TUTORIAL Build your FIRST track - BASIC GUIDE

[luchian]

I don't know how it works. I just know all my scene settings look like this.
View attachment 1811

I work in feet/inches and everything comes out fine. All of my tracks are this way. I even did the trick to make a box the size of one of the mclarens early on and it fit perfectly so I know it works.

No, no, you are right. You work in Imperial and just export in metric. It makes sense.

..because it's Blender. Now try to do that in Max..

 

[LilSKi]

I don't know if this is considered a problem or not. When I subdivide the track sections x3, I end up with too many vertices to import into the editor. I have been forced to use 2 and sometimes 1. However, the track surface is much better than before.

You need to break the track into many smaller pieces. So once you subdivide to the level you want, apply the modifier, then break up the road into many smaller pieces. They will be names like 1ROAD, 1ROAD.001, 1ROAD.002. Even if you are under the limit in one piece it still a good idea to break it up as strange things can sometimes happen if you leave it one piece.

No, no, you are right. You work in Imperial and just export in metric. It makes sense.

..because it's Blender. Now try to do that in Max..

Yeah homie don't play the max game. Seems more complicated than it is worth IMO.

 

[fbiehne]

I had to set the scale to 0.01 on the FBX settings so that it appeared in normal size in AC. That's strange because in the video I saw the scale was still set to 1.0.

 

[LilSKi]

I had to set the scale to 0.01 on the FBX settings so that it appeared in normal size in AC. That's strange because in the video I saw the scale was still set to 1.0.

Set to 1 and uncheck the little button on the right.

 

[Ricardo Rey]

1A: Naming convention:
The AC physics engine takes into account the naming of your tracks objects/meshes in order to give them physical properties. Syntax is as follows:

I would like to confirm: If I have a surface type named 1ground, I can change it to 1grass_1ground, etc. and it's drivable (theoretically)? And any collision mesh (even a rock) needs the wall convention.

The reason I'm asking, I already have 1road - 16road. If I have a portion that is asphalt (where in some cases would be dirt), it needs to be 17road_1asphalt?

 

[Pixelchaser]

the only connection is the title name in capitals. proceeded by a number other than ZERO.

the number can be all over the place with no order whatsoever.

if ROAD was not in the surfaces ini. not even it would work. (actually it might still coz its default. but you get the idea. what you call the object must relate to the entry in the surfaces ini so if you want to simulate a difference in road grip etc then only the game knows by whats in the surfaces ini , any title not in the surfaces ini is just a title without the simplistic function of being recognised.

 

[luchian]

Hi, a little late to the party, but here I am . Pixeldude is right.

If I have a surface type named 1ground, I can change it to 1grass_1ground, etc. and it's drivable (theoretically)?

I did not directly tried (so it might very well work) but I would not recommend using 2 key surfaces in the same name (this used to create problems for pits for example).
In your example, if you want GRASS behavior, just name it 1GRASS.
If you have multiple grass meshes (very likely), then you can do 1GRASS.001, 1GRASS.002, 1GRASS.153, etc. Or any suffix for that matter. Or you can change the prefix like 1GRASS, 2GRASS, 3GRASS, etc. and then play with suffix. You have a LOT of liberty. Just avoid 0 or no number in front (then they will be just geometry).

Also, avoid 01GRASS-09GRASS range. I did not try it lately, but I distinctively remember Si3v saying it should be avoided (albeit a long time ago). And it shouldn't work, imo, as it starts with a 0 .

And any collision mesh (even a rock) needs the wall convention.

YES.
And remember, keep simple geometry here. The simpler the better. You can just build an invisible hexagon or something around your rock, if too "high-poly").

If I have a portion that is asphalt (where in some cases would be dirt), it needs to be 17road_1asphalt?

Not sure I understand, but you cannot combine properties in the same mesh, just by naming. 1 mesh = 1 surface type.

If you want custom asphalt, and custom dirt areas for example.
1/ define separate keys in the surfaces.ini file. 1 key for asphalt, 1 key for dirt.
2/ name the meshes independently, according to wished properties.

Hope this helps. If not, ask again

 

[Ricardo Rey]

I want to report that I completed what I think was the hardest part in the track conversions (for me at least). The track mesh. There were 22 tracks. The track surfaces are acceptable; in some cases awesome. Much better than before. They still need texture updates.

I want to thank @Pixelchaser , @luchian , and a special thanks to @LilSKi ! I seriously could not have done the quality of work without your help. Like this post for what they did, not for me.

There are many videos and discussions on conversions that make it sound easy. It is if you want a bumpy, low quality graphic track. The Prato track is an example of a quality conversion. It can be done.

Many thanks!

P.S. I am considering putting together a tutorial at some point and would like help. I don't think I could do it alone.

 

[Ricardo Rey]

@LilSKi
I have been back over your tutorial at RD regarding overlapping vertices, cleaning up the track. I notice you use Catmull-Clark. When I use the same, I get rounded edges at the track sections.

 

[LilSKi]

@LilSKi
I have been back over your tutorial at RD regarding overlapping vertices, cleaning up the track. I notice you use Catmull-Clark. When I use the same, I get rounded edges at the track sections.

