Celebrating 1000 Tracks

[p]Yesterday was a special day - it was the day that the GeneRally 2 Steam Workshop reached 1000 published tracks 🎉[/p][p]To the best of our counting ability, the 1000th published track was Ozzy Autodrome by Strava.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]None of this would have been possible without the amazing creations contributed by all of the various community members. Thank you all for making the GeneRally 2 Workshop a vibrant place filled with everything from amazing art pieces, to detailed real-world recreations, and everything in between![/p][p]
To celebrate this event, we'd like to take a little look back at some of the tracks published so far and we'll also share with you the team's favourite tracks from the first 1000![/p][p][/p][p]As of yesterday, the Steam Workshop for GeneRally 2 had 1000 tracks. Over 55% of the tracks are in the “Circuit” category, but under 2% of the tracks have been labelled as “Stunt” tracks. About 10% of all tracks are recreations of real-world locations, giving you around 100 different tracks to get your “real racing” fix with. Over 20% of the tracks started life as a GeneRally 1 track, but have been imported into the Track Editor and upgraded in some way, shape or form to bring them up-to-date (don’t forget, you can play all your GR1 tracks directly in GR2 using the import feature). The most frequent track author is Strava, who has put out an mind-boggling 270 tracks![/p][p][/p][p]Technically, the first track posted to the Steam Workshop was Exotique by TuomoH, on 29.5.2023, just before GeneRally 2’s public release. However, the first publicly-posted track was Kivi001 by Kiviviki posted a few hours after the game launched into Early Access on 30.5.2023![/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]It didn’t take long to pass 100 tracks - Forested Parkway by Inkballer was uploaded on 5.6.2023, only 6 days later![/p][p]Of course, we didn’t keep that rate going forever - it took another 13 months for us to reach 500 tracks in the Workshop, when Bouncebackability uploaded Haiphong.[/p][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]Another 16 months later, and we arrive to the present, and to the aforementioned Ozzy Autodrome by Strava.[/p][p]It’s been an amazing journey, and we’re looking forward to seeing the incredible tracks you, the community, upload in the future![/p][p][/p][p]We decided it’d be nice to share some of our favourite tracks from the Workshop at this point. If you’re looking for the widely-regarded, top-rated tracks each month, you can follow the Community Choice Award Collection on the Workshop - but for this post, we decided to go a different way. We’ll be looking at our favourite tracks in three categories: Work of Art (our favourite track, visually), Stand-Out (the track we think is most unique overall) and Best for Racing (the one that is most satisfying to race on). Of course, these are only our opinions - so do let us know what your favourites are, too![/p][p][/p][h2]Markku[/h2][h3]Work of Art[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"This track stuck in my mind for its unique look thanks to creative use of yellow tarmac. The 'wheat' works really well (as long as you don't go drive on it), and the rest of the track has been done with equal care, with lots of little details all around. I particularly like that one dead tree in the yard."[/p][p][/p][h3]Stand-Out[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"I love tiny tracks that create a lot of chaos in multiplayer, and I've subjected others to this one many times. The twisty corners make for a lot of contact, but they are also very satisfying when you manage to hit them correctly. The height and slope changes work well to create some extra challenge. I also really like the look of the map, particularly the detailing on the tarmac. This is clearly originally a GR1 track, and the terrain map upscaler, with some touching up by Puhehuhe, works to create some really cool looking texture.[/p][p]Honorable mention: Garreth’s Trail by PandaTruenoo - I keep returning here for stress-testing suspension and tyre physics."[/p][p][/p][h3]Best for Racing[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"Out of all the Workshop tracks, this is the one I've spend the most time on while testing AI and handling. It's just a fun track to drive with a good mix of corners in a small package. Also somehow I really like the way this map looks. It's just very clean without seeming empty."[/p][p][/p][h2]James[/h2][h3]Work of Art[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"This was a really difficult one to choose - there are some tracks that are incredibly creative in their premise and brilliant in their execution (Ale217’s tracks are often like this); and then there are those tracks that just really hit that feeling that we were aiming the art-style of the game around during development: the racing circuit diorama. This track is the latter - to me it just looks and feels like a racing track, shrunk down and left floating on a block in the sky!"[/p][p][/p][h3]Stand-Out[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"There are so many unique and impeccably crafted tracks in the Workshop - but one that grabbed my attention from the moment I saw it, and has kept it for the longest time is Ryozuki. To me, at the time it was posted, the track became the gold standard in the Workshop: it's the kind of track that the more you look, the more you see. There have been many other incredible tracks before and since, but this one has always stuck in my head as a great little track!"[/p][p][/p][h3]Best for Racing[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"There’s one track I come back to time-and-time again in multiplayer lobbies, when racing alone, and in basically any scenario where I just want to load up the game and drive. That track is Forest Mini Circuit. Every time I come back to this, the racing is close and the overall feeling is excellent."[/p][p][/p][h2]Topi[/h2][h3]Work of Art[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"The great mix of the different object variants and the subtle pixel art done by using different terrain types makes this track stand out as one of the more striking ones in the Workshop. I love the setting and the elevation changes make it visually more interesting. Also this track has some tricky turns in it, so it’s always a fun and chaotic time when racing others."[/p][p][/p][h3]Stand-Out[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"Rather simple looking, but a stand-out both visually and driving-wise. Love the round shape of the track where you can put the pedal to the metal and then try to optimise your driving to really nail the turns in the middle. Also a great use of objects and terrain types to keep it simple, but still visually interesting. While being an early submission to the Workshop, it has kept me coming back regularly, even to this day."[/p][p][/p][h3]Best for Racing[/h3][p][dynamiclink][/dynamiclink]"A really fun and challenging track to race on by yourself and in multiplayer. The track keeps you on your toes throughout its length with its changes in terrain and different types of turns. This has become one of my default tracks to use for casual play and gameplay testing. Also love the visual design of it as well."[/p]