So I've have some updates:
As of today I finally gotten a small LCD tach and speedo on the steering wheel working. As of right now it's not reading out RPMs. The MPHs are not rounding off properly (bad math code or something) so they jitter a bit on the panel. The track is standing in for the final path, it's textures and UVs are not complete either so you'll see some parts of the track where the grass/dirt blend is not broken up. Also all of the GUI elements on screen are not the final game UI. They are stand-in debugging items.

Integrated new speed-based vehicle handling (not sure how accurate it is yet)..but basically your steering becomes less sensitive the faster you go. I've also got a new sound manager working. You have engine sounds based on RPMs, you have a wind passing by you sound based on velocity. The sounds are not fully looped yet in Audacity, so you will hear some pops. I've also implemented a camera shake animation on the cameras based on velocity as well. The camera shake has been polished up in the latest build which isn't up tonight.

I've gotten feedback about implementing a handbrake for sliding through turns and feedback about adjusting the slip when taking turns and such. I'm working on, the physics calculation stuff is a little more complex so I usually tackle easier things first.

Next task is to get some raycast AI working in the scene (one's that can avoid obstacles dynamically, etc.). So not just the simple "follow a spline" fellows.

Anyways here's a link: HOME - James Arndt Portfolio

This is where I will host the game (so I will test it this way as well)....hit the button at the bottom called "Kart Race Experiment". It will take you directly to the current build.

[COLOR="White"][SIZE="3"]

Decided to start doing a daily video log (2-3 minute videos max) describing what I accomplished in the build that given day.
Also a good spot to share info, scripts and any implementation specifics with other folks.

Worked on the HTML for the web page interface for the game. Also I've worked more on the main menu interface, trying to get it closer to representing something useful. Today was mostly HTML and main menu work for the buttons, etc. I've also got a splash page working (with the fatbox logo) as the game menu loads.

As usual here's the link, go check it out! http://dl.dropbox.com/u/16956434/Kart_Race_Demo/Kart_Race.html

I really wanted to try this out but I can't seem to get past the main menu. I tried clicking "Go Race" several times but nothing happens. I also reloaded the page a couple of times. Also, in kart selection menu I only see the smoke (from the exhaust I presume) but not the kart itself. It looks like there is something flickering below the main menu graphics, but I'm not really sure. I only see a few pixels on the outer edges.

Oh, hmm, okay. I pressed "Go Race" now and it works. Maybe it hadn't loaded all of the stuff yet?

Also, could you make the camera changing buttons to something else than the Function keys. I'm on a Mac and these keys are used by the OS to do stuff, so the game doesn't get a chance.

The kart itself doesn't seem quite right. Even when doing flat out and turning as hard as possible, the kart doesn't drift or slide or anything. It actually feels like a totally different vehicle, like a car almost. Karts are supposed to be very light and agile and tailhappy of sorts. This needs a lot of work I think. I think it should be something like when you accelerate and turn, the backside should start to drift out pretty easily.

The kart model itself is very nice. As is the track texture, really beautiful

Keep up the good work, I like it so far!

I've migrated all of the HTML code to run embedded on a new web site now. It's a site purely dedicated to my Unity development work.



You can find the current builds of the Kart Demo at this link (got a proper URL and all now):

http://www.fatboxsoftware.com/

This is where I'll be updating the build each night with updates as I progress.

@Eigen - All very good critiques. You're right on the money with your observations. I'm working hard to tweak everything into a more realistic state. This is my first week of setting everything up.

Build has been updated today with actual updating GUI elements for lap counting and lap timing. It's rough right now, and not the final look of the text in the UI, but the functionality is working (only slightly buggy . I've also implemented some nice UI graphics that slide in quick when you hit a checkpoint in the road. They ease in/fade in and ease/fade out when triggered onto the screen.

Check the latest build at www.fatboxsoftware.com

Nightly build again. I've tweaked the vehicle physics quite a bit (still not there yet)...speed based tire grip and steering sensitivity scripting today. I've also ditched the realtime shadows for now...until the AI are in and functioning under stress tests tomorrow. Also you may notice at this moment there are invisible barriers on the sides of the roads...it's only temporary.

You can can test and play at: http://www.fatboxsoftware.com

Visually you'll see some changes in tonight's build. You'll notice I've started to work on the environment and got some stuff in there. Maybe one more week and the entire environment will be complete. On the scripting side I've implemented some more blocks of code to handle slippage at higher speeds...this physics scripting is intense stuff. I'm starting to learn to wear the scripting hat. I spend all day coding/testing stuff and then I'm thinking "man I wish I had an artist to handle all of that silly environment art lol". I love it...it's why I do it.

So bullet point 1.) environment art update 2.) physics for higher speed slippage, etc. accomplished today. Oh and if you find you are interpenetrating art geometry it's because I haven't gotten around to opening up the collision file and updating it to match the new art. All in good time.

As usual you can test the updated build at: www.fatboxsoftware.com

I can't seem to get past the keyboard controls screen. It just hangs there. This was an issue with the previous builds as well, but then it would suddenly/occasionally bring up the actual game. Not any more. I've tried refreshing the game about ten times, just in case something hadn't been loaded yet or whatever.

The Unity loader doesn't stay visible for long either, only for a few seconds. Are you sure it's done loading this quickly?

I'm using pretty much the latest version of Unity WebPlayer with Safari on Mac OS X 10.7.3

I really want to try it out ...


Once I was done writing this post I gave it one last go, and it actually started playing the engine sound but the graphics were all messed up and the whole system became unresponsive (it crashed the OS but the sound kept playing). I had to reboot. Dare I try again?



Edit: Okay, I waited a couple of minutes in the main menu before starting the race and now it seems to work.
Edit 2: Crossing side of the track seems to glitch up the physics. At one point I got stuck with the nose of the kart pointing towards the sky. No way to reset, right?