RELEASED-wip Vancouver City circuit 98

[JrC]

Hi all,

Thanks to all the talented track makers videos on youtube I was able to get some work done on a conversion of this track to AC from rfactor2. I talked to Shumi who released the RF2 one but I guess he doesnt still have contact with Zero-G who looks to be the original track maker from rf1 over 10 years ago.

I tried reaching out to Zero G via rfactor central but its unlikely the account is still monitored so while I can fiddle with Schumi's version it can not be released in any way as it stands.

In the long run, I would love to see this track redone as I attended the race and lived nearby for a number of years.

Ive actually found some modern Lidar data for it and that would be a dream to have a version using some of that data and although it wouldnt be historically accurate it would be neat to have a version with that.
So Im trying to learn blender and AC and all of that good stuff and its been fun so far.

Here is an overlay with some of the lidar data I could pull... In the long run the assets will be touch as Im not a modeler... If I ever get to that point I may have to pay someone to do BC place and science world but that would be the last thing on the list... In any case...

Some of the lidar data is available from 2018

If it came to fruition I could likely reuse the assets and have both in the same pack, the newer track and the earlier track below.

 

[JoeK]

Have you tried exporting the buildings from Google Earth? Mine is messed up right now as I can't get Street View to work (re-install on the horizon I guess), but you might be able to extract the 3D buildings out of Google Earth and bring them into Blender. Check YouTube for the "How-To' videos.

I worked First Aid at those races. Noisy as hell... LoL... but fun. Yeah - I'm in the same boat with Blender... still building a Donut.

 

[JrC]

Thats a good idea. Didnt know that was possible. I figured I could try my hand in it in modeling the buildings but Science world and BC place are likely beyond me.
I was hoping to get in touch with Zero G but thats very unlikely so Ill have to forge ahead on my own.

I have the Lidar data lined up but it might be a pain to import it to Cloud as its in 3 zips.

I actually made some good way on the conversion one so far... Blender hates me though ..

I have all the pits working but my start locations are messed up... first 12 work but once I apply any z rotation the cars spawn blown up. I know its the y and z axis thing but I cant find where to adjust it ...


One of the best memories I had was getting out of the skytrain downtown on race day and all you could hear was the echoing. I nearly got run over by Jimmy Vasser in the pits on a moped ... I got to sit in turn one. Good times!

 

[RJL]

Not sure who author is, but found this link to existing version.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/v7po3yzvfh3uc3p/vancouver.zip

 

[JoeK]

'Cloud' = 'CloudCompare'? Easy to import multiple LiDAR files and merge into one dataset, then clip to eliminate excess data. If I remember correctly, I even decimated the data to 'lighten the load'. Spend a little time with the manual... mine's at the office otherwise I'd list the page # for ya.

 

[JrC]

Not sure who author is, but found this link to existing version.
http://www.mediafire.com/file/v7po3yzvfh3uc3p/vancouver.zip

Cheers! I looked around for that for ages. In some ways its good I never found it as its forced to really dig into learning blender and AC.

I took a look at it quickly and its a fully functional version but I would like to flush out the track a bit.
See if I can update some stuff. Then I could take all that forward to a releasable version.

'Cloud' = 'CloudCompare'? Easy to import multiple LiDAR files and merge into one dataset, then clip to eliminate excess data. If I remember correctly, I even decimated the data to 'lighten the load'. Spend a little time with the manual... mine's at the office otherwise I'd list the page # for ya.

Even if I know its possible thats perfect. I think this is really the early learning stages where I figure out AC and Kseditor using the conversion and once I get that I can then figure out cloud compare.

I found a conversion of the track to stock car extreme on RD and the author said he got permission from Zero so I reached out to him to see if he still had contact details.

I made some more progress yesterday and its fairly close to being functional in AC minus the start boxes and a couple of other issues.

Im trying to fiddle with the surfaces to give the tarmac spots a different feel and give the manhole covers some feedback.

 

[RJL]

Cheers! I looked around for that for ages. In some ways its good I never found it as its forced to really dig into learning blender and AC.

I took a look at it quickly and its a fully functional version but I would like to flush out the track a bit.
See if I can update some stuff. Then I could take all that forward to a releasable version.


Even if I know its possible thats perfect. I think this is really the early learning stages where I figure out AC and Kseditor using the conversion and once I get that I can then figure out cloud compare.

I found a conversion of the track to stock car extreme on RD and the author said he got permission from Zero so I reached out to him to see if he still had contact details.

I made some more progress yesterday and its fairly close to being functional in AC minus the start boxes and a couple of other issues.

Im trying to fiddle with the surfaces to give the tarmac spots a different feel and give the manhole covers some feedback.

Full respect for your desire to learn and make improvements JrC.
It'll benefit all of us who enjoy and appreciate AC for sure.
RJL

 

[JoeK]

Just verified after my Google Earth was re-installed. There are downtown 3D buildings including BC Place and the Golfball.

 

[JrC]

That is sweet... ok... this may be more a reality then I might have expected.

I currently have a working version of the old track in AC with some updated stuff. Im trying to add some CSP stuff to the track and i have baked an AO patch for it which is super easy with custom bakery.

One thing I added, or rather copied was some more of the horizon line for the back straight direction as that wouldnt have been bare. looks better imo.

Going to remove the static helicopter and balloon and add the dynamic ones.

I still have a few issues.

-Part of my pit road says wrong direction messing up lap counts and times.
-Start locations are still messed up, pit is fine
-A few issues with some of the shaders in Kseditor as I really am just learning that too but I have a bit of a better understanding now.
-Lighting is blown out in full sun
-Sol weather doesnt work


I did up some cams etc so really if I can get this to a working stage I can start looking at Cloudcompare.

