Racer v0.8.28 released!

Ruud · Dec 22, 2010

Since X-mas is still so far off. ;-)

Get it at http://www.racer.nl/download/racer0.8.28.zip (83Mb)

This one does seem close to v0.9, except perhaps for some replay enhancements.

Changes (some already posted in the v0.8.27 thread):
- Minimap was painted even if no splines were present
- SMD chase cam shadow focus is now on the car, not near the camera itself
- 3rd shadow split distance reduced to 500m for detail. Last split is now faded out.
- Large car CG offset could get some 3D objects culled incorrectly.
- 'Select car' screen gave car.ini errors which were incorrect (due to fast loading of only the first part of car.ini)
- Force feedback was passed to steering wheel even if steering was not done through that wheel
- resolution.render_aspect didn't work; fixed
- Shadowmapping tweaked again for even less Z correction
- Pacejka Player tweaking lambda values wasn't correct for MF5.2 curves
- Backfire 'likeliness' removed until we get better turbo behavior (>v0.9)
- 'grip 0.5' appeared to also reduce engine torque. Fixed (doubly stored data in the code, as if grip=1).
- Only the first 2 splits are blurred
- Autoclutch RPM now slams the clutch harder around the optimal RPM. Works to get at the optimal torque rpm
when driving off, although it is a bit harsh. Seems ok when I look at g-force graphs though.

Mr Whippy · Dec 24, 2010

Screen calibration and these wide gamut screens are the bane of my life.

Then you have nasty non-IPS screens which just screw things up even more. A big TN panel for example, is so big that if you sit reasonably close the varying angles of view actually start to be noticeable on colour influence. Eeek!

At work we have a spider tool, but when windows has it's own gamma and controls, then the hardware gfx card does, then the spider utility does it's own too, it starts to get confusing if it's actually working right.
I couldn't get my two screens looking the same. Greyscales were similar, but some mid-tones of subtle colours still looked a bit wrong. Didn't help one was a nice IPS panel and the other was a non-IPS, but not as bad as TN type

Hehe, good luck with getting it right Ruud. If you work out the logic of how it all works, let me know

As for that braking fix. Can you not just use Tanh+1Nm, so it's still left with a tiny amount of braking force

I guess the rotating is actually a cyclic issue of 0 braking, and then a tiny bit to stop the spin, then back off again as it almost stops, and so on. Would an offset just cause the other bits to have a problem again?

No idea in practice if what I'm saying is even workable, just pondering

Dave

Mr Whippy · Dec 24, 2010

Ruud,

I'll admit I have changed my split distances a tiny bit... but not significantly at all.

Profile0:
splitdist0=10
splitdist1=40
splitdist2=160
splitdist3=640

Profile1:
splitdist0=5
splitdist1=25
splitdist2=125
splitdist3=640

Just so they end at the same distance.

However, I get a problem. It looks like the profile0 fade starts at 50% and ends at 100% while the profile1 fade starts at 90% and ends at 100% as we want?!

Is anyone else getting the same?

Dave

Ruud · Dec 24, 2010

Fake fade might be smCor hiding shadows. Try setting those to 0. The only fading is at the outer 10% of each split through BlendSplits(). No fading out except the last split.

Mr Whippy · Dec 24, 2010

Hmmm, still seems to be there with a fresh install...

Never mind, Christmas, yay!

Dave

Alexander Knoll · Dec 24, 2010

Ruud said:
Do you mean you start without minimap? (did you modify the minimap start state?) I'd expect you'd have to press F6 twice if it was turned on but you didn't see it. Does it also happen on Carlswood/Lambo?

Ruud, i use the default racer.ini, no changes...
Yes it's with all cars on all tracks...every time i select a car and run there is at the first run no minimap....and you can hit F6 for so many times you like no minimap comes up...
here the lambo:
select car, free driving:

hit F6:

esc, after a sec. or two, free driving:

boomer541 · Dec 25, 2010

After I posted I found the fix for the mirrors, I needed diffuse=0.1 0.1 0.1 in the mirror shader. All good now.

On the Gyral track there is a place where there needs to be shadows for a long distance. Tha't why I use the splits I posted!

The gui "overlay.tga" only needs the alpha channel mask to be made to allow transparency to see the slideshow. I have 7 slides that I enjoy looking at.

Merry Christmas!

aadilf1 · Dec 25, 2010

Well Iv been playing racer (o655) for a long time and now i thought of getting the 0.8.27 and it was amazing!
the graphics were excellent and the new garage!!

Just one thing though, When i use my Steering wheel (Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback wheel) the games starts to lag Alot and starts to get annoying so i have to go into controls and in my profile change the force_feedback=1 to force_feedback=0 which makes the lag stop but the wheel doesnt respond to any driving it just stays stiff any help?

frank11 · Dec 25, 2010

aadilf1 said:
(Microsoft SideWinder Force Feedback wheel)

There is a solution for your problem a few posts back.

Merry christmas to everybody...

