Using ghost files to customize a race [NFS4]

[FranknFurter]

Folks, here's one odd fact I forgot to mention still concerning (perhaps) ghost files (or partly) ..

I have made some cars without a class using the Knockout truck's FEDATA files, I pasted them into the concerning car and edited the new FEDATA files with all the entries of that car.

What happens then is, that when I start a race or classic pursuit opponent(s) will also be chosen by random classes. NFS keeps this 'setting' (opponents = 'none', but with the previous chosen number of opponents) until a restart of NFS. This means, while still in the recent session I can choose another car, independent of what class, let's say 'AA', but NFS will still start a new race with opponent(s) of random class(es). So I manage to race perhaps a class 'AA' against randomly chosen opponents of all classes (B, A, AA, or AAA), and all mixed, of course.

This also interesting with Police cars since there will always be randomly chosen speeders of whatever class. (3rd & 4th pic) .. makes also sense since cops also never know what speeders there might be on the road today ..
Pic 4: 'Classless' Cop car, two speeders of different classes (here: 'A' and 'B' .. the Miata)

As said, NFS keeps this setting during the recent session or until you marker 'opponents', this forces you to choose either a class or particular opponent type of car (Same in NFSWizard, if you marker the class entry of the knockout truck you are now forced to choose a class - 'irreversible' option). As soon as you exit the game and restart, opponents then will be chosen of your last car's class you had driven.
(Or you recently choose a 'classless' car before exiting, then the 'setting' will be kept..)

Btw is there another way perhaps to edit FEDATA files except from NFSWizard (I mean without HEX editing ..)? This procedure of pasting all the entries into the transferred FEDATA from knockout truck is somewhat annoying..

Greetings
Frank

Attch: knockout truck's 'classless' 'irreversible option', 'no' opponents showing in menu ('all classes')

[MADMAN_nfs]

Cop cars without a class? Thats a good idea! Definitely will introduce that with my archive. Thanks for the hint.
Should be possible to delete the class via Hex editor.
Try to set value "FF" at positions 0382, 0383, 0384, 0385 of the Fedata file.

Seems to work for me, although i see a text instead of the class: "Keine Spiele verfügbar" (engl. "No games available")
Not sure where it reads this from. But game doesn't crash and opponents are randomized.

Greetings

edit: just saw in your screens that you got the same issue with the text ^^

[FranknFurter]

.. look it up in the text files (NFS\Data\Text\txt.ENG and so on) with NFSTexter ('NFS IV string editor'), you'll find any language specific text entries there. It also provides a search function (right click -> find)
Changed some with mine, too like: Instead of 'time over .. you've gotten away' (or whatever it is saying in English) to (in German): 'Nochmal davongekommen! Schwein gehabt!' or so ... real funny ..

[MADMAN_nfs]

Probably possible to delete (replace with spaces) that entry with the Texter. Or rename to "Pursuit" i guess.
The message seems to be important for multiplayer tho...or maybe not since everything works via IPLounge now...?

[FranknFurter]

The Texter just handles the txt. language files in the \Text folder, but I haven't tried out yet, good idea. I'll export the FEDATA and give it a try ...

[FranknFurter]

.. nope, doesn't work, even renamig the FEDATA files to txt.ENG or .GER. (see pic)

Ohh .. I see .. you were speaking of sth. completely different ... but the idea that evolved from that mistake was not too bad, could have worked

[FranknFurter]

.. btw: another advantage of a 'classless' car (as a racer) is that even if it is a 'B' or 'A' level car it will also be chased by the 'auxiliary' cop car or whatever those are called (Serial# 12,20,32 & 36)

.. damn I love those old cop cars .. 'the ripe stuff..'

[Remko]

Well, JP Racing doesn't exist anymore ...
Is that particular track somewhere still available? Guess I have to have a look into it ..

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/7403091/jpracingpowerpark.zip

[FranknFurter]

thanks Remko .. .. will have a look ..

[DrSpeed]

Been trying to get through the rest of the addresses between: 00001160-000011CF and made some progress. Pretty useless stuff honestly, but could be useful for some people. 

00001178 - Seems to be the upgrade level of your car (doesn't work outside of Career mode so I can't confirm yet).

0000118C = How will the driver turn the steering wheel? Affects tires as well. (0=Instant, 1=Smooth)

00001198 = Brake pedal mode (0=Brake, 1=Reverse)

000011C8 - I believe this is the "player number" it goes +1 for every player so I assume that's what it is.

000011CC - This is the driver ID for the AI (will not work for players). It will only change the skin and hair color (it's also possible that this address also sets the name, color and convertible mode for one specific AI, but I can't check that).
00 = Ace
15 = Muligan
2A = 1-2Beat
35 = Jammin (Green hair) 
47 = EOL (Max value)

I tested to delete all the addresses after 000018A8 and below. That made the ghost car appear at the starting line, half sunken into the ground and facing north. Still loads the race just fine.

[FranknFurter]

@DrSpeed:

0000118C = How will the driver turn the steering wheel? Affects tires as well. (0=Instant, 1=Smooth)

That particular fact sounds interesting somehow, does it also affect the driving behaviour or just the graphics? 'Smooth' could look a bit more realistic?
Asking since in Justin Martin's 'Carp Tutorial' a similar entry was described of which he assumed that it affects the Steering Wheel's behaviour as well as the Tires' deflection, but he didn't investigate that issue further I think.
Thanks for finding this out .. again ..

Greetings
Frank

[DrSpeed]

Default value is already at 1. 0 makes the turning animation skip to the last frame. I tested it with the La Niña and felt like I made much sharper turns with it.

[MADMAN_nfs]

Guess 0000118C is the switch for analog and digital steering. If you use the keyboard for steering, the game slowly turns the wheels of the car (smooth). If an analog controller (Joystick, Gamepad or Steering Wheel) is detected, the game will directly transform your input. The resulting ingame movement still seems smooth, because of the gradual motion of analog controllers.
But if you switch from analog controllers to keyboard ingame, the wheels will only change between the two positions: full lock and center position (also a warning message will state, that this isn't recommended)

[DrSpeed]

That makes more sense, thanks for the information.

[Zalcus20]

@DrSpeed and FranknFurter: Nice to see these interesting discoveries. Thank you for sharing! 


       I created another version of the GST Editor cheat table.  This one includes a few updates as well as a readme (please read it) to help users understand how to use the program. Apologies that I didn't include one before. Please let me know what you think.  I still haven't found the Getaway/Time Trap timer.  Oh well, hope you find GST Editor 2.0 helpful.