Tracks (WIP) Midfield Raceway (feedback welcome)

[Psy185]

Also interested in this, sorry to hi jack.. haha.
Seems when I save with Intel plugin my dds textures don't seem to work properly, so I'm doing something wrong, which is confusing because there isn't that many options.
So I've been using the NVIDIA plugin without issues... Although I can't seem to see how to set a manual mipmap count, automatically is always just making 13 levels, which is too many right?

I converted all my pngs to dds using these settings, except that I didn't generate MipMaps while saving them. They loaded up fine in the editor, but I haven't checked ingame yet. But sometimes I had the feeling something's off with the alpha channel. Then again, my knowledge of the whole topic of texture is still really limited and somehow I just get by...

 

[millen]

Haha yeah mate I now that feeling.
I've been using DXT1 for dds that have no alpha, DXT3 for my trees and Armco textures and things that cast a visable shadow etc. as I read another thread that DXT3 for alpha with sharp edges, DXT5 has a softer edge to it apparently. So I've just been using that for anything else that has an alpha channel...

 

[Psy185]

Well it sounds like rocket science to me, but then again I played Kerbal Space Program and that was much easier than this

Jokes aside... I just have to spend some time on this topic but am not really motivated. I focus on modelling for now, even though I know that means doing some things twice in the end.

 

[Psy185]

@Ofitus21 in case you haven't started working on the AI: don't bother I recorded a new AI line and track limits according to the video you posted. It was really easy, you were right! But I'm still not 100% satisfied with the result... I think I will just release it with 0.6 when it's ready.

 

[Ofitus21]

@Ofitus21 in case you haven't started working on the AI: don't bother I recorded a new AI line and track limits according to the video you posted. It was really easy, you were right! But I'm still not 100% satisfied with the result... I think I will just release it with 0.6 when it's ready.

If you have issues at specific corners (slow down the AI or make them faster), create some AI hints. I can help you with that.
BTW, I have created an F1 themed track skin. If you like it I can send it to you
Finally, as a tip, try to make sure crowds can be removed when selecting the option in Content Manager. I'm not sure how it's done, but I know it's possible, and it gives it a more realistic vibe given the current circumstances

 

[Johnr777]

If you have issues at specific corners (slow down the AI or make them faster), create some AI hints. I can help you with that.
BTW, I have created an F1 themed track skin. If you like it I can send it to you
Finally, as a tip, try to make sure crowds can be removed when selecting the option in Content Manager. I'm not sure how it's done, but I know it's possible, and it gives it a more realistic vibe given the current circumstances

For the crowds, if they are not Kunos style, you can do this to associate them with the CSP crowd options.

[SPECTATORS]
; list of meshes used for custom spectators (not “camera_facing.ini” thing), to hide if user chose to hide spectators in certain modes
MESHES = mesh1, mesh2

 

[Psy185]

If you have issues at specific corners (slow down the AI or make them faster), create some AI hints. I can help you with that.

Thanks! Although it seemed pretty straightforward... I had some issues like traffic jams at race start, which I solved by increasing the starting position between start positions. Then they all crashed in T1 and T2, which I think I solved by narrowing the track limits down so they get into a single file (like it was described in the tutorial). Then they spun out at some points because I defined a limit over a curb and they accelerate on the curbs. And some other corners in which they shouldn't try to overtake, which I will probably limit a bit by narrowing the track limits a bit. I'm trying to find a balance between fast and reliable ai without slowing them down too much via ai hints

BTW, I have created an F1 themed track skin. If you like it I can send it to you

Very cool, thanks! Can I include it as a second skin or something? Also, in the version I'm working on I gave the billboards a bit of structure by adding a bit of a concrete background and normal map, so it doesn't look so flat. I will apply the same overlay to yours then

Finally, as a tip, try to make sure crowds can be removed when selecting the option in Content Manager. I'm not sure how it's done, but I know it's possible, and it gives it a more realistic vibe given the current circumstances

Good idea, and according to John it's really easy to do so I will do that

 

[Ofitus21]

Thanks! Although it seemed pretty straightforward... I had some issues like traffic jams at race start, which I solved by increasing the starting position between start positions. Then they all crashed in T1 and T2, which I think I solved by narrowing the track limits down so they get into a single file (like it was described in the tutorial). Then they spun out at some points because I defined a limit over a curb and they accelerate on the curbs. And some other corners in which they shouldn't try to overtake, which I will probably limit a bit by narrowing the track limits a bit. I'm trying to find a balance between fast and reliable ai without slowing them down too much via ai hints



Very cool, thanks! Can I include it as a second skin or something? Also, in the version I'm working on I gave the billboards a bit of structure by adding a bit of a concrete background and normal map, so it doesn't look so flat. I will apply the same overlay to yours then



Good idea, and according to John it's really easy to do so I will do that

Sure! I'll send you the file F1 skin file
As for everything else you mention, I also came across traffic jams in T1, those were caused because the AI tried to take the turn too quickly. And at least what I found also is that the AI sometimes lifted through 3 and 4, as well as 11-12. I sped up the AI in that area

 

[Ofitus21]

Here it is. The F1 skin for Midfield

 

[Psy185]

Hey guys... I'm currently working on fences and have a question regarding their shadows. At a certain distance, they become really dark...

When I look at LilSki's Watkins Glen, they disappear completly (except for the poles), which I would prefer. too.

Also, is there a way to disable "Cast Shadows" for multiple objects at once in the ksEditor, or would I have to do it for every single object one by one?
Or is there a way to set a material to not casting shadows?

