AIW editing for mod tracks in AMS: how?

[MJQT]

AMS modding newbie here who recently got back into sim racing. I'm absolutely loving driving Automobilista, especially CART Extreme (since I'm a huge AOWR fan). Would love to contribute to this awesome game and put in some work on improving mod track AIWs – for example on the JNS Oval tracks.

How to go about doing this? Any experts have any tips they can share?


Disclaimer: I don't think this question has been explicitly addressed in existing threads. If it has, my apologies – in this case, it'd be greatly appreciated if you could direct me to those discussions.

**One potential method that came to mind after doing some research: for rFactor conversions, could one modify the AIW "the old-fashioned way" using the rFactor AIWCAM Editor on the old rFactor track and then use that AIW file in the AMS version?

 

[MJQT]

Yeah, the AI do jam on the brakes under blue flags sometimes. In a multiclass race, the faster-class AI also struggle sometimes to overtake in a straight line, usually needing to brake or let off the throttle behind the slower-class car.

Matthew Sibanyoni, the modder behind the Grand Touring Group 5 mod for AMS, has toyed around with various blue flag series file settings and has come up with well-optimized parameters to make them behave as well as they can. I'm currently away from my home PC, but when I'm back, I'll share them here (and remind me if I forget!).

However, I'm not aware of a fix for the straight line multiclass issue in AMS or its sister titles like rF1 and GTR2. As far as I know, Le Mans Ultimate is the first isiMotor-derived AI that pulls this off successfully (which is one reason I've been really enjoying that game – you can race the AI through traffic convincingly in a top class car!).

Mind you I must admit it is a few years since I did my full Formula Classic races so maybe I've just not come across this after the last updates.

You may be right, morsify. I've heard people say that earlier AMS versions (1.3x, perhaps) had less of an issue with straight-line passing under multiclass or blue flags.

 

[Dat-Mudkip]

Yeah, the AI do jam on the brakes under blue flags sometimes. In a multiclass race, the faster-class AI also struggle sometimes to overtake in a straight line, usually needing to brake or let off the throttle behind the slower-class car.

Matthew Sibanyoni, the modder behind the Grand Touring Group 5 mod for AMS, has toyed around with various blue flag series file settings and has come up with well-optimized parameters to make them behave as well as they can. I'm currently away from my home PC, but when I'm back, I'll share them here (and remind me if I forget!).

However, I'm not aware of a fix for the straight line multiclass issue in AMS or its sister titles like rF1 and GTR2. As far as I know, Le Mans Ultimate is the first isiMotor-derived AI that pulls this off successfully (which is one reason I've been really enjoying that game – you can race the AI through traffic convincingly in a top class car!).


You may be right, morsify. I've heard people say that earlier AMS versions (1.3x, perhaps) had less of an issue with straight-line passing under multiclass or blue flags.

I've had those same problems with multi-class races.
I've also found that to be an issue when a race goes green after a full course yellow. The AI seem to think they will be given some kind of penalty if they don't let leaders by, and jam the brakes to "avoid" that penalty, even if you have penalties for blue flags turned off. This is especially annoying since (at least in oval racing) slow cars are allowed to race the leaders to remain on the lead lap (provided they are not already multiple laps down).
This problem seems to occur regardless of settings on double-file restarts.
...come to think of it, I'm not entirely certain the AI are actually able to receive penalties, which makes this behavior even more strange.

 

[Simon Aguirre]

I must admit I have not really suffered this problem. Could it be because I always have AI set on low aggression?

It could be related, in the release notes of V1.4.5 the say: Low aggression disables all new risk bypassing functions and effectively reverts to their pre v1.4.5 behavior with regards to overtaking

Actually as I'm typing, I just remembered another parameter - in the srs file you can alter the AI blue flag radius/courtesy/reactiontime/liftunderblue . Could this be used to improve it? (sorry if that is what you were referring to trying already, Simon Aguire).

Yes, i was referring to those parameters and the Aggression/Courtesy of the talent files (no need to apologize, i didn't mention it in my post).

You may be right, morsify. I've heard people say that earlier AMS versions (1.3x, perhaps) had less of an issue with straight-line passing under multiclass or blue flags.

I notice a similar thing, after one of the updates to the blue flags logic, the multiclass got worse. I also notice that the lap when they are going to pit they behave a little bit erratic: breaking unnecessarily, never overtake another car (even if they are in a good situation to do so).

I often end up using free practice to drive in multiclass; the "race aspects" are no longer there but the AI behavior is much better.