How to: make a track for Assetto Corsa

[r@m]

Hi guys I just joined to find out if there are any details about track making for Assetto Corsa yet, I've had a browse around and it seems the format will be the same/ similar to Netkar.?
Info is very thin on the ground, as are examples / tutorials, all I've manged to find are a few videos in the Italian language, which is not my native tongue, so doesn't explain very much.
Are there any technical breakdown of formats and specifications for the game anywhere, animations, gfx, effects etc? Any detailed workflows from 3DS Max to Netkar ?
I've been modding GP4 for some time now but grown tired of it's graphical limitations, so I've just started researching AC and NKP.
Assetto Corsa looks the real deal with full modding capabilities, so for me wins hands down over PCars, which is a total lockout in all departments.

Any advice would be appreciated.

btw, I have some of Melbourne, and a 80% complete Abu Dhabi, built from scratch by my own fair fingers, so I have plenty of material to work with.

 

[nothke]

In short, you separately make a graphic (what you see) and a physical (what you collide with) model of the track in your favourite modeling software, and export to .fbx (only fbx supported). You import the .fbx into a special editor that will be supplied with AC where you see everything as will look in game. You assign materials/shaders in it, and properties like surface type and cameras (and a bunch of other things there and directly export to AC. In game you drive an AI line. Ta-da!

Sorry for being too short.

You have a bunch of details here on RD, but if you want to start modelling now, do it in your favourite modeling software, and don't worry much later. Keep in mind that the physical model needs to be much more detailed than in previous games cause the physics are more precise and if you put low poly physical model you will feel each poly in game. BTW, AC pipeline is MUCH simpler than anything else before..

 

[r@m]

Thanks nothke, that's plenty info, I have tons of questions, so I'm having a good read around here.
Main details I can't nail down yet are polycount and animation workflow/capabilities, tho I'm sure all will become clear in time.
GP4 has a polygon "limit" of around 300,000 per track which means as much of the detail has to be in the texture rather than the mesh, as a keen modeler I find this very frustrating.
Are we talking Codemaster-like polygon count for AC tracks or are there definable limits?

 

[Jan Krautter]

In an interview on speedmaniacs, Marco Massarutto said the polygon limit for tracks was 2.5 million. But I don't know if that is a hard limit or just represents their biggest tracks
.

 

[r@m]

2.5 mill ?.... that will do

 

[r@m]

Here's a few screens on some of the things I've been working on, for Melbourne, mainly accurate fencing and pitlane structures so far. Polycount for fencing is currently pretty high as it was modeled to be rendered onto a 2d plane with alpha
The blue cameraman stand is low poly, as is the Pirelli sign holder.

Is this forum the right place for WIPS or do I use the modding forum? I can move these screens to wherever either way.

 

[morsify]

I presume the correct place should be the modding section, but in any case, wow, that fencing looks incredible, great job so far, look forward to seeing the finished track if this is anything to go by

(Mind you it is also looking like such progress might be expensive - because of rF2 and AC I have just bought an HD7950 3GB, and I am already worried about the rest of my system coping with some of the fantastic graphics I am seeing! )

 

[DennS]

I don't have any idea how to make something like that but WOW that looks awesome!

Is this forum the right place for WIPS or do I use the modding forum? I can move these screens to wherever either way.

I guess the modding forum is the right place for this. Just make a thread there, even if I can't help/answer your questions I'll follow the thread just to see the progress you are making

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

That does look amazing! Very nice.

If you wish to show us the entire work in progress (hope so ) you can can start a WIP thread here http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/forums/assetto-corsa-mods.36/

Super nice this, wish we can see more of such projects.

 

[BanjoMaster]

I'm sure I read recently that modding was dead and that there was no new blood left to come into the scene...

Honestly, I'm struggling to keep up with all the truly impressive new projects and artists that are popping up everywhere! And this is another very promising new development. Great work!

 

[Simon Kaminski]

Let's hope that at least the half of them will be released. There are so many mods never released ...

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

Making a model is one thing, making a full blown sim vehicle/track in game is another. I can't do either of both so kudos to those artists that manage to get a full working car/track in Assetto Corsa.

 

[r@m]

Thanks for the comments guys, the main problem I find in track making is finding decent reference, I don't have the luxury of visiting the track with my camera, so if I give up on something it's usually because I detest crawling the web trying to find decent photo's, it's soul destroying when all you want to do is model and end up with tired eyes from all the web trawling.
It usually means I can't finish models, so they have to go on ice until I find good reference.
I've just remodeled the Start box, still trying to find an acceptable/optimal level of detail for the tracks, here's a few wireframes, it would be good to get pointers from experienced modelers.
All tubes and wires are currently 12 sided renderable splines, which can easily be reduced, most of fence parts and cables could easily go onto 2d planes with alpha, and a lot of detail can be baked into the texture.
Of course I will get a better idea once I can study an AC track.

I'm pulling things together for a WIP thread, I'm not the most organized of people

 

[BanjoMaster]

Bloody hell!

 

[CCX]

The detail is unbelievable! Keep it up.

 

[r@m]

Thx guys, I think I've squeezed all the detail out of the references I've manged to find, so this puppys done..I'm still hesitant to commit fully to a track WIP because there is so little information around....anyway I s'pose it won't hurt to model individual meshes, but would like to know more about the LOD structure, I don't want to have to redo things.

 

[nothke]

Wow! You don't have enough references?? But you have an extremely good eye for proportions...12 sides for tube? For a car, yes, but for a pit stand that you see for 1% of the time.. I don't know. I think your polycount is a bit too high xD But no worries, it will be ready for year 2020 when everybody has computers to support it =) WOW!

Keep in mind that you would HAVE TO make much lower poly LODs. Better to make them paralelly with your main model. Also, remember that you can use normal maps (which look better in dx11 than 9), so you don't need to have a roof with every rib modelled.

Did I say "WOW" already??

 

[nothke]

[wrong button]

 

[Shadow Explorer]

very cool work!

 

[r@m]

Wow! You don't have enough references?? But you have an extremely good eye for proportions...12 sides for tube? For a car, yes, but for a pit stand that you see for 1% of the time.. I don't know. I think your polycount is a bit too high xD But no worries, it will be ready for year 2020 when everybody has computers to support it =) WOW!

Keep in mind that you would HAVE TO make much lower poly LODs. Better to make them paralelly with your main model. Also, remember that you can use normal maps (which look better in dx11 than 9), so you don't need to have a roof with every rib modelled.

Did I say "WOW" already??

Thanks nothke, yeah I have references photo's that other people have taken, its INFURIATING, i would take 4 or 5 photo's and have it modeled in no time, instead I'm squinting at blurred, angled, obstructed shots, my eyes are like wheels in a fruit machine from all the scrolling and searching .
It's the one single thing kills my enthusiasm for modeling.
I always thought proportion was my Achilles heel, maybe that's why I'm obsessed with fixing it, it usually takes a few attempts to get right.
I always model tubes with splines and don't collapse them, so reducing is easy, and I'm used to putting them on 2d alpha which is even easier.
LODS are something I didn't take into consideration this time, nor normal maps, but I'm re-learning the workflow so should be able to get on top of it pretty easily. The last game I modded for didn't use either, so I'm a bit rusty
It was also very stagnating and didn't call for the detail this game supports, the AC graphics are stunning, they are like realtime renders, I hope I can do it justice.