Trial of a Tutorial for Converting rFactor-cars to GTR2 or GTL by LkwFan
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Overview
- Generated by AI from original text. May contain mistakes. See #Original.
- **TL;DR**: LkwFan's tutorial details pitfalls in direct rFactor-to-gTR2/GTL car ports (e.g., format mismatches, renames causing CTDs/flickers); advocates iterative file swaps using "BASE4Car-Making" base car template from nogripracing.com/gtr4u.de.
- **Key Warnings**:
- Direct method (MAS unpack → 3DsimED GMT resave → bulk renames) fails beginners: subtle errors (naming, refs) → no car, flickering selector, crashes.
- GMT formats differ despite extension; always re-export via 3DsimED "ADD to GTR".
- MAS packing mandatory for cars (no loose files like tracks).
- **Safe Iterative Process**:
- Download/use BASE4Car-Making: Minimal Lotus Elise-derived gTR2 car (wheels + chassis; commented files).
- Convert rF GMTs to .GTR MAS: `xyz_cpit.gtr` (vital for gauges/GTL→.gtl), `xyz_tex/obj/wheels.gtr` + shared (Cmaps/STEX/TALENT).
- Swap/test one file at a time (deactivate other content for speed):
| rF File | gTR2 File | Notes |
|---------------|-----------|-------|
| .hdv | .hdc | Update .car ref |
| _damage.ini | .dmg | Update .hdc |
| .pm | .sp | Update .hdc |
| _engine.ini | .eng | 2x .hdc refs |
| _ratios.ini | .grb | .hdc ref |
| .sfx | .aud | Use base sounds; .car ref |
| .tbc | .tyr | Set TireCompoundSetting=0 |
| .gen | .cas | Critical: Add MAS paths stepwise (chassis first); skip MOTEC/headlights if issues. |
- Instruments: No-prefix materials in _cpit.gtr; reuse rF CockpitInfo.ini values.
- Liveries: Per-variant DDS/GMT (e.g., <1>wccarbody.dds) via .car Genstring.
- **GTL**: Rename _cpit.gtr→.gtl + .cas ref only.
- **Extras**: Skip HeadPhysics/_Upgrade/_cam/_spinner; edit .hdc/.cas for paths. LkwFan uploads: filefront.com/LkwFan (archived).
-Grok
Summary
- Generated by AI from original text. May contain mistakes. See #Original.
**TL;DR: Veteran modder LkwFan's tutorial warns against quick rFactor-to-gTR2/GTL car conversions due to frequent subtle errors (e.g., naming, formats) causing crashes or missing assets; recommends iterative substitution using their "BASE4Car-Making" template (downloadable from nogripracing.com or gtr4u.de).**
### Core Challenges and Warnings
- Direct porting (unpacking MAS, 3DsimED conversion to GMT, renaming files like .hdv→.hdc) fails for beginners: leads to CTDs, flickering selection cursor (indicates missing GMT/DDS), no-show cars, or hard resets.
- GMT files differ despite same extension; always re-save via 3DsimED "Save as Objects, ADD to GTR".
- Strict MAS packing required for cars (unlike tracks); no easy single-file swaps without repacking/testing.
### Recommended Safe Procedure
- **Start with BASE4Car-Making**: Minimal working gTR2 car (Lotus Elise-derived: 4 wheels, plank chassis, BASE.AUD). Files commented; runs reliably. Used successfully for trucks, NSU-TT rally car.
- **Iterate step-by-step**:
1. Convert/import rFactor GMTs to new .GTR MAS files: `xyz_cpit.gtr` (critical for instruments, GTL swap→.gtl), `xyz_tex.gtr`, `xyz_obj.gtr`, `xyz_wheels.gtr`. Include shared ones (Cmaps.gtr, STEX.gtr, TALENT.gtr from rFactor).
