TUTORIAL Build your FIRST track - BASIC GUIDE

[Pixelchaser]

Oh, contraire my friend! I actually know how to create the AI line around the track with Map.png and map.ini. Unless there is more to it that I don't know. At least I have done it for other peoples tracks that didn't contain them. Hopefully, it's the same.

yeah it involves a bit more.

 

[dpeters95]

Ok, just a little update. The entire track is now driveable! I have set all the collision walls and kerbs. I also worked the pit stalls over so that I can start the practice session from inside a stall. Lot's of work today. I need a little break and then I will try to fix the timer next...

RC45, thanks for joining in. The more info I can get the better. Once I stopped banging my head against the wall so hard in the beginning, this all got a lot more enjoyable!

 

[dpeters95]

Ok guys, I now have the time working for Practice, Hot Lap, and Race (no AI yet). But I have a problem that I have seen with other tracks. In hot lap there is always some run up distance to get up to speed prior to reaching the start/finish line. The problem is that when you cross the start line after only 15 seconds and it resets, it records it as your best ghost car time? How do I stop it from doing that?

 

[dpeters95]

yeah it involves a bit more.

DOH, I just noticed that I mis-spoke in this message. I guess I was still in a haze when I posted the reply. Map.png and map.ini are of course, used for the in game map. The AI uses "fast_lane.ai" and "pit_lane.ai".

I have added the AI line but I still have that time reset as I cross the start/finish line???

 

[dpeters95]

Doesn't anyone know what causes that timing problem on the start?

I have accomplished almost everything else now. I do have a problem with the AI stopping in the middle of the track and then restarting again, for no reason, but I will need to just do more investigating on that one. And I need to add the DRS areas but that's about it I think...

 

[luchian]

How did you name your timing gates ?

..sent from my phone.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Does your AI line start and finish at the same place? When you are recording it, if you cross the line at a different position to where you started, the AI line can have a violent zig-zag as it tried to rejoin itself, causing the AI cars to be unable to cross the start|finish line without resetting. Just an idea... (btw, you can see this if you load the AI line into the ksEditor)

 

[LilSKi]

Doesn't anyone know what causes that timing problem on the start?

I have accomplished almost everything else now. I do have a problem with the AI stopping in the middle of the track and then restarting again, for no reason, but I will need to just do more investigating on that one. And I need to add the DRS areas but that's about it I think...

Also make sure the AI line starts at, or slightly before the actual start finish line. If you hit the record button too late it will start after the line which can sometimes cause strange things to happen.

 

[dpeters95]

How did you name your timing gates ?

..sent from my phone.

Like this:
AC_TIME_0_L
AC_TIME_0_R

I have these on the left and right of the Start/Finish line. It works except that it stars running when the hotlap loads and I start the run up, when I pass the Start/Finish line to begin the 1st real lap, the time resets but it records it as my best laptime instead of ignoring the run up of about 5 seconds.

 

[dpeters95]

Does your AI line start and finish at the same place? When you are recording it, if you cross the line at a different position to where you started, the AI line can have a violent zig-zag as it tried to rejoin itself, causing the AI cars to be unable to cross the start|finish line without resetting. Just an idea... (btw, you can see this if you load the AI line into the ksEditor)

You mean the ksEditor will load the "fast_lane.ai" file? I didn't know that. Under what heading? I tried under the AI Spline but that didn't seem to work.

I'm not having problems around the Start/Finish line. Actually, one AI car stops for a few seconds after turn 2 and another car stops after turn 3???? Weird. After a few seconds they start again and I don't remember seeing them stop again.

 

[dpeters95]

Also make sure the AI line starts at, or slightly before the actual start finish line. If you hit the record button too late it will start after the line which can sometimes cause strange things to happen.

I will have to create it again to be sure I guess. If it still does it at the same points I will really be stumped!

 

[dpeters95]

Well, I recreated the "fast_lane.ai" file. No go. They just stop in a different spot???? I have created these AI files for other tracks and I really don't remember seeing this behavior. I'm starting to wonder if it's something with this specific track???

 

[luchian]

Did you manage to load AI line in the editor ? If yes, you should be able to see the line AND also the road limits as seen by AC engine. Depending on how you have named the surfaces you might have some of them intersecting ? (which can sometimes confuse the AI).
For example if you have named all the surfaces 'road', no matter if they were grass, sidewalk, etc.

..sent from my phone.

