RIGA EAST (OUTDATED MORE INFO IN DESCRIPTION.) 0.7

ALL FUTURE RELEASES WILL BE LINKED IN MY DISCORD DUE TO RACEDEPARTAMENT SIZE LIMIT.

Unfortunately or fortunately, the map has grown quite a bit in size, both file and driveable size, details etc.

The map is available on my Discord server for now. I apologize for the trouble. In the future, I hopefully will be able to trim down the map size quite a bit.
Discord:

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RIGA EAST
The map has expanded quite a bit in the past year. The area is no longer only Mežciems from Riga, but multiple suburbs (Mežciems, Dreiliņi and few other connector roads led me to start modeling them - Pļavnieki, Jugla, and small bit of Teika)

Although the last 3 areas are early, they are there and secenery wise look great!

Lots of new stuff done!
- Reworked textures
- Night lighting
- CSP Traffic fixes
- 3D trees!
- More detail, parked cars, bollards and many other details to make the map not empty.
- Optimization (still needs a lot)
- New models, reworked models.
- New PIT spawn, it now spawns by IKEA.
And many other things that I cannot remember on top of my head.

Hello!

Some time has indeed passed since the last update. I took a little break, but for the past 3 months, I've been slowly working on the next version.

New stuff? A lot.
- New road textures are in works, but I have not decided if I'll use these ones or others.
- Elevation adjustments
- Some areas are more detailed now, some are recreated, more parking lots.
- Extra roads that go around the whole map, so you can semi-count these as extra neighborhoods Would like to expand on them in the future.
- Seasons! Depending on which month you set or play in - you'll have winter, spring, fall, summer textures, really adding to the atmosphere of the map.
- Detailed background scenery, so it doesn't look like that the world just ends after the road ends.
- Bug fixes. Lots of em. (Still in WIP before update)
- Optimization. Some models are reworked/cut down/removed in sake for performance, but nothing noticable.
- CSP traffic fixes. Intersections, Working traffic lights.
- Map has a full AO map bake. Meaning that there are some baked in shadows for objects. Looks way better and it's not heavy on performance.

Some screenshots:

Also, you've might've noticed the power towers being new, they are from the Bikerneiki race track mod which many of you probably know by martinsh.

I'm happy to announce that I've received his blessing and I got full permission to integrate the full Bikernieki race track into the map! Meaning that you'd be able to go from the street into the circuit without even changing the maps!

While this won't come in 0.8, it's a thing that will absolutely happen in either 0.9 or 1.0!

Regarding this update, I'm still fine tuning a few things, fixing some other things, recreating some unoptimized models for the release, so the performance is better for a full on release.

I've also bought myself the Samsung S23 Ultra phone to do really good photos, meaning there will be some new textures soon. Probably the biggest investment that I've done for this map yet Consider donating? haha

And here is a new video of the map, showcasing the map in full. Still in progress, some things have already been changed since this video was uploaded:

Regardless, stay tuned, the update will come in the coming weeks!

Or, if you really want to try this out, there is a test version available on my Discord server - https://discord.gg/w9Yj3Hapcz
Testing the version before release would help a lot, so I'd know what stuff should I do to the map.

As well, if you want to be a part of this project, I would be happy to accept help! There are future plans beyond this map as well.

Cheers!

After two months, it's finally here! Lots of work has been done, including CSP traffic support!

To run CSP traffic, you must have the latest version of CSP + use the Traffic planner app found within the Object Inspector app within AC.

Whats new?
- New areas (apartment buildings across the street from IKEA/Saga store.)
- Remodeled IKEA and some other new buildings.
- Hidden racing track in the woods.
- Reworked night lighting, more lighting to the buildings
- Light pollution during the night, making the map a bit more brighter during the night, but more atmospheric.
- Area adjustments, detail increase.
- Reworked vegetation.
- Tons of bug fixes.
- A lot more that I've probably forgot about.


Known issues :
- There might be some bumps on the roads that shouldn't be there.
- Not all buildings are done
- Even though the map has received some optimization, it's still a long way to go. However, should run on most pc's with no issue.

Screens.

Video of the reworked night lighting:

Hi guys!

I'd like to apologize for not getting an update out the last weekend, however.

I've been using this time set up CSP traffic within the map! By 0.7 release, you should be able to race around with CSP traffic.

At the moment, I'm doing some last minute polish to the map + I've encountered a bug which somehow removed all of the colision (besides the ground) on the map, so a little paitience. Hopefully this gets out this or the next weekend.

Let me know what do you think!

