Outdated Throttle-Based Torque Converter Lockup Logic 1.3

Repository download page
I made some change to the Automatic gearbox shiftlogic and introduce some more Jbeam variables.
DOWNLOAD (remove the WIP tclockupthrottle_covet_d0p.zip first), Repo version

It's quite common for automatic gearboxes to delay the TC lockup by throttle value before downshifting.

Mod feature: Delay the TC lockup RPM by throttle settings with adjustable parameters, NO more 3rd gear bogging down.
The Covet is already configued for demonstration.
Vehicles:
Wentward DT40L
Gavril Pickup/Roamer/Van
Ibishu 200BX
ETK I-Series
Gavril Grand Marshal
Ibishu Covet
Ibishu Hopper
Bruckell LeGran
Ibishu Pessima/Midsize
Gavril T-Series

Other vehicle shifting is unchanged.

Choose the mod Converter in the vehicle parts
Jbeam parameters:

Code:

        "shiftLogicName":"automaticGearboxmod", //using the modded shiftlogic
        "torqueConverterThrottleLockupRange": 1000, //increase this RPM with throttle application
        "torqueConverterDelayLockupMinThrottle":0.2, //throttle below this does not increase the lockup RPM
        "torqueConverterDelayLockupMaxThrottle":0.7, //throttle at or above this fully increase the lockup RPM

Lua modifications:

Code:

lockupTarget = clamp((gearboxInputAV - torqueConverterHandling.lockupThrottleRange * clamp(M.throttle / (torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMaxThrottle - torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMinThrottle) + torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMinThrottle / (torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMinThrottle - torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMaxThrottle),0,1) - torqueConverterHandling.lockupAV) / torqueConverterHandling.lockupRange, 0, 1)

and this:

Code:

    torqueConverterHandling.lockupThrottleRange = (jbeamData.torqueConverterThrottleLockupRange or 0) * constants.rpmToAV

    --delay torqueConverterLockup with throttle application
    torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMinThrottle = jbeamData.torqueConverterDelayLockupMinThrottle or 0
    --no lockup delay below this throttle value
    torqueConverterHandling.lockupDelayMaxThrottle = jbeamData.torqueConverterDelayLockupMaxThrottle or 1
    --max lockup delay above this throttle value

How to use it
Put the zip in your mods folder and drive the Covet the above vehicleafter selecting the Throttle-based Locking Torque Converter part.
For other vehicles, enter the Jbeam code in the converter section, right below the "torqueConverterLockupRPM".
Parameters value adjustment: important for a good driving experience.
torqueConverterDelayLockupMinThrottle: Must at or above 0 and below the "torqueConverterDelayLockupMaxThrottle" value, should be set to a bit above cruising throttle.
torqueConverterDelayLockupMaxThrottle: Must at or below 1 and above the "torqueConverterDelayLockupMinThrottle" value, should be set to just below downshift throttle.
torqueConverterThrottleLockupRange: Not set or set to 0 to disable the function. Note that above certain engine speeds, the lockup action merely affect the RPM, set to roughly that RPM minus the "torqueConverterLockupRPM" then divided by two. Trial-and-error might needed to fine-tune for the best driving experience.

Lockup RPM basic calculation example: The throttle setting is 0.4, the "torqueConverterDelayLockupMinThrottle" is 0.2, the "torqueConverterDelayLockupMaxThrottle" is 0.6, the "torqueConverterThrottleLockupRange" is 1000 and the "torqueConverterLockupRPM" is 1300.
The actual lockup RPM would be 1800.

 

Awesome mod ! The automatic gearbox feels way better than before, it resolved the problem where the engine revs raise when the gearbox change speed and significantly increased the gearbox reactivity while driving, i hope the devs while take a look at what you did because actually the automatic gearboxes feels very bad (when you are at max rpm and you need to wait 5 seconds for the gearbox to upshift to reduce to 2000RPM is a bit boring...) it still needs some tweaks (specially for the upshifting rpm values, at 90% of throttle the gearbox shouldn't upshift at 3000RPM, but that's easy to change). Now you should try to do it on a gearbox with more speeds, like the ETK 8-speed who is an absolute pain to use when you're not always at 100% of the throttle.

