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I got some great news for you offline drivers! I taught Jammin what I knew about AI editing tonight (which took about 2 minutes since it wasn't much ) and about an hour later he taught me something he found out while he was trying to edit the AI for the Lucas Oil track (which is what I was hoping since he picks things up quick and makes them better).

What he figured out was that the steering parameters for the AI cars is linked to the shape of the track (seems easy to put 2+2 together now).

Anyway, now when we stretch a track, and stretch the line that the AI cars run, we simply stretch the steering parameters with the track, to keep everything uniform and make the AI run the proper line.

Since he taught ME that, I managed to make a good starting Lucas Oil AI (Not done yet, of course, Jammin wants the track to be as close to perfect as possible and I think it's paying off).

Another thing I did was edit the AI for Adams County Speedway that Jammin made using this new technique. Before the cars would be cutting the infield trying to run the default Bloomington line, but since the track was stretched out all different ways they needed to run the right line without sliding off the track or hitting tires, etc. Now I'm just rambling but I'd like you offline guys to try out this AI file I'm attaching to this. Simply download it and place it into this location:

C:\Games\Infogrames\Dirt Track Racing 2\data\tracks\Adams County Speedway\ai\chareasy

The file name is simply "rec" with no file extension at the end. Drop it in and it should replace the old one. Then just go in your game and run it with the improved AI. Please let me know what you think. I'm going to try to fix up a lot of the good tracks that have bad AI over the next few days if this works out good. Hope you guys like it! Thanks Jammin.

NOTE: When I upload it here it adds .rec to the end of the name. RENAME IT TO JUST rec or it won't work!!

Sounds exciting.... You should now do a part 4 for Dummies Shock.... Does this mean I don't need to finish the A1 for Lucas? It is nice to have more guys on board taking the A1 editing seriously. Now I can go fishing.... Yeeha!!! Seriously, i will continue adjusting the A1 on Lucas as it's real important to get it right. I'm about an hour away from sorting it. Jammin', if you look hard at the A1 rec folder when it's converted into notepad, you'll see that 35 lines are in the first group, and the second group only have 34. I have copied the missing line in near the bottom of the file, and it appears that it's coming good because of.

Just to add to your great news of finally discovering how to work the A1, with this blooming track being East-West, there's a not a lot of A1 files to swap with it. The first column is for the left to right direction of co-ordinates, and the 3rd is the width being up and down co-ordinates..., incase it throws you.

great job shock and jammin for fining way to improve ai Shock ai is super iv raced 3 times and been good each time just what wee needed u want me find tracks with bad ai and send to u or give u list???? lol

That's a brilliant idea, Darren.. Do that buddy... send him the lot...., so I can get back to Hill Valley!!!

lol been getting 1 made of tracks i think need help and know dont work ganna have me restruction my offlines agion lol

what sort of help you looking for Darren?

Jammin and Shock updating A1 fix. It is 11.17 pm here in New Zealand, so it's goodnight Nurse. Sorry I haven't been able to get it perfected, but I am close to solving that one car that touches the one tyre beleive it or not. Not willing to drop it here for you, so will get up in morning and give it another crack. even though it's taken more than 6 hours work on it so far... I'm very close to what I think you require for a top A1, but the original you gave me is full of capital E's which is causing strife. You mqay find the same prob, so good luck at your end and may the best man win. Just kidding.

hey paul i have the cars running around the track anyway its not perfect but its alot better i can send u that ai to look at if u want and heres a teaser pic for ya

Paul D kiwi wrote:

what sort of help you looking for Darren?

nothing i cant do i have my own custom offlines now with all these new tracks ganna have beter ai im ganna have resurt racing sched for them lol all good

jammin looks great cant wait to test it and add to my game

That's great to hear Jammin. I have them slightly more to the pole line, as usual. I get about three cras in a race touch one on the turn 1 so it's just a matter of teweeking that bit, but I am really proud of you, man..... This is really good news for this old man. I will send you mine right now right here, as I left it last night. The copy will have no.13 on it, Lol. But I will give it some more effort today, and send you what is my best and then you can decide.

PS Try and stretch or shrink a North-South track next time, ha.

Okay, I'm back and I feel I have it sorted. See what you think Shock, and Jammin'. Please let us know if it's still not right.

hay paul thanks for puting A1 SPARE's VOL-1 for download when are you put more on here

ur welcome buddy. Um, in next few days when I drag them into a folder. Ull be after the LF's, no doubt.... All of them are done, but yeah, will be posting Vol 2 very soon with those all in it, which was my plan. Glad they were a good idea for all editors like ur self. Hey, hows that Stocker comin along, the Chevelle etc? Don't leave us hangin buddy.

THANKS FOR DOIN THE AI PUAL U R THE MAN!!!!!!! not sure if were goin to use urs or the one shock has now he has them running good but they fast as hell u ever need help with ne of ur tracks man just holler u have my addy

I don't know how one can speed up the cars using just the record file apart from releasing the brakes... We'll require a Tutorial now from Shock, won't we. That's two he owes us!!!

PS I do need help with Hill Valley placing trees within ALP file. I have put in one lot of trees and they look good, but somwehow, the track will only accept the one group which has never happened for me before as I have done this heaps of times.... Has me at a loss. Can you or anyone else help us out Ben? Love to get the track looking right so I can upload it for the boys and gals.

Hey Paul. The reason they are faster is because I scaled the braking, steering, and size of the track all up equally so now they brake at the proper times when the track is stretched. Then I just made them faster in the track.str file, but I think I made them to fast so I'm sure Jammin will slow them down some, but they run good and I was proud of myself and makes me want to go back and do more AI's now. I'm not sure your ALP tree issue, though, hopefully someone can help or you can upload the track/alp file on here for us to check

VLR_Shock wrote:

Hey Paul. The reason they are faster is because I scaled the braking, steering, and size of the track all up equally so now they brake at the proper times when the track is stretched. Then I just made them faster in the track.str file, but I think I made them to fast so I'm sure Jammin will slow them down some, but they run good and I was proud of myself and makes me want to go back and do more AI's now. I'm not sure your ALP tree issue, though, hopefully someone can help or you can upload the track/alp file on here for us to check

well good news fig out how to slow down the ai talking to hoover and he showed me thats in the str they r set way harder then the default tracks ai settings so thats easy fix as for u paul i had same problem with trees i ended up doin new alp text and renaming the alp file to fit the text if that makes any sense other wise send it over ill take look at it

Yeah I knew how to slow the AI down...I sped them up in the str file. you just lower the mean time and the race difficulty

Scaling the A1, ha? We do need a Tutorial on that then, buddy.... Sounds exciting. I will drop the ALp in, but you would only be qable to check lines etc. If that's not enough, I can upload to you addy.

Many thanx in advance Shock