RELEASED-wip Kyalami 2016

[Johnr777]

planning on adding 3D grass? that will easily eat up 20+ fps fyi

 

[Prototype]

Whoa! Ok. Thanks for the heads up. I was planning on possibly doing that in some close-up key areas, but wasn't going to go crazy with it.

 

[luchian]

You will be able to optimize performance once you are mostly done with modelling stuff. There are a few threads about it here, but THIS one is the relevant one. Keep an eye on the DIP and B.Size stats with the FPS app active.

 

[Prototype]

Brilliant! Thank you luchian.

 

[BjoernH]

Do you know the track?

Once Ive optimized stuff it should be running better, but right now, it doesn't feel too bad to me.
My rig is 3 years old, so specs are so/so.

With the following settings: (AC running almost at full quality, with a 20 car grid and gbw)

• 3840 x 2160 ---> 50-60 fps
• 2560 x 1440 ---> 90 - 100 fps
• 1920 x 1080 ---> 100 - 120 fps

That said, Ive probably got about 80% of the assets in the scene, and about 20% of the collision meshes in.
So we'll see where we land once thats in!

No, not the new track. I competed one race on the original track and spent 10 years marshalling at the Esses. I'm sure the new layout should be welcomed by the drivers.

 

[Prototype]

@BjoernH
Thats awesome man!
What race did you take part in?

Very cool that you marshaled for so long ... thats' a real commitment ...
I'll be photobashing my marshals assets at some point soon. Want to be in there? PM me with a pic if you'd like to. No pressure though!

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UPDATE:

Spent the last 3 days pushing verts around on a copy of the terrain mesh.
Nearly did my head in, and I still probably another day to go on this.
Smoothing out and modifying the ground where the civil engineering works were done.

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Also been playing around with the GROOVE. Really cool system Kunos built there.

A friend of mine is building a tool for me that will allow me to make these groove meshes really easily, and will also hopefully auto update, if I made any tweaks to the road meshes ... Ill post more and share on this once we've figured it out.

BTW, did some more tweaking on the AI line, and now I cant actually catch the AI on 100% !
And I've done almost 5000 km of testing on this track already.
In the VRC Formula NA 1999, the AI is getting 1:19's. I'm literally 3-4 seconds off the AI place atm.
Really encouraging actually.

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EMERGENCY VEHICLES

After doing the brain numbing terrain work, I needed a break from it to keep motivated.
So did this little exercise

There are 3 helipads at the track.
To keep things authentic, using the local emergency services: Netcare 911.

Placeholder Marshals helping out today!

Bell 222 UT, capable of a cruising speed of 130 knots. Real beauty.

 

[luchian]

Jeezaz, you work crazy fast @Prototype ! Everything looks ace. And we can say what we want about RTB, but the mesh it generates looks very sexy with that uniformity ! (I know, another detail nobody cares about but I can't help it - love it).

 

[Pixelchaser]

those buildings in the distance are more than perfect

how is rtb terrain in fusion ? ( im about to get fusion for some 3d printing stuff )

 

[BjoernH]

@BjoernH
Thats awesome man!
What race did you take part in?

Very cool that you marshaled for so long ... thats' a real commitment ...
I'll be photobashing my marshals assets at some point soon. Want to be in there? PM me with a pic if you'd like to. No pressure though!

----------------------------------

Way back in '81 or '82, Castrol Clubmans in a Mini. Only completed 3 of 8 laps when it started overheating. Also did the advanced driver's instruction course in a ex-Group 1 Dodge Avenger back in '83, with Dave Charlton (RIP) giving the classroom lecture and driving instructor Larry Wilford.

I don't have a single photo of myself or anyone else from the marshaling days. We weren't even allowed to take pictures at the marshal posts.

 

[Prototype]

Way back in '81 or '82, Castrol Clubmans in a Mini. Only completed 3 of 8 laps when it started overheating. Also did the advanced driver's instruction course in a ex-Group 1 Dodge Avenger back in '83, with Dave Charlton (RIP) giving the classroom lecture and driving instructor Larry Wilford.

I don't have a single photo of myself or anyone else from the marshaling days. We weren't even allowed to take pictures at the marshal posts.

So you're a true veteran then! You raced a Mini? Do you know this car? It was raced by a friend of mine in 94/95? Historics class.

No prob re the pic, just thought it might be a cool Easter egg to place in there. : - ) I can Photoshop your mug onto another marshals body, but as I said - no pressure at all :- P

 

[Prototype]

how is rtb terrain in fusion ? ( im about to get fusion for some 3d printing stuff )

I'm not sure this is the best tool for everyone in this context, but Im using it because Im faster in it.
Im just playing around with my own workflow - and as you know this is the first track, so I'm sure there are tried and tested best practices methodologies to use.

360 is predominantly a nurbs based system at its core, but it does have mesh tools, and I love them.
But it requires a different approach.

Here is some info on that:

 

[Prototype]

Jeezaz, you work crazy fast @Prototype ! Everything looks ace. And we can say what we want about RTB, but the mesh it generates looks very sexy with that uniformity ! (I know, another detail nobody cares about but I can't help it - love it).

Ha, well IDK. I do kinda work in bursts, and forcing myself to go to bed at 4am is a bit of a problem, especially if I have to wake up a bit earlier. :-/ Im all over the place with this thing, so as soon as something starts feeling like a chore, i move onto another aspect of the project, and then I jump back.

The perimeter buildings are a good example of this. Only about half the modeled buildings rare textured - the other are in the scene with AO textures on them.

