FAQ  •  Login

Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

<<

Reaper392

2-Star Beta Tester
2-Star Beta Tester

Posts: 470

Joined: Mon Dec 09, 2013 7:11 am

Post Wed May 14, 2014 9:07 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

ElSaico wrote:The corners are drawn by calculating the center and destination and making a quadratic curve out of them. This means I need to work on an iterative (parametric?) approach to achieve a similar result with the game.


This could possibly be a dumb question, but why are you using a quadratic equation to estimate the path of the corner? surely it would be more sensible to use the equation of a circle:
(x-a)² + (y-b)² = r²

centre = (a, b)
radius = r

I have no idea what your maths abilities are, so here is a better explanation if you need it: http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/circle-equations.html
<<

07CobaltGirl

User avatar

Queen of Track Building

Posts: 1613

Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:47 am

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Cars: Chevy Cobalt

Post Wed May 14, 2014 12:40 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Well, this track I did was a rush job before going to work this morning. I will play with it more tonight to see if I can learn how to correct it. One thing I had trouble with was getting "sweeping turns" to come out as expected using the line, which is why I said it can't be trusted implicitly. One thing I did learn is, if you append the next section after a curve, it becomes a LOT easier to form it using the visual aid. Overall, I really like this. As stated before, with the track I showed I spent 3.5 hours and only got about 2/3 around but managed this "pretty close" attempt in only about .5 hours. Much, MUCH faster with this tool. It's just a matter of learning the quirks. The slowet part of doing them manually (at least for longer tracks) is waiting the 1-3 minutes for the simulation to run so you can see how you need to correct it. This is instant on changes, which is a HUGE help. Thanks for taking the time to make it. :)
<<

ElSaico

User avatar

Track Builder Developer

Posts: 46

Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:29 am

Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil

Cars: Peugeot "207"

Post Wed May 14, 2014 2:26 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Reaper392 wrote:
ElSaico wrote:The corners are drawn by calculating the center and destination and making a quadratic curve out of them. This means I need to work on an iterative (parametric?) approach to achieve a similar result with the game.


This could possibly be a dumb question, but why are you using a quadratic equation to estimate the path of the corner? surely it would be more sensible to use the equation of a circle:
(x-a)² + (y-b)² = r²

centre = (a, b)
radius = r

I have no idea what your maths abilities are, so here is a better explanation if you need it: http://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/circle-equations.html

This kind of curve is built into the API; only the origin, destination and middle point are necessary. And those are a matter of basic trigonometry.
CEO, Veículos Xavante S/A

Automation Track Builder - make your tracks visually!
Learn how to use it here.
<<

strop

User avatar

3-Star Beta Tester
3-Star Beta Tester

Posts: 3462

Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:31 pm

Cars: Honda Civic VTI-S MY13

Post Wed May 14, 2014 10:44 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

SirStonelouse wrote:i actually had something of a pikes peak challenge in mind to run after this round of the BRC.
obviously the track should only be released to the public after the challenge so that people can't practice till perfection.

so if people would leave this track alone for the time being i would organize something if there is interest.


Okay then! I would love to participate in something like this, but it seems modelling all 130something turns in Pikes Peak would be quite the task!

I shall await further news of this.
<<

SirStonelouse

User avatar

Turbocharged
Turbocharged

Posts: 42

Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2013 6:09 am

Location: Germsmany

Cars: 1360 hp daily driver

Post Thu May 15, 2014 8:52 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

strop wrote:
SirStonelouse wrote:i actually had something of a pikes peak challenge in mind to run after this round of the BRC.
obviously the track should only be released to the public after the challenge so that people can't practice till perfection.

so if people would leave this track alone for the time being i would organize something if there is interest.


Okay then! I would love to participate in something like this, but it seems modelling all 130something turns in Pikes Peak would be quite the task!

I shall await further news of this.


luckily i have some spare time next week, let me see how far i get. :D
<<

Nivracer

User avatar

Supercharged
Supercharged

Posts: 109

Joined: Fri Apr 11, 2014 12:36 pm

Location: Austin, TX

Cars: -1946 Ford F1 (Project for Dad & I)
-2000 Ford Focus ZX3 (POS daily driver)
-BMW E30 325i coupe (Someday)

Post Fri May 16, 2014 10:14 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

This is still to complicated for me. Is there a way you could make it so you can drag the track with your mouse or something like that?
<<

USDMFTW

User avatar

Naturally Aspirated

Posts: 397

Joined: Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:00 pm

Cars: 2000 Saturn SL2
Look i have DOHC :P

Post Fri May 23, 2014 8:39 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Quite confusing tool, i got a strait to work but could not get a turn to appear on the end.
<<

07CobaltGirl

User avatar

Queen of Track Building

Posts: 1613

Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:47 am

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Cars: Chevy Cobalt

Post Sat May 24, 2014 3:48 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

I don't really do video tutorials, but I can put together a simple tutorial to get others started.

