GP4 Track Editing - new new thread

You can delete entire scenes in 3d editor, and all track sectors.

In about a week (perhaps more, I may get held up) I will be releasing a full guide covering each file and what it does, and what to do with it, and the best way to make a track.

I'll also be including a guide on creating a real track from a track map.

Orjanbye:

Personally, I prefer your method, all blank. For a real track, you probably cannot use too many things from the older track.

To clear up the .gp4 scene do this: Add a new scene. Delete all the others. (easy).

If you follow the "How to make a track in 60 minutes" you should be sucessfull creating your new track basis. Only work with the .gp4 after the .dat, .col and .bin is ready.

A tip: If the track crashes right after you press the "drive" button on GP4, you have a .dat problem. If loads the pre-race screens, and then crashes, is .bin or .gp4 problem. But .gp4 problem is rare, as it doesn't carry any physical information, so at .gp4 you can do what you think.

If the problem persists, contact the forums or directly one of us (including me, of course) :D

Good luck!

orjanbye Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I have tried to learn how to make a track,
> but I find it very difficult.
> I started with "how to make a track in 60 min."
> but the .dat file never loaded in GP4, I only got
> crash to desktop.
>
> I am slowly coming to grip with the user interface
> in 3D-editor, but I still don't feel comfortable.
> And I have to learn everything on my way from file
> formats to which software to use etc..
>
> I want to try to make something from scratch, but
> the guides I have read advice me to build the
> track over the old one. And move objects rather
> than delete.
> It is very confusing even to select and move an
> object. I can see the object on the screen, but I
> don't know which it is on the list as there are
> hundreds of objects. How do I know which is
> which??
> I thought maybe it is easier to just delete all
> objects, all track segments, everything. And start
> from a blank sheet of paper. At least to me it
> feels more logical and less confusing. Would this
> be possible?
>
> I am sure I sound stupid, but I am very new to
> this and confused.


starting out in track editing isn't easy...but using mavericks guide is a very good start....for me it took a lot of time experimenting with 3d editor to see what the items did...i think it also depends on how much you want to build your own tracks also...you need to spend time..lot's of it...& be prepared for errors....remember these words..always back up your work......i agree it is disparing to have your fledging track not load & ctd..at the time i wanted to build a track that would look ok in game....& not ctd all the time....there are many things to cover in track editing...there are many methods also.....you need to try many things...i find you have to use a lot off imagination & comprimise as 3d editor has limits to what you may want to do....i made my circuit rousseau track as a first attempt at building a stable track...the method for building this i don't use myself all the time now...it could be a good way for you to start though...look in the files page for my guide to how i built this track.....the method i used here was displace objects not delete them.....this has pros & cons to it.....once you find how to do things..try to improve it..
"this is the best way e.t.c" may not suit you....people always say this when they prefer a way of doing things....

first & most important build your dat file slowly & correctly...this is the most important part of the track.....you will find later the graphical side is secondry....as i said my guide to the building of my track was (A) way...
there are other ways now...but as i was learning at the time,it gave me my first track using this build method.....this may help you with some of the beginners issues also.......stick with it....theres nothing better than having your own track in your favourite f1 sim......

[www.gp4trackeditingtutorials.zoomshare.com]

Hi Jim,
any news about your shadows for Istanbul?

Cheers!

Thank you guys, for your helpful advice. I look forward to read zeppelins new guide.
In the meantime I will try to learn the basics.
I just figured out the coordinate system and made a blank, empty space wad-file and dat-file. It seems like 0 degree direction follows the y-axis, so I will think of this as north. And 90 degree is along the x-axis. Once I have the directions right and have the first two sectors in place things will feel much less confusing.

I have got a very good map and data for the new Fuji-circuit, so I plan to try and make a dat-file using this as a template. But first, I must try to make a small testcircuit so I know I can do the basics right. I think making the track itself is the most fun part, so I will follow your advice and do it slow and steady.

sorry martin...i've been pre occupied with finishing the graphics on something else that has taken longer than i thought..i will try to have something for you in the next coulpe of days....

No problem, if you haven't much time left you can send me the work you have done until now and I will continue it. I suppose this would be the best.

I have a very newb question, which I hope only requires a simple answer.

How do I change a run off area from gravel to tarmac, I've updated the textures, just when I run off in game, it still responds like gravel, even though it is tarmac.
the word .col file comes to mind, could be wrong, but what do I edit and what do I edit it with to change it to tarmac.

Thanks

^

i want to know that too, plan putting one or two sandtraps in my track. i've read somewhere that you need to create an object for it but not sure as i don't think it makes much sense, surely objects are more for the cosmetic stuff around the track?

@Darcy:

Open .col file. Select gravels areas and find right face(s) and change behaviour to tarmac.

Thanks, I've got it now

Damn, the track I'm working on now is crashing before weather screen. The only clue I've got on what could possibly be wrong is the CC-line but i've tried deleting it (apart from initial sec and section 0) and it still crashes. Isn't it supposed to load that way?

Maybe someone more experienced could take a quick look at the .dat and see if there's anything else wrong.. I'd really appreciate it.

[rapidshare.de]

edit: sorry, had posted wrong version of the track



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2006 11:54AM by paranoik0.

@ paranoik0..

the problem with your dat file is the flags.....
you have placed the pitlane fences begin flag ,,before the speed limiter on flag...

position this & the dat file loads ok....

also..why so many jip mapping commands??????

[rapidshare.de]






Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2006 09:27PM by jimbob1.

It works now, excellent! Thanks a lot for the tip, it was an obvious mistake but somehow I missed it.

As for jip mapping.. ehh, no reason. Must have added them by accident and copied to every sector, I guess deleting them all for now will do no harm.

Belini!

I didn't found the post you told. But that fuel consumption solved too many problems. Now I have another way to control the lap time (I had to do that controlling fly wheel inertia, and you cannot imagine that poor effects it causes).

Thank you, but I still want to look at the GP3 thread.!!

@paranoik0: hi mate, your track has such interesting elevations!


Cheers!

Hi to all :D
My adventure in track editing is going and now i'm in graphical development.
But i've a problem.. Maybe you can help me :P
When I cross the starting/finish line some object disappear (a 100mt advert,2 yellow gates and tyres in the end of run-off area).
I tried chanching tex from TX1 to TX5, changing the level of trasparence but this problem is evenv present...
Maybe you know how to resolve it :D
Let me know boys :P
Byes!!

@32BOBO32: Hi too
Did you set a correct clipping distance (red circle) ?
by the way, it's DXT1 to 5, DXT for DirectX Texture.

Not, to be honest i don't know what clipping distance effect has :P
Now i'll try to discover :D
Thanks a lot Laurent !

Ok, the gates now are visible, i've change clipping dispance from 600 to 1000 and now works :D
But the tyres not
Can someone explain me (or say if there is a tutorialreference for this clipping distance?) Thanks a lot!