Thanks for the test!

I hope you don't mind I tweeted the picture as an example.
https://twitter.com/LFSracing/status/1671429977781182465

Quote from Evolution_R :

I wish the texture was appearing a bit brighter.
In the editor looks fine, but in LFS appears a bit too dark.

In Test Patch D29, dashboard brightness should now look the same as it does in the editor.
https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117

Thanks for the reply. I get what you are saying and that's what I would think for something like a browser, etc. I don't want to be on the beta channel and want to wait for the stable version.

But actually in our case, the official version of the editor is quite old now and was pushed out before it was ready (in a way). The test patches have so many fixes they are a lot more stable and safe than the official one now.

Another issue is you might miss a lot of the improvements. Maybe when you have some time you could try to read through them all.

A cautious approach I would find more valid, is perhaps to wait a day or two after a patch is released. If bugs aren't reported by then, it's probably safe as there are enough people checking the new features. I'm very fast to fix any crashes or issues, which there have been occasionally. For example I don't put out a patch and go to bed. I prefer to put them out in the afternoon so they get a good test on the day. If I do one in the evening, I'll be back checking in case anyone found an issue.

Seriously, please use the test patches.

We are getting near to the official version. The test patches need testing.

EDIT: I think anyone who is interested in making mods should read through the list of editor changes and hopefully try them out.

Last edited by Scawen, Tue 20 Jun 2023, 11:02.

Thanks for the test / demonstration.

One tip for people making custom dashboards:

To protect your mod from future physics changes, in the Speedo settings you should set "Max" to manual. Even if the auto value is OK right now, it's possible that future physics changes will result in a different estimated maximum speed, which could mess up your speedo accuracy.

I think it's less of an issue with the tacho as in that case auto is based on engine setting "Redline" so should not change unexpectedly. Using the manual setting could still help by allowing to you adjust the redline without changing the tacho range.

You can do that in the vehicle editor since Editor Test Patch D28.

A new button to show the view from driver's eye position

https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Test Patch D28 supports the new dashboard backing textures that can be added in Editor Test Patch D35.

Test Patch D28: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117
Editor D35: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

I realised that people would use (some are already using) the new dashboard updates to help with a hack or trick that is not really ideal. They create a transparent overlay with the dash designed as they want it to look, then map that over the dashboard.

But then there are two problems:

1) dashboard overlay is not self-lit
2) the needle goes *under* the numbers, etc.

Today's update should eliminate the need for such a trick. You can create a dashboard texture that goes *behind* the needles and numbers. The idea is that instead of clearing the dashboard texture to black or white, it copies your supplied texture onto the dashboard texture.

Once again, it is semi-compatible. You will need test patch D28 to see it in game.

How to use:

- only for s_clock (black) and s_clock_white dashboards
- backing texture appears *behind* needle, numbers, markings
- appears illuminated (self lit) like the default dashboards
- recommended texture size is 512 (or 1024 for future-proofing)
- load the texture in page mode in the modeller
- click the "fixed" button to mark it as "dash"
- there is a reload button in the dashboard editor
- alpha channel has no effect

Download: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Last edited by Scawen, Mon 19 Jun 2023, 17:59.

This is now done in Test Patch D27
https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117

Test patch D27

ESC key cancels the process of joining a multiplayer server
- the currently downloading skin or mod is allowed to finish

Downforce tab is now shown for all vehicles
- previously was only for those with adjustable wings
- shows an estimated maximum speed based on wind resistance
- note: the estimate does not consider rolling resistance

Speedo and tacho cannot go further than 360 degrees

Translations updated. Thanks to the translators!

Download: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117

A new test patch, D26, supports new dashboard options available in editor D34.

Engine damage light on dashboard is now available if set in editor
Support for new speedo and tacho style options (see editor notes)
FIX: Text size on dashboard more closely matches text in editor
FIX: Mod with 27 character name appeared in mods screen Test mode

Download: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117

Quote from superlame :

Edit: Or another way making the arrow accurate to the 3D Dashboard / PNG numbers

After the calibration, we should be able to Remove the s_clock numbers, so only the arrow will be left.

By doing this, we could have more precise arrow, because right now on some mods with 3D Dashboard, the arrow is pretty thiccccccc This is because we have to stretch the S_clock mapping a lot, to hide the S_CLOCK numbers, so only the arrow will be left visible.

Example is Flame CZE's "Valuta V8"

Quote from Buksikutya77 :

The more customizability we can get the better. Also it would be nice to extend the speedo with a slider by percentage or something. So if my car has a top speed of 180km/h I can set the speedo to scale to 200 even tho it can't reach it. Or it changes by final gear ratio.

