I am releasing an update to the kart soon, which addresses the recent bug reports. I am releasing this one before the proposed changes are completed since some bugs were breaking the kart. Changes: Increased stability of front suspension and rear axle Increased stability of some of the tires and wheels Most of the 8x6 tires under 15 inches and all of the 4x5.5, 7x5, and 8x9 tires have yet to be modified The only wheels edited are the 8x6(front and rear) and 4x6(front) Made the CVT much more responsive Introduced a Predator Ghost 212cc engine and accompanying CVT No separate model as of yet. Performance is still under work. Adjusted the 250cc welded front race config With the changes, it can get up to 1.64 Gs before skipping I focused heavily on this config since most of the remaining bounciness comes from the rear axle Adjusted the 250cc standard config Adjusted the 350cc standard config Changed the seats Driver Seat now has no weight until the dummy is applied and the No Driver seat has the weight applied Adjusted weights and beam springs Primarily reducing beam springs due to instability on bumps and collisions The solid rear axle will still bounce and take a while to settle, but it is much closer to reality than before Fixed missing and misaligned meshes Fixed missing UV maps Updated textures of the engines and exhaust Updated front suspension arms mesh Updated Powertrain again Fixed open diffs being locked Added a new rear axle that lowers the rear end to be level with the front. Possibly counter-intuitively name Raised Rear axle since the axle is higher up on the frame. Known Issues With the changes to the frame, axle, and front suspension, some configs will underperform as the previous setups capitalized on the instability to break the rear loose and allow for tighter turning. For the time being until I finish the proposed changes, using the active or open diffs significantly improves cornering performance although it will no longer handle like a kart. Setting the adjustable coilover spring full and the rideheight above -0.7 will break the rear end The incredibly high spring is only useful for mitigating the rear downforce, so the lower 5th of the bar is about where the normal spring rate is. Steering is looser This really only affects the High Rev Race config since that config is the only one that can reliably reach 4G in a corner.
When this is released, I am so making a Predator 212/BLDC e-motor hybrid-electric version with electric torque vectoring AWD, NSX style...
so I seem to be having a problem where the front tires don't exist, the back tires are fine but the fronts don't exist
Oof. I thought I fixed that. The model got corrupted while exporting and I didn't think to double-check it before uploading the update. The attached file can be put into bigkart\vehicles\common\tires, which should fix the missing tires while I get another update together.
thanks! thought it was an issue on my end. EDIT: The 250 is still missing its front tires, all other versions are fine, the 250 is the only one I have this problem with
Hmm... Have you tried clearing the cache? "0.25/temp/vehicles/bigkart" I have an update pending approval and the tires were visible at the time I uploaded it. I suspect I changed something else about the tires that made them not show up.
You can delete just the "bigkart" folder in the temp folder --- Post updated --- I uploaded yesterday's update without checking that all of the rims and tires worked. Worse, I didn't even test the ones on the default config. I am uploading an update tonight to fix this issue and including other tweaks and new stuff. Now that the kart is significantly more stable, the dummy actually makes the welded front race config perform better! Seats Updated seat names no longer refer to engine size, but to their position Added a no driver seat for the Offset position Added a dummy for the offset position Tires Adjusted all meshes in the mod Adjusted jbeams Wheels Adjusted all of the meshes included in this mod Adjusted jbeams Frame Added collision triangles to the standard frame Added Colormaps so the frame a floor can be colored independently Other Non-canon configs each have their own paint scheme All configs will receive updates
I did delete my temp folder.. and nothing happened.. so I should probably man up and clear my cache EDIT: didn't fully read it, guessing it was missing meshes?
