BTRQ Editor v0.5 - Adjust the performance curves of car engines!

[mcv100]

>>> Downloads below <<<

 

Hi everyone,

 

I have decided to release an editor for adjusting the torque/power - RPM curves which are defined by .btrq files. I have read some forum posts about people using TDUPE to adjust the performance of cars, but noticing that they don't have full control over the engine performance of cars. Therefore, the main goal is to let everyone tinker with those .btrq files, to hopefully allow car modders to tweak engines to their likings!

 

My time is only limited though, so I hope that with the help of you guys, we can find out a lot more about the effect .btrq files have on car performance!

 

Origin of idea

Since Djey released his TDUF tool package, I have been tinkering with the BTRQ files present in the BNK files of cars. Inside the BTRQ files, the torque of the engine is given for a number of engine rotation speeds. These correspond to typical torque - RPM curves, as shown in my editor:

 

[ATTACH]27253[/ATTACH]

 

My editor

So, naturally, I started to adjust the curves to see what would happen in-game. These files do affect the performance of cars! But unfortunately, this effect is hard to test, because originally I could only edit the .btrq files directly from a Hex editor (not user friendly!). Therefore, I have decided to program an editor that allows anyone to intuitively tweak the .btrq files.

 

Usage and controls

Most importantly, you need to have Djey's TDUF in order for this program to work! TDUF is used to decrypt and encrypt the BTRQ files from within the editor, so you don't have to manually decrypt/encrypt them. Steps to incorporate TDUF in the editor:

 

1. Download Djey's TDUF 0.3.0 or higher here. IMPORTANT: You need java 8 in order for TDUF to work. See the TDUF page for instructions on how to install java 8.
   
2. Open the BTRQ Editor.exe (download below). It will ask you to point to the TDUF directory (folder). Just navigate to the location where you downloaded TDUF, and select the folder tduf-0.3.0. (Or higher version if TDUF is updated in the future). Click Ok.
   
3. You are done! TDUF is now correctly loaded and next time you start the BTRQ editor, TDUF will be loaded automatically!
   

This program used to need Djey's TDUF to work, but since the inner workings of TDUF have changed over time, it did not work with my program anymore. I therefore incorporated the original encrypter/decrypter into the BTRQ Editor, so you can just load and save encrypted BTRQ files without having to worry about anything! The decrypter/encrypter I use was made by Luigi Auriemma and its source code is included in the download.

 

Extract a .btrq file from the BNK of the car you want to edit. Use TDUMT for this. (See TDUMT page for instructions or ask here how it works. :)) Always make sure you backup files first! Then, load the .btrq file in the editor. A curve will pop up, which you can now adjust to your likings! If you are done, just hit save and save the .btrq file. Next, fire up TDUMT once again and replace the original .btrq file with the one you just adjusted.

 

Controls:

• Double click somewhere to add a new point.
  
• Right click a point to delete it.
  
• Click and drag points to adjust their location. You can also specify the exact data by editing the boxes on the right hand side when a point is selected (yellow).
  
• To change view from torque (Nm) to power (HP), just select the one you want under "viewmode". Just to make clear, the power curve is NOT independent of the torque curve. Only torque will be included in the .btrq files, since that is the only thing TDU handles. The power curve is just determined by the standard formula power=torque*rpm*2*pi/60. However, changing the power curve will automatically change the torque curve, so that the approximate power curve will get in the game!
  

My own findings

I have very limited time to play around with editing the .btrq files, so I haven't found out a lot yet. That's why I made this editor in the first place, so that everyone can try stuff out! Anyways, I did find out that the shape of the curve totally adjusts the engine performance as you would expect, BUT, the height (amplitude) of the curve does not seem to matter a lot. For instance, try adjusting the curve to a flat 10Nm curve for all RPM. The car will still run, which is physically impossible. Therefore, I suspect that the .btrq files are only used by TDU to determine the shape of the curve, and not the maximum torque/power! The height may be something you can adjust with TDU Performance Editor, but I'm not experienced in that. Another thing still unknown to me is whether the number of points in the curve matters. The number of points vary a lot between cars, but it might be the case that adding/deleting new points will have weird effects.

 

So, please try adjusting curves, play around with them and test the results in game! I hope you guys can find out a lot more than I can on my own!

Downloads

BTRQ editor v0.5. Just unzip the file somewhere and run the .exe file. See Usage and controls for how to use the editor.

 

Another thing that might interest you guys, is that I rendered the curves for ALL default TDU cars. So if you want to see the engine curve of a specific car, you can download all the plots here.

 

Special thanks

Special thanks to Djey, not only for providing us with TDUF, but also for his kind support and testing of some earlier versions of this editor. Thanks Djey!

 

Some technical details

For those of you who are interested, this program was written in Python, using PyQt and MatPlotLib. Mostly due to MatPlotLib, the editor freaking eats up ram like there’s no tomorrow (over 100MB is just insane for such a small program). :) But since my time is very limited (full time student at the moment), I don’t really want to rewrite this program in C++/C# to make it a lot faster and smaller. I’m only somewhat experienced in Python anyways. The source code is included in the download though, so feel free to tweak things/rewrite in a faster language!

