Hi guys! Been a while.

About two months ago I regained interest in TM, and started playing again. Just like before I semi-retired in 2012, I'm playing mostly RPG and trial maps now.

For the past couple of weeks Aru and I have been playing together on my server, and since two weeks Mix has joined us. I'm now hosting my server permanently, so if you're interested in trying out some RPG and trial maps, feel free to visit the server: [CMC] Trial/RPG.

If you've never played these type of maps before, they can be a bit intimidating, and you might need a bit of guidance. You have most chance of finding us online on weekday evenings, and mostly on Thursday, probably.

If you don't know what RPG and trial maps are, here's a short introduction.

RPG maps are story maps, usually quite long (at least 5 minutes for a perfect run, often much longer). The maps are usually not focused on racing, but more on pathfinding and balancing, and most maps have a mod to fit the story of the track. The first RPG tracks were mostly temples/pyramids, huge structures from which you had to find a way out. RPG tracks are tricky because of their length and the pathfinding, but they're not necessarily hard to drive if you know the way. A nice example of one of the first RPG's ever made is Kryw's Sobékite.

Trial maps on the other hand usually have less of a story, and are also not necessarily modded. These tracks often have less checkpoints as well, and a perfect run is thus often shorter. However, here the focus is much more on the difficulty of reaching the next checkpoint. These tracks are much harder to finish than most RPG maps, and their difficulty ranges from tricky to (nearly) impossible. They can be well compared to platform maps. A nice example of a quite flowy and easy trial is r3v0's Trial / a modern myth, or maybe my own Virtual Insanity.

Another great classic map is Igntul's O'clock which mixes elements from both RPG and trial maps.

That does sound really nice. Gonna check it out later this week! I could need a diversion from the knockout stuff

I keep calling trials/RPGs: "platform maps in race mode", which usually annoys some people.
Anyway, I did not fully understand the difference between RPG and trial, now I know thanks to you JJ, thanks!

Ha, no problem. Glad I could clear that up.

Dark and I drove the first couple of CPs on Tortugo this evening, which seems like a fun trial map. (By the way, Dark, the key to that CP was to drive the outer corner after all. )

damnit! Then i was just too slow again

But yeah trying a completely different style of tracks than what i usually drive is really fun! That Trial map was harder than i expected

guess i'll try it out later today again!

Bad platform maps for people who can't win when driving normal maps

For the server:
https://united.tm-exchange.com/main.asp ... 95240#auto
https://united.tm-exchange.com/main.asp ... 34823#auto

Hehe.

Ahh, Drive This, I remember that one. I'll add it to the collection of United maps. Right now a Stadium packmask is running on the server, but I'm planning on putting it on United on some occasions. Thanks!

Cretaceous Period finish (map gps)

Today I fought a great battle with myself. Long and filled with hardship was the road to victory. My mind and body have been tested like never before. Willpower, patience, confidence, hands, all of them nearly broken!

But I have come out victorious! And now I am a changed man. Will you believe me if I tell you I have ascended to something beyond mankind? The stadium holds no secrets for me. Every pixel of every block is crystal clear to me as if it was an extension of my own body.

No more is the time of gearbugs, turtles and reversing bugs. However, it matters not, for I cannot be affected emotionally anymore. Salt, tilt and rage are a thing of the past. I have achieved true zen.

I have become the StadiumCar

You too, can ascend, if you only choose to join us in our weekly Thursday night RPG/trial sessions at ~8pm

grats Aru

Haha, nice one!

Hero!