The "What Are You Working On?" Thread

[Some1]

As a Brit with the shifter on the left-hand side of my rig, that's my preference too. It's always a joy (and less of a disconnect in VR) when a RHD car mod is released.

I've sometimes pondered how much work is involved in converting a car from LHD to RHD. It seems relatively simple on the face of it, but I bet it's not: flip the main dashboard structure, steering wheel and rear-view mirror, and reposition non-flipped items like the instrument cluster, pedals, logos etc.
Most production cars seems to be mainly symmetrical down a centreline, dashboard excluded (with obvious exceptions like the TVR Sagaris and it's track-day helmet bulge in the roof).

@Shaun Clarke is one of the few modders who sometimes offers both variants, so maybe he can actually say how hard it really is. It'd be great if more modders offered this choice, assuming it's not a huge amount of work.

Converting to RHD in itself is not hard, as you mentioned some meshes need to be mirrored and some textures adjusted. The problem lies in the AC architecture, where it is very tedious to create a variant of a car. Basically, just to make the RHD version, a completely new car must be created, lots of stuff duplicated etc.
I wish AC offered more flexibility in this, like in rFactor for example (very simplified explanation): you create your mod, you export all your meshes and textures to one place, then you define vehicle variants in a text file, where you can specify, which meshes to use for which variant etc. and upgrades. All that in one folder basically.

 

[garyjpaterson]

Ben has also done it with his Caterham’s.

I think technically its a not a difficult process, but i am not keen on the idea of splitting a mod into different variants for such an insignificant and trivial change.
What does make things tricky is when you make fixes/additions/changes to your project and you now have to keep on top of 2 or 3 or more variants - thats when mistakes creep in. You have LODs to keep on top of, you have to make sure all the persistent files are the same etc etc.

If there are 2 entries of the same car, i want them to be significantly different, otherwise it just feels like clutter IMO. For the same reason I’m not a fan of Kunos having 2 versions of the Alfa hatchback thing, or RSS splitting there cars into halo/non-halo versions.

 

[Kyuubeey]

I make several versions of physics for cars in my projects, so I'm used to it. I can probably handle an USDM, JDM and S1's for both. My intention is to eventually model aero parts anyway, because the damn thing is nigh undrivable at serious speeds in stock form. First thing everyone does is install a front spoiler, seems to fix half the aero issues by throwing the lift @ 160km/h down from three digits to two.

I just haven't found out why the 3D aspect of multiple cars is such a pain, yet. I probably will later.

 

[Andy-R]

I am a fan of the variant option in AC, I love it in AMS where different skins for a car e.g the Copa Classics have subtle changes in power and weight. I guess a similar thing could be achieved in AC with S versions (but by the sound of it in a quite laborious way!)

 

[garyjpaterson]

When I see a beginner modder with 2+ variants planned from the beginning, it always just seems like a surefire way to ensure it never gets finished.
Best bet (from experience) is to focus one one variant only, from start to finish. And I mean finish, so everything you intend to do, get it done, LODs etc. Only then would I consider adding a new variant, take your finished car and make the necessary changes.
The idea of having more than one to keep on top of in parallel seems like a total nightmare.

An example would be those otherwise brilliant 70s Mustangs. If I'm not mistaken its up to 6 variants now, yet not 1 is fully finished. So when you make some progress on one, you've got to somehow ensure the other 5 keep up...

Do one, if you actually finish it, only then start thinking about others (imo).

 

[Kyuubeey]

I am a fan of the variant option in AC, I love it in AMS where different skins for a car e.g the Copa Classics have subtle changes in power and weight. I guess a similar thing could be achieved in AC with S versions (but by the sound of it in a quite laborious way!)

Just making different physics variants of cars for different race teams for example, if you keep the same 3D, just boils down to copying the folder and renaming it, going into data, CTRL A, open in Notepad++, then go to sfx, rename the .bank to the new car folder name, open the GUIDs in Notepad++, replace all old car folder names with new in all opened files, then CTRL S and close notepad. After that, make the physics changes, rename the car name (If you want) in car.ini and ui.json and you're done. If you want it to be a variant, in ui.json:

"name": "Cool Car 2",
"parent": "cool_car_1",

and add in an upgrade.png if you want.



The hard part is dealing with the massive filesize after you make 15 variants.

When I see a beginner modder with 2+ variants planned from the beginning, it always just seems like a surefire way to ensure it never gets finished.
Best bet (from experience) is to focus one one variant only, from start to finish. And I mean finish, so everything you intend to do, get it done, LODs etc. Only then would I consider adding a new variant, take your finished car and make the necessary changes.
The idea of having more than one to keep on top of in parallel seems like a total nightmare.

