Tracks Biķernieki Race Track

[martinsh]

Hi all,
I`ve started this project in ~2009, but since last year when I got a hold of LiDAR data the project took a more serious turn. At this point I`ve spent significant amount of work on research, reference materials and all the accessible public data I could get my hands on. During the development I published my progress in local forums and my YouTube channel and got feedback and help from race drivers, event organizers and fans of the circuit. There have been two closed Alpha releases both leading to the public Beta release today!
So, now I have enough confidence and project is mature enough to share it here in RD forums!

download link:
http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/biķernieki-race-track.17186/

motivation
Biķernieki is my local race track, located in Riga, Latvia. In late 80s and early 90s my dad brought me there for race events so the race track has a special place in my heart. I remember watching "Dzintara Aplis" (races with Volgas and Ladas) and moto races. Sadly in 2000s the track lost popularity as a sports venue and it was in a very rough shape to a point it was unsuitable for racing events. At that moment I got my first ideas of digitizing it to either popularize it or conserve it in case it is lost forever. Luckily the Biķernieki Sports Complex was bough by state road and safety administration and it`s been Rennaissance since then. There`s been numerous of renovations to make it more fun, faster and meet FIA safety regulations. Just recently Latvia is hosting FIA World Rallycross Championship and a new RX configuration was built for it. It has multiple popular drifting configurations including the Witch Kettle.

me
I am a full time game developer and I have been working with virtual training simulators for around 10 years. My background is traditional arts, concept art, asset creation, but over time i`ve taught myself to code (C++, GLSL and python). I have close relationship with open source software, especially Blender, which I am using for 11 years and a part time developer for 4 years.

my favourite features and facts about Biķernieki
a brief history can be found HERE
- built in 1965
- used to be the most advanced racing complex in Soviet Union
- located in area of highest resident population density in Riga
- track is surrounded by a dense pine forest/park, which effectively dampens the noise
- lake and strawberry fields in a middle of race track
- Biķernieki Complex is used for recreational activities throughout the year (hiking, bike riding, skiing, camping, fishing and swimming)

aim
My ultimate goal would be to recreate whole Biķernieki Sports Complex as true to life as I can. Host the legendary Amber Volga and Lada and historic Formula virtual races. Let virtual drift racers smoke the heck out of it.

progress report
- started in around 2009, gathered reference images and plans
- 2012 - a first driveable version made from blueprints and a 2D topology map in a custom racing simulator that I programmed as an exercise.
- 2016, spring - got a public LiDAR data which was a turning point for the project. Unfortunately race track was undergoing a massive renovation at the time scanning took place.
- point cloud data cleaning, classification and exporting to surface data for further sculpting in Blender
- track surface re-topology using cleaned high-res data (this part is critical and took me 90% of overall spent time)
- assets (barriers, fences, kerbs) modelled using blueprints from publicly available receipts and project reports.
- garandstands modelled using reference photos and laser scan data.
- April 2017, first driving tests on new surface.
- adding placeholder assets, no textures.
- May 2017, first pre-Alpha release, given to few people for tests and initial feedback.
- June 2017 taking reference photos and textures. Plan to finish a demo (beta) version till september 2017.
- July 2017, modeling assets based on photos. Taking photos of pine trees for texture creation.
- August 2017, texture creation. UV mapping track surface and assets. Applying materials to objects.
- September 2017, finalizing High Speed Ring configuration, adding trees and foliage. detailing. Making AI spline, adding pits. first AI oponents, track cameras.
- 6. september - First local Beta release. Set up a 24/7 Server for multiplayer tests.
- 12. september, making a RD thread. Public Beta release.
- 10. october, 0.4 version

version history & roadmap
- v0517- may 2017, pre-alpha
- v0917 - september 2017, alpha
- v0917bugfix - september 2017, alpha - beta, bugfix version.
- v0.3 - september 2017, open beta, High Speed Ring Configuration
- v0.4 - october 2017, short "Oval" circuit layout, drift layout, various fixes
- v0.5 - january 2018, 4 new layouts, including a proper Drift configuration.
- v0.6 - may 2018, bugfix release, visual fixes, 3d grass.

