Chris Lesperance
Registered
Hopefully this won't go too far off the rails. I figured since there was some initial talk about a possibility of an rF3, what would you like to see implemented or improved? After working on the Swift project and starting to dabble into track conversions and edits, there's been a few things that would make life better and easier if implemented in a possible new rF release.
Car Physics:
- Ingame debug - Being able to edit the physics data directly ingame with out having to exit out and reload into the track or game in some circumstances, would help out greatly. Change weight. Edit a wing. Add an additional spring. Etc. Also having a visual debug of "why my car is on stilts", or why it flies in the air when making contact. Trying to trouble shoot those issues was pretty difficult.
- In game wind tunnel - In the experience I had, there seems to be a discrepancy between what the physics sheet listed as the results and the results provided ingame via the Mod Dev display and telemetry. Having to have a straight track to get and maintain a speed, document the info, then go back and change data to do it again, really kills the work flow. I could imagine seeing the first 16 rows of the Aero tab on the physics spreadsheet as being a menu in Mod Dev, where you could enter values.
- In game Dyno - Similar to wind tunnel. Unless if I am missing something, the only way to get a turbo HP number is running it in game at the correct RPM. The Mod Dev information displayed would only show a live number. Having a "dyno" and the ability to edit values would help
- Hybrid - I would imagine the improvements to the hybrid would come into rF3. Having the ability to turn hybrid 100% off, ICE 100% on, and then having hybrid 100% on and ICE 100% off. The LMDh of starting on electric power, then bump starting the ICE. These options would be a great to have.
- Suspension - Better support for other various different suspension types. I heard you had to do a few "cheats" for live axles. Things like Macphereson and de Dion suspension. I had to do a lot of creative things to get rocker arms and motion ratios to match the IRL data. ARB blade options. A lot of cars have a fixed number of options that rotate a blade. They change the blades in order to get different ARB rates. Being able to have those blade options in the setup is more authentic.
- Wings and wickers - Ability to add multiple/infinite wings planes. The Swift 014 had an adjustable mainplane and adjustable winglets. The Swift 014 had an adjustable lower wing plane, that would affect the upper wing plane (lower element was fixed to the endplates, upper was independently adjustable but only had 5 options). I had to make some concessions to have it work ingame. Wickers are a vital part of the setup. This isn't currently implemented as a separate item.
- Tire maker - redapg's tire tool has been a God send. While things are great to have a lot of real data to make tires, that information is not readily available. I could imagine a way to import the tire 3d model and putting in some information to have it produce a decent working tire. Having some types of templates or have slider options of sidewall stiffness, grip, tread percentage, wear rates, slip angles, etc. Just throwing things out there. Having something like that get things 90% there. That would open up a lot of time and possibilities. If a person has some addition real information, that can be changed or added.
- Differential values - Very minor. Everything I see on gearboxes and differentials has everything based on ramp angles. Being able to have the game information align to the documented information would help.
- Having cars be decrypted - Being able to see how things are done or being able to borrow some assets. Even if the cars that are decrypted are generic cars and real cars are encrypted. Some assistance on that helps a lot.
Graphics:
- Car suspension - I feel like the rF1 suspension movement is not up to current day standards. Being able to utilize 3d points of what bends, what's fixed, what moves up and down, etc. Being able to implement rotating axles would add to the realism.
- Additional 3d modeling support - Blender has been a really good benchmark of things over the last several years. It's free, lots of support, continually improving. I have to say that the Assetto Corsa way is pretty good. Well, I haven't actually done it, but I've been looking at how its done recently. Being able to load an FBX model an in between application to be able to import into the game format and vise versa to export from the game is a big thing on why that game is as big as it is. The ease of having people use what ever program works for them helps.
- Shader support - I've been able to kind of figure out the rF2 way with the .json. I'm not the best. A little bit better ingame camera support would help. Example if you are adjusting trees on the opposite side of the track, you shouldn't have to try and drive up to it.
- Animation support - Goes back to the Blender idea. Pop up headlights, more active aero, seeing wing angles change based on setup, driver hand gear change, pit crews, etc.
- Dirty tires when going off track - Another thing that is not up to current day standards.
Off topic ramblings:
- If there is a button or switch for it, it should be in the game - At some point there should be a MS Flight Sim racing game. Beam NG is getting there. Everything that is on the steering wheel or every switch, does something to the car. There should be a way to program those things.
- Things that move and shake in the wind, really adds to the immersion
After seeing the hype around Grand Pro Circuit:
- Having the track be more alive. Having crew vehicles come out to rescue a crashed car.
- Lots of hype having an actual career mode.
