Slot-GP Updates

This page will provide you with the full installation of Slot-GP, easy download of updates when available and a history of bug fixes and improvements.

This page will provide you with the full installation of the latest version of Slot-GP!

The current version is 1.4.2c

If you’re new to Slot-GP, trust me, you should read about Slot-GP at the following link:

http://home.comcast.net/~rubenio/Slot-GP.htm

IMPORTANT: Before you install Slot-GP 1.4.2, make sure you rename your current slot-gp.exe (eg oldSlot-GP.exe). This way if you have any trouble you can easily switch back (I think you can actually use both…)

All New! Features of v1.4.2c :

All the other features of previous versions of Slot-GP are functional

1. Repaired comm. issues with fresh install which occurred in v1.41

2. DataBase Support

3. Tournaments!!!

4. Real Pitlane refueling with support for a Pitlane PB

5. New Color scheme coordinated to Scalextric throttle colors

6. Re-worked Comm window for easy PB setups/checks

7. Several other user suggested mods:

o Increased visibility of Fuel setting in setup screen

o Simpler navigation in Tournament mode –

o Named race in tournament mode, and more…

Coming Soon:

1. Driver Name, Car Name settings adjustable directly from your controller

2. The next major update of Slot-GP will be Slot-GP Pro to support the PB pro features…

Here are the details:

New! Race Screen format & coloring for easy visibility:

• There are several menu changes in the Race Setup Screen to simplify its use.
• One important new feature is the Setup PBs menu which gives you an interactive view of all your comm. ports so you can check whether the communication to your PBs is setup correctly. This is also where you setup a sector timing PB or Pitlane PB

To use this, select the PB devices you want and assign a com port. Press the test button and you will have either a green, yellow or red light to let you know the PB comm. is working correctly. You also enter the Sector timing PB synchronization from this window by clicking the Sync button.

• Color box in the Race Setup Screen allows you to coordinate the text color for each driver with the color of the throttle.

Once you set this up, if you don’t swap throttles around, it will always be right…

• New Race Colors on Black Background format…
1. Text changes color with position change of racer
2. throttle bar and fuel bar change positions along with racer as well.
3. saved space on window and enlarged its size
4. Optimized Font size selector function maximizes size of test automatically

New! Database Support:

• Each lap is stored automatically into a database where you can use this data for comparison
• If you have MS-Excel, you can view all laps, with data such as date, driver, car, laptime etc
• If not, don’t worry, you can see all race results with Slot-GP
• Here is a screen shot of what laptime data could look like in MS-Excel:

• Here is a screen shot from Excel with how Race Results could look:

New: Support for Tournaments!!

• I’ve developed an interactive Tournament Setup screen which will allow you to arrange any kind of tournament with a combination of all the available race formats
• The tournament setup runs with the database module and all race, laptime and tournament results are updated to the database automatically. There are no files to manage…
• Here is a screen shot of the Tournament Setup Screen:

• Features:
1. You have full control of how points are allocated
2. Interactive race selection indicates what data you need for each race and which races are completed
3. Views of all tournaments to date can be viewed by using the scroll bar under the tourney id (T_ID)
• Views of the database are included directly in the program so you don’t have to use Excel to see results
• Here’s a view of Tournament Standings as well as Race Results

• Full instructions on how to setup a tourney can be found at this link which is also available directly from the Slot-GP application (requires internet access…)

New! Pitlane PB Support

Support for a functional PitLane with a dedicated Pit Lane PB (you supply separately ;-)

• If you have an old PB lying around, then check out Riko’s Pitlane PB mod in the Slotforum!! Otherwise, get one! This is really, really cool!

http://www.slotforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=21968

• With Pitlane PB support, re-fueling is only allowed once in the pitlane.
• Pitlane Speed Detection!!

Currently this is just detection and a speech message stating you have been assessed a drive through penalty (AT the speed limit which is currently hard coded at 50% throttle)

In the future, this will be customizable…

Currently, this just results in a verbal warning… it’s up to the racers to abide by this

In future releases, ignoring the penalty will result in a DQ.

Since we have throttle values, you will be able to set a speed limit (as % throttle) while in the pitlane…

Consider other possibilities: stop and go penalties…

Future features of Pitlane Support:

• Pitlane timing…
• Have more ideas? Let me know!!

Download Slot-GP v1.4.2 by clicking the link below.

This is the Installer Package for v 1.4.2c !!! Slot-GP v1.4.2 Installer

This package was rebuilt to (hopefully) address some installation issues encountered recently

If this is your first install, then you will also need to download the race log database file to the Slot-GP folder you install the application in

I have separated this file in order to allow you to preserve your race data during future upgrades.

