Cars Lola T70 MkII Spyder (rF2) 2.1

[aphidgod]

And it does seem to go very well with all* of Alfie's tracks.

(* - I do not take responsibility for anything that happens on the main straight @ Thomson Road.)

I'll be honest, I've struggled a bit with the tires both here and in the XJ13. Finding the right balance, feel, and measurable grip without making them seem "modern" has eluded me. Thanks to @mclarenf1papa 's help and tools modern tires aren't much of a chore anymore... but I've just never quite nailed down vintage rubber in a satisfactory way. Hopefully this is it!

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

Thank you for continuing to work on this car.

I'm finding it to be an improvement. And it is awesome! But it already was. So it's now awesome+

I've got a question though that presupposes Everett's Many World's interpretation of quantum dynamics. So there's got to be a parallel universe where this car has/had functioning headlights. Is there a config for that (in this universe)?

It's just I was having an amazing (if a bit hairy) drive around Kyalami 67 in this (the Spyder) and dusk fell...

 

[aphidgod]

In Can Am, no... but in other series yes.

Someone would need to volunteer to do the 3d work, though. I think they exist in the model already.

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

I have been racing with this car on Le Grand Circuit (67). It has been very, very enjoyable.

There may be a small problem, I dunno... I was on my third lap or so and realised that black smoke was billowing out behind me and the damage indicator shows that there's engine damage. On the fifth lap, the engine died, so it goes.

I have mechanical damage set at 40%.

I'm pretty sure I didn't prang the car, I get the impression the engine just gave out cos I was driving around Le Grand Circuit at or near 300km/h most of the time (and all the way down the Mulsanne Straight).

Any idea what might be the reason? I could of course just turn mechanical damage down and that would solve the problem for me but I thought it may be worth mentioning.

 

[AlleyViper]

Can't check now, but beware that when a car has the max rpm limiter past the rpm damage threshold, when you are cruising at top speed already near the damage rpm and go over bumps, those small peaks can cause bursts of engine damage that add up.

Else check if you're downshifting too hard/soon (as the 4 gears will be very spaced), and then hitting rpm peaks over the damage threshold, as the limiter won't prevent it then.

 

[Andy-R]

Put another way avoid over revving. Most likely down the straight so lengthen the gears to avoid sitting at too high rpm down the Mulsanne.

You should be able to see when it's happening from the damage indicator.

 

[AlleyViper]

^ Oh, I was assuming Pilgrim just barely didn't get the perma damage pop up in the Mulsanne cruising at high rpm, so I focused on possible momentary over-rev scenarios. Even so, the first sentence should have been read as "lengthen 4th".

Anyway, one wouldn't want to reach max speed alone on track right before damage threshold, where probably fuel efficiency goes out of the window, and you'll miss a longer gear to make use of slipstream without killing your engine when the opportunity arises.

 

[Andy-R]

^ Oh, I was assuming Pilgrim just barely didn't get the perma damage pop up in the Mulsanne cruising at high rpm, so I focused on possible momentary over-rev scenarios. Even so, the first sentence should have been read as "lengthen 4th".

Anyway, one wouldn't want to reach max speed alone on track right before damage threshold, where probably fuel efficiency goes out of the window, and you'll miss a longer gear to make use of slipstream without killing your engine when the opportunity arises.

Yep, I read it that way. It's been a looong time since I did any driving but I would have thought at low damage % over revving on the straight would be the culprit.

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

thanks a lot for the tips

You should be able to see when it's happening from the damage indicator.

Yes, I can see it. The damage indicator is flashing orange and/or red for the engine when I'm at top speed.

I'll lengthen the fourth gear a little and see if that helps.

I've noticed the damage indicator lighting up on other tracks at top speed but it hasn't been a big problem (the engine survives) as other tracks don't have me going at top speed for six, or so, km!

 

[Norse1957]

I know most people have raved about this car, but has anyone else struggled with getting the dang thing to turn? Waaay too much understeer for my liking, and with a very limited set of options to adjust for handling, I find myself driving this car the least of all the other '66 Can-Am cars that are available for AC.

 

[Emery]

I know most people have raved about this car, but has anyone else struggled with getting the dang thing to turn?

Nope, turns fine for me.

 

[stantaur]

Thanks for making cars like this happen. Playing this on the PCH southbound track is epic. Keep up the great work!

 

[Curratum]

For some reason, this loads up with tires worn out almost completely, or at least that's what RaceEssentials reports. Never had this issue with another mod car.

 

[snipeme77]

Could I put in a request for a version of this car with headlights for endurance racing? I want to use it in my 60's proto series but with no headlights it's a no go.

 

[AlleyViper]

(purpose done, post removed)

 

[snipeme77]

thanks

 

[aphidgod]

Again, if anyone wants to do the 3d I'll handle the rest. Until then, it's a Can Am car and Can Am cars didn't have lights.

 

[ValentinK]

Which 3D changes are required for the model to use headlights, @aphidgod ? Only transparent headlight covers?

In a quick & dirty approach, I threw together a CSP extension config for a skin, which uses CSP's model replacement feature to disable the headlight covers, revealing the lower-poly headlights hidden behind it. That same CSP extension config also contains everything else that it took to make them work as headlights (high-beam-level only due to only one bulb each).

 

[AlleyViper]

I've since deleted my post above with config changes for the same effect, given that the mod was intended to stay as a can-am car, but imho there are more suitable quick n' dirty config-only approaches. So, take these as friendly suggestions to improve, other than a rant.

Instead of just removing the covers, you could make them look like plexyglass after making the obj transparent and switching mat. Then you can even alpha blend the same outer txDiffuse of the plexy windscreen via that shader replacement, as the mapping is acceptable.
It won't look nice to just turn the whole headlights mirror obj emissive, because of the outer borders and fixations that shouldn't light up outside the mirror. Defining a custom emissive with the proper circular area will take care of that.
There's also its texture with baked shadows/reflections that will blow up with artifacts like the blue specs on the image above. For that, you can lower the emissive until artifacts disappear (but keep a few darker shadows), or try to discard the whole deal and replace it with a plain chrome material instead. GL

 

[aphidgod]

Which 3D changes are required for the model to use headlights, @aphidgod ? Only transparent headlight covers?

View attachment 593739

In a quick & dirty approach, I threw together a CSP extension config for a skin, which uses CSP's model replacement feature to disable the headlight covers, revealing the lower-poly headlights hidden behind it. That same CSP extension config also contains everything else that it took to make them work as headlights (high-beam-level only due to only one bulb each).

Yeah, I think all of the headlight bits are under the covers. I just need the 3d work done to make the covers transparent. I've mentioned before I was willing to update the car if someone could make it happen, and that stands.