TUTORIAL Build your FIRST track - BASIC GUIDE

[Fat-Alfie]

Can anyone help with me converting Aviano from NKP to AC? If I export the .nk5 from 3DSimEd3 the track work ok in-game (with shader errors), but if I export an .fbx and then export that from ksEditor (having set the shaders correctly) the track fails to load. I have replaced any .tga files with .dds so I'm pretty sure it's not that.

Also, can anyone explain the object hierarcy and pivot system to me? In ksEditor, all the original NKP objects have an origin set at 0, 0, 0, but any objects I have added as primatives within 3DSimEd3 (all the AC objects PIT / START / TIME / HOTLAP etc) have a huge offset.

I have scratch-made tracks for other sims so I know I have the capability (and patience) to do justice to Aviano, but I'm really struggling with the workflow for AC. If anyone is able to help me I would really appreciate their time. I can upload all my files too, if that will help. Thank you!

 

[luchian]

Hi Alfie, welcome.

Let's take it 1 by 1:

First what happens when you say the track does not load ?
Also can you post the complete log ? Your attachment is too short, and probably relates to SDK log not AC log.

About origins: usually within 3d software, most of your objects will have origins at their own centers (this is especially important for trees in order to make'em look good using kstree shader). What is your issue with this ? The objects are not where they are supposed to be ? Or it's just that the coordinates "don't make sense" ?

 

[Fat-Alfie]

First, thanks for offering to help - I really appreiciate it.

If I try and load the .kn5 created by ksEditor, it shows up fine in the launcher, I click START, I get the loading screen with "Loading Aviato" along the bottom, then after a few seconds the screen goes black and I get returned to the launcher.

Can I ask where I can find the 'complete log' that you mentioned? What I uploaded before was my entire log file from:

C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\assettocorsa\crash_logs - and was only 16 lines long.

Is it this file, from:

C:\Users\David\Documents\Assetto Corsa\logs ?

I'm sorry if I'm making basic errors, but I love to learn about making content for new games, and get frustrated when I hit problems like this. Thanks again for your time

 

[luchian]

Yes, this is the correct log . Had a look at it:
First there are some objects that are named as they should act like surfaces:

ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01SHADOW05
PHYSICALIZING 01Shadow02
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01SHADOW02
PHYSICALIZING 38Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:38SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 30Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:30SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 01Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 17Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:17SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 01Shadow01
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01SHADOW01
PHYSICALIZING 24Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:24SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 06Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:06SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 07Shadow
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:07SHADOW
PHYSICALIZING 07Shadow01
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:07SHADOW01

...

ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:38POLY06
PHYSICALIZING 38POLY07
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:38POLY07
PHYSICALIZING 01POLY13
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01POLY13
PHYSICALIZING 30POLY08
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:30POLY08
PHYSICALIZING 12POLY15
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:12POLY15
PHYSICALIZING 01POLY14
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01POLY14
PHYSICALIZING 30POLY09
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:30POLY09
PHYSICALIZING 29POLY10
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:29POLY10
PHYSICALIZING 02POLY11
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:02POLY11
PHYSICALIZING 26POLY01
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:26POLY01
PHYSICALIZING 01POLY12
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:01POLY12
PHYSICALIZING 38POLY08
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:38POLY08
PHYSICALIZING 39POLY04
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:39POLY04
PHYSICALIZING 39POLY01
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:39POLY01
PHYSICALIZING 29POLY03
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:29POLY03
PHYSICALIZING 38POLY09
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:38POLY09
PHYSICALIZING 39POLY07
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:39POLY07
PHYSICALIZING 26POLY02
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:26POLY02
PHYSICALIZING 39POLY05
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:39POLY05
PHYSICALIZING 13POLY17
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:13POLY17
PHYSICALIZING 13POLY16
ERROR: SURFACE NOT FOUND FOR OBJECT:13POLY16

...

and then some more

Since they are shadows I suppose you don't need them to be surfaces, so you should remove number in front.
If you would like these objects to be surfaces, you should create keys for them, in your surfaces.ini file. One example is the pits area. In your track, the surfaces are called PITS, and in your surfaces.ini the key seem to be called PITS-IMA.
You'll probably need to take care of these at some point in order to assure wanted behaviour. However, don't think this is the issue, track should still be loading..

It must be linked to spawn points I believe..

In what mode are you starting your track ?
How many slots did you set in ui_track.json ?
How many AC_PIT, AC_START, ... objects do you have ?
Can you post a screen of their hierarchy pls ?

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Thanks for your prompt reply. Can I first add, this is a direct conversion from NKP to AC. I (foolishly) believed it would be a simple job of importing the .nko and exporting a .kn5

The errors you have noted from the log relate to the NKP track format, I guess, and the fact that I didn't understand fully about object naming. I will open up the track in 3DsimEd3 again and try to resolve these errors.

