111 replies to this topic

[axe360]

Is there ever going to be a "cart path tool" in the CF/Unity? Even TW's 06 Course Architect had a Cart Path Tool.

I am done laying down all 18 holes and now am faced with cart paths. I really don't like how Complicated Easy Roads is, just to lay down a path.. Seems like way to many things that you have to do and way to many things that can go wrong.

I won't do it by hand as paths come out ugly and take hours and hours and hours to draw.

 

Just trying to find out if anything like this is on the horizon?

 

Thanks

[RBarley]

Per Mike's tutorials. In course forge you would use the concrete texture when drawing the mesh splines.

[axe360]

Per Mike's tutorials. In course forge you would use the concrete texture when drawing the mesh splines.

 

Just doesn't turn out right. I would rather not finish my course, than draw paths by hand, only to spend more hours smoothing them.

At least with EZ Roads they come out smooth. May have to just do it that way but I'm asking about this for the future, as I said, we had one in that old game Tw's 06 course architect, seems like new technology would be able to make one for the CF?

[IanD]

I seriously hope something is done regarding this too....

 

It has become an almost pet hate of mine, especially with so many courses using the basic Easy Roads and thinking it suffices. Quite simply, any course with this addition, can be impaired.

 

I seem to be able to hit the edge of anything these days on various courses, but hitting the edge of a mesh AND these dreaded cartpaths, now cause me to cease playing the full round. Granted, I could be used to too much perfection with these high quality courses also available. However, the strange bounces returned from hitting such odd angles, makes golf appear ping-pong.

 

 

Not Easy Road in the image... I know. There is no danger of seeing your ball disappear under an Easy Road though...

 

 

The above images, are examples of what we see.... however, you'd expect the cart path mesh to actually be below the Unity terrain in a similar way to the pot bunkers.

 

Whilst things are not yet possible obviously, hopefully this will change in the future. Whatever is done... can I honestly state.. anything used by Easy roads is far far far from smooth, perfect, playable, pretty, eye candy or whatever you believe it to be. It's simply something we've yet to see as a breakthrough, within the CF.

[axe360]

You telling me that path was done by Easy Roads?

[IanD]

Nope... never said that, but I have now clarified the image with better wording.

[axe360]

Yeah, I just caught that. thanks. I am trying to put together a quick vid of how easy it was to do paths with the TW's 06 Course Architect. Some may be amazed. Hope I can do it..

 

I agree with you that the ball won't go under a hand drawn path, cause it lays right on top of the terrain.

However, the tremendous amount of work it takes is just a non starter for me.

 

Thanks for the feedback..

[IanD]

Just an example of Easy Roads....

 

 

Matt explained in another thread, how he had used Easy Roads, but in this area found the program became problematic and couldn''t unravel the mess shown to the left. I found it, because my ball did some strange movements underneath the cart path and somehow moved backwards and forwards under it, to end up as shown. It can honestly destroy the effect you are aiming to visually display, when your ball does things that are not possible... it's the eye candy vs gameplay unfortunately...

 

[axe360]

Yes I remember him having issues on PBL.

We both agree then, we need a good cart path tool.

[IanK]

I've yet to see a convincing use of Easy Roads. I've never used it because I hate the way the ball reacts with it and the way it looks.

[axe360]

Only reason I was tempted to use it is because it looks a hundred times better however, there are issues and frankly, I'm not into how many steps you have to go thru, every time you lay down a section. To many moves, to many mistakes can happen and as you all say, to many issues even if you do finish it.

 

Just asking because IMO, cart paths are super important for most courses and nothing looks better than a nice smooth cart path.

[IanK]

Only reason I was tempted to use it is because it looks a hundred times better however, there are issues and frankly, I'm not into how many steps you have to go thru, every time you lay down a section. To many moves, to many mistakes can happen and as you all say, to many issues even if you do finish it.

 

Just asking because IMO, cart paths are super important for most courses and nothing looks better than a nice smooth cart path.

Cart paths can give a nice definition to holes and landscape but until there is a better solution I'll just use my current method of showing worn grass pathways.

[IanD]

IanK, the worn areas are fine.... but they are not usually mesh driven pathways... a little like an very old post I revisited...

This post  However, this was Off-Mesh.... which isn't really what we're discussing here I guess.

 

What is needed, is either some ability to draw a path point from A to B to C etc, and then refine the curve of the linked paths. This would traverse any area of the terrain/mesh. Either that or simply plant 3D tiles upon the mesh like making a race track.

[IanK]

IanK, the worn areas are fine.... but they are not usually mesh driven pathways... a little like an very old post I revisited...

This post  However, this was Off-Mesh.... which isn't really what we're discussing here I guess.

 

What is needed, is either some ability to draw a path point from A to B to C etc, and then refine the curve of the linked paths. This would traverse any area of the terrain/mesh. Either that or simply plant 3D tiles upon the mesh like making a race track.

Exactly my point really Ian. There is no convincing option at present to create a decent path, which is why I don't bother. 

[DoGgs]

yep it has always bugged the hell outta me, after using the concrete spline method for latrobe, and never being satisified with any of it i am no longer going to be placing paths in any of my courses.  It's only eye candy anyway, and when that candy is so god awful i don't see the point in using it, i'm amazed that something that should be so simple is a right royal pain in the arse.

[Sinewiz]

Couldn't agree more. I've literally spent half of my time screwing around with the cart paths on the course I'm working on because quite frankly it wouldn't be the course I'm working on if they weren't there. Miles and miles of paths endlessly going back and smoothing and tweaking and re-tweaking and still not being able to get exactly what your striving for. It finally gets to the point you just have to accept the imperfections and move on and hope others realize that perfecting them is damn near impossible at this point.

[axe360]

Awesome! So we are all in agreement. Requesting a User Friendly Cart Path Tool for CF..

 

Thanks all, keep the requests coming for this.

[RobC]

Hmmm...I don't think its all that bad using easy roads...just need to take a bit of care really...you can also change out the textures and add your own... I don't think I've had too bad a result really...

[axe360]

Let me restate that Rob. I can appreciate that its not that bad for you..

Thanks for all comments.

[axe360]

Just a look at the TW CA path tool. So simple. Not saying it would be that easy to do in CF but sure would be nice to have something so user friendly for paths..

Of course, you can add cntrl points or delete them, make it as tight as you want. To start new section just start at end of last one.

All I'm asking is, is there any help in the future for a user friendly cart path tool?

If an 11yr old game can do it, we should be able to in this day and age.. Right?

I mean the CF is a hundred miles ahead/better than this old TW CA but not with cart path tools.

 

Just to be clear, I'm not ungrateful as I love the CF and all it's amazing tools and features.

 

Thanks