2. Rename/test one physics/text file at a time (deactivate other content for fast loads):
| rFactor File | gTR2 File | Key Changes/Notes |
|--------------|-----------|-------------------|
| .hdv | .hdc | Update .car ref |
| _damage.ini | .dmg | Update .hdc ref |
| .pm | .sp | Update .hdc ref |
| _engine.ini | .eng | Update .hdc refs (2x) |
| _ratios.ini | .grb | Update .hdc ref |
| .sfx | .aud | Use working base (e.g., Lotus); update .car ref |
| .tbc | .tyr | Set TireCompoundSetting=0 |
| .gen | .cas | Most critical: Copy paths from base, add MAS refs step-by-step (chassis first for visibility). Skip rF MOTEC, headlights if problematic. |
| .car | .car | Update refs; Manufacturer Name drives selection (`nnnnn_NAME.car`). Genstring for multi-livery. |
3. Test after each: Quick-launch confirms no flicker/CTD.
4. Instruments: Materials in `_cpit.gtr` (no prefixes; match existing like speedo.tga); use rF CockpitInfo.ini values.
5. Livery variants: Duplicate DDS/GMT per characteristic (e.g., `<1>wccarbody.dds`, Chassis<1>.gmt); link via .car Genstring. AI defaults to first car's paint otherwise.
### GTL Compatibility
- Rename only `_cpit.gtr`→`.gtl`; update .cas ref. Copy shared .gtr files to GTL/GameData.
### Additional Tips
- Skip non-essentials: HeadPhysics.ini, _Upgrade.ini, _cam.cam, _spinner.gen.
- Cockpit: Paste rF CockpitInfo.ini/Spinner.gen into new .car.
- External refs: Edit .hdc/.cas with Notepad for STEX/TALENT/Cmaps.
- Author's uploads: http://hosted.filefront.com/LkwFan (rules prevent full files here).
**Verification**: Matches author's Scribd doc; aligns with community notes on conversion pitfalls (e.g., physics tweaks needed). Process remains relevant for legacy sim modding.
-Grok
Original
Trial of a Tutorial for "Converting rFactor-cars to gtr² (or GTLegends")====================================================YOU may have the opinion: Converting a rFactor-car to gtr² is easy and quick-done.Following steps are necessary:- Make appropriate folders in gtr² under GameData/Sounds and /Teams- Copy files from rFactor (GameData/Vehicles) to these folders in the right manner- In a temporary folder "TEMP" unpack the rFactors .MAS-files, select them als "objects" in 3DsimED, save these files in the OTHER .GMT-format of gtr² / GTLegends via "Save as Objects, ADD to GTR", making new "masfiles" with extension .GMT (NOT necessary for .DDS-grafic-files!)- RENAME the rFactor-textfiles .hdv, .ini, .sfx, .gen., .tbc, .pm to gtr2-name-extension .hdc, .eng., .grb, .aud, .cas, .tyr, .sp etc...- Accommodate file-names, references to extern files (STEX, TALENT, Cmaps..) in .hdc, .cas-textfiles easily with WINDOWS-Edit.exe- Paste parts of rFactor-textfiles ..Cockpitinfo.ini / ..Spinner.gen into a new .car-textfile for gtr2- Ready, done, all is running well, only a breakfast-pause needed...Sorry, this is NOT my experience. I have - successfully - finished converting TRUCKs and - 2. work - of HistoricRallyCars/NSU-TT, but going this procedure described above I get very disappointed, I despaired nearly! Now I say: There are NUMEROS, MANY simple "errors" (typing errors! Firstly unknown naming-conventions, little differences between rFactor and gtr², other MASfile-names...), that it is TO HARD to go this way for a BEGINNER. You are working and working some time, making several steps at a single blow, and in the end - gtr² does NOT show the car or the little "hand" for selection of cars is "flickering" (a certain symbol for some gone wrong!!!) or loading a short test-track ends with a CTD (C_rash T_o D_esktop), or - worst - you have to push the RESET-button on your computer, then waiting long on WINDOWs new starting (with HD-testing...)Therefore I suggest another, long winded, but safer procedure: Take a good runing car on gtr² and substitute STEP-by-STEP single files or filenames and test, whether gtr² is still running or if you had made an error...For my 2. work (NSU-TT historic) I used "BASE4Car-Making", an upload acessable on www.nogripracing.com/downloads/gtr2/Misc or www.gtr4u.de/downloads/gtr2/Utilities, made by myself months ago: This is a basic-"car" of 4 - very poor - wheels and a single, simple plank as "chassis" on base of a LOTUS-ELISE-standard-car, simply undressed" to the ultimative, absolute necessary parts of a running "car" in gtr² (o.k. Audio-file-reference is NOT necessary, but included