Edit: Okay, I found out I can change something with the ksAlphaRef... I set it to .5 and it looks okayish

Here it is. The F1 skin for Midfield

Thanks! I love your changes to the pits haha

So am I assuming correctly, that I would need to place my original versions of the same files you changed in the skins/default folder? Or is it sufficient if they are in the (pre-export) textures folder? Also, do your skins have to be released with the track, or is it packed to the kn5 file when I save it?

 

[NightEye87]

Also, is there a way to disable "Cast Shadows" for multiple objects at once in the ksEditor, or would I have to do it for every single object one by one?
Or is there a way to set a material to not casting shadows?

Inside the ksEditor you have a tab called "Batch". Be sure to select your FBX node on the top-left first.
Type in anything you like. For my physics export file I don't save the renderability in the persistance (so it's easy to check everything), just before export I go to Batch, type in *>Enter and set renderability off.
Or for LODing guardrails. Type in "guardrail" or whatever you've named them, set LOD distances for all at once. Really useful sometimes.

So am I assuming correctly, that I would need to place my original versions of the same files you changed in the skins/default folder? Or is it sufficient if they are in the (pre-export) textures folder? Also, do your skins have to be released with the track, or is it packed to the kn5 file when I save it?

Originally, any DDS placed in /trackname/skins/default/ will overwrite the ones inside the KN5 when loading. That way it's easy to try out small alterations in grass colour for instance.
With CM you can make /trackname/skins/cm_skins/skin1/ and put your skin textures in there. It needs a json file just like the F1 skin uses.

 

[Psy185]

Nice, thanks again for everything!

 

[Ofitus21]

Hey guys... I'm currently working on fences and have a question regarding their shadows. At a certain distance, they become really dark...

View attachment 440196

When I look at LilSki's Watkins Glen, they disappear completly (except for the poles), which I would prefer. too.

View attachment 440195

Also, is there a way to disable "Cast Shadows" for multiple objects at once in the ksEditor, or would I have to do it for every single object one by one?
Or is there a way to set a material to not casting shadows?

Edit: Okay, I found out I can change something with the ksAlphaRef... I set it to .5 and it looks okayish



Thanks! I love your changes to the pits haha

So am I assuming correctly, that I would need to place my original versions of the same files you changed in the skins/default folder? Or is it sufficient if they are in the (pre-export) textures folder? Also, do your skins have to be released with the track, or is it packed to the kn5 file when I save it?

Not really.
When no skins are selected, the original textures are visible (aka GT textures). When you tick the option, the F1 skin is visible. Simple as that, meaning the default skin can remain empty.
Picture here

 

[Peugeot905]

Thank you for this excellent track.

 

[Psy185]

Hey guys... I will soon release a new version of my track. However I wanted to add a building containing glass windows and am not sure what shaders to use. Is this still state of the art or is there something better by now (especially with CSP)?

I can't get it to work properly...

I would also be satisfied if it's a nice reflective surface with no transparency, but that's not working either.

 

[Johnr777]

Hey guys... I will soon release a new version of my track. However I wanted to add a building containing glass windows and am not sure what shaders to use. Is this still state of the art or is there something better by now (especially with CSP)?

I can't get it to work properly...

I would also be satisfied if it's a nice reflective surface with no transparency, but that's not working either.

Yes, there's a local cube map tweak you can integrate to your building windows.

https://github.com/ac-custom-shaders-patch/acc-extension-config/wiki/Tracks-–-Local-cubemaps

 

[NightEye87]

There are more ways to do this. Here's an example from Assen:

ksPerPixelMultiMap_AT
eAlphaBlend
ksSpecular = 0.3
ksSpecularEXP = 200 (reflection sharpness)
ksAlphaRef = 0.8
fresnelC = 0.2
fresnelEXP = 4
fresnelMaxLevel = 0.8

txDiffuse DXT3:

txNormal DXT3:

txMaps DXT3:

txDetail DXT5 (not used): 16×16 px white texture

I'm not entirely sure anymore which of these controls the actual transparency. I remember I had to play with it a lot to get it to work properly. I reckon it's the normal map alpha, since that one has altered brightness to the other two.

If you have multiple layers of glass like me, be sure to set the priority of them correctly.
I messed this one up, there should be staircase fences showing up behind the glass.. turns out priorities don't work on AT and ABlend materials together AT doesn't give the transparency control I was after so I must have changed it to ABlend without realising the error..

Here's how it looks ingame anyway (and also non-transparent windows next to it):

It could maybe use a bit more reflectiveness.

 

[Psy185]

Thanks to both of you for your answers!

Here's how it looks ingame anyway (and also non-transparent windows next to it):

What are the textures and settings for the non-transparent windows? Those would be sufficient in my case

 

[NightEye87]

ksPerPixelMultiMap
ksSpecularEXP = 200
fresnelC = 0.2
fresnelEXP = 4
fresnelMaxLevel = 0.4 (otherwise the reflections are too blown out in my case)
sunSpecular = 0.2
sunSpecularEXP = 25

txDiffuse DXT5 (looks weird but it's just a plain white alpha):

txNormal DXT5:

Be sure to save the NM as 8.8.8.8 instead of DXT, as it will give weird artifacts on otherwise smooth windows. Or clean it up afterwards!

txMaps:

txDetail: same as previous post; you could use it for the window trim to give it a plastic/metal/etc. detail texture.


BTW, there is some documentation on whether to use DXT3 or DXT5; I am not consistent with using either in certain situations

 

[Psy185]

Do the glass materials have to be the only material on the mesh or are multiple materials on the mesh (building) possible? Especially with transparency I had some weird effects and I'm not entirely sure whether or not it has something to do with the fact I'm using multiple materials on a single mesh.