Posted: 05 Feb 2009, 01:36
Parameters.txt
The Parameters.txt file for each car is defines how that car handles in the game. By editing the file you can customize how your car handles. LaserBeams has let us post his newist version of the ParamNotes txt file here. This lays out every aspect of the parameters.txt file.
Welcome to Parameters Notes v5.2.5!
See bottom of file for version log and changes from the previous version.
Please note: The creators of this file are not paid employees of Acclaim or it's software development team. The idea for this stems from a post to the Re-Volt Forum at RacersPoint which pointed out the need for definitions for this stuff. Also note: some things seem to do nothing in the game, those we know of will be marked as such. If we are unsure of some setting, but are making a reasonable guess, that setting's notes will be marked "*UNSURE*". If we have left out
something that you know, do us a favor and drop us a line. Please however do not e-mail the whole file - just reference the section to which your tip/comment/whatever concerns. E-mail us at brgpug@ccsi.com or laserbeams@re-volt.com
The original "Parameters Notes" were created by Rex Reynolds.
A caution about editing these settings: always keep a back up copy of a working set of parameters just in case you change something that causes the game to crash. You will need it to reset the game especially if you don't take the precaution of leaving the game set on a different car than the one you are currently working on. If you run a race/practice/time trial with another car before you exit the game you will minimize the possibility of having a nonrecoverable crash, as the game will default to the previous car rather than the one that caused the crash. Remember, we warned you, so if you screw it up, it's not our fault.
Coordinate values are based on the Cartesian coordinate system. Looking at the car from above, with the front of the car pointing up, positive x-values are to the right, positive y-values are away from you, and positive z-values are up. Exception: Center of Mass - positive y-values are towards you. Re-Volt coordinate values are based on the metric system. 1 Re-Volt unit = .5 centimeters.
1 inch equals approximately 2.5 cm.
Lines which start with ";" (without quotes) are comments in the original file. Notes sections are set off by "#"'s. In the notes sections, lines of code in the original file are surrounded by "==="s, and variables are represented as either "#" for a number, "Text" for a text string, or a set value (such as "0") or variables that should not be changed.
Parameters Notes v5 by: SuperTard (coordinator), LaserBeams (base notes + revisions), Nairb (added notes + revisions)
Any text following a semi colon (;) are ignored remarks or statements, they are there for your own information only and can be removed without effecting the game.
----------Begin Notes----------
{
;============================================================
;============================================================
; RC Bandit
;============================================================
;============================================================
Name "RC Bandit"
#############
***-NOTES-***
===;NameOfCar===
This is the internal name of the car - it is not displayed. Sometimes you'll see what car an author
based their parameters on here (if they opted not to change it).
===Name "NameOfCar"===
This is the external name of the car - it is displayed as the car name while loading and racing.
As seen in the game.
#############
;====================
; Model Filenames
;====================
MODEL 0 "cars\rc\body.prm"
MODEL 1 "cars\rc\wheelfl.prm"
MODEL 2 "cars\rc\wheelfr.prm"
MODEL 3 "cars\rc\wheelbl.prm"
MODEL 4 "cars\rc\wheelbr.prm"
MODEL 5 "cars\rc\spring.prm"
MODEL 6 "NONE"
MODEL 7 "NONE"
MODEL 8 "NONE"
MODEL 9 "cars\rc\axle.prm"
MODEL 10 "NONE"
MODEL 11 "NONE"
MODEL 12 "NONE"
MODEL 13 "cars\rc\pin.prm"
MODEL 14 "NONE"
MODEL 15 "NONE"
MODEL 16 "NONE"
MODEL 17 "cars\misc\Aerial.m"
MODEL 18 "cars\misc\AerialT.m"
TPAGE "cars\rc\car.bmp"
COLL "cars\rc\hull.hul"
EnvRGB 200 200 200
#############
***-NOTES-***
===MODEL # "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for each of the models displayed in the game. "MODEL" is required as is.
"#" is the model number, referenced to by other parts of the parameters. "directory\filename" is the file (with its path, starting from ..\Re-Volt\) referenced to by that model number. "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car (or "misc" for the antenna/aerial). "filename" is the name of the file assigned to that model number. Basically, every model you plan to use to make your car needs to be assigned a ModelNum here.
===TPAGE "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for the texture map used by the car (must be Windows Bitmap file, 256x256 pixels). "TPAGE" is required as is. "directory\filename" is the file referenced to (again, including its path starting from ..\Re-Volt\). "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car. "filename" is the name of the texture file.
===COLL "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for the collision file used by the car. "COLL" is required as is.
"directory\filename" is the file referenced to. "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car. "filename" is the name of the .hul file.
===EnvRGB # # #===
This is the declaration for the reflection color used by the car. "EnvRGB" is required as is. Each "#" is a value from 0 to 255 (no decimals) that determines the reflection colors for the car body (higher numbers reflect a brighter color). The first "#" is the red reflection value, the second is the green reflection value, and the third is the blue reflection value. Note: an EnvRGB number set of equal numbers (I.E. - 156 156 156) will be a neutral (gray) value between pure black (0 0 0) and pure white (255 255 255).
#############
;====================
; Stuff mainly for frontend display and car selectability
;====================
BestTime TRUE
Selectable TRUE
Class 0 ; Engine type (0=Elec, 1=Glow, 2=Other)
Obtain 0 ; Obtain method
Rating 0 ; Skill level (rookie, amateur, ...)
TopEnd 2860.595215 ; Actual top speed (mph) for frontend bars
Acc 6.863463 ; Acceleration rating (empirical)
Weight 1.200000 ; Scaled weight (for frontend bars)
Handling 90.000000 ; Handling ability (empirical and totally subjective)
Trans 0 ; Transmission type (calculate in game anyway...)
MaxRevs 0.300000 ; Max Revs (for rev counter)
#############
***-NOTES-***
===BestTime TRUE/FALSE===
When set as TRUE your name and car will be able to set and record a fastest lap time in Time Trial mode, when set as FALSE your laps do not get recorded.
===Selectable TRUE/FALSE===
This determines whether this car can be selected by the user in the car selection screen. For user-created cars, this should be set to "TRUE".
===Class #===
This is the class for the car. It is a number from 0 to 2. 0 = Electric, 1 = Glow, 2 = Special.
Electric cars sound like electric cars, and have faster acceleration, but less overall power. Glow (combustion engine) cars sound like weed whackers, and have slower acceleration, but more power once they get moving. "Special" cars are basically the same as Glow cars, except Re-Volt displays Special when selecting the car.
===Obtain #===
This determines when the user has access to this car. It is a number from -1 to 4. 0 = Starting Car, 1 = Cup Cars, 3 = Practice Mode, 4 = Single Race, -1 = Special. The special cars are not available to the user without using the "carnival" cheat. For custom cars, this should usually be "0" so anybody can access the car no matter what is checked in the progress table.
===Rating #===
This is the rating for the car. It is a number from 0 to 4. 0 = Rookie, 1 = Amateur, 2 = Advanced, 3 = Semi-Pro, 4 = Pro. This should be set to put the car in whatever class it races best with. Most custom cars are set to 4 = Pro.
===TopEnd #===
This is the car's actual top speed in feet per minute. It is best to test this in Toytanic or some other really long and flat track. To convert miles per hour into feet per minute: multiply MPH by 5280, then divide by 60. To convert kilometers per hour into feet per minute: multiply KPH by 3273.6, then divide by 60. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for user cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no matter what this value is. Is also used as the maximum
reachable value on the Rev Counter display (bottom right during race).
