Automotive world

[Thunderbee 29]

Hello everyone, I'm new to this game and I'm very excited to play it. Since all of you are contributing in the forum with suggestions, I would like to explain mine. I'm a car otaku, love to drive and modify cars the way I like. If this game is going to be "realistic" it definitely will need a complex vehicle section. 

 

 

--TYPES OF CARS

Variety is the clue here. From new cars to old, from basic and simple cars to special models and one-of-a-kind. Micro-cars, small cars, sedans, sport cars, hyper cars, small and big vans, trucks, big rigs, etc. The more the better. Take a look at other games like Gran Turismo, there are more than 1000 different cars (although some of them are different versions of the same model), or GTA V with classes and diversity. 

Another important category is using different types and versions of the same model. For example, using the Ford Mustang that everybody knows, it's not the same a 1969 Mustang Boss 302 and a 2015 Mustang Ecoboost Convertible. Also, in the very same year there are lots of variants, taking the 1969 Mustang, there are the Base, Convertible, Mach 1, Boss 302, Boss 429, and special versions like the Super Cobra Jet. All with their own engine trims and transmissions.

 

This apply to all the cars, another example, this time more complex with a Japanese car: the Nissan 180SX (know as 240SX in the USA and 200SX in Europe). A popular car among tuners and drifters all around the globe. As far as I know, Identity will be based on USA, so the local model will be the 240SX. The differences? Lots of them. Every region got a different engine and here comes the fuss. 

The original 180SX sold only in Japan started in 1989 with an engine called CA18DET, a 1.8 litter turbo. The model was called "Zenki ("early" in Japanese) by locals. It was sold from 1989 to 1990. 

From 1991 to 1995 the model got a facelift and an engine upgrade. The engine now was SR20DET, 2.0 liter with turbo. The car was called "Chuki" ("middle" by locals). Notice the visual and performance differences? 

The final form was in 1996 to 1998. The model got upgraded in visuals, called the Type X. The engine was the same with so little upgrades. The car was called Kouki ("late" in Japanese). The visuals were shocking different. 

Since that was a Japan-only sold car and we're in the USA, the car available would be the 240SX. Read the "Import" section to see how to get the 180SX.

The 240SX was sold from 1989 to 1995 in the USA, using both the Zenki and Chuki models BUT both with different engines as the 180SX. Both used the KA24DE, a 2.4 litter engine, low-performance taken from a Nissan truck used in the States. Why? Don't ask me. A popular modification to the 240SX is to swap the engine with a SR20DET. 

In Europe, it was the same as in the USA but with the early-Japanese engine CA18DET. 

So here you got it, same model with different variations and engine. 

 

--IMPORT AND EXPORTING CARS

The local cars are great, but don't you want that rare gem that was only sold in a certain country? Importing cars is a popular choice by automotive freaks to buy a cheaper or different cars as everybody else. In the USA, you can't import cars that were never sold here unless they are +25 years old. If you are up to trend in car news, you are aware of the Skyline GT-R R32 importing situation. The Skyline, a car that was never sold in the USA, now that has more than 25 years old you can freely import it and drive it. A forgiven fruit faster than a Porsche or a Ferrari from his era. 

Importing and exporting cars should be a business also. Local workshops bring into the States cars now legal from other countries like Japan or Europe, and at the same time they export local cars to those countries. It would be really cool if you could only buy these imported cars via those business. 

 

--MODIFICATION OPTIONS

You have bought you desire car, it looks cool and bright. What do you do now? Tune it of course!  So may options, styles, paints, wheels and stuff to convert your casual car into a one-of-a-kind.  Let's start with the most common styles nowadays. 

-Tuner. Mostly used with Japanese cars. Build for performance but at the same time to look good. In a Japanese car, the more JDM the better. 

-Muscle car (drag racer, resto-mod,hot rod,...). In muscle cars, the most popular styles are the drag racer and the track racer, build for speed using just a few visual bits. Another style is the resto-mod, taking an old school musle car and modify it with the most modern and best parts available in the market. Really popular in the 2000's with heroes like Chip Foose. 

