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The word "track" is probably inherited from Trackmania - another Nadeo developed online racing game, with cars instead of sailboats. Of course we are referring to a race course marked by buoys and a committee boat when we speak of race tracks here.

Two "classic" race courses are the windward leeward course and the triangle course
Windward_Leeward_Course_-Part_16

Windward Leeward Course -Part 16

Windward Leeward Course

Triangle_Course_-Part_15

Triangle Course -Part 15

Triangle Course

Creating[]

There is a guide to creating tracks on page #18 or section 6.1.1 "Creating a Seascape" in the user manual. This is very useful if you want to create a race course using the Tropical or Nordic veneus. The Tropical venue is easier to work with but a common problem people have when creating a race course using the Nordic venue is the process of trying to place "blocks" onto the "terrain" on the map. You should start out by creating a large land area or areas by placing the terrain on the map first. Then you can add the blocks to the terrain if the blocks are manipulated into the correct position. Use the 'Q' key to rotate the blocks. The larger blocks obviously need a larger area then the smaller blocks so they can fit. The blocks will only stay in place (turning from red to green) when placed over an area that will allow them to be placed. You can get the hang of it by using your mouse to move a block over different positions on the terrain until it turns from red to green. When a block is moved over an appropriate area it will turn green and can be placed in that area by left clicking your mouse.

Introductory video[]

see also http://www.virtualskipper-lejeu.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=28260#28260

Password protection[]

For whatever reason some authors may have password protected their race track. You'll have to track down the author to request permission to access their work.


Downloading[]

There are two ways to obtain new track description files. (They have a .GBX filename extension.)

While in a race press escape and from that menu select Save Race (not replay). The <TrackName>.GBX file is saved to a folder named after the track's author in a folder tree that depends on which game client you are running:
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Tracks\Challenges\Downloaded
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Tracks\Challenges\Downloaded
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Tracks\Challenges\Downloaded
From in game
Any tracks downloaded from the Virtual Skipper Wiki must be installed manually (see next section). At other web sites, boat models may bundle some sample tracks as part of an executable package which uses an auto-installer to place the files in certain predetermined folders on your PC. Often (not always) that folder is named after the boat model in a folder tree that depends on which game client you are running:
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Tracks\Challenges
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Tracks\Challenges
  • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Tracks\Challenges
From a web site

If you are doing either or both of the above regularly then it will not be long before you have accumulated several hundred (or even a few thousand) tracks. You can reorganize those sub-folders in any way that suits your purpose. There is nothing magical about the folder tree hierarchy below Challenges\.

  • If you regularly host races and have a system for efficiently organizing/selecting tracks then sharing your tips and tricks here would be helpful.

Install[]

  • At other web sites boat models may bundle some sample tracks as part of an executable package which uses an auto-installer to place the files in certain predetermined folders on your PC. Those default installation folders are different for each version of the game. Sadly, most of auto-installers are not clever enough to check your existing installed programs to correctly determine which game version you have and to then select the correct folder. So if you use an auto-installer please be sure that you check the destination folder before giving the final OK to the installer. Further confusing the process is the fact that some auto-installers use a language other than english.
This is not complicated and it is necessary for any tracks downloaded from the Virtual Skipper Wiki.
(If you should ever find a .EXE file in any ZIP archive downloaded from Virtual Skipper Wiki then please treat that entire ZIP archive file with suspicion.)
Manual installation
  1. Quit from your VSK game client.
  2. Verify which version of VSK5 you have.
    • If you upgraded/patched 32AC to make it compatible with VSK5 then the correct folder tree is still named 32nd America's Cup
    • If you upgraded VSK5Online to make it compatible with VSK5 (not recommended) then the correct folder tree is still named Vsk5Online
  3. Copy the TrackName.zip file to the relevant installation folder below your My Documents folder:
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5\Tracks\Challenges
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\Vsk5Online\Tracks\Challenges
    • %UserProfile%\My Documents\32nd America's Cup\Tracks\Challenges
  4. The new track(s) will be available when you next visit the track selection menu in game.

Note that none of these tracks are installed to any sub-folder below Program Files. Therefore each user at a PC must install the same tracks separately. Even though track files are very small, this may make it preferable that one user account with administrator privileges be used to launch the game. Multiple users can launch the game using credentials of that one shared account - learn how at: Run as admin.


A collection of "Downloaded" tracks

Follow this link to browse / download numerous race courses created by various authors. Most of them are editable but some are password protected by the author and cannot be edited........

http://freeworldyachtclub.net/downloadedtracks

VSK4 Track Import

You can also download or "import" tracks from VSK4 into VSK5. You can use the courses in VSK5 but they are read only so you cannot edit them unless you edit them using the VSK4 map editor.

Using[]

user manual covers this pretty well

Parameters[]

Depending on how the author of the track specified racing parameters some may be left available for teh user to adjust at the time of hosting a race using the custom track.

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