===Acc #===
This is the car's acceleration rating. Appears to be based on a reverse scale from 0 to 12, with 0 being very high acceleration and 12 being very low acceleration. May have different bounds than this. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for custom cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no matter what this value is.
===Weight #===
This is the car's total weight in kilograms. 1 kilogram is approximately 2.21 pounds. For comparison: R6 Turbo (lightest) weighs about 0.8 kilograms, and Bertha Ballistics (heaviest) weighs about 3 kilograms. To convert from pounds to kilograms, divide pounds by 2.21. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for user cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no
matter what this value is.
===Handling #===
This may be the car's percieved handling ability. Appears to be based on a scale from 0 to 100. For some unknown reason, this is set to 50 for all cars, except RC Bandit and Sprinter XL. Best bet: leave it at 50. This is not for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is not displayed at all, and seems to have no effects. *UNSURE*
===Trans #===
This is the car's transmission type. It is a number ranging from 0 to 2. 0 = 4 wheel drive, 1 = rear wheel drive, 2 = front wheel drive. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car.
As we gather from experience and from Acclaim's comments in parenthesis, this value is worthless. Re-Volt figures the transmission type from settings in the "Car Wheel Details" section.
The only reason to change this would be to note for yourself which transmission a car has, because Re-Volt doesn't use this value.
===MaxRevs #===
This appears to have something to do with the "Rev counter" in the lower right of the racing display, but we do not know what it is. *UNSURE*
#############
;====================
; Handling related stuff
;====================
SteerRate 3.000000 ; Rate at which steer angle approaches value from input
SteerMod 0.400000 ;
EngineRate 4.500000 ; Rate at which Engine voltage approaches set value
TopSpeed 33.500000 ; Car's theoretical top speed (not including friction...)
DownForceMod 2.000000 ; Down force modifier when car on floor
CoM 0.000000 -5.000000 1.000000 ; Centre of mass relative to model centre
Weapon 0.000000 -32.000000 64.000000 ; Weapon genration offset
#############
***-NOTES-***
===SteerRate #===
This is the speed of the steering of the Higher values make the wheels snap more quickly to the maximum steer point as set by the 'SteerRatio' value in the 'Car Wheel details' section Lower values make the steering wheels turn more sluggishly.
===SteerMod #===
This is the speed at which the wheels straighten back to the forward position. Lower values make the wheels snap back more quickly. Higher values make the wheels snap back more slowly.
===EngineRate #===
This is like setting the amount the throttle on the car will stick. The lower the value, the longer it takes before the car will respond to the throttle input. Higher values than 4.5 don't really matter.
===TopSpeed #===
This is the car's theoretical top speed in MPH. Only set as a guide to your preferred top speed. Actual top speed is dependent on other factors/values, Mass, Resistance, Friction and other values. It is very rare that this value is your cars actual top speed.
===DownForceMod #===
In theory this value will give your car more grip, kind of like magnetism. But extensive test have proven that minor changes make no discernable handling differences, while major changes does change the grip/friction when cornering on rough surfaces. 2 is the default for Re-Volt cars.
===CoM # # #===
Center of Mass relative to car model center. Basically: the point in the car's body where the car will rotate around while in midair. Modified in the X, Y and Z axis. A positive 'Y' value moves the CoM up, and a negative value moves it down, unlike other 'Y' axis values in the parameters..
===Weapon # # #===
Point at which weapons generate from. Should be above and slightly in front of a car, to keep weapons from hitting the person who fires them. The default is usually okay, unless the car is "jacked up" or very tall because of major body offset values.
#############
;====================
; Car Body details
;====================
BODY { ; Start Body
ModelNum 0 ; Model Number in above list
Offset 0, 0, 0 ; Calculated in game
Mass 1.200000
Inertia 1050.000000 0.000000 0.000000
0.000000 1200.000000 0.000000
0.000000 0.000000 300.000000
Gravity 2200 ; No longer used
Hardness 0.000000
Resistance 0.001000 ; Linear air esistance
AngRes 0.001000 ; Angular air resistance
ResMod 30.000000 ; Ang air resistnce scale when in air
Grip 0.010000 ; Converts downforce to friction value
StaticFriction 0.800000
KineticFriction 0.400000
} ; End Body
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number in the top list for the body of the car. -1 means no model, but do not do that for the body, as RV will not work if you do that.
===Offset # # #===
The coordinates to which the car body should be offset. Usually 0, 0, 0, unless the car is "jacked up" or raised off the ground. Note: changing this does NOT move the collision boundaries accordingly. That means that if you offset the body too high above the hull boundaries, it will sink into the ground when flipped over. The example is the same in x and z directions, too. If you become skilled with these settings, a body can actually be offset in just the right way to match an existing hull.hul very closely (depending on how similar the shape & size is). AFAIK nobody
does this on purpose yet.
===Mass #===
This is the car's total weight in kilograms. 1 kilogram is approximately 2.21 pounds. For comparison: R6 Turbo (lightest) weighs about 0.8 kilograms, and Bertha Ballistics (heaviest) weighs about 3 kilograms. To convert from pounds to kilograms, divide pounds by 2.21. This is the value that actually affects car. Making this negative or too small is a bad idea. This setting influences acceleration, suspension, turning ability, and other behaviors, so we suggest deciding on a weight early in the tweaking process and sticking with it.
===Inertia # 0 0
0 # 0
0 0 #===
This is the car's inertia matrix. This helps determine the car's willingness to rotate or spin about the respective x, y, or z axis. Higher values = more inertia (more willing to rotate) and lower values = less inertia (less willing to rotate). Combined with a complimentary Com (Center of mass) value and adequate Mass, this set of values can create a more realistic movement of the car. Note: this only affects a car body's dynamics, not wheel grip or anything like that.
===Gravity #===
It was previously said that this doesn't affect anything. It does. After the car "hits" the ground, the lower this is, the longer it will take for the car to get traction on the ground. A value of 100 causes the car to take about 5 seconds to get traction. 2200 is standard for all default cars. It is best to keep this at this setting.
===Hardness #===
The car body's "hardness" value. 0 is default. Higher values make the car act bouncy, or taut, like a drumhead or a fully inflated beach ball. If too high, the car will bounce extremely far when it hits anything at speed. Lower values cause the car to recieve small shocks well, but will cause the car body to bounce after hard hits - like a rebounding rubber ball.
===Resistance #===
The car's linear air resistance. While the car is moving, the car will slow because of air resistance. .001 is the default, and should be good for most cars. Higher values will make the car act as if moving in a thicker substance than air. Affects acceleration and reduces maximum speed. Does not affect rotation.
===AngRes #===
The car's rotational air resistance. When the car is airborne, the car will often rotate, roll, flip end over end, or do flat spins. This value determines the amount of resistance the car will encounter while spinning or turning. Again, .001 is the default, and should be good for most cars. Higher values will make the car act as if turning in a thicker substance than air. High values can also keep the car from rotating at all in the air, which is very unrealistic. To make the car act more
realistically, this should be the same as Resistance and close to the default value. Does not affect linear air resistance.
===ResMod #===
This is the angular air resistance scale when airborne. When this value is near the default of 25-30, the car will act like most RV cars in midair. Higher values will cause the car to rotate more slowly and with less ease while in the air. Lower values will cause the car to act more realistically, and therefore more erratic. This is one of the factors Acclaim may have used to "dumb down" the physics of the cars (they made it higher).