-Hot rods, rat rods, roadsters. Usually with 30's and 40's American cars, highly-modified from it's origins. Rat Rods are based on a more dirty and poor way. Also hot rods are very popular in drag racing series. 

 

-Drift cars. Looks very similar to tuner cars but more aggressive looking and modified for drifting. This style vary from practice cars to professional cars. Drifting was originated in Japan in the late 80's, consist in taking corners with your car sideways. Usually this style is only for fun purpose but in professional categories the winner is decided by a set of judges, judging style, speed and sideways angle. This style is NOT limited to just Japanese cars.

 

-Race car, Time Attack, race-spec. Not just a race car, but a highly-modified car with just one purpose: fastest lap time. Visuals are not the most important aspect in this style, but aggressive looking and beautiful paint scheme are important too. 

-Bosozoku, Grachan, Kyusha, Japanese old school. The Bosozoku cars were originated in Japan in the 70's and consist in modify the car in a exaggerated style with colors, lights and big exhaust. The Kyusha evolved from Bosozoku, using a similar style but more focused on racing and performance. Note the evolution. 

-Stance, camber-gang, low-life, German style. Stance is a purely aesthetic style to look cool. Slamming your car to the ground to be the lowest. Very popular with European and Japanese cars. Usually the performance of the car has been left intact, or actually it has been worsened with the suspension geometry by having a crazy amount of camber in your wheels. 

 

There are still lots of different styles but these ones are the more popular and most important to start with. 

 

--RACE STYLES 

Now with your modified car you need a place to race with your friends. Where to start? 

-Street racing. Straight outta Fast & Furious. Street racing has been the most popular style for young people who has no money to go to a racetrack. Usually on sea ports, abandoned roads or mountain roads. Street racing embraces all kind of styles, from drag racing to touge to time trial. 

-Touge. Another kind of street racing but only in mountain roads. Racing downhill or uphill, or just freely drifting with your friends having a good time. Touge was originated in Japan and it's still very popular with young drifters. 

-Drag racing. The streets or the drag strip. 1/8 mile, a quarter mile or an entire mile. Racing from still to the finish line in a straight line. Very popular in the USA.

-Time Attack. Originated as a cheap option to race in track. You race alone against the clock, and the one who gets the fastest lap time it's the winner. Nowadays it's a popular event and houses the fastest street modified cars. 

-Race spec. Race spec includes all the categories and races that happens in a race track. A group of cars, usually with similar performance, race side by side in a racetrack and the first one to complete all the laps it's the winner. These races start from basic-modified cars to official automakers race cars. 

-Drifting. Usually raced in small race tracks to save money. You don't race a drifting event, you just freely drift your car and have fun. In a judged drifting event, a set of judged set you a score based on style, speed and drift angle. 

 

I think those are the most popular race styles. Again, there are lots of styles left with different rules. Will update the post with more info in the upcoming days. Thanks!

[Arky 333]

Amazing detail and research with this. I hope you start working around with cars in game because you obviously know a lot about them. I don't know much about cars but I love one car. 1998 Toyota Supra. It's been my favorite car for going on ten years. I'm more of a guitar guy though, but maybe you'll be able to teach me a thing or two about cars sometime. 

[JamesLuck01 1,531]

@Thunderbee As far as I know, the cars will be around the modern american cars.... Don't expect the old cars from before 1980's or well I don't know if they will do as far back as that. Maybe I am completely wrong and they will do cars as old as you would like them to be.

[Saint6 46]

There are pictures of an old Muscle car that resembles an early 70's 'Cuda in a Garage, I think it's even in the first video about Identity!

[Arky 333]

4 minutes ago, Saint6 said:

There are pictures of an old Muscle car that resembles an early 70's 'Cuda in a Garage, I think it's even in the first video about Identity!

Understand, they didn't make that. It was a placeholder for the people interested in donating. They probably won't use that asset 

[Saint6 46]

Maybe not this "specific" asset, but if there're rusty cars, and dirt bikes, RV's, Police SUV's, semi-trucks, etc. . .  I'm sure there will be a pretty selection of Old-New muscle/sports cars.

