How to make AI use your own car setups

[Marco Versele]

When driving a race weekend in GSC, I was always a bit disappointed to see the AI's top speed was limited.
It made me go for a search to change the AI behaviour, and I found a post in RaceDepartment http://www.racedepartment.com/forum/threads/how-to-change-ai-setups.9002
That didn't change anything and did not work for me. I could not make it function.
After some further searching I found what I needed (http://fatbob56.com/forum/mcomod/viewtopic.php?t=145), but the solution is somewhat spread over several posts.
So, to make life easier for the interested, here's a description of how you can make the AI use your own setups: don't be overwhelmed by the procedure: it seems complicated at first site, but it really is all very logic.

WARNING! ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF YOUR ORIGINAL FILES! You won't be able to go online withe modified track.gdb or vehicle.veh files!

1.
Make a decent car setup you want the AI to use for, let's say, a Porsche 997 RSR GTE, that I want to use in Le Mans 2014. I named it 997RSR_LM24.svm.

2.
Look for the relevant track.gdb file in the folder \GameData\Locations\track or, in my case: \GameData\Locations\SR_LeMans\SR_LeMans.gdb, and open it with notepad. At the end of the file you'll find some lines like:
SettingsFolder = SR24h_2014
SettingsCopy = Grip.svm
SettingsCopy = 24h2014.svm
SettingsAI = 24h_2014.svm

We're interested in the line how you should name the AI setup (SettingsAI = ***.svm), which in my case would be: SettinsAI = 24h_2014.svm

ATTENTION! This is the moment to check a crucial step for the AI setup to work: the structure of the AI setup needs to be the same as the structure of SettingsFolder in the lines at the end of the track.gdb file.
(SettingsFolder = SR24h_2014 in my case). So in the track.gdb file I had to change the line SettingsAI = 24h_2014.svm to SettingsAI = SR24h_2014.svm.
If the structure of the AI setup doesn't match with the SettingsFolder, your adjustments won't work!

3.
Look for the car setup you made by going to \GameData\UserData\YOURNAME\Settings\track directory, and copy your car setup.
Rename the copy to the SettingsAI name you found (or changed) in the track.gdb file. In my case: I changed 997RSR_LM24.svm to SR24h_2014.svm.
Now copy your renamed car setup file to the directory of your vehicle: \GameData\Vehicles\vehiclemodname\YOURVEHICLETYPE\,
or in my case: I copied SR24h_2014.svm to \GameData\Vehicles\EnduranceSeries\GTE\Porsche_997RSR\ directory.

4.
Start GSC, go to the garage and select The AI setup, or in my case I selected SR24h_2014.svm. Then click on the assign button.
Now all the cars where you copied a AISettings.svm in their respective vehicles folder will use your setup!

5.
You can repeat this procedure for any other type of car in exactly the same manner, so that all different types of car use all their own setup made by you.

Warning! : the new AI behaviour can be altered by the new setup, so you might adjust the AI strength at your level.

Enjoy

 

[Gringo]

AI oversteers a lot

I am guessing you are pointing to the SV8... I notice this too, but what I see is the AI spinning up the rear tires that results in the over steer. I don't think ARB will help with that, maybe increase the rebound dampers at the rear.

The point about the physics and AI setups is "be aware" that for the most part the fine details are ignored.

 

[Msportdan]

The easiest way:
-Enable Fixed car setups a Fixed AI setups in PLR file (set to1)
-Make car setup in garage.
-Save carsetup in garage
-Click favorite on above car setup in garage
-Restart event to action the setup to AI.

To test set a riducuous gear ratio like a really long 3rd and 5th gear, watch AI from cockpit - they should have a struggling third gear and fifth gear.?!

 

[PieterN]

The point about the physics and AI setups is "be aware" that for the most part the fine details are ignored.

Ok I understand, but what would be an ideal neutral or understeery setup for the AI to use ? Could someone add an good AI-setup for the Super V8 to this thread in a reply ?

And how do i get the AI to use it for Phillip Island. I tried placing a setup with the intended name mentioned in the track.gdb in the SuperV8 folder, but the AI just doesn't use it.

 

[PieterN]

Update : how to get the Super V8 AI to use a specific setup for Phillip Island

In the PhillipIsland360.gdb the setup section is:
SettingsFolder = PhillipIsland360
SettingsCopy = Grip.svm
SettingsCopy = PhillipIsland360.svm
SettingsAI = PhillipIsland360.svm

now I found out that the AI is looking for PhillipIsland360.race.svm ! So not PhillipIsland360.svm but you have to put .race before the .svm in the name of the setup file.
The setup file has to be saved in :

\SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Stock Car Extreme Beta\GameData\Vehicles\SuperV8

GSCE is also looking for PhillipIsland360.ini , but i'm not sure what sort of info PhillipIsland360.ini should contain ?

