What is the Track Designer?

The Track Designer allows you to build custom off-road racetracks for use in SODA Off-Road Racing.

You can design the terrain, lay out the track, assign surface types to the road, position cameras, select sky and horizon textures, and load and position objects around the track from a directory of provided objects - including trees, checkpoints, boulders, billboards, tire barriers and fences.  Track source files may easily be exchanged with others.  Existing track source files may be re-loaded into the tool, modified, and re-generated as a new track


SODA Off-Road Racing is a Windows 95 simulation of racing off-road vehicles loosely modeled after the SODA (Short Course Off-Road Drivers Association) World Series of Off-Road Racing.


Track Designer Overview


Create a new track source file.  The Track Designer starts you off with level ground and a circular track.


Open an existing track file to edit and/or generate.


Save current track file.


The Track Designer comes with six preset views.  Customize views by holding down a view button until prompted to save the current view.


Access Track Designer’s Help.


Move the view forward, backward, left and right.


Move the view up.


Move the view down.


Rotate the view left, right, up and down from the current position.


Create, open and save tracks.


Delete the selected object.


Use and change view presets, and toggle the display of polygon edges, status bar, toolbar and textures.


Remove tracks from SODA Off-Road Racing.  Once removed from the game, tracks are no longer available from the Track Select screen in the game.  The tracks can be regenerated from the original source file if you want to install the track again.


Access Track Designer’s Help.


Select ground sectors and vertices with the mouse.  Press the Up and Down buttons to raise and lower the selected ground polygons to customize the terrain.  Designate the horizon and sky.


Grab and drag the road with the mouse to add vertices and reposition the road.  Assign one of two surface types to various sections of the road.


Select the object to be placed and click anywhere on the track.  The object appears and can be dragged and rotated for precise positioning.


Click on the ground and drag out a line to determine the location and length of the fence.  Select from various fence types.


Click on the ground and drag out the length and shape of the puddle or pond.  Designate the depth to determine how deep your vehicle will sink into it when you go through it.


Click in the ground sectors where cameras are to be located.  Define the height of the camera from the ground.  Click in surrounding ground sectors to define the areas covered by the selected camera during Camera View.


Enter your name and name your track.  Determine the view of your track that you want to see when you pick it from the Track Select screen in the game.  Click the Generate button and your track is generated and added to the game.  You are ready to race on it!


The View displays your track.


Designing the Ground

The Mode, Ground, and Sky tools are specific to ground design.

Mode

Select the ground in three different ways. Hold down the shift key while selecting to make multiple selections.

Ground

Use the Up and Down buttons to move the current selection.  When in Vertex Mode, the Special button allows you to attach and detach vertices.  When in Sector Mode, the Special button allows you to toggle the diagonal of the sector.

Sky

Two horizon and sky combinations are available in each environment.


Change [image] to


Select Vertex.

Click on the corner of a sector.  Hold down the Shift key to select multiple vertices.

Click on the “Up” and “Down” buttons in the Ground box to change the elevation of the selected vertex or vertices.

See Detaching a Vertex and Attaching a Vertex for creating cliffs.


A vertex is a corner, or point, of a sector of the ground.


Click on “Edge” in the Mode box.

Click on the side of a sector.  The selected edge is the line between the two selected vertices.  Hold down the Shift key to select multiple edges.

Click on the “Up” and “Down” buttons in the Ground box to change the elevation of the selected edge(s).

Result:


Select Sector. in the Mode box.

Click on the sector that you want to select.  The selected sector is the square area surrounded by four selected vertices.  Hold down the Shift key to select multiple sectors.

Click on the “Up” and “Down” buttons in the Ground box to change the elevation of the selected sector(s).


A sector is one square unit of the ground, which is approximately equal to 32 square feet in the game.


Select Sector in the Mode box.

Click on the sector containing the diagonal to be changed.  The special button in the Ground box becomes a Toggle button.

Click on the Toggle button.


Select the areas of the ground to be changed.

Click on the “Up” and “Down” buttons in the Ground box to change the elevation of the selection.


Select a vertex.

Click on the “Detach” button in the Ground box

To Raise Selected Sector:

Click on the blue highlighted triangle of the sector.

Click on the “Up” button in the Ground box.

To Lower the Surrounding Ground:

Click on the “Down” button in the Ground box.


Example 1:

Select a vertex.

Click on the “Attach” button in the Ground box.

Result:  The selected vertex is attached to surrounding vertices.

Example 2:

 Select a vertex.

Click on the “Attach” button in the Ground box.

Result:  The selected vertex is attached to surrounding vertices.


