TUTORIAL Build your FIRST track - BASIC GUIDE

[Mitja Bonca]

As long as the scale is set to 1 it doesn't matter what the object is or what the size is. At least when using blender that is.

In 3ds max must be a square, at least I had issues, as said. Estoril still has small lipop guys, since I couldn`t figure it out. I did that now, a week a go, since I had the same issue @Okayama.

 

[luchian]

@luchian
Do you think it is feasible to make available a standard set of pit/start/timer etc. objects for download and a discussion on how to best insert them? This seems to be hit-or-miss with me as I borrow from tracks and does not always work. Or is it just me. I understand (I think) how they work, but there are times they do not.
Cheers

Kind of agree with Lilski here. It's not complicated, but in the first place it might be a good occasion to hit the wall first time, and actually understand what's with them . Once one figures that out, it's easy to create an addon for himself with the basic objects.

However, if you wish to make one "start" file, no problem from me .

 

[ArkSyve]

Hello,

I recently started creating a racetrack for AC but i'm kind of at a stalemate right now, I hope this is the right place for me to post.

So I started my project with little to no skills in blender but thanks to the massive amount of youtube tutorials I got the basics of trackbuilding right. My idea is to recreate a small portion of a real road.
However the problem here is that I don't know in which order I should proceed wih the different steps of creating a track/terrain and getting towards something driveable.
Should I first get GEarth terrain data/point cloud data and somehow model a road arround it? In which case I'm stuck on how to place/fit/carve my road on that terrain properly.
Should I start with creating my road and then elevate it point per point using elevation data and afterwards model the terrain arround it? (kind of the hard&long way)
Is there another way I don't know of? Again, I'm new to blender so there's definitely stuff I'm missing out on.

I'm really lost as to how to procceed with re-creating a somewhat accurate real-life road section and I'd be saved if people (maybe someone with similar experience) can help me and/or tell me the way of doing this.

I know this might seem like basic stuff for you so thanks a lot for helping a newb like me.

ps: I'm attaching pictures of the initial Road layer and somme of my fiddling arround with elevation&textures

 

[Mitja Bonca]

Curious of something...
Is it possible to define a surface that is NOT valid when driving on, with just one tire? By default is, if there are 3 tires on this surface (at lease 2 on valid surface to be valid)? But I would like if any of tires if on this surface, the lap is invalid. Is that possible?

Its about penultimate corner @ Okayama, where you can go to pits, but you can easily cut there too.

 

[GT VIRUS]

You can adjust the size of the penalty area to compensate, but be aware some leagues will run less than the default 3 wheels. Also, wouldn't putting a cut area there mean that you'll get a penalty any time you enter the pits?

 

[Mitja Bonca]

You can adjust the size of the penalty area to compensate, but be aware some leagues will run less than the default 3 wheels. Also, wouldn't putting a cut area there mean that you'll get a penalty any time you enter the pits?

Yes, you have a point. If you would go wide when entering a pit, you will get a penalty.

 

[luchian]

Should I first get GEarth terrain data/point cloud data and somehow model a road arround it? In which case I'm stuck on how to place/fit/carve my road on that terrain properly.
Should I start with creating my road and then elevate it point per point using elevation data and afterwards model the terrain arround it? (kind of the hard&long way)
Is there another way I don't know of? Again, I'm new to blender so there's definitely stuff I'm missing out on.

Hey @ArkSyve , welcome and nice to see you giving modding a try.

Well, your listed options are not complementary or opposing each other.. They are merely different possibilities on how to do. But generally speaking the approach is:

1/ if you have access to data, GET IT. And here I mean lidar, plans or GE.
2/ in the case of plans and lidar (we have a tutorial about it), you can't use that for anything else than reference. So you'd use it as a guide to accurately position your track. Depending on the software you use, you can go different ways about this. But in Blender, one good solution is to build a bezier curve following the track layout and then use an array modifier with a piece of road and follow that curve.

EDIT: and here a useful advice from master lilski whn applying the above.

 

[Mitja Bonca]

deleted

 

[ArkSyve]

Hey @ArkSyve , welcome and nice to see you giving modding a try.

Well, your listed options are not complementary or opposing each other.. They are merely different possibilities on how to do. But generally speaking the approach is:

1/ if you have access to data, GET IT. And here I mean lidar, plans or GE.
2/ in the case of plans and lidar (we have a tutorial about it), you can't use that for anything else than reference. So you'd use it as a guide to accurately position your track. Depending on the software you use, you can go different ways about this. But in Blender, one good solution is to build a bezier curve following the track layout and then use an array modifier with a piece of road and follow that curve.