EDIT: I have a suggestion for this tool. I really like it, and it is pretty simple to use, however it would be really nice if it calculated the distance of the line for you. I'm sure I could do it mathematically, and of course I can run the track and determine it with sector length, but it would be much easier if the tool could calculate it for me.

EDIT: Moved my Simple Automation Track Builder tutorial here: Simple Tutorial for Automation Track Editor + SuzyQ Circuit
Attachments
Example Track Tutorial.zip
Example Track Tutorial created with ElSaico's Automation Track Builder
(122.87 KiB) Downloaded 345 times
<<

zeussy

User avatar

Developer - Lead Programmer
Developer - Lead Programmer

Posts: 745

Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2010 2:32 am

Location: Wellington - New Zealand

Cars: A crashed 1992 Suzuki Cappuccino

Post Mon May 26, 2014 1:16 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

As a thank you to ElSaico we have upgraded his account to the special edition.
Lead Progammer (The Guy that makes stuff happen!)

Follow us on
Twitter - http://twitter.com/AutomationGame
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/AutomationGame

Come chat to us at http://automationgame.com/irc
<<

Jakgoe

User avatar

Supercharged
Supercharged

Posts: 2104

Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2014 8:25 am

Location: United States of America

Cars: 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT SL,
1994 Mercedes-Benz S600

Post Mon May 26, 2014 1:24 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

zeussy wrote:As a thank you to ElSaico we have upgraded his account to the special edition.

He definitely deserves it. This visual track editor is amazing for how quick he finished it.
World #1 Ranked Automation Player!

Co-Owner of the World Rally Team

Smolensk Motors Showroom

Smolensk Tuning

We will continue the Epic Rap Battles of Automation.
<<

07CobaltGirl

User avatar

Queen of Track Building

Posts: 1613

Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:47 am

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Cars: Chevy Cobalt

Post Mon May 26, 2014 5:21 pm

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Agreed! This thing is super fantastic! A few things still need fixed, and I made a suggestion for it to be even better, but it is awesome already and I hope people start using it a lot! :) MORE TRACKS!!!! :D
<<

ElSaico

User avatar

Track Builder Developer

Posts: 46

Joined: Mon Dec 10, 2012 6:29 am

Location: Porto Alegre, Brazil

Cars: Peugeot "207"

Post Tue May 27, 2014 6:09 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Thank you very much for the feedback, people. :)

I've just launched an update - now the import/export issues are finally fixed. Plus the corners are drawn with the right shape this time.
The only thing left to solve now are those accuracy issues (that only get worse the more corners a track has :|) - then interface improvements will follow.

Then again, this line length thing does seem interesting to implement right now. hmmm...
CEO, Veículos Xavante S/A

Automation Track Builder - make your tracks visually!
Learn how to use it here.
<<

07CobaltGirl

User avatar

Queen of Track Building

Posts: 1613

Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:47 am

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Cars: Chevy Cobalt

Post Tue May 27, 2014 6:49 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

ElSaico wrote:Thank you very much for the feedback, people. :)

I've just launched an update - now the import/export issues are finally fixed. Plus the corners are drawn with the right shape this time.
The only thing left to solve now are those accuracy issues (that only get worse the more corners a track has :|) - then interface improvements will follow.

Then again, this line length thing does seem interesting to implement right now. hmmm...


YAY!
<<

Dragawn

User avatar

Turbocharged
Turbocharged

Posts: 391

Joined: Fri Jul 05, 2013 1:02 am

Cars: A high tech sportscar consisting entirely of air!

Post Tue May 27, 2014 6:57 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Yay too, for a hint with the accuracy issue: it seems to be only in the Y-axis, not X
<<

07CobaltGirl

User avatar

Queen of Track Building

Posts: 1613

Joined: Sun Dec 08, 2013 11:47 am

Location: Atlanta, GA, USA

Cars: Chevy Cobalt

Post Tue May 27, 2014 7:45 am

Re: Automation Track Builder - a visual track editor

Yes, the accuracy issues I had to correct with Notepad++. Mine weren't TOO bad though. Pretty easy 30 minute fix.
PreviousNext

Return to Test Track Sharing Forum

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests