Magracing under new management

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HeliumFrog
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Magracing under new management

Post by HeliumFrog »

I am pleased to announce that Magracing is under new management! After a meeting with Wes, both myself Martin and a friend Chris have decided to take over and hopefully make it into something even better. Over the next few months we should be able to offer something new.

There are several issues we must overcome in order to continue production as the number of people using the system is currently very low and of course this affects what we can purchase in bulk and how we can make the cars and controller.

After a week or so getting up to speed with all Wes taught us (And there was a lot to learn from the Magracing Yoda!). Here are our initial thoughts.

1) The current radio system is now out of production and so we intend to begin using 2.4ghz. This gives us options on suppliers, boards and hand controllers. Lap timing will initially not be possible with the system we are looking at, but we hope to offer this in the future. We are looking at a bind and drive system similar to most RC cars. This is our first priority.

2) In tandem we are currently developing a wired hand controller / base station system similar to Scalextric. This may sound a backward step, but this system may offer many more features, such as fuel management, autonomous cars etc. There is also the option to add a PC in the loop to give intelligent race control and even such things as a “Dungeon Master / marshal” who can introduce in-race events as he sees fit to enhance the driving experience. Later we could offer wireless hand controllers.

3) Develop a simple track system that can be placed on a level floor or taped to a board. This should hopefully encourage new users to MagRacing.

4) Expand the range of cars from the current four. Wes has some Nascars and a couple of 1980's GT cars which we could offer. We would also like to introduce some saloon cars and maybe an adjustable chassis for users to mount their own body.

These are our thoughts but as we get more into it this may change.

Now I need to ask the magracing community for their opinions.

What cars would you like us to offer and what would you think popular?
Would you be prepared to pay a little more for a car with a more detailed body shell?
What do you think of wired controllers?
What do you think are the barriers which stop more people adopting the system?
Would you like faster cars with a little more grip or is the current race pace about right?
Would you be prepared to flash firmware into a car and base station to get more enhanced features?
What do you think of us supplying cars where the chassis needs assembly?
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MagRacer
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by MagRacer »

Hi Martin,
That is great news! :-)

Will you make changes in the steering system or will you continue using the coil steering? and what scale will you make the cars in?

What cars would you like us to offer and what would you think popular?
The popular models from slotcar brands.

Would you be prepared to pay a little more for a car with a more detailed body shell?
Yes, I would be prepared to pay more with the extra features, it would be worth it.

What do you think of wired controllers?
I dont see any problem in wired controllers

What do you think are the barriers which stop more people adopting the system?
I think that the barriers have been the lack of bodies and that the system is not compatible with slot cars parts or R/C parts.
and the scale, many would like to drive 1/24 scale cars, myself included.


Would you like faster cars with a little more grip or is the current race pace about right?
I think current race pace is fine, but maybe the option to choose speed or exchange motor would be great.

Would you be prepared to flash firmware into a car and base station to get more enhanced features?
Yes.

What do you think of us supplying cars where the chassis needs assembly?
Fine with me.
Ned
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Ned »

Martin, glad to hear that you’ve taken up the cause.

One thing I think you should consider first is whether or not magracing is primarily a toy, a game, or a hobby. I think it is, and always will be, primarily a hobby.

Most hobbyists like to tinker. As a hobby, different aspects of magracing appeal to different people. For some people the main attraction is racing. But I’m of the opinion that the magracing system of track and cars does not have much to offer above slot cars, just for racing. I don’t see why magracing would be a lot more fun than slotracing. I don’t think many people would convert from slotracing to magracing, if they’re just interested in racing. People interested in racing are not particularly interested in building a track. They would be more interested in the thrill of competition, both in building great cars and driving them. Moreover, to engage in a meaningful and exciting race, you need to race against at least one person who owns and has practiced with his own car (rather than race against a robot). When I started with magracing, there was no one living within a 4 hour drive of my home who had a magracer. Meaningful racing was not a possibility. It still isn’t. Now there is one person 45 minutes away who owns one car.

Other people like myself are drawn to magracing due to an interest in realistic modeling. For some it’s modeling more realistic car performance, which includes speed, acceleration, handling, cornering, and passing. Some folks are attracted to magracing because of the possibility of a much more realistic looking track/road surface incorporated into a realistic landscape. Others may want to model the administration of a race.

A few may be attracted to the challenge of building a track or the creativity permitted in track design and layout. Others are attracted to magracing by the low cost of building a custom track with wirelessly controlled cars, compared to a slot track and cars. A few like me are attracted by the possibility of having a track located permanently on the ground outside with only a little protection from the sun. Such a track is not practical with slot cars.

Personally, I think the major shortcoming of magracing is the availability of many highly detailed and accurately scaled, beautiful cars, with great looking wheels and tires. I believe any new chassis should accommodate wheels, tires, and axles common to 1/32 slot cars. A standard chassis should come with wheels and tires that provide adequate traction.

