Kart Racing Pro Official Forum

Mods => Track Editing => Topic started by: Blackcaim on January 07, 2021, 09:58:20 AM

Title: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on January 07, 2021, 09:58:20 AM
Hi all,

I am Interested in making my own track from scratch, meaning that I would design my own track from the ground up. I would like to know what softwares I would have to use in order to achieve this? Any input on this subject would be greatly appreciated as i have no real experience in 3d modelling.

Thanks

Blackcaim
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Alessandro Ceronetti on January 07, 2021, 12:46:03 PM
Unfotuntely i am no expert and trying to learn myself to use these programmes. Your best bet for track modelling is going to be 3DS Max. It's quite complicated to use, but I think there are a few tutorials on how to use these programmes in the forum somewhere. I know LauZzn has some of these tutorials and are pretty good.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on January 07, 2021, 01:32:34 PM
Quote from: Alessandro Ceronetti on January 07, 2021, 12:46:03 PMUnfotuntely i am no expert and trying to learn myself to use these programmes. Your best bet for track modelling is going to be 3DS Max. It's quite complicated to use, but I think there are a few tutorials on how to use these programmes in the forum somewhere. I know LauZzn has some of these tutorials and are pretty good.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard you can only use the 2010 edition of 3DSMAX to do track modding for the game? If that's the case, then there's no way to find the software legally. Is there are any other alternatives other than using 3DSMAX?
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on January 07, 2021, 04:05:38 PM
Quote from: Blackcaim on January 07, 2021, 01:32:34 PMCorrect me if I'm wrong, but I heard you can only use the 2010 edition of 3DSMAX to do track modding for the game? If that's the case, then there's no way to find the software legally. Is there are any other alternatives other than using 3DSMAX?
Hi, you can use any version of 3dsMax, just export the track to the FBX format. Though 3ds Max is indeed great, its downside, in my opinion, is Autodesk's pricing policy which is hardly justifiable for a non-commercial activity.

A rather popular alternative here is a combination of Bob's Track Builder (BTB) and 3DSimED. BTB is quite easy to learn and, with practice, one can achieve a very decent result with it. For an easy creation of assets, any free 3D editor capable of exporting to common formats can be used.

Blender might also be a good alternative. It does involve a lot of learning, but it's a powerful tool and totally free to use.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on January 10, 2021, 03:35:26 AM
Hi all, just a quick update and question,

I've managed to get my hands on a 3DS MAX license and am watching tutorials on how to use the software. In regards to the FBX format, I heard that you need to convert the FBX format using a converter called FBX2EDF, in order to export it to the game. Where can I find this converter? Can't seem to find it on google. What format do I have to convert it to in order to use it in the simulator?

Thank

Blackcaim
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LauZzZn on January 10, 2021, 11:54:05 AM
Quote from: Blackcaim on January 10, 2021, 03:35:26 AMHi all, just a quick update and question,

I've managed to get my hands on a 3DS MAX license and am watching tutorials on how to use the software. In regards to the FBX format, I heard that you need to convert the FBX format using a converter called FBX2EDF, in order to export it to the game. Where can I find this converter? Can't seem to find it on google. What format do I have to convert it to in order to use it in the simulator?

Thank

Blackcaim

You can find it in the downloadsection of the Kartracing Pro Website!
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on January 10, 2021, 02:47:38 PM
Yep, fbx2edf is a part of PiBoSo's Track Tools (https://kartracing-pro.com/?page=downloads). You'll need to create .TRP and .MAP files. Please refer to http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php?title=FBX2EDF for details.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on January 10, 2021, 03:06:57 PM
Ok, Thanks for all the help everyone ;D . I really appreciate it. With this I'm one step closer to achieving my goal. If you guy would like it, I'll post up my custom track here on the forums for anyone to download it. If that's allowed of course.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Alessandro Ceronetti on January 10, 2021, 06:03:28 PM
Quote from: Blackcaim on January 10, 2021, 03:06:57 PMOk, Thanks for all the help everyone ;D . I really appreciate it. With this I'm one step closer to achieving my goal. If you guy would like it, I'll post up my custom track here on the forums for anyone to download it. If that's allowed of course.

of course its allowed. just make sure to post it on the tracks section rather than the track editing section.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on January 18, 2021, 03:33:45 AM
Hi all,

Am finally finished with the basic tutorials on how to use 3dsmax and am now attempting to create the track. What scale should be used in order to create the track? My current setup in the systems unit is 1unit=1metre. Would this be sufficient in order to make the track for the game software? So if I wanted to make my straight 186m, that means that I must use 186units?
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on January 18, 2021, 04:26:38 PM
Yeah, meters are fine. Also set Display Unit Scale to meters.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on February 04, 2021, 07:31:16 AM
Hi all,

I've completed my track in 3DSMAX, and have converter it to an edf file in order to use in Kart Racing Pro. Is that all I have to do in order to use the track? Or is there more things that need to be done?


Thanks
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on February 04, 2021, 03:21:08 PM
Hi, in 3ds Max, have you named all collidable objects and surfaces as specified in http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php?title=Track_Creation_Guide?

