rFactor stuff - I've been a bit busy.

[FourWheelDrift]

In readiness for starting a mod project myself (details later) I have been trying out a few things so that anything I create I know I can get into the game.

Used this old favourite from GTR as an example Few things to iron out like the windows (view out is fine) but they are wrong when looking at them), but it's in and working

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Friday 23 February 12:45

[RobPhoboS]

Ooooh yeah man !

I want to make an F40LM and F50+F50GT mod to.
I've got the potential modeling 3d skills, just need to get the time to actually do it !

[R1 GTR]

I would like to make a car but dont know a thing about this sort of thing.
Nice one FWD! Looking forward to that

[FourWheelDrift]

Fixed the windscreen, fixed the cockpit viewpoint (centralised on the steering wheel) and also fixed the windows to give them transparency.



Still to do.
Moving steering wheel
Lights
Dash instruments
Removing the odd bug or two.
Then load the mesh back into Studio Max and give it proper Cerbera headlights it raced with earlier not the later Tuscan style units.

Currently it's all a test for me getting a car in and working and it's also being used as a physics testbed for my new project but when finished I'll get it out for you, maybe with some other cars too. I'm sure other people have converted the Cerbera (but odd it's not around) I've already been in contact with the chap who converted it to GTR as I wanted to use this as the pace car, he said it was ok to use but since it wasn't his car anyway but an old SBGT (Simbin, pre-Simbin) it'll be fine to work with. So I will.

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Friday 23 February 20:30

[Mr Whippy]

Nice, can't beat TVR's in decent PC games

Tempted to start working with rFactor more as it's a very good platform to make mods for now... how hard is it with respect to model formats and the like? Ie, texture's, shaders etc, are they all standardised?

Cheers

Dave

[FourWheelDrift]

You can get a DDS plugin for photoshop that enables you to save off car textures in the correct format (DXT5). Plus other materials can be a bmp or TGA files within the model.

If it's any help to you I've got together this collection of programs to help me.

3d Studio Max v8
Photoshop
Soundforge for sound editing
Zmodeller 2
3dSimEd

And these free from www.rfactor.net or other sources on the net.
GmotorMAS
GMTImport
Talent Editor
Physics Editor
Vehicle Viewer
DDS plugin for photoshop

[R1 GTR]

How easy is it to make a custom skin and what software would i need to do that?
(on a car i already have)

[FourWheelDrift]

R1 GTR said:

How easy is it to make a custom skin and what software would i need to do that?
(on a car i already have)

You just need a template onto which you paint the car, using any paint package as long as you can save it off in DDS format. Adobe Photoshop or Paintshop Pro are the ones, although you may need a DDS plugin to enable it.

[RobPhoboS]

FWD:

I'm going to start modeling again (Im employed as a lighting guy for 3d animation) so in the future if your thinking about the speed 12 I could try and knock something up... BUT patience is key with me at the moment as Im just trying to get on with writing music again, heh.

Should take about a week or so of modeling to do a car but to get good again could take me a month, lol.

[FourWheelDrift]

RobPhoboS said:

FWD:

I'm going to start modeling again (Im employed as a lighting guy for 3d animation) so in the future if your thinking about the speed 12 I could try and knock something up... BUT patience is key with me at the moment as Im just trying to get on with writing music again, heh.

Should take about a week or so of modeling to do a car but to get good again could take me a month, lol.

Well I was going to start modelling a new car (3ds max virgin, but have a few meshes I've been adapting as starters) but if you'd like to give it a crack first then please give it a go. drop me a mail and I'll let you know what my plans are, which will then become obvious

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Saturday 24th February 17:43

[Mr Whippy]

I've been working slowly on a Chim, Cerb, Saggy and Tamora in 3d over the last 3 years or so.

Done mainly with photomatching, splines and patch/nurbs types for now. Of course my plan is to make a TVR "mod" for a game (was Racer) but rFactor is just as likely in time after a few other cars I've done are being converted over.

What kind of poly level is rFactor best around? 10k exterior 5k interior and maybe 5k of wheels/brakes etc?

Dave

[FourWheelDrift]

Mr Whippy said:

I've been working slowly on a Chim, Cerb, Saggy and Tamora in 3d over the last 3 years or so.

Done mainly with photomatching, splines and patch/nurbs types for now. Of course my plan is to make a TVR "mod" for a game (was Racer) but rFactor is just as likely in time after a few other cars I've done are being converted over.

What kind of poly level is rFactor best around? 10k exterior 5k interior and maybe 5k of wheels/brakes etc?

Dave

Really depends, some are lower, some are higher. With higher poly models to help with frames per second and stop too much sluggish play rFactor uses LOD's level of detail. You have a high poly model for close up but as the car goes into the distance you have a point where the LOD changes to a lower poly model, then another lower poly model, reducing the detail the further in the distance the car is, less to draw. Normally 3-4 models per car.

Sounds like you've been busy. I'm not planning a road car mod, it's a real life single model racing series. But very close to what you've been doing.

[Mr Whippy]

Hehe...

I did lots of work about 4 years ago, mainly game 3d stuff. I fell into a job where my overall skills have grown in 3d/cg etc, but my passion is still cars and gaming and I haven't really moved forward properly in those areas

The 3d game world has all moved on in alot of ways, and I need new stuff to show off, and TVR's are a big passion for me, they are good looking, and also a challenge to model (lots of curves and smooth normals needed). Also especially over the last year TVR's woes have made me think a tribute in gaming terms is needed


Main job for me now is interiors. Lots of photo's needed but I'll get there

Dave

[RobPhoboS]

Ah glad there are a few 3d people about !
There's also a chap at mazdarotory club making some car models to, could get a mini team together

[R1 GTR]

I've done a skin for the PCC. Thanks FWD
Gonna use this in the league

[FourWheelDrift]

R1 GTR said:

Gonna use this in the league

Nice, but for everyone to see it, it needs to be on the server and everyone else needs it as well. Which might be a problem if other people join as they won't have it if they race.

Best for offline racing

[R1 GTR]

Oh ok. I'll use the car i based it on for online stuff.(Herberth Motorsport)
Mostly just changed the colours, red stripes, erased the blue, Bose bonnet. Tried to put my name on the windows but it wouldn't work. Are these in a different file? The windows in the file with the rest of the car are just black but the ones on the car in the game are clear.

Edited by R1 GTR on Saturday 24th February 20:57

[Graham]

mmmm how can i get the cerb into rfactor....

[FourWheelDrift]

R1 GTR said:

Tried to put my name on the windows but it wouldn't work. Are these in a different file? The windows in the file with the rest of the car are just black but the ones on the car in the game are clear.

The windows transparency is handled in the model, the window area is given a material type and it's opacity.

For the names you need to edit a current dds file, eg. PCC_09WING.dds and change the name/number setting there. Then save it off using the same prefix you have used with the VEH, and boddy dds.

So you end up with

PCC_21.veh
PCC_21.dds
PCC_21WING.dds

You can do your own helmet the same way.

[FourWheelDrift]

Graham said:

mmmm how can i get the cerb into rfactor....

Rhetorical?

YHM ref previous emails

Edited by FourWheelDrift on Saturday 24th February 21:31