as BASE.AUD). Most files are well commented, so you can take this "modell" as a base. It runs under gtr², surely!!!First converting rFactors-GMT-files to gtr²-GMT-files is a good beginning. Identical extension .GMT means NOT the same fileformat!!! Unpacking rFactors-MAS-files in a temporary folder "TEMP", loading these files as "objects" with 3DsimED, then saving these again as "GTR2-objects, ADD to .GTR" is a good sure way, not to get mysterios errors because of false GMT-format!I have also expanded GMT-files of the general MAS-files of rFactor (Cmaps, rfHUD, ShowRoom, MultiCars) to gtr²-folders, even to new gtr²-MAS-files with extension .GTR. For NSU-TT I did also with an additonal "Cmaps_HRC.mas". I think, these files are equal to STEX.GTR in the mainfolder "GameData".Recommended is naming the new gtr²-masfiles .GTR equal to the files for other gtr²-cars: xyz_cpit.gtr, xyz_tex.gtr, xyz_obj.gtr, xyz_wheels.gtr. I used first other names, but I got severe problems with NOT-working analoge instruments: NO needle in speedometer / tachometer, NOTHING... I needed some time to find, that the already existing files speedo.tga / tac01.tga have to be in ..._cpit.gtr. Then they worked very well...! (xyz_cpit.gtr / .gtl is very important, especially for switching between gtr² <-> GTL: This is the ONLY ONE masfile, whose extension has to be changed, and the reference in .CAS-file too, of course...)For TRACKs-converting / creating I didn´t use mas-files at all, because I could simply store all files in special folders - without naming-problems (I created my own conventions of foldernames with: _DDSs, _Objects, _Tracks!). So exchanging single files was very easy. I didn´t use packing or unpacking files. For CARs-converting I found NO similar way. May be, gtr² is stricter in handling car-files...?? It is rather awkward to change a single file, than as next step to pack this file again in a masfile, test it, seeing, that changing was not good, again change the file, pack it, test it...RENAMING of all rFactor-textfiles to the proper gtr²-names is necessary. You can make it step-by-step with only single files. Rest of the files have still a name like BASE.., if you use the BASE-4-Car-Making-Tool. After every renaming-step start gtr² to controll, whether the car is still running or there is a new mistake... De-activating most other cars and tracks make gtr² start faster in this circled-prozesses:.hdv -> .hdc (reference in .car-file also to change!)..._damage.ini -> .dmg (reference in new .hdc-file has to be changed!).pm -> .sp (next reference in .hdc)..._engine.ini -> .eng (2 nexe references in .hdc).._ratios.ini -> .grb (next and last reference of a changing filename in .hdc)I know NO method to controll the renamings (typing errors!), you have to be simply carefully.Sound-controlling textfile .sfx -> .aud.Sound is NOT essential necessary, but if you want hear anything, you have to activate sound-reference in the .car-file. I had problems with getting ANY sound for NSU-TT (Sound-files from rFactor already exactly copied from rFactor!...), so I used sound-controlling-textfile from LOTUS-Elise (BASE-modell!) and changed only the lines for motor-sounds. I don´t know the reason, why this runs good......tbc -> .tyrAgain I had problems with NSU-TT-tyres. The tyre-file is VERY short and it has only ONE data-table. After changing "TireCompoundSetting" to "0" instead of "1" I had NO problems any more. Other counting-conventions in rFactor versus gtr² ???...HeadPhysics.ini I don´t used, so I didn´t changed anyhing. This is valid for _Upgrade.ini (a special rFactor-expansion?), for .._cam.cam and .._spinner.gen. Car runs in gtr² without these files..gen -> .casThe rather big and most CRITICAL grafic-controlling textfile! I did NOT use the original rFactor-.gen-file, but instead changed my BASE.CAS-file step-by-step:Copy the search path from another car. In BASE.CAS you have to change nothing.Show, which names your new masfiles with .GTR have, without proper names you get a failure. Do you have ALL needed masfiles (even STEX, TALENT, Cmaps, Cmaps_HRC...)