LEGO AcceleRacers [OVERHAUL MOD]

[RobExplorien]

LEGO AcceleRacers (Bèta 1.0)

 

 

The bèta release of the difficulty increase mod for LEGO Racers. All tracks are done now, but testing and feedback is appreciated. I have already tested it a lot, for I had to make sure that the mod meets with its standards. I also need your test results, because I don't know how you people perceive the difficulty that I set for the tracks. Also, I recommend you to read the following in this topic, before you start giving your opinion on the modded tracks I made for this mod.

 

Standards:

• Warps are allowed.
• Shortcuts are allowed.
• Power-up layouts need to be balanced.
• Needs to be 'difficult'.

These are the four major standards for this overhaul. I heard that some refrain from the use of shortcuts and warps, to make the race harder for them. I want the player to have full freedom of using the advantageous aspects of this game, which include the first two standards. The third means that there needs to be a balance between the different types of power-ups, and not having certain types dominate the track. I thank Creator for providing me with his/her custom power-up layouts for most tracks, which I slightly modified to fit into this mod. The fourth needs some explanation ofcourse. The player should not be able to get too far ahead, and since there is no rubber-banding concept of the AI going faster when this occurs, it is hard to find that balance between AI and player. So it might occur that you end up far ahead, but I tried to avoid this from happening by speed-editing the opponents correctly.

 

There are two more things I want to mention. One of them is that the speed-edited AI paths aren't so smooth anymore. The AI path is likely to be prerecorded by the developers, so any changes made within a node of its path will look 'out of place'. This is not in the sense of the AI path being all distorted because of the speed-editing, but more that the AI accelerates and decelerates through its path. Unless we're able to record our own path and convert it into nodes useable for the AI, new and smooth AI paths aren't really an option.

The other thing is that there is a difference in difficulty between the normal and mirrorred version of this track. You probably knew this already, but that's not my point. I had to make sure that the mirrorred version isn't too hard, but also not too easy. If I found that right balance (in difficulty) in the mirrorred version of the track, that (perfect) balance may not be present in the normal version of that track. Therefore, the normal version of the tracks may seem a bit easier than the mirrorred ones, because I focused on setting a well-balanced difficulty on the mirrorred tracks.

 

Preview

 

 

Version history

 

Spoiler

Alpha 1.0, june 15th 2013

• IGP released (test).

Alpha 1.1, june 20th 2013

• IGP, DFD, MMM, DAD released.
• Added extra speed to boss racer on IGP.
• PatchIt! compatible.
• Contains SPEED.BMP (thanks for mentioning le717).
• Contains additional information on byte values.

Alpha 2.0, july 7th 2013

• TIT, RKR, IPP, AAA released.
• Contains additional information on byte values (expanded).
• Merged with previous release (Alpha 1.1).

Bèta 1.0, september 1st 2013

• KMA, PSP, ATT, ARA, RRR released.
• Contains additional information on byte values (expanded)
• New startscreen.
• Merged with previous release (Alpha 2.0).

 

 

Download

Click here to download LEGO AcceleRacers (Bèta 1.0)!

[alan]

I haven't tried it out yet but:

Unless we're able to record our own path and convert it into nodes useable for the AI, new and smooth AI paths aren't really an option.

 

The game can somehow record our own path, seen in Time Trial when you 'want to race VV again'. You can see your last result as a ghost car then... Isn't it possible to find that programming and use it for self-made records? 

Just wanted to say that 

[Brickulator]

The game can somehow record our own path, seen in Time Trial when you 'want to race VV again'. You can see your last result as a ghost car then... Isn't it possible to find that programming and use it for self-made records? 

Just wanted to say that 

I haven't really looked into the AI paths myself but if it was possible to apply the ghost recordings to NPCs, surely they would just follow that path exactly the same way every time with no variation? And be able to use powerups even if you've taken them like the time trial ghosts do?

What actually happens if you try to use a GHB path in an RRB? Hmm...

[RobExplorien]

I haven't tried it out yet but:

 

Unless we're able to record our own path and convert it into nodes useable for the AI, new and smooth AI paths aren't really an option.

 

The game can somehow record our own path, seen in Time Trial when you 'want to race VV again'. You can see your last result as a ghost car then... Isn't it possible to find that programming and use it for self-made records? 

Just wanted to say that 

 

That's exactly what I was thinking too earlier

I do think I know a method of recording a player's path and then converting it into nodes useable for the AI path, but I first want to test this method before I go into detail about it.

 

But a GHB file uses a different structure to store the nodes for their path. I may go and research the files, and write a documentation of it just like I did with the .RRB file.

[alan]

surely they would just follow that path exactly the same way every time with no variation? And be able to use powerups even if you've taken them like the time trial ghosts do?

 

I meant that we would record a path on our own if we could figure out how LR records paths. If we were able to do so, someone with programming experience could possibly write a tool to record paths on every track... It was just an idea, maybe it will work one day...

[plakrast]

Okay, I've just played through the track, and I can say I definitely see what you mean in that the paths aren't smooth. That's not really a problem, I guess, it's just that sometimes it seems unfair when they appear to zip past with no warning. I was able to come in first on the first try, however. I think the most difficult part may have been the new powerup layout combined with the more aggressive racers; it ruined my typical racing line, but the race was still fresh and provided a hearty challenge. So, good job! By all means, continue!

[Fluffy Cupcake]

combined with the more aggressive racers; it ruined my typical racing line

I won on first try too, but when I played on the harder one (JT's circut version), it almost felt like an actual battle to stay in first, and keep others out. A challenge for sure.

