New track: Scary Swamp

[ctdabomb]

Here is a new track I made called Scary Swamp. please play and let me know what you think.

scary swamp.7z

only 2092 faces and with lots of LOD could get it down to 996 :)

(4.84 MiB) Downloaded 435 times

I know that it isn't the best track out there, and that my skills aren't up to par with the rest of the stk track makers world, but if the concept/theme of this track is good enough to put in the game, then I will keep on fixing errors/weird/ugly things about this till this track is good enough to put in the game(though it is up to the moderators if it gets put in).
wish me luck and have fun,
ctdabomb

[ctdabomb]

I do have a bug with this track. The mountain in the background isn't showing properly as you can see in the picture above the castle, and its normals are correct.

[Ludsky]

This track is very interessant but it is empty, missing things
I think

[ctdabomb]

This track is very interessant but it is empty, missing things
I think

yes, I probably need to add more scenery like rocks, and place the trees better, etc...

[ctdabomb]

an update with more/better scenery......

[Auria]

Hi,

just a quick update. In STK the hill is barely visible because it is mostly behind the sky. I'm not sure why because in blender they're all fine


I created a ticket : https://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/super ... ticket/586

[ctdabomb]

Hi,

just a quick update. In STK the hill is barely visible because it is mostly behind the sky. I'm not sure why because in blender they're all fine


I created a ticket : https://sourceforge.net/apps/trac/super ... ticket/586

should I maybe try making a new mountain and delete the old one?

[Auria]

As a workaround, I think the best is to apply scale and rotation to the mountain and also the sky. Some of them also have negative scaling, which is a bit asking for trouble (and can cause trouble with normals too, since a negative scale flips normals after all)

[david herrera]

is a very nice track
only a few details:
the scene of the castle are deficient
and bridges as shortcuts are very advantageous in comparison to the normal part

[Crendgrim]

I second what david herrera said. The inside of the castle needs to be improved heavily, you should add a lot more scenery items there. In its current state it just feels empty and boring, if you get my meaning.
Not mentioning the wrong hill you are already aware of, I'd like to comment on a few more things, though. The sky should get another color. It doesn't feel "scary", but "weird"; something green-ish/dark could look more scary. The track is quite long without having a lot of scenery (compare it to e.g. Mystic Island: There is so much eye-candy going on, while your track feels too empty and repetitive. The grass walls are a nice idea to limit the wideness while providing some embellishments, yet its length spoils the effect a bit. Add some variation to it (be it only something in front of it), and it will look much better, I think.
Regarding the shortcut bridges, there are three problems about them. One david already mentioned: Taking them gives you a huge advantage over the long road going all around the sea. There are two more, though: One about graphics: The end of the second bridge (where it meets the road again) looks a bit weird. The other one is more important: The second bridge needs a small bump to get it. If you are too slow, you cannot drive upon it, forcing you to go back a bit and try again. Especially in lower difficulties this could be a problem, I assume (I only played it on Expert and had some trouble even there; I eventually managed to get it be using some Nitro and distance.
Apart from these, I think I like the track. It's nothing really special, but still rather nice. Maybe you could add some elevation variation inside the castle, so you do not drive always on (nearly) the same level.

[david herrera]

some ideas the scenery for castle: look the track (cortex castle) in crash team racing for PS1 (suggestion )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GwAICf0QxY&feature=fvwrel

[ctdabomb]

I fixed all the things point out except elevation.

[jpenguin]

On the V-turn just before the start,there is nothing to prevent you from going left of the rocks, cutting out the need to turn and decreasing your lap-time

[ctdabomb]

On the V-turn just before the start,there is nothing to prevent you from going left of the rocks, cutting out the need to turn and decreasing your lap-time

i know, so do the AI


also, i forgot to fix the sky. sorry.

[Crendgrim]

Okay, I re-tested your track. The sky still has the same issues (as you are aware of). However, you introduced a few more:
I don't like the shortcut jpenguin mentioned. It isn't hard to drive, but it renders using the way around useless. Who would want to go there if he can be much faster by taking the easy-to-drive shortcut? This gives you an unfair advantage over the AI which does not always take the shortcut (and, if it did, the way around the rock would be kind of superfluous).
Another thing is that you seem to got rid of the way around the acid lake, for you do not see it on driving normally. However, some bonus boxes are still there, and so are the drivelines. I tested it by taking the road around – and was not able to advance, as the bridge blocks the way immediately after the bonus boxes. This needs some more removal work.
Finally, the texture transitions when entering / leaving the castle could be improved. And the track needs some more elements, but it comes along quite nicely.

[ctdabomb]

here is an update with updated stuff, but I don't remember what exactly... :P

[ctdabomb]

What does this track need to be better?

[Crendgrim]

First of all, the things I mentioned and which you did not update yet. That is:
- You should get rid of the shortcut
- The texture transitions aren't worked on yet
- At some areas it still feels empty or repetitive

However, there are a few more issues I'd like to bring to your attention:
- Some of the bushes are solid objects, thus causing the kart to go up. This looks just wrong.
- The hills in the background stop too suddenly.
- It seemed to me that fired bowling balls do not drop into the acid lake. Please verify this, though, as I'm not too sure about this.
- The bridge seems to be only a flat plane, rendering it invisible when viewed from the side (e.g. if you drive over the first bridge and look at the second, you won't see it).

[ctdabomb]

First of all, the things I mentioned and which you did not update yet. That is:
- You should get rid of the shortcut
- The texture transitions aren't worked on yet
- At some areas it still feels empty or repetitive

However, there are a few more issues I'd like to bring to your attention:
- Some of the bushes are solid objects, thus causing the kart to go up. This looks just wrong.
- The hills in the background stop too suddenly.
- It seemed to me that fired bowling balls do not drop into the acid lake. Please verify this, though, as I'm not too sure about this.
- The bridge seems to be only a flat plane, rendering it invisible when viewed from the side (e.g. if you drive over the first bridge and look at the second, you won't see it).

thanks, I have fixed most of these. I would add more elevation, but that would make that track longer

[ctdabomb]

I am having problem with this there is still the mountain problem, and there are two invisible walls near the beginning and the presents after the castle

[Auria]

I gave you the solution :

As a workaround, I think the best is to apply scale and rotation to the mountain and also the sky. Some of them also have negative scaling, which is a bit asking for trouble (and can cause trouble with normals too, since a negative scale flips normals after all)

Like on this screenshot but rotation too : http://blendermama.com/wp-content/uploa ... cale02.jpg

The invisible walls, if I remember correctly, were because you placed plants on both side of the road in a single object, and this object is approximated as a cube in ther physics. Just split the plants, or change the collision shape

[ctdabomb]

I got it fixed thanks Auria so now I am finished with this!

It's now in add-ons! http://stkaddons.net/addons.php?type=tr ... cary-swamp

[Ludsky]

2 Bugs in this track :

First : Shortcut







Second : Where is the somes textures in the addons ?

[ctdabomb]

does that second bug happen the whole time?

[Ludsky]

does that second bug happen the whole time?

I don't understand but not texture (each time)