Work on the S-Plan sister project, S-Race (a lap timing and race management system) continues. I am aiming to launch this on the internet later this year so watch this space.

S-Plan will not be forgotten though. I already have a long customer wish list to work my way through. I suspect I will have a busy year ahead of me!
 

S-Plan for Christmas 
A downloaded file from the internet doesn't make a great stocking filler - but how about a floppy disk that can be unwrapped and installed on Christmas morning in minutes? Are there any prospective UK customers out there who would prefer to buy S-Plan on disk as a Christmas present for a friend or relative? I would be happy to supply you a copy on disk still for only £15 as long as you are willing to pay by cheque direct to me (i.e. payment option 1 only but rather than downloading S-Plan Viewer and sending an authorization code as instructed, simply put a note in with your cheque requesting that I send you a disk copy). I will endeavour to put disks in the post the day after receipt of payment but please allow for Christmas postal delays and order early to ensure that I can get the disk to you before Christmas Day.

Mark Stevens (S-Plan distributor for Australia) is also capable of producing S-Plan on disk and I am sure he will be happy to provide Australian customers with their stocking fillers. You can contact Mark by email at mstevens@bluegumtech.com.au for pricing and availability in Australia.
 

So if you have your own copy of S-Plan Designer why not suggest to your friends that they download a copy of S-Plan Viewer and then email them some of your favourite circuit designs. You could even drop the gauntlet by including some of your best lap times as well! 

S-Plan V2 Reviewed 
A number of people have suggested that I should add reviews of S-Plan to this site. Well since I haven't updated the site for over a month I thought it would be good to finally get my act together and include one - written by Mark Stevens as a follow on to the review he wrote on S-Plan version 1 for the October and November 1999 issues of the Club Lines newsletter (official newsletter of the Australian Scalextric Racing and Collecting Club). Follow this link to read the review . 

S-Plan Sales  
S-Plan sales continue to rise. For the first 4 months of this year a total of 100 copies have been sold which is a significant increase bearing in mind that only 100 copies were sold for the whole of last year! Thank you to all those of you who have been willing to part with money to support this developing product. This has given me a strong indication that it is worth me investing more time and money in developing and improving the product further. 

For those of you that are still unsure whether S-Plan is a sound investment please feel confident in the fact that S-Plan has become a well established product, having been commercially available for over two and a half years. During that time it has been well received to the extent that there are now over 300 users. If that were not enough it also has the distinction of being the software package used to design all the Formula 1 circuits that have been included in Racer (the official magazine of the Scalextric Enthusiasts' Club) over the last 2 years. 

User Feedback  
A big thank you to all those of you out there who have taken time and trouble to write with ideas for new features, comments and circuits designs. Please continue to provide this valuable feedback - you have helped make S-Plan what it is today. 
 

I have also purchased the domain name www.s-race.co.uk to promote the race management software and hardware S-Race Manager. Check this new site out in the future to meet your race management and computerised lap timing needs. 

S-Plan V2 
Sales are on the up and I haven't been promoting the new release yet other than by this site. I can only assume word of mouth is paying dividends - keep up the good work and keep talking! 

I have placed an advert in the next issue of the Scalextric Racer magazine and am also aware of one or two impending independant reviews of S-Plan V2 in a slot car related publication near you! 

I have already had some feedback on S-Plan V2. All very positive with a number of suggestions which I hope to bring out as minor upgrades later this year. 

I also hear stories that Fly will be lauching their own track system soon. I will be quite keen to support it when I have the vital statistics! 

S-Race Manager 
I have just started a new design of the S-Race Manager hardware on paper. I will also update the software to bring it in line with S-Plan V2, whilst adding a number of new features to boot. This will all be supported by the new dedicated site www.s-race.co.uk 

And Finally... 
I hope to book a table at the Milton Keynes NSCC swopmeet so do stop to say hello if you are going to be there. 
 

I intend  to continue my policy of providing free software upgrades to existing customers which to the best of my knowledge is not common practice in the software industry. But I still need to generate some form of income to fund future development, so if you do think S-Plan is a good product then please recommend it to your friends or colleagues. 

S-Plan V2 
If you are an existing customer and you are still using version 1 then do upgrade to version 2 - all beta testers agreed that it is much easier to use to the point of becoming addictive! If you already have a working version of S-Plan Designer then when you upgrade you won't even need a new access code. 

Keep your eyes open in the new year, hopefully you will see one or two independant reviews of S-Plan V2 either on the internet or in a slot car related publication. 

S-Race Manager 
I have just started the new design of the S-Race Manager hardware on paper. I will keep you posted on my progress - so watch this space. 

