PITLANE!

[Meatsim009]

I haven't seen a thread dedicated to this topic, but certainly seen some comments about it in other threads. So, at the risk of spamming, I'm gonna do it. Bring your PITLANE ideas here!

To begin, here's my thoughts.

For every official track with a pit lane

1. cars should be able to drive through it and have it count as part of the main circuit (at the moment, you can drive down some of them, but you end up missing the main circuit checkpoint)

2. cars entering it should be automatically speedlimited from a start control line to a finish control line. (think of the 'reverse' limiter option when driving the wrong way)

3. cars should be driven automatically by the computer during the pit lane transit (or a system to stop people parking in pit lane and blocking it, reversing, etc.)

4. tracks with a pit lane should have an "On / Off" option for cars using it to repair some of their damage.

5. Damage is repaired while the car transits pit lane (not a pit box). A set amount of damage is repaired during transit (i.e. 33 HP)

6. in no way should transiting the pit lane end up being a shortcut (i.e. if you use the pit lane, you will lose track position / time, be speed limited. The only benefit is gaining health, to help you survive the race and not get wrecked).

7. A further option - being able to make a pitstop mandatory for a race in the option screen.

Reflections or other ideas?

should missing wheels be replaced? Could refueling be added (if fuel becomes an option down the track)? Would it increase people purchasing / playing / enjoying the game? Is it financially beneficial for the devs? Could it be something modded into the game as it is right now?

(I decided against putting people's ideas in this post. Please read them in the replies below. There's some good ideas worth considering)

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I'm 'slowly' gonna work through the tracks. I'll highlight the ones that either have pit lanes already in place AND tracks that should have a pit lane. I'll give my feedback on where entry and exit points / control lines should be, etc. Obviously, crowd / obstacles would need to be removed

Sandstone Raceway - all variants - added (probably the easiest to implement!)
Pinehills Raceway - all variants - added (probably next easiest to implement!)
Northland Raceway - all variants - added (seemingly easy to implement!)
Boulder Bank Circuit - all variants - added (seemingly easy to implement!)
Fire Rock Raceway - all variants - added (seemingly easy to implement!)
Motorcity Circuit - all variants - added (seemingly easy to implement!)

Dirt Devil Stadium - added
Death Loop - added
Midwest Motocenter - added
Hilltop Stadium Oval - added
Big Valley Speedway – Inner Oval - added
Big Valley Speedway – Outer Oval - added
Big Valley Speedway – Outer Oval Loop - added
Savolax Sandpit - all variants - added
Espedalen Raceway - added (will require a new pit entry / exit for short circuit variants).
Finncross Circuit - added (will require a new pit entry / exit area to work for both variants).
Maasten Motocenter - added


Too Hard?

Rosenheim Raceway - added. - the pit lane in place doesn't run alongside either start / finish line. Unless you were speed limited all the way from entry to exit, the pit lane could be abused as a shortcut. Also depends on how how the repairing works and if you're happy to utilise a pit lane that doesn't have the start / finish lap line somewhere in it's middle. Could be done, but, eh...

Firwood Motocenter - added. Start / Finish line in different places. doesn't align with pit lane in normal routes.


Not added!

Northfolk Ring - not added. There is a significant road that could be used as a pit lane, but it would require a lot removal of obstacles. It also doesn't align with start / finish line.

Clayridge Circuit - not added. No discernible pit lane option if it is to align with Start / Finish line.

Bonebreaker Valley - not added. Defeats the purpose?

Crash Canyon - not added. Defeats the purpose?

Figure 8 variants - not added. Defeats the purpose?

[Meatsim009]

Rosenheim Raceway (nightmare)
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866881989
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866882135
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866882336
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866882758
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866883002

[The Very End]

TVTP mod that is. But game supports player car fixing, but it requires some linking in tools such as Bagedit.

[Meatsim009]

Originally posted by The Very End:

TVTP mod that is. But game supports player car fixing, but it requires some linking in tools such as Bagedit.

interesting. There obviously must be a reason that they haven't implemented it though, which is a shame. I hope this thread can perhaps encourage the devs to relook into it.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

[The Very End]

In earlier builds there was pit ai line mechanics, which worked so that after the race the cars would drive off to a certain area and park there. Not sure if it still works, and it is not used in main game anymore.

