WIP GRAVEDIGGER Monster Truck

[DavidI]

I've decided to release Gravedigger as a work in progress. I've created Gravedigger from scratch, and have been improving it for a while, waiting for Racer to be able to run it properly.
It is far from perfect, nor is it accurate, but it's the best I can come up with so far. Having not driven a monster truck it is a little hard to know how inaccurate it is, but from all I've read & seen it is reasonable and looks like how a monster truck behaves as much as Racer permits.
In saying all that, it is a fun beast to thrash around.

Below are links to the CG version of Gravedigger, and also a very rough CG Monster Truck Arena. The Arena is very basic and isn't quite layed out like Monster Jam's are, but Racer's spline system limits what can be done.

http://www.jendai.com/racer/gravedigger.zip
http://www.jendai.com/racer/m_t_arena.zip

If anyone comes up with a better setup for Gravedigger, let me know.

 

[boomer541]

Thanks David,
I might try a different paint job, these vehicles are ugly imho.

 

[Alexander Knoll]

Bob they have to be ugly^^

Davidi i like it! THX!

 

[Alexander Knoll]

ok after some test drives...one question...
is it right he is so muche frontheavy....will say, if i jump over a "hill" tents to land on the roof...because he made a salto...

oh...btw...i love this spinning fan!!!
is it cg?

THX
Alex

 

[DavidI]

You are right Alex, I've uploaded an update patch to fix the CoG:
http://www.jendai.com/racer/gravedigger_update.zip
and I've replaced the full zip with the changes as well.
If you use the update.zip, put the files into your cars/gravedigger folder & overwrite any existing files.

Yes, it uses a custom cg script to spin the fan, thought it was a nice touch.

I also added a readme file, I forgot to give Cobra the credit for making the engine sounds. He did a good job on them.

 

[DavidI]

I just uploaded a new version of Gravedigger, now with waving jolly roger flag arrrgh!
Same links as before, both full & update zips. If you use the gravedigger_update.zip, put the files into your cars/gravedigger folder & overwrite any existing files

 

[Alexander Knoll]

THX, feels a way better now!

 

[Alexander Knoll]

hmm...looks like Racer don't like wheels witch are bigger than 1m...

 

[DavidI]

Yes, I've noticed that as well.
I've also noticed that Gravedigger's generic models aren't working, there should be axles & suspension arms. Don't know what's wrong there they used to work, and I don't know when they stopped. Trying to work out whether it's Gravedigger problem or Racer.

 

[Alexander Knoll]

sounds like...it comes up from version to version...

 

[DavidI]

Apologies to Ruud, it was the generic models definitions in car.ini I'd stuffed up.
I've uploaded new zips to the links above.
Changes include:

• fixed generic models not appearing
• updated shaders to fix some texture issues
• miscellaneous fixes for things I've forgotten I've done
• I've made two Raven variants of the car.ini: one each for low & high final drive ratios. The low final drive one is an automatic gearbox, whereas the high final drive is manual. Both have the fwd fudge powered gearing adjusted to suit their respective diff ratio's. If you don't have Raven installed, you can just copy the car.ini from the variant folder & overwrite the one in the main folder.

Another thing I've noticed is that the default timeout for when the wheels aren't touching the ground is a little short by default, you can get some big air over a jump & Racer resets the car to the top of the jump. I've also been able to get gravedigger up on the rear wheels a few times, & Racer resets the car because the front wheels aren't on the ground.
To fix this you can adjust in racer.ini the assist.time_allowed_nowheel=3000 to 6000 or 9000 (it is measured in milliseconds, you could also set it to 0 to disable the reset); this allows you to get more 'air time' without Racer interfering.

 

[DavidI]

Uploaded another improved version, same links as before.
Includes shader changes; improved collision hull (Fixes Alex's problem above mostly), pacejka changes that improve driveability.

 

[Alexander Knoll]

THX Davidi, testing^^

EDIT:
...ok...now i get with both versions a massive wheelspinn up to 160 km/h, of the front wheels...



...i know that problem...i'm sure you calculate the power_gearing right, but this is the effect, i have this many times too...for me i fixed it by reducing the power_gearing to a value the wheels are not spinning....i know it's not right, but feels better with a lot of less understeer too...

Alex

 

[Mr Whippy]

Try use the Gallardo awd script maybe?

I'm not sure what AWD the Gravedigger uses in real life but I guess anything is better than the bog-standard fudge of the Racer awd system.

Dave

 

[DavidI]

Try use the Gallardo awd script maybe?

I'm not sure what AWD the Gravedigger uses in real life but I guess anything is better than the bog-standard fudge of the Racer awd system.

Dave

Can you tell me how it works?

 

[Alexander Knoll]

öhm...for me too...please explain it Dave...

THX

Alex

 

[DavidI]

I've been playing around with it, got it working. I've added some extras to it.
Pressing the following keys:
g= low final drive
h=high final drive
v=10/90 front/rear bias split
b=25/75 front/rear bias split
v=50/50 front/rear bias split
a=automatic gearbox
m=manual gearbox

FYI Dave, one strange thing I noticed with the awd.rsx is if you have a less than 50/50 split, revving the engine in nuetral while sitting still, the engine rpm ramp up & down becomes increasingly slow. i.e. if you have a bias of 1 the engine takes minutes to climb from idle to full rpm then down again.
I sort of fixed it by adding this change:

    $maxtorque = $finalbias
    if $rot_front_diff and $rot_rear_diff < 4
    {
        $maxtorque = 100
    }

The idea being that if your not moving that fast you get 100% available torque. Seems to help the takeoff acceleration as well.
I'll upload some new zips with these changes soon.

 

[DavidI]

OK, I've uploaded new zips.
If you're using the update.zip, delete your current raven_variants folder, as there is only one Raven Variant now. The awd script includes the ability to change the final drive ratio on the fly, so no need for separate variants.
The gearbox defaults to Manual mode now (racer console commands limitation), here are the keys to change awd settings:
g= low final drive
h=high final drive
v=10/90 front/rear bias split
b=25/75 front/rear bias split
v=50/50 front/rear bias split
a=automatic gearbox
m=manual gearbox

 

[Mr Whippy]

Yeah the Gallardo script is explained fairly well in the file iirc.

But yes, the issue is that cutting engine torque impacts the free-revving nature of the engine etc.

Really the awd isn't great, but having this script at least makes it react a bit more realistically.

Please note Onyx won't work nicely in multiplayer because we have to reference car wheel speed by the car ID.

Ideally it'd be nice if Ruud would make any car folder scripts automatically 'scope' to that car only. Then if you want something different you can code for that very rare different behaviour.

Dave

 

[Alexander Knoll]

öhm...sorry to ask again, but if i understand it right, the power bias split works the wrong way...
if i choose the 50/50 it should have (a lot?) wheel spinn of the fronts...
if i choose the 25/75 it should have a lower wheel spinn of the fronts as with the 50/50...
same for the 10/90...
but i get the other way, i have a more or less wheel spinn at the fronts with the 50/50 split...
with the 25/75 i have a lot of wheel spinn at the fronts, with the 10/90 they spinning more or less all the time...

or do i some thing wrong?
i stop and set the gear to "n", hit the clutch and the brake and change the split...

please help...

THX
Alex