Misc guitarmaen AIW CAM Editor 4.22

[MJQT]

MJQT submitted a new resource:

guitarmaen AIW CAM Editor - Useful tool to visually edit AIW files for isiMotor games: F1C, rF1, GTR2, RACE 07, AMS 1

Installation
Extract using 7Zip. Put all files in the same directory.
Since it is a small piece of software, recommended to place one copy of the editor in the directory of each game you want to mod.



Configuration
There is a configuration file named rF_AIW_CAM.conf. It looks like:

tracksdir=E:\rFactor1150\Gamedata\locations
WindowX=1570
WindowY=1140
Debug=0

Here you can set your starting directory (where all your tracks are) with the tracksdir...

Read more about this resource...

 

[mike27466]

I love this utility!..i use it all the time just helps the AI get faster and more realistic on the track!...cheers keep up the good work!

 

[Caribstu]

Windows Spinning blue circle of hate.

I had a bash at this some months ago following MJQT's recommendation to fix extra slow AI through one specific corner. And it worked.

Went back to it last night to fix a pitlane entry, and after hitting 'create curve' the program became non responsive for about 20 minutes, at which point it shut it down and tried again. Same non responsiveness.

Is my memory off, and I'm being impatient as this long 'create curve' generation time normal? Or is something wrong?

 

[MJQT]

Is my memory off, and I'm being impatient as this long 'create curve' generation time normal? Or is something wrong?

Curves should be created more or less instantly. Any non-responsiveness is not normal. I'd just force the program to quit and try again.

With the wrong sequence of mouse clicking or keyboard inputs, the program will sometimes either (i) crash and quit or (ii) become unresponsive and need to be force quit. I've never been able to reproduce exactly what causes it, though. Just a janky old software issue, I'm afraid – often comes with the territory.

(Once or twice I've thought a crash was caused by a mouse click in the empty black area followed by keyboard inputs – e.g. to shape a curve – but it's not consistent)

This is one of many reasons to save various copies of what you're working on, early and often.

Sometimes I've been able to see the program starting to lock up and avoid it by pressing 's' several times to leave and re-enter spline mode. Perhaps doing the same before creating your curve might help. Alternatively, I've found just using subtly different sequences of clicks and keyboard presses avoids crashes. FYI I've never seen an issue where a particular curve cannot be created... just a matter of being gentle with the software.

 

[Caribstu]

"With the wrong sequence of mouse clicking or keyboard inputs, the program will sometimes either (i) crash and quit or (ii) become unresponsive and need to be force quit. "

That's exactly what it was. User error. Having forgot which are the correct command keys and clicking / using too many wrong keys. Have managed to successfully ( and instantly) create the desired curve.



.

 

[Caribstu]

Specifically these kinks in the track edges are what i needed to edit.

 

[Spinelli]

I'm trying to use this tool to move cameras further from the track. I have loaded the AIW file and see the track and lines and everything in the graphics section but nothing seems to do anything. I try to click on the crosses or the big green circles which, I think, signify cameras. I try dragging those cameras around to move their location but nothing works. Nothing happens. The only thing I can seem to get to work is pressing up, down, left, right to move the whole graphic.

Any help?

 

[MJQT]

I'm trying to use this tool to move cameras further from the track. I have loaded the AIW file and see the track and lines and everything in the graphics section but nothing seems to do anything. I try to click on the crosses or the big green circles which, I think, signify cameras. I try dragging those cameras around to move their location but nothing works. Nothing happens. The only thing I can seem to get to work is pressing up, down, left, right to move the whole graphic.

Any help?

I've genuinely never attempted to change cameras, so I can't say. One thing – are you certain you edit cameras in the .aiw file, and not in a separate .cam file? Again, I don't know for certain, but I thought I had read there was a separate text file controlling cameras.

 

[jgf]

I haven't played around with these, but each track has a .cam file that lists the location and orientation of the cameras. These can be opened/edited with notepad.

 

[Spinelli]

I've genuinely never attempted to change cameras, so I can't say. One thing – are you certain you edit cameras in the .aiw file, and not in a separate .cam file? Again, I don't know for certain, but I thought I had read there was a separate text file controlling cameras.

I think it says you can in the instructions. The program pulls data from multiple other types of files including the .CAM file. The graphic and the GUI also show icons & text regarding camera information.

I haven't played around with these, but each track has a .cam file that lists the location and orientation of the cameras. These can be opened/edited with notepad.

Changing each cam's world positioning in the .cam file is almost impossible to do effectively because there's no way to know which axis (x, y, z) or combination of them need to be changed.

I'm trying to just move each trackside / TV cam further back from it's current position in order to have a further away view to take in more of the track action, track surrounding, etc. I love far away views. Plus, my new monitor is much bigger so, with a further away view, objects will still remain around the same size as on my previous monitor.

I tried simply increasing the FOV of each cam- which is arguably better than nothing - but I really don't find that style of view enjoyable (except on a couple exceptions here and there).

There's got to be a simple way to just drag around the cameras in some sort of tool.

 

[MJQT]

I think it says you can in the instructions. The program pulls data from multiple other types of files including the .CAM file. The graphic and the GUI also show icons & text regarding camera information.

Yeah, the tool is meant to edit them, for sure. I wondered whether you needed to specifically open the .cam file in the editor, instead of opening the .aiw file and it automagically figuring things out. If you can see the circles around camera locations, sounds like you've discovered what you need to do. So don't worry about it.

There's got to be a simple way to just drag around the cameras in some sort of tool.