Each environment comes with two horizons and skies.  Choose the horizon and sky by selecting Sky #1 or Sky #2 from the drop-down-list.

Note that bluff surfaces are different depending on the sky that is chosen.


Test the ground and road design before adding objects

Finalize the ground and road before adding objects, puddles, fences and cameras.  What looks to be gentle hills in the track designer may be much different than expected when you are driving on them.  The time required to generate a track full of objects is lengthy compared to one that has none.

Expect to pop back and forth between the track designer and the game when designing your track.


Laying Out the Road

Surface Type

Choose from two different surface types to assign to various sections of the track.

Road Width

Designate selected areas of road as narrow, normal or wide.

Start Line

Designate the point on the road at which races will begin.

Points

Insert road points by clicking on the “Insert” button or on the road.  Delete the selected point by clicking on the “Delete” button or the Trash Bin icon, or by double clicking the point to be deleted.


To move the road, click on the track and drag while holding down the mouse button.  A road vertex is automatically added to the track when you click on it.

Create Turns of Adequate Turn Radius

If the outline of a turn becomes red the turn is too sharp.  Fix the turn by dragging the segments before and/or after the turn until the red segments become black, indicating that the turn is of adequate turn radius.

If you can’t fix the road segment, select a point near the illegal road segment and click on the Trash Bin icon, deleting the current point, until the road section clears up and then proceed to create a legal turn.


To Add a Road Vertex:

Click on the road.

-OR-

Select an existing vertex.

Click on the “Insert” button in the Points box.

To Delete a Road Vertex:

Select the vertex to be deleted.

Click on the “Delete” button in the Points box.

-OR-

Click on the Trash Bin icon.


Two different surfaces are available in each environment.

To Assign a Surface Type:

Select the vertex that marks the beginning of the road surface change.

Choose a surface from the list of surfaces in Surface Type.

 Result: The selected surface is assigned to the road extending from the selected vertex counter-clockwise to the next vertex.  This change is noted by a different outline color of the road.


To Change the Road Width:

Select the vertex that marks the beginning of the road width change

Select the road width from the Road Width box. The selected width is assigned to the road extending from the selected vertex counter-clockwise to the next vertex.

To Make the Road Narrow:

Select Narrow from the Road Width box.

Result: The Narrow road width is approximately 24 meters wide in the game.

To Make the Road Normal:

Select Normal from the Road Width box

Result: The Normal road width is approximately 30 meters wide in the game.

To Make the Road Wide:

 Select Wide from the Road Width box.

Result: The Wide road width is approximately 36 meters wide in the game.


Select the road vertex where you want the race to begin and end.

Check “Start Line”.


Placing Objects

The third tab in the Track Designer is the Objects Tab.  The Object icons and the Object Spin buttons are specific to object placement.

Object Icons

 Three sets of objects are available: Common, Billboards, and Environment.  Select the object to be placed on the track and click on the track to place the selected object.

 Common objects include: grandstand, pylon, tire barrier, directional signs, construction barricade, hot air balloon, and SODA trailer.

 Billboard objects are the commercial signs of the sponsors which are placed around the track.

Environment objects are specific to the chosen environment.  For instance, the country offers a barn, the desert offers a train station, and the tropics offers a hut.

Object Spin

Click on the Object Spin buttons to rotate the selected object.


Checkpoints are placed strategically to prevent players from taking short-cuts across the track.  The track must have a minimum of three checkpoints.  The Track Designer will not generate the track if three checkpoints have not been placed.

To Place a Checkpoint:

Click on the Checkpoint icon.

Click above the road to place the checkpoint.  The checkpoint is automatically positioned precisely over the road.

To Move a Checkpoint:

Select the checkpoint to be moved.

Hold the mouse button down and move the mouse up or down to move the checkpoint.  The checkpoint automatically follows the road.


To Place an Object:

Select the Object icon of the object to be placed.

Click on the track.  The object appears with a red X indicating that it is selected.

Note:  When placing numerous objects of the same type, place the object on a clear portion of the track and drag it to the desired location.

Note:  Portions of objects may appear to disappear as they are moved around and positioned.  The objects will appear correctly in the game after the track is generated.


To Rotate an Object:

Select the object to be rotated.

Click on the Object Spin buttons until the object is oriented as desired.

Note:  While creating a track, the polygons that make up the objects are not sorted.  You may have to generate the track and drive around to check out the orientation of some of the objects.


To Delete an Object:

Select the object to be deleted.  The X at the base turns red.

Click on the Trash Bin icon or choose Delete from the Edit menu.


For Optimum Performance and Frame Rate in SODA Off-Road Racing:

Do not place objects on the track.