Maybe they though it was a feature not worth implementing in-race or maybe it was too little time to pull off the technicalities, the results is the same :)

[Purple44]

Some tracks, AI do not make the turn well into pit area:

http://www.lay-zmattress.com/flatout2/purple44/Next%20Car%20Game%202018/mixed2-4.jpg

[Meatsim009]

Originally posted by Purple44:

Some tracks, AI do not make the turn well into pit area:

http://www.lay-zmattress.com/flatout2/purple44/Next%20Car%20Game%202018/mixed2-4.jpg

I guess I had just imagined human players utilising the pit-lane. That makes it a bit more complex then. But FUN. I can imagine a major update in 2020. The PITLANE update!

[Meatsim009]

Firwood Motocenter added. Nightmarish :(
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866939836
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866940065
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866940303
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1866940412

[St. Jimmy]

Hmm I think some tracks still have the Pit Lane AI Routes there, they're just disabled. Too bad that the visual racing line tuning is broken currently. Could fix couple of those entries that got packed before fixed with that.

Those props aren't too hard to remove. But likely need some better indicators it's pit lane route so need to add those.

[Meatsim009]

Not added

Clayridge Circuit doesn't have a real pit lane area at all. Would need to create something if you want to align it with the start / finish line.

Northfolk Ring has a road that could be used as a pit lane, but would need a lot of obstacles cleared. It also would not align with start / finish line.

Figure 8 tracks - kind of defeats the purpose. you "could" add in repairing zones at places around the track where a stopped car could get repaired.

Bonebreaker valley / Crash canyon - kind of defeats the purpose. you "could" add in repairing zones at places around the track where a stopped car could get repaired.

[Meatsim009]

I think I've done all I can. It would be great if a mod / dev would read this before it's bumped off the main page into oblivion. I think there's valid arguments for how it could work. But, for now, my work is done in this regard. I don't think I have much more to offer, other than my desire for working pit lanes in Wreckfest. Meatsim009's manifesto is ended :)

[The Very End]

To give context to tracks such as Clayridge and Northfolk (which is inspired by a real tracks); The pit area is spread into different sections, to the right/left side of the start grid and infield. You got to take into consideration that pitlanes and such is not a normal thing on Folkrace tracks, but rather often just in the starting area. Since many of the tracks are folkrace tracks pitlanes would give no meaing. On the other hand the connection between start area / pit area could be more clear, so that it is easier to see where it would be natural for the cars to enter the track :)

[Meatsim009]

Originally posted by The Very End:

To give context to tracks such as Clayridge and Northfolk (which is inspired by a real tracks); The pit area is spread into different sections, to the right/left side of the start grid and infield. You got to take into consideration that pitlanes and such is not a normal thing on Folkrace tracks, but rather often just in the starting area. Since many of the tracks are folkrace tracks pitlanes would give no meaing. On the other hand the connection between start area / pit area could be more clear, so that it is easier to see where it would be natural for the cars to enter the track :)

No problem mate. I'm only used to typical racing circuits where pit lanes are always alongside the start / finish straights. I'm glad that they've stuck to purist form then with the folk race tracks. Thanks for the reply.

[Conso]

Originally posted by The Very End:

For those with mods, try Pine Hills Raceway and aim for the medical crates in the pit lane ;)

I got stuck inside the garage but hey, they work! What does someone need to do on the editors to get a working repair area?

[The Very End]

Sort or long list, but if you has the TVTP mod I think it should be sufficient to create an object with dynamic properties repair player (check the heal crate object for more info).

Could write the list of requirements If wanted of course, just kept it short here in this topic :)

[Meatsim009]

Originally posted by The Very End:

Sort or long list, but if you has the TVTP mod I think it should be sufficient to create an object with dynamic properties repair player (check the heal crate object for more info).

Could write the list of requirements If wanted of course, just kept it short here in this topic :)

Obviously, I'd like the dev team to implement it into the main game so all could enjoy it on vanilla servers.

However, I do see the benefit of someone modding the following 6 tracks (for starters) to have a working pit lane, and then running an endurance playlist on loop. Sandstone Raceway would be the easiest to begin with - just need to extend the start / finish line so laps count and decide how the repairing should occur (i.e. only when parked stationary or while moving through pit lane speed limited)

I don't know anything about modding tracks. I wonder if it's something STRMods would like to look into, as he already experimented with it?

Sandstone Raceway
Pinehills Raceway
Northland Raceway
Boulder Bank Circuit
Fire Rock Raceway
Motorcity Circuit