Information on steering wheel; Motec config?

Discussion in 'Car Modding' started by Navigator, Apr 24, 2017.

  1. Navigator

    Navigator Registered

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    Thanks, some more to play with! :)
     
  2. T1specialist

    T1specialist Registered

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    What is the problem? If you have a flat mesh like a quad then uvmapping is super simple:
    1. select your mesh in edit mode
    2. press u to uv unwrap it
    3. go to the uv/image editor view (bottom left corner there is a small square button for changing views)
    4. open your led background image (in the bottom center there is a button called "open")
    5. it is uvmapped now if your image just contains the led. If you need to move and resize then move it and scale it (select mesh and press g to move it, select mesh and press s to scale, r to rotate)
    6. On right side menu go the 8th tab which looks like a triangle (object data). There you see one sub menu called UV Maps. Double click the UVMap text and rename it to 0. Press the (+) icon to duplicate the uvmap and rename the new one as 1. Depending what shader you use you may need to add 2 and 3 as well.
    7. done

    You a also need to add material to the mesh. Next to the triangle thingy is a ball looking icon (Material). Go there with your mesh chosen and click the (+) button and the little bit lower there is a button called "New". Press that button. Now you have a material. For fbx export you don't even need to assign a texture there. Then just double click on the Material you created and rename it how you want it. Ready for export.
     
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  3. Navigator

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    Don't get me wrong, but from what you understand of this all, this might seem simple........for me; far, far from!!
    Thanks for the explanation; I go play with it again.

    I have to say, I played around with "all this stuff" yesterday, learned a lot and wandered off.
    I didn't get the pit limiter working, tried some other lights, tried new "triangles" (thats a mesh, right?) and was busy till 2:30 AM :)

    There were those mesh things for the rpm bar (those I had reversed) and I replaced them, a bit apart as they were standing against each other, and now they are smaller, different corner and some space between them. For me; that is an accomplishment ;) I'm pretty pleased with myself.
    I did this in 3DSimed btw.

    I started working on the "BESTLAP" thing; there already is a spot on the wheel but no line in the cockpit.ini. So I set that line, gave it a font and a place, but it doesn't work. I looked it up and it should be supported since build 38 ;)

    Still busy learning and applying what you guys tell me, but its hard to focus when things don't work (or I just don't understand) and you see some other thing you think you might get done meanwhile ;)
     
  4. Navigator

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    Now I'm getting the hang of it.
    Just trying all kinds of things out and learning all the way.

    As I said I had the rpm bar that was used for ERS, going the other way; when power is asked, it lowers and when braking (well, lowering rpm of course) the bar gets higher.
    The pit limiter square I made, I now used for the ERS light underneath it; when the bar gets lower, it get red instead of green. (I set it as one of the rpm bars).

    Now I noticed I can't call two kinds of rpm lights the same, but two of the same kinds is also not an option?
    The bar I speak of is in the picture: https://www.dropbox.com/s/cd9wf6fywqza0kx/IMG_1216.JPG?dl=0
    Now there is also an rpm bar on the top of the wheel and I had to give those other numbers: top 3 (3x5 leds) are 30, 28, 26 and the ones in the bar have: 31,29,27,25,24,23 and so on.

    But now I want the bar to take two of the squares at the same time, so I named the lowest two both "31" and that doesn't work.
    They are the same colour, having the same textures and so on.

    I wonder if I have to connect those two? And how?
    Also; the top bar has some additional lights to it (when right clicking and selecting material, it goes on like the others) and I would like to DISconnect those.......

    So my question is, preferably in 3DSimed ;), how can I connect- and disconnect groups of materials for each other?
     
  5. Doogal

    Doogal Registered

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    Not sure I'm getting you here? If each bar is a separate .gmt with one square, then "import as objects" the two .gmt's and use explode objects to combine the meshes, then use replace texture to change the material you don't want to the one you do, finally use purge material to clear the unwanted one. If you want to keep the bar size the same but need two squares on it a far easier way would be simply to repaint the texture?
    But as I said I may have got the gist of this totally wrong lol...
     
