[Tutorial] - Creating your own vehicle

THIS TUTORIAL COVERS ONLY THE BASIC OF JBEAMING. IF YOU PLAN BUILDING SOMETHING COMPLEX LIKE A PROPER VEHICLE, HAVE A LOOK AT HOW DEFAULT VEHICLES ARE DONE, AND TAKE THE CUE FROM THAT.


This is just an "How to start", I'm not showing all the features of Jbeam (like Hydros for steering and wheels). Always check the wiki and use it as main reference!
Click on the picture to enlarge them.

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INDEX
Part 1 - Getting Ready
1. Creating JBeam
2. Jbeam Sample
3. Creating Folder

Part 2 - Creating your first structure
1. Nodes
2. Beams
3. Checking changes real-time Ingame

Part 3 - Model exporting and In-Game
1. Exporting
2. Collada (.dae) name
3. Flexbody section
4. Reloading vehicle & Final result

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Things you need to know:
-Jbeam (and how to work with Node and Beams) - JBeam
-3D Modelling- You need to get your model ingame, no?
-A LOT of patience (Building a car for BeamNG isn't a thing you learn in 1 day)

You need:
-Your 3D model (don't use other people model, it's against rules and you can get yourself banned from here)
-A text editor (I suggest Notepad++, it's free - http://notepad-plus-plus.org/)

Keep in mind:
-The Jbeam file MUST end with

Code:

}
}

-After each section, use

Code:

],

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Part 1 - Getting Ready
1. First of all you need to create a Jbeam file. Simple create a text file, and rename the extension to .Jbeam.


2. Now open your Jbeam file with a text editor and copy this sample into it

Code:

{"YourCarName": {
    "information":{
        "authors":"YourName",
        "name":"Your Car Name",
    }
    "refNodes":[
        ["ref:", "back:", "left:", "up:"]
        ["0", "1", "2", "3"]
        ],
    
--add stuff here--


}
}

Keep in mind the refNodes, it's for the camera.
Ref is the node the camera rotates around.
Back/left/up give the car the correct orientation.

3. Now make a folder inside "BeamNG/Vehicles" and name it like you want (I suggest a short easy name).

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Part 2 - Creating your first structure

=====1. NODES=====
You now have to create your Jbeam structure. How much it will take depends on how complex you make it.
Startup BeamNG, and open a map (I suggest PureGrid).
I would build a cube to start the car.
The first thing we do is creating the nodes (Nodes). You can copy my sample and replace it with the "--add stuff here--"

Code:

    "nodes": [         ["id", "posX", "posY", "posZ"],
         {"nodeWeight":70},
         {"group":"MyCar"},
         {"frictionCoef":0.7},
         {"nodeMaterial":"|NM_METAL"},
         {"collision":true}
         {"selfCollision":false}


],

-Node Weight defines how heavy is a node
-Group is needed for flexbody (it will require for which group the mesh will deform)
-Friction of the node
-Material of the node (for particles?)
-If it's collideable with the environment
-I'm not sure what selfcollision is for.

A cube is made out of 8 vertices, so we make 8 nodes.
You can call nodes whatever you want (Potato, cheescake- 1kx,2kx- or simply 1,2)

Code:

    "nodes": [         ["id", "posX", "posY", "posZ"],
         {"nodeWeight":70},
         {"group":"MyCar"},
         {"frictionCoef":0.7},
         {"nodeMaterial":"|NM_METAL"},
         {"collision":true}
         {"selfCollision":false}
         ["1a", 1, 1, 0],
         ["1b", 0, 1, 0],
         ["1c", 1, 0, 0],
         ["1d", 0, 0, 0],
         ["1e", 1, 1, 1],
         ["1f", 0, 1, 1],
         ["2a", 1, 0, 1],
         ["2b", 0, 0, 1],
    ],

=====2. BEAMS=====Without beams, your nodes will not have nothing in common, they will just be individual points.
A beam section looks like this:

Code:

    "beams": [     ["id1:", "id2:"], 
     {"beamSpring":500000,"beamDamp":800},
     {"beamDeform":75000,"beamStrength":"50000"},

The values for Spring,Damp,Deform,Strength are your choice. For example, higher the beamDeform, more force you need to deform a beam.
We now need to create connections between our nodes.

