rec.autos.simulators

What about RAIN!

Remco Moe

What about RAIN!

by Remco Moe » Wed, 03 Mar 1999 04:00:00

Hi Drake,


>Even without understanding it, I'd wager that it's possible to build a
>few lookup tables to handle it.  One for each type of tire that takes
>into account the water depth, car speed and the angle of incidence.  That
>implies some sort of drainage model for the tracks, which would also be
>pre-calculated and stored with the track.  None of it sounds too
>expensive in processor time.  Just very time consuming for the track and
>tire modelers.  And time consuming for the programmers to experiment to
>see what needs to be modeled at that detail and what can be fudged with
>simple modifiers to what's already there.

One aspect of wet weather is the constant changing condition of the
track. You get pools, puddles, streams, dry places, and the track get
dry at the racing line. That's a simulation of his own. Currently, GPL
doesn't support high frequency bumps and dynamic camber. The reason is
lack of processing power. Modelling of rain is more processor hungry
as modelling the latter.

Your solution, i.e. table based grip parameters, is actually the same
as a track with different (fixed) grip parameters with some eyecandy.
Racing in the rain is different, it is adapting to the constantly
changing conditions. Look at F1RS of Ubisoft, then you'll understand
what I am trying to explain. (IMO Ubisoft did not model rain well, qua
driving model. The eye candy was ok, though.)

There is a lot to model in dry conditions, yet. Think about
aerodynamica, marbles at the track, and these things I already
mentioned. Of course I like to have rain in GPL. But if this lacks the
quality of the rest of the sim, then I'll pass.

Remco


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