And Finally... 
I gave my wife a longer slot car wish list this year for her to chose one item from in an effort to maintain the element of surprise - so will it be the new red Ninco XK120 or one of the superb Ninco go-kart or a Fly Classic or one of the new Panoz liveries... who said Christmas is only for children! 

So can I just wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. 
 

So is S-Plan V2 worth the wait? 
You tell me (please). The beta testers were impressed as were those that I demonstrated the software to at the NSCC swopmeet in Bishops Stortford at the beginning of November. All agree that the new user interface makes track design much quicker and easier. Two testers have spent more time with S-Plan V2 than their wives would have liked (but not as much time as I have spent developing it as my wife will readily verify) - so don't say I didn't warn you! 

As promised S-Plan V2 is available free of charge to existing customers via this website. If you like the product please recommend it to a friend, convincing them that their slot racing existance is not complete without it. 

For prospective customers the price is still the same as when version 1 was originally launched back in September 1998 ie £15.00 - that's 0% inflation Mr Brown! 

 S-Race Manager 
Let the sleeping giant be reawakened! I am now ready to start a new version of the S-Race hardware which is intended to be more versatile and will simultaneously time upto 8 lanes. It's an optomistic target but I hope to have the new version ready for the Milton Keynes swopmeet in February 2001. 
 

 S-Race Manager 
Woking Slot Car Club are now just starting to use S-Race Manager on their recently completed and highly impressive 5 lane circuit. It is still early days but the version specially modified for their layout seems to be recording lap times very reliably. Now all I need to do is to get the start lights working properly! I'll try to post up some pictures of the circuit and lap timer in action next newsletter with my newly aquired digital camera (if I can get the thing to work - I've got a photo gallery of feet at the moment). Once I have completed version 2 of S-Plan I intend to make some minor upgrades to the S-Race software to bring it in line with S-Plan. I will probably make more significant changes to the hardware so that the standard version becomes more like what is currently a special version as used at the Woking Club. Believe me if you can satisfy a Slot Club with a lap timer then it will have no problems meeting the requirements of the home racer - as long as the purchase price is kept down - which I intend to do. 

Out and About 
I haven't hired any swop meet tables since February and have been holding back until S-Plan version 2 is completed but I don't think I'll be able to resist the temptation of demonstrating the new features - there's nothing like a bit of direct feedback that only a live demo can bring! 
 

In the week before the event I modified the software to allow a handicap system to be implemented so that the younger racers could compete with the older ones more fairly - if anything I overcompensated for age with the top prize (Scalextric Touring Car set) going to a 5 year old! 

S-Plan 
I am still working hard on the S-Plan improvements despite distractions (day job, open day, Euro 2000 to name but a few). A number of existing S-Plan users have kindly volunteered to beta test the new version when it is ready. Apologies yet again to those of you that have been waiting for it - I'm sure you will like the improvements I have made when you finally get to see them. If all goes well it may be ready for release by my birthday on July 10th, then again every time I try to give a date I seem to miss it - and now you know when my birthday is I guess you'll all be wanting sticky buns! 
 

S-Race Manager 
Development of S-Race Manager has taken a bit of a back seat whilst I have been working on the S-Plan upgrade. However the ideas keep flooding in so there will be some more additions to the software in the second half of the year. I will also finally get round to building a 4 lane version - apologies to those of you who have been waiting for this, I will be back on to it as a priority in June. 

I will be running a circuit using S-Race Manager for lap timing at my company's open day as part of the alternative entertainment with prizes for the fastest lap, adult and child. 

NSCC/Scalextric Race Weekend  
I was lucky enough to have my name drawn out of a hat for this annual race event which also gives participants an opportunity to talk to the Hornby development staff. This year's weekend was organised differently to the previous years in that we were divided into four teams for an endurance race of 1000 laps per day, run as 250 laps on each lane. 

Between and after races the Hornby development staff answered questions and showed us various items both close to release and in the early stages of development. We were given a preview of the soon to be released Ford Focus - the paint jobs on these were absolutely stunning - the staff were particularly proud of the fact that you could read the rally notes of the co-drivers (they were transcripts of genuine notes from an actual rally!) 
 

Next update I'll post up the race times along with the circuit plan so you can see how bad we really were - perhaps you may even be tempted to build the circuit yourself and throw down the gauntlet with a series of unbeatable lap times! 

S-Plan 
I am now well into the S-Plan user interface upgrade. I have almost completed the track entry system improvements and am now just about to look at any other areas that I can enhance. If you have some suggestions as to what you would like to see added to S-Plan now would be a good time to let me know. I can't promise to include every suggestion but I will certainly try to include the more popular ideas. 

