WIP Beta released The Tennessee USA Roane County 0.71 Beta Discussion/Suggestion/feedback Thread 19.3.1

Well I am glad to hear that it worked. Sometimes it takes a while... several minutes even, depending on your PC configuration. Disk speed, RAM amount (and free RAM amount at that rate), CPU-speed, etc all go in to factoring how long it will take your machine to load this map.
While 6gb it not officially supported, the game might still be able to load the map, however, performance in the long-run will be rather sub-par, as it tries to load up other portions of the map when you drive around. The game is early-access (read:unfinished features) and putting an obnoxiously large map in it is making mountains out of the mole-hill sized 'unfinished features'. What I am saying is, what might be a teensy tiny stutter on regular-sized game maps becomes a big noticable skip or hitch in my map (because it's 50X~90X or more larger than stock maps on average).
Other folks with 6gb of memory have reported that it runs, with limited and varying rates of success. Do know that most of the skipping/random choppiness in the frame rate goes away or is significantly reduced by having more than 8gb of RAM and is not a 'fault' of the map or game (other than running too large of an environment in a small area of ram).
All in all glad to hear it runs for you. I will most likely add a note to the system requirements so that users with 6gb (common in original X58 chipset Nehelam/Westmere-based machines like i7 9xx or XEON 54xx cpu's) will know if this runs or not and what to expect. As I've mentioned before, turning down graphics detail such as texture resolution, turning off shadows and reflection (mirror reflection especially), and not spawning in AI-driven vehicles will all help to keep the RAM use as low as possible. As Beamng.drive matures in later stages of development, expect the large initial on-load ram requirement to go down some, as the last version update to 0.7.x made considerable headway in this direction. Keep fingers crossed and hope for the best!

 

Just a heads up, with my homestate of Tennessee here making headlines with all the wildfires and all that.
Safe and sound here, and right now it's POURING, and it's been for hours now. Prior to lastnight we've only had a dash of rain here or there, barely enough to wet the ground for more than 10 minutes, since July-August or so. We have one wildfire south of our town but I doubt that'll ever get the advancement it needs to even get close. In relation to where this all is with the area in the map (Roane County), the wildfires are burning East/South-east of where this map is made to represent, and I live west of where this map is by like a good 30 mins drive atleast.
It has been raining BUCKETS for hours now. This is wonderful, we're somewhere around a foot below normal rainfall since July. That coupled with the fall season and leaves coming off the deciduous trees, makes for a terrible fire hazard. Then the winds came - up to and over 80mph in some spots (yikes!).
Thankfully most of downtown historic Gatlinburg survived, though some of the homes, resorts, businesses on the outskirts and one 16-floor hotel were lost (I think it was the Park Vista). Hopefully all this rain will help folks get a handle on things down there.

 

Was a bit worried mate, good to hear you're ok

 

Glad to hear that you are okay. Take care

About map:
Running well on i5-4400 and GTX 980 equipped with 8GB RAM (maxed out without Dynamic Reflection) but FPS drops and sometimes lag spikes occurs (probably caused of HDD)
Also fine enough on i5-6300HQ / GTX 950M / 8GB RAM notebook. 1920x1080 low settings with medium textures. Less spikes, probably because of SSD.

I enjoy this map. But how about object limit? I think last year or two ago someone tried to make huge map and he got stuck when objects count grew too much.

 

this map is amazing, sucks my computer cant hande it

 

It went back to Beta 2 again for me.
I deactivated the v5 zip in my documents and the v2 map still shows. I feel like something is acting up.
What's worse is that I cannot find anything related to the v2 map.

 

Search the mod directory for 'roane' and 'tenn' and see if anything other than the V5 zip shows up. Bob's changed his name scheme once or twice, so it is possible that it is just elsewhere, starting with a different letter. Other than that, clear your cache.

 

It looks awesome...however, whenever I go to load the map, it gives me an error:

"Failed to create resource (is the file missing?):
levels/SouthernHighway/SouthernHighway.forest"

I click on ok to move on. No more errors..
However, when the map loads..It's bare...just the ground texture and water. That's it.
No trees, no bridges, no buildings.

I've tried clearing the cache. that didn't do anything. So, any suggestions?

 

Try redownloading

 

Did that. Didn't fix it.

 

Most likely it's not in the right spot. Did you put this file in mods\levels ?
There's obviously a pathing error somehow or in some way.

For folks who have an older version, the old v2 (with the lighter grass, i believe) used to be extracted to beamng.drive\levels\southernhighway folder. Check if that folder exists, and is from september/august/july or so and remove it. SouthernHighway was the project codename for the map as the name wasn't finalized when the betas were first going out (and changing it after you've started is asking for trouble).

For those who can't seem to get it to work properly, you CAN extract the contents into beamng.drive folder so that the path to the main .mis file is Documents\beamng.drive\levels\southernhighway\southernhighway.mis and it will load properly from there. It will also load faster due to it being uncompressed. You do not have to do this, however.

