Sparks

[GTR233]

Which SPARK style do you prefer ?

1- SPARKS only
2- SPARKS+STARS
3- SPARKS+FLAMES
4- SPARKS+FLAMES+STARS
5- STARS only
6- FLAMES only
7- FLAMES+STARS
8-SPARKS OFF
9-REAL TYPE 1
10-REAL TYPE 2
11-REAL TYPE 3
12-REAL TYPE 4
13-REAL TYPE 5
14-REAL TYPE 6

All skins will be available in HQ MODS COLLECTION 9.6 but I need to choose only 1 for 10th Anniversary Patch so most common answer will be set by default in v9.6

 

[Jempy]

Comparing a not too exagerated real case .... ( as I found much more sparks on other pictures )

I voted 4- SPARKS+FLAMES+STARS ( the most similar with maybe too many stars... but needing maybe more contrast and varying gradient colors at my taste ) ....
Mostly at the place where those sparks are starting ... the colors are lighter ( whiter yellow +- ) turning a bit darker afterwards. ( nearly golden-orange )

Not easy to explain ... but just seeing some other pictures might give a better view of what I mean ...as this one maybe:

 

[GTR233]

Thanks for feedback
These 2 images are rather different : nascar has got small rounded sparks whereas f1 has got very long and thin ones... I will see what I can do to improve them... The problem is the way game engine makes the sparks : spark.dds is a pattern replicated x times, by example in mine I have set only 3 tiny stars and 3 thin sparks

 

[Shovas]

I liked 2- SPARKS+STARS on first glance. Probably #4 isn't bad either.

 

[Jempy]

Maybe just trying a spark.dds of just 1 single star or 1 single spark might give you an idea of how many times this pattern is replicated ?

This might maybe help you know... what may be done with more precision ?

Finally, those sparks are meant especially for GTR2 base cars, I suppose .... and these are GTs and not F1 cars ( except for mods of course ).

 

[GTR233]

I have added 6 new versions based on real pictures, I can't do much with the way sparks are generated in game. I have made a test with a blank plain circle so you can see how it works

 

[Jempy]

Thanks for this test ... we see better what it does with one single dds.
It looks rather flattened at the start ( seen more horizontally ) ... turning fuller afterwards but a bit mixed up between vertical and horizontal rotation.

 

[Art]

Well, after you added additional variations, the task to choice the only one variant becomes harder and almost impossible to solve for me..., now I stuck with 7 & 9 and 4 looks good in static image, but I think spark effect should be seen in dynamic, as implementation of this effect in GTR2(and all Gmotor based games) is very odd.
May be it worth to try to tweak spark effect in specialfx.tec file to make some tweaks in additional to this amazing textures? As I can assume in this file we can tweak duration, size and may be some other options.
I'm glad to see you here at RD after is NG gone...

 

[GTR233]

Well I prefer not to modify specialfx.tec as it will generate online mismatch. The problem with the poll at the moment is that all votes are different LOL
JFYI You can change your vote and check several choices

 

[Jempy]

Could you tell me the best original track in order to easily get sparks in game ?
I thought first that Spa "Raidillon" might show some .... but none !

Maybe Monza ?

NB live on track or a video rather than a picture might show better the result of the original ones and the new ones ... but 14 vids should be much too much work !

 

[Art]

Could you tell me the best original track in order to easily get sparks in game ?
I thought first that Spa "Raidillon" might show some .... but none !

Maybe Monza ?

NB live on track or a video rather than a picture might show better the result of the original ones and the new ones ... but 14 vids should be much too much work !

If you have installed HQ Mod with HQ cars here is Maserati MC12 with extremely low front ride height to help produce some sparks on every track...
Rename this file back to hdc extension and put it to GameData\Teams\GT\Maserati MC12 Teams\
then allow to overwrite

 

[GTR233]

Good idea Art, I will set lower ride height values in next hq cars
So to get this :


You need to :
- lower car height to min
- lower spring resistance to min
- lower antisway bars to min
- accelerator : foot to floor

Finally I have changed my vote to style 13

 

[Jempy]

Thx Art .... HQ cars were not installed yet ... as I wished first to see the original sparks.

I already did this ( as you told just above, Paul )
- lower car height to min
- lower spring resistance to min
- lower antisway bars to min

trying with the same Porsche as on your screenshots but without any spark .

I'll do it with the Maserati before installing HQ cars ( no HQ installed until now as I'm mostly driving mods when I have some free time ) but will do it on a separate install.

I surely will change my votes afterwards ( from 4 to ??? )

 

[GTR233]

This is the tvr in my screenshot but this should work with porsche too... So try Art hdc mc12 modif

Best track for sparks is vlm_lemans77 : foot to floor on long straight

 

[Jempy]

After looking at the same replay with different sparks.dds .... I still hesitate between 3 ones.
Seen in action or seen in a screenshot ... that's quite different !

Nr 4 ( my actual vote ) .... Nr 9 or 13...

I'll have a new look tomorrow ....

 

[GTR233]

Take your time to choose, you can also vote for the 3 as multi vote is allowed

Maybe some are too big, reducing size could be better ??? Which one could be resized ???

 

[Jempy]

In fact, I still searched for a better picture of real sparks .... as it seemed most ones were shown mostly in a darker time of day.

I just finally found one .... which looks more realistic in the pure daytime .... and that might change the way I can react to yours in game.... and of course influence the choice we all might do

What visual effect might it give in night time compared to daylight ?
Of what I remember of the replays yesterday, those Nr 4 - 9 and 13 are really more looking like night time visually .... than daylight sparks.

Better realistic ones than too fictional ones ... in my point of view of course.
Tastes are different for others surely

 

[GTR233]

So I reduced/reworked #10 #11 #14 with small sparks to try to mimic your audi

So tell me what you think

 

[Jempy]

I worked a bit this afternoon to get a bit more diversity of colors ... adding more stars in the HQ5 modifying their colors adding luminosity or/and contrast to get a more mixed up result ....
This is the result I got

In fact, as I explained you privately ... seen that way ... it's looking not bad, but seen from behind the car .... the sparks movement in game looks rather strange .... just as if sparks were first thrown higher ( too much finally ).

I'll try your new ones ... when I'm cooler ( temp degrees of course ! ).

I was planning to reduce them also ... in order to make them look smaller ... in place of looking more like gravel in fire !

 

[Art]

Excuse me for off topic, is that Dijon-Prenois Racing circuit - where the Audi made some sparks on curbs?