Tracks Pacific Coast 1.0

[LilSki]

Be aware that having such large areas of physical mesh will put a fairly high load on the CPU and may have issues with AI performance.

 

[Phoenix77]

Thanks a lot for the info mate, much appreciated... I take it it's not actually the area / distance of the physical mesh but more to do with the amount of triangles in it? A bit like the collision meshes... keep them simple?
It would be a shame to not be able to do a bit of mountain climbing

 

[LilSki]

Thanks a lot for the info mate, much appreciated... I take it it's not actually the area / distance of the physical mesh but more to do with the amount of triangles in it? A bit like the collision meshes... keep them simple?
It would be a shame to not be able to do a bit of mountain climbing

It has some to do with how complex it is but more to do with how much surface area has to be calculated for physics. Most circuits when built correctly are more or less a tunnel. Anything outside the guard rails is visual only. If everything outside the fence is physical and you load up 24+ AI then every AI has to calculate all that physical area and not just what is on the track side of the wall.

I mainly just said it so you are aware. If you start to see 99% CPU errors it may be because of that.

Just out of curiosity can I see a wire frame of your land a road?

 

[Phoenix77]

@LilSki
Ah right cheers, so I got it completely the wrong way round lol
Sounds like AC's engine is anti-mountain climbing then... Don't the AI calculate where they can go.. by the left and right sides of the AI spline? or is that something different?
No worries if it can't handle it though.... I'll just make them non-physical if needed, it would have just been a bonus, the road's more important.
My PC is not exactly top spec... But haven't had the 99% CPU errors... But then I am aiming to get 10 - 15 cars working well... Based on how other long tracks perform on my PC.

Thanks for making me aware mate, appreciate it
And while on the note of thanks... Thanks for your guides on track making, I can't remember exactly which ones I've read, as I've got tutorials on Max, Photoshop, AC etc coming out of my ears! lol

Not too sure how useful these will be to you... I haven't got around to getting the HR FFB mesh yet, and no doubt will have to have a cull of triangles... I've tried to keep the detail to the spines on the mountains.

 

[Phoenix77]

Some work on road textures...

 

[LilSki]

It's a little wasteful but not terrible. The most waste is in the amount of subdivisions in the width of the road. You usually only need 1 or maybe two for a visual road.

Here are some examples of an optimized road and terrain.

NJMP

RIR Esses

RIR mountains

 

[Phoenix77]

Cool, thanks

If I need to, which I probably will... I will get rid of some edges/verts... I had a FAR more complicated mesh to start with... By plan being to finish up with a more accurate mesh when I scaled back later.

ATM the road mesh is both visual and physical, so that's why I have a bit more detail on it... when I clone it, subdivide and displace it, I will simplify the visual mesh, and complicate the physical (un-rendered) mesh. I notice that you have quads and ngons in your mesh.... I thought I heard somewhere that it's better to have triangles, and the recommended export setting from Max had triangulate checked. Maybe that is something different.

P.S Looking at wireframes confuses my brain lol

 

[LilSki]

All mesh gets converted to triangles once you go to fbx. It is just easier to work in quads. I also have a triangulate modifier set on terrain that is just not visible. It is there so things like the RV, trees, fences, etc. get shrunk to the proper land profile. Changing a quad to a triangle often does move things around a bit.

 

[Phoenix77]

Ah right good to know, well at the moment everything's not easy... So maybe I should just get used to triangles... I'm a bit of a 3DS newb.... a photoshop newb... The last time I used 3D software Z was up... what's all this Y up crazy stuff lol

Thanks for you knowledge and advice mate

 

[LilSki]

It just takes time and that is what most people don't want to put in. With some time and patience you can achieve great things. I never touched blender or gimp before I started Bridgehampton.

Early build (I thought this looked amazing by the way)

1.1 (And this is due for a facelift but you get the idea)

 

[Phoenix77]

It just takes time and that is what most people don't want to put in. With some time and patience you can achieve great things. I never touched blender or gimp before I started Bridgehampton.

I think my support thread has been hijacked by Bridgehampton lol

Trust me, I've had loads of patience... Loading in roadsigns at 1/10 scale and not being able to find them, because they're at the centre of the map and 2cm's tall is pretty funny lol

When I started, my only aim was to get a simple track working in AC... Then I saw the PCH and thought... Why not... Now my aim is to get it to a worthy standard and dedicate it to my Brother who passed away last year.

Some work on road textures...

 

[Phoenix77]

Updated textures are making a difference... Including re-working the ocean...

 

[arthur666]

This is getting really good. I like the new asphalt textures, looking forward to new, varied terrain textures and some guardrails. Between this, and an updated Lake Louise and Transfagarassan, we'll have some very fun roads to drive.

 

[Phoenix77]

Thanks Arthur, the asphalt will need further tweaking in future versions, but it's a good improvement the sense of speed goes up massively!!
I've finally managed to work out something really simple in 3DS so I can now split the mesh up into different objects, with more textures applied... so in a future update I will be splitting cliff faces and applying rock textures, parking areas, things like that.

To be included in anyone's list with those two epic tracks is high praise indeed, thanks mate
I have quite a few ideas for tracks, If you go back a page there are a couple of screenshots of Arizona.
Fun roads are always good... Looking forward to seeing Kunos's Scotland track, Should be fun

 

[Phoenix77]

Some improved tree shaders / textures / shadows 9AM, Clear

This is looking about 75% as good as how I imagined this looking...
so will be updating all these textures when my Photoshop skills increase..
and when my understanding on alpha painting improves

 

[ALB123]

I'm sure I'm pointing out something you've already thought about, but just in case...

If you could make the edges of the road and grass or dirt look not so perfect it will help make the road so much more natural. @LilSki is really good at this. Take a peek at his Bridgehampton and Riverside tracks. Of course, some sections can be cleaner than others, but if those edges look so sharp and too perfect, it takes away realism, in my opinion. That's just a suggestion.

Things are definitely looking better and better.

 

[Phoenix77]

If you could make the edges of the road and grass or dirt look not so perfect it will help make the road so much more natural. If those edges look so sharp and too perfect, it takes away realism, in my opinion. That's just a suggestion.
Things are definitely looking better and better.

Cheers mate for pointing it out, @guidofoc asked for that already on page 3... I'm dabbling into it... But will probably look into it properly when I come to split the terrain mesh into rock faces, laybys, grass verges etc etc..
Here's a few screenshots of my "dabbling" so far lol

TBH I won't be spending ages on the transition just yet... Far more important things that I'm updating... Bearing in mind that with all the new textures and going at race speed, it's a minor thing IMO...

Note: These asphalt shaders are not how I want them just yet, they're about 1/2 way there... But ATM these textures are limited by my Photoshopping skills... My skills are improving very fast though

I've also had to do performance tests... Make sure the textures work under different lighting settings, sunsets and mornings...
light, mid, heavy clouds... fog... So it's a bit of a balance.

I'm pleased with performance though, on my average (probably less than) 570GTX... I can have all the graphics settings high, 23 AI, 1080p and it runs at a rock solid 60fps (locked) and at some points I almost forgot I was playing AC and for a second I thought I was playing Project Cars... When you see these screenshots moving... you'll possibly know what i mean

 

[scolman21]

Wow ! holy **** those screenshots are stunning. cant wait for this man. really cant wait !

 

[Phoenix77]

Wow ! holy **** those screenshots are stunning. cant wait for this man. really cant wait !

Thanks mate, glad you're liking the improvements Shouldn't be too long now... And will almost be like a whole new track

 

[Leonardo Ratafiá]

it looks much better on those last screens, more appealing to drive that coast road (or die trying )