 

Amazing, will be interested to try this out next time I'm on BeamNG

 

No lua is needed, just lower the "aggressionHoldOffThrottleDelay" value to zero.

Older mechanical transmissions don't "sense" throttle position, they only had a kickdown switch that activate via full throttle. In BeamNG, these kinds of transmission always using the highest gear below 80% throttle.

The ETK 8-speed is actually more efficient than manual transmission becalse the TC lock up early at 2nd gear. To prevent rev bouncing the throttle is reduced to 70% during upshifting. The "pain" is actually caused by the slow shift at low throttle. In the "etk_transmission.jbeam", the "gearChangeTime" is the minimum physically possible shift time, while the "maxGearChangeTime" and the "minGearChangeTime" is for the contoller to smoothen the shift, lowering the "maxGearChangeTime" by half may help.
--- Post updated ---

Finished! Repo version is waiting approval.

 

This is great! it works really well. If you approve, I would like to try and implement this into some of my mods, it would work a whole lot better than my current solution (2 gears with the same ratios, with lockup enabled in one of them)

 

Feel free to implement this in your mod (cuz reuploders and meshslappers don't even understand this mod lol). One purpose of this thread is to provide some pratical ways to improve shiftlogic so we can contribute to the vehicle handling in BeamNG.drive.
One way is to DIY it, copy the shiftLogic-automaticGearbox.lua to your user folder C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\BeamNG.drive\lua\vehicle\controller\ and edit it, it'll (temporarily)override the original lua. You can do this ingame, just press Ctrl+L then Ctrl+R to refresh after each edit).
Another way is to create other drivetrain mod with those Jbeam parameters, keeping this mod enabled.
Another way is to take the lua folder and rename it (eg.shiftLogic-automaticGearboxmodmod.lua) then edit the file to implement your custom shiftlogic, then in the vehicle Jbeam vehiclecontroller (eg.
"shiftLogicName":"automaticGearboxmodmod").

Also you may want to check out this mod. Note that I don't know how to rename the file and specify them in the Jbeam file, so it changes the shift globally, thus it's not allowed in the repo(You must not overwrite any default game data.).

Good luck with your modding

 

Thanks. I'll use it to improve my automatic transmissions for my Wentward mod. The CVT and DCT fix looks interesting too, I might have a use for those as well in the future.

 

Haha we both have the same idea..

Gearbox optimisation, what vehicle do we fit this technology to... A bus!

 

The CVT still needs some work completed. In the original tuning the CVT low RPM(600 in the Sunburst) is lower than the TC lockup RPM(1800 in the Sunburst), making low throttle cruising inefficient. And the TC Always lock up at the specified RPM regardless of vehicle speed, making launching sluggish. I'm trying to make the CVT shift map an adjustable exponential curve and do the same throttle based TC locking. Another problem is, unlike automatics, the TC always lockup in an instant. The "torqueConverterLockupRate" only works in automatics.

 

I know IRL Subaru CVTs lock up at 11 mph. Could you use electrics.wheelspeed or something to trigger lockup, instead of an RPM value?

 

It's a little clunky, based purely on throttle value.. could it be based upon agression value? or make your own version of agression value?

The problem is that its a little quick to lockup once you let off gas, maybe a simple delay could help.

 

The "aggression" value is in the "vehiclecontroller.lua" and I (currently)don't know how to mod it.
Note: the non-aggressive shiftmap is way different than the aggressive shiftmap, the former is throttle^3, the latter is throttle * 1.333 or 0.75 when stopped, this is a bit confusing.

EDIT: The aggression calculation in the "vehiclecontroller.lua" is a little bit clunky. First the aggression is calculated according to the throttle increase speed (dt) add up to the throttle position X 1.333, thus, even you move the throttle very slowly, the aggression is always higher than the throttle. Then the "aggressionCoef" is introduced, which is basically squared aggression value. Finally the shiftRPM is a function of low/highShiftUp/DownRPM and the aggressionCoef.
For older transmission, the aggression is throttle cubic (throttle^3) and the aggressionCoef is (throttle^6), this is a very low RPM shifter, you may apply more than 90% throttle in order to downshift.