Sorry, that was intended to be a new post. The update I posted last night (V0.5.1) corrected the missing meshes, but broke the rear wheels. It is corrected with version 0.5.2 (the update I am uploading tonight)
I figured I'd come in and let you know what I have done and am currently working on for the next update: Changes: Tire Jbeams are almost done Wheel jbeams as well Front and rear suspensions are still getting tweaked Various frame nodes are going to be changed as well to accomodate the changes to the suspension Additions: New rear wheel size (6x6) electric motors based on blue shock race motors batteries with adjustable positioning Issues needing to be resolved before the update is released: Front suspension has an issue where the wheels are popping off Front suspension is deforming under strange circumstances
The above issues are now resolved! There are still a few things I want to work out before getting an update out, which are mainly small details here and there with configs, adding skins, and fixing jbeam issues that the config tweaks reveal. I will be thoroughly testing each config to ensure it performs as expected and to try to uncover any lingering jbeam issues. To be completed before release: Retune and repaint all configs Add a "New Paint" skin This will simply be a full color on the frame and a separate full color on the floor Fix Jbeam issues as I come across them Thoroughly test all configs The skin is almost complete, but the retuning, repainting and Jbeam tweaks might take a while.
I have the next update on the way! This is the most expansive update yet. It took a lot of frustration in trying to get the tires to perform at speeds in excess of 100mph properly, but it seems that these tiny tires just cannot handle it, so I got them to be stable until around 140 without sacrificing low speed performance. I have some ideas for allowing for larger tires without raising the center of gravity, but we'll see how it looks before I seriously attempt it. Changes: Standard Frame Spoiler Standard Front Suspension Adjusted coilovers to react better to the lower weight Retuned weights and beams Rear Axle Redid Jbeam to reduce weight Raised Rear Axle Redid Jbeam to reduce weight Frame Reweighted nodes to reflect reality Retuned Jbeams New Items Electric Rear Axle Electric Motors 7KW 18KW 30KW Crazy [*] Independent Rear Frame Spoiler Standard Front Suspension Adjusted coilovers Adjusted Beams Adjusted weights and positions of some nodes Welded Suspension Adjusted weights Adjusted beams Rear Suspension Adjusted node weights Adjusted beams Adjusted coilovers Frame Adjusted weights and positions of some nodes Engines Adjusted weights of the engines to match standard frame versions Adjusted torque curves to match standard versions Adjusted powertrains to match standard versions Adjusted positions [*] Engines Spoiler 250cc Adjusted weights to better match the center of gravity of the real engine (this is estimated based on several forum posts) Adjusted slots to reduce confusion 350cc Adjusted weights Adjusted slots 450cc Changed stats to match a Honda CRF450 Adjusted weights to match 500cc Changed stats to match a Honda CBR500 Four Predator 212cc This engine is based on the real engine V10 Adjusted position [*] Transmissions Spoiler Adjusted part slots Adjusted some cvt values Added Predator CVT that pairs with the Predator Engine It is a better transmission for racing, but has a lower top speed due to the lower top gear [*] General Spoiler Added skins You can now switch between a clean paint job and a weathered one. Configs Added 7 new configs 3 electric configs V10 race config configs with dummy Wheels Removed wheels that were not created for this kart Adjusted values to make the remaining wheels more stable Tires Removed tires that were not created for this kart Adjusted values to make the tires perform better at normal kart speeds Added Kart Tires These are much softer than the others and provide much better grip without using unrealistic friction values Added Super Kart Tires These are the same as the Kart Tires with a slightly higher friction coefficient. Dummy Added a camera to the Dummy's head. It moves with the dummy, but rotates with the kart.
The next update will revolve around steering geometry, the dummy, and (as usual) tires. Currently, I am working on making the dummy more dynamic so it can shift its weight around while turning and getting the steering to lever up the inner rear tire better. Just the steering geometry and dummy alone increased the lateral Gs from 1.3 to 1.5 with the standard race tires and keeps the standard kart tires from sliding once it reaches 1.6G. You may have noticed that there is a sudden loss of traction when you get to around 1.5-1.6G with the kart tires. This is due to them compressing down to the rim under hard cornering. I did not notice this was the case until I saw sparks coming from the wheels under hard cornering. I am working on a new tire model that will not sacrifice the low-speed performance, but not ride the rim under hard cornering. So far, I have increased the maximum turning Gs before flipping (with the welded front standard frame race config) to around 2.1G Below is a pic of the dummy leaning into a corner. The head turning is entirely accidental, but I like it.