I am aware of the object limit. I have, however, taken the time to create a humongous forest script of over 312,000 characters (or more). This is because the FOREST file and objects DO NOT count toward the limit of 4096 objects. Those 4096 objects are roads/bridges(majority), the terrain itself (one object) the skybox pieces (<50 pieces), the water (two to four units) the player (one unit) the spawns (seven units) etc. Guardrails and median barriers (also retaining walls and sidewalks) also count towards the object limit.
All the trees, rocks, signs, traffic lights, houses/buildings/businesses, other misc plants and what-not are all in the FOREST brush and again DO NOT count toward the 4096 object limit. I am currently about 90% of the way to the limit of objects, but the map structure is also 95% done, it just needs lots of forest furnishing (immersion, completing the scene, etc). There will be plenty of space for more objects, but at this rate, it doesn't look like I will be adding a lot more railroad track beyond what was just added two weeks ago as the track units themselves DO count towards the limit and I must save the rest for roadway/guardrail/bridges etc.

Sorry for the quiet time - family came for the holidays - and my sister's kid got EVERYBODY in the family sick (not just myself). Lovely. Not near as bad as the last time she got everyone sick three months ago...sheesh. The warm fall weather hasn't helped anything. I guess the impending cold wintry weather DOES have a silver lining afterall.
The map is somewhere around 36xx/4096 objects used. I will stop adding objects somewhere around the 4000 mark so I can save atleast 64 units additional for additional car and race objects (like using a bunch of AI on a road race, as the checkpoints and added barriers would be objects, too).

Again, aside of a few dozen shorter roadways, I shouldn't need too many more objects, so no worries on it running out of object spawn space. I will not need to mention just how many hours/days it takes to create a 300kb + forest definitions file (it's two files total), much, much, much larger than anything else for this game as it pretty much is an entire game environment in and of itself, so much is needed here! I knew what I was getting into from the get-go however, so no biggy. Work smarter, not harder, and avoiding double-work type scenarios as much as possible.

Updates to the map are pending on a game update as I'd like to push out some missions shortly after the next game version update. A map update will come with this. I don't want to update the map only to have a week later the game update break all kinds of things (and the race mission editor is 100% missing in my game version due to missing game-editor engine files in the last update).

 

hmmmmm..

Easter egg? Restaurant you like?

 

In regards to my earlier post:
" It looks awesome...however, whenever I go to load the map, it gives me an error:

"Failed to create resource (is the file missing?):
levels/SouthernHighway/SouthernHighway.forest"

I click on ok to move on. No more errors..
However, when the map loads..It's bare...just the ground texture and water. That's it.
No trees, no bridges, no buildings......"

My file missing error was caused by my game being way out of date..I was using version 0.5.6.1.2462
After updating to Game Version 0.7.0.0.3036, The issue was fixed..
Guess I don't bother to update as often as I should....

Now that that's out of the way, this is a huge level, no, this should be called a world, it's really quite impressive. Well done.
I still have yet to find the end of the map after almost 45 minutes.(Or maybe I'm going in circles without realizing it.. )
Either way, I'm having a good time.
Running just happily @~35 FPS on medium on 16 GB RAM & a 980M 8GB paired with an i7 4700-mq....but with a 7200 RPM SSHD.

 

Fast Yakety Sax Version, for the Impatient

I scoff at the default 2 km x 2 km map size - it feels like I am driving around a neighborhood by comparison.

On a side note, it's funny how often I end up riding where I've ridden before when I am trying to find new roads; a pleasurable jaunt turns into an all-out sprint when I find myself on familiar stomping grounds.
Time-Lapse (2x) dub-step version for the impatient

 

I couldn't help but notice a severe safety problem...Two grade crossings by the port thing have no safety devices that warn of trains. If the line is a lesser-used railroad, I advise installing just crossbucks, or active safety devices that have gates or lights.



Also, one of the railroad crossings that has grade crossing signals doesn't have a bell on either one of the signals.


Now, I know I'm going full Operation Lifesaver on your map, but I care about rail safety for the non-existent citizens of your map.

 

This is extremely common in the countryside. Trains have these things called horns that are extremely loud and generally make whatever was in the way move.

 

Oh, yes, they will surely all have crossbucks on them when they are done. Crossing gates possibly won't make it in on this map, unless dynamic objects are supported in the future (they might be) in a way that would enable it to be done map-wide without severely impacting performance. As is currently, they'd have to be vehicles, and that'd surely hog performance way too much for the 1% of the time most users are near or within sight of the train crossing. I will add the signals though, in the future (if they aren't in already). This is known, as the map is still in development. Thanks for the mention though - rail safety is serious. No one wants to get nibbled by "Mr. Choochoo" now (a phonetic play on words, if I may).