Lastly, I’ll bet nearly all of the members of this forum currently own or have owned in the past, a slot car or 2, maybe 3,4 or more! I suspect that for the next few years, most people who try magracing will have had prior experience with slot cars. They will expect and want a large variety of beautiful cars with many parts interchangeable with their 1/32 slot car parts. They will also want to be able to use some of their slot car bodies. New magracing chassis should be designed to be easily fitted to many existing slot car bodies on the market today.

Now to your questions.

What cars would you like us to offer and what would you think popular?
I don’t have an opinion on this other than a chassis should be made to accommodate many of the existing slot car bodies. There are many fabulous bodies on the market now. You don’t need to provide a lot more. Provide enough, perhaps 10-15, to get people started and direct them to ebay for more. Don’t reinvent the wheel.

Would you be prepared to pay a little more for a car with a more detailed body shell?
Yes

What do you think of wired controllers?
I don’t like the idea at all, partly because my track is outside and making wired controllers weather proof would be more difficult and/or they would be inconvenient to use. Also I don’t like being tethered to something. The availability of wireless controllers was a major consideration for me. Without them, I would not have chosen magracing.

What do you think are the barriers which stop more people adopting the system?
The lack of a great variety of accurately scaled, beautiful, painted, and decorated body shells and the lack of inexpensive ready to run track which can be quickly set up and taken down. The former appeals to folks primarily interested in realistic modeling while the latter appeals to people who want to race or just try it out. I like and prefer 1:32 scale.

Would you like faster cars with a little more grip or is the current race pace about right?
I would NOT like faster cars. I definitely would want more grip with the tires.

Would you be prepared to flash firmware into a car and base station to get more enhanced features?
I don’t know anything about frimware so I can’t answer.

What do you think of us supplying cars where the chassis needs assembly?
I think chassis should be sold assembled as well as unassembled. It is highly unlikely that a beginner would buy an unassembled chassis unless he has a lot of experience building slot cars. A beginner probably won’t want to buy an unfinished body shell either. Unfinished body shells almost drove me away from adopting magracing. I’ve been involved with magracing for over 2 years and still haven’t finished a body shell.
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HeliumFrog
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by HeliumFrog »

Thanks for the responses. Keep them coming as its all very useful whilst we finalise the way forward. For the forseable future we will concentrate on 1/32 cars, I think at first getting the 4 original cars back on the market (or something similar must be the first thing we must do.

@Ned
I think you are exactly right, Magracing is not primarily for racing. In fact the races I have seen online seem more of a melee free for all, particularly when there are say over about 4 cars.
Taking a cue from the model railway enthuiasts this is now considered an older persons pastime (Say age 30+). The people buying the stuff (At least in the UK) have more money to spend, but demand more highly detailed scale products which is something you have said.
BriG
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by BriG »

Hello Martin,

I recently joined this forum and from what I could gather from reading what I have, it seemed as though Magracing needed a good shot in the arm, and hopefully you will provide that.

I immediately became captivated with everything I've seen so far, and I do at some point hope to get into the hobby. Having said that, please consider my opinions as a newcomer for whatever they are worth.

I personally find the endurance type sports cars the most appealing as far as looks and the fact that they're not running around an oval. I think P1, P2, and GT cars couldn't be better suited for Magracing. They are what Magracing, from what I've seen, is all about, being able to drive the car where you want on the track using the driving line just as full scale.

I feel the more detail, the more realistic the cars are on the track visually, and I would pay more for that. It seems there are so many 1/32 slot cars available, people must be buying them. Along those lines, being able to adapt existing bodies to Magracing chassis may be a good way to have the slot car crowd make the switch. I'm sure a redesign of the chassis with different or adjustable wheel bases would allow that. Rubber tires and scale wheels would be nice as well as motor/gearing options. Keeping everything scale including the speeds will maintain the realism. There is some catching up to do, but I think the cars are the easy part.

The track is going to make the difference. People will not be able to enjoy these great cars without the track. The real enthusiasts will probably choose to build their own, as this up till now has been the only option anyway. But for the crowd just staring out, they may want that plug and play as well as those who don't have the time or skills to build a track. It may need to be set up and broken down in the same way as slot car track. 1/32 scale is a good size for the effect of realism without having to have an enormous space to lay it out, the bigger the cars, the bigger the track.

Because I have not yet actually Magraced myself, pretty much everything I'm writing is just an opinion from where I am now, on the outside looking in. But what got the ball rolling for me was seeing the annual 24 hr LeMans race they have in the UK on YouTube, which really intrigued me. I loved seeing the scale detail in every car with working lights, some with glowing exhaust! Then when I discovered that Magracing existed, I was blown away with how realistic the cars operate. To include as much of the cool stuff that the slot cars have into Magracing can only help in really having it get noticed.

Hope my input helps in some way, and I look forward to great success.

