More car body styling/morphing options

General Chat Developer Questions
1

First off, I want to congratulate you guys on a great game - if you continue with the same enthusiasm and attention to detail as so far, this game will be a great success. Thanks % keep up the good work.

I wish to ask if you will be adding more styling options of the cars. I think you should be able to:

-Resize/re-scale the whole body within certain limits, such as adjusting the wheelbase and track width.
-Mold the complete bodies in more ways; as it is now, some of the pre-given designs allow for too little room for change, you are hardly able to make it look anything other than the original car model from which it was copied (allow changing roof height, waistline height, removing “3rd” side windows etc.)
-Move and resize bumpers - on older cars with non-integrated bumpers, it can be annoying that you cannot alter the bumpers in any way. Actually, I think you should be able to choose from different bumper designs and even have the option of removing one altogether.

I think it would be important that players would be able to make the cars look just the way they like - this would make the game much more addictive, and a great styling system, I think, would make the game sell better. Also, some functions, like simply being able to stretch/shorten a complete body, shouldn’t be technically very difficult to do.

So I’m asking if you’re going to develop the styling system further? I think it would be a wise thing.

2

You can check for mods at the Steam Workshop. A lot of headlights, taillights, grilles, and other peripherals have been added there, in addition to new bodies. Not all bodies would work with the suggestions you mention (eg. stretching the wheelbase or changing the Integrated bumpers). Moreover, the current engine only allows 4 (?) bones per vertex. The only drawback as far as I see is that it’s impossible to punch holes in plastic and chrome bumpers.

3

You are right on the 4 bones/vertex.

In addition to that, because of the root bone, you can’t really have more than 3, except if you want to fiddle for 2 hours until the root bone is the one that isn’t exported.

4

I have to say that I really want to see the possibility to stamp fixture on chrome/plastic bumpers.

5

seconded, many cars had bumper mounted indicators and sidelights.
Also the many cars had “full depth” black plastic bumpers with vents in- these are not currently possible. I had to take this into account when creating the boxy supermini, I had to make the lower part body coloured to allow stamping whereas the IRL car was black plastic.