Racer v0.8.33 released

[Ruud]

Things have been very busy, lots of things going on at the edges of Racer (not really core Racer), but here's an update finally.

Get it at http://www.racer.nl/download/racer0.8.33.zip (75Mb)

Known issues:
- The current replay should be re-recorded
- AI training is very alpha, it currently s*cks

Changes:
- Added 'gfx.show_traffic_lines' option to visualize track grid
- Added 'show traffic' and 'hide traffic' console commands
- Traffic improved to be usable
- Added 'gfx.bestline.source' which determines whether the bestline is derived from AI or the ghostlap
- Added log.buffer_time to be able to change the log buffer size
- RTD logging improved
- DXT3 dds format was flipped incorrectly (bad detection of DXT3 format)
- dbg_controls.throttle/brakes/clutch/steer now work again (if dbg_controls.update=0)
- Multiview camera were slightly off wrt eye position
- Added 'show log' and 'hide log' console commands to show live log details
- Cg dll's updated to v3.0.16
- Added log.database.dir for eternal logging of RTD telemetry files (customer)
- Added ghost.time_scale for slow-motion ghost laps (mostly for testing use)
- Changes in thread creation (handle leak fix)
- Added data/images/fadeout.tga where Racer fades to in menus and other situations
- Added 'show ailines' (and 'hide') to visualize AI lines
- Pressing Ctrl-F6 to drive an AI lap now accepts AI cars; they will try to train themselves.
Use 'ai learn save' to save the trained lap.
Let it run for quite a number of laps. See http://www.racer.nl/tutorial/newtrack.htm#default_ai
- Added 'ai reset' console command to reset AI velocities to 50 km/h (for AI training purposes)
- Added 'ai scale <v>' console command to scale AI velocities
- Experimental friction circle method added; #6. Is like #3, only without clamping max_slip_len (dbg_car.friction_circle_method). Doesn't seem too viable though.
- Per-wheel tweaking of 'max_slip_len'; an addition to the tire model to constrict large slip lookups
See http://www.racer.nl/reference/wheels.htm#combinedforces

 

[Splashonda]

As I said before, it's a waste of time to update content until v090. Why do I spend hours and hours updating a car, if a week later it's broken again?

When the time comes for the community to update old content, oh boy, I'll update and share the crap out of it!

 

[KS95]

Can we have that civic, just for now? :tongue:

 

[Splashonda]

Can we have that civic, just for now? :tongue:

It's made for 0.8.10, dunno if it'll work... send me your e-mail by PM and I'll send you the updates so you can test ok?

If it's alright I'll post it here on the forum!

 

[Mr Whippy]

As I said before, it's a waste of time to update content until v090. Why do I spend hours and hours updating a car, if a week later it's broken again?

When the time comes for the community to update old content, oh boy, I'll update and share the crap out of it!

The thing is that most of what needs updating won't change that much now.

You may as well get it sorted and polished between now and v0.9, then when v0.9 comes the car will hopefully be near as damn it perfect already, with only tweaks needed!

Dave

 

[KS95]

It's made for 0.8.10, dunno if it'll work... send me your e-mail by PM and I'll send you the updates so you can test ok?

If it's alright I'll post it here on the forum!

Hmm, you should have my email....from long long ago, but sure lol

 

[FiftyOrange]

The thing is that most of what needs updating won't change that much now.

You may as well get it sorted and polished between now and v0.9, then when v0.9 comes the car will hopefully be near as damn it perfect already, with only tweaks needed!

Dave

YES
this was the point that was in my head but did not get as far as text on the screen. Racer has passed the point where the usual updates will suffice. Content needs to be more than updated, it needs to be totally redeveloped for the new ways of doing things - the the Racer of now is a totally different species to 0.8.5 and as yet the only content that has evolved into this new species is the default content.

But now RACER is there, and we really can start redeveloping content now, for the future.

 

[Mr Whippy]

Well, I'm about to beta a big track, and I'm pretty sure Cam is about to release his F458 Italia... then I have my M3 update to go out...

I updated the Lambo and I can't see it having many issues come V0.9 final. Maybe a day tweaking some settings, if that.


Racer has pretty much done it's changing now. Going CSM/HDR/CG shader has been the main step that has made all old content not work. Even a 0.5.0 release car can be brought up to v0.9 spec in a day... if it was a good car back then (ie, Stecki's 350Z or Mini), then it'll look pretty ok today too!

The Lambo that Deyan and I did about 6 years ago updated ok too, albeit I spent more time on that to get it really nice for v0.9!


No reason to not update now basically. Features might be added, but BIG things won't change now. New shaders might appear, better systems, more efficiency, but content you release now won't be superseded or made out-dated in the same was as they were when the new gfx system appeared!