[Arky 333]

Yeah, the 80's most likely. I'll be getting charged up in my Supra

[Thunderbee 29]

Hello again all! Keeping with the thread today we'll be talking about engine tuning and performance. 

 

--TUNING AND PERFORMANCE

Aside from visual tuning and styles, the engine is one of the most important parts of the car.

Let's start with engine performance: there are tons of different parts and ways to modify an engine. For example, one of the most popular ways to increase power is a turbo. If your car already has a turbo, you can increase the air pressure (PSI) or get a bigger one. Once you're finishes with the turbo, you find you need a blow off valve to get rid of pressurized air once you let go the throttle. Ok, now your intercooler is just tiny and can't keep up the the turbo velocity, so you need a bigger turbo with new pipes. Oh, wait! Your spark plugs get too hot because of the turbo power... See? Tuning is actually pretty tricky and each modification needs other new parts. 

Here's a list of how the tuning could work (way too simplified):

 

-Engine block components
--Pistons -> stock / forged / forged with increased bore and stroke / billet with increased bore and stroke
--Connecting rods -> stock / forged 
--Crankshaft -> stock / forged / billet with increased stroke
--Main and rod bearings -> different sizes
--Piston rings -> stock / better flow
--Oil filter -> stock / smaller with better efficiency 
--Oil drain plug -> stock / magnetic plug
--Intake and exhaust studs -> stock / steel
--Water pump -> stock / more flow capacity 
--Oil pump -> stock / more flow capacity 
--Oil adapters -> none / block adaptor (for gauges sensors) / block relocation adaptor (for oil cooler lines and move the oil filter to new desire place)
--Oil pan -> stock / bigger 
--Engine mounts -> stock / polyurethane / solid 

-Engine head components
--Head stud kit -> stock / harder material
--Head gasket -> stock / multi layer metal with different thickness (less thickness more compression ratio = more power)
--Valves -> stock / steel / titanium billet
--Valve guides -> stock / smaller rubber
--Valve seats -> stock /  titanium
--Camshaft -> stock / forged with different sizes / billet with different sizes

-Gearbox
--Disc -> stock / better material / solid hub 
--Clutch kit -> stock / stage 1 (street) / stage 2 (sport)  / stage 3 (track)  / stage 4 (competition)
--Clutch pump -> stock / bigger pump
--Flywheel -> stock / lightweight 
--Clutch line -> stock / steel / steel shorter
--Gearbox mounts -> stock / polyurethane / solid

-Drivetrain
--Sub frame bushes -> stock / polyurethane / solid
--Drive axle  -> stock / bigger and stronger
--Driveshaft -> stock / lightweight / aluminum and stronger

-Differential
--Bushings -> stock / polyurethane / solid
--Differential -> stock (usually open) / welded / LSD 1 way / LSD 1.5 way / LSD 2 way
--Diff cover plate -> stock / bigger for more oil capacity / billet and bigger

-Exhaust
--Exhaust manifold -> stock / tubular header (for NA cars) / titanium low mount (for turbo cars) / titanium top mount (for turbo cars)
--Silencer -> stock / bigger / titanium and bigger 
--Catalytic converter -> stock / aftermarket with better flow / test pipe (straight pipe to remove the catalytic)
--Down pipe -> stock / bigger 
--Full exhaust -> stock / straight exhaust (straight pipe from manifold to silencer) / sport exhaust line in different sizes (2", 2.5", 3") / titanium

-Intake
--Air filter -> stock / cone filter 
--Intake manifold -> stock / ported stock / aftermarket ported and polished / race-spec manifold

-Intercooler
--Intercooler -> stock / bigger / aluminum and bigger / race-spec 
--Piping -> stock / aluminum / aluminium custom lines

-Turbo 
--Turbo -> stock / stock from better engine / aftermarket (different sizes) / twim turbo setup 
--Turbo blanket -> steel blanket / titanium blanket (to keep hear away from turbo)
--Wastegate -> stock / precision external wastegate 
--Blow off valve -> aftermarket 
--Boost controller -> aftermarket
 

