Hello! Tell me the best way to create stripes on the track. The main problem - texturing. Can a video tutorial. Perhaps there's a realties cunning modifier )) My track was created long ago in the editor BTB and edited in max. Need to apply these features.
Generally just a spline which you render in viewport with a cube shape, generate texture coordinates, near black rgb, gradient type alpha channel, blend off vertex alpha to the begins and ends, presto, and that in one long-ass sentence!
There are several techniques that can be used depending on how clean the road mesh is. Since you're editing an existing track project, I assume you already had some bumps modelled. In that case what you could do, is clone the RaceSurface object, Ring-select the edges near the edge of the road, and use the Connect tool to cut the existing mesh according to the stripe width. Delete all other polys so you only have the stripe polys left. Raise everything a few mm to make sure there will be no sorting issues when you export the stripes using the Decal tag. UV Mapping will be the same as the original road, which you can then easily adjust using an Unwrap UVW modifier. That's how I added the lines to Joesville at least ... depending on the track size this can take a lot of time. You could also create a new spline from the road edges and use the Sweep modifier, but that leaves the stripes vulnerable to flickering/sorting issues. By using a Spline, you can let it generate proper mapping coordinates so you won't have any issues ... Another option would be to create a new spline for the stripes, Extrude and Push the edges to create a flat version of the stripes, move it high above the track, and then Conform it to the terrain. This is the messiest method, and will probably require a lot of manual tweaking. But it will also generate mapping coordinates. These are just a few techniques of many ... Skids ... first of all I wouldn't add them manually as they probably won't look great when they interact with the RealRoad groove. If you insist on placing some manual skidmarks, I'd suggest the Conform technique, and then raise them a few mm and check the Decal tag in the exporter ...
Whatever you do, make sure Generate Mapping Coordinates is checked as soon as you do anything Spline-related ...
I think these should help a bit, it's the simplest way I can explain it really It's also a less than 5 minute example including texture so it looks crude because it is Alpha I drew, I wouldn't use this directly though, just an example, but here you get an idea what an alpha layer looks. Black won't show, whites will reveal the color you choose for your skidmark. The material stuff is something you should figure out on your own though, this is as easy as it's going to get I think This as well, realroad is there to use, make use of that first! To add just a tad of uniqueness to a certain place, detail off track, etc, I think it can really add something to the track. But, as Luc hinted to, it might need a balancing act in order for it look right on top of realroad, best thing is to keep it subtle I guess Conform is nice to use, I usually use a script for it (Glue!) which has some nice controls and is easy to use
Another way.. With my tool i can do decals (lines) in multi selected surfaces. When press the button "Create decal" the tool intersection between the sweep modifier and selected surfaces. The result isn't only a Boolean interception. The tool creates points where they are needed. I want to thank bink for this method.
This is the method I've used for a couple tracks now and works well. I haven't tried the additional feature Mario added to his TrackMaker (one day I will) but can say the cloning was the simplest to ensure it captured the correct road cambers, bumps, turns etc.
Yes because you don't need the road mesh. If use a flat Sweep you need to conform to surface and in same cases can get problems in bumps and uneven surfaces. This is the reason i create a big solid with sweep to get a intersection mesh between surface and sweep solid.
Using the "cut a slice of the track clone" method, you are restricted to the 'segmented look' (based on the track mesh size). It becomes visually distracting on tight corners. If you sweep a shape along a spline, close the ends, and "intersect" the resulting 3d mesh with the track mesh (as Mario said), you can make the 'paint line' mesh more round (going around tight corners) by increasing the number of "steps" in the spline you are sweeping on. Your uv map will also "bend" around the corner better. View attachment 11848
Illustrated tutorial of what Mario and I were saying about the road lines method.... although applied to grid spot decals. Note that every poly on the decal conforms to the track's surface roughness. View attachment 11863 View attachment 11864 View attachment 11865 Here is a wireframe of the end product when these same methods are applied to road lines ("sweep" a rectangle along a spline). Note the the resulting 'paint line' has greater resolution (smooth corners) than the track mesh due to increased "steps" on max's spline rollout: View attachment 11866