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  6. Navigator

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    Ehm, now I'm confused and that must be my fault :)
    No, I opened the wheel.gmt and everything is in there. So just one gmt.
    Now the bars, I right click, click "material", every square has a name: "rpmbar21-rpmbar22" and so on.
    So I thought the square was a material.
    But if I cal two (of the same kind of squares) both "rpmbar22", it doesn't work.

    So I'm looking for a way to "marry" two materials (and divorce some others).
     
  7. Doogal

    Doogal Registered

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    Not sure how you are doing it but I would use Replace Texture - select the material you don't want (in your case above it would be rpmbar21) and choose rpmbar22 as the material to replace it, rpmbar21 will stay in the material list until you purge materials. To split them up you have to select the faces (ctrl-click+drag) you want a new material on and use replace texture in the popup menu.
     
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  8. Navigator

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    Ehm, I don't know if that is what I'm looking for, but my story and questions are a bit vague.
    Sorry mate, not your fault at all.

    I think you are letting me delete a material? That was not what I wanted, I want to pair up two "rpm bar" materials. Lets say 21 and 22, let them both work on 22.
    I dont info what "replace material" actually does, but if I want to change a material, I just alter the line in the right bar, the top one, is that okay?

    So I have two squares, one 21, one 22, setting them both as the same (22) will not work.


    I also have another question......(as I got irritated working on those light all day) ;)
    The square I made on the display to get the "pit limiter" picture in there, doesn't work with text.
    The picture was given but didn't work as you know (setting the 1,0 reverse made it go on in the game but not off) but text doesn't come in there.
    I tried it with "last lap". If I set that as a material (well, the top bar in the right) in another square, it does work.
    That square was originally for "position". The background, font and all are the same (background with another name than) and it still don't work.
    Position in the square made by me, doesn't work either.
    Could there be something wrong with my square? It is on the lcd and not to deep.
     
  9. Doogal

    Doogal Registered

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    Try it this way and let me know if it works for your rpmbar-
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. Doogal

    Doogal Registered

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    The following can have text rendered to them - RPM, Oil Temp, Water Temp, Fuel Level, Gears, Place, Laps and the LCD (not pit limiter I'm afraid). The only way I can see of doing it is as the rlglo.gmt way unless this gets fixed in an update.
     
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  11. Navigator

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    What a nice tut! Thank you!
    Yes, I can do something with that, it seems easy enough like that, awesome!
    I'm going to try that; that should work.

    About the text; that was just a square where I wanted to show text in with the "LASTLAP" material.
    I took the picture (that was just a picture with the text "pit limiter" in it) out and wanted to let the square show text.
    Another square -to me the same kind- does show it, this empty square doesn't.

    Anyway; I've got some work to do, thanks!!
     
  12. Doogal

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    I'm assuming that LASTLAP is being used as the background for LAPS text - in which case you would have these lines in your cockpitinfo?
    LapsFont=
    LapsBackgound=should be the name of the texture used in the material LASTLAP
    LapsScale=
    ? Could be the texture is misaligned/wrong scale on the one that doesn't show - position of texture affects position of text (not an entry in the cockpitinfo which would be lot easier....)
     
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  13. Navigator

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    Sorry for my late reply, but I like to take your advise and work with it. You know how it goes; trying a few things and the day is over ;)
    I hate to try half and start asking again; try it proper first.

    Well, the light, coupling together work now! Thanks, that was a biggie for me.
    I've got the "last lap" working too, but in the square where first the position was.
    I had made another square, but I can't get it working in there.........found another square, tried it in there; doesn't work also.
    I'm thinking; there must be something else with that square why it does take text and others don't......... I have the lines set properly (I think) because in a certain square, it does work.
    But thats just the one. I set the other square exactly the same; background, alpha; everything I could find. (At that time I didn't have the original running the same because I thought it might cause trouble)
    So that one square is special I presume; is there a way to just copy it?