EDIT: and here a useful advice from master lilski whn applying the above.

Thanks for the help.

I've tried it out however i do not have found lidar data (there not much of it in europe ) so i imported DEM maps which have height data measured every 30m or so which, even when cranking the polys up to 16 million on blender, aren't accurate enough for me to locate the road. :/

So I'll give another method a try. I'll first trace my bezier according to maps, then scale it up to a scale as close as possible to 1:1, afterwards elevate the bezier point per point using GEarth elevation data in metric system, hence why having the scale at 1:1 (at least i hope the scale does the trick :d ) . There's also the local/global height adjustments I should take a look at, I've seen someone use the global coordinates in a tutorial.

I'll post an update on how it goes, maybe it'll work great.

I have a problem. Take a look at this image:

Its penultimate turn @Okayama. Is there any way to prevent cutting the curb (or even driving on the pit road, which this still is not, its just a driveway to pits)? Between road and access road to pits is only some curb (red, white).
How would I penalize someone, if he will drive on the red side, but not going to pits?
Its hard to define, who`s going to pits, and who is not.
I am afraid there is not much to do, I suppose. I tried to add additional sausage curb (on right side of this one), but cutting on the right side of it, is still possible, and it can cause some high jumps as well, if driving over it. No clue anymore what to do. Or should I leave as it is in reality (like you see on this image)?

Just a random thought about it:

It might be pretty unorthodox but if you leave it as is it might be okay. If the curb on the right of the pitlane is elevated (i'll show what i mean in a drawing) the physical reaction of driving over it might be enough to deter the drivers to do it. I believe you'd rather lose time than win some, since the car would be heavily unsettled (maybe even suffering mecanical demage) by the curb.
See what i meant about elevation (exagerated of course):

 

[Mitja Bonca]

No, cannot do any changes, reality is like it is, I will not change that. And road to pit is NOT PITLANE actually, but its still a ROAD.
I set the surface between green and red to runoff and the red/white which both have valid track set to off, but I think it is too narrow to detect 3 or 4 wheel off the road surface.

 

[Mitja Bonca]

Hi guys, I am proud to tell you all, that I finished with my Okayama track. You can download it here.
I have to say thanks to many people here for helping me out during the process, and before. So thank you guys!

 

[Johnr777]

3DS Max guys, how are you subdividing your physical mesh? Gave it 0.4m and its super rough around corners... EDIT: have a subdivide of 0.7m, which kept the physical mesh at a decent triangle count. but still too smooth, how much noise do you guys add on the Z axis? like .01?

 

[LilSKi]

3DS Max guys, how are you subdividing your physical mesh? Gave it 0.4m and its super rough around corners... EDIT: have a subdivide of 0.7m, which kept the physical mesh at a decent triangle count. but still too smooth, how much noise do you guys add on the Z axis? like .01?

Are you converting or making new?

 

[Johnr777]

New track, the rough part im talking about is not the shape, it's the FFB effect because of the subdivision. Not sure if the max guys add a mesh smooth afterwards. Looks like your blender options are a little easier on that front

 

[Pixelchaser]

in max I subdivide and pro optimise numerous times to get to the physics level. always preserving borders where possible...

 

[Johnr777]

in max I subdivide and pro optimise numerous times to get to the physics level. always preserving borders where possible...

Pro-optimize, will give that a go!

 

[Smooki]

Hi can u help me with my problem .
When I come into the pit box so my stall displayed a red border is too small.
see my picture

 

[luchian]

Wrong scale for spawn point.
If you work in Blender, ctrl+a, apply scale.
If you work in max => xform.

Work and export in meters.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[Smooki]

THX for help.
I finaly solved my problem
Im using max -- i create box with size 0,1 x 0,1 x 0,1 metr then apply Xform and use Select and uniform scale click on box with mouse , drag up to my final size.
My english is bad
1 more time thx

 

[Clifton]

What can I do to troubleshoot kseditor crashing when trying to load a track FBX? I go from 3DSimED and the track just fails to load in kseditor. I have tried the 4GB patch but it doesnt help. Other tracks I have made or converted load just fine. Is there a log file that will tell me something helpful?