 

[Pixelchaser]

you see this approach is more what im fundamentally good at. its like a fusion of the typical 2d architects approach (which what i am, that's how my brain dissects all 3d) to 3d, and the parametric stuff is just me to a T.

the images of the rtb terrain interest me. the cleanliness. using rtb is about the skill of knowing the outcome because you cant always tell what is going in rtb. so i wonder if that cleanliness comes from your work in rtb, or thereafter ? the vert positioning is to clean for rtb. so have you conformed etc etc ?

re : the Chore ! my grass could only be done with at least 50 hours of deleting spline verts carefully. imagine that. 20-100 at a time to remove 1 million by hand. #dedication

 

[Prototype]

( im about to get fusion for some 3d printing stuff )

RIGHT!

Now I'm going to go completely off topic, because you said the key word: 3d printing. :- D ...

Autodesk understand workflow, and 360 is built completely around that. Cad/Cam, 3d prinitng workflow etc - you cant get a better tool.

For the most part Im software agnostic, I really dont care what tool Im using, as long as its getting the job done, and done properly, but when it comes to Fusion, I'm a touch more invested. Its an amazing piece of kit.

Heres a 1:10 scale model of the 1928 Stutz Blackhawk LSR car I built in 360 and then 3d printed.

Modelling process starts with cad type sketches which then get extruded and manipulated. ^^^

The body was then modeled in the mesh sculpt environment, referencing the sketch profiles demonstrated in the you tube vids above. ^^^

Printing and prepping parts ^^^

Assembly ^^^

... and the final thing:

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Another project Ive been involved in is developing this proprietary 3d printing system. Prototype Unit #01 can print end use parts at 1.3 cubic meters. We're now developing a 2m x 1m print volume machine.

The first test parts were a Superleggera copy rear wing (it doesnt do much, purely aesthetic), and updated front valence. This car has had these parts on for over a year now, done track days (at Kyalami :-D ), breakfast runs, sat in shopping center parking lots etc.

So, yeah, if you're going to be doing some 3d printing .... download Fusion 360!
Dont think theres a more suited tool for the job.

 

[Pixelchaser]

yeah … bit speechless there ! that's gota be an very expensive printer ..sls ? looks too damn good. im starting with one of these Chinese jobby`s that started coming out last june etc. ender 3. well see what it can do. maybe you can share an object or two to test it with. I actually need to keep the potential of this hobby very disciplined because theres not many restrictions and my mind will melt. I get the fundamentals of it all. and its fusion that I think is my path I into it. and alongside max. really want to try this unreal studio for max too. that seems like the holy grail of workflows to get to a decent engine.

that car is so epic. I remember in the star wars prequels for the designs they went back to old aircraft and just that vintage stuff for inspiration. plenty curves and flares .. that car would have made a great concept for one of the pod racers.

 

[BjoernH]

So you're a true veteran then! You raced a Mini? Do you know this car? It was raced by a friend of mine in 94/95? Historics class.

No prob re the pic, just thought it might be a cool Easter egg to place in there. : - ) I can Photoshop your mug onto another marshals body, but as I said - no pressure at all :- P

Ha, veteran of 3 laps. |-)
Sorry, don't remember this Mini, too long ago.

Can you share the track to get a foretaste?

 

[Prototype]

yeah … bit speechless there ! that's gota be an very expensive printer ..sls ? looks too damn good. im starting with one of these Chinese jobby`s that started coming out last june etc. ender 3. well see what it can do. maybe you can share an object or two to test it with. I actually need to keep the potential of this hobby very disciplined because theres not many restrictions and my mind will melt. I get the fundamentals of it all. and its fusion that I think is my path I into it. and alongside max. really want to try this unreal studio for max too. that seems like the holy grail of workflows to get to a decent engine.

that car is so epic. I remember in the star wars prequels for the designs they went back to old aircraft and just that vintage stuff for inspiration. plenty curves and flares .. that car would have made a great concept for one of the pod racers.

Agree, its absolutely beautiful... Now go compare this to your street cars of 1928, and it starts putting how progressive this thing was into perspective. Frank Lockhart was a genius. He was killed in the land speed record attempt in this car.

I'll share the STL files of the Stutz with you. Will PM link in a moment.
Its built to 1:1 scale, so just scale down to whatever scale you want to print it to.

You an architect?

Ha, veteran of 3 laps. |-)
Sorry, don't remember this Mini, too long ago.

Can you share the track to get a foretaste?

Ill share a wip version once Im a bit further a long, its one step forward, two steps back.

 

[Pixelchaser]

You an architect?




.

nah.. but I have the aptitude. and i wish i was back in the day started working as an architectural technician. I was a natural at it. an economic recession ruined that whole thing, and never went back to it. that was the manual drawing type. always done 2d, then photoshop forever. never learned the 3d modelling aspect in order to be a 1 man bad that seems to be the way of today. I crave the precision in things. and its a curse sometimes. my father was a naval architect for the ministry of defence. I inherited some skill there I believe. so for last few years trying the 3d part as best as I can.

 

[Prototype]

Then you'll love Fusion, because its based off detailed super accurate data.
Sent you a link to the Stutz STL files ...

 

[luchian]

Ha, well IDK. I do kinda work in bursts, and forcing myself to go to bed at 4am is a bit of a problem, especially if I have to wake up a bit earlier. :-/ Im all over the place with this thing, so as soon as something starts feeling like a chore, i move onto another aspect of the project, and then I jump back.

The perimeter buildings are a good example of this. Only about half the modeled buildings rare textured - the other are in the scene with AO textures on them.

But if they have AO it means the UV mapping is done, right ? The rest is easy-peasy just throwing the texture on it .

As for the other stuff.. very nice field of activity. Love it!