Tracks [WIP] Autobahn

[PeterBitt]

download & info

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[gvse]

I like fast, long stretches of the road so I wouldn't mind taking a car for a spin there. Let me know please if you need a tester and I'd be happy to give you some feedback.

 

[PeterBitt]

Thanks for the offer! Here is the current version which only includes the basic Autobahn road without any terrain, clutter and proper textures:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwFTwfOoqvTeX0NkelFpMlhTOFU/view?usp=sharing

Maybe some fellow german driver can let me know if this feels like a proper Autobahn section? Are some of the curves to tight maybe? There is one part at around 11km with some tighter corners, I was thinking about just putting some speed restriticon signs there, while the rest is without restrictions? Does the rest of the road qualify for unrestricted Autobahn section?
Yes I have a drivers licence but no car, so very little Autobahn experience actually

The plan for the track is to have a bridge over to the other lane at the start and the end of the track, so it will become a circuit. The pits will be at a typical Autobahn-Raststädte with parking spaces.
Oh and a detailed road surface will also follow, for now you just drive on the visual mesh.
The track will loose the tunnel feel, I will remove the guard rails in places.

Cant wait to get to make this a pretty track so give me your feedback on the road folks!

 

[Deleted member 223075]

Just tested and not bad. For sure need improvement.

 

[PeterBitt]

Just tested and not bad. For sure need improvement.

Thx for the input. Are you talking about the layout? What exactly needs improvement there?
For the other stuff there is of course need for a lot of improvment, because atm there is nothing but a road with guard rails.

 

[gvse]

Hey Peter,

Ive driven along your Autobahn and it seems to be a good representation of the real thing although Ive taken the Autobahn only once in my life. However, driving with the speed maxed out for a long time gets quite boring, and while on the real road traffic keeps you on your toes, in game I'm not sure if it's going to be so much fun to drive along. It's hard to say without AI.

 

[PeterBitt]

Yeah boredom is definitely a thing ... some GTA style AI would be needed to have a little fun I guess.
The thing is that I just want to model a Autobahn, putting it into a game is a nice side effect. If I make it nice looking it could at least be used for screenshots or high speed tests.

Alternatively I could make the Autobahn part shorter and let the track go from the Autobahn to some countryside roads. Hmm I will think about it.
Thanks for the feedback, sometimes one doesnt think about the basics while working on something.

 

[gvse]

hmm, have you ever played NFS Porsche Unleashed? It had a route called Autobahn, and I remember it being quite atmospheric and fun to drive on. You can still find youtube clips of gameplay featuring it, which might serve as an inspiration.

 

[F_B]

Have you thought about looking for interesting Autobahn sections via Google Maps etc? Because even for me as a german some parts of the Autobahn can be very very boring. I prefer up and down sections with some curves. The Autobahn A3 for example offers some nice elevation changes in the region of Siebengebirge.

Look at this section for example:

 

[AccAkut]

I like the idea, but the current track layout (=just the road itself) is too boring/bland, and most of all lack elevation changes.
I've driven this part quiet often recently, and thong it makes for a great drive:

especially the part from minute 6 on (Heiligenstadt bis Ende)

 

[Inti]

of course!!!!!!!!!! it will be interesting if it's well done

 

[PeterBitt]

The NfS Autobahn track is awesome but I want to have a bit more realistic scale and elevations, even if its more boring. The elevations in the real world examples are not much stronger than in my version from what I saw, its just not conveyed well with the 2d-monitor. The whole track is going up hill which is almost not noticable to me.
I will sooner or later expand the track to have some country road passages, so it wont be all Autobahn.

For now I deleted the first 10 km which where to boring, added basic testing terrain and fixed the now two-sided guard rails. See the screenshots in the first post or test in game: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwFTwfOoqvTeOGJubXQ1M0QxR1k/view?usp=sharing

 

[Mr Whippy]

I like the idea.

Maybe it's a good idea to find lots of interesting sections, and make them modular.

Then you can mirror and reverse them too. So you can then string together lots of pieces to make many many km of track, and have varied terrain to make it feel even more different over time.

I can't wait to see a great Autobahn track for AC

Good luck!

Dave

 

[Bzuco]

I quickly tested this track right now. It could be interesting with all real scenery in MP, but not for every day flat out driving.
What will be definitly interesting is make AI line in the right lane, put there cars from all groups and see how they overtaking each other. It should look like in real life

 

[PeterBitt]

Thanks for the feedback guys, after completely watching the video AccAkut posted I was convinced and changed the whole thing to two lanes per side instead of three! Also a completely new and more fun layout with more elevations.

Also this:

With the AI its a whole new thing, its actually a lot of fun to me. They mostly stick to the right lane and overtake mostly on the left lane. Hopefully I manage to restirct them from ever using the outer right lane then it feels quite like in real life. Except that everyone goes 280 in the right lane
Will post a video later.

 

[Bzuco]

You can try slow them down using AIhints.ini file...some info about this file you can find on AC forum

 

[ALB123]

I really like "tracks" like these. It probably has a lot to do with the fact I love driving street cars in AC. They do become a bit of a challenge when creating them - making your layout keep people's interests for extended periods of time. Lake Louise does a fantastic job with this. You can drive up one road, down another, up yet another road, and keep alternating over and over and it feels like new road every time!

You picked a very interesting and fun highway system to recreate. I wish you good luck in making this exactly how you want it to be.

EDIT: Oops! I also meant to say, take a look at Shuto Expressway - it's an inner city highway, so it's completely different, but you might get some design ideas from that layout. I love taking the LaFerrari or P1 onto that road.

 

[PeterBitt]

download v.0.0.1

So I was spending three hours yesterday just driving with the AI. I did not intend to waste three hours playing the game, but this is surprising amounts of fun! I will definitely keep working on it now that I know it can actually be fun.
Thanks for the feedback so far, I am glad I didnt stick to the three lanes and added a bit more elevations.
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@ALB123 road cars in AC are fantastic, I love the fact that they have such a ton of incredible licensed road cars. For sure the league racers who hate road cars in sims will not care for the Autobahn, but for the road car lovers its definitely worth a try once its done.

 

[Bzuco]

Hah ha, great, It looks exactly as I expected . Let's say, that what we saw was some part of GUM BALL 3000 .
Looped road is even better than route from A to B, because after few laps AI will be perfectly spread around the track. We need more cars and trucks also . And then someone with dual xeon CPU could test how it looks wit 100 AI cars

 

[ALB123]

I was going to suggest making it a loop too - just to allow for endless driving if the driver wishes. Some A to B layouts are pretty cool - the hill climbs that are exhausting, for instance.