Beta v0.7.9.1 is ready!

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Brendon Pywell

Bob's Track Builder
Hi Guys,

The Beta is ready for the next round of testing.

If you are an experienced BTB Pro/Evo user and would like to help, please read on.

Preparation

BACKUP - You should be doing this anyway, but make sure you backup your project before using the new BETA version. I test this on my own projects first but it still pays to be safe.

If you wish to keep your current version of BTB running, make a copy (do not just rename the current one) of the folder and name it something obvious like BobsTrackBuilderv0_7_0_6.

Uninstall BTB v0.7.0.6.
Uninstall BTB v0.7.9.0.

Installation

Download here --> http://www.bobstrackbuilder.net/pro_users/beta_test.aspx

Download and install as usual. Copy your existing license to the folder.

If your license is no longer working for the beta, email me your username and license description (as entered into the BTB website).

Known Issues

- Opening Materials window causes error : if you have this error please report what operating system you are running.


Reporting Problems

Only report problems with the Beta here. This is not a thread for "what I want to see .." ideas.

Please check the manual (press F1) first before asking for help.

When sending me a project please zip the entire contents of your project (eg. The entire folder C:\Program Files\BobsTrackBuilder\My Projects\My Project). You could omit and XPack.zip files that are the standard ones downloaded from the BTB website.


Changes

Check out the videos in this thread to see the major changes ...
http://forum.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder/20052-progress-update-aiw-editing-video.html
http://forum.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder/18599-progress-report.html

Added/Changed
• Cross-sections
- Editing of cross-section for track and walls now performed through the 3d window, although 2d window can still be used.
- Added Cross-section template support to XPacker. Different shaped roads and walls can be defined in an XPack allowing the BTB user to quickly use a standard shape.
- In BTB Right-click to open the popup menu and select a new cross-section template when editing the track or walls. (Tip: in the 3d view the opening of the popup menu is delayed because the right mouse is used for looking around. To have it open immediately you can right-click-left-click).
- Copy/Paste of cross-section shape and materials.
- Sped up track cross-section editing with huge improvements for large tracks with lots of objects.
• XPacker - Added ability to categorise Materials so that some are not shown in some windows. Eg. Materials applicable to Objects are not show in Track’s Material selection.
• Material selection now performed through popup window instead of always being in the surface/wall window.
• Insertion of Track Nodes performed by holding the Control key when you click on the Track (instead of having a separate tool).
• Road edge transition now a straight line instead of the smoothed interpolation used for height shape transition.
• Objects, when in rotation edit mode, can be rotated by holding the Y key instead of clicking the circles. X and Z can also be used for other axis but Y will be most popular since it controls the Yaw.
• Old method of creating Driveline made with a lot of points is now replaced by new Curve method.
• AIW editing allows adding/editing of:
- Centreline path
- Pitlane path
- Fast path
- Corridors
- Grid / Teleport positions can be attached to Centerline or moved independently.
- Garage / Pit positions can be attached to the pitlane or moved independently.
• Drag Pacenotes around by clicking on them instead of grabbing them by their balls.
• Positioning of everything (Cambers, widths, cross-section surfaces) along the track made more accurate. This also applies to walls.
• Evo export lowered to make horizon start at a better position.

Fixed:
• SObjects not being named when created.
• Alpha textured objects were not receiving light in rF, and Evo games.
• Rotation/resizing whole track was not affecting the SObjects.
• Bug in terrain Fill (under some circumstances).
• Crash when Projects folder is deleted by user and then BTB started.

As stated in the video I do not intend to support every possible AI feature, oinly the basics needed to get working AI paths. If you wish to add/edit the AI futher I suggest you use one or more of the tools here ... http://forum.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder/16976-beginners-guide-making-rfactor-aiw-file.html
 
Before anyone gets a chance to say anything about bugs and errors I'd like to say the new surfaces tool is so much better now it's represented in the 3d view. When merging tracks it's necessary to have lots of surfaces close together, and it used to be hard to relate the points of the selected surface, with the points in the 3d views. Now it's very nice since we can just click on the 3d view and know we've selected the correct point.
:thumb:
 
Centerline not in the center of track

I noted centerline is not in center of track (as well as the fastline is not a fastline). In this case the lines are perfectly the same.
Look at the picture of the centerline.

Is this correct?
 

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If you look at the points of the centreline, you'll see that they are in the middle of the track. The line between them deviates because of the way the curve is calculated and the positions of the points. You can use Ctrl-click to add another point halfway through the corner. That should allow you to put the centreline back where it should be.

Deselecting the timing gates was only cosmetic. The End can just be moved somewhere out of the way.
 
If you look at the points of the centreline, you'll see that they are in the middle of the track. The line between them deviates because of the way the curve is calculated and the positions of the points. You can use Ctrl-click to add another point halfway through the corner. That should allow you to put the centreline back where it should be.

Deselecting the timing gates was only cosmetic. The End can just be moved somewhere out of the way.

I know very well how to solve the problem, thanks. But the reason of my post was to show that the features doesn't work correctly! It is useless having a tool that doesn't work perfectly because of the time to spend manually positioning the centerline adding hundreds of control points...ù
I could understand if I have to adjust the fastpath, but the centerline must be where it should be (IF IT NEEDS TO HAVE A RIGHT AIW - and I do not know this...)