===Grip #===
This is the general grip of the car body. Higher values will cause it to stick to the track better, like a magnet. Lower values will decrease this friction.
===StaticFriction #===
This is the car body's resistance to movement while not moving. I.E. if the car is upside-down and stationary and is hit by another car: if this value is higher, the car will be harder to budge; if it is lower, the car will start moving more easily. This also controls how much the body sticks to and opposes movement when touching a wall. Do not make this value close to 0 - very bad idea.
Should be higher than kinetic friction.
===KineticFriction #===
This is the car body's resistance to movement while moving. I.E. if the car is upside-down and stationary and is hit by another car: once the car starts moving, lower values will cause the car to slide further before stopping; higher values will cause the car to slide less. This also controls how much a car is slowed down by grinding against walls. Do not make this value close to 0 - very bad idea.
#############
;====================
; Car Wheel details
;====================
WHEEL 0 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 1
Offset1 -18.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Offset2 -4.500000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable TRUE
SteerRatio -0.500000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.020000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 1 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 2
Offset1 18.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Offset2 4.500000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable TRUE
SteerRatio -0.500000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.020000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 2 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 3
Offset1 -18.000000 9.000000 -42.000000
Offset2 -6.000000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable FALSE
SteerRatio 1.000000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.050000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 3 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 4
Offset1 18.000000 9.000000 -42.000000
Offset2 6.000000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable FALSE
SteerRatio 1.000000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.050000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
#############
***-NOTES-***
General wheel #'s (can be changed): 0 = front left, 1 = front right, 2 = back left, 3 = back right.
===ModelNum #===
This is the model number used by that wheel, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. -1 means no model.
===Offset1 # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the center of the visible wheel in relation to the car's own X,Y & Z axis.
===Offset2 # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the wheel's collision sphere in relation to the wheel's X, Y & Z coordinates. Each wheel's collision detection is performed by a sphere, its size determined by the Radius value. This sphere can be offset with relation to the wheel's visual coordinates. Moving this sphere farther outwards causes the car to have a wider stance than it appears, though doing this will cause the invisible sphere to run into things when it doesn't look like you're going to and the skid marks won't match. Moving these forward and back or up and down from the actual wheels is not recommended, but moving them left or right can help.
===IsPresent TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel will be computed or not.
===IsPowered TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel receives power from the "engine".
===IsTurnable TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel is turnable (by steering) or not.
===SteerRatio #===
This is how much that wheel will turn, I.E. its turning range. The value does not correspond to degrees, but is close. Try to keep the value between 0.25 and 0.50. Should be negative for front wheels, positive for rear wheels. The ratio should be the same value for both front wheels and for both back wheels, but not the same back and front.
===EngineRatio #===
This is how much "oomph" (torque) that wheel will have. Higher number = more power = higher acceleration and more max speed. Left and right should be the same, but often front and back are different.
===Radius #===
A value in RV-Units that determines the radius of the collision sphere for that wheel. See Offset2.
A sphere is 3 dimensional, so the radius determines the wheel's width as well as its height. The radius should usually be set the same as the wheel model's radius. The correct value will prevent the wheel model from sinking into or floating above the ground. Note: the radius also affects acceleration. A smaller radius wheel needs less power to turn fast, and a larger radius needs a higher EngineRatio to turn adequately. I.E. – a car whose wheels have a small radius and a high EngineRatio might spin those wheels uncontrollably fast and will suffer from insufficient tire grip
and/or overabundant acceleration.
===Mass #===
How much that wheel weighs, in kilograms. 1 pound = 2.21 kilograms. Note: changing this value can have adverse effects on handling on the ground and in the air.
===Gravity #===
It was previously said that this doesn't affect anything. It does. After the wheel "hits" the ground, the lower this is, the longer it will take for the tire to get traction on the ground. A value of 100 causes the wheel to take about 5 seconds to get traction. 2200 is standard for all default cars. It is best to keep this at this setting. This should be the same for the wheels as it is for the body.
===MaxPos #===
This is the maximum vertical displacement of the wheels on their respective "springs." The maximum displacement is both up and down, so the wheel can move # units in either direction from rest. Basically, it's the wheel's total vertical travel, divided by 2. When combined with a suitable set of spring values, this will give a smoother ride over rough surfaces.
===SkidWidth #===
The width of that wheel's skid marks in RV units. Should be the same as the width of the tires. The position of the skids is affected by the Offset2.
===ToeIn #===
We are unsure about this. "Toe in" generally means (in theory) the amount a car's wheels will be pointed towards the center axis of the car while the car is standing still. Extensive testing did not show any noticeable changes in steering or cars handling.
===AxleFriction #===
This is that wheel's internal resistance when turning. Low values increase stopping distance and reduces max speed. High values decrease stopping distance and increases max speed. With higher values when combined with high engineratio values, can cause the wheels to spin faster than grip will allow, causing a floating skidding motion.
===Grip #===
This is the general grip of the wheel. Higher values will cause it to stick to the track better, like a magnet. Lower values will decrease this friction. Best to keep values between 0.015 and 0.030.
Too much grip is not always a good thing.
===StaticFriction #===
This is the wheel's resistance to moving. Static friction is the amount of grip that the wheel has normally, also determines how much grip the tires get when you first get on the gas. Keep values between 1 and 10, usually no higher than 4.
===KineticFriction #===
This is the wheel's resistance to sliding, Kinetic friction is the amount of grip it has while skidding. Giving cars lower kinetic friction values encourages them to slide out of control when they break into a skid, and higher kinetic friction values make them recover from skids very easily. Keep values between 1 and 10, usually no higher than 4.
#############
;====================
; Car Spring details
;====================
SPRING 0 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset –6.000000 –10.000000 41.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 1 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset 6.000000 –10.000000 41.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 2 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset –8.000000 –12.000000 –38.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 3 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset 8.000000 –12.000000 –38.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the spring/shock model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Offset from center of car for base of shock absorber (base = point where shock is attached to chassis of car, usually the top). Only applies to shocks that are displayed.
===Length #===
Only used when shock is displayed. This is the length of the shock model in RV units from origin (base/top of shock tower) to wheel centerpoint in the 3D Modelling program. If you use an existing shock model, use of the value defined in the original car's spring section is recommended. The length does not affect handling. For information on creating your own shock models, see the additional info section below.
===Stiffness #===
How stiff the response from the shock is; i.e. how stiff the spring (constant) is. The higher the number, the harder the shock is to compress and the less body roll it will have. R/C equivalent = Spring Stiffness.
===Damping #===
How slowly the shock moves. Higher damping values cause the shock to move more slowly, and with more resistance. Lower values cause the shock to move quicker and more easily. Higher values also cause the car to bounce less, while lower values will let the car bounce. The more damping a shock has, the more force it can absorb. If a car has less damping, it will tend to "bottom out" more. R/C equivalent = piston hole size.
===Restitution #===
Restitution is normally a value from –1 to 0. This determines how "high" on the shocks the car will sit when sitting still. If this is set at –1, when the car is sitting still, the shocks would be fully compressed. If this is set at 0, the shocks would not be compressed at all, so if picked up off the track, the wheels would not drop away from the car. If set at -.5, the car, when pushed down, would move down on the shocks, and if picked up, the wheels would lower a bit. Positive values and values less than –1 near 0 may act strangely. Positive values may make the car bounce –
not a good idea.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Shock absorber models, as drawn in game, stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. The endpoints are fixed at the Offset and the center of the wheel model. When a shock model is created, the top of a shock should be at the origin, and the bottom of the shock should point in the positive Z direction, or towards the front of the car model.