Quote from Gabey1 :

Would be cool if we had a check engine light option in clocks, it would turn on when engine damage occurs

These are now done, along with some style options, in Editor D34 / LFS Test Patch D26.
Editor: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

As you may know, I'm trying to finish this round of test patches and release an official version so I can focus fully on tyre physics.

Unfortunately, finishing always takes longer than expected but I'm getting there. One thing to add was the dashboard version of the engine damage light. I did that on Monday, but noticed certain issues with dashboards while I was in the dashboard editor. Remembering various issues and requests for improvement, on Tuesday I started to add options for the tacho (allowing x100, steps of 5, set maximum value) and on Wednesday for the speedo (set maximum value, make mph and km/h have the same needle position). On Thursday I added several options that can be applied to all the dials. Finally today I've added the option to show and position the unit (km/h or mph on speedo, x100 or x1000 on the tacho).

I'm sure many of you will find these options useful and they will add some variety and realism to the traditional style dashboards you set up. I don't suggest that this is complete or allows all the possibilities you would like, but these are the things I could do quickly, in a semi-compatible version.

To see the effect of these options in game, you will need Test Patch D26.

By "semi-compatible" I mean that versions before D26 can still load vehicles you save with this new version, but they won't see the effect of the new options.

Vehicle editor:

Engine damage light can be enabled (in Transmission tab)
Maximum value for main body drag increased from 1.0 to 6.0
Some tooltips added and descriptions adjusted in Aerodynamics tab
Estimated max speed (in Aerodynamics) shows speed in mph or km/h
FIX: Dashboard for electric vehicles was switched off in editor

Dashboard editor:

Speedo:
- set maximum value in km/h (steps of 5)
- option to show units (km/h or mph)

Tacho:
- set maximum value
- x100 or x1000
- gap 1/2 (x1000) or 5/10 (x100)
- options to show units (x100 or x1000)

Options on all gauges:
- needle colour = text colour
- needle is long
- needle above pivot
- hide pivot
- hide numbers
- hide symbol (if applicable)
- hide marks
- smaller text

Download: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626-Editor-Test-Patch-0-7D34

Many things may be good suggestions, but we have a special forum section for mod system suggestions:
https://www.lfs.net/forum/532-Mods-System-Suggestions

I do look there and in time I act on things I see. But random suggestions placed in this thread that is about a test patch, are kind of annoying. This thread is to discuss issues about the test patch or extremely on-topic suggestions related to something in the test patch.

I have done the overlay option, REDO functions and the square mapping function in editor test patch D31.

Modeller improvements:

Map / cutout / page selections are preserved when possible
Undo and redo deal correctly with map / cutout / page modes
Cutout mode works more like map mode and avoids button overlap
Overlay function from page mode is now available in cutout mode
Square buttons in map mode match mapping aspect ratio to cutout

https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Quote from newbie1234 :

i did it, but still error. i can't fix error.

I can't reproduce this error. I've tried with test patch D25 and with official version D. Full grid of that car on that track (as in your screenshot).

If I had your computer I would be deleting any relevant files like the mod files in the mods folder and the generated path files in data\knw and any saved start grids in data\misc, to try to find out what causes the problem.

I have not heard of a similar report from anyone else, so we don't have any clues at this time, why this happens.

Would it be OK for you to install a fresh copy of LFS and see if that fixes the problem?

Quote from turbofan :

Another glitch here
https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/103853-BAVARIA-A82-HELL-SPEC-ULTRA

that same mod appears in the Test tab in single player

Thanks, I've fixed that now in my version. The mod name was restricted to 27 characters before the check for ~ in the name. So that would happen for any mod with a 27 character name (maximum length).

Here is a new update, D30.

It annoyed me too much that on exiting the editor it always warned "Any changes will be lost" even if you hadn't done anything. I knew the best solution for this would be an undo function (because it tracks changes). The trouble is the undo is quite a lot of work and it took me about 3 days. Sometimes it's simple but sometimes some rearrangement is needed. I was a bit shocked by the actual size of the vehicle editor source code file. Luckily most of the more complicated side of the undo function was already done for the track editor undo.

I found some bugs along the way and improved some things as I had to test nearly every button. I hope there are no new bugs!