Brian
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Keld
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Keld »

HeliumFrog wrote: Now I need to ask the magracing community for their opinions.
What cars would you like us to offer and what would you think popular?
Depending on which group of costumers you want, If you want new and younger peopple you need a base track system, a kind of roll out track to get them started. very few guys can start from scracth and build a track.
Would you be prepared to pay a little more for a car with a more detailed body shell?
No, I prefer very high detailed 1/24 cars, and I build them my self, and I don't think you should use the energy there, it is possible to use the large range of modells allready on the market. mayby just talk to some of the producers I am sure they will help you making chassis to fit their bodies.
It is possible to buy models is 1/32 and 1/24 both finished and as white bodies to paint your self.
Painted body
White body
What do you think of wired controllers?
wired to what, i do not understand what that should be good for.
What do you think are the barriers which stop more people adopting the system?
1.) The track building, this kind of building is even in slotracing clubs very difficult. :usch
2.) The track building :usch
3.) Buying complete raceready set. It is not enough to sell something and ask the user to buy something else another place.

Would you like faster cars with a little more grip or is the current race pace about right?
Pace and driving time is fine, better grib is a must, but that gives better speed automaticly.
Would you be prepared to flash firmware into a car and base station to get more enhanced features?
Sorry now you talking about something i do not understand, firmware is something in a pc, I would not use a pc to this, it is not me.

I need a feature like a ghost car, when building a large track and only be 2 or 3 to drive, there is a need for more than 1 ghost car following right or left side of the track so you need to overtake them.
What do you think of us supplying cars where the chassis needs assembly?
Thats just like in 1/24 slotracing, not a problem, just make a online assambly guide.
And make a few chassis that are adjustable to fit most bodies. It is only 4 parts and 6 screws:
1. the motor/battery unit with driving wheels
2. the part for the front wheel/steering system, fitted with 2 long slots to adjust the lenght when fitted to the backend.
3. 2 side bars adjustable in with to fit the inside of the body.
/Keld
Ned
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Ned »

Martin,
When answering your question:
What do you think are the barriers which stop more people adopting the system?
I forgot to mention the lack of good looking wheels and tires with adequate grip. I found the lack of grip very discouraging. I suspect that some people who purchased magracers quickly gave up due to the inadequate wheels and tires. I know that Wes was concerned that with too much grip, the cars would be too easy to drive, and that it would take no skill. I have not found that to be the case on my track using wheels and tires from slot cars. My track is not perfectly flat. It has some bumps and banked corners.

Also, the cars should be able to go up and down hills with a 10% grade without any problems. That requires some traction. It's no fun trying to drive as if you're on ice. (I've actually tried driving on ice with rubber tires on my track. :D It's not fun. ) Cars should also be able to go around modestly banked corners and recover if they spin out. Recovering on a banked cure often requires going up a grade. This requires traction.

Being able to recover from crashes, spin outs, etc. without the use of race marshals is a great feature of magracing. This requires good traction unless the track is perfectly smooth and flat. Even a tiny grain of sand or tiny blob of dry paint will prevent a car with stock wheels from starting from a standstill.

In my opinion, good looking wheels and tires with very good traction is essential to fostering adoption of the system.
Ned
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by Ned »

Keld wrote:
What do you think of us supplying cars where the chassis needs assembly?
Thats just like in 1/24 slotracing, not a problem, just make a online assambly guide.
And make a few chassis that are adjustable to fit most bodies. It is only 4 parts and 6 screws:
1. the motor/battery unit with driving wheels
2. the part for the front wheel/steering system, fitted with 2 long slots to adjust the lenght when fitted to the backend.
3. 2 side bars adjustable in width to fit the inside of the body.
Keld, Why do you want adjustable sidebars to fit inside the body? This will add weight.
warman
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by warman »

Congratulations
Considering I purchased the last 4 production cars from Wes a short time ago, the news of under new management is very welcome.
The Magracing system Wes created is too good of an idea to let fade away. Wes mentioned there may be a new owner in our last correspondence.
I,m not quite sure what you mean by wired controllers but I would not care for tethered controllers. I am very familiar with 2.4Ghz controllers and that is a welcome addition.
Yes, I would be willing to pay a little more for added detail. I would also be willing to perform some additional assembly. As a fan of the GT cars, I consider that an excellent choice.
The adjustable Chassis is also an excellent idea. The ability to mount 1/32 or 1/24th plastic models to the chassis opens up a whole new spectrum.
I also purchased the Nissan and the other two cars from Wes that use the C23 batteries and the ability to have other battery options
is a very nice feature.
Thanks again for the great news. I am wishing you great success and will do my best to support your endeavor.
kiklo
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Re: Magracing under new management

Post by kiklo »

Hi all. Great news to hear MAGracing will be taken to the next turn and beyond.

Wishes:

Adjustable chassis for 1:32 cars.
Realistic speed and road holding is the goal to go for.

Timing system is crucial for me - good racing is hard without.
Make sure you have a strategy at place at once. Go with an existing one or easy adapted.
We got it quite nicely with Race Coordinator as it has an open interface.

Using wired controllers is huge step backwards, I see no reason for going back.
Make sure they become usable for both left and right-handed. (pistol grip with wheel at the top).
Racing Regards

Kim K.
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