[plakrast]

combined with the more aggressive racers; it ruined my typical racing line

I won on first try too, but when I played on the harder one (JT's circut version), it almost felt like an actual battle to stay in first, and keep others out. A challenge for sure.

 

Yes, it's definitely much harder than unmodded LR, I just had some nitpicky remarks to make that can't even be fixed without further knowledge. Honestly though, this is a very enjoyable mod and I hope that it gets finished, and maybe polished a bit in the future as well. Excellent work, RobExplorien.

[RobExplorien]

it's just that sometimes it seems unfair when they appear to zip past with no warning.

I consider it as an undeliberately added feature that makes the race even harder.

[plakrast]

it's just that sometimes it seems unfair when they appear to zip past with no warning.

I consider it as an undeliberately added feature that makes the race even harder.

 

It does make it harder; I'll give it that. But surely you can understand what I mean? Anyway I'm impressed by the mod (as I've stated in a multitude of ways) and would like to request further work ASAP. This just gives the game so much more replayability!

[grappigegovert]

I see you changed all bytes to 4,

did you do this all by hand or do you have some program for it?

[Fluffy Cupcake]

I see you changed all bytes to 4,

did you do this all by hand or do you have some program for it?

I'm guessing he did ctrl+h (opens find and replace menu) and just replaced all the byte values within the common ranges with 4.

[RobExplorien]

did you do this all by hand

That way, it took me no longer than 10 minutes.

 

But seriously, I just make clever use of the programs I have at hand. I do use a find and replace method. For IGP it was easy, all bytes could be kept at 4 and still make it a good race. But other tracks need various byte values, in order to make the race hard but not impossible, and figuring out what combination of bytes to use and testing this is the time consuming part.

[grappigegovert]

All right, just wanted to know because I made a small program yesterday that changes all bytes at once, but if you need different values for each byte, then that doesn't work.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

All right, just wanted to know because I made a small program yesterday that changes all bytes at once, but if you need different values for each byte, then that doesn't work.

Well, that COULD be a temporal start, to make them all have a faster value for base.

[lol username]

This looks cool and all, but I was pretty disappointed when I realized that it doesn't actually have anything to do with AcceleRacers. :(

[RobExplorien]

This looks cool and all, but I was pretty disappointed when I realized that it doesn't actually have anything to do with AcceleRacers.

Honestly, I didn't know that this name is/was used by the Hot Wheels brand too. I just came up with it randomly.

[LimeKiller]

I can definitely see what you mean by the paths being "less smooth", but I didn't think it would be so drastic. Racers will suddenly appear in front of me, and then seem to come to a complete stop almost, brake-checking me before zipping ahead again. At one time, someone tried to use a grappling hook on me but because of a sudden burst of speed in their path it seemed to have no effect -- at least, it didn't pull me back like it was supposed to. It was hard to tell because the frame rate was disturbingly bad, but that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the mod. Also, sometime in the middle of the race it decided I was 2nd out of nowhere even though there was no one in front of me. Luckily, it still said I won when I crossed the finish line. The race was harder though, I can't deny that.

 

TL;DR -- The mod is a good start, but it seems... glitchy? Like, really glitchy. Very good work though, I am eager to see how this ends up.

 

EDIT: I've installed and uninstalled the mod numerous times and it seems like the mod is what's completely wrecking my frame rate. Um.... why? Is anyone else having this issue?

[Fluffy Cupcake]

Well, this might take more work or not. But maybe just make their general speed faster instead them suddenly going fast then regular. (perhaps grappigegovert's tool could help with this?)

[RobExplorien]

Well, this might take more work or not. But maybe just make their general speed faster instead them suddenly going fast then regular. (perhaps grappigegovert's tool could help with this?)

He said that it could only change all bytes to one value as of now, so that won't do anything to smoothen the path. For the time being, you'll just have to get used to it and adjust your tactics to this AI racing style. It provides a new way of racing though, but I get the point that it could be made smoother with more work put into it.

[grappigegovert]

Actually, it can also multiply all bytes by a given value, but I tried that, and the paths weren't that smooth.
There is something weird with speed editing.

[RobExplorien]

LEGO AcceleRacers (Alpha 1.1) is released. Go ahead and test it, your opinions matter. See topic post for the download of this release and new features/fixes (version history) of it.

[Fluffy Cupcake]

Playing on Readbeard's difficult level:

IGP - 3/4 loss first three times because I wasn't use to this racing, but after doing all the other tracks and coming back to this for a fourth try, and sorta having a new racing style, I beat it around the range of a little bit to not much.

DFD - 1/1 Win. Super easy, because I beat the CPU to the two first white bricks and green brick every time (well, at least the 1st race, and the repeat of a first lap to see again), and I don't get stopped, shortcut brick is my third white. By then I'm well ahead and have time to build up warp again before they catch up.

MMM - 1/1 win, again like IGP, it wasn't by much.

DAD - 1/2, lost on first round because there was one CPU way ahead of the whole group, that was pretty much the reason why. Won the second round by I think... "a little bit".

[RobExplorien]

Thanks for the feedback Xiron, I know I'm a little late with saying that.

I just released a new bunch of tracks with increased difficulty. Like to try them, check out the topic post for the download link and version history. I'd appreciate feedback once again.

[RobExplorien]

Added preview (video) for the next release of LEGO AcceleRacers in the topic post.