How does AC choose which skins go in race?

[Billy Pilgrim]

Hi
In offline races with AI, I get the impression some skins are used more frequently.

I had presumed that the game chose skins to appear in races by random; I'm not so sure anymore.

Are skins chosen according to some criterion: folder name? the "priority" value in the ui.skin folder? something else?

I'd prefer it was just random.

Anyone help? Or am I just imagining the whole thing?

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

If you want random, use Content Manager. Otherwise I believe they are chosen on the priority number with skin name being secondary if the priority number is the same, or missing, from multiple skins. I think. But just use Content Manager.

 

[Ryno917]

There's also an option in AC called something along the lines of 'serialize skins' or something like that. Enabling this options loads skins for the AI in alphabetical order by folder name, skipping the player's selected skin.

For some reason I still don't use the CM to launch AC (honestly don't know why I still don't) so I have this option enabled and all the custom skins I like to see I just throw a few zeros at the start of the folder name to force them to be used by the AI.

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

That's like the opposite of random though.

One of these days I'm going to use CM to make two separate profiles; one exclusively with vanilla skins for online use and the other exclusively with mod skins for SP.

 

[Ryno917]

That's like the opposite of random though.

One of these days I'm going to use CM to make two separate profiles; one exclusively with vanilla skins for online use and the other exclusively with mod skins for SP.

I didn't get much sleep last night. Totally missed that point in the OP

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

That's like the opposite of random though.
Ha!

I didn't get much sleep last night. Totally missed that point in the OP

I know the feeling. Thanks for trying to help out though

And if I didn't use Content Manager, is there a way to randomise skin choice?

@Michael Hornbuckle 's first reply would imply you can't randomise; or you can randomise but that means having all skins with exactly the same file name and all the same priority in the ui.skin file - am I right? And that would be a lot of hassle. And life is short.

Is the only solution to use Content Manager? I'd rather not use it as I'm OK with the launcher and am not looking to add more complexity.

 

[Michael Hornbuckle]

Is the only solution to use Content Manager

Yes, AFAIK

Here is how easy it is to choose some random and some set skins in CM: (pay no attention to my super cluttered desktop)

 

[Ryno917]

(pay no attention to my super cluttered desktop)

I have two monitors and they both have more icons than yours Granted almost all of the ones on one monitor are inspiration imagery for stuff I want to work on in the short term...

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

There's a very easy way to randomise AC's skin selection:

• untick "serial livery selection" in General Options

Works great. I'm happy to see all those other skins on track again.