The Mud of MudRunner

not quite as chunky as spintires, but more chunky than some are suggesting, given there are lots of types of mud properties dependent on what other materials (vegetation, sticks, etc) are mixed in with the mud and how waterlogged it is.

first result on google"

Pavel, I can get my head around how the mud and the physics work (really, really nice job with the water physics too). I cannot figure out how the hell you make all of it run so well on average speed PC's. How? Any other game, I am turning the graphics down. Spintires, full detail, no problems. Then there is Mud Runner. Same SysReqs as the original! HOW???

Congrats though. There are MANY software companies that should take note.

This post is deleted!

@kcutstog said in The Mud of MudRunner:

@pavel said in The Mud of MudRunner:

I know "Mud Particles" look edgy and unrealistic, but they interact with the vehicles! For me it's always better to have low-res interactive effect compared to high-res static effect.

Each to their own. By that logic though, you could as well use some cube primitives with 64x64 textures. Not far away anyway. It sound like you would be the perfect mobile phone developer. For PS4&Co. people are used to some graphics standards that they know from other titles on those platforms.

Oh? Could you do it better? Be my guest, make a mod that makes the mud chunks look realistic. Lemme know how that goes.

Hello Pavel.

really interesting !
Now i Know the two reasons why it's actually impossible to sync mud things in multiplayer game.

  • chunks are updated only on player's square
  • deformations are full image format (RGBA)

But what are the datas transfered from other players ?
Position and angle only ? or other datas like physics parameters ?

To allow all things to be synced (at least pretty much everything), is it not possible to expand square support to other players (the game know already vehicles caracteristics) and apply physics deformation on terrain by combining these datas ?

and the problem about keeping deformation :

  • by making a clone of the map and writing things directly inside on each player's computer, then signing it with a Unique ID will allow game save and version check on load. and for players not synchronized(Different or no ID) it fallback to default map

thank's in advance for your answer 🙂

The Settings menu has a Simulation Quality [CPU] slider with 3 levels (left, center, right). How exactly does this affect the mud?

I know that the mud chunks are not present at the lowest setting , but what else does it do?

@mooztik said in The Mud of MudRunner:

Hello Pavel.

But what are the datas transfered from other players ?
Position and angle only ? or other datas like physics parameters ?

Hello mister Mooztik!
Yes, the game basically only sends over positions and angles for vehicles of other players in multiplayer.
Physics parameters of the trucks the game already knows (thats why the game checks that its game data is not changed before accessing multiplayer).

To allow all things to be synced (at least pretty much everything), is it not possible to expand square support to other players (the game know already vehicles caracteristics) and apply physics deformation on terrain by combining these datas ?

You can't keep area of each player simulated. They can drive to 4 opposing corners of the map so it's too much to simulate.
I'm not saying full multiplayer sync is not possible, but it will take time. We will do it 🙂

and the problem about keeping deformation :

  • by making a clone of the map and writing things directly inside on each player's computer, then signing it with a Unique ID will allow game save and version check on load. and for players not synchronized(Different or no ID) it fallback to default map

thank's in advance for your answer 🙂

That I don't understand. The game saves terrain deformations.

@mendel said in The Mud of MudRunner:

The Settings menu has a Simulation Quality [CPU] slider with 3 levels (left, center, right). How exactly does this affect the mud?

I know that the mud chunks are not present at the lowest setting , but what else does it do?

That slider doesn't affect the mud other than that.
Slider position "1":

  • enable everything

Slider position "0.5":

  • disable xray fluids
  • disable all types of terrain decals
  • disable models vertex decals
  • disable particles collisions

Slider position "0":

  • disable "mud chunks"
  • disable "sub particles"
  • disable "spires" and "fireflies" particles flying around levels
  • disable xray engine

@pavel said in The Mud of MudRunner:

You can't keep area of each player simulated. They can drive to 4 opposing corners of the map so it's too much to simulate.
I'm not saying full multiplayer sync is not possible, but it will take time. We will do it 🙂

Glad to ear that.

@pavel said in The Mud of MudRunner:

That I don't understand. The game saves terrain deformations.
true :). just about multiplayer synchronisation.

another question 🙂
are you planning to add metal plate or wood support to help passing or going outside difficult areas. using garage points or repare points for exemple (not only usable for unlocking garages or fixing trucks) ?
It's another headache but add new gameplay.

last edited by Mooztik

Will you be making a post similar to this one explaining the physics?

@mooztik said in The Mud of MudRunner:

are you planning to add metal plate or wood support to help passing or going outside difficult areas.

I have friends who use logs to do that.

@mooztik said in The Mud of MudRunner:

are you planning to add metal plate or wood support to help passing or going outside difficult areas. using garage points or repare points for exemple (not only usable for unlocking garages or fixing trucks) ?

Yes, its one of the ideas for the future.

@edgy_mcedgeface said in The Mud of MudRunner:

Will you be making a post similar to this one explaining the physics?

The physics of water and mud? Maybe! But it's not something I'm particulary proud of, there is not that much to it.

@Pavel
You should absolutely be proud of this accomplishment sir! A one-of-a-kind custom game engine that you coded personally sure beats "Hello world" any day of the week regardless of how "simple" the code may be! 😃

Hello, Pavel! Great article here, I have 1 question: is it possible to add specular\glossiness map for mud? I like how it looks visually, but it lacks when it comes to "feeling" it's substance. I mean it doesn't look like it's something wet and slicky, like the real mud is. Mud in real life is pretty glossy. Of course, dry soil needs to be there as well, since wet mud is the softest one, and usually can be found near the water.
I guess there's some technical limitation that won't allow to add this effects?
alt text
alt text
The above are examples of the "wet" mud that I'm talking about 🙂

@mizogin Hello mister, thank you for your feedback!
Yes, glossy/wet looks of the mud is one of most important shading improvements for the future. However, it's not a trivial improvement, that's why you don't see it in the game currently.

@pavel, Thank's for replying! I'm glad to hear that it's one of the improvements that we might see sometime in the future, so good luck with all your work 🙂 Watching the progress of Spintires and how the game becomes better and better was always very enjoyable thing for me.
P.S and keep amaizing quality models of Alexander Burov coming into the game 😃

@pavel Hello Mr Pavel! Do you think that theoretically your engine would allow to simulate dynamic rain that would affect the ground? I do not ask if such a system will appear in the game anytime soon, I only ask if it may be possible? The same applies to snow - could your engine theoretically simulate it? Regards.

@knight25 Hello dear knight 🙂 Everything is possible to code! It's just a matter of time and effort. But rest assured, we will not stop working on the game until rain and snow are part of it 🙂