Tracks Thomson Road Grand Prix - Singapore
- Thread starter Fat-Alfie
- Start date
Those screenshots just look awesome. Especially that 2nd one which looks like the absolute definition of "lush" and "dense". Fantastic work! 
I never had any performance issues with this track anyway, but this effort to optimise is great to see!
I don't understand how it can look so thick and lush but still have good performance - some sort of wizardry no doubt!
I don't understand how it can look so thick and lush but still have good performance - some sort of wizardry no doubt!
Thanks guys!
I don't think there's any wizardry at play, to be honest. I have tried to do things the right way (according to AC track-making rules), I have tried to be efficient with my models and textures (only using detail where it is clearly seen), but I think the biggest factor in the performance is the fact that the track is only 9-10m wide, has a very narrow verge either side (probably only 8m visible before it just becomes "TREES!") with only 4m of that being physical (driveable) mesh, plus (except for the main straight) you never see further than about 150m.
I guess I just got lucky
I don't think there's any wizardry at play, to be honest. I have tried to do things the right way (according to AC track-making rules), I have tried to be efficient with my models and textures (only using detail where it is clearly seen), but I think the biggest factor in the performance is the fact that the track is only 9-10m wide, has a very narrow verge either side (probably only 8m visible before it just becomes "TREES!") with only 4m of that being physical (driveable) mesh, plus (except for the main straight) you never see further than about 150m.
I guess I just got lucky
I still find it hard to believe that all this is just triangles...
I now have all of the new trackside bushes / shrubs / bamboo in place, so apart from a few minor texture tweaks and some overhangs onto the tarmac to trim, I think the vegetation is finally done (apart from final merging optimisation)
That leaves,Time Attack gates, street lighting along the Old Upper Thomson Road (Snakes) section, get Grooves working correctly, "pit entry" signs and adding some grass wear to some of the corners you can cut.
Almost done!
I now have all of the new trackside bushes / shrubs / bamboo in place, so apart from a few minor texture tweaks and some overhangs onto the tarmac to trim, I think the vegetation is finally done
(apart from final merging optimisation)That leaves,
Almost done!
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I'm pretty happy this morning, as I think I have cracked Time Attack gates. Once I had worked out the principle, I was able to add my gates at the exact point I wanted, at the correct angle, at the correct height, within 10 minutes
To make this possible you need to have your track's .FBX model orientated correctly in the KsEditor, as you need to use the same method as for adding track cameras. If you use 3ds max, the easiest way to ensure your model is correct is to import your .KN5 into 3dsimed and export a temporary .FBX to load into KsEditor (this is necessary because you will need to work with the fast_lane.ai and that only works when your track model is orientated correctly).
So, step 1 is to load up your .FBX and your fast_lane.ai - it will be easier if your AC timing dummys are included in your track model. Step 2, add a track camera where you want each of your Time Attack checkpoints to be (I used the Start line, Split 1 point and Split 2 point). Drop the camera right down to the track surface and then rotate it so you are looking back up the track, in the opposite direction that you drive in, directly in-line with the AI spline (otherwise your checkpoints will face the wrong way). Click "Set from here" to set this as the position of your new track camera. Copy this procedure for the other two Time Attach checkpoints. Then, once you have created your three new cameras, save your camera file as a new camera .INI file
In Notepad, open up both your new camera file and your overlays.ini file. Copy and paste POSITION from cameras to WORLD_POSITION in overlays. Same with FORWARD from cameras to ORIENTATION in overlays. This will set the correct position and rotation for your checkpoint, and the tilt of the checkpoint comes from the camber of the spline (I assume).
You now have three checkpoints in almost the correct position. The only thing you will probably need to adjust is the side-to-side position of each checkpoint across the track. When you added each camera, its position came from the AI spline, and that spline is almost never in the centre of the track. You can adjust this in the OFFSET line of your overlays.ini
Double click the first camera in KsEditor to jump to its position, and then raise the camera directly up so you are looking straight down onto the track. Then select the AI spline at the point your camera was (where you want your gate to be). On the next screenshot, notice the position the spline is with regard to the edge of the track (marked with the green rectangle). In the "current point" info on the left you can see this distance is 3.150024 metres from the track edge to the centre of the spline. The centre point needs to be moved to the left by about the same amount to place it in the centre of the track (marked with the red rectangle). For this checkpoint to be in the middle of the track I have entered an offset of -3.127 in the OFFSET section of the overlays.ini, and a second amount of 3 for the height above the track.
Do this for the other two checkpoints, save your overlays.ini and check your track in-game. You might need to experiment with the X offset a little to get it right. I ended up taking a screenshot looking down in the editor, working out the exact distance the offset needed to be compared to the width of the track (in Adobe Illustrator) which only took a minute and eliminated any guesswork.