Some time has indeed passed since the last update. I took a bit of a break from modeling for a few weeks after the release of 0.6 and only worked on a few bug fixes and so on, however, I'm back and I can say that an update is indeed coming soon!

Here is what you can expect in the next update.
- Reworked vegetation for the forest.

Not only this looks better, as there are 3D trees involved, it actually runs better! This is because less trees are required as behind the 3D trees - there are 2D tree walls, which work really well to give depth with a minimal performance hit.

- IKEA is finally being worked on and the parking lot has been created! (Building is still in progress)

- New homes near IKEA.
While these houses are not 1:1 as they would be to their real life counterparts, there are now some nice looking homes that are pretty detailed and serve a great place to cruise around between the homes or take some nice photos.

As well, if you follow the road that leads out of the residential area, you'll arrive in a gated apartment community. Good place to drift around, take photos. Buildings are modeled after the actual buildings within the area.

Along with this, there are many improvements to the elevation, bug fixes, model adjustments, remodels and so on.

I do have to say, after 0.7 update comes out, it's possible there won't be another update for quite some time, could take a couple of months as I wont have the time to work on it actively as I could now, but I will try to squeeze in some time to do this

The update is still in progress, so I hope I can manage to push it out by the weekend. If not - It's possible it will come out by the weekend after this one (11th-12th of November)

It's here! The biggest update yet!
(I'll say this every time I update)

NEW:
- New areas
- New street lamps
- New road textures in a lot of places
- New lighting
- Water looks like water
- A lot of bug fixes.
- GrassFX/RainFX improvments.
- Enterable garages. Cool photo places.
- Increased amount of PITS/starting pos for online play.
- A lot of roads recreated.
- And many more things I've completely forgot about.

Known issues:
- Might be a bug here and there.
- Some areas do not have lighting and general polish.
- Could be some undiscovered issues.

Photos!

Hi guys!

It's been a month since the last update, but I'm here to bring some news!

The version 0.6 is coming out this week!.
Here is a trailer, showing some of the newer areas. Inspired by the original Race Driver GRID intro. (video has copyrighted music, so you can view it within Youtube)

(Curse you Shadowplay.)

To start out - here is one of the new areas, the industrial part of the map.

Here is a full layout of the area.

The area is full of repair shops, warehouses and a hangar, that you can drive through and provides a great area for screenshots or just some tight racing.

Here is a short drive through the area -

I have also added more roads to the map around the area that connect to each other and as well started work around the IKEA part of the map.

The map has also received a GrassFX boost and as well more textures, water that actually works like water!

And there are some other cool areas for you to find in the map! I have been working on this for quite some time this month and I cannot remember everything on top of my head, but there is a lot.

The terrain textures are still patchy, though That will get solved closer to 1.0, but a long way to go.

I also would like to let you all now that I'm no longer alone on this project! We're a two man team now. The guy's name is Mitochondria and he is helping me with some models! Progress will now go faster and his future models will be seen in newer versions!

Future -
Once we're closer to the release of 1.0, we plan to open up a server with AI traffic and offer multiple layouts of circuits and other racing disciplines.

I also have a Patreon open, if you wish to support me.

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Right now there are not much perks, but after Mežciems, I'm not done with Riga.

Yes. We're doing the entire city. Here is a work in progress shot of it. The entire city, due to the manpower required to do so, will be a Patreon only thing and It's development will start after the 1.0 release of this map.

You can join my Discord for more detailed news and as well if you have any feedback regarding the map, or any ideas - I'd be more than happy to hear em!

https://discord.gg/sMzwBca49B

I know. I know... Another mod creator has created a discord for his mod.

While the mods will still be uploaded here, I would like to gather feedback, ideas and anything else somewhere that is easy to access.

So, here we go, I've launched a Discord, so you can report any bugs, give feedback and ideas.

[URL unfurl="true"https://discord.gg/sMzwBca49B[/URL]

If interested - feel free to join.

EDIT: 9th of September 2022 - re-generated Discord invite.

Mezciems 0.5 - by Benders

This is probably one of the more significant updates for the map. New roads, areas and some other things.

New:
- New drift area near the pits. Located behind the Bikernieku Sporta Kompleksa Baze (the building near pits on the right)
- Added quite a lot of parking lots, let me know what you'd like to see in them or leave em empty for other things/layouts.
- Some new buildings, fixes to existing ones.
- Road signs, traffic ligts.
- New roads expanding into other areas outside of the neighborhood.
These will be actual driveable areas in the future, but they are completely incomplete (haha) at the moment. You can drive on them, but they mostly lead nowhere.
- RainFX, GrassFX (GrassFX is not showing in untextured places, will def change when the map is textured fully)

Fixes:
- A lot of roads have been recreated, expanded, re-textured.
- Fixed hitboxes for some of the buildings, you should no longer get stuck to them.
- Removed some walls that shouldn't be there.
- Removed one of the parking lots near Statoil gas station (was buggy, will get recreated along with a car wash and gas station in next release)
- Some opened warehouses are driveable now, feel free to do donuts inside of them.