Well, if the horn doesn't make it move, and the driver of said car or truck doesn't make it move, the front of the train at running speed sure will do the trick! Smashey-Smashey-Smash!
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Yes - wholly agree with your thoughts on the 2km x 2km terrain size for the pack-in maps. Sure, the included maps are beautiful, and well made, and most everyone can run them provided they've got the cpu-power to move the vehicles about reasonably... but it left me wanting more. Originally, this map was created as a proof-of-concept large(GTA-Sized)-map TEST. It was only supposed to be a TEST. I never thought it would work out well. A few folks expressed interest - so I dressed up the terrain some - and it started becoming something. Well, now I started the snowball running down the hill...and.. well I get to finish what I started (but hey I like mapping so it's no pain for me). --Glad to hear you enjoy this as much as you do, it makes it worth it to make maps.

Teehee, my attempt at humour for those who fly out in that direction from the airport. I was a big looney-tunes fan in the 80s when I was a child, and had seen that more than once - way more than once. So I entirely had to put that in the currently-unused (or under-used) portion of the map. When the map's done you'll only be able to see it from the air as there will be trees around it. Currently the area is quite bare but it's a bit of fun if you get bored driving on the road to grab a 4x4 or a really insanely fast car and fly over the terrain no-holds-barred. Before the map was as complete as it is, I used to do this a LOT.

 

@bob.blunderton By chance, do you happen to know what a Magnetic Flagman (or more commonly known as a wig-wag) is? If so, you could add one to a grade crossing, for that historical feeling.

The more lesser-traversed grade crossings could have just crossbucks, as these are usually sufficient for passive grade crossings. Generally, passive crossing devices are used if the grade crossing does not see busy rail traffic. The two grade crossings by the port are possibly ideal for either wig-wags or just crossbucks.


All grade crossing signal talk aside, I agree with you on the topic of dynamic objects, as it could allow for you to make "track sensors" for grade crossing signals with gates that move up and down. Either way, good luck on improving rail safety on your map! You'll be needing it.

 

I have placed this map on hiatus for a few weeks (or less) until the next Beamng.drive update is out, as I am having severe issues with decal roads in the 0.7.x editor engine, and the mission editor being missing. This map is not dead. This map is still a work-in-progress. It will still be finished (and it's plenty usable - there is plenty of things to do). I will finish this more on the next game version. When the mission feature is re-added, and they fix the decal road tool, I can work on those things then. I have tried for hours to work with these decal roads they way they changed it... work with one spot, another shrinks or expands, fix that, the next one away moves in size... heh NOPE NOT GONNA BOTHER this version is a bust for map editing. I will get back-on-track when the next version comes around otherwise I will kill the computer in frustration. So, Do check back for a new version of Tennessee USA (There has been work done to it regardless), within two weeks after a game-version update. Maybe the devs will give us a Chris Mess present!

On another note, something I can do - add road banking and fix some version-update-breaks-the-map issues in So-Cal and Nevada Interstate (Nevada has a patch on the discussion forums for it, just the .mis file for fixing some of the roads), is currently underway.
I have already added another 5~ miles or so (approx) of banking to the highways of So-Cal. I will be adding signs, a few other things, and trying my best to fix THE SEVERE LAG ISSUE IN SO-CAL AND NEVADA (it's bad - from 140+ fps to 12fps in spots???).
Please reference 'other works by this author' via my profile or however that is done (or search INTERSTATE on the map mods section).
Join in on those discussion threads as I will be popping in and out of the forums in the coming days with some previews.

Remember - Tennessee USA map is NOT dead, it is still being worked on, but I cannot complete the next version update until we get a main-game-version update which restores missing or broken features (welcome to early access).
Technically, this shouldn't decal the update more than a few weeks AT MOST or only as long as the game-update takes.
So-Cal Interstate is next to see an update - keep an eye on this before the end of the month.
Nevada Interstate has a .mis patch in a zip (manually apply that patch) on it's discussion forums, but will get a full update shortly after.

Thanks again to all the beta-testers, youtubers like NewoFox and DavidinArk reviewing/demo-ing this map so kindly and positively (but honestly!). Thanks beta-testers for giving feedback, helping me know just who I am making maps for, what you want, what hardware you run, how the map works (and if it didn't due to low ram etc), and to the Beamng.drive Dev team and forum team for the great game, and the help that you've given myself and everyone along the way.

Happy Chris Mess and Merry New Year and all that jazz. And the next smartey-aleck that emails me coal pictures is getting an Asbestos-and-Wool pajama set from Sprawl-mart.

 

is there a way where you can make ai stop for the sake of having it well you know realistic and or making the ai act like real traffic

its just a suggestion and i know how hard it would be to get that working because you have to do the whole map but thats your decision
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or is beamng drives ai not able to set it up like that