    Had a few days off; learned a lot and made the steering wheel a bit nicer.
    But 4 days spending on the display of a steering wheel in a game.........my wife doesn't get it ;)
     
  14. Doogal

    Doogal Registered

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    Had a quick look at a display I made and there doesn't seem to be anything special about the material - just basic t1, no alpha, no render target. Mebbe stick a pic up of it with the material properties open?. You can use ctrl-click in the same way as the tut to highlight the faces of the square you want to copy, under Replace Material in the popup menu are other options like cut,copy, delete etc. To paste the faces back in click the edit tab and then the paste icon, then finally paste faces...or just use ctrl-v lol. If you paste faces straight back in to the original scene they will be in exactly the same place you copied them from so you will need to move them before you can see them. Have a quick look at the explode all icon - if that is lit up click on the paste icon again and then paste materials.
     
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  15. Navigator

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    Nice, that worked! There was a bar popping up on the right for position and I gave it a bit of an offset right away for the position so I could see it.
    I did "replace material" and luckily I had a material standing there for the "position".

    So, two squares now, different backgrounds, different material names, but here it comes; both light up when I click just the one of them!
    They have something to do with each other?

    Plus, when I copied the square, I got the bar where I was able to move the whole thing at once. That was handy!
    But I can't seem to open that bar once I clicked it away. When I move something, I have to do that with moving all corners of all faces one by one....... Is there a way to open this bar again that you know of?

    Thanks again mate; another day, another project!
     
  16. Doogal

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    If you right click something it will show all faces that share the same material so not sure whats going on there?
    I know what you mean by the second part of your post and yes its a pita, a quicker way tho would be to cut the copied square and re-paste back again - this will bring that bar back where you can edit position etc.
     
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  17. Navigator

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    Yes, but I did "replace material"......weird, right?
    However; it does work in game :)

    Good trick! That also shows me to stop looking for that option; if it where there, you would have known.
     
  18. Navigator

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    Pfff, wow; all worked out fine! (And finally I had time to drive a few laps ;) )

    I now got working:
    - last lap
    - best lap
    - position
    - "ERS-bar" working counter on the rpm bar
    - ERS light, going from green to red when bar is going low
    - fuel pic changed
    - positions changed, background altered and so on

    Now that is nothing for most modders, but for me it is a big thing and I learned a lot!
    I made a few screenshots, they are not perfect, but you can see how and what:
    https://www.dropbox.com/s/t2umqtb03m7n6yw/DISPLAY.jpg?dl=0

    Now there is one thing I don't get; a "font.bmp" can seem to be changed in Photoshop; the alterations don't "stick". Doing the same thing in paint, makes the whole box around the number purple later in the game.
    Is there something special to know about?

    But I'm a happy man; all I wanted worked out; thanks!!
     
  19. Doogal

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    Looks good to me, nice work :) (lol I would have got half way through that doing that and wandered onto something else). As for fonts...hmm think you need a new tutor here - I could also learn a few things :D. You probably already know that fonts can be changed in the cockpitinfo and that you can also use .ttf fonts (these seemed more reliable but you can't change colour from white atm). The purple edges suggest an alpha problem - if you were to use the fill tool to colour the text on a .bmp font I could see this happening?
     
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  20. Navigator

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    Thanks! Couldn't have done it without you mate.
    Yeah, halfway into something that isn't going smooth, I did wander off, "hey, maybe I could do that with that thingy too".
    My wife walks by the desk: "weren't you working on..." "MIND your own business!" :)
    But the thing that gave me problems; you always get back to it.

    In the end; all worked out fine.
    The fonts is no problem. If someone comes along that knows stuff about it, please share, but for the moment I'm pretty pleased with "all this".

    Thanks for all the help!!
     

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