 

[morsify]

Update : how to get the Super V8 AI to use a specific setup for Phillip Island

In the PhillipIsland360.gdb the setup section is:
SettingsFolder = PhillipIsland360
SettingsCopy = Grip.svm
SettingsCopy = PhillipIsland360.svm
SettingsAI = PhillipIsland360.svm

now I found out that the AI is looking for PhillipIsland360.race.svm ! So not PhillipIsland360.svm but you have to put .race before the .svm in the name of the setup file.
The setup file has to be saved in :

\SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Stock Car Extreme Beta\GameData\Vehicles\SuperV8

View attachment 113208

Hmm, that's interesting thanks, I certainly never had to do that before. I wonder if it is a code change in GSC? Anyway, I will make a note for the next time I need it, thanks

 

[Gringo]

In the PhillipIsland360.gdb the setup section is:
SettingsFolder = PhillipIsland360
SettingsCopy = Grip.svm
SettingsCopy = PhillipIsland360.svm
SettingsAI = PhillipIsland360.svm

This is just a coincidence for this track... the track name is the first line in the GDB. If you look at Reiza's current GDB's you will see these lines are removed.

PhillipIsland360

Valid SVM names for the AI setup should still be...

Vehicle Specific AI Setups="1" // If 1, search specific vehicle directory for "<track>.<qual/race>.svm" or "<track>.svm" or "ai.svm" before falling back on game.gdb defaults

This PLR flag is no longer available (its from an old rF build) and I think it has been enabled by default.

Maybe GSC has code changes but I believe it still works as per. The idea is that you can have up to 3 AI setups per race weekend, practice, qual, race.

PS... One advantage of this method vs. the "favorite setup" method could be that it works for multi class races, that is different car types will load a unique setup for each car type. I am not sure if the favorite system can manage that.


Note: I did a few quick tests and I see that I can enable two different AI setups per car type for a race weekend, not three as I suggested above.


<track>.svm will be used in qually

<track>.<race>.svm will be used in practice and the race.


Note: One last test and I see that if I use only a single setup <track>.svm... it will be used by the AI for the entire weekend.

 

[Gringo]

Update : how to get the Super V8 AI to use a specific setup

Did you manage to improve the SV8 AI racing?

 

[morsify]

Vehicle Specific AI Setups="1" // If 1, search specific vehicle directory for "<track>.<qual/race>.svm" or "<track>.svm" or "ai.svm" before falling back on game.gdb defaults

Note: One last test and I see that if I use only a single setup <track>.svm... it will be used by the AI for the entire weekend.

Thanks for the clarification Gringo, I never knew about the "<track>.<qual/race>.svm" option, I always used simply <track>.svm, so no changes needed after all.

 

[PieterN]

Did you manage to improve the SV8 AI racing?

Mixed results really, the AI seem to behave a bit better at Pukekohe and Phillip Island in the long sweeping corner's. But not always, i'm still not sure what to change in the setup-file so that the AI will really be influenced.

Sure changing the gear-settings helps, but curing the oversteer in the AI-setup isn't easy as i do not know what the game-enigine simplifies.

 

[PieterN]

Note: I did a few quick tests and I see that I can enable two different AI setups per car type for a race weekend, not three as I suggested above.

Did you test this by using the the trace=5 option whilst starting GSC.exe ?

 

[Gringo]

Did you test this by using the the trace=5 option whilst starting GSC.exe ?

I did have a look at the trace.txt to confirm my findings. However my testing was with the F3 (lots of gearing options) and I setup one SVM with very very short gears, and one SVM with very very long gears.

It was obvious by watching the AI which SVM they loaded for a given session.

On thing to note, if you follow the above for loading an AI setup and its not working. The probable reason is that the SVM is not placed in the correct folder for the AI to use. This may not be your fault... you really need to know the search paths that are defined in the GEN files, but in GSC these files are not normally view able so this can be an issue.

AI setups will always load if placed in the Vehicles folder. However this should be avoided and only one car type could have an AI setup for a given track.

 

[Gringo]

what the game-enigine simplifies.

Yes this is mostly undocumented, but you can get some clues by reading rFactor HDV's for 10 years

So basically my self learned understanding has left me to believe that AI physics is simplified in areas where intense calculations are required to determine the forces on the car.

Tire pressure, spring rates, bump stops, and bump-rebound dampers for example probably don't have much impact.