-Suspension and steering
--Suspension -> stock / lowered and better coilovers / stiffer coilovers and springs / adjustable suspension / air suspension
--Arms -> stock / stronger / adjustable arms
--Bushings -> stock / polyurethane / solid
--Steering -> stock / aftermarket with more turn capacity / adjustable arms 
--Sway bars -> stock / stiffer
--Strut bars -> aftermarket

-Brakes
--Calipers -> stock / stock from better car / aftermarket 
--Brake lines -> stock / stainless lines
--Brake pads -> stock / better material
--Rotors -> stock / bigger rotors / slotted and drilled / two-piece disc (floating disc)
--Handbrake -> stock / drift button / hydraulic handbrake 

-Pulleys
--Crank pulley -> stock / aluminum / billet
--Damper pulley -> stock / aluminum / billet

-Cooling
--Radiator -> stock / stock from better car / aluminum and bigger
--Fans -> stock / viscous fan / electronic fan
--Hoses -> stock / aftermarket silicone hoses
--Coolant reservoir tank -> stock / aluminum 
--Oil cooler -> stock / aftermarket and bigger 
--Thermostat -> stock / aftermarket with different pressures 

-Fuel delivery
--Fuel pump -> stock / upgraded with more fuel capacity
--Filter -> stock / bigger / upgraded with more flow capacity
--Fuel pressure regulator -> stock / aftermarket / bypass regulator
--Injectors -> stock / stock from better engine / aftermarket (bigger with different sizes)

-Gauges
--Gauges-> stock / aftermarket (boost pressure, exhaust temperature, fuel pressure, oil pressure, oil temperature, water temperature, intake manifold pressure, tachometer, volts) 

-Engine management
--Electrical wires -> stock / conversion to use another engine
--ECU -> stock / tuner chip / writable race ECU

 

Those are the basic and most popular parts in the performance and tuning world. Of course there are still thousand of them, each for each manufacturer / model / engine. And we can't forgot about the custom builds and fabrication... But that need to be expanded a lot. In the next post we'll talk about engine swaps. 

 

 

[Eriberto 51]

OMG, This is like a book

PD: I would like to interact with the car like playing music/radio or just move/add seats ñike in Dodge Grand Caravan. 

PD2: I want a recreative van like a small house but raideable (sorry if my English is bad) 

[Mentality 72]

You will be able to listen to the radio in cars in Identity. The RV will be in the game, but as far as I know only for drug labs in the criminal career.

[flowermouth 38]

Love this post man. Will be interesting to see if there's any imports in this game whatsoever.

[REDLiNE 8]

Was thinking the same thing as I thought I would like to try and run a racetrack as a career path for the game, to see if there was any thought put into this I searched the forum and this popped up. The OP is astoundingly detailed! I hope they do focus some attention on the thoughts there\here as I feel it would get alot of attention from many players. Also not mentioned or at least I didn't see was Autocross! That would be another great mode to have!.

Edited April 12, 2017 by REDLiNE

[AlexZ 7]

18 minutes ago, TheBlackSpartan said:

The racing module will contain vehicles, and allow customization however the racing vehicles won't be over the top, the theme will be contemporary. We won't see slammed vehicles, huge spoilers,  huge ridiculous ugly wheels and exhausts etc. Nor will we see old vehicles in the game. 

 

I agree with you, but i hope there will be a big variety of racing cars at least for the tracks (maybe some of they could be illegal to drive in the streets), and large customizations options (without being extremely excessive) 

[flowermouth 38]

2 hours ago, AlexZ said:

?????
that modified golf looks awful.

[AlexZ 7]

6 hours ago, flowermouth said:

?????
that modified golf looks awful.

 

1 hour ago, Thunderbee said:

PS: definitely that Golf is hideous 

I only put the first photo I found in google, please dont kill me...      (I confirm its actually awful)

[Thunderbee 29]

32 minutes ago, AlexZ said:

 

I only put the first photo I found in google, please dont kill me...      (I confirm its actually awful)

 

Fixed  

[SilberDrachen893 94]

As a long-time car enthusiast I must say this is a really good introduction for the newcomers. 

