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

The only thing that is or should be orange is the gas-station pump pads (small like 2 foot by 5 foot area, at Snake Oil), because I haven't gotten around to see why a texture that's there and scripted in properly doesn't work.
Thus far you're the first one who's given reports of a notexture error.
Load your game, load this map, get to where it says no texture error (if it's not around you where you start), quit the game and go and send your documents\beamng.drive\beamng.log file in a private message so i can see if it is indeed something I did.
The mod goes in documents\beamng.drive\mods\levels, technically, if you have any questions.
This is the only map that uses much of these textures, hence this map is not dependent on any other maps, for it's textures and resources. Even the EAST COAST USA map resources, that it uses, are supplied by this map.
Consider deleting the "Documents\BeamNG.drive\cache.0.10.0.1\levels\SouthernHighway" folder to see if it helps, and ensuring that you've downloaded the ZIP file correctly (you may have lost a chunk in transit).

 

It's baaaa-aaack for it's second location, in Roane County.


This is also posted under development screens.

https://www.google.com/maps/@35.878092,-84.5100189,273a,35y,136.71h/data=!3m1!1e3
Google link of the Mcdonalds (Sausage Fest), and the old RaceWay Gas franchise (closed, Snake-Oil).
There's yet another store that goes between the two plots.



The middle store plot is done (now that i know how much space I needed for the plots to either end).
There, that block is finished off. For the blind, the Sausage Fest has it's trees now & is complete.
Now for more and more blocks of this stuff. I could go faster but it's not nearly the feeling of accomplishment or beauty.

 

Filled in the missing block between the HOA-style complex and the post-war cookie-cutter houses with some slightly newer homes that were a bit different. Showing perspective shot first, 2nd from the left block, in the back.








Look for more progress on the commercial strip along the main road sooner or later now that this area in the back is mostly done up nice.

 

OH NOES!


Here's another one, HARPEE'S, Charbroiled ICK-burgers

All of you with ex's can relate, I am sure of this.

 

just a small progress update to post of the commercial area on the main route off the highway into Kingston...




VERY WORK-IN-PROGRESS. Not nearly complete!
Ignore the 30fps on the frame counter, my desktop is always 30fps (Why AMD why!???). Getting more like 55fps here, it's pretty decent actually, good as I have much to add here! The Nashville/Knoxville sign is a new one.
Regraded the turn in-front of the bank/at the ramp entrance/exit as it was banked wrong 'for ever' (since it was built), it's now banked correctly, if I failed to mention last night.

Screenshots are to be considered heavy WiP state. It's not nearly complete as stated, the commercial area (along Kentucky Street) is at most 35% done.

 

Just added 30-35 more different directional signs last night, each unique.
They'll tell you where you're going, what towns or routes are nearby, and which way to the main US 40, to get your bearings again in-case you get super-lost as many many have in the past. Signs for individual bridges, rivers, and how to get to the Rockwood Airport (which isn't in Rockwood itself as reality shall always be oddly played out), if you're near one of the roads leading to it. Not just signs for each of the three main towns (Rockwood, Harriman and Kingston), but signs to tell you if you're leaving or entering city-limits.
For many of the intersections on the main north-south routes (like Roane St / Gateway Drive and Kentucky Street / Decatur Highway), there's signs posted on the stop signs that meet said routes, to point you toward US 40 so you can get back to enjoying the rest of the map not just driving around in circles.
This has been a long time in the making but while I am working on things, it's time to address this issue once and for-all. While I am at it I am neatening up and simplifying intersections as-I-go(piece-count-wise, read:reducing total map objects while retaining all detail and functionality). My main goal is to give all the detail that say, Kingston, needs to have, by reducing the total objects used wastefully creating intersections or even driveways when created out of decal roads (which get replaced with 3d driveway objects in the forest brush, where they don't take up item slots).