Just popping in to give a bit of an update on what's been worked on over the weekend. After giving up on 150+ mph performance, I have been able to make the kart much more stable at normal speeds. Since it is very lightweight (system-loadwise) and the ai handles it fairly well, I have been able to test up to a dozen configurations simultaneously on the Elvedalen course. This helps with optimizing setups more quickly and gives a bit of entertainment as the AI struggles to deal with each other. Changes: Further tweaks to tires I am still only working on the tires branded as "Kart" They are significantly more responsive and less likely to bounce while turning and the grip is much more consistent Added new tires for the smaller rims Further tweaks to rims Added a new rim diameter (4 inches) This allows for taller sidewalls without sacrificing the center of gravity Having identical stats, these perform much better Changed rear axle Adjusted the rear axle beam structure again. This allows it to be much lighter (20 lb difference) It is also much more stable under acceleration Added a height-adjustable rear axle (For the lols) This one comes with a 5 lug setup It is adjustable so you can use almost any tire size without sacrificing your center of gravity The new tire and rim size
I realize I forgot to mention that the main focus for this next update is going to be around the standard frame, welded front, raised rear configuration. I am choosing this because since there are no moving parts aside from the wheels, it allows me to narrow down possible unstable parts when random vibrations start. Most of the benefits will carry over to the other standard frame configs, but they will not be receiving the same level of attention aside from the occasional test to ensure the changes did not break the base configurations. Moving on, I noticed that the steering breaks when the dummy falls off. This is strange for a few reasons: the steering has no breakgroups, the dummy is not linked to the part that breaks, and the part does not break if the dummy is not equipped. However, I am only half motivated to fix it since it usually only happens with bad impacts and adds a small bit of realism to crashes. There are some cases that I cannot reliably repeat where turning right with the offset seat can cause the dummy to give up on life, but it happens incredibly rarely and during high G turns. It might have something to do with the collision triangles, but I dunno. Also, being able to use the adjustable height axle to use taller tires helped me determine how much bounciness is to be expected, which helped significantly with tuning the tires since I no longer had the goal of eliminating the bounciness completely, but to reduce it to a realistic amount. Changes since last post: Further refined the rear axles Further refined welded front suspension Fixed an issue where the steering beams were placed wrong. I had the left rail connected to the right tie rod and vice versa. This makes steering much smoother and predictable. Further refined the tires Still working on the Kart Tires only Aside from the bubble tires, the rest are good. Full list of changes expected for next update: Changes to front welded suspension Spoiler Widened track width limit This helps with levering the inner rear tire off the ground, which significantly improves handling Tuned beam values Tuned weights Added an adjustable height front suspension Not intended to be 100% stable as it was only added to test one specific wheel and tire without sacrificing the center of gravity Changes to frame (Standard Only) Spoiler Changed weights to more closely match reality Slightly changed positions of some nodes Tuned beams Changes to rear axle Spoiler Reduced weight by 20 lbs Removed unnecessary nodes Moved remaining nodes Changed beam values to reflect lower weight Added an adjustable height rear axle Not intended to be 100% stable as it was only added to test one specific wheel and tire without sacrificing the center of gravity Changes to tires Spoiler Tires labelled as Kart have been overhauled The standard tires have the same friction properties as race tires The Super Kart Tires have the same friction properties as drag tires Added new tires Both front and rear now have tires for 4 inch rims Adjusted naming to be more consistent Changes to rims Spoiler 6 inch and lower rims have been overhauled to be more stable New 4 inch tall rims used in order to have tires that absorb more of a bump before hitting the rim, thus reducing bounciness Changes to Engines Spoiler Fixed a couple mesh and node placements Refined beams Added exhaust for non-CVT engines Exhaust no longer leaves behind bits when breaking or stretches to infinity Some minor values here and there changed Changes to transmissions Spoiler CVTs will have functional reverse