- v0.7 - TBA, RX configuration + Kart track.
- v0.8 - TBA, new models and textures.
- v0.9 - TBA, optimizations! LoD models.
- v1.0 - TBA, Full race track sandbox configuration

screenshots and video from Assetto Corsa
recent test in September (not from a public beta version)

download link
http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/biķernieki-race-track.17186/

supporting me
This is a one-man project (with support from community and racing fans) made in my spare time so if you like my project and would like to help me:
- feel free to leave a comment here - criticize or praise it, both are helpful
- consider making a donation for further development.
I will be embedding supporter names in racetrack (on barriers, road surface and buildings)



credits and thanks

BaTCC and Jānis Straupe
Simuliatoriu Akademija
Jānis Vanks
BMWpower.lv commuity
all of the early testers
RaceDepartment modding community
Latvijas Ģeotelpiskās informācijas aģentūra (http://www.lgia.gov.lv) for LiDAR data

 

[martinsh]

pics and videos from creation process:

high res point cloud data:

grandstands:

grandstands compared to laser point cloud data

geobrugg barriers and kerbs modelled from blueprints from actual manufacturers

raw color point cloud data of the whole complex. You can see how narrow is the race track entwined with the trees and surrounding city. and a lake in the middle!

re-topo process projected on high res data

wireframe of the topology - RX configuration

wireframe of the topology, aerial photo as reference. RX race track was still in early progress when data was gathered.

credits:
big thanks to mantasisg for technical help and feedback!

 

[martinsh]

few extra screenshots

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Wow!

 

[garyjpaterson]

Proper effort this!

 

[martinsh]

photos and videos from real-world track:

p.s. I`m sorry I am spamming these posts in seperate chunks. somehow I got a pop-up that I can only post few media filesin same time...

 

[BenCollins]

Looks blisteringly good!

 

[millen]

Yes. Amazing.
I was watching some onboard videos of this months ago and thought it looked like a great circuit.
That little loop around the back is like a little roller coaster with lots of ups and downs.

Fantastic work. Thanks for bringing it alive for everyone.

 

[AccAkut]

what an introduction. That track looks briliant, never knew that there was more than just the Witch Kettle I saw in some of Blacksmoke Racing's videos.I am curious, have you followed the general track modding community closely? As there have ben many tricks and techniques people found out for AC over the years that may not apply to other sims, like the whole visual/physical split.

I am a full time game developer and I have been working with virtual training simulators for around 10 years. My background is traditional arts, concept art, asset creation, but over time i`ve taught myself to code (C++, GLSL and python). I have close relationship with open source software, especially Blender, which I am using for 11 years and a part time developer for 4 years.

I feel like you're outclassing many of us hobby warriors here and Blender developer make me really curious, as on of the few guys using that tool instead of 3DS to make cars

 

[mantasisg]

This is a really great track. I was honored to have to do some early testing, it is one of those tracks which you love more and more within each lap, yesterday I had plenty of fun with Caterham 7. I have helped a bit, but in fact - so little, that I think it was not even worth mentioning @martinsh, you really have made it all totally yourself And what a debut this is.

I hope track is going to be noticed, tracks in eastern europe doesn't stop by the Tor Poznan, I think this one is just as awesome. Great results already !

 

[hal4000]

Yeah totally agree, good to see some Eastern Block tracks being done, D/Ling now. Thanks.

 

[Hompe]

Im so happy someone is making this track first time i saw it was in some failcrew video a few years back and ive been dreaming about it ever since, looks great so far!

 

[Manfredk2]

Congratulations, Sir, for this wonderful track and your impressive introduction

 

[formulaHEINE]

Very nice work!!! Saw some real race footage earlier this year and wished i could drive this track in AC, now this day has come!
Performance is top notch and the details in this stage are outstanding! I the first place i thought this forrest might be a performance killer, but the DIP is surprisingly low all around the track. AI is working well, too.
Very small point of criticism is the use of 8 timing sectors, as the stadard UI of AC supports only 3.
Really looking forward to the development of your project!

 

[Vladislav Kurochkin]

Yeaaahhh!! Two great Baltic tracks! Thanx Martinsh and Mantas for your two masterpieces)))

 

[norbs]

Holy crap! What a great track. Kudos to @martinsh

Would it be ok to throw some cam files together?

 

[martinsh]

Holy crap! What a great track. Kudos to @martinsh

Would it be ok to throw some cam files together?

you are free to do that knock yourself out!

 

[DimmG]

I see it's really great work. Thank you!
In 2010 I have released Bikernieki for GPL, so do you have in plans to build historic environment without walls?

 

[martinsh]

I see it's really great work. Thank you!
In 2010 I have released Bikernieki for GPL, so do you have in plans to build historic environment without walls?

Yes, I have seen it! Historic Biķernieki 1965 is on my to-do list, but I need to gather enough references for that. I will visit the race track and ask owners if they have photos and blueprints for it.

 

[DimmG]

Yes, I have seen it! Historic Biķernieki 1965 is on my to-do list, but I need to gather enough references for that. I will visit the race track and ask owners if they have photos and blueprints for it.

It is really cool! If you need historical photos I can share a lot of them