In the performance options post I must give some critique. I like it that you know your parts, but for game standards I believe the modifications should be a bit more generalized. I doubt the game is going to be as "realistic" as My Summer Car, in the dragging everything to the car sense. The more logical way to implement things such as piping, clutches, gearboxes, diffs, etc. would be to just mention them in a generalized upgrade description on the upgrade object ingame or tick box in a menu like in NFS2015 or Forza.

In the end of the day they just add a plus percentage to the overall performance of the vehicle.

Second,

By today's standards I think you won't need more than 150-200 different vehicle bases if you're gonna go with different base options and plenty of body modifications. Most of those would be the different road cars and the rest different machinery(trucks, buses, planes, helicopters, yachts)

[Thunderbee 29]

13 hours ago, SilberDrachen893 said:

 

In the performance options post I must give some critique. I like it that you know your parts, but for game standards I believe the modifications should be a bit more generalized. 

Even more generalized? The ones I posted are already simplified for everybody! 

 

PS: yeah, I know my parts. I actually have my own workshop irl

[SilberDrachen893 94]

51 minutes ago, Thunderbee said:

Even more generalized? The ones I posted are already simplified for everybody! 

 

PS: yeah, I know my parts. I actually have my own workshop irl

(pic. google image search didn't show anything. Timestamp would be okay, but I consider it true)

Stuff like

>Magnetic oil drain plug

>Rod bearings

>oil pan size

>bushings

etc. etc. seem a bit overkill for a roleplaying game. Not to mention the headache to get these minor things fixed. Having come from many other games where vehicles have a general health bar, I can imagine how afraid we would become of bullets and crashes. 

Edited April 16, 2017 by SilberDrachen893

[Thunderbee 29]

Hm... I see your point. But that's actually the "fun" of this. Complicated stuff that everybody should not be able to do, then the point of having workshops and mechanics that know how to. 

[flowermouth 38]

31 minutes ago, Thunderbee said:

Hm... I see your point. But that's actually the "fun" of this. Complicated stuff that everybody should not be able to do, then the point of having workshops and mechanics that know how to. 

I think this is actually a fantastic point, also improves the rollplaying aspect a bit too. Imagine being a clueless customer going to a cowboy shop and them overcharging you significantly because you have no idea how to fix your car. I think that'd be hilarious.

[SilberDrachen893 94]

21 hours ago, flowermouth said:

I think this is actually a fantastic point, also improves the rollplaying aspect a bit too. Imagine being a clueless customer going to a cowboy shop and them overcharging you significantly because you have no idea how to fix your car. I think that'd be hilarious.

That's just called being greedy. It would be funny for a let's play, but imagine every. single. workshop. jumping on the bandwagon trying to recreate that one joke. If everyone has millions of dollars to spend due to high-rewarding tasks, then yea. 

[GROOV3ST3R 2]

I was toying with the idea of doing a similar write up myself but decided to use the forum search first to check who wrote what on the subject - just in case someone had already covered it. Turns out, that's exactly the case!

Fantastic write up, tells it how it is. Sorry for necroing if you will, but I think this should be kept higher up in the suggestion section.
 

Perosnally, I am a huge car fanatic and I absolutely hate seeing how even the most focused racing games dumb down car tuning to the point that it's no longer fun or challenging. Want a faster car? Buy LVL 1/2/3 package and you're done... yay...

In reality, all the parts Thunderbee listed in one of the above posts often have to be ugraded on any car that is meant to make high power reliably. Tuning is a skill, it's also very involved and time consuming - but this makes it far more satisfying when it works. Engines have to be completely rebuilt with things like peak power, compression ratios (for N/A or Turbo), mixture, fuel octane rating and application (short drag races or long circuit races?) in mind. You CANNOT just buy a ''LVL 3 Turbo'' (wtf even is a lvl 3 turbo?!), slap it on and make power - only thing you can be sure of is you will destroy your engine without serious modifications if you do this.