So, next version, which hopefully should be out in 3~4 weeks:
you won't get lost as easily,
there will again be a similar amount of detail like was added in 0.72 (this version downloadable currently),
less areas of the map that are dead and devoid of anything what-so-ever resulting in complete nothing-ness without or with a road through it,
more road mileage as always, this is a given, and improved player flow through the map* (shortcuts where handy, less dead-ends),
LOTS more crash-friendly unique intersections, business, parking-lots (meaning, essentially a boon for Youtubers who like this sort of thing).
*The somewhat unrealistic path from the east end of US 40 to the HOA-style development is one of these examples, or a recently added jump at the end of a dead-end road. At-least there's SOMETHING beyond the end besides NOTHING, a must for any fun map. This is also what makes circut race tracks quite enjoyable for more than one lap.

I will have some pictures up within 12~24 hours or so to help better represent what I speak of.

If you've got some franchise name parodies not already used in this map, feel free to give a shout-out so I can include it.
--Until then, cheers!

 

So, most definitely - some screenshots on signs! NO MORE GETTING LOST unless you can't read!
About half of the new signs are in, if that.
Time spent making them - 8 hours
Time spent placing them - many hours thus far...




















Lots of screenshots for just signs, and many are from lesser-complete parts of the map, but I did take the time to neaten up and simplify a lot of intersections from 0.6~0.8 versions of the editor, built last year (that were oddly-shaped because of it).
So the map will look better and it had to be done anyways.
This update is about doing more, with less objects (the object amount, for non-forest-objects will be roughly the same as last version, oddly-enough, while more homes / business are in and the map is more complete).
Edit: Signs also tell you not only which direction to take to get to the main US 40 highway, but also, when you're within a few miles of the airport, there's arrows to point you the right way!
YEAH HE LISTENED! After what a YEAR? *mutters swearing* ... well this is when I do detailing for everything. You guys got lost. A map wasn't good enough. So I did one better. I noticed even reviewers who've played on this map for hours, getting lost, so now you'll have a better time, reviewing, doing car-crash compilations, or just playing and milling about!
There will be more 'attractions' in the future, not just the highway and airport, and signs for them, too (just don't expect them within the next update, I am working in Kingston for the next update).
--- Post updated ---
Ooops, forgot one!

@synsol is gonna have my hide for this one, oh well - no pain no gain!
The 'EDGE OF EARTH' classic sign is still present. This one is found at the very end, though.
--Cheers!

 

Nothing spectacular. Especially the 'old' Kingston portion, the stuff I made last year or last winter some-time...

Screenshot is merely an example of the new 3d driveway type. This is only a hint, and in no way the representation of what it will look like when it's done, blech!
So I've started replacing 2d decal road driveways (as each one takes an item slot) with 3d driveway objects.
3d driveway objects (which I now made a 3rd variety of, by the way, Concrete!), don't take item slots up, because they're a forest object. So basically, in the process of replacing driveways, and simplifying some intersections, I now have 60 less item slots used.
Currently at 3325 of 4000* total map objects vs 3386/4000* just two days ago after creating the commercial sector lots and such.
For those wondering, no, this part of Kingston hasn't been touched much, the curbing was about twice as high as it was supposed to be, there was no grass that filled in portions of the town until close to the last update upload, and even that was only the main road.
So time to spruce it up some and bring the stuff that's already in there, up to a 'finished' state or at least something that looks better than the rubbish that's there right now. Ugh. My oh my how times have changed. It's amazing how much better one can make things with more model choices though. Leaves me very positive for the future of Beamng map-making.
*4000, the true limit is 4096 including the player, the terrain, camera, spawns, cloud layers, sun etc, anything else inside the f1 object editor, heck even the water plane (the sea that encompasses the map), but I leave 96 units free minimum, to allow for large races, mission elements, and other goodies. You certainly can't run 96 cars now, but maybe in the future you'll want a 32 car race.

Next few days will not have much interesting to note until I am done fixing up preexisting Kingston, then some pics will come. I am optimizing things that have been around awhile, converting old style piece-together signs into single-object new-style signs, simplifying aforementioned intersections from multi-piece to single-piece, lowering redundant draw-calls (it might give 1~2fps more, but adding detail will take it back, so it should break-even or not be such a bad hit to FPS in the least except in town where it will drop FPS some).

Menial duties sure, monotonous, well not really, but it's got to be done!
I've created a MONSTER, and I must tame it here.
--Cheers!