Frank

aadilf1 · Dec 25, 2010

thanks for the reply but i cant find anything to do with the force feedback lag (or low fps)

KS95 · Dec 25, 2010

Read my posts and Ruud's responces. D'oh.

Alex Forbin · Dec 25, 2010

Merry Christmas all!

Ruud, in regards to the clutch why not just implement the old parameters correctly. In the past all they have done is insert a delay, the the clutch will engage or disengage at a fixed rate. The way it seems they might work to me is...

Code:

shifting
  {
    automatic=0
    shift_up_rpm=7500
    shift_down_rpm=3500
    time_to_declutch=150 ; this should be the amount of time it takes to go from fully clutched to 0
    time_to_clutch=50 ; inverse here
[I][B]load_bias=30 ;percent of additional time to add @ 100 load (throttle-speed)[/B][/I]
    cut_throttle=0
    blip_throttle=0
  }

Alex Forbin

luthobu · Dec 25, 2010

Another strange problem I encountered.. I get this error and Racer crashes.
Did not happen with 0827 or 0828a..

Code:

Sun Dec 26 00:28:42 (FATAL): [racer/4532] Exception 0xC0000005, flags 0, Address 0x044BF56D
(this dialog text is stored in QLOG.txt)

OS-Version: 6.1.7600 () 0x100-0x1

0x044BF56D [atioglxx]: (filename not available): atiPPHSN
0x0447E847 [atioglxx]: (filename not available): atiPPHSN

EDIT: found what was causing it: use_array_elements= was set to 1. That killed Racer.

boomer541 · Dec 26, 2010

Running carlswood with 10 cars and they all want to go thru turn 1 at the same time, racer stops running and I have to exit.

Shadow comparison:
mine, ruud's, ruud's, mine.

If you like my setting I'll post them.

Mr Whippy · Dec 27, 2010

If your using 1024 maps and 4 splits, then feel free to share

Not sure I want anything that is any slower than how it runs now though. I've even turned blur off as it doesn't add enough for the cost to me.

Ruud, how are the control profiles supposed to work? I'm really confused since mine manages to sometimes lose the settings.

I've just set my G25 up for the 5TH time now, and if it's unplugged when I go to the controls screen, the top profile name changes from keyboard mouse g25, to keyboard mouse, then if I exit, and re-enter after plugging G25 in, the profile is blank, and I have to set it up again.

If I don't go in to the profile selection screen it's ok though.

You really need to make profiles STAY as you set them unless you REALLY want to save them. Right now it just seems to re-write and edit/change the names without you asking it to, and it's starting to be a real pain.

Can we just have it so you set a profile, give it a name (ie, "Wheel") so it doesn't EVER change when different things are plugged in and out and so confuse you to which one to select, and it won't save ANY new data without a user prompt "are you sure"
If I set each control profile up with the wheel plugged in, they ALL get called keyboard, mouse, G25 or similar, which is meaningless.

Autodetect works ok, but it seems to be dangerous on the main controller screen as it WILL change all the ini files without any notification at all. It almost seems that this is run at every opening of the controller screen and so if any controller is unplugged it's editing the ini file with that controller in it, and removing it?!

Right now it just seems Racer is reading/writing/displaying whatever it likes and ruining my profile without me even asking it to!

It needs to be a bit more robust I guess.

Also, the G25 default isn't so nice, I'll post this one. Main things are the pedal axis which were cut in half, the FF settings which were really low and weak vs the G27 ones (both wheels are very similar here afaik), the steer angle set properly. The buttons are personal preference of course.

; Defaults for Logitech G25 steering wheel
global
{
free_shifting=0
}
controllers
{
mouse
{
enable=1
lock=240.000000
}
keyboard
{
enable=1
lock=240.000000
horn
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=0.000000
sensitivity_fall=0.000000
key=h
}
change_camera
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=c
}
lights
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=l
}
indicator_left
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=0.000000
sensitivity_fall=0.000000
key=left
}
indicator_right
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=0.000000
sensitivity_fall=0.000000
key=right
}
hazard_lights
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=0.000000
sensitivity_fall=0.000000
key=w
}
highbeam
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=0.000000
sensitivity_fall=0.000000
key=f
}
wipers
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=w
}
}
joystick0
{
enable=1
lock=900.000000
index=0
name=Logitech G25 Racing Wheel USB
extensions=0
force_feedback=1
kerb_magnitude_factor=1
kerb_period_factor=1
max_torque=20
max_force=10000
deadzone=0
latency=0
friction=2000
stick_friction=4000
damping=1000
inertia=1000
steerleft
{
axis=x
min=-1000
max=0
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=1
make_analog=0
linearity=1
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
steerright
{
axis=x
min=0
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
throttle
{
axis=y
min=-1000
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=1
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
brakes
{
axis=rz
min=-1000
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=1
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shiftup
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=4
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shiftdown
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=5
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
clutch
{
axis=slider1
min=-1000
max=1000
button=-1
pov=-1
negate=1
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
handbrake
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=6
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=1
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=10.000000
key=
}
starter
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=7
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_r
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=14
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_1
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=8
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_2
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=9
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_3
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=10
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_4
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=11
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_5
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=12
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
shift_6
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=13
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
speedlimiter
{
axis=
min=0
max=1000
button=3
pov=-1
negate=0
make_analog=0
linearity=1.000000
sensitivity_rise=5.000000
sensitivity_fall=50.000000
key=
}
}
}

Thanks

Dave

Mr Whippy · Dec 27, 2010

Also, still not keen on this whole tanh thing for diffs/wheels forces etc, which was added to remove the issues of wheel reversal in diffs, which became a problem because of very slightly movement when stationary fixes.

