TChapman500
I think it will be about a year before the first beta version becomes available. My target audience for this thread is to the potential end user.
I don't know where to begin deciphering the GMT file. One thing's for sure though. If I cannot decipher the GMT file, then any hope of this editor being able to make rFactor tracks is lost.
However if you all three worked together you might produce the best track designing tool ever made to be the reference platform for modders.
That program already exist, its called 3D Max.![]()
I don't know where to begin deciphering the GMT file. One thing's for sure though. If I cannot decipher the GMT file, then any hope of this editor being able to make rFactor tracks is lost.
I didn't find the smiley funny. I was being serious and your reply was provocative. You are an expert in 3Dsmax and your great tutorials prove so. If someone takes the care to go throughout the different forums he will clearly see two trends. Already expert 3dsmax users that claim that the tool is perfect. People that think that a BTB type tool but more powerful to cover the numerous gaps being left in BTB.Man I even put a smiley face. lol
2k3 already has a editor that is specifically for the game. My guess if you dig in to the files to close you would get a knock on your door from the IR lawyers. They have done it before. BTB is decent but has issues. Mario and Traveler both are using 3d programs that exist and are creating plugins. Traveler hasn't released anything while Mario is basically creating a menu system to help simplify max to a point (never used to it just assuming from photos). With Chaps prog, BTB, and even Sandbox's issue is you are still going to need to make the additional objects in another program. Sketchup? Complete garbage for what we are doing. Simed? Not really an option to create content. I feel Max (which is an industry standard and used to make most if not all content from ISI for rF1 and rF2) is the only available product that can create the content, edit, texture, and export straight to rF. Plus, you can use it to create the 3do objects for 2k3 (which Ive done as well). I hope Chaps program works out but for me I cant beat just working in 1 program for all my modeling needs.
"I'm not sure how well "working together" would go. Modding politics anyone?" I would 100% agree with your comment. Dave and Piddy both charge for their product so I seriously doubt you would obtain much if any info from them. Have you contacted Tim or anyone else within ISI for help or at least a point in the right direction?
I'm not sure if this qualifies as being "pointed at the second group" because I'm a Sandbox user and I'm basing the track editor off of Sandbox, and not BTB....two trends. Already expert 3dsmax users that claim that the tool is perfect. People that think that a BTB type tool but more powerful to cover the numerous gaps being left in BTB.
I guess this thread is pointed at the second group.
I'm not sure if this qualifies as being "pointed at the second group" because I'm a Sandbox user and I'm basing the track editor off of Sandbox, and not BTB.
Does it count if you replace the "BTB" part of that statement with "Sandbox" (the NR2003 track editor)? Because what I'm doing is pretty much making a much more powerful Sandbox track editor that can also make rFactor 1 and rFactor 2 tracks.People that think that a BTB type tool but more powerful to cover the numerous gaps being left in BTB.
Okay, I got some help from Traveller on the topic of deciphering GMT files.
@SPASKIS
You said
Does it count if you replace the "BTB" part of that statement with "Sandbox" (the NR2003 track editor)? Because what I'm doing is pretty much making a much more powerful Sandbox track editor that can also make rFactor 1 and rFactor 2 tracks.
I have just made a breakthrough in the development of this track editor. Progress has taken-off like a rocket!
How true. It's also better than losing 250 gb off of hard drive capacity, which is what I discovered when I tried to transfer the project back to a recently reformatted hard drive.That's the best kind of crisis, losing data is the worst!
Great news. Mas files aren't so important. They only need to be made at the end, and there are existing tools for that.For the ISI simulators, I understand a good portion of the GMT file from rFactor 1...I also know a good portion of the PTF file and all of the LP file.
Neither are DAT files (NR2003). But it would still be nice to know them. I just don't have to learn them right away.Great news. Mas files aren't so important. They only need to be made at the end, and there are existing tools for that.
I was thinking along similar lines, except that each game-supplied track would be its own texture/object pack as well as whatever directory was referenced by all tracks. While at the same time, allowing users to put their own, track-specific textures/objects. The editor would do all of the hard work of making sure that they don't get confused with each other.Another useful feature would be to have a central place where materials and 3d objects are stored, while also allowing modified versions to be stored in the project's directory, which would take priority.
This track editor will be designed to be able to open projects with missing textures/objects, as well as being useful as a track debugger if a track fails to load in-game.In BTB some errors can make it impossible to load a project, so it would be wise to think about how your program will deal with problems like that. For example, if a material cannot be loaded for whatever reason, use a brightly coloured placeholder instead, along with something to show the user where it is being used.
I've added this request to the list in the first post. Request accepted.It would also be nice to allow the user to modify clip planes. People who make large tracks will like this, and if the distances can be reduced it will make it easy to work with the track in side view without other sections getting in the way.