Suspension Car Editor

Leonardo1962

Leonardo1962

Registered
Hi folks,

I started modding rfactor2 cars.
First I had to learn to understand and generate and all the needed files in function, and fileformat. That was so hard and time consumpting, that i decided to develop a tool to handle and test all the files, therfore i extended my windows 3D track editor.
The ModDev - Mode was very helpful to make the first steps to learn and to get a car running.
Building a car from scratch needs lot of work and time, therefore I started with conversions of cars. :confused:

So i developed a 3D/2D suspension / CAR editor (see pictures)

View attachment 12088 View attachment 12089 View attachment 12090
(sorry for half german and half english button text). ;)


Here is a little video update. You can see how to make a suspension work and to take use in GAME (ModDev).


Small video shows getting startet and "compile" the first modDev vehicle.

With this tool it is possible by one click to generate a new ready to run ModDev Car with all needed dummy files (inkl. rFm, HDV, Icons and gearbox engine data, ratios etc.). The only input is the name of the new Car -Mod (the first dummy files are small cylinder GMT files).

After setting up ModDev files automatically I developed a modding tool (thanks to taufikp for the idea). I programmed a suspension geometry generator out of tire node data and suspension file (.pm) and wrote import and export filter to read, edit and write suspension file (F:E: lr_TIRE_MAX.GMT .pm and also the new: .ini). The only input is trackwidth, wheelBase and vehicle weight. All other inputs can be edited and varied or loaded from other cars. The dummy files are overwritten files by files to real functioning GMT files.

With this editor a next mouse click calculates and generates automatically all suspension geometry files (direct as working rFactor2 GMT files) and writes them into ModDev vehicle path.

Another mouse click calculates and generates all light and glow geometry files (also as rFactor2 GMT files) and writes them into ModDev vehicle path.

Very important for me was the integration of good working wheel-design, tires physics an rims. I introduced a template path structure for all important template files, where i choose the tire geometry of the TGM Files, the rims and the textures for tire and rim. Each tire, rim will be created in realtime (about less than 10 seconds)
The path nodes of physics TGM file is used to calculate the real shape of the tire. The material of twall and ttread and there geometry data are calculated individual for all lods (Max, high, med low ultra low) automatically and input into GEN files can be done automatically or manual.

Of coarse all files have to be collected in a Package .rfcmp file and to be installed for use in the rFactor2 game. Today it was the first time to run through all this stuff and i got my first time a car running on a track out of modDev.

There is a lot of work to do. Next steps will be to handle and extend the tools for car engine, cockpit GAUGES, TachometerNeedles etc. but i think i will manage that.

The actual version has too much constant path structure, that works only at my own private path structure and the routines to set up the template and moddev structure arent finished yet. If the editor has reached a stable and usable userfriendly state may be i publish a version for download.

This Version is a unfished beta preview. Please backup your files, before you use this tool.
Update: Vers. 1.73


Setup procedure will be explained with the upcomming Version.

So I keep on working on my modding tool. For now i'm looking for permission to convert a existing rfactor or GT2 car to rfactor2 to test my editor.

Have a nice racing

Leonardo1962 :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Very nice idea.
I think this will help many to get into modding rf2, because it shows you what has to be done and actually helps you do it :)
 
Looks like that this is a tool a lot of people (modders) where waiting for? Any plans to provide a download link?


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great ! This is the tool on that I'm waiting :)
It helps a mod dev beginner (like myself) in many way's to see what's going on inside rF2 when changing a value or how a file structure has to be and so on. I'm looking forward to your public version.

Many thanks for creating and sharing such a usefull tool :)
 
Amazing tool. This is what most of us need to get their mods working propperly.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi folks,

I continued to develop the suspension Car editor. :o

Last thing, i did was to auto generate missing tire template files, for use in a own private template- path structure.
The editor generates simple tire textures as Windows BMP Bitmaps and then convert them to DDS Files for use in the tire geomatry (GMT-file).
I integrated the dds command-line converting tool of the nvDXT librarytool by nvidia see link. The editor asks for a path to nvdxt.exe.

https://developer.nvidia.com/legacy-texture-tools




To give you a first preview I did a short video for youtube.