In a game, it would be no more difficult to implement than simply adding more menu options and items on a list to buy and build, then introducing power limitations on certain parts that would need to be upgraded if higher power levels are desired. This would allow players to build cars how they want to use them and give them more satisfaction and pride in their vehicle.

Make tuning great again!!!

 

I'd like to add a couple of points regarding actual tuning and... wheels, oddly enough.

 

1. Mapping

Engines need to be mapped to make use of all the upgrades - or even to make them more efficient or slightly more powerful than stock. This introduces an opportunity for a ''minigame'' of sorts where a player measures the output of an engine (dyno?) and adjusts the map for improved performance. The more skilled a player is at this, the better this map and it's effects will be.

Things like fuelling, boost targets and mixture ratios need to be set and corrected in order to maximise performance/economy.

This means that if a player is good at this, an engine will have more power over a larger rev range and be more reliable, smoother and last longer. Bad maps will make less power, have more jerky power delivery, be less reliable and lower the lifespan of the engine.

Such a minigame would DRAMATICALLY increase the level of involvement whilst keeping tuning fun and engaging. It would also mean that players could charge for their skills and tune cars for money for other people, contributing to the vast in-game economy and giving players more things to do in game. If someone is less skilled, they could just pay someone else to do it, meaning there would be a real incentive for players who are really interested and skilled in tuning to do what they do.

There would NEVER be a maxed out vehicle - only more skilled tuners and more involved builds.

 

2. Wheels/Tyres

A bit of a side topic. Games often not only simplify but downright OMIT 90% of these - often even in the real world drivers are completely clueless as to what wheel/tyre combos they run or SHOULD run. So here's an in-depth explanation regarding wheels and tyres as well as why it's important.

In modern car culture, a good wheel fitment tends to make or break a car. It's only natural to emulate this challenge properly within a game.

Wheels have a number of key parameters to keep in mind:

- rims have parameters such as Diameter, Width, PCD and Offset. Diameter is how large the wheel is, Width is how... wide... it is, PCD relates to the bolt pattern (such as 4x100, 5x114, 5x108, 4x98 etc.) of the car hub that the wheel is meant to fit (WHEELS DO NOT FIT EVERY CAR!!!!! this is my pet peeve with racing games) and Offset is how far in or out the wheel is mounted on the hub.

ALL of these (bar diameter) are often skipped completely in games. But these make fitment much more interesting and challenging.

For example, you can't fit a wheel to a car that is the wrong bolt pattern. Wider wheels are wider in BOTH inner and outer dimension and you control how far they will stick out or in with Offset. Higher Positive offset means wheel sticks further IN, the closer to neutral (0) or negative offset you are, the further OUT a wheel will stick out. Spacers are also sometimes used to achieve this effect but choosing correct offset for application eliminates the need to spacers - thus saving money, weigth and potential point of failure.

A typical rim will be denoted like this: 5x108 R19x9.5j ET35 - meaning it fits a 5x108 bolt pattern, it's 19'' diameter and 9.5'' wide and has an offset of +35mm. If it's fitted to a car with factory offset of say ET55, then assuming everything else is the same as factory, this wheel will stick outside by 20mm, giving a more aggressive look and stance while also improving stability.

- tyres have parameters such as width, profile, load rating, speed rating and diameter.

A typical tyre is denoted like this: 255/55R19 100Y

What does that mean? Well, actually just like rims, this can be read as a sentence and tells you 99% of everything you need to know to make the perfect choice.

255 is the Tyre Width in milimeters. This is usually used in conjunction with Rim Width (in inches! some number conversion required) to determine the perfect tyre width. It's acceptable to have tyres wider/narrower than nominal rim width for fitment purposes, though not too excessive.

/55 refers to profile. This is a PERCENTAGE value, it multiplies the width of the tyre to determine how large the side wall is - and thus how large the tyre is. The larger this number, the taller the side wall and so is the tyre itself. The smaller this number, the shorter the tyre is.