I hope this hasn't been documented anywhere else on the AC forums, or I'm going to look very foolish
To make this possible you need to have your track's .FBX model orientated correctly in the KsEditor, as you need to use the same method as for adding track cameras. If you use 3ds max, the easiest way to ensure your model is correct is to import your .KN5 into 3dsimed and export a temporary .FBX to load into KsEditor (this is necessary because you will need to work with the fast_lane.ai and that only works when your track model is orientated correctly).
So, step 1 is to load up your .FBX and your fast_lane.ai - it will be easier if your AC timing dummys are included in your track model. Step 2, add a track camera where you want each of your Time Attack checkpoints to be (I used the Start line, Split 1 point and Split 2 point). Drop the camera right down to the track surface and then rotate it so you are looking back up the track, in the opposite direction that you drive in, directly in-line with the AI spline (otherwise your checkpoints will face the wrong way). Click "Set from here" to set this as the position of your new track camera. Copy this procedure for the other two Time Attach checkpoints. Then, once you have created your three new cameras, save your camera file as a new camera .INI file
In Notepad, open up both your new camera file and your overlays.ini file. Copy and paste POSITION from cameras to WORLD_POSITION in overlays. Same with FORWARD from cameras to ORIENTATION in overlays. This will set the correct position and rotation for your checkpoint, and the tilt of the checkpoint comes from the camber of the spline (I assume).
You now have three checkpoints in almost the correct position. The only thing you will probably need to adjust is the side-to-side position of each checkpoint across the track. When you added each camera, its position came from the AI spline, and that spline is almost never in the centre of the track. You can adjust this in the OFFSET line of your overlays.ini
Double click the first camera in KsEditor to jump to its position, and then raise the camera directly up so you are looking straight down onto the track. Then select the AI spline at the point your camera was (where you want your gate to be). On the next screenshot, notice the position the spline is with regard to the edge of the track (marked with the green rectangle). In the "current point" info on the left you can see this distance is 3.150024 metres from the track edge to the centre of the spline. The centre point needs to be moved to the left by about the same amount to place it in the centre of the track (marked with the red rectangle). For this checkpoint to be in the middle of the track I have entered an offset of -3.127 in the OFFSET section of the overlays.ini, and a second amount of 3 for the height above the track.
Do this for the other two checkpoints, save your overlays.ini and check your track in-game. You might need to experiment with the X offset a little to get it right. I ended up taking a screenshot looking down in the editor, working out the exact distance the offset needed to be compared to the width of the track (in Adobe Illustrator) which only took a minute and eliminated any guesswork.
I hope this hasn't been documented anywhere else on the AC forums, or I'm going to look very foolish
Last edited:
This is all a bit beyond me, but progress is progress, and its always a welcome sight!I'm pretty happy this morning, as I think I have cracked Time Attack gates. Once I had worked out the principle, I was able to add my gates at the exact point I wanted, at the correct angle, at the correct height, within 10 minutes
To make this possible you need to have your track's .FBX model orientated correctly in the KsEditor, as you need to use the same method as for adding track cameras. If you use 3ds max, the easiest way to ensure your model is correct is to import your .KN5 into 3dsimed and export a temporary .FBX to load into KsEditor (this is necessary because you will need to work with the fast_lane.ai and that only works when your track model is orientated correctly).
So, step 1 is to load up your .FBX and your fast_lane.ai - it will be easier if your AC timing dummys are included in your track model. Step 2, add a track camera where you want each of your Time Attack checkpoints to be (I used the Start line, Split 1 point and Split 2 point). Drop the camera right down to the track surface and then rotate it so you are looking back up the track, in the opposite direction that you drive in, directly in-line with the AI spline (otherwise your checkpoints will face the wrong way). Click "Set from here" to set this as the position of your new track camera. Copy this procedure for the other two Time Attach checkpoints. Then, once you have created your three new cameras, save your camera file as a new camera .INI file
In Notepad, open up both your new camera file and your overlays.ini file. Copy and paste POSITION from cameras to WORLD_POSITION in overlays. Same with FORWARD from cameras to ORIENTATION in overlays. This will set the correct position and rotation for your checkpoint, and the tilt of the checkpoint comes from the camber of the spline (I assume).
You now have three checkpoints in almost the correct position. The only thing you will probably need to adjust is the side-to-side position of each checkpoint across the track. When you added each camera, its position came from the AI spline, and that spline is almost never in the centre of the track. You can adjust this in the OFFSET line of your overlays.ini
Double click the first camera in KsEditor to jump to its position, and then raise the camera directly up so you are looking straight down onto the track. Then select the AI spline at the point your camera was (where you want your gate to be). On the next screenshot, notice the position the spline is with regard to the edge of the track (marked with the green rectangle). In the "current point" info on the left you can see this distance is 3.150024 metres from the track edge to the centre of the spline. The centre point needs to be moved to the left by about the same amount to place it in the centre of the track (marked with the red rectangle). For this checkpoint to be in the middle of the track I have entered an offset of -3.127 in the OFFSET section of the overlays.ini, and a second amount of 3 for the height above the track.