I am about done updating the kart as a whole. At this point, it is a matter of getting the bubble tires to be less bouncy and fixing a few stability issues here and there. I plan on moving on to possibly two new kart projects each with dedicated frames for on and off road driving instead of using one frame for both purposes. They will have the same general style as this one in that it is not made to be pretty, but functional. Of course, that will be further down the road as I take a break from actively working on a mod for a bit (unless of course, someone finds a major bug). Edit: I found that the source of the random breaks is when the kart bottoms out on non-flat surfaces such as the raised edges around race track corners(I cannot think of the name right now). It doesn't always happen and only appears to happen when turning. Expect the final content-based update early next week. The on road kart will be loosely based on this kart, meaning that I want to take the dimensions and part placements, but apply the "backyard" feel to it. The offroad kart will be loosely based on this kart. I chose this one specifically due to the all-around independent suspension, its size and weight are similar, and it uses almost the same engine as the current kart.
I had a few breakthroughs overnight that significantly improved the stability. I discovered I had an extra set of beams on the front end, but only on the right side. This caused the right side to be more solid and thus kept it from flexing the same as the left side did. This is why the kart pulls and turns more sharply to the right when using a centered seat and engine. I also finally got the 4 inch rim tires sorted out, so I can now move on to the rest. I also found a good list of dozens of official racing kart tires. Reading through this list, I found that standard kart rims range from 5-8 inches in diameter and tires range from 10-12. I plan on keeping the same widths and including a standard and super tire for each diameter. This does include adding a new mesh to the sub-8-inch rims. Left to do: Make the new tires Spoiler 5 inch rims 10 -12 inch tires 6 inch rims 10-12 inch tires 7 inch tires 10-12 inch tires Retune front suspension Continue refining bubble tires Fine tune engine nodes Tune exhaust particles Try to make the offset dummy's left arm not dislocate and the right arm not hit the right leg
Bit of an update. Due to IRL health problems, I was unable to work on the kart pretty much all weekend. I was able to at least brainstorm ideas on resolving issues and new parts, so the only thing left to do is implement the changes. Changes in progress: Update frame mesh There were a ton of non-visible faces and several faces that did not make sense or flow well. Updated the independent rear suspension arms to look similar to the front. Steering changes Setting up a tunable steering so that keyboard drivers and those who do not wish to have to be precise can set the steering angle and speed to match their playstyle. Tires Bubble tires continue to be the bane of my existence, but I am getting closer to real life. A drop of around three feet results in only 1-3 bounces and the tires do not roll over onto the sidewall easily. Now I just need to work on the traction curve so they don't suddenly lose traction around 50 mph. The kart tires have all been modeled, but I do not think I will be including the 5 and 7-inch rims since they are not different enough to warrant a bloated list. Dummy I am setting up a static dummy that still reacts to gforces and falls off, but does not lean into a turn. I am also changing it so that the rate at which the dummy's arms turn matches the tunable steering rate. Also changed it so that the dummy goes limp when it crashes instead of holding the seated position. The Dynamic dummy sets a constant steering rate regardless of the in/out rate specified.
I am almost ready to release the update. I just need to figure out a few mesh issues that I have ignored, which might have to be solved using new slots. In other news, thanks to the Engine Simulator found here, I was able to get a more realistic engine sound that sounds much closer to the real thing, but the idle sound is a bit off. So, pending changes before release: Fix chain mesh on the lowered axle This will probably mean that I will have to make all of the engines be based on the axle instead of the frame Fine-tune the engine sounds Redo all of the configs
