Tutorial - eMeL method (road, roadside and terrain)

[martinez]

Hi everybody,
The aim of this thread is to explain the method of building BTB tracks - in general, and also to show how it could be usefull when making tracks which would be much more easy to convert into original RBR format. The name "eMeL" comes from names of me (martinez) and Lakimakromedia.
Notes: I don't say it is something new in track building, anyway there are still not many people who build this way.
I believe that the method can be applied to rFactor tracks as well.

I have received quite many questions what the method is about, so I can start maybe here
Since it's Christmas time, I don't have much time to write down all of subjects.
So, for now - I just share with my GB Sprint (BTB project) track - it shows an easy and effective way of making roads and roadsides and/or using pieces of textures to make picture transitions without BTB's "blend materials tool" (AFAIK blended materials work only in rFactor and RBR_RX, and they will never work in RBR's original format).
The project contains the xpack with textures from smoe original RBR track - feel free to use it in your tracks.
The thread will continue with tutorials and examples how different things can be done.

The GB Sprint BTB project download:
http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/rbr-tracks-56/gb-sprint-btb-project-road-roadside-concept-3926/

GB Sprint track general discussion: http://www.racedepartment.com/bobs-track-builder-new-tracks/40213-gb-sprint.html

 

[martinez]

Thanks Kennett, I have this already Good work!
I was helping people who can't move the points while editing in BTB's Material cross-section window, just thought about these xml's as another solution. My attached xpack was just example to understand how the file is organised.

 

[thiruppathy]

congrats! keep up the good work/this is a great presentation.

Product Development

 

[jcrr]

Hello
Martinez said : "In this particular case you see some semi-transparent wall that is placed put over the road. The wall is not driveable and not collide and has also set some LOD (or you want your graphic card to render it always?)"
Since One year ago (november 2009) I build my rally track with a similar method, never seen before....
A links to a french forum where I present my W.I.P.

http://www.racingfr.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=34078&st=1770
(You must be logged to see pics but youtube video is ok for visitors)

jc

 

[ebrich]

Hi jcrr Started on page 115 of the forum and went back 10 pages ( video's look great). Then started on page 1 in the hopes of finding the download. RIEN! I wanna try it! Could you give us a clue as to the download. Please. I like what you have done there.

 

[jcrr]

Hello
My track is not finished (wip) ...But it will be soon (april?)...
But now you can download a short demo (1,8 km when the complet track is 13,5 km long) her after login :
for gt legends :
http://www.racingfr.com/forum/index.php?autocom=Downloads&showfile=990

for rfactor :
http://www.racingfr.com/forum/index.php?autocom=Downloads&showfile=987

jc

 

[martinez]

I've never said that I invented the method - it was just a name for something that people were asking for.
I can say - besides some other benefits - using this method can be crucial if somebody thinks of conversion a track for working in 3ds Max and for exporting to other games (like original RBR format)
If anybody is interested - I can post here some simple tutorial how to use it and to make track for futher work in 3ds Max. I can also do some simple btb example(s)

 

[jcrr]

Yes,and my method is not exactly the same,but my difficulty to write or read in english make that I don't understand exactly what is your method, I'll try to work your method soon.

thanks

jc

 

[ebrich]

That is going to be one hell of a stage. I walked through the whole length in 3DSimEd. Lot of work to do but I think its great so far. Makes a nice change from forest trees blocking the view! Good luck with the rest.

 

[jcrr]

hello

Thanks, but when you are open the demo track in 3Dsimed you can't see a lot of things because i had delete a max of the others parts of the track before to share the demo, and this was a long time ago.....

I am sure that the complete track will be available before April.....

jc

 

[martinez]

I wrote a tutorial about building in BTB for conversion purposes (to 3dsMax), where among other things you can find how the method can be used to make it succesful:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/d2v78d