Do this for the other two checkpoints, save your overlays.ini and check your track in-game. You might need to experiment with the X offset a little to get it right. I ended up taking a screenshot looking down in the editor, working out the exact distance the offset needed to be compared to the width of the track (in Adobe Illustrator) which only took a minute and eliminated any guesswork.
I hope this hasn't been documented anywhere else on the AC forums, or I'm going to look very foolish
It was, but it was quite vague
http://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-make-time-attack-mode-work.20535/
You are working with the AI spline and the offset value. Why not just position your camera in the center of the track?
Anyway, thanks for this!
http://www.assettocorsa.net/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-make-time-attack-mode-work.20535/
You are working with the AI spline and the offset value. Why not just position your camera in the center of the track?
Anyway, thanks for this!
Yeah, that link explains the xyz positioning (which always seemed fairly obvious to me), but has no clue about the rotation of the checkpoint.
I used the position on the spline and not just the position on the track because using the spline will input all of the rotational data (taken from the camber of the spline). Otherwise I would have to mess around with rotating the checkpoint. This way, I just copy, paste, edit the offset, and it's complete
I used the position on the spline and not just the position on the track because using the spline will input all of the rotational data (taken from the camber of the spline). Otherwise I would have to mess around with rotating the checkpoint. This way, I just copy, paste, edit the offset, and it's complete
But if selecting the spline will give the camera a hint on camber (I reckon that's the second entry on the orientation key), you could then still place the camera on the center of the road (or read that from your 3D application ofcourse) while keeping that value, right? I'm lazy so I like to think of ways to skip steps but get the same result
But please correct me if my thinking is wrong. I'll revisit my own timing gates aswell using this method and might experiment a bit
But please correct me if my thinking is wrong. I'll revisit my own timing gates aswell using this method and might experiment a bit
I don't think the Orientation is in simple XYZ degrees - I think it is something more complex like Euler angles (but 3D trigonometry is not one of my strengths ) but I am getting out of my depth here.
From a practical point of view, I used the spline because I wanted to get the camera to point in the opposite direction and once you move the camera away from the spline (to the centre of the road, for example) it's really difficult to judge the angle of the camera with relation to the track. If the camera isn't pointing at 90° to the track then neither will the timing gate.
Here, you can see, it's easy to look along the spline to get the camera angle right. Once you move away from the spline to the centre of the track you have no idea which direction it is pointing in.
But please, use whichever method you feel is best. I just know I can set my timing gates up exactly where I want them in about 10mins - that's good enough for me
) but I am getting out of my depth here.From a practical point of view, I used the spline because I wanted to get the camera to point in the opposite direction and once you move the camera away from the spline (to the centre of the road, for example) it's really difficult to judge the angle of the camera with relation to the track. If the camera isn't pointing at 90° to the track then neither will the timing gate.
Here, you can see, it's easy to look along the spline to get the camera angle right. Once you move away from the spline to the centre of the track you have no idea which direction it is pointing in.
But please, use whichever method you feel is best. I just know I can set my timing gates up exactly where I want them in about 10mins - that's good enough for me
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Sergio Loro
Premium
GREAT WORK!! this kind of art inspired me to keep improve my tracks you are a truly and great artist
screenshots are just amazing
you are a truly and great artist screenshots are just amazing
Merged my grass objects and plant objects today into 4 different LODs. This screenshot is on Maximum World Detail and shows my DIP as 400 now (down from 600) It does creep up to around 520 at a couple of places, but I still have some more optimisation to do yet. If people can't run this track... tough!! (DIP is 375 on Medium at the same spot)
It does creep up to around 520 at a couple of places, but I still have some more optimisation to do yet. If people can't run this track... tough!! (DIP is 375 on Medium at the same spot)
Last edited:
I'm pretty happy this morning, as I think I have cracked Time Attack gates. Once I had worked out the principle, I was able to add my gates at the exact point I wanted, at the correct angle, at the correct height, within 10 minutes
To make this possible you need to have your track's .FBX model orientated correctly in the KsEditor, as you need to use the same method as for adding track cameras. If you use 3ds max, the easiest way to ensure your model is correct is to import your .KN5 into 3dsimed and export a temporary .FBX to load into KsEditor (this is necessary because you will need to work with the fast_lane.ai and that only works when your track model is orientated correctly).
