Team Ferrenzi warm weather testing

I decided to model a simple engine block to help me work out the dimensions of the car - there's a lot of engine to fit into a small car and I want to be sure it is a realistic design.

Subsequently I realised that there would be glimpses of components through the rear of the car and around the intakes, so added a bit more.

It is all low poly (for example each three branch manifold is only six triangles) but I think it will good enough for those "glimpses".

FERRENZI 62-12

I have decided to create another sports prototype from scratch to my own design and for this one it is time to think ITALIAN!

I have chosen to design a Group 7 / Can Am / Interserie style car from the early to mid 70s.

Those were categories with practically no rules and so that produced some awesome brutish cars with high power, low weight and some innovative design features.

My car will be heavily inspired by the Ferrari 612P and 712P but with the later monocoque construction and aero of cars like the McLaren M20.

Progress so far:-

Quote from Eclipsed :

... death trap? ...

Not sure it's the best combo from a pure racing point of view but it should be "interesting"

I hope people enjoy the challenge!!!

This review says almost 300kg of downforce at 300kmh in race mode

https://www.whichcar.com.au/reviews/2015-porsche-918-spyder-review

1 & 4 - Scawen has stated that the editor displays the car as it would be in the new (development) version of LFS and not the current (public) version so best to leave roughness at 0 for now
2 - If you have set a page in the editor as type 'skin' and have corresponding cutouts and mappings this should work
3 - I think this applies to whole vehicles based on an original LFS car - I think that small components would be OK (eg. original work)

Quote from Eclipsed :

Any chance of this car getting a full skin support?

Skin support added but I have retained the separate number roundel. Hopefully this is the best compromise to retain the original concept of allowing quick and easy, unique colours with a number that can be created in any basic paint package and is high res.

Quote from LE_TANCKER :

Give it a go and tell me what you think!

I gave it a quick go - great setup and much easier to drive ...

I agree on the caster but I was using what the real car used. Apparently it was "up on it's toes", difficult to drive and required subtle inputs so maybe that's what the default setup simulates. Also, with the "old" physics (as I understand it) there is an unrealistically large amount of weight transfer so maybe that explains things further.

What I don't like is the way the car looks with your setup. This may be as much my fault as I modeled the car to sit right on the default setup and this is quite different.

Overall I don't think I will add it to the download. I think you are doing some clever stuff and I will try to learn from that when I do the setups for the new physics.

Well the concept was to keep it simple as in '67 everyone ran with just their racing colours (stripes, nose) and this way anyone can do a quick number and choose colours in 5 mins. Plus you could also do logos and graphics within the roundel.

I guess I could come up with a way to support either approach - I will have a think.

(Really like when my cars are used in RTFR and Retro Cup )

Quote from michal 1279 :

I see I really need to give more care to my Grand Prix Legend 65 ...

Yeah that was definitely an inspiration

Quote from cuni :

With the F67L with 400bhp, for mouse users, accelerating out of a corner you need to up shift to be at around 4000RPM just to avoid any rear spin.

I thought this would be difficult for mouse (and keyboard) drivers. Thanks for the setups - hopefully they will be a help for some people.

Quote from turbofan :

only downside is the standard setup, it is much too unstable, specially for casual drivers who just want a try

Thanks. You may be right but I have tried hard to make it as driveable as possible but these were high power / low grip cars and they were very tricky in real life, which is why they started experimenting with wings the following year.

I think anyone who sticks with it should learn to enjoy it - I am right in the groove and LOVE driving it!!!

Thanks for the nice comments guys!

Just the initial WIP version and I have a list of small things I want to improve but I am really happy with how it turned out.

Thanks! I will have a look at that when I do the next version. I guess it will all change with the new graphics that self shadow but I should be able to improve it for now.

Quote from Scawen :

It would be great if someone had a go and reported if you find any issues. I hope to avoid any bug reports after 0.7E is released.

The Rim Editor appears to be working as intended.

Always a challenge to get into the 12s!

Quote from Scawen :

I think it needs some improvement.

This would really help me as well

1) Would that work and does it add the needed flexibility?

I think it would work except currently you cannot add an alpha texture to the spoke.**

2) Are there issues with existing rims going wrong if the code is changed as above?

Maybe but as you can't currently use alpha it will just affect shininess.

3) Is there a need for more texture pages in the spoke editor?

I think that would be very useful but not sure if worth loads of time now.

EDIT: YES. For what I want I need at least two - alpha for the rim and another (paint) for the centre.

4) Rim using mapping from spoke object seems a bit obscure - should it be made clearer in the editors?

Adding a box in the rim editor saying "Mapping Name (from Spoke Editor)" would make it clearer.


(** - Actually you can get an alpha into spoke editor and multiple pages if you model it seperately in the modeller and use "Import SRE")

Last edited by teeembo, Tue, 28 Nov 2023 21:21.

Ah sorry! It is a wide rim

Last edited by teeembo, Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:38.

Quote from Scawen :

Grid size of 1mm helps with "snap to grid" function

If I set rear wheel style to "different" the grid for the rear rim editor is still 10mm and not 1mm (front = OK)

I am still working this but am holding off from a few things in the hope (not expectation ) of some improvements to the LFS editor wheel and suspension definition systems in the next couple of months.

Meanwhile, there is plenty to be getting on with ...

One example is that I have decided to offer two configurations to give a some choice and variety on the grid. Hopefully these small differences together with some well chosen colour schemes will make the action seem more realistic:-

Classic

Yellow Ducted Aero Screen / Red Steering Wheel / White and Chrome Exhaust

Generic

More Conventional Screen / Black Steering Wheel / Dark Grey Exhaust

Quote from UnknownMaster21 :

Bug Report: AI in KY3R can't find pitstop properly in certain pitboxes, they seem to attempt stop between boxes. Also some of the vehicles still manages to get pitspeed penalty due accelerating too much., such as Formula US 93

Confirmed.

I saw this before when AI cars were damaged but thought it was that they couldn't brake with the damage but ...

Just tried a few 2 lap races with compulsory pit stop and (with my WIP mod) the majority of the AI overshoot the pit box and get disqualified.

Happened at WE, FE, KY and BL (0.7D44) but was OK at RO (although there was some contact).

I tried the same (WE) race with FZR and it was fine so it leaves me wondering if there is something I can do - how do they "know" the length of the car?

The worst (best ) one is going the other way coming off the dual carriageway towards the car park.

There is also Blackwood in the middle of the straight (both ways) and also before / after the finish line.

And of course also in South City coming from under the bridge (next to the main pit exit).

Last edited by teeembo, Wed, 11 Oct 2023 18:21.

Bingo!

Seems fully sorted in the combos I have tried. Good stuff!!

Quote from Scawen :

Seems like there's never an easy day when working with the AI code.

Trying not to over post here but I'm sure I speak for the vast majority when I say that your efforts on this are greatly appreciated.

Also it seems to me that when the new physics and graphics are released there will be a sudden focus on LFS and the first thing that reviewers and YouTube Vloggers will do is jump into an AI race so it will be a downer if they all crash on the first corner. However if it is a better experience it should have a positive affect on your bank balance .

On a practical note, it seems to be a downhill braking problem so could there be a compensation factor for the incline? Also, if a human driver locked a wheel they would release the pressure and reapply the brake whilst perhaps taking a wider line - could this be simulated?

Just some thoughts ...

Quote from Flotch :

Scawen : would it be possible to add back (in the time they were doing it I tend to remember...) the automatic blip for AI when downshifting ?

I think this would help as well