Vehicle editor:

Undo function for all editor operations
Exit warning only if changes have been made
C key to clear selected point and selected tube
Delete key deletes a point or tube (if only one is selected)
CTRL+RMB (copy) SHIFT+RMB (paste) now work with frame point values
Hide the bottom right buttons now hides the whole settings block
Rim modifiers moved to top right in rim editor avoiding overlap
Special view no longer includes wheel mass cuboids by default
Error message displayed if a vehicle file cannot be loaded

Modeller:

FIX: Bottom right screen layout was wrong in 2D views

Animation editor:

FIX: Driver in wireframe mode could be obscured by the vehicle

I want to release all the recent updates (in Editor and LFS) as a new official version, but after recent time in the vehicle editor I had to do some updates first. I found it too ugly and hard to use, without tooltips, with some overlapping text and general disorganisation. This is the result of it being an old in-house development editor that was thrust upon the community without enough time to polish it. So I've spent 2 or 3 days making some improvements which should make it a better place to work and in turn can help you make nice mods.

Doing tooltips is harder than you might imagine and I haven't finished them in all tabs. My head is spinning now. I would be grateful if you would test the vehicle editor updates and let me know if it seems OK.

Changes in Editor 0.7D28:

Various improvements in layout and organisation
Tooltips are now available (allows reduced button text)
A new button to show the view from driver's eye position
Editor sliders now have both arrows on the right
FIX: Spare wheel pitch now expressed in degrees
FIX: Nudging of RPM sliders in engine editor

Last edited by Scawen, Tue 23 May 2023, 18:35.

About the "reduce detail" function:

There are new limits for LOD2 in Editor D26. Maximum 8192 triangles / 12288 vertices. This is because of load glitches when people leave the pits in high-polygon models, with high-polygon LOD2 (which really should not be the case).

To help with this, for those who want to work down from a high poly model, I've added a crude "reduce detail" function that acts on the selected triangles.

I suggest using CTRL+SHIFT+LMB to flood-select groups of triangles, then click "reduce detail" (or SHIFT+R) on the small groups. Inspect them each time and undo if the effect isn't good enough.

Automatic LOD reduction is a challenging problem so this crude version is about all I can do for now. I'd like to know if anyone finds it useful.

Also to help with optimisation / load glitch reduction: Groups are also compressed when exporting for test or upload. This should have no effect on the appearance of the model.

I've put the new limits in Editor D26. For LOD2 it is maximum 8192 triangles / 12288 vertices.

To help with this, for people who want to work down from a high poly model, I've added a crude "reduce detail" function that acts on the selected triangles.

I suggest using CTRL+SHIFT+LMB to flood-select groups of triangles, then click "reduce detail" (or SHIFT+R) on the small groups. Inspect them each time and undo if the effect isn't good enough.

Automatic LOD reduction is a challenging problem so this crude version is about all I can do for now. I'd like to know if anyone finds it useful.

Groups are also compressed when exporting for test or upload.

Editor D26: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Editor D26: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Mod Export:

A new limit of 8192 triangles / 12288 vertices for LOD2
Groups are compressed when exporting for test or upload

Modeller:

A new function "reduce detail" is visible with triangles selected
A point is selected if unambiguous after merge to green or average

No worries, please don't spend much time looking.

I've currently set a limit of 8192 for the points and triangles of LOD2. Even this seems seems very high to me, really. LOD2 should be in the hundreds rather than thousands.

I'll test if compress groups can be done at the time of export without any delays. I don't think it's a long function though.

Test Patch D25: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102117

Support for new pit speed limiter flashing light option
One wheel drive and no anti-roll if wheels are staggered
Click Skin ID in garage colours tab to copy ID to clipboard
FIX: Remote car using pit speed limiter did not move smoothly

Editor D25: https://www.lfs.net/forum/thread/102626

Modeller:

A new style dialog is now used for merge points (ALT+M) options
FIX: Points more likely to remain selected after scale or lathe

Vehicle editor:

For flashing pit speed limiter light - choose brake or rear fog
Width / ratio / rim width move in bigger steps with right click
Frame position adjustments use expected steps for mouse clicks

Limited sidecar support:

Lone wheel (e.g. front) can be offset left (in Suspension tab)
- offset wheel to right is currently disabled for compatibility
Pair of wheels (e.g. rear) can be longitudinally staggered
- only the rearmost wheel of a staggered pair is driven
- anti-roll is disabled when the pair is staggered


NOTE: You also need LFS test patch D25 for:
- one-wheel-drive sidecars
- pit speed limiter flashing light using fog light

No, the idea of this change is that these options are individually selectable per vehicle, instead of being controlled by the race class.

Previously, the flashing light was enabled by F1 class, but now it is set by its own switch. You do need LFS Test Patch D24 to see the effect of the new switch, or it will still be controlled by the race class.