An example would be those otherwise brilliant 70s Mustangs. If I'm not mistaken its up to 6 variants now, yet not 1 is fully finished. So when you make some progress on one, you've got to somehow ensure the other 5 keep up...

Do one, if you actually finish it, only then start thinking about others (imo).

Dear god, did you think I'd develop them *in parallel*?!

That's insane, I don't even do it like that for physics until I have the absolute solid base done!

Like I said, I'm gonna need to choose what variant to go with soon. Then off of that, I will make any others I want.

 

[Stereo]

I just haven't found out why the 3D aspect of multiple cars is such a pain, yet. I probably will later.

It's mostly just likely to cause bugs, like Gary says. For one thing you need to share object names (eg. both stages will look for WHEEL_FR) so you need to do something to organize how the various versions get exported.

For example my self-notes for exporting the F350 is

f350 base: 1 (body) 2 (doors) 11 (windows)
f350 base lod: 11 13 (bodylod)
f350 stairs: 1 2 11 4(stairs)
f350 stairs lod: 11 13 14 (stairslod)
bumper: 12
bumperlod: 15
f350 4whl: 1 2 11
f350 4whl lod: 11 13

And it only has 1 LOD model on it. It's in 2 separate blend files largely due to using 2 separate wheel models, and if I fix something (like, notice a hole in the underside and patch it) I have to do it in both cause they aren't necessarily sharing objects.
(p.s. there's a 4th unmentioned stage of the F350 that I actually cannot re-export, its kn5s are just... as-is)

If you change materials you end up needing to fix a dozen different persistences, skins all over the place, yada yada.

 

[Ben O'Bro]

Ben has also done it with his Caterham’s.

I think technically its a not a difficult process, but i am not keen on the idea of splitting a mod into different variants for such an insignificant and trivial change.
What does make things tricky is when you make fixes/additions/changes to your project and you now have to keep on top of 2 or 3 or more variants - thats when mistakes creep in. You have LODs to keep on top of, you have to make sure all the persistent files are the same etc etc.

If there are 2 entries of the same car, i want them to be significantly different, otherwise it just feels like clutter IMO. For the same reason I’m not a fan of Kunos having 2 versions of the Alfa hatchback thing, or RSS splitting there cars into halo/non-halo versions.

are we going to mention the Countach with only a spoiler XD
doing RHD/LHD isn't too hard indeed, keeping track of updates is annoying
as for LOD, i'm changing A & B only
C & D are shared between RHD & LHD to save work, and it's far enough not to be annoying

@Kyuubeey don't worry about posting your mesh, keep them coming it's nice to see some new mods still coming out

 

[garyjpaterson]

Dear god, did you think I'd develop them *in parallel*?!

That's insane, I don't even do it like that for physics until I have the absolute solid base done!

Like I said, I'm gonna need to choose what variant to go with soon. Then off of that, I will make any others I want.

I was thinking more generally, as I've seen plenty of unfinished mods out there with many variants. But yeah if you are planning on getting one done first I see no issue.

I do know how tempting it is though once you get halfway through and you think "I'll just make a new set of rims, add some aero bits" etc and before you know it you've fallen into working on 2 cars in parallel

are we going to mention the Countach with only a spoiler XD

Good shout on the Countach, thats one of the worst offenders! God knows why that wasn't just added as a visual wing option ingame.

Talking of which lol (RD please work with gifs today)

 

[Andy-R]

If I actually had skills rather than just opinions and was making a car I would probably try and split them by team, either with S versions or separate model somehow with factory or dominant team with a slight advantage and subtle changes between all teams.

 

[Kyuubeey]

I guess 3D has it tougher. I've developed 25 variants shared between 3 cars at the same time in physics and kept it consistent. Most of the time. Gets real fun when you have to keep track of masses, CoG and wheel offsets and whatever for 10 cars as you're making them.

@garyjpaterson

I'll probably fall into the trap: somehow I think everyone does. Should just keep convincing myself that a lower car is enough of a visual change until I'd get to a new variant...

@Ben O'Bro

I think the modding has just started. There's a ton of stuff being worked on, in the shadows. I have physics ready to go for several cars with dozens of variants sitting there collecting dust.
Why I started doing 3D is just frustration of not getting at least passable 3D onto my cars. Why a 240 in particular is beyond me. Must be the Wangan Midnight getting to me. I made a version of the car last year with turbos, semislicks and the like and drove it on C1, and that was enough to get me to do it.

Some Japanese guy is working on an S30, but that's unlikely to ever release, and if it does, he sure as hell isn't gonna share it on western sites. A lot of mods went private after they started being shared in the western side of the internet. That's just how they do things, I suppose.

My physics are better anyway.

 

[AadHofman]

As a Brit with the shifter on the left-hand side of my rig, that's my preference too. It's always a joy (and less of a disconnect in VR) when a RHD car mod is released.

