QUESTION Anyone tried making a road mesh deform with a certain number of collisions

[dans_garagiste]

Hi all,

I have been reading up on the 1923 le mans race and because of the road surface and the small width of the tyres the track became quite heavily grooved and deformed around the Pontlieue hairpin. The photo below is from 1926 (probably in the opening stint of the race), this point in the track had been hardened with lime so it would have been even worse in 1923.

Has anyone tried programming an animation to change the road mesh after a certain number of collisions. I am only asking if anyone knows if it is possible in AC, I have done a similar thing in Unity. At this point I am researching what is necessary to do the track justice.

 

[Pixelchaser]

not possible to animate the road physically. well it might be with a custom function, but certainly not in general.

 

[Prototype]

Nothing is impossible. Look at what's been done using the shaders patch already.

So you want something like in Dirt Rally 2.0? Im not even sure that Codemasters use a dynamically changing mesh. Its a set of prebuilt meshes that's called up based on the "time" you start your race. Could be wrong though.

Game dev is smoke and mirrors.

I think you could probably do something quite convincing just using basic tools we have already.

1. Paint up a set of ruts that you apply as a GROOVE layer.
2. Use the ruts image in black and white to deform the physical mesh (SUBTLEY) - just enough to unsettle the car a touch, and give drivers the sense that the visual ruts affect the car.
3. Set the visual ruts image to darken over time in the GROOVES.ini file (the only dynamic element).

IMO, if you tweak the value of the image and the initial deform value on the mesh, you will create something that could feel convincing from a players perspective.

 

[dans_garagiste]

So you want something like in Dirt Rally 2.0?

yes something similar to that, I am still re-learning 3d modelling at this point but will definitely try what you suggest when I am capable. Thanks

 

[Pixelchaser]

the sim itself is a smooth surface sim. anything else is quite naff but don't take my word for it. for flat surfaces things can be done for sure. id say not enough emphasis on different physics surfaces.

the dirt rally style multiple physics differences does work on flat surfaces. last I tried was black ice to light snow on Ice to packed snow etc physics made from the textures etc. so that aspect can be achieved for some radical surfaces.