It is the one downside to using Catmull-Clark but it is the only way to smooth out a low poly surface. A basic subdivide will not smooth anything. A simple solution is after you are happy with it just apply all the subdivide modifiers and manually fill in those areas. In many cases the 'holes' it creates are so small and off to the sides they don't hurt anything being there.

 

[Willy Wale]

It is the one downside to using Catmull-Clark but it is the only way to smooth out a low poly surface. A basic subdivide will not smooth anything. A simple solution is after you are happy with it just apply all the subdivide modifiers and manually fill in those areas. In many cases the 'holes' it creates are so small and off to the sides they don't hurt anything being there.

Can't remember if you decided to go with Blender but if so there's also vertex smooth. You can restrict it to any or all axes. If you leave a row of vertices at either end of the section you want to smooth un-selected it will try to align the selected vertices on a line (or plane) between the fixed (un-selected) vertices. Make yourself a test straight and add some vertical noise to see how it works.

 

[LilSKi]

Can't remember if you decided to go with Blender but if so there's also vertex smooth. You can restrict it to any or all axes. If you leave a row of vertices at either end of the section you want to smooth un-selected it will try to align the selected vertices on a line (or plane) between the fixed (un-selected) vertices. Make yourself a test straight and add some vertical noise to see how it works.

I've never had much luck with vertex smooth overall. That was the method I originally experimented with and it wasn't a viable option.

 

[cercata]

How do we add helipter cameras ?

 

[fbiehne]

Hi guys,

as I try to build a track in Blender I've got several questions.

1. Height:
I'm not using Lidar because the tutorial looks quite complex and I'm still a beginner. So how do you guys approach getting the different height level of a track right? Is it just by the eyes? Or are there height maps available on the internet where you can see X place of the terrain has approximately this height and Y place has this height?

2. Mesh
I've read somewhere that you need to split the complete mesh up when you're done as there is a limit of vertices for one single object in the KS Editor. So I just separate for example my road in edit mode by pressing P and the new object makes up a new layer?

3. Textures 1
What is your approach on texturing? Do you unwrap the whole terrain or just parts of it? And is it possible to texture paint parts of the mesh (which are already textured) for little details to make it more individual?

4. Textures 2
I don't know if I understood it right: in Blender I just have to use the Diffuse and all the other textures like normal map etc will be applied in the KS Editor?


It would be nice if some of the experienced modders here can answer my questions.

 

[Pixelchaser]

1, by eye from video or photography or with lidar, or dem (digital elevated mesh which is imo more complicated than lidar)
2. -
3. no vertex painting in AC, but it can mapped as you like. less materials, less textures the better.
4. you have to set everything up in the editor yourself when coming directly from blender. that means creating all assets yourself.

 

[Ricardo Rey]

@LilSKi

You need to break the track into many smaller pieces. So once you subdivide to the level you want, apply the modifier, then break up the road into many smaller pieces. They will be names like 1ROAD, 1ROAD.001, 1ROAD.002. Even if you are under the limit in one piece it still a good idea to break it up as strange things can sometimes happen if you leave it one piece.

It's been a week since you told me to do this. I want to learn Blender so I have been trying to figure this out on my own. I have looked at several options to do this, but I am not getting the track to split right. I know I am probably making this harder than it is or just not doing it in the right mode. The track mesh is in one piece. 1road_phy01. I have tied to split it, but all I get is a new layer. What am I doing wrong?
Thanks

P.S. Before I started coming here, I didn't realize your beautiful tracks were done in Blender. It inspired me to use Blender. I get max for free, but why use it? I'm never going to do this for a living...

EDIT: Well, I soon as I gave up I figured it out...I needed to remove doubles.

 

[Ricardo Rey]

Next up is cleanup. Any suggestions would be helpful. @LilSKi's post on track cleanup is a problem, not just for converted tracks, but track mesh coming out of RTB. [His example]

I need to learn how to clean this up next...Is there a Blender "terminology" for this?

EDIT: I guess I should have done this first before splitting the track.?? Arggg.

 

[LilSKi]

Well first you would detach the offshoot. Then if you look close in the example above you can pick out the original shape. You can then use the snap tool along with auto weld to clean it up by hand. This is what the tools look like at the bottom of the 3D view port.

I usually switch between closest and active. SHIFT-TAB toggles snap mode on and off.

Also be sure to read up on Dissolving vertices, edges, faces which is very handy during cleanup especially if UV maps are involved. Pretty much the whole X menu is important.

 

[Ricardo Rey]

@LilSKi. At least where I'm at now in the learning process, what I have learned from you is the importance of cleaning up the track mesh before bothering about anything else. I can see a mess coming otherwise.

What I was doing was deleting overlapping faces, then using F to join faces. It made a mess.
What I was working on is overlapping..

 

[Willy Wale]

I've never had much luck with vertex smooth overall. That was the method I originally experimented with and it wasn't a viable option.

I would say it's use is limited to sections with a fairly constant gradient. It won't work on the crest of a hill like in your example. Bit it does avoid the track edges curving.