rec.autos.simulators

Mike
-----------------------------

        The files that I can see right off the bat the need to be changed would
be the N3's Track.txt and Records.txt.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
        In GPL, The records.ini file only has these following lines..
[ Lap Record ]
player = A. Wilke                               ; Abbreviated name of record
holder
time = 64.326996                                ; Lap time of record holder

        I would assume that the records.ini file gets it's info when ever there
is a new track record.  So, Other then the extention, I don't think
anything really has to be changed.  It would show a bogus lap record,
but that wouldn't be inportant to me till after I had a few laps.  So,
We can just copy a record.ini file from one of GPL's track to the
converted N3 track and we'll be good to go.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

        The Track.ini has a whole lot of lines in it.  some lines are easy to
figure out while others will take a lot of editing.  These lines are
obvious..
track_name = Watkins Glen Grand Prix Circuit
track_name_short = Watkins Glen
track_num_turns = 8
track_length = 2.30m                    
track_altitude = 0.0                    
  ; Above, note track length given in miles,
  ; while altitude given in meters.
[ configuration_0 ]
  ; Format: dlong, start dlat, end dlat, time penalty (sec), 0
(required)
  ; 3 checkpoint minimum
  ; No checkpoints at Watkins Glen

        ...Change to the new form...

track_name = Talladega Grand prix circuit
track_name_short = Talladega
track_num_turns = 4
track_length = 2.660m                  
track_altitude = 0.0                    
  ; Above, note track length given in miles,
  ; while altitude given in meters.
[ configuration_0 ]
  ; Format: dlong, start dlat, end dlat, time penalty (sec), 0
(required)
  ; 3 checkpoint minimum
  ; No checkpoints at Talladega
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

        This value is different in all the GPL tracks.  And I have no idea what
it would be.  Maybe if I studdied it longer(?)
[ statistics ]
reference_value = 65.8
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

These lines would really have to be played with..
[ ai_track ]
end_start_behavior_section = 5.000000           ; section at which race start
behavior should end
merge_from_pit_line_dlong = 35.000000           ; dlong at which cars leaving
pits will merge to race line
pit_at_end_of_track = 1.0                       ; 0 if all stalls beyond s/f, 1 if not
pit_lane_end_dlong = 3713.000000                ; dlong where pit lane
divider ends
pit_lane_entrance_width = 48.0                  ; dlong width of pit lane entrance in
meters
pit_lane_has_wall = 1.000000                    ; 0 if no pit wall, 1 if pit
wall exists
pit_lane_on_right = 1.000000                    ; 0 if lane on left, 1 if on
right
pit_lane_start_dlong = 3250.000000              ; base dlong for calculating
transition to pit line
pit_lane_width_left = 2.700000                  ; width of pit lane in meters
to LEFT of PIT.LP
pit_lane_width_right = 4.100000                 ; width of pit lane in meters
to RIGHT of PIT.LP
start_of_pit_stalls = 3584.000000               ; dlong where pit stalls begin

The only easy one is the "pit_lane_on_right = 1.000000".  The others
would have to be tinkered with.
))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

These could be left as is...
brabham_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.51                ; Brabham AI fuel loading in liters
per lap
brm_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.87                    ; BRM AI fuel loading in liters per lap
coventry_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.68               ; Coventry AI fuel loading in liters
per lap
eagle_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.72                  ; Eagle AI fuel loading in liters per
lap
ferrari_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.75                ; Ferrari AI fuel loading in liters
per lap
lotus_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.67                  ; Lotus AI fuel loading in liters per
lap
murasama_fuel_load_per_lap = 1.89               ; Murasama AI fuel loading in liters
per lap

track_dlong_sep_coeff = 0.9                     ; slightly closer racing here
[ GP ]
dlong_speed_adj_coeff = 1.024000                ; value modifies dlong
velocities (i.e. RELS) in .LP  
dlong_speed_maximum = 2.260000                  ; max. dlong speed
(meters/tick) for .LP after all modifiers (e.g., dlong_speed_adj_coeff)
[ pit_lane_0 ]
lane_on_right = 1                               ; 0 if lane on left, 1 if on right
lane_has_wall = 1                               ; 0 if no pit wall, 1 if pit wall exists

Right/left and the wall are easy to figure out.
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

These numbers are known as to what they are, but I have no idea where to
start for any track..