All these things were either not there, or much less obvious before these latest 'fixes' which imo, just make Racer feel less robust as a simulator... simply to tidy up stationary behaviour it seems (which imho didn't really need to be perfect, and still isn't, at the cost of other elements which are important)

Weird backwards wheels slippage issue. Brakes on full, but not enough to stop rears spinning up under engine power in 1st gear with lots of auto-clutch slip. Wheels go backwards after I release the throttle. Weird.

Wheels still spinning when locked up, obvious really

When setting off gently, wheels get to spin faster before the car follows. Subtle but it is worse than it was. Would be ok on it's own but along with the above I'm not sold on this tan curve removal of opposing forces as it's just a new type of still not right

Thanks

Dave

Mr Whippy · Dec 27, 2010

In multiplayer, if a client falls off (into space, onto roof, gets stuck) and needs to reset, quite often their car will be in-gear but not accelerate away (like they are waiting for the starting horn to play). The host needs to reset as well, to then allow the client to start driving again.
Not sure if this is also evident with ctrl F, it's not a problem with ctrl P, but it is with ctrl R. Ctrl F would be a viable solution but as yet I'm pretty much 99% sure use_mesh_hits still doesn't work meaning I'm not running splines on many tracks as it just ruins them (I'll have to make a track specifically to prove this but it is frustrating having to do this to prove the case)

If quickstart=1 then I believe that there should be no locking of cars ability to engage drive. This is just making multiplayer annoying as if a driver resets, then they essentially force the host to have to reset too, to then allow them to drive again, or the client has to exit and re-enter the game.

Generally it's not so handy for testing multiplayer functionality out either. Quickstart=1 should equal 'free run' and not have any constraints on starting to move.

I also had a bug where the clutch went reversed, and was only applying drive when shifting gear, and then ending any gear change open rather than closed, until 3rd gear (I kept boosting forward shifting from 1st to 2nd), where the drive resumed. When I slowed back to 2nd gear, the issue arrived again. R, 1 and 2 gears had a backwards clutch. Weird.

Dave

Raphael Buthmann · Dec 27, 2010

Ruud , what racer needs to simulate 4WD ? Oh , I know I'm a noob but I was thinking here on some points that racer could be better:

- a better particle system with animation. I was thinkin in an animated emmitter point system, somethin like :

Code:

 smoke_moment_burnout
{ 
particle_rotation=360 (from the base of tyre )
gronw_particles_moment=0.3 (seconds)
(all the others things in the actual particle system  can be here, but  tweaking to be smaller arround the wheels and grow after the rotation.)
} 
smoke_moment_skid
{ 
(this is where the actual particle will be)
}

or other way.. lol.

- Racer can handle skeletons right? So we can use this to do some wing animations , headlights (some cars like Lambo Miura , Ferrari F40 , etc) and why not damage ?

- A damage system , racer have (or had , i don't know if have yet) a material properties system, so we can add this to create simulated damages and impacts ^^.

- Better wheather effects , I'm studying some cg's files and trying to add some effects. I'm working on those splashes on the ground , so I can help into this ^^.

- Dirt , snow and wet mask. This part I don't understand , but there is some way to create these things ? If it could be possible , 3 textures mapped into objects , and add some parameters to accumulate dirt and loss some dirt too and add to a file like track cache, but can be a little smaller , only containning the amount of dirt in the car and add a 'car wash' into the game ^^ (I don't know if it's the best option , but it's my idea.)

And only this lol.

FiftyOrange · Dec 27, 2010

This thread.

Ruud thought he was getting close to a final version, and we give him all this.

luthobu · Dec 27, 2010

@FiftyO:
Ruud is a smart guy. He takes what he can use and ignores the rest. And sometimes he grants
requests when it is needed, like keeping up no-cg for this long. He knows what he is doing

FiftyOrange · Dec 27, 2010

Yeah. Most of it is bugfixing now, and that's good. I like that old shader systems are being dropped. It's going to **** a lot of **** up, but it's a great step forwards to simplify development for the people that create stuff, and make things look nice and shiny for the morons like me that couldn't fix a .shd shader file unless it had a big iron lever poking out of it that could be hammered into a working position.

I just thought it was a bit funny that Ruud's first post was like "nearly finished" and we're all like "lol, no you're not"