Do not place objects on ground sector boundaries.

Keep the number of objects per ground sector to a minimum.


Placing Fences

The fourth tab in the Track Designer is the Fences Tab.  The Fence Type and Control Points features are specific to fence creation.

Fence Type

Select from a list of different fences, like stone walls, rope flags, and posts.

Control Points

Insert and delete points from the line defining the fence.


To Create a Fence:

Click on the track to define where the fence is to begin .

Drag the mouse to where the fence is to end.


To Add a Vertex:

Click on the fence.  A new vertex point is automatically added to the fence.

Drag the mouse while selecting a fence vertex to design the fence around corners.

To Delete a Vertex:

Select the vertex to be deleted.

0	Click on the Trash Bin icon, OR

Click on the “Delete” button in the Control Points panel, OR

Select Delete from the Edit menu.


Three different fences may be created.  The fence is created as the currently selected fence type.

To Assign a Fence Type:

Select the fence.  One of the vertices should be red.

Select the type of fence from Fence Type.


For Optimum Performance

Do not place numerous flag rope fences near each other.


Creating Puddles

The fifth tab in the Track Designer is the Puddles Tab.  The Puddle Type and Control Points features are specific to puddle creation.

Puddle Type

Select the depth of the puddle from: Shallow, Normal and Deep.

Control Points

Insert and delete points from the line defining the puddle.


0	To Create a Puddle:

Click on the track to define where the puddle is to begin and drag the mouse to where the puddle is to end.

Select one of the vertices and drag it to further design the shape of the puddle or pond.


To Add a Vertex:

Click on the puddle to insert a new vertex and drag it to the desired location.

To Delete a Vertex:

Select the vertex to be deleted and

Click on the Trash Bin icon, Or

Click on the “Delete” button in the Control Points panel, Or

Select Delete from the Edit menu.


Puddles may be designated as Shallow, Normal or Deep.  The default puddle depth is the current Puddle Type.

To Assign a Puddle Type:

Select the puddle.  One of the vertices should be red.

Select the depth of the puddle from Puddle Type.


For optimum performance within SODA Off-Road Racing:

Design puddles and ponds within a single ground sector.


Positioning Cameras

The sixth tab in the Track Designer is the Cameras Tab.  The Camera icon, Pointer icon and Up, Down and View buttons are specific to camera placement.

Camera placement is used by the Camera View of SODA Off-Road Racing.  When a camera does not cover a sector, the view switches to Helicopter View in the game.

Camera Icons

Create a new camera.

Select or move an existing camera.

Up, Down and View

Position the camera close to the ground or high above the ground.  Then click on the “View” button to see a 360 degree shot of what the currently selected camera can see.


To Place a Camera:

Select the Camera icon.

Click on the sector of the track where the camera is to be located.  The sector containing the camera turns red.  The camera appears as a floating red diamond.

To Move a Camera:

Select the Pointer icon.

Click on the camera to be moved and drag the camera to the desired location.

Cameras can be moved within the current sector or to a completely new sector.  The default position is the center of the sector.


To Change the Height of the Camera:

Select the Pointer icon and click on the camera whose position is to be editted.

Click on the “Up” and “Down” buttons in the Camera box to move the camera up and down.


Camera coverage determines which camera will follow the currently selected vehicle in the Camera View of SODA Off-Road Racing.

To Define Camera Coverage:

Select the Pointer icon.

Click on the camera whose coverage is to be defined.

Click on the sectors to be covered by the selected camera.  Selected sectors turn to light blue.  The sector where the camera is located is automatically covered by the camera in that sector.

Sectors that are covered by cameras not currently selected are displayed as light grey.  Any sectors not covered by a camera will default to Helicopter View in SODA Off-Road Racing.


Select the Pointer Icon and click on the camera whose view is to be checked.

Click on the “View” button in the Camera box.  The Track Designer’s main view becomes the selected camera’s view and rotates 360 degrees.


Place cameras around the track before covering the whole track complex, as cameras are limited.

The area covered by a camera is optimum when it goes no more than 2 sectors away from the camera’s position.


Generating Tracks

The seventh tab in the Track Designer is the Generate Tab.  The Track Data, Generate button and Statistics on the right-hand side of the screen are specific to generating tracks.

Upon generating a track it is automatically added to SODA Off-Road Racing and ready for racing.

Track Data

Enter author’s name and name the track.

Generate Button

Use the View Control buttons to showcase the best view of your track.  Click the Generate button to generate the track.

Statistics

View track generation progress.


When you generate your track, the current track view is captured and saved as a part of the track file and displayed on the Select Track screen of SODA Off-Road Racing.