RaceLog2.mdb

DO NOT copy over your existing racelog.db file as you will lose all your race data. Only copy this file if you are a first time user

I will not be able to recover your data in any manner!!!

Enjoy!!

Ruben

Change History

Added Features from 1.04 to 1.1.1:

• Allows user to enable/disable sounds
• Allows user to manage cars with car types. Selecting the car type updates the view of your cars in the setup screen
• Importing of cars from a comma separated value file (csv).
• Sorting of cars in your car editor window either by car name or by car type
• False Starting is available. A time penalty (which you chose!) is added to the drivers which hit the throttle early!
• FUEL support!! I think this is really, really cool!! I just don’t know if the display will be too slow on older PCs…
1. Fuel consumption is updated based on YOUR use of the throttle!!
2. With fuel activated, you can set the max fuel tank size (I was able to do 14 laps with a setting of 36000)
3. Fuel works with either the qualiscreen window or the race format with a status bar of all drivers’ fuel levels
4. To refuel you need to stop and press BOTH the ‘brake’ and ‘lane change’ buttons at the same time

· This works whether you have a pitlane or not, but be careful not to get run over!

5. The outcome of an empty fuel tank is that your laps DON’T COUNT
• More Race Modes!!!
1. The original GP mode is still available
2. Added Enduro – an endurance race mode
3. KO mode – this is similar to what Scalextric calls pursuit (but being an ex-cyclist I thought that was a misnomer!)

Added Features from 1.1.1 to 1.2.1

• Added the Rally Mode

1. Users are asked to run the set number of laps in random order, alone on the track…
2. You can see the time to beat after the first driver is done.
3. The order of racers changes every race
4. Voice activated prompting when it’s your turn.
• Added Speech support for low fuel and no fuel situations
1. You’re warned once fuel hits 15% of max – pit in soon…
2. Your told that your laps don’t count – and they shouldn’t really…
• RikoRocket and I added support for a 2^nd PB and thus Sector times!! (Thanks RikoRocket for all the testing, suggestions & patience!!!!)

Let’s just say, this was NOT easy…

I will write a more thorough explanation of this soon, but for now –

1. you must first calibrate your PBs! Their clock speeds vary by enough to throw your laptimes in the bin!
2. place your two PBs on the track in the order start finish (PB1) then intermediate times (PB2).
3. Navigate to the intermediate comm. menu and select synchronize PBs
4. after the form loads, run ONE car, it MUST be CAR ID=1 through both PBs
5. WAIT 15-20 minutes… DON”T SKIP THIS STEP
6. Now run through the two PBs again
7. You will see the OK button turn green to indicate that the necessary data is collected
8. Click OK, return your PB2 wherever you want to have it on your track and Race away!!

• Fuel is now based on the car you chose

1. You can manage a cars fuel tank size independently, the refill rate is the same for all, but will take longer for larger tanks, obviously

• You now have a choice of three different fuel models: linear, parabolic & cubic

1. Parabolic and cubic consume more fuel with higher throttle values than linear

2. fuel burn is throttle value, throttle_value^2/50, or throttle_value^3/2500

• Added car name under driver so you can see who’s driving what
• Resized race screen to take up as much space on your screen as possible (or all f it!)
• Font sizes are also increased so that the form is easier to read from further away…
• You can now refuel by using the Brake-LC button, or the LC button alone (with NO throttle however!!)

Bug Fixes 1.04 to 1.1.1:

• Allows user to select comm. Ports from 1-6
• Fixes the Racer display errors in the F1 format when not using contiguous car ID’s
• Updates the best lap during a session
• Fixes the results display to account for non-contiguous car ID’s.
• Fixes issues with Driver management if drivers with same names were used. (thanks GDavison!)
• Fixed startlights if the race was canceled and restarted.

Bug Fixes 1.1.1 to 1.2.2:

• Added a Speech Setup form to test whether speech synthesis is available on your computer
1. Choose between direct speech (DSS) or SAPI 5.1
2. Test each method and see if one works. If none work you will need to download and install a

Speech SDK…

• Fixed the victory reporting if one driver did not complete any laps
• Fixed winner reporting in Enduro and KO modes
• Fixed the fuel use and disabling of lapcounts if the driver is out of fuel (I think)
• Fixed the overflow error reported after Qualifying…
• Fixed the reporting of car names in Rally Mode
• Changed the screen update in GP mode so all cars are displayed

Bug Fixes 1.2.2 to 1.2.3:

• Added variable re-fill rate in Options menu to make refueling quicker but adjustable.
• Fixed bug that caused best laps not to save correctly in other locales (eg French).
• Improved Debug Screen to allow for easier data analysis in case you need help with your PBs

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