This was just an experiment to see if the simplified jbeams would handle and deform good enough to be used instead of the full versions for simplified traffic, and unfortunately the end result was that they are indeed not up to the task for the sorts of speed and handling they'd need to be able to pull off in a chase (especially with AI at the wheel). Pretty sure those files have been there since the first version of the traffic cars released and isn't something that will be coming in the future unless new ideas are had for doing it better.
Will there be more traffic vehicles? The game it missing a few post 1980 vehicles from the traffic. Especially the SBR and Hopper. The hopper would add more large vehicles, because right now its a sea of sedans, which is unrealistic for the North American traffic configs. I know the T series likely wont be added till a proper ai update, but some of the smaller MD series configs would work as they can be much bigger than the dually D series traffic configs. The ai could definitely handle the smaller configs. This is more or less a suggestion, but the short frame school bus, the tanker, and dump truck MD series would be a lovely edition to the traffic. They have a short enough frame for the ai to handle, and would add lots of variety. I have experimented with larger simplified traffic cars and the ai seems to handle them well. (I created a simplified base model t series) I found making the brakes a little stronger, tires a little gripper helped a ton with the ai handling the truck. Basically I am begging for more traffic vehicles.
I have no clue why the hopper was never added to traffic originally and it's something I want to do sooner than later. As for the larger vehicles I've run into some situations where other vehicles don't have proper awareness of vehicle sizes beyond something car shaped and sized and it still needs thorough testing to make sure its feasible and won't cause any issues with game systems down the line, but has been thought about as a future possibility for the md-series
This has made my day. I hope it works. The MD is not much bigger in length and width than some of the existing traffic cars. I really hope the hopper is added to traffic, and the SBR4. I hope this happens. This is why I love this game so much, it has devs that listen to fans. Its the only game I play, besides lethal company. Got a PC, wheel, shifter, all for this masterpiece of a game. Honestly, if the last couple of cars make it to the traffic thats perfect. It has been my only nitpick. Besides smooth lighting, but you guys added that.
If they remaster the Hopper I hope the make it less like a Jeep and more Japanese. Right now the Hopper just looks American but I think having an ‘80s Japanese all terrain vehicle would be way cooler and fit BeamNG more
I feel it could be called the Hopper FR Turbo, to be congruent with the Covet's nomenclature. That is, if they remaster the Hopper.
Ok now I realize that sounds dumb because the Pajero Evo wasn't turbo'ed so the name makes zero sense
As in, make another Pessima in between the two? In the near future, likely no. We already have three transverse FWD mid-size sedans from the '80s and '90s (Pessimas and LeGran) - I doubt they'd make a fourth one before they make vehicles for more commonly-requested (and vehicle-lacking) segments. Also, potentially, the "Mk1" and "Mk2" Pessimas would be the Mk3 and Mk5, since they used to carry the chassis codes "VM301" and "VM501" for a very brief period a few years back. I doubt those codes still apply anymore, but it would make sense that the "Mk1" Pessima is likely not the first Pessima. All the other transverse-FWD Japanese mid-size sedans that got sold in the US in the late-1980s had their nameplate introductions in the '60s, '70s and early '80s (Camry in 1982 (Celica Camry in 1979), Accord in 1976, Galant in '69, 626 in 1970, Maxima in 1981). Only the Subaru Legacy started its production in the late-1980s (1989). However, that's a fairly different vehicle mechanically from the rest (and the Pessimas), being longitudinal front-engine and using boxer engines. Honestly, I think that's the issue with Ibishu in general - it's got five vehicles that are very well-connected (the Covet, Miramar, Pessimas, and BX all have GTZ variants, ~2.0L DOHC inline-fours as options, unibodies, and share trim names like DX, LX, Type-L, and Type-LS (Luxe is the LX equivalent for the Miramar)), and then three others that feel like they're from different companies. Granted, that does happen IRL with Japanese companies (see: Mitsubishi making a Jeep, the GTO/3000GT, the Galant, the Mirage, and the Minica Toppo at the same time in the '90s), but even in that instance, you could get the Mitsubishi Jeep with various Mitsubishi engines (like the 4G53 (2.4L SOHC inline-four) and 4DR5 (2.7L OHV diesel inline-four). I think that's what bothers me the most about the Hopper - there's no shared engines between it and the other four-wheeled Ibishus. With the Pigeon/Wigeon, I can understand them not sharing any parts with the main five - but the Hopper? I think that could easily get the new 2.4L inline-four from the BX as a Japanese-market engine, and if we're going to make a mad AWD GTZ variant out of it... ...then perhaps the V6 out of the '96 Pessima for that thing? That's quite a stout engine, and could easily fit in the Hopper's engine bay (considering the larger Gavril V8s can). Although, the devs would probably want to save on development time and just slap a turbo on the 2.4L inline-four. Which would be perfectly fine by me. (Also, GTZ versions of the Pigeon and Wigeon would be quite funny - a Wigeon GTZ with a turbo and 60 hp would honestly be a great little sporting machine.) I don't think that a high-performance Hopper would be RWD, considering none of the other factory Hoppers are. And I feel like the Hopper is at least deserving of a refresh - it's over 8 years old and feels rather lacking in content compared to the Gavril light trucks or the Stambecco.
That does have precedence IRL - both the third-gen Maxima (1988-94) and sixth-gen Galant (1987-94) had minor facelifts in 1991, while the fourth-gen Maxima started its production in 1995. Honestly, moving the '96 Pessima's production start year to 1995 and extending the '88 Pessima's to '94 could work quite nicely in filling that gap without having to have a third Pessima in the middle. It wouldn't be the first time that a vehicle's production years have been moved back without an accompanying pre-facelift version - the H-Series used to have its production start in 1995, and the Pigeon's production used to start in 1982.
Huh, I had a feeling that the '88 wasn't the first gen, but I'd just assumed it to be the second. Thanks for that tidbit.
In my opinion this is actually more of a good thing. In my headcanon Ibishu is the mass-market brand making its money off economy cars (Toyota, Nissan), whereas Hirochi’s heavy-industry/engineering background (Mitsubishi, Subaru) allows it to appeal to more non-traditional market segments (and ATVs and pianos). In essence it’s okay for the Hopper to be so distinct, because it exists in a vacuum; it wouldn’t realistically be the only SUV/truck made by Ibishu, but it’s the only one we have to base our perception on.