The endpoint of a shock, or where the wheel center would be located, is some distance away from the origin. That value should be inserted into the "Length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car Pin details
;====================
PIN 0 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum 13
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length –1.350000
} ; End Pin
PIN 1 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum 13
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length –1.350000
} ; End Pin
PIN 2 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length 0.000000
} ; End Pin
PIN 3 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length 0.000000
} ; End Pin
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the pin model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Would normally be offset from center of car for base of pin (base = point where pin is attached to chassis of car, usually the top), but this appears to have no effect in RV. In Re-Volt, the pin automatically goes through the base point of the shocks/springs.
===Length #===
Only used when pin is displayed. This is the length multiplier for the pin models as read from the model file. If the pin has length 10 in the model, a value of –1.5 here would make it 15 units long. If you use an existing pin model, use of the value defined in the original car's pin section is recommended, unless it needs to be made longer or shorter. The length does not affect handling.
For information on creating your own pin models, see the additional info section below.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Pin models, as drawn in game, are stiff, and do not stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. However, they do slide up and down through the point defined as the base of the shock for that wheel. One endpoint is fixed at the center of the wheel model, and the other is free to float up and down, but only on the line from the center of the wheel to the offset of the shock. When a pin model is created, the bottom of a pin should be at the origin, and the top of the pin should point in the negative Z direction, or towards the back of the car model. If this rule is followed, a negative length multiplier should be used to make the pin point up. If you create it in the opposite direction, a positive length modifier needs to be used. The length value is a multiplier for the apparent length of the pin in game, see "length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car axle details
;====================
AXLE 0 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset –7.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 1 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset 7.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 2 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset –7.000000 7.000000 –30.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 3 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset 7.000000 7.000000 –30.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the axle model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Offset from center of car for base of axle (base = point where axle is attached to chassis of car, usually the bottom edge of the chassis). Only applies to axles that are displayed.
===Length #===
Only used when axle is displayed. This is the length of the axle model in RV units from origin (base, bottom edge of chassis) to wheel centerpoint in the 3D odelling program. If you use an existing axle model, use of the value defined in the original car's spring section is recommended. The length does not affect handling. For information on creating your own axle models, see the additional info section below.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Axle models, as drawn in game, stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. The endpoints are fixed at the Offset and the center of the wheel model. When an axle model is created, the base point of the axle should be at the origin, and the end of the axle should point in the negative Y direction, or towards the top of the car model. The top side of the axle should point in the positive Z direction. The endpoint of an axle, or where the wheel center would be located, is some distance away from the origin. That value should be inserted into the "Length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car spinner details
;====================
SPINNER { ; Start spinner
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Axis 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
AngVel 0.000000
} ; End Spinner
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the spinner, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model.
===Offset # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the center of the spinner in relation to the car's own XYZ axes.
===Axis # # #===
This set of three coordinates defines a point in 3D space with relation to Offset. If you were to draw a line between the Offset point and the Axis point, the spinner would spin around that line.
For example, if your axis is 0.000000 –1.000000 1.000000, the spinner would spin around a line tilted 45 degrees forward of vertical.
===AngVel #===
This is the angular velocity of the spinner rotation. A value of 1 means that the spinner will spin once in 1 second. A value of 2 means 2 rotations in one second, and so forth. A negative value will make the spinner spin in the opposite direction.
#############
;====================
; Car Aerial details
;====================
AERIAL { ; Start Aerial
SecModelNum 17
TopModelNum 18
Offset –5.000000 –6.000000 –30.000000
Direction 0.000000 –1.000000 0.000000
Length 20.000000
Stiffness 2000.000000
Damping 5.500000
} ; End Aerial
#############
***-NOTES-***
===SecModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the vertical sections of the antenna/aerial, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model. 17 is the default and recommended number.
===TopModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the top of the antenna/aerial, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model. 18 is the default and recommended number.
===Offset # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the base point of the aerial in relation to the car's own XYZ axes.
===Direction # # #===
This set of three coordinates defines a point in 3D space with relation to Offset. If you were to draw a line between the Offset point and the Direction point, the aerial would point along that line.
For example, if your direction is 0.000000 –1.000000 –1.000000, the aerial would point through a line tilted 45 degrees backward of vertical.
===Length #===
This is the overall length of the aerial, from base to tip.
===Stiffness #===
This is basically how rigid the aerial is. Sort of like stiffness for the springs. Default is usually around 2000.
===Damping #===
Damping is a factor used to slow down the wiggle of the aerial. A value of 0 will let it wiggle forever, which looks really dumb. Values near 5 are pretty close to default.
#############
;====================
; Car AI details
;====================
AI { ;Start AI
UnderThresh 64.660004
UnderRange 1915.359985
UnderFront 450.000000
UnderRear 898.355530
UnderMax 0.830000
OverThresh 2510.375977
OverRange 134.339996
OverMax 1.000000
OverAccThresh 124.318031
OverAccRange 854.917969
PickupBias 22936
BlockBias 9830
OvertakeBias 16383
Suspension 22936
Aggression 0
} ; End AI
} EF33426
#############
***-NOTES-***
===UnderThresh #===
Unknown.
===UnderRange #===
Unknown.
===UnderFront #===
Unknown.
===UnderRear #===
Unknown.
===UnderMax #===
Unknown.
===OverThresh #===
Unknown.
===OverRange #===
Unknown.
===OverMax #===
Unknown.
===OverAccThresh #===
Unknown.
===OverAccRange #===
Unknown.
===PickupBias #===
Unknown.
===BlockBias #===
Unknown.
===OvertakeBias #===
Unknown.
===Suspension #===
Unknown.
===Aggression #===
Unknown.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The AI (artificial intelligence) parameters are currently unknown. When we figure this out, v6.0 will be released. Because *that* is a big deal.
#############
----------End Notes----------
Version Log:
Current Version: v5.2.5
Previous Version: v5.1
Changes from v5.1 to v5.2:
It was pointed out that the EnvRGB was defined in the wrong order. This could be important to newbies, so I fixed it. Also added "Thanks to" at the end of these descriptions. Thanks to Rex R.
Author: LaserBeams
Changes from v5.0 to v5.1:
Changed information about the body model number, added info in the AngVel section of the spinner, and beefed up the AI section with "Unknown"'s. Thanks to Rex R. Author: LaserBeams
The Parameters.txt file for each car is defines how that car handles in the game. By editing the file you can customize how your car handles. LaserBeams has let us post his newist version of the ParamNotes txt file here. This lays out every aspect of the parameters.txt file.
Welcome to Parameters Notes v5.2.5!
See bottom of file for version log and changes from the previous version.
Please note: The creators of this file are not paid employees of Acclaim or it's software development team. The idea for this stems from a post to the Re-Volt Forum at RacersPoint which pointed out the need for definitions for this stuff. Also note: some things seem to do nothing in the game, those we know of will be marked as such. If we are unsure of some setting, but are making a reasonable guess, that setting's notes will be marked "*UNSURE*". If we have left out
something that you know, do us a favor and drop us a line. Please however do not e-mail the whole file - just reference the section to which your tip/comment/whatever concerns. E-mail us at brgpug@ccsi.com or laserbeams@re-volt.com
The original "Parameters Notes" were created by Rex Reynolds.