Dave

 

[KS95]

Was thinking, perhaps some kind of update check-list kind of thing could be useful. When I'm updating older content I do the basic minimum needed so it'll run and look decent and maybe fix steering or something. Something to help with a bit of explanation along side could be useful for newbs too.

 

[Stereo]

Might be about time to start writing tutorials on bringing content up to date. Majority of the materials you'll need for the average car are good to go, and a lot of the new features (generic models, animations) just aren't relevant anyway except on new content, or if you want to do the best possible job of updating. A shader that looks good on one car is gonna look about right on any other one, as long as you know which texture's which.

 

[QuadCoreMax]

So what about the traffic ? Anyone ?

Here's the current project I'm on, it looks simply amazing, smooth, huge & fully randomized + optimized (no current LODs) !



Big Resolution link :

http://img835.imageshack.us/img835/6286/racercity01.jpg

 

[KS95]

Son of a ***** that looks big.

Erm.. yeah, seriously, looks huge lol.

 

[QuadCoreMax]

Wait a bit & I'll create scripts which generates & 'distributes' all the stuff we need. My ideas, just integrate everything like trees, parks, lamps, gas stations, police departments for pursuits etc...& use track skins hiyaaa !

 

[Ian Strom]

A more general observation, you keep using regular .zip format for the releases, but a simply recompressing of the contained folder with 7-zip reduces the archive size down from 75MB to 45MB, so surely would be preferrable for both the server and some user sides .

I must fully and enthusiastically support this!

 

[boomer541]

My 2 cents!
Found a bug with the "disco" camera, pressing C-key three times, on carlswood. Got half sky, half ground. What happened Ruud?

Damn forum won't let me add the image, WTF is wrong?

7-Zip files WOULD be much better to use, it took me an hour to download the latest update on my DSL connection!!!

I'll make a list of the tracks/cars that work with this version. I've tested my surfaces and sounds, Gyral and Watkins. All work very well.

Tested cars:
baja_class1
bmw_540i_touring
bugatti_veyron
e30m3_race_v1.0
formcar
imp
jaguar_x-type_v2
lambo_v2 with cg put in renderer/shaders folder
supra_aasbo_beta
tatra_613

Tested tracks:
2ndcreek
bahrain_gp
desert
ForestClubCG
gyral_cg
mugello_v2.3b1
pnwmsp - private track
Ruudskogen_cg
shutoko_c1
SIR
Stunttrack
swiss_stroll_cg
Watkins

 

[Alex Forbin]

Ruud:
Thanks for the new release! Limiting the tires has done a lot for handling, with cars that have proper tires.

Boomer:
As far as I know the "Disco Cam" is dead for now. The only one that I couldn't stand was the quickly spinning "Vomit Cam", which was unfortunately the one it always defaulted to.

Alex Forbin

 

[QuadCoreMax]

If you talk so much about optimizations, then I'd say, convert those god damn tga files to dds too.

 

[QuadCoreMax]

Just wanna point something that could be implemented quickly & would be a good thing for us, let us trigger the track skins, so i.e. when night is coming => trigger another 'set' of textures. Or when snow/rain is activated => set another skin folder...

Please also, consider light entities, once you've fixed the Cg projection issues (bestlines, ambient shadow, projective lights, etc..), I'd love to see light entities (along with their 'default' attributes) gets attached to the wanted dofs.

 

[Mr Whippy]

Was thinking, perhaps some kind of update check-list kind of thing could be useful. When I'm updating older content I do the basic minimum needed so it'll run and look decent and maybe fix steering or something. Something to help with a bit of explanation along side could be useful for newbs too.

Yeah some guide could be useful.

If people check the Lambo update I released though, they should get a fairly good idea of what is needed for an ok car to bring it up to date. The shaders are all based off the same logic as all the older style cars were...
It's also well optimised, no more shaders than are needed, no silly 'made up' shaders or materials, it's all fairly well accepted ways of doing things.

I'll admit I have lots of experience doing it, so it's easy to me, but best to look at good cars and learn from them

Dave

 

[Mr Whippy]

QuadCoreMax, skin swapping when the weather changes seems a bit drastic... shouldn't all materials react properly under different lighting conditions anyway... if they don't, then they are not right to start with?

Perhaps just have shader tweaks that can ease from one value to another?

Otherwise you'd either need a sharp transition (ugly), or some fancy system to fade all the textures across?!


Snow is about the only one you would want to swap textures, but perhaps snow tracks should be a unique track with their associated polygonal drifts and so on?!

Hmmmmm

Dave

 

[Some1]

Well, more than track skins, I've been wanting car skins for ages now. I'd like to change the color in the car selection screen.

Also, it would be great if it was possible to share textures and meshes between cars. For example, my Corvette C6 has different models - standard coupe, Grand Sport, Z06, ZR-1 - they all share some parts (meshes) and some textures. rFactor has this ability and it is very nice!