FUEL: REFUELED is an enhancement modification for the game FUEL, which brings multiple bug-fixes, improvements and the addition of various new content.

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Improved Editor (Games : FUEL : Mods : FUEL: REFUELED : Forum : Suggestions & Wish-list : Improved Editor) Locked
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Dec 29 2010 Anchor

The first time when I have heard about FUEL and his race Editor I have had already this idea. Then I forgot about it and honestly, it was so obvious that I thought: “Pff it’s sure that some of modders will do that! “. Unfortunately it was without thinking that Asobo doesn’t give us SDK tools :thumbdown: .

Now, I think Vetron is the last hope and he gives me the opportunity to bring my project in this thread! So, here I am!

The main idea is really simple. Currently all Fuel Challenges are very predictable and because of that you feel always a bit lonely (You are the first during the race = Alone or You are the last during the race = Again Alone)
:rolleyes:

Actually the Race Editing System works like this:

Image hosted by uppix.net

OR like this:
Image hosted by uppix.net

You know your exact position any time. Honestly, it Kills all the suspense and often lead to boring situation (you win with 10 km in advance) or frustrating one (AI wins by going ahead of you in the last 500 meters ;( )

The Race Editor has some limits.
It has maximum 32 checkpoints [Start and Finish included] and it has 150 km length limit.

I don’t have any pretension to these limits!

Contrariwise, what I would like to change, is making the order of Checkpoints passing UNRESTRICTED!

What is this mean?

Currently you have to driving through the Checkpoints by order.

Image hosted by uppix.net


With the Free-choice system, you choose what Checkpoint you want but of course, ultimately you have to complete them all to finish the race!

For example, when you start you have the choice between 4 Checkpoints (A,B,C or D) and for example you choose “C”. Completed “C” let you the choice between 3 Checkpoints (A,B or D) and so on until the last Checkpoint, after the which you have to go to the Finish point.

Image hosted by uppix.net

The result of this system is that you need to use your brain to win!
Why?

Because you need, analyze the geometry, analyze the map and analyze vehicles capability.

In function of these 3 variables you can choose Your route and you must memorize it if you want winning the race.

The Fun of this is that you don’t know if you use the best strategy until passing the last Checkpoint.

If the map will be well made, it will be very stressful and intense!
Why?
Because you will see
the opponent disperse around you, some going the way you choose, others crossing your route and others going the opposite way (possibility of strategic crash).

Here the example:

Your strategy : [Start-A-B-D-C-Finish]

Enemy 1 strategy: [Start-D-C-B-A-Finish]

Enemy 2 strategy: [Start-A-D-B-C-Finish]

Enemy 3 strategy: [Start-C-A-D-B-Finish]

Enemy 4 stratefy: [Start-B-C-D-A-Finish]

Image hosted by uppix.net

As you can see my little example despite it simplicity is however rich, elaborate and full of possibilities!

You don’t feel alone anymore, it’s stressful, burning and dynamic (During the race you don’t have any idea if the crazy guy who almost smashed you by crossing your way, uses better strategy than you!)

It is not so simple to win, because you also need analyze the geographic geometry and use hills, mountains, routes (Asphalt or gravel) in the best way.

Actually you have “4! =4*3*2*1= 24 possible routes with only 4 Checkpoints (Start and Finish not included)”
Imagine now using more than 6 checkpoints!

Image hosted by uppix.net

Imagine THE FINAL RUSH :flame:

I don’t know if modding Race Editor is even possible, I haven’t really looked for it.

I imagine (and hope) that it is somewhere in “GameTsc” file and not packed in .DPC hell file!

Also I think dynamic Finish points (The last Checkpoint becomes Finish point ) are not possible (but if they are, it will give more possibilities). Of course the AI is going to be a big problem… Will the AI be able to choose between 2(or more) Checkpoints? Will the AI be getting stuck? Will the AI become crazy and explode ? I don’t have any idea…


Summary
:

Advantage:

-Fun

-Dynamic

-Intelligent

-Strategic

-Intense
even with AI opponent

-Little map are as Fun as Bigger one

-Intriguing

-Ground specificity become essential

Cons:

-Can we do this

-AI?


