T3ED Updates (NFS4 Track Editor) by JimDiabolo

[Zalcus20]

nfsfan83, I use the latest version of T3ED on a virtual machine running windows XP SP3 with no problems.  So it should work for you. 

Quote from: Nappe1
- First one is 0-255 AI Speed. (one entry per 2 nodes. in case of odd number of nodes, the amount of entries is rounded upwards.)
- Second one is 0-255 AI lane selection (one entry per node. values must be multiples of 16. not exactly known how it works, most likely has something to do with VRoad Bitmap in track file.)
- Third one is float value describing something. (it looks like to be exact fastest driving line, but corresponding with second section.)]

Quote from JimDiabolo: "AI lane selection" could be a better naming for the "prejection". (Can't remeber from where I got it.) Values with multiples of 16 seems to be right. I have never seen others.

Very intriguing. Never noticed that the numbers in the "AI lane selection" were all multiples of 16 and I honestly never paid attention to the float values. 

Got a quick question for you, JimDiabolo: Is it possible to adjust the AI traffic lanes' distance (width) like how we do with virtual road width in T3ed?  Doing this would make it possible to create divided highways and maybe we can fix the issue with the Autobahn 3 track from the expansion pack.

[JimDiabolo]

Got a quick question for you, JimDiabolo: Is it possible to adjust the AI traffic lanes' distance (width) like how we do with virtual road width in T3ed?  Doing this would make it possible to create divided highways and maybe we can fix the issue with the Autobahn 3 track from the expansion pack.

I had already though about, if the lanes also need to be adjusted. I haven't come up with a good method so far.
I can first make it manually customizable.

[Zalcus20]

I can first make it manually customizable.

That might be the best way to go.  I confess that I only use the manual adjustment method for the "adjust road width" tool. 

[JimDiabolo]

Another T3ed update (4.2.0.321). I improved the ray tracer again.
Hard separations arose between shaded and unshaded surfaces. This happens when different objects are right next to each other. "Dolphin Cove" has many such spots. (T3ed_4.2.0 DC Objects.png)
At the overlaps it looks like it is a point, but T3ed has two in memory. It can happen that for the first shadow and for the second none was calculated. I don't understand why.
Now there is the option that shadows are selected for very close points with different values. (T3ed_4.2.0 (321).png)
I like it much better.

AI traffic lanes will come next, I wanted to finish this first.

[Zalcus20]

I noticed those shadow issues on Redrock Outback V2.  Didn't know they could be fixed.  NFS4 was really ahead of its time.  You have a very good eye for detail. 

With all the updates for T3ed, I feel motivated to try my hands at building a new track. 

Also, looking forward for the AI traffic lanes update. Thanks for looking into these, JimDiabolo!

[JimDiabolo]

Sometimes when I convert to global objects, T3ed crashes for me as well.  When this happens, I change the block that the object belongs to (make sure automatic object membership is unchecked) and try again.  Usually works.  Be sure to make several backups when converting a large amount of objects to global.  Many crashes happened when improving Redrock Outback and this saved me every time! 

I just fixed a bug that occurs when converting objects. It happened when the object didn't belong to the trackblock which is the closest. Redrock Outback (V1) was a good sample to test. Please try out T3ed 4.2.0 (322).

AI traffic lanes update is next on my list.

[WiLL]

Thanks for your update JimD )  I just needed ask you, why? In most the Nfs'2 see Converted tracks, Why is the Texture's of the track all messed around, in T3 in the View window, is there anyway,that can be fixed at all.
I don't remember asking you this ever. Really is hard on me... To do things when like this. Have a good weekend too )

[JimDiabolo]

Got a quick question for you, JimDiabolo: Is it possible to adjust the AI traffic lanes' distance (width) like how we do with virtual road width in T3ed?  Doing this would make it possible to create divided highways and maybe we can fix the issue with the Autobahn 3 track from the expansion pack.

I had already though about, if the lanes also need to be adjusted. I haven't come up with a good method so far.
I can first make it manually customizable.

I thought I could use the old unused code that was in t3ed. But now I know why it wasn’t implemented. It simply doesn’t work. The lanes are completely different to the VRoad edges. I’m still not sure about it, but I found a way to resize the lanes. You have to try if it has the wanted effect on the game.
Here is my first version T3ED Dev4.2.0.323 with VRoad lane manipulation.

[Zalcus20]

Thank you, JimDiabolo! This looks very promising.  I will test this out and share my results with you ASAP. 

BTW, with your previous T3ed update, the conversion to global object works perfectly on my end. I no longer experience random crashes when converting multiple objects.

Excellent work as always! 

[JimDiabolo]

BTW, with your previous T3ed update, the conversion to global object works perfectly on my end. I no longer experience random crashes when converting multiple objects.

I would agree. 4.2.0.322 ist the most stable version, since I started to work on T3ED. I'm pretty sure 323 is as good. But if anyone finds a bug, that can be reproduced I would try to fix it.

[Zalcus20]

The Vroad manipulation works fine when decreasing the Vroad lanes' width. However when trying to increase the Vroad lanes' width, t3ed seems to slightly rotate/move the width nodes and sometimes it doesn't make any changes. Am I doing something wrong? The attached images will show what I mean...

I tried several values to increase the width ranging from 101% to max, which is 500%, but each time I got the same result.

Like I said before, when decreasing the width using values between 10%-100%, it works perfect.   

[JimDiabolo]

I think the lane width isn’t part of the virtual road. Maybe it is part of the track block. It’s seems that the value I integrated in T3ED only shows the percentage that is used. If it’s more than 100 percent, it messes up the view.

[Paul Spain]

Could this tool be used to make faster OVAL shaped tracks? I have ideas for fast Hot Pursuit friendly tracks vs all those twisty jumpy things floating about, There are very few oval tracks and I plan to change that .

[JimDiabolo]

Could this tool be used to make faster OVAL shaped tracks? I have ideas for fast Hot Pursuit friendly tracks vs all those twisty jumpy things floating about, There are very few oval tracks and I plan to change that .

If you use "Whole Track -> Erase all -> Track Shape (XY)" you can turn every track into a circle. It could be modified to get an oval form.

Here is another try to change the lanes. It seems that the width is related to the number of lane (light green) polygons. It is stored in some “hs_extra” data I completely ignored till now. You now can set the number left and right from road middle. Hopefully T3ED Dev4.2.0.326 works better.

[Zalcus20]

T3ED Dev4.2.0.326 is definitely an improvement. After running a couple tests, I can safely say the lane width changing tool works great.  This will definitely prove helpful when fixing nfsfan83's city tracks where the lanes fall outside the track mesh. 

On a side note, it seems that when creating divided highways, the lane changing tool only affects ai traffic and uncommitted ai cops. On Autobahn 3 track when using the tool to improve its divided highway, they were driving better, not crashing into the center guardrail.  However, ai racers were not affected (they still smash into the guardrail).  I think this is where editing the speed files will come in handy. 

Currently, I am working on a new track for HS.  I will try to implement a short divided highway segment into it.  Will let you know how it goes.