A caution about editing these settings: always keep a back up copy of a working set of parameters just in case you change something that causes the game to crash. You will need it to reset the game especially if you don't take the precaution of leaving the game set on a different car than the one you are currently working on. If you run a race/practice/time trial with another car before you exit the game you will minimize the possibility of having a nonrecoverable crash, as the game will default to the previous car rather than the one that caused the crash. Remember, we warned you, so if you screw it up, it's not our fault.
Coordinate values are based on the Cartesian coordinate system. Looking at the car from above, with the front of the car pointing up, positive x-values are to the right, positive y-values are away from you, and positive z-values are up. Exception: Center of Mass - positive y-values are towards you. Re-Volt coordinate values are based on the metric system. 1 Re-Volt unit = .5 centimeters.
1 inch equals approximately 2.5 cm.
Lines which start with ";" (without quotes) are comments in the original file. Notes sections are set off by "#"'s. In the notes sections, lines of code in the original file are surrounded by "==="s, and variables are represented as either "#" for a number, "Text" for a text string, or a set value (such as "0") or variables that should not be changed.
Parameters Notes v5 by: SuperTard (coordinator), LaserBeams (base notes + revisions), Nairb (added notes + revisions)
Any text following a semi colon (;) are ignored remarks or statements, they are there for your own information only and can be removed without effecting the game.
----------Begin Notes----------
{
;============================================================
;============================================================
; RC Bandit
;============================================================
;============================================================
Name "RC Bandit"
#############
***-NOTES-***
===;NameOfCar===
This is the internal name of the car - it is not displayed. Sometimes you'll see what car an author
based their parameters on here (if they opted not to change it).
===Name "NameOfCar"===
This is the external name of the car - it is displayed as the car name while loading and racing.
As seen in the game.
#############
;====================
; Model Filenames
;====================
MODEL 0 "cars\rc\body.prm"
MODEL 1 "cars\rc\wheelfl.prm"
MODEL 2 "cars\rc\wheelfr.prm"
MODEL 3 "cars\rc\wheelbl.prm"
MODEL 4 "cars\rc\wheelbr.prm"
MODEL 5 "cars\rc\spring.prm"
MODEL 6 "NONE"
MODEL 7 "NONE"
MODEL 8 "NONE"
MODEL 9 "cars\rc\axle.prm"
MODEL 10 "NONE"
MODEL 11 "NONE"
MODEL 12 "NONE"
MODEL 13 "cars\rc\pin.prm"
MODEL 14 "NONE"
MODEL 15 "NONE"
MODEL 16 "NONE"
MODEL 17 "cars\misc\Aerial.m"
MODEL 18 "cars\misc\AerialT.m"
TPAGE "cars\rc\car.bmp"
COLL "cars\rc\hull.hul"
EnvRGB 200 200 200
#############
***-NOTES-***
===MODEL # "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for each of the models displayed in the game. "MODEL" is required as is.
"#" is the model number, referenced to by other parts of the parameters. "directory\filename" is the file (with its path, starting from ..\Re-Volt\) referenced to by that model number. "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car (or "misc" for the antenna/aerial). "filename" is the name of the file assigned to that model number. Basically, every model you plan to use to make your car needs to be assigned a ModelNum here.
===TPAGE "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for the texture map used by the car (must be Windows Bitmap file, 256x256 pixels). "TPAGE" is required as is. "directory\filename" is the file referenced to (again, including its path starting from ..\Re-Volt\). "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car. "filename" is the name of the texture file.
===COLL "directory\filename"===
This is the declaration for the collision file used by the car. "COLL" is required as is.
"directory\filename" is the file referenced to. "directory" usually consists of "cars\", meaning the "X:\...\Re-Volt\cars" directory, and the directory name for that specific car. "filename" is the name of the .hul file.
===EnvRGB # # #===
This is the declaration for the reflection color used by the car. "EnvRGB" is required as is. Each "#" is a value from 0 to 255 (no decimals) that determines the reflection colors for the car body (higher numbers reflect a brighter color). The first "#" is the red reflection value, the second is the green reflection value, and the third is the blue reflection value. Note: an EnvRGB number set of equal numbers (I.E. - 156 156 156) will be a neutral (gray) value between pure black (0 0 0) and pure white (255 255 255).
#############
;====================
; Stuff mainly for frontend display and car selectability
;====================
BestTime TRUE
Selectable TRUE
Class 0 ; Engine type (0=Elec, 1=Glow, 2=Other)
Obtain 0 ; Obtain method
Rating 0 ; Skill level (rookie, amateur, ...)
TopEnd 2860.595215 ; Actual top speed (mph) for frontend bars
Acc 6.863463 ; Acceleration rating (empirical)
Weight 1.200000 ; Scaled weight (for frontend bars)
Handling 90.000000 ; Handling ability (empirical and totally subjective)
Trans 0 ; Transmission type (calculate in game anyway...)
MaxRevs 0.300000 ; Max Revs (for rev counter)
#############
***-NOTES-***
===BestTime TRUE/FALSE===
When set as TRUE your name and car will be able to set and record a fastest lap time in Time Trial mode, when set as FALSE your laps do not get recorded.
===Selectable TRUE/FALSE===
This determines whether this car can be selected by the user in the car selection screen. For user-created cars, this should be set to "TRUE".
===Class #===
This is the class for the car. It is a number from 0 to 2. 0 = Electric, 1 = Glow, 2 = Special.
Electric cars sound like electric cars, and have faster acceleration, but less overall power. Glow (combustion engine) cars sound like weed whackers, and have slower acceleration, but more power once they get moving. "Special" cars are basically the same as Glow cars, except Re-Volt displays Special when selecting the car.
===Obtain #===
This determines when the user has access to this car. It is a number from -1 to 4. 0 = Starting Car, 1 = Cup Cars, 3 = Practice Mode, 4 = Single Race, -1 = Special. The special cars are not available to the user without using the "carnival" cheat. For custom cars, this should usually be "0" so anybody can access the car no matter what is checked in the progress table.
===Rating #===
This is the rating for the car. It is a number from 0 to 4. 0 = Rookie, 1 = Amateur, 2 = Advanced, 3 = Semi-Pro, 4 = Pro. This should be set to put the car in whatever class it races best with. Most custom cars are set to 4 = Pro.
===TopEnd #===
This is the car's actual top speed in feet per minute. It is best to test this in Toytanic or some other really long and flat track. To convert miles per hour into feet per minute: multiply MPH by 5280, then divide by 60. To convert kilometers per hour into feet per minute: multiply KPH by 3273.6, then divide by 60. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for user cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no matter what this value is. Is also used as the maximum
reachable value on the Rev Counter display (bottom right during race).
===Acc #===
This is the car's acceleration rating. Appears to be based on a reverse scale from 0 to 12, with 0 being very high acceleration and 12 being very low acceleration. May have different bounds than this. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for custom cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no matter what this value is.
===Weight #===
This is the car's total weight in kilograms. 1 kilogram is approximately 2.21 pounds. For comparison: R6 Turbo (lightest) weighs about 0.8 kilograms, and Bertha Ballistics (heaviest) weighs about 3 kilograms. To convert from pounds to kilograms, divide pounds by 2.21. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is only displayed for default Re-Volt cars, so it doesn't matter for user cars. Re-Volt displays "???" when selecting a custom car no
matter what this value is.