Taller (larger) profile tyres deform more under load and cornering, lose traction more smoothly and gradually, flex more and are more comfortable.Usually madewith harder compound rubber, these often handle worse than low profile tyres and are less precise in handling but perfect for daily drivers, off roaders and drag race cars - which require a lot of flex in tyres to retain grip during launch. This is why dragsters often have massive tyres, as low profiles would lose grip easily with sudden acceleration, high profiles flex and keep gripping for longer allowing better launches.

Shorter (lower) profile tyres deform less, flex less, are less comfortable and lose traction more suddenly. To compensate for lack of flex, these are often made with softer compounds - for physics reasons, this is why low profile tyres often are regarded as better handling for race cars. Softer compound grips more and less flex means driver is more aware of what their vehicle is doing.

R19 refers to the rim size the tyre is meant to fit. It will ONLY fit rims of exactly the same diameter!

100Y is actually TWO parameters - the number 100 denotes LOAD RATING - or how much weight can be put on a tyre. Heavy cars will have higher numbers, light cars will have lower numbers. The letter Y refers to SPEED RATING - in this case, Y means this tyre is good for 186 MPH (or more). Speed rating basically means how fast the tyre is meant to go before it fails (or how fast you can go safely with this tyre).

There are other ratings such as how lound the tyres are, wet grip and fuel efficiency. These can often be skipped, however for each individual build they are still important factors. Louder tyres will be... louder. If you build a steathy or comfortable car it's important to go for quieter ones. Fuel efficiency relates to the rolling resistance of the tyre - the worse this is, the worse your fuel consumption but sometimes your grip will be better as a result. Wet grip is important for anyone who plans on driving their car in all weather conditions and not just perfect sunny track days. If this is low, you may suddenly find your race car is unable to turn a corner at all after a light mist and your performance will suffer. For game purposes, this isn't very important really, not nearly as much as the other parameters anyway.

There are also special racing tyres - slicks and semi-slicks, with little to no tread offering INSANE, almost cheat-like grip. I actually drove cars with racing slicks and they feel almost glued to the road compared to regualr road tyres But these are illegal for road applications. Something to keep in mind for tyre choice on your builds

 

So why does ANY of this matter? Well...

For looks, you often want a larger and wider rim. But to compensate, you need to select the proper tyre to fit your car. Too large and they won't fit/will rub on arches. Too little and you risk damaging your wheels and making the car unbearable to drive. Any change in total diameter will also change your gear ratios and throw your speedometer out. If you ''stance'' out your car, you may need narrower ''stretched'' tyres to fit your car without having to perform extensive body work mods.Choosing a smaller rim than stock may not always be possible because of clearances around brakes and other  components - you need a rim at least of a certain size to fit a vehicle without issues.

If you want slightly more agressive fitment, a lower offset and wider wheel will often be enough to go from granny mobile to mean race car look.

Once you understand how these parameters work together and relate to one another, it becomes very easy to determine what you need for the perfect look and performance. For example, narrower tyres are better for dirt, mud and snow as they dig in and grip this way. Wider tyres are better for tarmac and smooth, hard surfaces. Larger wheels are better as a cheap alternative to increasing your gearing (gearbox work is EXPENSIVE!!).

To help understand this better, there are tools online which help you compare wheel/tyre combos and determine what is perfect for you and your car.

Search ''Rims N Tyres'' calculator - it's the perfect tool and visual aid to help you understand everything there is to understand about this.

 

I know this got lengthy fast, but I hope it was clear enough for anyone to understand. These things matter, if you have a car in real life, chances are you will have encountered this problem yourself - and this is precisely why everyone should know what this means and how it all works. Understanding the basics means you can choose any combination of these to achieve the perfect fit that you desire. Emulating this in a game would greatly increase depth and provide an added layer of realism, even if tyre behaviour is greatly simplified.

 

 

TL:DR I just want to see ONE RPG which gets car mods right and rewards people who take their time and interest in those things. Add depth and make things more interesting.

Also, I don't mean to hijack the thread, only to contribute. Peace!

Edited July 16, 2017 by GROOV3ST3R
moved something that was unclear

[flowermouth 38]

On 7/16/2017 at 5:03 PM, GROOV3ST3R said:

*Post here*

Absolutely fantastic write up. Nailed every point.