Castle Rock: How It All Works (Behind the Scenes)

[@johnkemas7344]

Great job! Slot car racing to a new level! When I was a kid in the 1960's my Dad and I went a raced our slot cars at several large commercial tracks in the Pittsburgh, PA area. Hobby shops had them and there were at least 3 large multi-track facilities. Some tracks had 8 to 16 lanes. We even had racing for cash prizes on weekend evenings. I miss those days. I never understood why slot car racing in Pittsburgh just died overnight?

[@Castle-Rock]

I wasn't ever around them really, but I did have a Tyco set when I was a kid that I enjoyed for a few years. That sounds like a fun time - and how cool to be able to go with your Dad... just think about how the dollars spent during those days resulted in years of positive memories! Well worth the few dollars I am betting!

[@johnkemas7344]

@@Castle-Rock A lot of hard earned paper money, lawn cutting and odd job money got spent!

[@Castle-Rock]

Some things never change in slot cars :)

[@drewherbert4835]

Heck, just your scenery is amazing, the electronics are another level!

[@Castle-Rock]

Thanks Drew :)

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

I don't know how I got here... but HO LEE COW I am impressed and blown away with what you're doing here! I run Race Coordinator on my track, but always wanted a way to add "caution lights", or change a camera "live", or maybe play a sound effect that ISN'T on the timing monitor, yet still play. So easy in my head to say "I want this button to do this or that" etc. I even want to try to get my Elgato Streamdeck (currently in transit) to somehow trigger these extra lights and sounds etc. Basically my wheels are spinning (pun intended) even when my wheels aint spinnin, LOL ((edit- also in I.T., but not coding/programming))

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

P.S. - Subbed immediately, full bell

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you! You ought to try ChaGPT out for some of the coding.... it's decent at Python as long as you're patient at explaining stuff. A lot of the fun is thinking up all the features... Thanks for the sub!

[@ZachNorris]

Very cool. Congrats on all your hard work.

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you! Lots of things to get better at, it's all a progression :)

[@slotjournal]

Awesome stuff, Bill! When it comes to tech, I know just enough to be dangerous - but this is way beyond my abilities. I know you have a lot of time and thought put into this - glad it worked out for you. 👍

[@Castle-Rock]

Hey there Mark, it's good to see you! It's mostly been above my abilities... if it wasn't for the AI help it wouldn't exist! I'm just getting decent at talking to these things, so things should just get easier from here in that regard. Cheers!

[@IrrerasCarrera]

This is some outstanding work Bill. Thanks so much for sharing. I work in the automation industry and I can tell you theres a department you can manage if ever you find some free time 😅 Ridiculously passionate about our hobby as Pete says 🎉🎉

[@Castle-Rock]

It's probably best you and I are separated by a border. Pretty sure if you were my neighbor we'd have our layouts wired up to a mini-nuclear reactor, bud! Thanks for the compliment, it's been a fun project :)

[@IrrerasCarrera]

@Castle-Rock We'd figure out a way to get the cars mining at the same time for sure 😂

[@Castle-Rock]

@@IrrerasCarrera No doubt!

[@trackfanstv]

This is genius! Way above my I.T skill set but, fascinating nether the less! Great video pal, nice one!

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you Pete! Just a lot of patience :) Good to see you!

[@SpareRoomSlotCars]

Great job, that is awesome

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you! I appreciate it.

[@slotcardude68]

This is absolutely awsome, great work, wow!!!!! Amazing!!!!!

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you! It is a handy tool for me, I'm hopeful that you guys will enjoy the race videos with the more customized camera action. Looking forward to racing now!

[@PNWSlotcarDad]

What a great information on video brother, happy racing 🏁

[@Castle-Rock]

Thanks PNW! Hopefully it inspires some other folks long-term to try stuff like it to expand layout capabilities hobby-wide :)

[@willworkforicecream]

Good stuff, dude.

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you!

[@Clearwater124]

Really cool Bill.

[@Castle-Rock]

Thank you! Hope the cleanup/recovery is moving along for you guys down there in Florida!

[@daz1975ify]

Wow amazing work definitely worth the effort. Are the backgrounds generated in the program as they look epic to

[@Castle-Rock]

Hi Daz! I make the backgrounds in an old copy of Photoshop, overlaying everything off track which gives folks some privacy but also a nice backdrop. I'm going to do some *actual* race coverage here shortly, you guys didn't get to see much of the new backdrop! Thanks for the nice words.