Steps to modify the AIW?

Discussion in 'Track Modding' started by fsuarez79, Nov 14, 2017.

  1. fsuarez79

    fsuarez79 Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    Messages:
    544
    Likes Received:
    582
    Anyone kind enough to do a quick step by step explanation on how to modify the AIW in a mod? Cars keep crashing after the chicane in Watkins Glen and I wanna give it a try for my personal use but don't know where to start.
    I believe it's a similar process as in AC (drive on track and create a racing line) but with this whole package system I'm kinda lost on how to even load the track to make sure I can edit and save the new line.
    I found a PDF by ISI but I don't think it's very clear either.
    Thanks
     
    ceecee likes this.
  2. SPASKIS

    SPASKIS Registered

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,155
    Likes Received:
    1,426
    I'll do my best.
    1. You should first extract the component to dev mode. There was a tool that automatically did this job but it was decided to remove it from the forum due to secondary uses. To do it manually you have to extract all files contained in "mas" files. You will find them under rF2/installed/locations/track_name/track_version. You will have to place those files in the precise folder structure under rF2/devmode/locations. For the folder structure check my tutorial about converting tracks using 3dsimed.

    2. Start rF2 in dev mode. Here starts the first problem. Unless you feel capable of driving a clean and good lap with the horrible default car included in dev mode, you will have to extract the car you want to use into devmode. Again Noel's tool would help in this. All I can say is that you should try to reproduce the folder being used for the default car.

    3. Once you are in dev mode, go to the track and select AIW editor in the menu overlay. You should navigate through the menu until you find the option to create a new fast line. Once you find it, start driving laps. Every time you beat the time that lap will be saved as the new fast line. Beware to try to pass finish line always at the same point and pointing in the same direction. There is an option to automatically smooth discontinuities here if I am not wrong. Once you are done save the AIW file. There is an option for doing it but in any case it will prompt for the question when exiting dev mode.

    4. With the new AIW (the old one is saved with another name I can't remember) you will have to repack the track. This is quite easy to do since you only need to rebuild the mas file containing the AIW file. Creating the new component with mas2.exe is quite easy to do. You can use the tutorial for this part as well.

    I hope it helps despite not being very accurate in the explanations. You might have to find several things by yourself but that's the way rfactor modding is learnt. Google is your best friend.
     
  3. toebee

    toebee Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2010
    Messages:
    380
    Likes Received:
    390
    Nevermind Spaskis beat me to it :)
    Since you are trying to mod an existing track the first thing you need to do is extract the contents into DevMode. Once you have it working there you can use the built in editor, and follow the instructions for fast path creation.
     
  4. fsuarez79

    fsuarez79 Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    Messages:
    544
    Likes Received:
    582
    Thanks @SPASKIS I actually found your video in youtube about Extract.exe and how to get a track into devmode, I guess that's the tool you're referring to. I already have it installed tho I haven't actually used it. Your video looks pretty straight forward so I suppose it shouldn't be too hard.
    The clean lap part I'll eventually get it done, even if I have to do a hundred laps. :D
    The process of creating a new mas and repackaging is something I've never done so I'm not sure about that part, hopefully I'll figure it out.
    Thanks a lot.

    Thanks. That's the pdf I was referring to but I found it a bit overwhelming, It probably isn't as hard as I thought as I only plan on modifying the racing line...I'm not messing with anything else.
    Cheers
     
  5. ceecee

    ceecee Registered

    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2012
    Messages:
    691
    Likes Received:
    286
    fsuarez79, when I needed to adjust a DRS zone and needed the distance, someone mentioned installing the track and then copying it from the Installed folder into the DevMod folder to open it.
    It worked for me.
     
  6. fsuarez79

    fsuarez79 Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    Messages:
    544
    Likes Received:
    582
    Thanks. That sounds easy enough, I'll give it a try
     
  7. MarcG

    MarcG Registered

    Joined:
    Oct 4, 2010
    Messages:
    6,854
    Likes Received:
    2,234
    I will just add that Yes if you're not used to Editing then that PDF can be a bit hard to grasp at first, but once you've read through it a couple of times and followed it through in Dev Mode it does become much clearer and offers hints & tips on how to do a Fast lap properly (i.e. warm the tires up for starters!). It's also well worth persevering as you can then adjust other little annoyances in some tracks AIW, even the slightest Corridor Movement can help the AI massively at a particular corner for example. But of course if you're only adjusting one Fast path on one track then just read that section :)
     
    fsuarez79 likes this.
  8. fsuarez79

    fsuarez79 Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    Messages:
    544
    Likes Received:
    582
    Well my first attempt was a fail sadly.
    I was able to load the track properly but for whatever reason the game didn't detect my wheel on dev mode. And even after going on track nothing worked...the wheel, the mouse or the keyboard.
    Might give it another try tomorrow. Not sure why it didn't detect my wheel as it worked fine on single player but i didn't spend much time trying to figure it out.
     
  9. Bernd

    Bernd Registered

    Joined:
    Jul 9, 2013
    Messages:
    1,509
    Likes Received:
    755
    Unfortunately the aiw editor currently is useless for some things, because the waypoints don't show up in the 1109 build with the id 2222008.
    I hope this will be fixed as soon as possible, especially because it happened in a former build and was fixed already.
     
    fsuarez79 likes this.
  10. fsuarez79

    fsuarez79 Registered

    Joined:
    Nov 23, 2016
    Messages:
    544
    Likes Received:
    582
    Just came here to say I was successful in modifying the AIW in my first 2 tracks, so I'm a very happy racer now.
    The pdf ended up not being as overwhelming as I initially thought, in fact it was very helpful.
    Thanks for your help guys
     
    MarcG, Emery, toebee and 1 other person like this.

Share This Page