I've sometimes pondered how much work is involved in converting a car from LHD to RHD. It seems relatively simple on the face of it, but I bet it's not: flip the main dashboard structure, steering wheel and rear-view mirror, and reposition non-flipped items like the instrument cluster, pedals, logos etc.
Most production cars seems to be mainly symmetrical down a centreline, dashboard excluded (with obvious exceptions like the TVR Sagaris and it's track-day helmet bulge in the roof).

@Shaun Clarke is one of the few modders who sometimes offers both variants, so maybe he can actually say how hard it really is. It'd be great if more modders offered this choice, assuming it's not a huge amount of work.

I have tried it with the Sierra, and the only, but decisive problem was that the dashboard lost its texture, becoming transparent. Haven't figured it out yet.

 

[Ben O'Bro]

I'll probably fall into the trap: somehow I think everyone does. Should just keep convincing myself that a lower car is enough of a visual change until I'd get to a new variant...

be me, start your first mod for assetto, my existing caterham 1700, finish it, release it,
then keep things confortable changing a rim and a windshield at a time, end up having clamshell, 165, academy, r500, 420r


as for which version of the Z..
just don't do rust
rust is annoying

and US bumpers is forbidden XD

the 432z is famous among games, forza & NFS
with 160bhp

i think any version with around that bhp would be nice to have since it's rather light, but then it's your choice to pick!

 

[Leonardo Ratafiá]

Would it be acceptable to release a new set of physics for a Kunos car or do you have to release a new 3d model as well? Just as a data folder that you can add on the Kunos car folder.
You only work on that from scratch, that is now violating any "rule" or even open Kunos cars at all since it's not even needed, am I right?

 

[Kyuubeey]

Would it be acceptable to release a new set of physics for a Kunos car or do you have to release a new 3d model as well? Just as a data folder that you can add on the Kunos car folder.
You only work on that from scratch, that is now violating any "rule" or even open Kunos cars at all since it's not even needed, am I right?

Technically you need to open the data.acd to get the LODs and mirrors and everything working. Most likely you need to. But I'm not sure RD minds. If it's against KS EULA or not I'm not sure.

Went back to my 2D art fundamentals and asked why am I even doing it with such complex geom. This is more manageable, and I'll work off this.

 

[Shaun Clarke]

@Mascot Difficult and a headache

 

[Ghoults]

Technically you need to open the data.acd to get the LODs and mirrors and everything working. Most likely you need to. But I'm not sure RD minds. If it's against KS EULA or not I'm not sure.

Went back to my 2D art fundamentals and asked why am I even doing it with such complex geom. This is more manageable, and I'll work off this.

View attachment 285464

View attachment 285465

Pay attention to your face width. You don't want to go from wide to narrow unless you want to create an edge. When you look at your front fender the faces around it. You want to create a cylinder shape around your front tires as and avoid this kind of face flow from wider to narrow:
https://i.imgur.com/0ijGjPt.png

Converting to RHD in itself is not hard, as you mentioned some meshes need to be mirrored and some textures adjusted. The problem lies in the AC architecture, where it is very tedious to create a variant of a car. Basically, just to make the RHD version, a completely new car must be created, lots of stuff duplicated etc.
I wish AC offered more flexibility in this, like in rFactor for example (very simplified explanation): you create your mod, you export all your meshes and textures to one place, then you define vehicle variants in a text file, where you can specify, which meshes to use for which variant etc. and upgrades. All that in one folder basically.

The downside is that you need to define vehicle variants in a text file. I very much prefer the ac way of exporting full models into couple of kn5s and not having to manually add half a hundred gmt meshes and define their undocumented parameters in couple of text files.

 

[AccAkut]

Would it be acceptable to release a new set of physics for a Kunos car or do you have to release a new 3d model as well? Just as a data folder that you can add on the Kunos car folder.
You only work on that from scratch, that is now violating any "rule" or even open Kunos cars at all since it's not even needed, am I right?

Well you need to open/unpack the acds to be able to create something working. But over the years the RD ruleset was that these replacement physics were fine if no model came with it.
And for things like sound and tires Kunos has given a silent or even outright ok

 

[Kyuubeey]

@Ghoults

Thanks for the input. I'm struggling with it. Mostly been looking at pro made meshes to get an idea.
Front area is really challenging, even if I understand the form, I just can't get it to flow well from the bonnet. I think I'l take a break for some time and look at more meshes.

I think I could understand a more conventional bumper better, than the OEM bumper that curves inwards. Would it be too heretical to model a more straight conventional bumper roughly and then use the flow from the bonnet to model the OEM bumper?

 

[LilSki]

My cousin who owns multiple Z cars says DATSUN stands for "Don't Ask To See UNderneath" Cause basically most of it is probably gone...

Fun car though especially with a small block chevy under the hood...