 

So when I was playing through in Rockwood, I frequently got stuck behind curbs, trapped in a sense, with no way to get out. So, while I won't be able to fix every spot, but I can prevent the new stuff from doing this to you as much, by raising the ground behind the curb by use of 3d objects that LOOK and have traction like GRASS. They're super-high-resolution (using an already existing texture!) so they could be stretched to CRAZY dimensions and still not be too bad off. So they'll help just as much as the driveways do now, for what the terrain can't do, I can do with 3d objects. This way I have more variation and freedom when making things sloped into hillsides especially with this disagreeable terrain that's in this map. I will need them for my city map project anyways. They have sloped edges, too, so they won't explode your car and destroy in on contact. Just an example below:

Achievement: This looks like complete Rubbish!
This is merely an example, parking area to left (not detailed, in development!), typical boring curb, and 3d grass-textured object on the right. Placing spots of grass (as is all over the map) on-top of this completes the immersion.
Adding some 3d grass does this.

Achievement: Take a picture of something that sucks! Twice!
If mappers want the 3d mesh grass objects, they will take any texture mapped to 'grass4k' and will be available under the buildings subdirectory in the map for the next release. They're all the same sizes as the set of 3 driveway objects, for ease of use.

Yes, the pictures are terrible, I know I know It's okay to think so too, but it's more a 'how to make your map better' kind of realization that I had, as in "WHY DIDN'T I DO THIS A YEAR AGO?"

Just submitted the post for feedback on this, are other folks getting annoyingly stuck behind curbs? Am I the only one?
The idea is to not get 'trapped' anywhere (when I said stuck, I mean, as if you were fenced in, not stuck in an object glitching)... that's not cool, and that breaks the immersion/fun of it unless you do it deliberately.

 

Another day, Another bank...
Kingston gets it's second bank today. It also gets a computer repair shop... and... *drum-roll* A MOBILE HOME!
Also now, the second location of 'Despicable Insurance Agency' is built in Kingston.
A car-repair shop, and a warehouse a block off the main route are not quite done enough to show yet.






An opposing jump to the other end-of-the-road jump is installed so that if your car is fast enough, you can jump back the way you came.
Dead-end roads don't have to be boring, because this isn't reality, so - it's NOT going to be boring* (most of the time).
Tried to make this bank's drive through a little better than some of the others.
That is all. Had to do some maintenance on my car today so I didn't get as much done as I normally would have.
Will have some more time tomorrow to work on this as it'll be a rain day for sure.
*Results may vary, use only as directed.
--Cheers

 

Bwahahahahaha. Side effect idea possibly from painting car parts in the garage with the windows & doors shut.
Don't breathe paint fumes kids... DER NUT GUD FUR YOO! Was too humid outside to open up for ventilation, paint curls/eggshells when you do.

So yeah entirely... oh and two new textures re-scripted for decal roads so driveway units match parkinglots if desired, when used in conjunction (I use them to bridge uneven curbing or terrain collision imprecision). Slowly but surely.
Not so much to show today but maybe more later, if anyone has business ideas or feels there's something this map is missing (don't say FPS), give a shout - or forever you shall want.

Finished up a block-length more of buildings tonight, and the warehouse got a fence.
I'm about less-than-a-block from existing Kingston that was built almost a year ago. I've already spruced it up some so it'll be better then you remember it. The new jumps play really well (one is on the 2nd picture after this), and are quite fun and definitely may keep you occupied for a few minutes or more.



If you want my default car, it's here, it's hideous, but it's a good map tester as any.
It's not the fastest car, it's certainly not new, but it's a very keyboard-friendly driver and will do up to about 140mph, has a type 1 turbo, and earned the name 'Rustoleum Racing Special'... even if it doesn't win any races. It's merely a player config and REQUIRES the LIFTBACK Pessima mod for the 88 Pessima.
https://www.beamng.com/resources/pessima-fastback-1985-1987.1218/ <---LIFTBACK PESSIMA.
The red velour interior is quite comfy though... heh.
Again, very easy to drive with a keyboard. Stronger turbos available.

Zip not tested, but it should work, as I copied the folder structure and it's solely a car config (.pc) file.
*updated to include liftback link on 10/20/2017.