You don't need an EDF file. To prepare the track for the game, please follow the instructions below:

Quote from: LXS77 on January 06, 2021, 01:17:20 AM
    ...
     
    • Run fbx2edf from PiBoSo's Track Tools (https://kartracing-pro.com/?page=downloads) to create .TRP and .MAP files. Please refer to http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php?title=FBX2EDF for details.

    ...

Quote from: Racehard on January 07, 2011, 01:50:19 PMNext you will have to work with PiBoSo's Track Tools (Track Editor/ TrackED and Map Viewer) software, which you get from here: http://www.kartracing-pro.com/?page=downloads

Which both are pretty good explained here:
Map Viewer: (in Map Viewer you can open your .map file and see if it looks alright)
http://tools.piboso.com/index.php/Map_Viewer

TrackED: (in TrackED you finish your track for KRP)
http://tools.piboso.com/index.php/Track_Editor

Follow PiBoSo's Workflow instructions:
• Create a centerline
1. Centerline -> New
2. ....
If you finished that, you will have to create the Race Data.

Just play around a bit with the values and you will understand how it works.
(save the finsihed Race Data as .rdf file with the same filename as your .trp and .map file into the same folder)

(http://www.abload.de/thumb/18dn04.jpg) (http://www.abload.de/image.php?img=18dn04.jpg)

And don't forget to set checkpoints to prevent cutting the track! In top right of the race data window you see the checkpoints, works exactly the same as setting up sectors, so just add as many checkpoints as you need to make the track secure against cheating.


This step is followed by the last part, bring it ingame :)

Right now you have the three files StyriaKarting.map, StyriaKarting.trp and StyriaKarting.rdf all in your track folder (StyriaKarting).

Navigate to the Kart Racing Pro main directory and copy the file tracks.pkz to a place of your choice (desktop or anywhere else), this file is a zip file, so you can open it with winrar or another archive program winzip etc. Inside the tracks file there's tracks\lonato. Extract the lonato folder to
X:\Program Files\Kart Racing Pro\tracks\ 
and rename it into your tracks name (StyriaKarting).

Inside the folder rename all lonato.xxx files into your tracks name (StyriaKarting.xxx)
-->  delete the file bestline.tl  --> copy and overwrite your three track files StyriaKarting.trp, .map and .rdf into it.

Now open the file StyriaKarting.ini (configuration file) with windows editor accessory and type in the correct data of your track)

The very last step before you can enjoy your new track in kart racing is to exchange the TGA pictures with appropriate ones of the same size and name showing your Track ;)


Updated links for your reference:
MapView - http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php?title=MapView
TrackED - http://docs.piboso.com/wiki/index.php?title=TrackEd
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on February 04, 2021, 04:46:20 PM
Thanks for all the help. I hope I did everything correctly. Wish me luck.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on February 04, 2021, 05:49:39 PM
Good luck!  :)
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on February 06, 2021, 08:55:31 AM
Hi all,

So, when I added the track to KRP, the textures didn't come out. Everything is white. but its reading my track layout, as the racing line follows my track design. Below is the view from map viewer, as you can see, everything is white. Not sure what's wrong, as my materials are all BMP files. Perhaps its the way I attached the materials? I use a bitmap, and drag it to base colour on the materials menu in 3dsmax, and then assign the material to the object.

Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on February 06, 2021, 10:18:51 AM
Hi,

So, I managed to solve my problem. Firstly, I was using the arnold renderer texture instead of a general texture. Also, I was using a BMP of 32bits instead of 24bits. Having changed these two settings, my track is now viewable on Map viewer. Now to redo the race data and track centreline and I should be good to go.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Raise on February 06, 2021, 05:48:27 PM
I use .tga textures so maybe that has a different affect but I've never had a problem using 32bit textures on any of my tracks no matter the detail level or complexity of the track.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: giuseppem on February 10, 2021, 03:40:33 PM
hello Raise, have you see my PM?
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on February 19, 2021, 02:52:41 PM
Hi, try to make these lines narrower (see the attached image), so they don't extend to other parts of the track.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on February 19, 2021, 04:26:57 PM
Quote from: LXS77 on February 19, 2021, 02:52:41 PMHi, try to make these lines narrower (see the attached image), so they don't extend to other parts of the track.

Right, will do that and let you know. Thanks
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: Blackcaim on August 24, 2021, 01:21:54 PM
Hi all,

After a long break, I'm trying to install a new track on a new computer. For some reason KRP doesn't seem to be reading the file. Weird thing is that I've even tried installing the new track in both the steam mods folder and the main KRP folder. I've even tried adding the track to the PKZ file using this guide as a basis, but to no avail. Anyone have any ideas on how to get KRP to read my new track? Just to clarify, I've done all the necessary preparations such as making the map, trp, and rdl. I can see my track in mapview, its just not showing up in KRP. Another note is that I am using onedrive, so my documents seem to be linked to said onedrive.
Title: Re: Creating a New Track from Scratch
Post by: LXS77 on August 24, 2021, 06:14:41 PM
Hi Blackcaim, can you please upload a screenshot showing the contents and the full path of the directory where your new track is sitting?