Modding Handbook - rFactor2

Discussion in 'Modding' started by FuNK!, Apr 13, 2022.

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Would you be interested in a "Modding Handbook - rFactor2"?

Poll closed Jul 13, 2022.
  1. Yes, and I may also contribute too!

    27.5%
  2. Yes!

    72.5%
  3. Undecided, maybe I will use it.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  4. Undecided, but likely not interested.

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  5. No, not interested at all!

    0 vote(s)
    0.0%
  1. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    The "Modding Handbook - rFactor2" is an ongoing project to document and provide assistance in the modding of rFactor2. In the Modding Handbook the creation of new vehicles and locations are the main topics. But there is also legacy documentation on the modding of rFactor1 (that can be helpful for modding games that used or use the same engine, e.g., AMS) and some information on software as well as modding resources.

    The project is open for all, with the source being available on Github. Everyone is invited to participate, e.g., posting issues or feature requests.

    Preview
    [​IMG]

    Links
    Project & Source on Github
    HTML Build on Tirewall.net

    As the title already indicates, my question to you is: Would anyone be interested in a "Modding Handbook - rFactor2"?

    We have the official documents and a lot of different other resources (forum posts, tutorials) but I was always struggling to find what I was searching for, or what I finally found was not sufficiently answering my questions. So in the end I found myself collecting all the stuff into one collection and editing everything to be more consistent and accessible (sorted, searchable, standard structure, etc.). I was really doing this for my own in first place, and I will definitely continue if the development of rF2 won't kill my motivation some day, cough. However, I was wondering whether other modders or future modders would be interested in something like a modding handbook!? I was also wondering if opening this for others to contribute (e.g., via git repo) would make sense!? To hopefully find an answer on these questions, I start this thread and a little poll.

    Here is a sneak peak of what my handbook currently looks like (of course very much WIP and subject to change):
    (moved)

    Looking forward to your answers and responses! Of course, if anyone is interested in the details of what the handbook already includes and will include as it progresses, please let me know.

    PS: The handbook will definitely not cover detailed tutorials for using 3D software or such. It will touch some basic things as needed, but that will be it. At max it may include a collection of available links/resources where further tutorials can be found.
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2022
    Thaichang, Barf, GPNeville and 6 others like this.
  2. philrob

    philrob Registered

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    Great idea, been needed for a long time.I see the same questions being asked today, as they were for RF1.
    so there is a definate need for a handbook, answering those questions and the newer RF2 more technical stuff.
     
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  3. Johnny Speed

    Johnny Speed Registered

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    Yes please! I have always been interested in learning how to mod, but have no clue about where to even begin. This would be a great addition to the community.
     
    FuNK! likes this.
  4. Mitch9

    Mitch9 Registered

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    Yes, scouring the forums to get a birds eye view of the modding process is probably the worst part and a big barrier to entry.

    The other problem is that some advice that gets posted around isnĀ“t always the best advice, at least not for all scenarios, so a platform that can have user contributions is also very welcome.
     
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  5. seamount

    seamount Registered

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    Yes for the handbook; may you please make it available as it is now ?
     
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  6. haunetal1990

    haunetal1990 Registered

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    Yes, with multilanguage haha
    maybe you can find a human for spanish.
    If you need help i found some interest things for blender modding
     
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  7. Woodee

    Woodee Registered

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    yashiman, seamount and FuNK! like this.
  8. davehenrie

    davehenrie Registered

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    I'll offer to write the introduction.
    Modding is HARD. REALLY HARD. Be prepared to leave your wife, forget the names of your children, and deal with constant chatter from users asking if you are done yet. WELL? ARE you done yet?
     
  9. tuki

    tuki Registered

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    great idea
     
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  10. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    I would need to get some things sorted before. I guess I need to ask S397 first if I'm allowed to actually use the rF2 logo for it, and if they want me to place any additional disclaimer or license. Could have done that before but was uncertain whether the whole thing makes sense if the manual would stay private ;)
    Urgh! :confused::D Multilingual would probably be great for some, but likely 99% of the documentation and information available is in English only. Would be a tough job to translate everything, I'm afraid.
    Appreciate, thank you very much! Good resource! Of course, proper credit and source reference will be placed (as I do with everything in the WIP handbook already).
    Got me, I would read that handbook from start to finish, just to see how that story ends! :cool:
     
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  11. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    Quick update: Request sent and waiting for their reply. However, I would like to add that if I do not get their approval I will remove the logo and make sure that no original content is included before going public. Speaking of that, I will wait another week for their reply before publishing the handbook at the beginning of May ;)
     
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  12. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    I think it's time to go public. So please feel free to visit http://www.tirewall.net/mh-rf2/ and have a first look.

    Before you ask: Yes, it is veeeery much a WIP still. Don't expect to get all your modding questions answered yet. And no, there is currently no overview of "ToDo" items or future plans yet. Publication to GitHub will follow later to open up the Handbook for collaboration and better tracking of issues and suggestions or feature requests.

    For now, please feel free to let me know your feedback, comments, and questions here in the forum. Looking forward to that! :cool:
     
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  13. Great.

    rF2 - and a lot of other sims - are lacking documentation IMHO and I have spent hours to get familiar with doing my own skins for cars and to understand the handling of "alternative skin" and "team car skin", material manager and so on.

    ATM I am diving into the upgrade.ini, veh file and so on. And if it comes to dedicated server there is even less documentation about the parameters and options which could be set in default.rfm.

    Looking forward to see this work grow up :)
     
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  14. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    Quick follow-up here: I've changed the title of this thread and I finally moved my work into a GIT repository on github. Please feel free to create issues or feature requests there, and of course contribute to the content if you like. An updated HTML build of the handbook will follow at some point in the next weeks, one that can be downloaded from github and another one from the build on my website.
     
  15. FuNK!

    FuNK! Registered

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    FYI - Today @Marcel Offermans kindly added a brief instruction on how to install a local copy of the manual on a Windows PC. This should help more people to get involved :cool:
     
  16. Marcel Offermans

    Marcel Offermans Registered

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    Glad to help so if anyone has a question about how to contribute, let us know.
     
  17. Frederick Alonso

    Frederick Alonso Registered

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    I can add info about the dashboard displays or copy paste some info from my patreon blog. https://www.patreon.com/posts/51443274

    The page has been updated a few times and my list of dash elements do work fine. Hopefully one day we can add ABS and TC LEDs as well that can be used on the dashboard or LCD display.
     
    svictor, ebeninca, FuNK! and 3 others like this.
  18. ebeninca

    ebeninca Registered

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    Recently I learnt how to do track cameras on moddev, comparing with other things you guys does it's not a difficult thing to learn, but I felt the lack of documentation when I started to learn, so I can do a page on github explaining my methodology on cameditor.
     
  19. ebeninca

    ebeninca Registered

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    I noticed that you did an amazing job in the Cayman dash, better than most things we have in rFactor2 cars, even knowing the available data limitation, but it seems that the texts lacks some kind of anti-aliasing, is it a rFactor2 limitation?
     
    Last edited: Sep 16, 2022
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  20. Woodee

    Woodee Registered

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