I've mentioned it over here already but starting this thread to share some more info about 'Gridder'. It's still work in progress (and not available yet) - but I'm interested to hear any feedback on the ideas. What is it? In short, it’s a desktop ‘companion app’ that helps you manage skinpacks, custom AI and offline championships in a GUI - without the need to manually edit xml files, use batch files or create spreadsheets to keep track of everything. Gridder started as an experiment to see if I could make AMS2's livery override and custom AI systems a little more accessible/user-friendly. There are other tools that do elements of this well already, but none had quite the combination of functionality I was looking for. I've spent quite a lot of time making xml files for IMMERSION Modding Group mods, which we've handled with batch files to allow users to select different 'preset' configurations. That all works fine, but is not the most satisfying or intuitive process to use (or to make). Gridder functionality so far 1. Grid Editor mode: Automatically creates ‘grid presets' from all your existing skinpacks (and creates multiple presets for any pack with a batch file that loads multiple configurations) Adds all your existing liveries and AI drivers to 'pools' Browse the presets with vehicle preview images and 3d helmet previews Edit/remix existing presets - by e.g. assigning an alternate drivers from your driver pool, or suitable alternative skins from your livery pool, to a grid slot Rename, save/save-as or delete presets Create new presets (from a blank grid, or with randomised pool assets) Basic validation on grid presets, e.g. reports missing textures Load grid presets into the game (creates a new set of xml files, leaving originals intact) Associates helmet textures with drivers instead of liveries and allows drivers to have multiple variants (when you assign a driver to a car slot, Gridder will use an appropriate helmet for that series if available) Associates vehicle reliability with liveries instead of drivers (so e.g. putting Prost in an Andrea Moda will not improve the car's reliability) 2. AI Editor mode: Visualise AI profiles (compare drivers, visualise grid performance spread) Edit AI profiles using sliders (for individual drivers, or globally across an entire grid) 3. Championship mode: Create championship presets (with grid presets specified for each round) Launches AMS2 with the correct grid preset loaded for your upcoming round Connects to AMS2's shared memory for results logging Automatically logs championship progress and displays results, standing, etc. What might Gridder do in future? (emphasis on might, as I have no idea what will work out) Multi-class grid presets Multi-class championship management Create new AI drivers to add to your pool Simplify adding additional downloaded liveries to your pool More flexible AMS2 launcher options Manage consecutive championship seasons with dynamic elements, etc More considered integration of mod cars & tracks Whatever else seems possible/interesting to me… I’m not following a specific plan with this, but there are at least a few other possibilities that I'll hold off on for now until I've investigated them a little further. What does Gridder not do? Anything else not mentioned above I'd hope there may be some 'community potential' here, in that Gridder offers the possibility to create and share grid and championship presets (small json files) based on existing content, or to bundle grid/championship presets with skinpacks. E.g. you could make and share a preset based on the work of multiple modders to unify it into a coherent experience, or provide multiple grid variants and a championship template with your skinpack without the need to tediously make multiple sets of xml. For anyone curious - this is made in the Godot engine with an integrated C# extension for AMS2 shared memory access. If all goes to plan, I hope to share a beta/test version of this in due course - but in the meantime I will post some progress updates here. Feel free to let me know if this is something you might use, or if you've any ideas that could make it better.
Basically it does automatically my workflow to use AMS2 and more. I will definitely be a user of this app Very, very nice idea. Do you plan to release this as free (open source) software?
Thanks - I'll hopefully release it for free (or have some kind of donationware/PWYW option perhaps, but basically free). I don't know about open sourcing it. Probably not initially at least. I'd need to look into the pros and cons of that.
This is awesome jusk, as groundbreaking as CSM was for GP4. Will definitely throw some triple whiskey shots your way once you release it!
Very nice, 1. does this include the ability to have proper ai driver names in multiplayer? So if me and a friend were racing with AI we would see Senna, Mansell etc? 2. Would it be possible to have the same functionality with the single player xml for race specific files including reliability settings etc but for multiplayer? 3. Also would there be any control with what cars are selected in multiplayer? It seems very hit and miss - sometimes three McLaren’s and one Ferrari etc?
Unfortunately I don't think any of that is possible for now. And iirc, I think Renato said in a Q&A a few months back that custom AI for multiplayer was unlikely to be added - so it's more of a feature request for Reiza than for me, as I understand it.
I was hoping you found a work around - understood. I look forward to your progress. Sadly I don’t think Reiza will action what I would call a game changer for AI multiplayer.
That’s incredible work, I’m looking forward to multi class championships and I hope you will be able to implement the consecutive championship mode as well, that will finally help me in my career mode wish, where I can make it last for several seasons. Mega job, keep pushing, everything looks very intuitive on UI side, and perfect for users like me who have very game limited time and less time to tweak liveries, AI files, etc. Well done!