So, step 1 is to load up your .FBX and your fast_lane.ai - it will be easier if your AC timing dummys are included in your track model. Step 2, add a track camera where you want each of your Time Attack checkpoints to be (I used the Start line, Split 1 point and Split 2 point). Drop the camera right down to the track surface and then rotate it so you are looking back up the track, in the opposite direction that you drive in, directly in-line with the AI spline (otherwise your checkpoints will face the wrong way). Click "Set from here" to set this as the position of your new track camera. Copy this procedure for the other two Time Attach checkpoints. Then, once you have created your three new cameras, save your camera file as a new camera .INI file
In Notepad, open up both your new camera file and your overlays.ini file. Copy and paste POSITION from cameras to WORLD_POSITION in overlays. Same with FORWARD from cameras to ORIENTATION in overlays. This will set the correct position and rotation for your checkpoint, and the tilt of the checkpoint comes from the camber of the spline (I assume).
You now have three checkpoints in almost the correct position. The only thing you will probably need to adjust is the side-to-side position of each checkpoint across the track. When you added each camera, its position came from the AI spline, and that spline is almost never in the centre of the track. You can adjust this in the OFFSET line of your overlays.ini
Double click the first camera in KsEditor to jump to its position, and then raise the camera directly up so you are looking straight down onto the track. Then select the AI spline at the point your camera was (where you want your gate to be). On the next screenshot, notice the position the spline is with regard to the edge of the track (marked with the green rectangle). In the "current point" info on the left you can see this distance is 3.150024 metres from the track edge to the centre of the spline. The centre point needs to be moved to the left by about the same amount to place it in the centre of the track (marked with the red rectangle). For this checkpoint to be in the middle of the track I have entered an offset of -3.127 in the OFFSET section of the overlays.ini, and a second amount of 3 for the height above the track.
Do this for the other two checkpoints, save your overlays.ini and check your track in-game. You might need to experiment with the X offset a little to get it right. I ended up taking a screenshot looking down in the editor, working out the exact distance the offset needed to be compared to the width of the track (in Adobe Illustrator) which only took a minute and eliminated any guesswork.
I hope this hasn't been documented anywhere else on the AC forums, or I'm going to look very foolish
Great guide here Fat-Alfie. The only thing I'd like to mention is that the items needed for a Time Attack are actually your sector points (AC_TIME_0_L, AC_TIME_0_R etc), not just these items you've shown us how to create.
What you've given us (and thanks for making it so easy) is the way to show on our tracks where the checkpoints actually are. These "overlays" are just the graphical images of the checkpoints and have zero effect on where your car needs to be to actively make the checkpoint.
I'm not good with language, but I hope this makes sense.
edit: bolded word
edit2: I've now successfully implemented 2/3's of a Time Attack thanks to your info
(the last checkpoint doesn't show, but it's at the S/F so I might like this even better).
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Fat-Alfie you a STAR,
Cannot wait to drive the old classics on this track,
Going to be Historic F1 meet Far Cry, ha ha.
And you should consider adding wildlife, birds flying and such,
I can smell the forest its so good!,
Great job and very original project this, that's what I love about you modders, you give a man a history lesson while having fun, old track and cars that is,
Keep up the good work,
Cheers,
ET
Cannot wait to drive the old classics on this track,
Going to be Historic F1 meet Far Cry, ha ha.
And you should consider adding wildlife, birds flying and such,
I can smell the forest its so good!,
Great job and very original project this, that's what I love about you modders, you give a man a history lesson while having fun, old track and cars that is,
Keep up the good work,
Cheers,
ET
Hehe. yes it does feel a little "Crysis 1" at times (I wish ). I know I am biased but I think the track works really well with the historic cars in AC. I had an amazing race last night with a field of Porsche 962s, but the Lotus 25 or Honda S800RSC are so much fun to drive around here
Generally, I am not a huge fan of the balloons in AC, but I thought this worked quite well. I don't have any photos of sponsors using advertising balloons at the races but Rothmans invested a huge amount of cash and were the title sponsor, so it seems plausible enough to me.
I am just adding any details I can think of now - getting kinda scared that I'm nearing the end, so while I keep thinking of things to add it means I can put off hitting the "Upload" button and saying to myself "It's finished"
). I know I am biased but I think the track works really well with the historic cars in AC. I had an amazing race last night with a field of Porsche 962s, but the Lotus 25 or Honda S800RSC are so much fun to drive around here Generally, I am not a huge fan of the balloons in AC, but I thought this worked quite well. I don't have any photos of sponsors using advertising balloons at the races but Rothmans invested a huge amount of cash and were the title sponsor, so it seems plausible enough to me.
I am just adding any details I can think of now - getting kinda scared that I'm nearing the end, so while I keep thinking of things to add it means I can put off hitting the "Upload" button and saying to myself "It's finished"
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I keep thinking of things to add it means I can put off hitting the "Upload" button and saying to myself "It's finished"
Do it, hit the button. Then you can work on the Deutschlandring...
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