===Handling #===
This may be the car's percieved handling ability. Appears to be based on a scale from 0 to 100. For some unknown reason, this is set to 50 for all cars, except RC Bandit and Sprinter XL. Best bet: leave it at 50. This is not for the frontend display, and does not affect the car. This is not displayed at all, and seems to have no effects. *UNSURE*
===Trans #===
This is the car's transmission type. It is a number ranging from 0 to 2. 0 = 4 wheel drive, 1 = rear wheel drive, 2 = front wheel drive. This is only for the frontend display, and does not affect the car.
As we gather from experience and from Acclaim's comments in parenthesis, this value is worthless. Re-Volt figures the transmission type from settings in the "Car Wheel Details" section.
The only reason to change this would be to note for yourself which transmission a car has, because Re-Volt doesn't use this value.
===MaxRevs #===
This appears to have something to do with the "Rev counter" in the lower right of the racing display, but we do not know what it is. *UNSURE*
#############
;====================
; Handling related stuff
;====================
SteerRate 3.000000 ; Rate at which steer angle approaches value from input
SteerMod 0.400000 ;
EngineRate 4.500000 ; Rate at which Engine voltage approaches set value
TopSpeed 33.500000 ; Car's theoretical top speed (not including friction...)
DownForceMod 2.000000 ; Down force modifier when car on floor
CoM 0.000000 -5.000000 1.000000 ; Centre of mass relative to model centre
Weapon 0.000000 -32.000000 64.000000 ; Weapon genration offset
#############
***-NOTES-***
===SteerRate #===
This is the speed of the steering of the Higher values make the wheels snap more quickly to the maximum steer point as set by the 'SteerRatio' value in the 'Car Wheel details' section Lower values make the steering wheels turn more sluggishly.
===SteerMod #===
This is the speed at which the wheels straighten back to the forward position. Lower values make the wheels snap back more quickly. Higher values make the wheels snap back more slowly.
===EngineRate #===
This is like setting the amount the throttle on the car will stick. The lower the value, the longer it takes before the car will respond to the throttle input. Higher values than 4.5 don't really matter.
===TopSpeed #===
This is the car's theoretical top speed in MPH. Only set as a guide to your preferred top speed. Actual top speed is dependent on other factors/values, Mass, Resistance, Friction and other values. It is very rare that this value is your cars actual top speed.
===DownForceMod #===
In theory this value will give your car more grip, kind of like magnetism. But extensive test have proven that minor changes make no discernable handling differences, while major changes does change the grip/friction when cornering on rough surfaces. 2 is the default for Re-Volt cars.
===CoM # # #===
Center of Mass relative to car model center. Basically: the point in the car's body where the car will rotate around while in midair. Modified in the X, Y and Z axis. A positive 'Y' value moves the CoM up, and a negative value moves it down, unlike other 'Y' axis values in the parameters..
===Weapon # # #===
Point at which weapons generate from. Should be above and slightly in front of a car, to keep weapons from hitting the person who fires them. The default is usually okay, unless the car is "jacked up" or very tall because of major body offset values.
#############
;====================
; Car Body details
;====================
BODY { ; Start Body
ModelNum 0 ; Model Number in above list
Offset 0, 0, 0 ; Calculated in game
Mass 1.200000
Inertia 1050.000000 0.000000 0.000000
0.000000 1200.000000 0.000000
0.000000 0.000000 300.000000
Gravity 2200 ; No longer used
Hardness 0.000000
Resistance 0.001000 ; Linear air esistance
AngRes 0.001000 ; Angular air resistance
ResMod 30.000000 ; Ang air resistnce scale when in air
Grip 0.010000 ; Converts downforce to friction value
StaticFriction 0.800000
KineticFriction 0.400000
} ; End Body
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number in the top list for the body of the car. -1 means no model, but do not do that for the body, as RV will not work if you do that.
===Offset # # #===
The coordinates to which the car body should be offset. Usually 0, 0, 0, unless the car is "jacked up" or raised off the ground. Note: changing this does NOT move the collision boundaries accordingly. That means that if you offset the body too high above the hull boundaries, it will sink into the ground when flipped over. The example is the same in x and z directions, too. If you become skilled with these settings, a body can actually be offset in just the right way to match an existing hull.hul very closely (depending on how similar the shape & size is). AFAIK nobody
does this on purpose yet.
===Mass #===
This is the car's total weight in kilograms. 1 kilogram is approximately 2.21 pounds. For comparison: R6 Turbo (lightest) weighs about 0.8 kilograms, and Bertha Ballistics (heaviest) weighs about 3 kilograms. To convert from pounds to kilograms, divide pounds by 2.21. This is the value that actually affects car. Making this negative or too small is a bad idea. This setting influences acceleration, suspension, turning ability, and other behaviors, so we suggest deciding on a weight early in the tweaking process and sticking with it.
===Inertia # 0 0
0 # 0
0 0 #===
This is the car's inertia matrix. This helps determine the car's willingness to rotate or spin about the respective x, y, or z axis. Higher values = more inertia (more willing to rotate) and lower values = less inertia (less willing to rotate). Combined with a complimentary Com (Center of mass) value and adequate Mass, this set of values can create a more realistic movement of the car. Note: this only affects a car body's dynamics, not wheel grip or anything like that.
===Gravity #===
It was previously said that this doesn't affect anything. It does. After the car "hits" the ground, the lower this is, the longer it will take for the car to get traction on the ground. A value of 100 causes the car to take about 5 seconds to get traction. 2200 is standard for all default cars. It is best to keep this at this setting.
===Hardness #===
The car body's "hardness" value. 0 is default. Higher values make the car act bouncy, or taut, like a drumhead or a fully inflated beach ball. If too high, the car will bounce extremely far when it hits anything at speed. Lower values cause the car to recieve small shocks well, but will cause the car body to bounce after hard hits - like a rebounding rubber ball.
===Resistance #===
The car's linear air resistance. While the car is moving, the car will slow because of air resistance. .001 is the default, and should be good for most cars. Higher values will make the car act as if moving in a thicker substance than air. Affects acceleration and reduces maximum speed. Does not affect rotation.
===AngRes #===
The car's rotational air resistance. When the car is airborne, the car will often rotate, roll, flip end over end, or do flat spins. This value determines the amount of resistance the car will encounter while spinning or turning. Again, .001 is the default, and should be good for most cars. Higher values will make the car act as if turning in a thicker substance than air. High values can also keep the car from rotating at all in the air, which is very unrealistic. To make the car act more
realistically, this should be the same as Resistance and close to the default value. Does not affect linear air resistance.
===ResMod #===
This is the angular air resistance scale when airborne. When this value is near the default of 25-30, the car will act like most RV cars in midair. Higher values will cause the car to rotate more slowly and with less ease while in the air. Lower values will cause the car to act more realistically, and therefore more erratic. This is one of the factors Acclaim may have used to "dumb down" the physics of the cars (they made it higher).
===Grip #===
This is the general grip of the car body. Higher values will cause it to stick to the track better, like a magnet. Lower values will decrease this friction.
===StaticFriction #===
This is the car body's resistance to movement while not moving. I.E. if the car is upside-down and stationary and is hit by another car: if this value is higher, the car will be harder to budge; if it is lower, the car will start moving more easily. This also controls how much the body sticks to and opposes movement when touching a wall. Do not make this value close to 0 - very bad idea.