Use the View Control buttons to change the track view.


The Author and Track Name in the Track Information section is saved as part of the track.  This information is displayed on the Select Track screen of SODA Off-Road Racing.

To Customize Track Information:

Enter your name next to Author of the Track Information panel.  Enter the name of your track next to Track of the Track Information panel.


Click on the “Generate” button to begin generating the track.

While the track is generating, view the progress in the Statistics area.  You may use the View Controls while the track is generating to view your track without affecting the view that will be used on the Select Track screen.

If you want to stop generating the track, click on the “Stop” button.

When track generation is complete you are informed that the track has been installed in the game and ready for racing.


Save the ‘Track Select Screen Shot’ View as a Preset

Once you have found the perfect view to be used when displaying your track on the Select Track screen, custom set one of the view buttons so you can return to that view.  Since custom views are saved with the current track, the next time you want to generate that track you can return to your Select Track screen shot view quickly.


Exchanging Tracks

Exporting Tracks

Importing Tracks

Deleting Tracks

Learning Tracks


There are two different ways to exchange tracks.  Track source files or fully generated track packs can be traded.  Usually, you will want to send and receive tracks as track packs because they are much more useful.

Exchanging a track’s source file is of limited use.  The main reason to do this is when developing a track using a team of people.  The problem is that any tracks generated from the source file on different systems or even on the same system at a later time will have different serial numbers inside of them.  These serial numbers are used to insure that the identical track is really installed on all of the systems for multi-player races and for playing back replays.  So if you ship a track source file to a friend and then both of you generate the track, you still will not be able to race on the track in multi-player or share replays that need that track because the serial numbers will not match.

The proper way to exchange a finalized track is to make a track pack.  The Track Designer has the ability to import and export a track in the form of a track pack (*.tpk) file.  When you export a track using the track designer, it does a lot of work.  First of all, in the pack, it includes the generated version of the track, any information the artificial intelligence learned about the track, and the track’s records.  When packing up all of that information, it uses a compression scheme to make the track pack file as small as possible (usually around 300kb).   Simply ship the pack file to a friend, and when the pack file is imported into another’s copy of the game, the track, along with its learned data and its records will be properly installed.   Now you can race each other on the track in multi-player and share replays generated on the track, because the serial numbers will match.

You can also use the export and import feature to archive a track to floppy disk.  For instance, if you already have the maximum number of tracks in your game, or if you are running out of disk space, you can export the track to floppy and then delete it from the game.  Later, if you want to restore the track, simply import it back into the game.   All of the learning and records will be preserved and restored.

When sending or receiving track source files or track packs, you need to make sure you set your file transfer program to send and receive binary files.  All track source files and track packs are binary files (not ASCII files), and their contents must be preserved exactly during the transfer.


1.	Select “Remove/Exchange Tracks…” from the Tracks menu in the Track Designer.

2.	Select the track to export from the list of installed tracks.

3.	Click on the “Export…” button.  You may not export or import any Championship Series tracks.

4.	The Save Compressed Track File dialog appears.  Choose the location and the filename for the track pack.  Click on the “Save” button.


1.	Select “Remove/Exchange Tracks…” from the Tracks menu in the Track Designer.

2.	Click on the “Import…” button.

3.	The Open Compressed Track File dialog appears.  Choose the location and the filename for the track pack to be imported.   Click on the “Open” button.  The track will be installed.


1.	Select “Remove/Exchange Tracks…” from the Tracks menu in the Track Designer.

2.	Select the track to delete from the list of installed tracks.

3.	Click on the “Delete…” button.  You may not delete any Championship Series tracks.


After you generate a new track and it is installed into the game, the computer  vehicles will not race on the track until the computer has been allowed to “learn” the track.  There is a Learn button and a Percentage Learned readout on the Select Track screen.  If this number is not at 100% then the computer has not yet completed learning the selected track with the selected vehicle.

Click on the “Learn” button to launch the learning system.  It can take the computer from 15 minutes to a few hours to learn a track, depending on its length and complexity.  Because it can take such a long time, it may be a good idea to wait until the computer will be freely available for several hours before learning new tracks.

The computer will first learn the selected track with the selected vehicle. After it completes, it will automatically proceed to the next vehicle type that has not yet learned the track.  After all vehicle types have learned the selected track, the computer will automatically advance to the next track and learn it.  After all tracks have been learned by all of the vehicle types, the learning system will return to the Select Track screen.  This automatic learning mode was added to allow you to create several tracks, and then have the computer learn all of them without any required intervention.

When exchanging tracks, the learned data is added to the track pack, so anyone receiving your track will not have to wait for the computer to learn the track over again.