time is a huge task. For example, at the moment we are working on weather and track conditions, but want to add extra excitement by adding intermediate tyres, which are not in v87.

This means new protocols, new sounds, new scenario’s etc. And than we still have to do the pace cars again ! On the other hand, a lot of the basics are working already so we might release the new version for example without pacers, we have to think about that.

Hope you are all enjoying v87. We will make the new version available as soon as it is finished and we are happy with it.

Marcel

Team RCS

HQ Reports on Gouda! (Dutch Championships)

With a big smile on my face I can tell you that last Sunday we had a very successful SSD event in the middle of the Netherlands.
With some help from members of a dutch slottrack forum, a dutch webshop and Hobbytime I hired a space in Gouda and designed a track that would fit in, the legendary Zandvoort track.

Reading all the stories about other digital events, some more successful than others, I wanted to see what we could achieve with standard SSD hardware and the 27m Zandvoort track.

Standard = Firmware update, some powertaps, C7042 with 2 standard supplies, standard Scalextric controllers and out of the box Scalextric GT cars. To make it a little more interesting we removed the magnets and added Sport+ silicone tyres.

Within a few weeks of announcing the event we had 6 teams of 3-4 guys/girls that wanted to participate. I am very proud to say that the racers were made up of all types of slot car racer varying from seasoned analog club racers, to young digital newbies.

I was prepared for everything, I had a double set of cars, controllers, 2nd powerbase, 2nd PC. But believe it or not, after a whole day of racing including practice, 1 hr qualify and 4 hr race;
– No ID loss
– No power loss
– ALL cars made it to the end
– even the controllers managed the entire 4+ hours
– RCS64 worked flawless (as usual wink.gif )
– and NO DESLOTS!…OK, that is not true smile.gif

The day was a blast, we kept the rules simple and as far as RCS64 goes, we only used fuel load simulation because more than 50% of the people had never raced digital before, so even lane changing was new for them, we kept tyre and weather simulation for next time.

The racing was very good, we used marshals, and large tank sizes, took about 20 min before you had to refuel. Pit stops lasted about 2 minutes so drivers could change, maintain their car etc. The last hour especially was very exciting. Strategy was really important as the teams in 2nd and 3rd position where within 3 laps of each other and the teams in 5th and 6th kept switching positions until the last stint !

No surprise everybody really enjoyed themselves and can’t wait for the next event. I learned a lot -future events will go to the next level!

You can expect more video’s and pictures soon,couldn’t wait to post this one. (Thanks Adrie!)

WATCH THE VIDEO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXz9XLvmjAg#t=13

OR SEE THE SLOTFORUM POST (with track plan and details) http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=72416

Marcel
RCS Team HQ

Time for some news from the RCS team.

Martin has been working hard on the new improved version of RCS64. This week I was actually able to do my first laps using the new environment !

I am especially happy with the new pitstop menu which is a lot more user friendly. In this future edition the Pit Menu has been altered – if  tyre simulation is disabled there will not be the option available on the Pit Menu to change tyres. This leads to a clearer cleaner looking Pit Menu which should be easier to use for newcomers to RCS64.

The new version will only have one race screen which will be used for both Practice and Qualifying and Grand Prix and Endurance races – again this should make it easier to use as there are less screens to become accustomed to. You will also be able to choose if you want to show race positions in leader board style or in the static dashboard style. You will also be able to choose how race information is sorted via position or best lap times, depending on race type. So basically more options and less clutter.

Tyre, fuel and damage are already functional in the new version with some improvements! Work is now progressing on the weather feature which is undergoing some major changes. Instead of sunny/cloudy/rain, influence on driving and brakes will now be based on track conditions. So, if it starts to rain the track will get wet, but not completely wet at the first rain drop as it did in the last version!  Also, get ready for a new option of  an extra set of tyres – no longer just Hard and Soft but Intermediate too!

In the next update I hope to show you some screenshots. 

A little more testing by Martin and myself and then the Beta testing team will be let lose on this new massively improved RCS64 version. Can’t wait to let all our users out there get their hands on it, but sit tight ladies and gentlemen it won’t be released until it meets the RCS64 team’s exacting standards. This could take a few months at least!

In the mean time Team RCS hope you are enjoying version 87.

Marcel, Team RCS

An update from the RCS Team Manager!

Martin has worked on the new race screen. Remember this is just a first attempt to show you we are actually doing something.

The difference from the older RCS versions is that this screen can be used for all types of races, with optional shifting of positions.
And most likely an optional other screen with the information panel in the middle and 3 dashboards left and 3 right. Fuel, tyre/damage boxes will color according to % value.
Biggest improvement is that options that are not selected will not be visible and the space that creates will be used by displaying other values bigger.
And the new pitstop menu, but that is for later!

Marcel
Team RCS