 

Not getting stuck behind curbs but if it could happen IRL I wouldn't spend too much effort making the map unstuckable.
Reaaally starting to look awesome, the detailing part you're into now lifts it high with each post!
Any thoughts about how it is built in the editor, in consideration for map modders? I have been looking a tiny bit into changing ground textures and models since I want it alittle more rough and detailed, though at cost of performance. Constantly looking at how different games create different enviroments and diversity is key when it comes to grounds. GTAV is an obvious source of inspiration enviromental-wise and the ground is very diverse, with different ground textures using normals/parallax in the same areas and at the same time using several different models of 2D/3D foliage.

 

Well, clarify some things you wish explained when you have time, but the skinny on some of it is:
Yes you can have parallax mapping on things (drawn from a side angle instead of top-down on the terrain) like cliff edges so that they look right and map to the height of the terrain. Nevada Interstate/Black Hills 2015 does this, as does So-Cal Interstate extensively.
GTAV is a very good example of what an open-world game can be, as is Just Cause 2 (multiplayer mod, specifically), you can drive for EVER in that game, love it actually, but my internet doesn't support the MP mode well enough. Built a huge race-track there and became the star of the server for a while, was like a roller-coaster more than a race-way.
So drawing heavily from the map-flow of GTA SAN ANDREAS which, released about 12 years ago, has one of the most fun open-world maps ever, and is possibly the best example of a GTA game there can be (while it is graphically a bit dated), I've tried to re-create some of the 'fun' of that game here in Beamng without being a total copy-cat. It's a little harder with the physics on the cars to make impromptu jumps, but, alas; it CAN be done - carefully!
As far as how to build a map like this, well, put anything and everything you can, that has built-in collision (or doesn't need it, like 2d grass bill-boards that are automatically generated). This will save you from hitting the 4096 hard-limit of objects in the map. Each road, piece or whole bridge, each tree, house, driveway, curbing, light, way-point, spawn, terrain block, water plane, scatter-sky, sun, clouds etc, everything, even sounds, are an object. Not so, for houses and trees in the forest brush*! Saved the day again with putting most-everything into the forest brush that could be! Careful pruning of unnecessary items will save you lots of item slots, and since I've gone-back and redone many intersections, I've lessened about 40 units off my item total - even after including all the things I've added in since this was uploaded on the 2nd. So being at 3339 items total right now, might scare some folks off but really, in a nutshell, I am right where I should be item-wise. There's still soooo much left to do however, it will get done eventually, as time allows. So basically, built smart, know what you're going to need before-hand and save yourself much back-tracking later.
If you want a finer-detail than I have in this map in regards for terrain, say, something closer to the windy road in Tail of The Dragon / Deal's Gap, you'll need to use a smaller square size. Only one terrain per map supports collision, so for now, you either have a big massive stretched terrain like I do here (hey, I made it work!), or you have a smaller, more precisely detailed terrain in your map, capable of ditches along-side the road, potholes, better taper/"cant" (that's pitch/grade to the side from the middle for run-off of water, not can't as in 'cannot') on intersections/turn banking, etc.
Know what you're making, have a real good idea, get your resources together and make the map of your dreams, otherwise, needing items later and not having them *REALLY* holds up map progress.
Gotta stop typing as I've gone and done another book again... ugh, can't help it.
--Hope this helps someone -- Bob out!
*Forest brush capacity is only limited by the amount of RAM you have on the mapper's/end-user's computer, the more objects, the more collision geometry loaded, the higher the RAM requirement, which is why this map is a 0.94:1 scale and not 1:1, instead of 11~12gb of ram for a complete forest brush, it should be 6~8gb when the map is done (hopefully!), as it grows exponentially as the map grows in X and Y dimensions, not linearly. This is also why there aren't huge thick forests here, besides the general FPS bomb that would cause. Oh I can hear the moaning, groaning, and belly-aching of every Nvidia 750 GPU user already... heh
Side-note here too: It helps to be really proficient in making your own graphics, making your own materials in the materials.cs files, and knowing how to use notepad++ really well, and how to not botch up the CS and LUA scripts in the game. Most all of my models were re-skinned without me ever setting foot into a modeling program. They were done from Notepad++ because Collada (DAE files) are just XML plain-text. That's right, just like this yet-another-wall-of-text *cue swearing, throwing of fruit, boo-ing*.
However, if you're not that good with graphics, swipe some of mine, I won't mind, just give me a shout so that I can make sure yes they're mine - all the roads are.