You have my apologies for my student English.

"Stranger"

Edited by: I_am_Stranger

Vetron
Vetron FUEL: REFUELED Developer
Dec 29 2010 Anchor

Great post 8)

What you've discussed is actually two separate parts, the editor itself and the race modes so I will discuss each one individually.

Race Editor
The tool itself does have its limitations, some of which I have been unable to find a way round. But instead of improving this tool I have been focusing on the creation of tracks external to the game... using nothing more than notepad to create, because with this its possible to create tracks far more complex than the in-game tools. The advantage of this is that these created races could be online or offline (with or without AI) and using any available game-mode.

If it is possible to establish a game-mode as described in your post then the current setup would then allow the creation of these races.

Improved Advanced Race Editor [Debug]

If the user still insists on using in-game tools then there is still the advanced editor that I recently tidied up - this bypasses the limits on race distance and checkpoint number and lets the player choose more race modes. However the available races modes would not accommodate dynamic checkpoint order.

Race Modes
I do like your idea of dynamic checkpoints, where the player can pass through them in every order - thats totally different to what we see in FUEL right now and would be a brilliant addition. At this stage I should say that I don't know whether this is possible or not, I'm not ruling out the possibility of it working... but I also don't fully understand a way of achieving it (if you get what I mean). This is primarily because its would require a complicated set of changes, as the way the game functions is totally different to the behavior required in this race.

The biggest problem to overcome is getting the game to not treat races as linear. Every race in the game follows a specific route with all points in order and this ordering then generates a route and the player must follow it. At the moment any race created would just end up looking like this:

racediagram

Making the change from essentially having numbered checkpoints would mean the difference between the layout shown above and the race described in your diagram. So far I've mapped out what every race scenario in the game does and have yet to find anything different than the default linear design.

Then comes the problem of AI, which is pretty abysmal from the start when it comes to FUEL. The way in which the AI works is that it follows the optimum path created with the checkpoint nodes taken into account. Then the AI is given a distance value that controls the elastic behavior, relative to the player. Once this value is exceeded, i.e. the player moves to far away from the AI, they either completely stop or go an insanely fast speed. This would be an issue for the race type you've described as the minute the player distanced himself from the route the AI is taking, they would 'break' and just loose all function.

Creating a new race mode
The information relating to race modes is contained within the .exe file no doubt (I'm 99% certain of it) as that is where all other parameters are declared. Editing these does prove a problem thanks to the Games For Windows Live checksums that prevent editing of the .exe file. There is a .exe available that doesn't feature Live and that is the demo .exe (but without GFWL there is also no multiplayer!)

So if the idea of programming such mode was possible then the best place to attempt it would be within the demo .exe.

So to summarize...

  • Editing race editor not possible / not needed - use external instead.
  • Dynamic checkpoint order currently not present within FUEL that I am aware of.
  • Creating a new race mode would require editing the .exe file. However this has GFWL checksums that prevent this.
  • Instead of using the default .exe, instead the demo .exe could be used. But this has no multiplayer.
  • The AI would probably not work with this, so it would be multiplayer only.

I've not attempted to create an entire new game-mode, but I will be look into this and update this thread if I find out anything. I've also been creating notes on every available command and declaration over in the Knowledge Base board. Hopefully this will give a better idea of what is possible and what isn't.

Dec 30 2010 Anchor

Thank you Vetron, for clarifying the issue. :thumbup:
I'm not going to speculate right now, since I don't know how it really works. But as you said if we need to edit the .exe file so we fall into a vicious circle :S .

I think i have another idea to achieve my goal. Currently is it possible to put way points like this (i mean with note pad) ?
Or it will result by a game crash.

Image hosted by uppix.net

Edited by: I_am_Stranger

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