lane_bounds_dlong = 3365.0 0.0                  ; start/end dlong of the pit lane
lane_bounds_dlat = -25.0 -11.5                  ; start/end dlat of the pit lane
pit_board = 9.2 40.2 -100.0 100.0               ; dlat of board, dlong of board,
dlong LOS start, dlong LOS end (last 2 not used)

stall_0 = 3710.90 -16.60
stall_1 = 3704.25 -16.80
stall_2 = 3697.61 -17.00
stall_3 = 3690.96 -17.20
stall_4 = 3684.31 -17.40
stall_5 = 3677.66 -17.60
stall_6 = 3671.02 -17.80
stall_7 = 3664.37 -18.00
stall_8 = 3657.72 -18.20
stall_9 = 3651.07 -18.40
stall_10 = 3644.43 -18.60
stall_11 = 3637.78 -18.80
stall_12 = 3631.13 -19.00
stall_13 = 3624.48 -19.20
stall_14 = 3617.84 -19.40
stall_15 = 3611.19 -19.60
stall_16 = 3604.54 -19.80
stall_17 = 3597.89 -20.00
stall_18 = 3591.25 -20.20
stall_19 = 3584.60 -20.40
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

The first three lines are easy to figure out.  But these others... I'd
assume when the above pit stall numbers are found that we can just add
or subtract the differences(?)
[ starting_grid_0 ]
  ; 2x2 staggered grid
  ; polesitter on right
  ; track length is <3753.45>
  ; grid front center at <3743.00,  0.00>
  ; width between boxes  5.18
stall_0 = 3741.80 -3.88
stall_1 = 3741.80  1.29
stall_2 = 3732.96 -1.29
stall_3 = 3732.96  3.88
stall_4 = 3724.12 -3.88
stall_5 = 3724.12  1.29
stall_6 = 3715.28 -1.29
stall_7 = 3715.28  3.88
stall_8 = 3706.44 -3.88
stall_9 = 3706.44  1.29
stall_10 = 3697.60 -1.29
stall_11 = 3697.60  3.88
stall_12 = 3688.76 -3.88
stall_13 = 3688.76  1.29
stall_14 = 3679.92 -1.29
stall_15 = 3679.92  3.88
stall_16 = 3671.08 -3.88
stall_17 = 3671.08  1.29
stall_18 = 3662.24 -1.29
stall_19 = 3662.24  3.88
)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

        That's all the numbers in the GPL Glen's Track.ini file..  Once I
figure out what some of these numbers are and where to start these for
the converted tracks It should be easy to get it completed.  With luck,
someone will finish a converter before I do ;-)
--
=========================================
Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing?
=========================================
http://members.xoom.com/BarlowRacing/

Racing online with the help of......

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This is the real lfe lap record in seconds for the time period
in question, kind of hard to extrapolate this value from N3
to GPL since the GP cars never actually ran on those tracks.
Fortunately I don't think it is actually used for anything
(maybe it feeds into the global hype scaling system).

I'm curious, is the format of a N3 track.dat file the same
as the format of a GPL track.dat file?

 - George

Even if those things you just listed are simple somehow, you cannot simply
copy a .dat from one title to another.  They both have different use of the
3DO, TRK and many other file types inside the dat.  It is hard work.
Somehow the current (but non-released) N2 tracks for GPL were done by hand
one-by-one, recreating the 3do to match accurate TRK's (or the opposite, not
sure).  Track measures are different (they somehow started to go from a US
to metric system and it makes some pretty weird things).

It's much more difficult than just renaming stuff in the txt and ini files
;)  .  You've done any Hex work Mike ? Contact the BB&B guys if you ever do.

FYI, I've done some little work with some NLegends tracks I have and
converting them to N3 is easy as copy/paste, but Im having difficulties with
the palette while on the track.  Nlegends (especially at Riverside) pushes
the old game engine to the limit, I was very impressed.  If they could had
done N3 Sears Point that way it would had been a great addition.

--
-- Fran?ois Mnard <ymenard>
-- May the Downforce be with you...

"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realise
how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world."

--
=========================================
Mike Barlow of Barlow Racing?
=========================================
http://members.xoom.com/BarlowRacing/

Racing online with the help of......

Race Communications Association
Holodyne Engineering
Mystic Music
(have Your !!Name/Address!! placed here)