I see the instructions on how to make a low poly city on the links below too so if I cant reuse any assets due to lack of permissions I may be able to slowly pick away at my one.

ideally i could have both layouts on the one track with full features of some of the tracks like Lilski's mainly because he was kind enough to detail his process.

Ill see if i can get a couple decent screenshots tonight.

 

[JrC]

This start box thing is really getting to me... I think Ive exported 50 fbx with a diff config on the boxes and then converted to kn5 and i still get the spawning problems... I may have to start all the cars on the front straight for now... I keep watching lilSkis video on it and it "looks" like ive got scale and im only rotating on global Z but it isnt translating to game but if I do a weekend all the cars spawn in the pits fine...

Looks best on overcast days right now...

 

[JrC]

 

[JrC]

I got some more done
-got CSP lighting working and it adds so much as the light filters through the fence.
-dynamic balloon and blimp replacing static
-road surfaces updated a bit with a slight "feel" to the change from tar to asphalt
-had to update some of the shaders. used the wrong ones

However... and its a big one... i found a major issue that may prevent it from working properly in the long run and thats the way AC reads the AI lines vs where the pit road is on this track.
Basically Im not sure it can function as historically built because the AI line going into the pit gets closer to the opposite direction side and creates the wrong way warning. Its not a road problem but an AI spline issue. The link above gets around it by not including an AI pit line.

I found a thread where Lilski documents this and apparently there is no way to fix it.

The only option to make it work with penalties looks like changing the pit road entry closer to the track rendering it less accurate but at least raceable in a championship where it wont discount laps or count it as a cut lap.

The older track layout wouldnt have this problem.

I changed some of the speculars before SOL got put it so I need to go back and adjust some of the shader settings.

 

[JrC]

Well, It works.
I shifted the pit road entrance tighter to the track on the left and moved the walls and adjusted the AI spline for the new entry into pit road and im not getting any errors.
Spline seems to work fine for the AI cars but I need to tidy up the mesh a bit and clean up a few things..

But it works...
New Pit road entry.

still need to tidy a few things up and it might be worthwhile redoing the whole entry road mesh as it wasnt the greatest job but now I know it works its ok to go back and put some time in...

Still dont have all the right textures in place but its coming along.

 

[JrC]

I had a few of the shaders set up wrong and i had to redo a few things.
Couldnt figure out why night wasnt happening and no clouds and then i realized I had WeatherFX turned off... still trying to get all the speculars right.

:/

 

[JrC]

I had to go through all the shaders and redo the pit road and walls twice as I found it was still an issue with wrong way along the edge of the pit road. I also had to slightly adjust the AI splines but Ive confirmed there is no way to trigger the wrong way error with the way i set up the pit roads and Ai spline.

Spent some more time on shaders and figuring out the road textures.

I did more horizon line stuff @JoeK to give it more depth along the back straight where the secondary pits were there were no buildings or mountains before. I think it looks closer to Van.

Pit road into BC Place looks better now too with the building in the background

 

[JoeK]

Very, very nice work. To get the mountains, NRCan has a freebie download of any terrain in Canada. Just outline the area and they'll send you a download link. The data density is based on satellite images, so perfect for background terrain.
https://maps.canada.ca/czs/index-en.html

 

[JrC]

Now all the start locations work without destroying the car so thats one good thing. Pit guy also shows up so I appreciate the help. I figured out a bit more on the road textures but Its not using the full system yet. I have to figure out more about texturing but I did some normal maps for the manhole covers and it gives it some depth and the do give feedback to the wheel which is nice.

I tried the normal maps on the dome too but I have to work on adjusting that as Im not sure its right.

Has anyone come across instructions on how to get a .bik file to play for the big screen?
I found one someone had setup in the ini but Im not sure what shader to use or how that works.

 

[JrC]

Im tentatively changing this thread to a WIP. I would like to do the conversion justice with all credit to the original author. If all credit is given then it seems it wouldnt be crossing any lines to release it.

Let me know if that is untrue please.

 

[JrC]

Thanks for the suggestion @JoeK
In place...

I got a lot done in the last few days. Had to completely redo the roads as I messed up the materials. Dont ask.

Spent a long time on shaders and updating and making some normal maps.
Getting a bit better with it.
Had to redo the pitroad 6 times but I think its good
Redid the background in turn 4. When you drove in it was pretty bare so added trees, buildings, skytrain and moved the truck.
Added a free 3d tree off the web as a test.
Redid all the start positions and Pit positions
Added the start line and pitlines accurately to where pits start and end
I was able to add 4 pitboxes so track supports 36 cars with start positions as well.
Tweaked the feedback from manhole and road features.
Adjusted some of the 2d crowds.
Some of the heights were off so had to move and join things to get them in the right places
redid the water surface area and lifted SW slightly.
Changed diffuse maps as i figured out what i had got wrong and updated the shaders and maps and created normal maps for those.
I want to add normal maps to a number of textures so that will come in time
added a couple of cone physics objects so the they move when you drive into them ( you arent supposed to )

 

[maruto]

Hello JrC,

i see you are quite motivated to work on the Vancouver Circuit. I'd love to see that track scratch build for AC with LIDAR data...

I'll tell you what i've been told: If you are willing to try to learn 3D modeling and launch this project i'll gladly help you with the track surface, using lidar data to bring it to life

Assets can be added later if you get in touch with the original author and get his approval ,but you might end up redoing it all over too , wich would be even better...

most important is to learn and have fun