GPL Track Creating - trk23dow - Introduction

Authored by the GPLEA

Background

trk23dow will take a GTK, a bunch of text files giving information on the textures, trackside objects, racing groove, viewing distances etc., and will produce a 3do file (named .n3d to prevent overwriting).

Directories

When you install trk23dow, put it in a directory of its own (e.g. c:\trk23dow), where you will also put all 'compilation' files. These files are .trk files from GPLTrk, all the <trackname>.* files required for trk23dow to work, and any .3do files that you have referenced in your track. This is A Good Idea, because you will then be compiling in one place, not destroying anything you have already made!

In brief, you will go to the dos prompt (start->run... command; change directory to where your track compilation files are), and type:

trk23dow -t track > output.txt

Track is your track name, e.g. monza. The > output.txt part is optional - if you do it, you will get output.txt containing any error messages etc.

Required Files

For trk23dow to work, you must have these files in the same directory:

<trackname>.gtk- from GPLTrk

<trackname>.tso- listing the trackside objects

<trackname>.tex- listing the textures

<trackname>.set- controls the level-of-detail of the track - number of polygons

<trackname>.grv- data controlling the racing groove

<trackname>.fb- forward/backward viewing distances

<trackname>.ini- the same as track.ini

.3do - any 3do's referenced in <trackname>.tso - these can be in <trackname>.dat or loose in the directory.

trk23dow.cfg - this file tells trk23dow what to output. You can have either a lot (many mb), or a little (a few kb).

Automatic Compilation of Your Track

Nobody wants to go to Dos every time to use trk23dow, so create a .bat file that will do everything at once:

Create a new text document, name it compile.bat (tell Windows where to shove its 'error').Edit the file so it contains:

d:

cd\trk23dow

trk23dow -t mytrack > output.txt

copy mytrack.n3d c:\sierra\gpl\tracks\mytrack\mytrack.3do

The first line changes to the drive that you have your copy of trk23dow. The second changes to the directory. The third line runs trk23dow on mytrack and outputs to output.txt. The fourth copies the output .n3d file to your sierra tracks directory and renames it mytrack.3do. Add any other commands you like, such as copying your TRK file to the GPL directory. You will have to change the directory names etc.!

Other Functions

trk23dow can do more than just compile your track. By changing the -t on the command line, you can do:

Command / Does

-t - Compiles your track, as explained above.

-r - Reverses your track, outputting <trackname>.GK2, with all sections, traces, altitudes and walls reversed.

-f - Fixes altitude angle discontinuities. This smoothes some bumps, as well as fixing altitude gaps. Outputs <trackname>.GK2

-z - Zeroes the appropriate values so your track can be used with RPY2LP. Outputs to <trackname>.GK2

-s - Smoothes your track by recalculating all altitudes based on their start/end heights. Outputs to <trackname>.GK2

-x - Flattens your track. Useful if you just want to start the altitudes from scratch. Outputs to <trackname>.GK2

Updated 27-Jan-2001

Transferred to the wiki: 20.04.2009