Slipstream in Turbo Sliders

[FTR] Burnout · Post by **[FTR] Burnout** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:50 pm

One thing I've been toying with is the ability to add a drafting (slipstream) effect to the cars. My idea was to expand a car's pat file to 32x320 which makes a huge tail behind the mask. If I could colorize that tail much like terrain ID's are used in tracks, it could act as a 'boost strip' allowing the car behind to increase speed by a certain % (example: a 5% acceleration) once the car makes contact with the strip. You could then catch the car in front following their tire tracks.

Reading through the cardef file, it says 32x32 is the max supported size for masks and that any color other than 0 is considered a collision. My idea is to find out a way to expand that size limit, maybe up to 32x320 and allow more functionalilty for the colors in the car pat file, maybe make it completely customizable like the track pats are. IDK how much work this will actually take, but I think this idea is doable. It would completely evolve the popularity of this game I bet.

DerekE · Post by **DerekE** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 10:55 pm

Thats actually an amazing idea, it would definately improve realism and competition levels for the game. Only thing that would suck about it is if you're using Datsun. o_o I would LOVE Turbo Sliders so much more if it had this feature. XD

Mouse · Post by **Mouse** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:01 am

I think if done right, it indeed could be great. The only problem is you would get a speed boost even if the car ahead is not moving or going very slow (hairpins).

I think the only way to see drafting really work is for it to be an actual feature of the game.

Do mess around with it though, you may figure out a way!

[FTR] Burnout · Post by **[FTR] Burnout** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 4:16 am

I see what you mean. I knew there had to be a loophole somewhere :/ I'm kinda hoping the effect could be based on the current car speed. Like if a car isn't moving, you would get no boost. Idk I'll keep playin around with it.

Darx · Post by **Darx** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 7:48 am

DerekE wrote:Thats actually an amazing idea, it would definately improve realism and competition levels for the game. Only thing that would suck about it is if you're using Datsun. o_o I would LOVE Turbo Sliders so much more if it had this feature. XD

Datsun.

It would've been amazing if Burnout's original idea worked.

I would love to be able to keep up with everyone.

Jazzyclub · Post by **Jazzyclub** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 9:15 am

if I understood right, you mean if a car is back to another you take a little boost for less wind force??

Scud · Post by **Scud** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 11:27 am

Idea sounds nice if it works properly. BUT default car racing should stay like it is right now, for me it is not TS anymore if default cars will be modified. Slipstream with custom cars is whole different story, it would be awesome.

[FTR] Burnout · Post by **[FTR] Burnout** » Wed Apr 29, 2009 2:58 pm

Yeah the guy in front allows the car behind to get a speed boost by cutting his air resistance. It's a big factor in oval racing, which is what my focus is at the moment, but it definately can be useful in F1 as well on long straightaways. If this could be developed or figured out, I could make an ultra realistic Daytona drafting track.

DerekE · Post by **DerekE** » Thu Apr 30, 2009 11:43 pm

@ Scud, we mostly do just want the slipstream effect to work on custom cars, and I do agree the original cars should stay the same. They're too cool to edit.

iBlaze² · Post by **iBlaze²** » Fri May 01, 2009 1:09 pm

ILIKETURTLESS wrote:gay

Such intelligent input as usual.

Anyway, I'm all for this idea if somebody could figure it out. Maybe the best way would be some sort of mod which uses positioning of cars.

For example, if car A is at position (x,y) on the track, moving in the direction of +(x) and at a speed of 2x per 0.1s, then the speed of car B increases within a certain range of that position. The range in which this speed boost applies in terms of (y) would be fixed (ie. the closer to the exact (y) value of car A, the greater speed boost of car B), but in terms of (x) would increase depending on the speed of car A (ie. the faster car A is moving, the greater the range of (x) for the speed boost). This speed boost would increase as car B moved closer to the (x) value of car A.

I think this sort of solution would make it realistic. You'd get more of boost as you get nearer, but the speed factor would mean the boost wouldn't apply around tight corners. The only thing is to work out if this is possible, but also the speed factor so that the range for the boost at low speed = 0. Of course, you would need to decide a speed threshold for when slipstreaming begins.

I'm not sure if this is possible if if anybody even understands this, but people who understand algebra and co-ordinates should be able to understand. It might become clearer if you draw it out as a diagram.

Post by **dede** » Fri May 01, 2009 1:37 pm

Probably people forget we don't have a game developing team, so everything is up to Ande and his spare time. Unluckily I heard he won't be available for developing the game for quite a long time. I asked him if we could work on TS 3.0 with totally new statistics system and website (kind of MRO stats), but apparently this project will never start. Maybe we could've considered this before, instead of implementing some very unuseful features like modding possibility (which gave the possibility to Speedway players to play the game legally but separated from the rest of the community - this is one of the things that made me angry the most in my TS career).

iBlaze² · Post by **iBlaze²** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:42 pm

dede wrote:Maybe we could've considered this before, instead of implementing some very unuseful features like modding possibility.

But since the modding possibilty is there, then we might as well make use of it. I for one think a slipstream mod would be cool

Post by **Tijny** » Sat May 02, 2009 12:53 pm

iBlaze² wrote:
dede wrote:Maybe we could've considered this before, instead of implementing some very unuseful features like modding possibility.
But since the modding possibilty is there, then we might as well make use of it. I for one think a slipstream mod would be cool

Maybe it would be cool yeah, but it's also impossible with TS' current set of features.

[FTR] Burnout · Post by **[FTR] Burnout** » Sun May 03, 2009 8:15 pm

Call me foolish, but I still feel there is a way to make drafting sort of function. Another idea I had is that if someone comes up to bump a driver in front of him, instead of the hitter rebounding and the guy in front getting a push boost, the guy hitting could 'lock bumpers' and 'push' the other car as well as him faster. This wouldn't be too useful in F1 driving, but it might be a neat feature in an oval race. This happens alot in restrictor plate racing in NASCAR. When two cars lock together tightly bumper-to-bumper, they both increase speed and can pull away from the pack. I know the cars can stick together if the car pats aren't rounded enough (which makes both of you lose complete control), but if they locked like =l=, the guy in rear might be able to break that lock and continue racing. I'll play around with this and see if I can minimize the contact strength.

Darx · Post by **Darx** » Sun May 03, 2009 11:00 pm

How about adjusting the cars' weight to 0?