Ok, it's been a while... And I have some good news and some not so good news.
Not so good news first, unfortunately I've had some commitments over the last few months, which has meant any work on any updates has been slow or non-existent. Also there will not be a 1.1 version of LA Canyons.
That's because the good new is the next version will be a 1.2
A few of the improvements of the upcoming 1.2 version...
Optimised meshes, lowering the poly count by 3/4's of a million!
Around 90 miles of tyremark overlays (Groove)
3 different levels of 'groove', one for the Junctions, one for corners and one for straighter sections of road. So they all darken at different rates, as more laps are completed.
Sector timing from all 'stage' timed layouts have been removed (AC doesn't use sectors on stage layouts) so should be compatible with sTracker / pTracker.
All Freeroam layouts now have 'stage' timing... Which means the lap timer will stay at 0:00 until you cross the start line (the 1st clockwise Welcome to LA Canyons sign)
If you accidentally invalidate your lap by going offroad, return to the pits and the timer will turn white if you recross the startline. No need for an outlap!
1.2 will be available via Patreon, with set prices to avoid any confusion to anyone who found the coffee thing that confusing. Also without my email sometimes going missing in peoples spam folders and getting access to the download link directly.
Pursuit layout has had a rework. Now with stage timing, which starts counting if you go either clockwise or anticlockwise around the track. Starting at the 'regular' start point... the 'finish line' is over the other side of the map near Monte Cristo.
This is also the only layout where 1GRASS surfaces are considered valid track.
This is done with the intention of giving 4x4 drivers the option of trying to make the finish by going offroad, without the timer being invalidated. So however you manage to cross the line... your time will show up on the board... Proving you evaded the pursuit
Pit boxes are numbered so that even if you host a 16 car server... you have 10 'getaway' drivers at the regular start. 3 police boxes at Clear Creek. And 3 at the bottom of Barley Flats Rd (Mt Lawlor Road) So 3 police in one direction... 3 police in the other direction. If all the pit slots are used... another 5 police slots are on top of Mt Lawlor... and 5 police slots at Hidden Springs picnic area. On average 1 police car to 2 getaway drivers. Anyway, that's my intention, however you want to use the layout is up to you.
As before there are lists of pitbox numbers / locations in all of the 'Freeroam' layouts.
Freeroam layout has had the number of pit boxes reduced to 75... Keeping all the pit boxes at the 'regular' start point, and at Red Box Gap. Switzer Picnic pit area removed mainly as they were past the startline, for timing reasons.
All layout UI, surfaces.ini & models.ini (Including VIP layouts) are to be included in the regular download (initially with a lock icon on VIP layouts). This will mean no Connection Mismatches between Regular and VIP drivers, and server managers can put all the models.ini and surfaces.ini on servers. Which will help to know everyone is running 1.2 (should help performance), and that people can't cheat by changing surface grip.
Also there has been some more awesome work from @Ben O'Bro, but that can be a surprise (unless Ben's already posted screens somewhere ) Surprises are always good
I will give more details nearer the time, Cheers!
Not so good news first, unfortunately I've had some commitments over the last few months, which has meant any work on any updates has been slow or non-existent. Also there will not be a 1.1 version of LA Canyons.
That's because the good new is the next version will be a 1.2
A few of the improvements of the upcoming 1.2 version...
Optimised meshes, lowering the poly count by 3/4's of a million!
3 different levels of 'groove', one for the Junctions, one for corners and one for straighter sections of road. So they all darken at different rates, as more laps are completed.
Sector timing from all 'stage' timed layouts have been removed (AC doesn't use sectors on stage layouts) so should be compatible with sTracker / pTracker.
All Freeroam layouts now have 'stage' timing... Which means the lap timer will stay at 0:00 until you cross the start line (the 1st clockwise Welcome to LA Canyons sign)
If you accidentally invalidate your lap by going offroad, return to the pits and the timer will turn white if you recross the startline. No need for an outlap!
1.2 will be available via Patreon, with set prices to avoid any confusion to anyone who found the coffee thing that confusing. Also without my email sometimes going missing in peoples spam folders and getting access to the download link directly.
Pursuit layout has had a rework. Now with stage timing, which starts counting if you go either clockwise or anticlockwise around the track. Starting at the 'regular' start point... the 'finish line' is over the other side of the map near Monte Cristo.
This is also the only layout where 1GRASS surfaces are considered valid track.
This is done with the intention of giving 4x4 drivers the option of trying to make the finish by going offroad, without the timer being invalidated. So however you manage to cross the line... your time will show up on the board... Proving you evaded the pursuit
Pit boxes are numbered so that even if you host a 16 car server... you have 10 'getaway' drivers at the regular start. 3 police boxes at Clear Creek. And 3 at the bottom of Barley Flats Rd (Mt Lawlor Road) So 3 police in one direction... 3 police in the other direction. If all the pit slots are used... another 5 police slots are on top of Mt Lawlor... and 5 police slots at Hidden Springs picnic area. On average 1 police car to 2 getaway drivers. Anyway, that's my intention, however you want to use the layout is up to you.
As before there are lists of pitbox numbers / locations in all of the 'Freeroam' layouts.
Freeroam layout has had the number of pit boxes reduced to 75... Keeping all the pit boxes at the 'regular' start point, and at Red Box Gap. Switzer Picnic pit area removed mainly as they were past the startline, for timing reasons.
All layout UI, surfaces.ini & models.ini (Including VIP layouts) are to be included in the regular download (initially with a lock icon on VIP layouts). This will mean no Connection Mismatches between Regular and VIP drivers, and server managers can put all the models.ini and surfaces.ini on servers. Which will help to know everyone is running 1.2 (should help performance), and that people can't cheat by changing surface grip.
Also there has been some more awesome work from @Ben O'Bro, but that can be a surprise (unless Ben's already posted screens somewhere
) Surprises are always good I will give more details nearer the time, Cheers!
![Luca [OT]](/data/avatars/s/3235/3235113.jpg?1697196734){kind=avatar}