Ride height, gears, steering angle, wing angles, brake and engine ducts, (maybe caster, camber) in my opinion do have an impact.

But I think wings and gears are likely the only two that we really need to affect when the AI are not performing up to expectations.

 

[muzarati]

One thing I found after running the trace is it couldn't find my track.ini file from doing the AI track learning, not sure why not?

 

[PieterN]

One thing I found after running the trace is it couldn't find my track.ini file from doing the AI track learning, not sure why not?

What does this file contain ? Can you upload an example ? Where did you place it ?

 

[PieterN]

But I think wings and gears are likely the only two that we really need to affect when the AI are not performing up to expectations.

But we can't adjust wings for the Super V8's... mmm i will keep trying and find something to influence the Super V8's

 

[muzarati]

What does this file contain ? Can you upload an example ? Where did you place it ?

Another interesting feature I found in rFactor threads: you can improve the racing line of the AI on a track!
I tried it in GSC and it worked like a charm.

Here's how to do it:

1.
Make sure GSC is not running, otherwise all your effort will be overwritten when exiting GSC.

2.
Open UserData\YOURNAME\YOURNAME.prl with notepad, and look for the line
'Autocalibrate AI Mode="0" // When in a test day with 1 AI, AI will attempt to perfect his driving line, and save his knowledge for future use'
Change to Autocalibrate AI Mode="1", save and exit

3.
Start GSC, and choose the vehicle and track you want the AI to learn.
In Settings set the following options:
- Private testing = ON
- AI drivers = 1
- Race grid position = 1
- Race start time = 08:00 PM
- Type of start : STANDING
- Race length type = TIME
- Flagrules = NONE
- Ethanol usage = OFF
- Tyre wear = OFF
- Mech. failures = OFF
- Time scale = NONE
From my experience these are not essential

4.
Load the track. Don't start the race!
When you are in the monitor screen, choose Add AI.
The AI will start its training and a message appears: "STAY OUT OF MY WAY HUMAN". The longer the AI is learning, the better times it gets.
The messages inform you of the distance the AI drove per lap compared to the ideal line. With each lap this difference gets smaller.
Type 'R'-key to switch from 'delayed replay' to 'live'.
Right-clicking on the AI's name will switch to a list of all laps driven by the AI with the respective lap times.
You can speed up time by typing 'ctrl-T', this will not affect the learning of the AI.
After a number of laps the message appears 'AI finished the learning' or similar.

5.
Still some meters of difference with the ideal race line can be left over.
The AI can improve to about 0 m of difference!.
To obtain this, remove the AI from the drivers list, and add a new AI.
The new Ai will start where the previous AI ended, and will continue to improve.

6.
When the learning is finished for your car and track, a track.ini file has been created for your team in \GameData\Vehicles\mod\CarType\team folder.
(For Blancpain mod: \Gamedata\Vehicles\Teams\CarType folder)
In order for all other cars of the same vehicle type to profit from the learning of the AI, you can copy the track.ini file from the team folder and paste it into the \GameData\Vehicles\mod\CarType folder.
(For Blancpain mod: \GameData\Vehicles\Physics\CarType folder), that is: where the CarType.hdv files, CarType-Tires.tbc files and other car related files reside.
Remove the file from the team folder.

7.
This procedure is per car type and per track. You need to repeat for each different car or track

8.
DON'T FORGET!
Revert to the original state of your YOURNAME.prl file (see point 2.), and restore your ingame settings (see point 3.).

Enjoy

 

[PieterN]

Thanks, i've just made an ini file for Phillip Island with a Super V8. Will try an race against the AI and see if there's a difference. Thanks !

 

[muzarati]

In rFactor this works really well, I have done this but didn't really help the SuperV8, when I ran the trace it says it can't find the ini file, could be because some files like the .hdv are hidden? Also comes up with the error "unknown tire brand" also maybe because the .tbc file is also hidden? Maybe that has something to do with the lack of grip....makes the SuperV8 quite a good drift mod I guess...if your into that?

 

[PieterN]

In rFactor this works really well, I have done this but didn't really help the SuperV8, when I ran the trace it says it can't find the ini file

I'm having the same problem, i saved the new ini file in the main SuperV8 folder but it couldn't be found. Also tried saving it in the track folder (where the gdb etc are located). No luck.

Maybe @Alex Sawczuk or @Renato Simioni can help us ?

 

[PieterN]

When i put the ini file here : E:\SteamLibrary\SteamApps\common\Stock Car Extreme Beta\GameData\Vehicles\SuperV8\SuperV8Teams there is just one line "Could not find PhillipIsland360.ini" in the trace.txt instead of several. Hmmmm