Clean Timing 1.0 - UI element that removes clutter and helps you beat your lap time

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Jameswesty, Feb 8, 2012.

  1. Jameswesty

    Jameswesty Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    14
    View attachment 1074

    http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/1905/cleantiming10smallex.jpg ( better quality than above)

    ISI please Please implement this

    If not are there any coders out there that can make this for RF2 ? the only real issue I foresee is that I don't think RF2 stores the players PB time for that track outside of the session. I also don't know how RF handles UI elements.

    This is the txt from the image in case some people have issue seeing it ( I would not normally do this sort of thing as an image but I wanted to make it clear and simple for a forum post =)

    Benefits over the default Timing display

    1) The player can glance up to the top of the screen and see all timing information Immediately.
    2) Improving on lap times becomes more rewarding as the player can now see there all time track PB as well as current event PB.

    3) No more flicking through the UI to see your lap time or the gap between you and the next car.
    4) the players All time Track PB is displayed.
    5) The player can see there position and laps remaining allowing for a more minimal and clean design of Other UI elements like the rev counter and spedo.

    6) players that like a minimal GUI free dash can remove everything but still have clear information to hand at the top of the screen offering a good compromise and helping the player stay immersed.
    7) the positioning and the use of colour for sector times allows a player to know they are on a good sector from there peripheral vision helping them focus on the track.
    8) Variable font size is used allowing the user to glance at the relevant information to them.

    UI items in order left to right

    1 ) Current lap 2) Place 3) Your all time Track personal best 4) Your Personal best in this race 5) Last lap time
    6) Current lap counting up 7) Sector 1 8) sector 2 9) sector 3 10) Car in front gap 11) car behind Gap
     
  2. Nibo

    Nibo Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2010
    Messages:
    2,251
    Likes Received:
    965
    Great idea! Add my voice to this request.
     
  3. privatebrian

    privatebrian Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2012
    Messages:
    598
    Likes Received:
    12
    +1 Good idea mate!
     
  4. Jameswesty

    Jameswesty Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    14
    http://img810.imageshack.us/img810/8482/cleantimeopen.jpg

    This is how it would look with Open top car ( Drop shadows might be an issue with RF2 if that's the case then I would go for ether just a plane black BG behind the txt with 60% alpha or so or have each cluster of timing info have its own black back drop with bevelled edges. )
     
  5. Gjon Camaj

    Gjon Camaj Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2010
    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    24
    yea, any plugin developers that want to implement this? :)
     
  6. Jameswesty

    Jameswesty Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    14
    Thanks for taking the time to reply !

    I know some league racers that would really like to see a timer set up that shows the time difference in Real time as well as each sector set point . Its hard to explain but you can see it in on real world f1 cars, and in games like Ferrari Virtual Academy.

    Can this be supported within RF2 ? If so I would like to add that to my design for the timing display.
     
  7. TJones

    TJones Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    1,074
    Likes Received:
    257
    I like it, small, simple, and good.
     
  8. DRat

    DRat Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 27, 2011
    Messages:
    25
    Likes Received:
    0
    Great idea!

    Small, simple, font large and clear, selectable information, not intrusive on driving field of view, selectable placement on screen. Coding of display via color and perhaps flash rate (none/slow/fast) would be a good thing, too, for relative split times / lap times / gaps.

    Make it much simpler than Pribluda in GPL, which requires a significant amount of time looking away from the track to "read" the info.

    Otherwise, with my old eyes and wearing bifocals (like many OT's), I won't use it much.
     
  9. Gjon Camaj

    Gjon Camaj Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2010
    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    24
    We need to find someone that can look at what is provided in the plugin and see if the data you are looking for can be created. If not, what else would need to be provided.

    Doing this as a plugin is important as different series have their own requirements.
     
  10. estravagancia

    estravagancia Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2012
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    +1 Good idea. I like it, simple and and not intrusive : )
     
  11. Domi

    Domi Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2011
    Messages:
    747
    Likes Received:
    44
    That's called Delta Time. It works in iRacing F1 too, you can see it on the steering wheel.

    Edit: And other cars too pressing some button:

     
  12. Jameswesty

    Jameswesty Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    14
    Thanks Domi that's what I meant :) Could not remember the word. ( although it seems to be the case that delta and sector might just be interchangeable terms and the fact that its displayed in real time is the key aspect )

    Ideally the sector time would display the sector + or - in real time and when you finish the sector it then shows the end result for that sector , Its colour would obviously be red or green depending on + or -
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 8, 2012
  13. jerrymcc

    jerrymcc Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    160
    Likes Received:
    35
    It's basically already been done. Fazerbox's GID for rF1 and beta Trackmap for rF2 posts this info and much more. Right now it tracks your lap and gives you green or red at each sector. It even gives you green/red if you are faster than your last 3 lap ave. and if you are gaining or losing to cars around you in a race.

    The only thing it doesn't do is track up/down in realtime, only does it at sectors. That could probably be included if someone wanted.

    I'm a little surprised no one, especially ISI, know about this, lol.

    Wouldn't some of these things be better if hardcoded into rF2? Some complain about fps drop when using plugins.
     
  14. Jameswesty

    Jameswesty Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    533
    Likes Received:
    14
    The two examples you give are to cluttered and of messy design.

    The functionality of what I was proposing is nothing new or original Its just about displaying it clearly in a way that's not obtrusive.
     
  15. Stephane Rouault

    Stephane Rouault Registered

    Joined:
    Dec 23, 2011
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    9
    Gjon, is there an interface for the plugin now, to create your own graphics overlay in the game ? I know before with rF1 it was quite difficult, you either had to use directdraw overlay(too old, and not supported by all cards) or a proxy dll to manage this.

    If the new plugin framework provides a way to create a graphical overlay to the game, then what you are describing, jameswesty, can be done with a plugin.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 8, 2012
  16. jerrymcc

    jerrymcc Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    160
    Likes Received:
    35
    OK, however you can turn everything off except the box with the info you want, and move it anywhere on the screen as well.
     
  17. hiohaa

    hiohaa Registered

    Joined:
    Apr 30, 2011
    Messages:
    135
    Likes Received:
    6
    will you be willing to pay these plugin developers to improve your game?
     
  18. Foxtrot

    Foxtrot Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 2, 2011
    Messages:
    224
    Likes Received:
    33
    Is it really that hard to understand modding is a hobby. If a guy making a plugin should get paid to do so, then I guess all the track and car builders should as well. Yea having to buy every addon would make rFactor great ...
    I don't even see this as an improvement. I'd hate to see ISI spend time developing a plugin like this while they have so much more left to do.
     
  19. Gjon Camaj

    Gjon Camaj Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2010
    Messages:
    237
    Likes Received:
    24
    If they are working for me on what I need, then yes. If they are working for you or someone else here, that's up to you guys.
     
  20. Birddogg66

    Birddogg66 Registered

    Joined:
    May 5, 2011
    Messages:
    58
    Likes Received:
    0
    The issue with mods being free is licensing and or lack of with branded materials. ISI made a major statement to the sim racing world that the shoe is on the wrong foot when it comes to licensing and major corporations having their hand out in the faces of small business owners!! Don't you just love America?
     

Share This Page