This post from the Studio 397 forums would suggest that it is indeed possible to "click and drag" the circles around camera locations in this editor tool. People reminiscing about using this editor to edit rF1 tracks.

https://forum.studio-397.com/index.php?threads/editing-cameras-in-rf2.67440/#post-1042235

As I said, I've never tried editing cameras, so I can't give specific advice to get it working. But I would encourage you to keep trying things. And if you figure out how to successfully edit cameras, please do let us know.

 

[knarrenheinz_]

is it possible to edit the track edges as well? I am trying to make a 1988-1989 Sarthe from the Virtua_LM 1991 version. This is what I managed to do so far, but I am confused on what to do next. Basically I am trying to remove the chicanes that were added in 1990.

 

[jgf]

The AIW editor only edits the lines the AI will follow and the boundaries of where they may go. You would need the 3D software to edit the physical track.

There are some versions of earlier LeMans out there; I'm using "Lemans60" by philrob.

 

[Finno Zidjian]

is it possible to edit the track edges as well? I am trying to make a 1988-1989 Sarthe from the Virtua_LM 1991 version. This is what I managed to do so far, but I am confused on what to do next. Basically I am trying to remove the chicanes that were added in 1990.
View attachment 671399

Hi, knarrenheins!

Man, the physical part of the chicane is, in fact, just like JGF well said: you have to work the meshes in editor (3dsimed or Zmodeler2 or other of your preference) to remove or move any objects that get in the way of the chicane that is now a straight, right:?!

Now, as you state the situation in the AIW editor, I believe you are referring to the borders as the boundaries of the new stroke and this is possible to edit, yes, in the AIW editor. See the figures:

Chicane_pic1 – the green stroke assumes that your "line" is already done and you know how to do it, right?! So what you want to edit are the yellow borders and you may notice that I have red the item you have to light up... the procedure for you to edit this is the same as you did with the stroke in green, that is, activate the S key and soon the new possibility will arise for you to make your curve a straight line also at the edge

Chicane_pic2 – the result of the previous work.

Chicane_pic3 – follows the same procedure performed in PIC1, and the field to be triggered is the one demarcated in this figure

Chicane_pic4 – the end result

Note, please read the post AIW Library | RaceDepartment and if it interests you, please support the proposal by manifesting yourself in the post in some way, okay?!

Hugs

 

[knarrenheinz_]

Hi, knarrenheins!

Man, the physical part of the chicane is, in fact, just like JGF well said: you have to work the meshes in editor (3dsimed or Zmodeler2 or other of your preference) to remove or move any objects that get in the way of the chicane that is now a straight, right:?!

Now, as you state the situation in the AIW editor, I believe you are referring to the borders as the boundaries of the new stroke and this is possible to edit, yes, in the AIW editor. See the figures:

Chicane_pic1 – the green stroke assumes that your "line" is already done and you know how to do it, right?! So what you want to edit are the yellow borders and you may notice that I have red the item you have to light up... the procedure for you to edit this is the same as you did with the stroke in green, that is, activate the S key and soon the new possibility will arise for you to make your curve a straight line also at the edge

Chicane_pic2 – the result of the previous work.

Chicane_pic3 – follows the same procedure performed in PIC1, and the field to be triggered is the one demarcated in this figure

Chicane_pic4 – the end result

Note, please read the post AIW Library | RaceDepartment and if it interests you, please support the proposal by manifesting yourself in the post in some way, okay?!

Hugs

thank you very much, I will try that out and let you know how it turns out. Regarding the meshes, the version I found has the barriers for the chicanes already removed, the layout is drivable but not raceable, so right now I am trying to make the AI follow the same line, but for some reason they turn at about halfway in the chicane, even though they go straight initially

 

[Finno Zidjian]

thank you very much, I will try that out and let you know how it turns out. Regarding the meshes, the version I found has the barriers for the chicanes already removed, the layout is drivable but not raceable, so right now I am trying to make the AI follow the same line, but for some reason they turn at about halfway in the chicane, even though they go straight initially

Ok!

I believe you are, yes, on the right track. Surely, you bring these edges closer to the center line the AIs will behave better; Good luck in this task and if it does not work out we try other ways, ok?! Give me news, yes!

Hugs

 

[Caribstu]

I'm trying to edit the cameras. Just read all the comments above can't see a solution to my problem of how to select the camera i want to edit.
Loaded the AIW , check!
clicked on the Camera file and cameras showing, check!
All the green circles and blue crosses are showing, check!

How to select the specific camera i want to edit the Z axis... no idea. ???

Anyone know how you actually select the cameras?
(can't edit the Z axis data in notepad because I don't know the camera's name)

 

[Caribstu]

Pressing random keyboard buttons and this popped up.
May help.

 

[Finno Zidjian]

Pressing random keyboard buttons and this popped up.
May help.

View attachment 726251

and go through camera by camera using the same X and C

 

[Caribstu]

View attachment 726319
and go through camera by camera using the same X and C

That wasn't the problem. I could activate the cam file, no problem, just couldn't select the specific cam I wanted until I found the help screen I've posted above.

Still no clear instruction of how to edit the Z axis. But at least now I know how to select the camera I want to discover the cam name and then edit the Z axis in notepad.

Incidentally, seems counter intuitive but to raise the height of a camera you increase the NEGATIVE value.

So changing the Z axs value from -2.0 to -1.0 will lower the cam's height whilst changing the Z value from -2.0 to -3.0 will raise the cam's height.