Known issues:
- IKEA is still under control by the dark lords, just don't go near it.
- SKY store still looks ugly, the market across the street and the dealership on the corner is incomplete as well.
Hopefully, I can get myself to model these for the next update.
- Stop signs and traffic lights are physical, so the hitboxes can make the car bounce off from the signs ending up in flips in some cases.
Up for debate if the hitboxes will stay for these objects.
- Terrain is still untextured in some places.
- The area around BETA store is still pretty incomplete and the store is floating a bit. I have recreated this area a few times now.
Probably will have to do another go.

That is pretty much it! Let me know what do you think!

Some pictures:

Hi!

It's almost been a month without an update. Been really busy in my real life, but I've still have managed to cram some time in to update the track.

I still believe I'll be able to stick by the timeframe, I have added some things to the map. Here are some screens.

As promised, there will be now traffic signs and as well speedbumps in certain areas.

Some roads have been redone, the parking lots now are more or less driveable.

As well, some texture fixes for buildings and so on.

One of the newer buildings

Now for some other stuff. Since I always wanted this map to be a bit more than just some free roam map, I've added a very small drift track, located near the pit location. It's very early and might change, but here are some shots.

Here is also a VERY EARLY area of the city, that consists of warehouses, garages, repair shops and more. Only one building has been started in this area.

As you can imagine, the area will have more narrow roads, garages, warehouses you can slide through and general big lots where you can hoon around. This place will be included in the next update, but there might not be a lot of buildings if any.

Speaking of buildings in progress.

A very, very early picture of a gigantic warehouse that is currently being built in real life. The length of the warehouse is roughly 351 m and is about 160m wide. It will be possible to enter and hoon around. Pictured is about 1/5 of the warehouse, that's about as much as it's done.


The warehouse will probably come out on a later update with some other buildings in that area.

Let me know what do you think and what you'd like to see!


P.S - not mandatory at all, but I've added a PayPal donation link to the download. If you really enjoy the map - you can buy me a coffee or finance my Ford Probe rebuild within the link on top

Hi!

Some work used towards to adding GrassFX and RainFX to the map! (Puddles and better looking rain)

This does indeed fill the map with more life.

As well, something that is not pictured
- some roads are recreated from scratch to avoid issues.
- road signs, markings on the road it self
- additional parking lots
- more roads

Update could come out somewhere in August/September. The reason for the longer wait is because I'm going aboard at the end of July for a week + I've currently started another AC map, that is smaller in size and I just want to play around with some stuff I've learned.

And yes, it's based on a real location in Riga, but do not expect an neighborhood or any actual streets

Hi guys!

New update fixing some issues and adding some small improvements.

- Trees are fixed, they are no longer see-through.

- Some night lighting additions.

- New service/car repair complex building with drive-in garages. Near the gas station.

More is coming as always, however, since I'm working now - work can go a bit slower now on the map. Still looking for any help regarding 3D or anything. If you wish to help - get in touch

Have fun!

Hi!

New update launched with some new features, fixes and some small bugs which will get fixed in next release.

- Fixed an issue that made some users crash when launching the map. the "track layout broken" error should be fixed as this was a matter of folder names not being right. Should not happen anymore.
- Night lighting! Very early, but it's there.

- Some roads are recreated, fixed.
- More objects such as fences and so on have been added.
- The area around the track is now more detailed. Still early.


Known issues
- The new trees in the woods cause some to be see through. This is a matter of shader settings. This will get a hot fix within the next few days.
- Some roads are still bumpy and have sudden ramps towards to the end.
- Still no grass or no good ground textures. These two things will appear once more of the map is finished.
- Some places should have more hitboxes, but there are still places where there aren't any.


As well, I've noticed this map is appearing in multiple Telegram channels and some other places.

Keep in mind that these are NOT my uploads. The only place where you can get this map and any of my other maps is through here or if there are any testing purposes - directly through me.

Again, if someone asks you to pay for this map right now - do not pay them, this is the only place you can get this map currently and it's free.

Let me know what you think!
Cheers!

Hi! Here is a video of me driving around the neighborhood and as well progress on the night lighting of the map. It's very early as well.