I think that is it for now. Just wanted to get a few things listed out there. If there is an actual rF3, I do hope that it goes back to how rF1 was. Being a sandbox of great racing vehicles and tracks.
Car Physics:
- Ingame debug - Being able to edit the physics data directly ingame with out having to exit out and reload into the track or game in some circumstances, would help out greatly. Change weight. Edit a wing. Add an additional spring. Etc. Also having a visual debug of "why my car is on stilts", or why it flies in the air when making contact. Trying to trouble shoot those issues was pretty difficult.
- In game wind tunnel - In the experience I had, there seems to be a discrepancy between what the physics sheet listed as the results and the results provided ingame via the Mod Dev display and telemetry. Having to have a straight track to get and maintain a speed, document the info, then go back and change data to do it again, really kills the work flow. I could imagine seeing the first 16 rows of the Aero tab on the physics spreadsheet as being a menu in Mod Dev, where you could enter values.
- In game Dyno - Similar to wind tunnel. Unless if I am missing something, the only way to get a turbo HP number is running it in game at the correct RPM. The Mod Dev information displayed would only show a live number. Having a "dyno" and the ability to edit values would help
- Hybrid - I would imagine the improvements to the hybrid would come into rF3. Having the ability to turn hybrid 100% off, ICE 100% on, and then having hybrid 100% on and ICE 100% off. The LMDh of starting on electric power, then bump starting the ICE. These options would be a great to have.
- Suspension - Better support for other various different suspension types. I heard you had to do a few "cheats" for live axles. Things like Macphereson and de Dion suspension. I had to do a lot of creative things to get rocker arms and motion ratios to match the IRL data. ARB blade options. A lot of cars have a fixed number of options that rotate a blade. They change the blades in order to get different ARB rates. Being able to have those blade options in the setup is more authentic.
- Wings and wickers - Ability to add multiple/infinite wings planes. The Swift 014 had an adjustable mainplane and adjustable winglets. The Swift 014 had an adjustable lower wing plane, that would affect the upper wing plane (lower element was fixed to the endplates, upper was independently adjustable but only had 5 options). I had to make some concessions to have it work ingame. Wickers are a vital part of the setup. This isn't currently implemented as a separate item.
- Tire maker - redapg's tire tool has been a God send. While things are great to have a lot of real data to make tires, that information is not readily available. I could imagine a way to import the tire 3d model and putting in some information to have it produce a decent working tire. Having some types of templates or have slider options of sidewall stiffness, grip, tread percentage, wear rates, slip angles, etc. Just throwing things out there. Having something like that get things 90% there. That would open up a lot of time and possibilities. If a person has some addition real information, that can be changed or added.
- Differential values - Very minor. Everything I see on gearboxes and differentials has everything based on ramp angles. Being able to have the game information align to the documented information would help.
- Having cars be decrypted - Being able to see how things are done or being able to borrow some assets. Even if the cars that are decrypted are generic cars and real cars are encrypted. Some assistance on that helps a lot.
Graphics:
- Car suspension - I feel like the rF1 suspension movement is not up to current day standards. Being able to utilize 3d points of what bends, what's fixed, what moves up and down, etc. Being able to implement rotating axles would add to the realism.
- Additional 3d modeling support - Blender has been a really good benchmark of things over the last several years. It's free, lots of support, continually improving. I have to say that the Assetto Corsa way is pretty good. Well, I haven't actually done it, but I've been looking at how its done recently. Being able to load an FBX model an in between application to be able to import into the game format and vise versa to export from the game is a big thing on why that game is as big as it is. The ease of having people use what ever program works for them helps.
- Shader support - I've been able to kind of figure out the rF2 way with the .json. I'm not the best. A little bit better ingame camera support would help. Example if you are adjusting trees on the opposite side of the track, you shouldn't have to try and drive up to it.
- Animation support - Goes back to the Blender idea. Pop up headlights, more active aero, seeing wing angles change based on setup, driver hand gear change, pit crews, etc.
- Dirty tires when going off track - Another thing that is not up to current day standards.
Off topic ramblings:
- If there is a button or switch for it, it should be in the game - At some point there should be a MS Flight Sim racing game. Beam NG is getting there. Everything that is on the steering wheel or every switch, does something to the car. There should be a way to program those things.
- Things that move and shake in the wind, really adds to the immersion
After seeing the hype around Grand Pro Circuit:
- Having the track be more alive. Having crew vehicles come out to rescue a crashed car.
- Lots of hype having an actual career mode.
I think that is it for now. Just wanted to get a few things listed out there. If there is an actual rF3, I do hope that it goes back to how rF1 was. Being a sandbox of great racing vehicles and tracks.
I may find it and link it here soon .