 

[Morten B]

I made a track and imported the spawn objects from another track and named them and put them were they should be on track, but when I load track ingame the car is missing rear wheels.
I read the FAQ post and figure it has something to do with pivot point, the problem is the FAQ is for Blender, and I am using 3DS max, and cant get this to work
Can someone who use 3DS max please help me? Thanks

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Create a 1 x 1 x 1 cube, rotate it 90° about the X axis and the position it where you need to.

So, for AC_START_0 facing due North, the rotation would be X90° Y0° Z 0° and placed 2m above the track surface.

Then just make sure you select Y=up in the FBX 2012 export dialogue.

 

[dpeters95]

Did you manage to load AI line in the editor ? If yes, you should be able to see the line AND also the road limits as seen by AC engine. Depending on how you have named the surfaces you might have some of them intersecting ? (which can sometimes confuse the AI).
For example if you have named all the surfaces 'road', no matter if they were grass, sidewalk, etc.

..sent from my phone.

Yes, I loaded the AI line and I can see it. It has periodic breaks in the line but other than that, nothing obvious to me. I didn't name all the driving surfaces "1ROAD", I also have 1KERB and 1EDGE. There is no grass it's a street circuit. Also, as I said above, I re-did the AI line and now they pause at a different location???

Also, sorry but what are the road limits? Is that the info under the AI tab that include "edit spline"? I was afraid to mess with that...

 

[Morten B]

Create a 1 x 1 x 1 cube, rotate it 90° about the X axis and the position it where you need to.

So, for AC_START_0 facing due North, the rotation would be X90° Y0° Z 0° and placed 2m above the track surface.

Then just make sure you select Y=up in the FBX 2012 export dialogue.

Well that worked, but the car starts at the wrong angle, some 100 degres wrong
And my map seem to be half scale

 

[LilSKi]

Yes, I loaded the AI line and I can see it. It has periodic breaks in the line but other than that, nothing obvious to me. I didn't name all the driving surfaces "1ROAD", I also have 1KERB and 1EDGE. There is no grass it's a street circuit. Also, as I said above, I re-did the AI line and now they pause at a different location???

Also, sorry but what are the road limits? Is that the info under the AI tab that include "edit spline"? I was afraid to mess with that...

In the editor under the AI section there are check marks to show left and right side of line.

Here is an example. The purple is the AI line an the red is the left and right side. What you see here is what you DO NOT want. You want the red lines to follow ONLY the track. This shot is from in the sim but in the editor I think the main line is red and the sides are light blue.

To do this any side roads should be called anything but xxROAD. For example I would call the side road something like 01EXTEND and add an EXTEND key in the surfaces.ini and make IS_Valid_track=0. The side lines are defined by what surfaces are set as valid.

Here is an example of a extend key
[SURFACE_8]
KEY=EXTEND
FRICTION=0.97
DAMPING=0
WAV=
WAV_PITCH=
FF_EFFECT=NULL
DIRT_ADDITIVE=0
BLACK_FLAG_TIME=0
IS_VALID_TRACK=0
SIN_HEIGHT=
SIN_LENGTH=
IS_PITLANE=0
VIBRATION_GAIN=0
VIBRATION_LENGTH=0

 

[dpeters95]

LilSKi, thanks for the info! It is amazing how much I DON"T KNOW! Here is a shot of the area where the AI stops and then restarts:

The right spline goes right down the middle of the track? It looks like my AI line crosses over the right spline about where the cars put on the brakes. How did it get like that??? The right spline goes off to the left at the bottom and then starts back in the middle of the track. The run off area on the bottom right was labeled as "1ROAD_10_SUB1" but I did not label it as such. I went around labeling the track area and when I came back to label those run off areas, I saw that they were already labeled? I'm not even sure they are the problem. Is there a way for me to move the line in the editor or do I have to go back in and try renaming all those run off areas even though they would still be "Track=1". Not sure how that would help.

 

[dpeters95]

Yes, I loaded the AI line and I can see it. It has periodic breaks in the line but other than that, nothing obvious to me. I didn't name all the driving surfaces "1ROAD", I also have 1KERB and 1EDGE. There is no grass it's a street circuit. Also, as I said above, I re-did the AI line and now they pause at a different location???

Also, sorry but what are the road limits? Is that the info under the AI tab that include "edit spline"? I was afraid to mess with that...

Ok, I got the time recording problem figured out! I had the "AC_HOTLAP_START_0" node too far from the START/FINISH line. I moved it closer and now everything works well with the timer. I did notice another problem though, I made a few laps but I don't see a ghost car??? Isn't that a function of the AC program itself? Is there something I need to do in the track to get the ghost car to appear?