==============

About the time gates: cosmetic or not, why to cancel a feature that is in the current version and that avoid confusion?
 
I know very well how to solve the problem, thanks. But the reason of my post was to show that the features doesn't work correctly! It is useless having a tool that doesn't work perfectly because of the time to spend manually positioning the centerline adding hundreds of control points...ù
I could understand if I have to adjust the fastpath, but the centerline must be where it should be (IF IT NEEDS TO HAVE A RIGHT AIW - and I do not know this...)

The spacing between Centerline Nodes is initially set to a value that works well for the majority of tracks. If I were to set it to a lower value, editing the lines would become too cumbersome.

The Centerline may NOT always be the center of the road for some people's projects. Adding extra Nodes would ensure it always stays centered through tight corners, as in your example. But this would mean a lot of extra editing for projects where the Centerline deviates from the middle of the road.

About the time gates: cosmetic or not, why to cancel a feature that is in the current version and that avoid confusion?

For the entire beta testing it would appear that only one person so far got confused.
 
thanks Brendon for explanations... so it could be a good idea to add in the form the possibility to increase or decrease the number of nodes, but it could be a big job (no idea at all)
========
About the second point, first of all excuse me if I wasn't not enought clear but I have to "translate" in my mind from my language to Eng and sometimes I can use terms that appear not appropriate. To answer that "only one person so far got confused" is not nice: I don't want to offend anybody writing about what I see like a problem and give to all registered users the chance to test a software could mean also to be patient vs the less expert persons.
The fact is that having the chance to "deselect" that timegate on my side was a good feaure and to miss it (working on the code to get that feature out) is a nonsense (always from my point of view)

Anyway, please, let me know if I can report other things (like fixing the reposition of the forms) or not: no problem at all.
 
Desperately seeking solutions, suggestions, hints or help

Greetings All

I have run into a stmbling block and wonder if anyone can offer a solution or suggestion as to why this is happeneing.

1st pic is final stage just before exporting.

2nd pic is results viewed in AIW editor

No textures, shapes or widths were edited. Just smoothing of nodes where applicable.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated


Peeta the Perplexed
 

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Hi, I've done a fair bit of stuff so far with some existing projects and all I can say is,
Having the all editing capabilities of the 3d view is just a dream come true!
truly outstanding.
Thanks Brendan,
really great so far, all the errors gone on texture changing, works allot faster too...
 
My first post.

I want to firstly say thanks to piddy for this excellent program. I know you have put a lot of time into it, so Thank You.

I have a little problem that still exists for me in this beta version.
I have a problem with a couple of string objects that I can't edit.
They are on uneven ground, I suspect thats not helping. If I could delete them I would be wrapped.
As soon as I try to move one, it pops out an error message.

See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.
************** Exception Text **************
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
at BobsBits.SObjectInstances.FindNearestSObject3d(Single PositionX, Single PositionY, Matrix matrixView, Matrix matrixProjection, SObjectInstance& SelectedSObject, Vector3& HitPosition)
at BobsTrackBuilder.frmSObjects.GetClosestGrabableSObject(View v, Int32 MouseX, Int32 MouseY)
at BobsTrackBuilder.frmMain.pnl3d_MouseDown(Object sender, MouseEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnMouseDown(MouseEventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMouseDown(Message& m, MouseButtons button, Int32 clicks)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

************** Loaded Assemblies**************
NOT REQUIRED
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3082 (QFE.050727-3000)

I do realise my problem was an existing problem from the last version, but wanted to report it. I hope its OK to post it here.

I love the new beta version BTW. It works great.
 
thanks brendon, the aiw looks great now, no more spining cars.but i still have the orignal problem of exporting to rfactor,has previous thread.can;t seem to find anything at the moment,which is causing the rfactor to crash.has i put it through simed and re exported, all seems to be fine,excepted the blending grass areas.i will send you the venue files.and the xpack i added to it.the rest i have to leave to you to added,sorry buddy, there doesn't seem to be a good file host which can cope with a large file of 326mb.:)

here the list of xpacks need to be added.
All of ennis road.xpacks.dark,light,mid
gb_RBR xpack
ennis extras
haywood.

venue files here.
http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=fa073580b45752ff1686155677bb2685bc3d96f12f317a11
 
  • Travlar

Greetings All

I have run into a stmbling block and wonder if anyone can offer a solution or suggestion as to why this is happeneing.

1st pic is final stage just before exporting.

2nd pic is results viewed in AIW editor

No textures, shapes or widths were edited. Just smoothing of nodes where applicable.


Any ideas would be greatly appreciated


Peeta the Perplexed

Peeta,

What happens if you load the track directly after you export it from BTB? Are there issues in rFactor or does this only happen when you open the AIW file in G-man's AIW editor?
 
  • RLange

I'm working on a track that has two fast lines in it, can anyone help as to why? One will show the tire marks in game and the other doesn't.

Also I to miss the deselect feature in the timing gates.

When I show the corridors on the track it only covers the default track width, with the green bars the places I made the track wider I have move all the nodes green bars out to the edge of the track.
 
  • RLange

I opened a different track that has a tunnel on it and all the AIW lines and corridors jump to the high track. I used a wall turned inside out for my tunnel.

I can send a picture if needed.

EDIT: It appears to be node related, if I move the nodes away from the track above, the lines drop down to the lower track surface.
 
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