Code:

    "beams": [     ["id1:", "id2:"], 
     {"beamSpring":500000,"beamDamp":800},
     {"beamDeform":75000,"beamStrength":"FLT_MAX"},
     // bottom
     ["1a","1b"],
     ["1c","1d"],
     ["1a","1c"],
     ["1b","1d"],
     // top
     ["1e","2a"],
     ["1f","2b"],
     ["1e","2b"],
     ["1f","2a"],
     // support 
     ["1a","1e"],
     ["1b","1f"],
     ["1c","2a"],
     ["1d","2b"],


     
     // diagonals
     ["1a","1d"],
     ["1b","1c"],
     ["1e","1f"],
     ["2a","2b"],
     
     ["1f","1a"],
     ["1b","1e"],
     ["1e","1c"],
     ["2a","1a"],
     
     ["2b","1b"],
     ["1f","1d"],
     ["1d","2a"],
     ["1c","2b"],
    
    ],

// Are comments. The only purpouse is to remind you something or make it easier for organizing the Section. It's not necessary. You can also disable a whole line by inserting // infront of it.


=====3. Realtime Changes=====
While you work on your Jbeam, you can check the changes ingame. Just load your vehicle (CTRL+E, select it from the list) and voila. You can use CTRL+R to reload the whole vehicle (usefull if you made changes, added nodes, etc.)

DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE REF NODES! (I've talked about it in Part 1 at Point 2)

Code:

    "refNodes":[        ["ref:", "back:", "left:", "up:"]
        ["1a", "1b", "1c", "1e"]
        ],
    

Then press L or K to go into debug mode till you see your structure


Now you need your model to start building around it. *Please turn tape*

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Part 3 - Model exporting and In-game
1. Go into your 3D software and after you divided each part into single object (if you need separate parts), export it as COLLADA (.DAE).


2. Place the .dae into your vehicle folder.
The collada (.dae) MUST have the same name of your folder!

3. You now need to make a flexbody section (I suggest before the node section). Sample down here.

Code:

    ],
    "flexbodies": [
         ["mesh", "[group]:"],
     ],

Then add your own model. Create a line and instead of "mesh" put your OBJECT NAME (not .DAE name!), and for group for the deformation (Node group, which I've talked about in Part 2 at point 1.)

Code:

    "flexbodies": [
         ["mesh", "[group]:"],
         ["Cube_a", ["MyCar"]]
     ],

4. Save the file and reload the vehicle (CTRL+R).


Voila! You got your very first model ingame!

If you want your thing to collide with other vehicles, you have to add "TRIANGLES". You can look in the wiki for them.

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FAQ:
Q: MY MODEL IS NOT CENTERED D:
A: You need to place it right in the 3d software (remember about the origin too!)

Q: MY WHEELS ARE NOT CENTERED ;_;
A: Same as above, but this time you can use the Wheel node coordinates (if you made any wheel nodes..) to place them correctly

Q: CAMERA FREEZES, NOTHING HAPPENS ?_?
A. It's the game way to tell you made something wrong, check your JBeam twice and look for the error. Pressing @ (In EUR keyboard) will show up the console, sometimes useful as it says which line of the JBeam is the error.


Apply the same method to build a whole car, remember to look at the wiki for reference and help!
The guide may expand later

Huge thanks to juju for his help and the file.

 

And completed the basic.

 

I missed the beam part. Will add tomorrow.

 

Don't, uh, use frictionCoef 1.8 for metal. Use like 0.7 or something.

 

Added beams and an index.
Cleared out those points
And yeah, my mistake on the flexbody group, fixed

If you feel I need to clear out anything else, just say

 

First, I suggest to move the RefNode section before the nodes and see if that helps.
Also, you forgot to a comma after you closed the flexbody section

 

Can you post your torqued.log please? In the same folder of the BeamNG executable.

Have you checked if it isn't underground?