The Ultimate Track Editing Guide V1

Jimbob1 thank´s!!!

Célio Jr. - Rio Verde - Goiás - Brasil

I decided to try my hand at track editing. I am just begining to learn to use GP4 Builder 1.02. I decided to make Mosport as my first attempt. I got the track sections in, using much of the GP3 track data. When I entered the final track section, it overlaps the starting section slightly. The major problem is it is offset to the left about half the track width.

How do I get it to line up correctly? I tried removing track sections, that did not change anything. That only appeared to lengthen or increase a track section before the section I was attempting to remove. I also wanted to go to seperate track sections and re-edit the section curve angle and radius. Could not find a way to open the track section box to edit these values, thinking maybe changing some of the section angles/radius might help move the front straight to line up more correctly. Running the TV view and cam view work fine.

Also on first track section (initial/section 0) the area to the left of the first section of track the area does not line up with the space between the track edge and the rail. How do I get that to disappear? Any help from anyone would be helpful. Hope I do not have to use trial and error by starting over many times to get the straight begining and ending sections to line up if there is not any way to edit a track section radisu/angels. I have been working with zeppelin101's Ultimate Track guide which I have been studying and taking step by step. Only on the creating sections and varges right now.

Richard J

Hi RichardJ,
on welcome to track editing
I will try to answer your questions point by point this time as it's your first time with GP4 Builder / GP4 track editing:

>>it overlaps the starting section slightly
That's normal, if you check an original GP4 file, you will see all the tracks have their latest section that is overlapping very first one. In general, when you wonder is something might be done a specific way, check an original track and you will get the solution.

>>The major problem is it is offset to the left about half the track width
I assume you built all your .dat track and that at end, beginning and final lanes are not aligned, that's a usual case. It's due to some imprecisions in the way you built track and thus at the end, a little degree more in that curb, a little meter more longuer this straigth and you end with half a track width offset...
You can't do much than deleting last sectors (usualy last curve and last straight) and rebuild it by test and trial up to the best alignement you can do.
As GP4 sectors are no more sections (groups of sectors) as in GP3, you can't edit any curve back in the track and have all the end of the track that line up with your changes (in fact, it's in the todo list but it needs some work on my side and proabably to create a new file format specific to GP4 Builder, to save your changes, but it's definitely a work that needs some studies).
So if you need to change a curve anywhere in the track, you will also need to rebuild the whole end of the track, I'm sorry.
Anyway, I'm sure you noted you can create multiple sectors at once to create perfect curves or straights.

>>Also on first track section (initial/section 0) the area to the left of the first section of track the area does not line up with the space between the track edge and the rail.
Hmm, i don't get what you mean exactly here, can you show any screenshot to illustrate this ?

Lo2K, thanks for the input. Looks like trial and error. Some of the curve sections have different angle and arcs through out the curve, like for 3 or 4 sections. I may not have changed those as I created the curve sections. Will have to go back and start with the curve where some sections change angle/arc and work back to end of track as you suggested. Being able to remove a section or part of one would have been much easier, along with being able to edit the curved sections angle/arcs.

When I started the track, I had trouble with the first section. I do not know if it is the initial section, or section 0. The area on the left next to that track section is not parallel to the section. It goes out to the left from the front corner, then angles back to met the area between the track left edge to where the bank matches the second section, forming a triangle. If you can tell me how to capture the track sections in question, I can post it, or send you the current track dat.

Richard J

>>Being able to remove a section or part of one would have been much easier, along with being able to edit the curved sections angle/arcs.
As told in my post above, this can't be done without a recognition algorythm that will group sectors having the same angle/radius. It's not impossible but I didn't do it yet.

>>If you can tell me how to capture the track sections in question, I can post it, or send you the current track dat.
Simple, in GP4 Builder, go to Tools menu, Capture 3D View, select with or without GUI and here you have your screen.
But you can also send me your .dat, it will maybe be easier if you don't know how to upload a screen.





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/09/2007 12:46PM by Lo2k.

I have a problem: I always make alterations in my tracks, as new marshall, photographers, ambulances. But when it rains, the lights of jettison and all the new objects, appear in double, as they were a consequence... I tried to create a consequence, multiplied the archive, red-position and changed the nomenclature for REFLECT, but naum advanced... What I must make? Debtor one more time... Or either, as to create a consequence for a new object of track? Grateful

AYRTON SENNA FOREVER!

@Richard J: You're right. There's a little mistake in GP4Builder and you can't edit initial sector verge and bank width from the summed track sector description.
So what you need to do is to double click Track0 sector to enter the command level.
Notice both F4 and F5 commands having a side value to left (-32768) and replace all F4 values with F5 ones.
You can do the same for right commands but it seems ok, right now.

Laurent, is it possible when creating kerbs they also follow the vergs and banks if they are highered or lowered?

With my Zandvoort 1967 track much sections the vergs and banks are far from flat, when creating kerbs they are under the surface of the vergs and banks.

To get the kerbs visible i must raise manually the values of the kerbs, very slow job.


Thanks in advance and cheers

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My Grand Prix 4 Files
I'm a total dick. How many people can say that?

I'm sure it will sound dumb but if kerbs are below verge, you might need to create them higher...because even if I were creating visual kerbs following verge inclination, in-game physical kerbs won't.
Or did I missunderstand something ?

maybe a small picture would help (I tested 0.6 version but there's no kerbs yet).





Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2007 06:27PM by Lo2k.

This is what i mean Laurent, hopefully it's clear enough now:

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My Grand Prix 4 Files
I'm a total dick. How many people can say that?

Yep, it's clear enough that you need to create higher physical kerbs, else you will never feel them in game (I will conduct some tests to be sure anyway).





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2007 07:42PM by Lo2k.

In your case, you also have another solution :
shape verge to match your kerbs (you can't change verge height directly in sector's properties but you can change it through verge commands) and enable kerbs feeling in these sectors.
I tried it for your 1st curve internal kerbs and it works great.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/10/2007 07:41PM by Lo2k.

Thanks Laurent for the tip, strangely i had also that kind of idea to have verges as kerbs and acting like kerbs, but i didn't test it yet.

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My Grand Prix 4 Files
I'm a total dick. How many people can say that?

Guys, I need to put the "shell" logo on the Interlagos "senna's S" like the picture...... but some part are undergound..... I a noob on track edition.... can anyone help me?



p.s: I made a 1994 Interlagos.

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