? Is nothing missing?First I changed the chassis-file, so a NSU-TT runs with LOTUS-Elise-wheels, but it would be the FIRST time, you can see an important, big part of your new car. Enjoy this moment!Now you can change the wheels according rFactors .gen-file. From extern-view the new car seems rather ready. But caution, many additional steps may follow!Expand now BASE.CAS more and more, step-by-step. Do you have a SHADOW-file, a COLLISION-file? Is your new car displayed in the car-selecting-menu, in the showroom (NOT soooo... essential)? A "flickering" cursor-hand is a SERIOUS hint for a massive error! Don´t disobey this sign! For ALL selections this cursor-hand "flickers", if there is NO problem, flickering is VERY short, you may never have become aware of it, but it always happens. In this short moment gtr² searches for the appropriate files, GMT or - mostly, I think - DDS-grafic-files.With HEADLIGHTs I had massive problems. I can do without it... (Many tracks flicker on night with headlights. An error in gtr²-grafic-"engine". RFactor is better in this aspect.)In the next steps regard the INTERIOR of your new car: What is with the COCKPIT-file, the steeringwheel...?MOTEC in rFactor and in gtr² are two totally different things - my opinion. I have never seen a rFactor-MOTEC running in a gtr²-car! Don´t try it! There are enough tutorials for embedding a MOTEC in a gtr²-car! (I have written for www.nogripracing.com, with special themes: Colored MOTECs, MOTEC outside of cockpit on car-hood...)Activating the analoge instruments caused problems (with NSU-TT). Loooonnnnggg experiments with following results: Give names to "materials" used in an already running gtr²-car (BASE has NO instruments!): NO prefixes as in rFactor, use the SAME names! Put these files in a masfile named ..._cpit.GTR, otherwise needles can NOT be seen, do NOT work! If you regard this hint, values of rFactor´s ..._CockpitInfo.ini are a good choice.If you have BASE.CAR in the subfolder "minimum-modell", you will got NO problems. But if you want renaming to another name, you should regard hints in this BASE.CAR-textfile. Essential is the "Manufactures Name", because this name is used for selecting the cars. The textfile .car uses this name in the form nnnnn_NAME.car, the tech-files similar, the TEX or Ultra_Tex too...A special problem for me was displaying the different car-characteristics. I think, rFactor and gtr² are using DIFFERENT methodes for this. So I got every car (NSU-TT) with single-selection in his proper characteristic (more RED, blue, cyn,... outside and inside). But great surprise - and disappointment -, when I selected ONE car and had the other cars as AI-contrahents: ALL had the SAME characteristic, 6 red cars instead of 6 cars with Red, blue, green, cyan, orange, yellow paintwork! Gtr² uses a .DDS-graphic-file only ONCE, the FIRST car decides the painting. If he has a WCCarBody.DDS with RED, all other cars with a file named WCCarBody.DDS got only "links" to this first file with this name and so ALL have the SAME DDS-file.I didn´t find another method then using the "Genstring" in the .car-textfile and changing the wccarbody, wcextra0/1/2, wcwing, wcwindow-files for EACH characteristic. This blowes up _obj.GTR / _cpit.GTR to much bigger files, because every car-characteristic needs an own Chassis<1>.GMT-file, where <1> represents the FIRST character of the Genstring in .CAR. In the subfolder of characteristiced car I have a DDS-file with leading <1>. In all Chassis<1>.GMT /CockPitMax<1>.GMT I had to change the wccarbody to <1>wccarbody for the name of the material AND the name of the .DDS-file. This is valid for wcextra, wcwing, wcwindow too! Happy typing...! I don´t know, if there is a better method!For GTLegends rename ONLY ..._cpit.GTR to ..._cpit.GTL and change the reference to this file in the .CAS-file. This is ENOUGH! Car has to run under GTLegends too! STEX.GTR / TALENT.GTR (and others?) should reside in GTLegends/GameData too!Due to RULES of internet-web-sides I can NOT publish the converted files here. Some hints, tutorials (Fight-for-AIW e.g.!) are uploaded to http:hosted.filefront.com/LkwFan, this side may help you furtherly. Your experience with modding, using 3DsimED and other computer-related skills are unknown for me and may be VERY different of all users of this tutorial-trial. So much things may be mistakable or - on the other side - boring for you. My motherspeak is NOT english, I am a german at munich, Bayern. Excuse my "handmade" english. I hope, you may understand most parts of this tutorial-trial and it may really help you!Greetings from LkwFan