I have been starting in practice mode. I have 2 pit boxes in the .json file and 2 AC_PIT objects in the track, along with 2 AC_START objects, AC_TIME 0, 1 and 2 (down the main straight for ease of adding them), as well as a AC_HOTLAP_START_0 object. Hierarchy is attached.

 

[luchian]

[..]Hierarchy is attached.

Where ?

About nK to AC conversion - maybe it is simple don't know honestly, I didn't tried it. It only helps if you know a bit the AC environment before. In any case, don't be afraid, is not that complicated either . We'll hunt the error and then you'll be free to play with to learn more.

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Sorry about that - I thought I had attached that .jpg

There does seem lots to learn, even down to the language and terminology. I would be much happier doing the 3D editing in 3ds max, but that seemed to create more shader problems than made it worthwhile, so I tried to stick to using just 3DSimEd3 and KsEditor.

I feel slightly dispirited that an experienced member of the AC community is already working on converting Aviano, but then, I did only intend to convert it in order to learn how to make tracks from scratch.

Thanks again for your time and advice - I will keep you posted regarding my progress.

 

[luchian]

So I take it, you will leave it be for the moment ? No problem, feel free to ask again if you'll pick it up.
Otherwise, looking at your screenshot, seems the spawn points are written in small. They need to be in CAPS (iirc) .

e.g.
ac_pit_0 << NOK
AC_PIT_0 << OK

 

[Fat-Alfie]

No, I will continue, because it is fun! And I love Aviano!

I did notice the AC_PIT / ac_pit issue. The problem is that 3DSimEd3 does not export object names in CAPITALS, and as I could only get the track to work by exporting from 3DSimEd3 (and not KsEditor) I was stuck with lower case. Even if I rename the objects in 3DSimEd3, they still get converted to lower case

I am currently re-editing the track in 3DSimEd3 to remove the number prefixes from the non-physical objects to see if that fixes some of the problems.

 

[luchian]

Honestly, removing the numbers don't think will completely solve the problem (it will help though) . A fast way would be to just add a letter before all those objects and leave the number as they are

The capitals in name though, are important.

***
Just to support all the above did some tests with my Hope track:
Removing the surfaces.ini, track still loads, even if with some errors in logs
Using lower case in ac_pit_0 and ac_pit_1 crashed the track, with a similar error as yours.

So I put my money on door #2 .

 

[Fat-Alfie]

I also did some test

The only way I could get the track to load after exporting from ksEditor was to manually edit the AC object names in the .fbx using a hex editor (i.e. changing ac_pit_0 to AC_PIT_0). It seems 3DsimEd3 is incapable of using capital letters for object names

I'm SO happy! I can now go back and start setting up the materials correctly in ksEditor I just need to work out why the timing isn't working.

Thank you so much Luchian! You've been really helpful

 

[Pixelchaser]

when it comes to modding AC... never use capitals Fat alfie ! ever

 

[Fat-Alfie]

Never? Using capitals was the only way I could get the track to work Well, changing to capitals in my Hex Editor, anyway.

Oddly though, once I have changed ac_pit_0 to AC_PIT_0 in the .fbx, I can re-import the file back into 3DSimEd3 and it retains the capitals for the object name

 

[Pixelchaser]

yeah they required now I think about it. I remember using them. I just spent a day trying to figure out why multiplayer wouldn't work on a track. that was because of a capital in the folder title....

 

[merale]

Hello everyone
Somewhere I've read that it is possible to make those bollards fly away if you hit them but I forget how to do that? (I think some brake marks in official tracks by kunos also fly away if you hit them)

If I tried in the past they either act like a wall or you can drive through them.

Thank you for the help

 

[luchian]

Hi there, welcome.
You just need to name your bollard AC_POBJECT_anynamehere.

To take into account:
- don't forget to set the axis too the center of the object
- objects must not be very complex
- don't go overboard - not more than 15 objects or so on a track (last time I've checked).
- have fun

 

[merale]

Thank you for the quick response

They work but they are way too big ingame
it is just the x and y axis, the z axis stayed correct

EDIT: I solved the problem by applying the scale in Blender. It works fine now

 

[Dado]

Hi Everybody
I'm creating a new track, using blendre, use the meter units of measure, but when I export the FBX scale is not real, how can I fix it ??
For a track rally which is the ideal width for the track?

 

[Dado]

before I do another track and I don't have this problem, now I have the scala problem

 

[luchian]

Hey Dado
Don't forget to uniform the scale on all your edited objects (CTRL+A >> Apply Scale).
Also - check your FBX export settings.