As shown, with 70% throttle the non-aggression is about 0.1 and the aggreession is about 0.9, that's why older mechanical transmission is described as slushbox.
I'm planning to do a custom shiftmap without modding the "vehiclecontroller.lua".

A simple delay is about setting these value just below "torqueConverterLockupRPM"

Code:

"torqueConverterLockupInRate":5,
"torqueConverterLockupOutRate":0.15,

Good idea, do you know you don't even need to implement wheelspeed sensors in the lua because of this

As shown, the wheelspeed is tied to the gearbox output RPM, just set the TC lockup according to the gearbox output RPM and adjust the RPM to where the wheelspeed is 11mph.

 

Am I free to implement this in my engines mod?

 

Yes, just don't forget to rename to avoid mod conflict. Also note the "torqueConverterLockupInRate" is TC unlock speed and"torqueConverterLockupOutRate" is TC lockup speed

 

default0.0player updated Throttle-Based Torque Converter Lockup Logic with a new update entry:

V1.1 minor improvement

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

default0.0player updated Throttle-Based Torque Converter Lockup Logic with a new update entry:

V1.2 high RPM lockup fix

Read the rest of this update entry...

 

I was interested in this mod, altough it is 1 year old and it works really well. Automatic transmissions perform almost like irl. But is it possible to disable this feature in top gear - O/D somehow? Real automatic transmission does not that in O/D, at least on cars I have driven. thanks

 

default0.0player updated Throttle-Based Torque Converter Lockup Logic with a new update entry:

compatibility update

Read the rest of this update entry...
--- Post updated ---

OK so back on topic, the bus.
The most visible problem of the automatic transmission in BeamNG is on the bus. If you drive the highway version DT40L (no mods) and apply 75% throttle and you can watch the RPM jumps up and down.
Current solutions(with mods):
1. Use two gears with the same ratio, but the lockup gear is one of them, this is effectively 1C-2C-3C-4C-4L-5L, but the transition between 4L and 5L is not perfect(but still much better than the unmodded bus), since vehicles accelerate slower at higher speed, reducing shifts in lower gears save time in both MT and AT. Thus the ratio between 4th and 5th is "closer" than the ratio between 1st and 2nd, when the driver applies moderate throttle

Spoiler: IRL

I searched "angery" and found this thread lol
Torque Converter Lockup Questions

IRL 5-speed 1C-2C-3C-4C-4L-5L, 8-speed 1C-2C-2L-3L-4L-5L-6L-7L-8L(since already close-ratio)

5th gear low engine RPM the vehicle will downshift to 4th, if in 4th the TC unlocks, then downshift(if the throttle is depressed even more). And since the gear ratio between 4th and 5th are close, the TC remains locked during the shift between 4th and 5th. However in BeamNG you cannot fully remedy the "jolt" even with throttle cut, if the TC lockup is delayed the RPM will rise after the shift, if the TC lockup time is default there's still a jolt.
2. Unlock the TC based on throttle value, this is a little smoother since in acceleration with moderate throttle, the TC remains unlocked until the driver reduce the throttle at the end of the acceleration, in acceleration with low throttle, the "jolt" is less intense bc the engine torque is low. However you cannot get a 5L without 5C gear.






I'm going to mod the shiftLogic-automaticGearboxmod.lua and make another transmission mod, which will eventually supersede this mod. Planned features are:

TC always locked in overdrive(highest) gears: make a "torqueConverterFullyLockupMinGear" in addition to the "torqueConverterLockupMinGear", if the former is 5 and the latter is 3, then 1C-2C-3C-3L-4C-4L-5L-6L
Winter mode, always 2nd gear: some shifters IRL when selected to "2" will only in 2nd instead of shifting between 1st and 2nd, some vehicles have separate W mode, In BeamNG mod there will be PRNDW1 and PRND21W, respectively.
"autoDownShiftInM" to a certain gear: when the "autoDownShiftInM" is false the vehicle can start at the highest gear and "autoDownShiftInM" is true the gear is always M1 in M mode when stopped. PRNDSM vehicle IRL often allows the driver to start at higher than 1st(2nd in some 6ATs and 3rd in some 8ATs), which is useful when starting on slippery surface.