I am hoping to have completed the upgrade by the end of April. When complete it will be available to existing users free of charge via this website - consider it a belated Easter present! So if you want S-Plan now, buy it now - you won't miss out on the improvements when they arrive. 
 

I am still looking a ways of trying to manufacture the S-Race Interface in a more time effective manner - it currently takes me in excess of 3 hours to make each unit. As a result I am still not marketing it that heavily at the moment. I do however have 4 two lane units in stock (on 21st February 2000) so if you are interested in buying one now would be a good time, i.e. no wait!

S-Plan 
Whilst at the Milton Keynes swopmeet I was approached by a writer for the Model and Collectors Mart who was keen to review S-Plan. So all being well S-Plan could be in print again in the very near future. I also met up with Peter Novani, who is running a slot car circuit for charity at the London Classic Motor Show, and was able to give him a couple of copies of S-Plan as prizes. 

The number of existing S-Plan users that I meet a each swopmeet is steadily increasing - which a very good sign. What is even more pleasing is that they seem pretty happy with the product that they have bought and find designing circuits on a computer screen a whole lot easier and quicker than the "crawling round on the floor trial and error method". 

I have now started work on the S-Plan user interface face lift. When complete the upgrade will be available to existing users free of charge via this website. If you have some suggestions as to what you would like to see added to S-Plan now would be a good time to let me know. I can't promise to include every suggestion but I will certainly try to include the more popular ideas. 
 

The S-Plan and S-Race Web Site  
Yet again it has been a 4 week gap between updates to this website - as my old junior teacher used to say - "could do better"! 

I have now got my new PC up and running (one of the many distractions for last month) and am still looking into changing internet service provider and the possibility of purchasing a domain name. 

If you have any slot car related events please feel free to email me the details and I will try to include them on the site events page. 

S-Race Interface 
The first customer for a complete S-Race Manager system, including "dead strip" lap sensing is now very happy with the product after a minor teething problem. I have almost completed detailed instructions for both 2 and 4 lane versions for those of you that would prefer to build your own hardware. My next task will be to investigate other means of lap detection to provide a range of solutions. 

S-Race Manager 
I have just completed the first upgrade to the S-Race Manager software, making a few enhencements and correcting a few minor bugs. I will be making S-Race Manager available from this website very soon. 

S-Plan 
By mid January S-Plan Designer sales had reached the 100 mark since the launch on September 20th 1998. Most of these sales were in 1999, steadily increasing throughout the year, with January 2000 now being the best month. So if you like the product tell somebody else about it - having used it would you really want to build anything but the simplest of circuits without it? 

A face lift is scheduled for S-Plan hopefully within the first quarter of 2000 - most of the improvements will be to the user interface with the aim of making the software even quicker, easier and more intuitive. Many existing users have come up with a number of useful suggestions for improvements and I hope to include at least some of these in the next release. 

S-Plan and S-Race On The Road  
I can confirm that I have booked a table at the next NSCC swopmeet in Milton Keynes on Sunday February 20th. If you would be interested in purchasing a copy of S-Race Manager along with hardware for lap sensing then to be sure of getting the hardware (which may be in limited supply initially) why not reserve yours now - just send me an email  
 

The S-Plan and S-Race Web Site  
For regular viewers of this site many apologies for the lack of update over the last 4 weeks, as you know I try to add to the site every 2 weeks but this month has been somewhat busy with me trying to complete the S-Race hardware. 

I am looking to change service provider in the new year as many of you have pointed out that my site is not always available (I have also noticed this myself). In addition I will be investigating the possibility of purchasing a domain name. I will also be making S-Race Manager available from the website in the near future and have lots of new ideas for extra site features - so watch this space as they say! 

S-Race Interface 
The "dead strip" version of S-Race Interface has now been completed (I have shipped the first version to a customer) but I will also be investigating other means of lap detection. In addition to this I will be producing detailed instructions for those of you that would prefer to build your own hardware. 

S-Race Manager 
As S-Race Manager gets used by more and more people possible improvements and bugs will come to light so I'm sure some of my time in the first few months of 2000 will be spent producing minor upgrades to S-Race (all free to existing users of course). 

S-Plan 
The now well established S-Plan track design software will under go a face lift hopefully within the first quarter of 2000 - most of the improvements will be to the user interface with the aim of making the software even quicker, easier and more intuitive. Many existing users have come up with many useful suggestions for improvements and I hope to include at least some of these in the next release. 

S-Plan and S-Race On The Road  
I intend to book a table at the next NSCC swopmeet in Milton Keynes in February (see  events for details). If you would be interested in purchasing a copy of S-Race Manager along with hardware for lap sensing then to be sure of getting the hardware (which may be in limited supply initially) why not reserve yours now - just send me an email