 

I learn so much from each one of your posts. The one thing I was thinking of here was if it would be easy to make different version of the ground materials/textures and foliage connected to those. Right now the ground looks so perfect, the gras is green and so is the ground, not rough at all. Where the asphalt meets grass there isn't much gravel/dust/debree in the ground texture and the edge of the asphalt looks perfectly cut too, not uneven/rough at all.
Its sad that the 3d models in ground cover eats up towards the 4096 limit.
One thing ive noticed in GTAV is that its doesn't use a lot of ground cover/foliage but instead a lot of different models in it. Thinking of if its possible to do the same with a track like your, although looking at pictures of the roads in Tennessee I realize there is a lot of same height grass.

Looking at these screenshots (bad I know but didn't want to spend time on finding it in youtube vids):

http://cdn.wccftech.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/0pNunks.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fkFNiQjryYA/maxresdefault.jpg

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/rgcPCuQd3uE/maxresdefault.jpg

https://static2.gamespot.com/uploads/original/536/5360430/2836627-gtav+pc+4k.15.jpg

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com...1-3M-In-Game-Money-Until-March-9-471941-3.jpg

http://i1-news.softpedia-static.com...ome-with-Game-Cash-and-Free-Game-470281-2.jpg

It doesn't look like its a lot of foliage, not even the highest of quality but there is diversity, a lot of different models, although not high density of them, covering the same ground. I also assume that LOD is in big play here but even up close theres a lot fo space between each chunk of grass.

EDIT: Vid at 2:01 what im talking about, looking at the surroundings



EDIT 2: Want to point out that its in no way criticism to your terrain, cause it rocks my socks. Im tossing ideas and thoughts out there that i have, that i might put to use if i ever get down to making a crazy big more or less open world terrain you are doing.

 

@Brother_Dave
3d models in the forest brush DO NOT eat up 4096 item limit. Nothing in the forest brush counts towards that limit except 1 entry for the forest brush itself. That's right, 100 homes or 100,000 homes (FPS and RAM limits aside), 100 trees or 100,000 trees (again, same with limits), it doesn't matter, it's all one item total.
I would get more models for ground cover however I am rather limited to just what's in this game already. I believe there's an Ouerbacker map that was never 100% finished, I might see what that map's got as the trees don't look quite like the default, and are native to the area (of course I would ask/give him a head's up, don't think he'll mind as I fixed one or two of his maps thus far). They're mostly Conifers, so they'll add a bit more variety to the Douglas Fir trees in here (Conifers have needle-like leaves and generally pine-cones for seeds, and have some leaves year-round).

On another note, it would be nice if someone would donate some flowering plant models, surely it would be very nice. I could use a few now and then to decorate the houses. They don't need collision if they're small/medium, as I doubt a flowering plant would have much effect on a car at speed. I could use this for both this map and the city map project that I'm (still) gathering resources for.

So aside of limited resources, I've been making my own as of late. Like new (read: recreated!) door textures and a new palladium window for the newer homes as is often in stairwells or above the front door.


Just a few new houses here, more modern construction than most.
Worked on the stream some in Kingston. It FINALLY is connected from the drainage area in the newer development on the hill.

There's some new bridges, too, Don't mind how they're built, they're just excuses for jumps that look like bridges - and yes, the water is very high - almost flooding out of the banks, but the map also features some submerged roadways, as if it had a good hard rain the day(s) prior, as it's always a fun challenge (when it's in a game/sim anyways).



A drainage out-flow is pictured, from standing high above the out-flow pipe.

Much existing area (a good percentage, but not quite half of 'old Kingston') has been finished up with grassing and shrubbery.

