This week was very productive for me as my breakthrough with the physics allowed for me to finally focus on a lot of what I enjoy more as well as what my main goal is with this project: the visuals.
I scrapped everything from my old project physics wise as I came across a talk from Unity themselves with a video tutorial for a Hover Racing game. Within it was twelve videos that came with a template project that allowed for you to follow along and implement and create the game for yourselves. And so I spent the next couple nights following all the tutorials until I had a base game that I was happy with. The new physics are far better and smoother, feeling like a real racing game experience. I do plan to build a lot on the code that was given in these tutorials, but I do not intend on keeping anything visually the same as these tutorials as it isn't the style or aesthetic I want within my own game.
Once I was done with all this it allowed for me to start creating my first level. I wanted this first circuit to be very simple in design, allowing for the player to just be able to come to grips with the handling model and style of game that they were playing, akin to the likes of baby park from Mario Kart. I landed on a simple figure 8 design with elevation changes allowing for banked turns and slopes as I didn't want it to be a snooze fest, even if it is the first level. I plan for each of these circuits to have unique and personality filled tracks and environments and so for this first race I decided to place it within the clouds of a vast cyberpunk city. The racers twist through and around the buildings during a foggy, rainy, night and I think that it really encapsulates the vibe that I want when people first dive into this games world. It's a futuristic earth, but is in no way idyllic.
For the track itself I learnt how to use NURBS curves within Maya to create my track, then extruding a plane along it to create the surface. It was far better then my older track technique I had been using the prototype which was lofting to curves. This is as by extruding a plane you get an even face distribution around the whole track. This then lets you unitize the UV and create a repeatable texture for the road.
I then made a simple barrier around the track that could also use repeatable textures. However in order to make the flying smoother and more accurate, I made a higher poly version of the track. In Unity I then use the visual track seen here but replace its collider with the higher poly version, allowing me to recreate PSX era visuals while still maintaining accurate and smooth physics.
After testing it I then made more models for the environment and textured them all. (Due to the limitations of the hardware I am imitating textures can only be comprised of base colour maps.) That included making: simple building models, a tunnel, rings, and a hologram statue.
Buildings:
For these textures I tried to recreate the visuals seen in old Tony Hawk and SSX games by using real building façade images, and then altering the colours to look more cyber city. The models themselves are also mainly simple boxes and help to give a ps2 style look.
Ring:
For a lot of detail in all my textures one of the ways I implemented quick detail, weathering, and realism to the simpleness of base colour was through noise maps.
Tunnel:
The tunnel is very simple, however this is due to the fact I am going to be adding lots of coloured lights on the inside.
Hologram Statue:
This started off as a normal statue but what's more futuristic then a hologram?
And finally the track:
Beautiful.
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