Should be higher than kinetic friction.
===KineticFriction #===
This is the car body's resistance to movement while moving. I.E. if the car is upside-down and stationary and is hit by another car: once the car starts moving, lower values will cause the car to slide further before stopping; higher values will cause the car to slide less. This also controls how much a car is slowed down by grinding against walls. Do not make this value close to 0 - very bad idea.
#############
;====================
; Car Wheel details
;====================
WHEEL 0 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 1
Offset1 -18.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Offset2 -4.500000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable TRUE
SteerRatio -0.500000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.020000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 1 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 2
Offset1 18.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Offset2 4.500000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable TRUE
SteerRatio -0.500000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.020000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 2 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 3
Offset1 -18.000000 9.000000 -42.000000
Offset2 -6.000000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable FALSE
SteerRatio 1.000000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.050000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
WHEEL 3 { ; Start Wheel
ModelNum 4
Offset1 18.000000 9.000000 -42.000000
Offset2 6.000000 0.000000 0.000000
IsPresent TRUE
IsPowered TRUE
IsTurnable FALSE
SteerRatio 1.000000
EngineRatio 6500.000000
Radius 10.000000
Mass 0.150000
Gravity 2200.000000
MaxPos 8.000000
SkidWidth 10.000000
ToeIn 0.000000
AxleFriction 0.050000
Grip 0.015000
StaticFriction 1.500000
KineticFriction 1.450000
} ; End Wheel
#############
***-NOTES-***
General wheel #'s (can be changed): 0 = front left, 1 = front right, 2 = back left, 3 = back right.
===ModelNum #===
This is the model number used by that wheel, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. -1 means no model.
===Offset1 # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the center of the visible wheel in relation to the car's own X,Y & Z axis.
===Offset2 # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the wheel's collision sphere in relation to the wheel's X, Y & Z coordinates. Each wheel's collision detection is performed by a sphere, its size determined by the Radius value. This sphere can be offset with relation to the wheel's visual coordinates. Moving this sphere farther outwards causes the car to have a wider stance than it appears, though doing this will cause the invisible sphere to run into things when it doesn't look like you're going to and the skid marks won't match. Moving these forward and back or up and down from the actual wheels is not recommended, but moving them left or right can help.
===IsPresent TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel will be computed or not.
===IsPowered TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel receives power from the "engine".
===IsTurnable TRUE/FALSE===
This is a flag to determine whether that wheel is turnable (by steering) or not.
===SteerRatio #===
This is how much that wheel will turn, I.E. its turning range. The value does not correspond to degrees, but is close. Try to keep the value between 0.25 and 0.50. Should be negative for front wheels, positive for rear wheels. The ratio should be the same value for both front wheels and for both back wheels, but not the same back and front.
===EngineRatio #===
This is how much "oomph" (torque) that wheel will have. Higher number = more power = higher acceleration and more max speed. Left and right should be the same, but often front and back are different.
===Radius #===
A value in RV-Units that determines the radius of the collision sphere for that wheel. See Offset2.
A sphere is 3 dimensional, so the radius determines the wheel's width as well as its height. The radius should usually be set the same as the wheel model's radius. The correct value will prevent the wheel model from sinking into or floating above the ground. Note: the radius also affects acceleration. A smaller radius wheel needs less power to turn fast, and a larger radius needs a higher EngineRatio to turn adequately. I.E. – a car whose wheels have a small radius and a high EngineRatio might spin those wheels uncontrollably fast and will suffer from insufficient tire grip
and/or overabundant acceleration.
===Mass #===
How much that wheel weighs, in kilograms. 1 pound = 2.21 kilograms. Note: changing this value can have adverse effects on handling on the ground and in the air.
===Gravity #===
It was previously said that this doesn't affect anything. It does. After the wheel "hits" the ground, the lower this is, the longer it will take for the tire to get traction on the ground. A value of 100 causes the wheel to take about 5 seconds to get traction. 2200 is standard for all default cars. It is best to keep this at this setting. This should be the same for the wheels as it is for the body.
===MaxPos #===
This is the maximum vertical displacement of the wheels on their respective "springs." The maximum displacement is both up and down, so the wheel can move # units in either direction from rest. Basically, it's the wheel's total vertical travel, divided by 2. When combined with a suitable set of spring values, this will give a smoother ride over rough surfaces.
===SkidWidth #===
The width of that wheel's skid marks in RV units. Should be the same as the width of the tires. The position of the skids is affected by the Offset2.
===ToeIn #===
We are unsure about this. "Toe in" generally means (in theory) the amount a car's wheels will be pointed towards the center axis of the car while the car is standing still. Extensive testing did not show any noticeable changes in steering or cars handling.
===AxleFriction #===
This is that wheel's internal resistance when turning. Low values increase stopping distance and reduces max speed. High values decrease stopping distance and increases max speed. With higher values when combined with high engineratio values, can cause the wheels to spin faster than grip will allow, causing a floating skidding motion.
===Grip #===
This is the general grip of the wheel. Higher values will cause it to stick to the track better, like a magnet. Lower values will decrease this friction. Best to keep values between 0.015 and 0.030.
Too much grip is not always a good thing.
===StaticFriction #===
This is the wheel's resistance to moving. Static friction is the amount of grip that the wheel has normally, also determines how much grip the tires get when you first get on the gas. Keep values between 1 and 10, usually no higher than 4.
===KineticFriction #===
This is the wheel's resistance to sliding, Kinetic friction is the amount of grip it has while skidding. Giving cars lower kinetic friction values encourages them to slide out of control when they break into a skid, and higher kinetic friction values make them recover from skids very easily. Keep values between 1 and 10, usually no higher than 4.
#############
;====================
; Car Spring details
;====================
SPRING 0 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset –6.000000 –10.000000 41.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 1 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset 6.000000 –10.000000 41.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 2 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset –8.000000 –12.000000 –38.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
SPRING 3 { ; Start Spring
ModelNum 5
Offset 8.000000 –12.000000 –38.000000
Length 16.000000
Stiffness 300.000000
Damping 7.000000
Restitution –0.950000
} ; End Spring
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the spring/shock model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Offset from center of car for base of shock absorber (base = point where shock is attached to chassis of car, usually the top). Only applies to shocks that are displayed.
===Length #===
Only used when shock is displayed. This is the length of the shock model in RV units from origin (base/top of shock tower) to wheel centerpoint in the 3D Modelling program. If you use an existing shock model, use of the value defined in the original car's spring section is recommended. The length does not affect handling. For information on creating your own shock models, see the additional info section below.
===Stiffness #===
How stiff the response from the shock is; i.e. how stiff the spring (constant) is. The higher the number, the harder the shock is to compress and the less body roll it will have. R/C equivalent = Spring Stiffness.
===Damping #===
How slowly the shock moves. Higher damping values cause the shock to move more slowly, and with more resistance. Lower values cause the shock to move quicker and more easily. Higher values also cause the car to bounce less, while lower values will let the car bounce. The more damping a shock has, the more force it can absorb. If a car has less damping, it will tend to "bottom out" more. R/C equivalent = piston hole size.
