Software Life-Cycle – How the ControlCenter grew up

Some months ago I already told you something about the ControlCenter, a lot has changed since then, so I thought it might be interesting to show you the progress of the utility.

The first version

It began with the idea of having Midland & Spyker in the mod and giving the user the option to choose what he likes more. Second planned “main feature” was the option that the user can create his own 2006-season with the tracks he want to drive and the in this time called “configdings” should create all needed files so that on the selected tracks are the correct aero-packages loaded. But as you may know it came out that for both features we found better ways to include them. One of the first tries you see left.

But we got more ideas we wanted to have, like the option to change the menu-music, menu-style, support for RealFeel. If you ever have developed a program you know it: changing something that was not planned is most of the time very tricky and so it happened more than once that I was close to cancel it and start completely new.

This is the first “feature-freeze” version of the tool but we still had ideas and the development of the physics and the bugfixing took time so I had the chance to include various wishes, just like support for LeoFFB, the option to activate/deactivate the pacecar for the player. But not every idea was programmed, so for example an auto-update-feature for our mod. We thought about it and we want to have it bugfree with version 1.0, so an auto-update will hopefully never been needed.

So after more & more facelifts this came out:

This is a very special feeling to get something finished (at least I feel it is of course I know it never will be). But most of the ideas we included and they are working and now the best (from programmer’s view): There are not very much bugreports which makes me even more happy 🙂

But to be honest: I dont think it will look very long this way. If you have ideas what might be good to have we maybe add it so it’s a never ending story…

So we hope you will use the features of the CC, if not: CTDP F1 2006 will work without having started it once. So you see: The CC has changed a lot during it’s development, just like the whole mod did. Maybe you know why it took about 2 years.

So let’s sum it up:

It’s always the same with software: it is never finished, final or even close to.

CTDP & Formula Sim-Racing Collaboration – Showcase Race

Hi everyone, Over the past few week’s and month’s, CTDP & FSR have worked close to get the 2006 mod as good as possible with alot of the FSR driver’s taking part in our beta test series race’s throughout the last few month’s.

With this we have decided to end the series on a high note and broadcast the event Live on PSRTV for all to enjoy. The event will take place on December 6th from 18:00GMT using the CTDP 2006 mod @ Interlagos Circuit Brazil. Interview’s with dev’s will take place during the broadcast aswell as the usual high drama FSR action on track with the likes of Patrick De Wit, FSR WS PRO Champion Mikko Puumalainnen, David Greco, FSR WS ACE Champion Fred Gosling and many more FSR regular’s (including me 🙂 ) all taking part in the event. You never know we may even have a very special announcement to make, so join us December 6th 2008 for Live coverage of CTDP-FSR Showcase race live from Interlagos, Brazil on Prosimracing.com

We would like to Thank Dave Carr-Smith for organizing the race and getting all car’s assigned to driver’s to make the race as competative as possible.

Changelog for Beta2

The second beta is given to our testers. The first run was quite effective I think. Many things where reported and the majority is already fixed in the Beta2. Untill the release there will be a scheduled Beta 3 and one Release Candidate. Thanks to the testers, keep up the good job!

Here is the changelog from Beta 1 to Beta 2.

Continue reading Changelog for Beta2

The Lost Mods

CTDP is in its 7th year, naturally, during this time, there have been some projects, we have never talked about. Projects we never announced and often died in an early stage of development. Although CTDP is best-known for their F1-mods, we often planed to release some not-F1-related mods. Today we want to show you some of the projects that never were and never will be. I invite you to tour through our archives. Continue reading The Lost Mods

Another week of beta testing …

Another week of betatesting is over. We got about 30 new reports, mostly minor stuff, but we are on it. Williams will get some more attention, there slipped a few things. Shaun is just on Super Aguri, fixing some small bugs on the texture. Alex has finished the driver body and finished the showroom. I should begin work on the manual today, if I find the motivation (your call). The task nobody wanted to do, so we had to play inverse-russian roullete in the team: 5 bullets for 6 people, last man standing has to do the job. Lucky me.

Today is the difference…

The difference of today to other days is, that today two people apologised for their language in the mail. I could break one of my pencils when I read this. This is not my first rant about this, but I get the feeling it just doesn’t stop, heck why do you talk at all, when you have to apologise for trying your best. Quit it now, you’re embarrassing yourself!

Few weeks ago, I got a very cool and nice mail in spanish. I could barely read it, but I got the point and had people translate it to me for confirmation. Please don’t apologise or just write in German, Spanish, French or Chinese, we get it deciphered, I promise. 😉

Update: I actually thought about adding a PS-Paragraph, but thought “nah, don’t”. Now, I add it:

PS: Please stop asking for Beta-testing. We will not accept any new people and being a good driver is no criteria!

Another two days …

Another two days spent bugfixing. So far there haven’t been major reports, but many of the seemingly insignificant things can turn out quite nast. Like one Williams-frontwing, which had the wrong logo on some GPs, sounds simple, but required a new upgrade, remapping, new shadows, slightly changed texture, which due to yours truly needed to be saved twice. But hey, it looks great now. 🙂

We have our Bugtracker, and we are working through everything, Andy and me fixed 10 bugs in the last 2 days. Afborro is working on some last polish in the showroom. I get organising for the release done. Whata and me will doe some work on the manual. Something nobody else wants to do actually. So we threw dices and picked the people with the least time on their hands. That’s how it works, we don’t complain enough.

Enjoy the last weeks, before the mods is released. I tell you, you are going to miss waiting for it.