Last one is an over-view of what has to be filled in - namely all that open space there with residential, mixed-use commercial/industrial, and lots of commercial area on the main thoroughfare (with the new dark pavement).
Never-mind the whole rest of that other development, that was started about a year ago.
So, not a whole lot else to talk about, but all in all, there is progress being made. I'm not just goofing off & pooping all over thefloor over here 'ya know.
--Cheers

 

Following this thread is one of the main things that keep me checking the forums several times a day, really enjoy seeing the development.
Right, the brush tool dont eat out the 4096 limit, that's why ive read that you use it for so many applications.
If I get some more free time I can try and get hold of a free version of 3dsmax, used it for years. That or ill learn Blender. If I do then I can start making foliage models and maybe also trees, that you can use, but it wont happen soon.
Ive always had the idea in my head that we should have a resource subforum where we could share foliage, trees, things like buildings, mailboxes, lamp posts, guard rails and whatever is needed for a terrain.

BTW, do you still have problems with the editor? Mine has some mad minimap showing up instead of the attributes, in the window to the right. I can come by this by right click an object in the hierarchy and choose 'Inspect...', that will open a new window and the minimap messing up the attributes/settings window disappear.

 

For some reason in the menu it just says "SouthernHighway" with the question mark pic and no spawn points. What did I do wrong

 

Southern Highway is actually the internal name, it was supposed to just be a terrain snapshot 30 miles from me, here in the mid-south, and a highway (portion of US 40) plopped on it and a few major roads to see how well Beamng handled open world sized terrain. It was never supposed to get this far along...Oops.
It's not installed to the right folder if it's doing that. Please go to your computer and find the zip file (it's name is on the resource page), and go to where the zip file is on your PC, and *MOVE* the zip file (all 900mb of it) to the documents\beamng.drive\mods\levels folder (if there's no levels folder inside MODS folder, just put it in mods).
If that doesn't work, the zip file could have gotten corrupted or something like that, if you still have issues, let me know.

---

Thanks, the forums can be a great learning tool, and despite my book-writing (posts!), they can and even sometimes DO contain lots of useful information. Sometimes it's a rubbish/rant/bickering post or groveling about the editor, but other times it's totally useful.
YES YES YES, we need a sub-forum for resources. Desperately. I would madly love something like that as I have 2gb of data here I could post from my maps, most of it (but not all) being my texturing. Unless you recognize something from the base-game, or from Garfield Heights map (Courtesy Occam's Razer), it's probably been made here by-me-for-me or 'for this map' by someone (like signs from RedRoosterFarm, which I am so thankful for).
And I would love any models you could make. Small bushes/plants/stuff a car could crash through realistically doesn't need collision, but large trees would. Nothing's obligatory, but there's always that warm feeling you know you did something toward a common goal.

Don't use the mini-map on the HUD (use it on the in-dash or on-dash GPS option for the car itself), the mini-map gets overwhelmed, lags out, screams mercy/uncle/etc, and then floats to the surface belly-up with X's for eyes and tongue hanging out... The mini-map DOES NOT like Roane County. Please use the in-car GPS in-stead, especially if you have a low-RAM system, it's something with the 0.10 update. ALT+U kills the UI displaying (it runs in the background), though I would recommend you submit it as a bug. See if your UI is locked up before you enter, if it's locked up, it won't redraw or clear out when it's supposed to, and the UI is a separate process EXE. So if it's locked, it might end up in the way when it's supposed to move out.
Let me know if that helps.

---

So, some more progress, another strip-mall (it's textures are just slightly different then the two others in town - each one has a unique finish and different stores).


There's also another cluster of stores down a block from here,

...and a bunch more (yes! more!) twin-homes / town-homes behind it.
I tried to do this all a bit differently as not to directly duplicate anything already in the map.


So it's finally starting to look like there's more done than not, about time.


Still much more to do, I think it's somewhere around 50% of the stuff I wanted to put in, that's in, NOT counting the development on the hill/near the river that overlooks the highway...

Still...not...done (but there was a little progress right here yesterday).
I will be working on this development after I finish the low-lying areas and commercial sector of the town.
All in due time my friends!

Again, if anyone has any good business name parodies, send them in, whether it's a few words, a single word, or a custom-made graphic (I can always search the net, too), send them in or suggest names if you like!

--That is all, enjoy your day.

 

It's corrupted then lol. I'll download and reinstall when I can

 

new version is great