===Restitution #===
Restitution is normally a value from –1 to 0. This determines how "high" on the shocks the car will sit when sitting still. If this is set at –1, when the car is sitting still, the shocks would be fully compressed. If this is set at 0, the shocks would not be compressed at all, so if picked up off the track, the wheels would not drop away from the car. If set at -.5, the car, when pushed down, would move down on the shocks, and if picked up, the wheels would lower a bit. Positive values and values less than –1 near 0 may act strangely. Positive values may make the car bounce –
not a good idea.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Shock absorber models, as drawn in game, stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. The endpoints are fixed at the Offset and the center of the wheel model. When a shock model is created, the top of a shock should be at the origin, and the bottom of the shock should point in the positive Z direction, or towards the front of the car model.
The endpoint of a shock, or where the wheel center would be located, is some distance away from the origin. That value should be inserted into the "Length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car Pin details
;====================
PIN 0 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum 13
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length –1.350000
} ; End Pin
PIN 1 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum 13
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length –1.350000
} ; End Pin
PIN 2 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length 0.000000
} ; End Pin
PIN 3 { ; Start Pin
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Length 0.000000
} ; End Pin
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the pin model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Would normally be offset from center of car for base of pin (base = point where pin is attached to chassis of car, usually the top), but this appears to have no effect in RV. In Re-Volt, the pin automatically goes through the base point of the shocks/springs.
===Length #===
Only used when pin is displayed. This is the length multiplier for the pin models as read from the model file. If the pin has length 10 in the model, a value of –1.5 here would make it 15 units long. If you use an existing pin model, use of the value defined in the original car's pin section is recommended, unless it needs to be made longer or shorter. The length does not affect handling.
For information on creating your own pin models, see the additional info section below.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Pin models, as drawn in game, are stiff, and do not stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. However, they do slide up and down through the point defined as the base of the shock for that wheel. One endpoint is fixed at the center of the wheel model, and the other is free to float up and down, but only on the line from the center of the wheel to the offset of the shock. When a pin model is created, the bottom of a pin should be at the origin, and the top of the pin should point in the negative Z direction, or towards the back of the car model. If this rule is followed, a negative length multiplier should be used to make the pin point up. If you create it in the opposite direction, a positive length modifier needs to be used. The length value is a multiplier for the apparent length of the pin in game, see "length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car axle details
;====================
AXLE 0 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset –7.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 1 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset 7.000000 7.000000 42.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 2 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset –7.000000 7.000000 –30.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
AXLE 3 { ; Start Axle
ModelNum 9
Offset 7.000000 7.000000 –30.000000
Length 12.000000
} ; End axle
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
The model number used by the axle model (-1 if none) as listed in the table at top of file.
===Offset #===
Offset from center of car for base of axle (base = point where axle is attached to chassis of car, usually the bottom edge of the chassis). Only applies to axles that are displayed.
===Length #===
Only used when axle is displayed. This is the length of the axle model in RV units from origin (base, bottom edge of chassis) to wheel centerpoint in the 3D odelling program. If you use an existing axle model, use of the value defined in the original car's spring section is recommended. The length does not affect handling. For information on creating your own axle models, see the additional info section below.
ADDITIONAL INFO: Axle models, as drawn in game, stretch according to a wheel's position on its virtual shocks. The endpoints are fixed at the Offset and the center of the wheel model. When an axle model is created, the base point of the axle should be at the origin, and the end of the axle should point in the negative Y direction, or towards the top of the car model. The top side of the axle should point in the positive Z direction. The endpoint of an axle, or where the wheel center would be located, is some distance away from the origin. That value should be inserted into the "Length" field.
#############
;====================
; Car spinner details
;====================
SPINNER { ; Start spinner
ModelNum –1
Offset 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
Axis 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000
AngVel 0.000000
} ; End Spinner
#############
***-NOTES-***
===ModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the spinner, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model.
===Offset # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the center of the spinner in relation to the car's own XYZ axes.
===Axis # # #===
This set of three coordinates defines a point in 3D space with relation to Offset. If you were to draw a line between the Offset point and the Axis point, the spinner would spin around that line.
For example, if your axis is 0.000000 –1.000000 1.000000, the spinner would spin around a line tilted 45 degrees forward of vertical.
===AngVel #===
This is the angular velocity of the spinner rotation. A value of 1 means that the spinner will spin once in 1 second. A value of 2 means 2 rotations in one second, and so forth. A negative value will make the spinner spin in the opposite direction.
#############
;====================
; Car Aerial details
;====================
AERIAL { ; Start Aerial
SecModelNum 17
TopModelNum 18
Offset –5.000000 –6.000000 –30.000000
Direction 0.000000 –1.000000 0.000000
Length 20.000000
Stiffness 2000.000000
Damping 5.500000
} ; End Aerial
#############
***-NOTES-***
===SecModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the vertical sections of the antenna/aerial, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model. 17 is the default and recommended number.
===TopModelNum #===
This is the model number used by the top of the antenna/aerial, taken from the list at the top of the file. A model can be used more than once in a parameters file. –1 means no model. 18 is the default and recommended number.
===Offset # # #===
Coordinates for the offset of the base point of the aerial in relation to the car's own XYZ axes.
===Direction # # #===
This set of three coordinates defines a point in 3D space with relation to Offset. If you were to draw a line between the Offset point and the Direction point, the aerial would point along that line.
For example, if your direction is 0.000000 –1.000000 –1.000000, the aerial would point through a line tilted 45 degrees backward of vertical.
===Length #===
This is the overall length of the aerial, from base to tip.
===Stiffness #===
This is basically how rigid the aerial is. Sort of like stiffness for the springs. Default is usually around 2000.
===Damping #===
Damping is a factor used to slow down the wiggle of the aerial. A value of 0 will let it wiggle forever, which looks really dumb. Values near 5 are pretty close to default.
#############
;====================
; Car AI details
;====================
AI { ;Start AI
UnderThresh 64.660004
UnderRange 1915.359985
UnderFront 450.000000
UnderRear 898.355530
UnderMax 0.830000
OverThresh 2510.375977
OverRange 134.339996
OverMax 1.000000
OverAccThresh 124.318031
OverAccRange 854.917969
PickupBias 22936
BlockBias 9830
OvertakeBias 16383
Suspension 22936
Aggression 0
} ; End AI
} EF33426
#############
***-NOTES-***
===UnderThresh #===
Unknown.
===UnderRange #===
Unknown.
===UnderFront #===
Unknown.
===UnderRear #===
Unknown.
===UnderMax #===
Unknown.
===OverThresh #===
Unknown.
===OverRange #===
Unknown.
===OverMax #===
Unknown.
===OverAccThresh #===
Unknown.
===OverAccRange #===
Unknown.
===PickupBias #===
Unknown.
===BlockBias #===
Unknown.
===OvertakeBias #===
Unknown.
===Suspension #===
Unknown.
===Aggression #===
Unknown.
ADDITIONAL INFO: The AI (artificial intelligence) parameters are currently unknown. When we figure this out, v6.0 will be released. Because *that* is a big deal.
#############
----------End Notes----------
Version Log:
Current Version: v5.2.5
Previous Version: v5.1
Changes from v5.1 to v5.2:
It was pointed out that the EnvRGB was defined in the wrong order. This could be important to newbies, so I fixed it. Also added "Thanks to" at the end of these descriptions. Thanks to Rex R.
Author: LaserBeams
Changes from v5.0 to v5.1:
Changed information about the body model number, added info in the AngVel section of the spinner, and beefed up the AI section with "Unknown"'s. Thanks to Rex R. Author: LaserBeams