For those of you, who are interested in rFactor2 modding secrets, what the editor does, here some details:

1) First the path in ModDev is extended and gets new paths like this
C:\rFactor2\ModDev\Vehicles\MOD_Name
|- MOD_NAME (all bitmaps (DDS) and all geometry- data (GMT))
|- teams (all driver related files: Mod Icon, smIcon VEH file and all deliveries)


2) To make the car selectable in Mod- Mode the editor adds MOD-file in rFm path like this:
3 additional files are generated and stored in C:\rFactor2\ModDev\rFm.
(all driver related files: Mod Icon, smIcon as DDS bitmap and the link to the vehicle)
Mod_Name_manufacturerSMICON.DDS
Mod_Name_manufacturerICON.DDS
Mod_Name_manufacturer.rfm

In rfm - path all 3 files are created as dummy files and contain all needed keywords to select and drive the car in Mod- Mode.
(f.e Vehicle Filter = Mod_Company_Mod_Name) with a unique mod picture like Mod_Name_manufacturerICON.DDS


3) After that, all necessary files are auto generated and copied into the correct path
(like tire TGM files, the important geometry file Mod_Name.GEN, and the Mod_Name_Spinner.GEN, Mod_Name.HDV (changed from template XXX.hdv),
gear rations (Mod_Name_Gears.INI), engine file (Mod_Name_engine.INI) and a lots of others, altogether more than 25 files.
(f.e. F:\rFactor2\ModDev\Vehicles\Mod_Name\)

4) Then, all driver related files: Mod Icon, smIcon VEH file and all deliveries are auto generated and copied to the team folder.
> Tricky and very important is the vehicle file VEH file f.e. Mod_Name_23.VEH (23 is a arbitrary number of a car)
it contains the entry of delivery name (DefaultLivery="Mod_Name_23.dds") and all other links to the important files of step 3
(f.e. C:\rFactor2\ModDev\Vehicles\Mod_Name\teams)


5) Next step is to generate and copy all bitmaps and GMT files files to the correct path
> first the are cubes and dummy cylinders for private edit later on
> the are not overwriten, if the already exists.
(f.e. F:\rFactor2\ModDev\Vehicles\Mod_Name\Mod_Name\)

6) To get the car running in Mod- Mode the editor adds and changes the SearchPath in GEN-file (Mod_Name.GEN) like this:

SearchPath=<VEHDIR>
SearchPath=Mod_Name
SearchPath=<VEHDIR>Mod_Name\maps
SearchPath=<VEHDIR>cmaps_maps
SearchPath=Mod_Name\Teams
SearchPath=<VEHDIR>Mod_Name\Teams
SearchPath=Mod_Name\maps
// MASFile=Mod_Name\Mod_Name_TEAMS.mas
MASFile=Mod_Name\Mod_Name.mas
MASFile=cmaps.mas

7) To get an individual car, all files have to be edited, with own design and bitmaps.
Some of them can be calculated, like the suspension files.
> F.e there are 136 GMT files calculated and generated in the current version
(disks, diskglow, all suspensions, tires, rims, calipers, for all wheels and in 2 to 4 Lods (Level of details).
> the calculated tires and rims, have the determined geometry, size, rdyn, shader, material,
and they are showing all the wished deflection, reflection, tread, bumpmaping, wear and friction in the impressive driving simulation of rFactor2 (mod-mode and also in game mode).

The suspension geometry (links, bars) can be edited and prooved with realtime preview.


I'm not far away to get this tool in beta version, so Im looking for interested modder as testing volunteers.
If someone has time to test this tool and try to write a tutorial for it please let me know.


have a nice driving
Leonardo :)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
That looks great. I and some friends have cars in gtr2 released-dtm, supergt or fia gt. Interested to work on an of those with permission? Pm me than.
 
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