FAQ section TRKDEC

For TRKDEC ver. 3A: This is low bandwidth text for your and my convience. It's info you want not pretty pictures.

Q: I've TRKDECked the [trackname].trk file I've got all the files so what do I edit?

A: You edit the files depending on what you want to achive. In General, the elevdat.txt defines the elevation and bank angle of the track (it also has the x,y data locations and r radius locations). The grassdat.txt defines edges of the the grass ends and pavement, it also defines the a very general friction coeffiient behavior for the pavement, grass. for example there is a more uncontrolable grass and a more drivable grass/dirt. There are values to indicate different pavement too, but I dont know which is the marbles and which is the "groove". Lastly there is the Wallsdat.txt which holds the whole file all togheter. It defines if the tracksection polygon is a curve or a straight, the distance location of the polygon in relation to a lp file location (zero is the s/f line), it gives the location of the polygon in x,y coordinates or in a raduis and arc depending on the type if it is a stright or a turn. It tells what direction the track and the car should be going, i.e. a heading value. Also, it keeps track of where to look in the grassdat and the elevdat for the corresponding data for a given trackseciton (wallsubsection), and finally it defines where the walls should be.

Q: I want to edit the elevation and banking, so what do I do?

A: In general you edit the elevdat.txt. you edit the columns 2-6 (or edat1 - edat6). You leave the last columns 7-8 alone because edat7,8 defines an x,y coord or is a EOF marker.

Q: What does each of the numbers mean in the columns 2-6.

A: It depends, read the trkdef.txt. In general, if everything is flat, all those values are zero. Values can be positve or negatie values, depending what you want as your reference line as zero height. It's tricky youve got to play with these values to get a feel of the relative numbers. USE EXCEL and open in import the file and edit it that way, save it as a text file with spaces between the numbers. It works when I try it. Using excel, you can multiply, the data by a factor, if you already know the intial banking, however, the track will still have the same bumps and grooves as the oringinal, but with less amplitude. If you want to smooth or make bumps, youve got to edit the data in pieces. From what I hear, so far BBB has only released oval tracks with the data mulitpled by a factor, no real manaual editing, but wholesale scaling. rather than pinpoint editing.

Q: I've changed the banking and the heights in the txt files now what?

A: Use trkimp3a (track imploder) to repack the files to a new file called NEWTRACK.TRK. Next rename the track to what you want such as Walywrld.trk (for a fictious track called WallyWorld International Speedway at a large amusment park shown in national lapoon's (tm) vacation movie). Remember you've got to set all the *.dat files with the corresponding name with the track folder name. If you don't understand this, then you've got to read up on some more at simcyberworld.net. on the BB&B page. Finally use the program "dat.exe" command line c:> dat walywrld.dat /s walywrld.trk to repack the fileinto the dat file. Your all set except now you've got to edit the trackname.3do file to match the visuals.

Q: Why doesn't the track surface match the visual 3do. I float over and under the track surface?

A: IN GENERAL, (not exactly) the trk file is independent of the 3do file. BUT, youve got to match some of the data with each of the files so that it matches so it looks correctly. Think of the 3do files as visual, and the *.trk file as the physics/collision detection.

Q: So how do I edit a track.3do file to match the trk file?

A: This is the hard part. the only programs out there is 3doedit, xinfo, pinfo, pflavors (with the track bug). You can manually edit the VERTICIES.TXT, or use the slow 3doedit program. Hints: when using 3doedit program keep the numlock on. and when you are lost in a black darkness with no point or line on the screen, hit the 5 key on the num pad. Also the walls generally have a Z value of 21000, so if you locate one of those it is likeliy the wall, or the bottom of a fence pole on the wall. If you manually edit verticies.txt with a program such as excel, use the program pinfo to repack the 3do.

To sum this up in 3do editing, Goodluck here, I'm not an expert here. Hopefully someone will write out a conversion of the vertices.txt to a dxf file and reconvert it back. or rewrite a new 3do editor.

NEXT: Q: I WANNA MOVE THE WALLS!