 

Older versions

BTRQ editor v0.3

BTRQ editor v0.4

 

Changelog

BTRQ editor v0.4:

• Included the option to exactly edit data points! Dragging is still possible though :). It is still not possible to edit a point so that it crosses the x-coordinate of a neighboring point, since that would be quite hard to handle correctly in plotting and saving data.
  

BTRQ editor v0.5:

• Changed the decrypter/encrypter to Luigi Auriemma's standalone version instead of Djey's TDUF. This makes the BTRQ Editor easier to use and it should now work for a long time!
  

[Tob-Racer]

A new tool and that is a very impressive work ! Good job mate ! :cool: I'm gonna see later how good your work is but I'm sure it's already a very good one. Thank you very much +rep ;)

[mcv100]

Thanks! Well I know at least that my program works for .btrq files already present in cars, so there's that :lol:. Even if it turns out that .btrq files don't have a huge effect after all (I know they do, but not to what extent) and editing them is not very useful, I still massively enjoyed coding this thing! :)

[Tob-Racer]

Torque is important for me :D I love twitching a car and making it realistic. With TDUPE it's great but not perfect. With your tool, you are helping me of getting closer to perfection :) Yes it's not much but it's still interesting :happyroll:

 

Well at least, you enjoy working on your little baby. That's the main thing. :cool:

[mcv100]

Haha, everybody has their own thing they like and together that's what makes a community :).

 

You might still need TDUPE for the engine performance, because as I said in my post, the max torque does not seem to be affected much by the .btrq curves. Very interested in what people like you can find out about the .btrq effects!

[Speeder]

Glad to see that people are still creating awesome tools for TDU! :D

[mcv100]

I know it's only been a week since release, but I'm really curious: Has anybody gotten some results using the editor yet?

[Minime891]

I know it's only been a week since release, but I'm really curious: Has anybody gotten some results using the editor yet?

 

I haven't yet but do plan to shortly.

[dubstep_prod]

Thanks for this soft. It helps me to make near to realistic physics of Veyron. Very usefull program.

[Tob-Racer]

Did tried it as well. :nods: Excellent tool ! I must have to say it's great to be able to modify the torque and the horspower lines. I can't imagine the amount of work behind that tool but I'm sure there is lots of hours. Thank you very much :D

[mcv100]

No problem guys, thanks for the responses!

 

@Tob-Racer, it didn't take a lot of work to build the first version, but refining it is always the most work! It was fun though, wouldn't have done it otherwise either :)

[JPTH]

With this tool, i found how some mods, like audi r8, bmw m6 cant revs 9000 rpm and we have to limited to +/- 7500, because on the final point of the curve, if we put the last point of the curve at 9000 rpm, in game the car doesn´t develops, we need to put the last point to 11000 rpm to ingame the car revs to 9000 well.

 

I tested with corvette c6 z06 and compare the similar curve in real life with the default car on TDU (noble m14)

 

If i put the last point of the curve in 6300 rpm (505hp at 6300 rpm in real life) in game i need change gear at +/- 5500 rpm, if i put the final point of the curve at 8000 rpm, in game i can change the gear at 6300.

 

Ty for make this tool, now i will correct rpm´s some cars :)

 

Just one question, its possible change the time of the gear change?

[Tob-Racer]

The more I use this tool, the more I love it ! TDU, The real driving simulator I must say ! :D This tool makes the torque and acceleration much more realistic. Can't say enough thank you :nods:

 

If you want real graphics for any cars, go here: http://www.automobile-catalog.com/

 

Choose any car you like, click on this link

 

 

Then you get to a nice detail graphic :cool:

 

 

The only wish I have for this tool is have a more precise detailed graphic with more numbers. Like 1500 rpm or 650Nm . If we could zoom on a spot and have the detailed numbers that would be just perfect ;)

[mcv100]

Actually, that's a great idea. I can make it so that you can select a point and then type in the coordinates. Is that what you mean?

[Tob-Racer]

Sort of yes :) Type a coordinates is great too !

[rebelinho]

I'd forgotten about this... I'll try it this afternoon. And Tob, that's a great idea. I remember thinking this couldn't be used to it's full potential due to the lack of power/torque graphs, but now he can put this amazing tool to good use.

[rebelinho]

I'm having a problem with this tool. When I edit the Power graph everything goes well. But then I edit the Torque graph, and it changes the Power values, like there is a link or a proportion between the two that can't be broken. And the same for the other way around, if I edit the Power graph it will change the Torque graph.

 

This only happens sometimes, and I can't figure out why...

[mcv100]

That will always happen, Rebelinho. Power = 2*pi*torque*RPM/60, so changing one will automatically change the other. So yes, they are linked together! If this does not always happen in my program, please let me know, because it definitely should! I hope my program turns out to be useful for you.

[rebelinho]

Oh no it does not happen. I too got a bit surprised how Torque and Power could be adjusted separetely, but didn't give it much importance. When I was editing the Tesla btrq, if it wasn't for the freedom in adjusting each graph by its own, those physics would never match the real graphs.

 

If you look at this...

 

 

You can see the formula P = 2pi.w.T doesn't apply here. For example, at 3000 rpm = 50 rps, Power is 335 HP = 249809 W, which gives 795 Nm = 586 lb.ft . As you can see the graph doesn't show this value... I think we can consider this the real life variables the formula doesn't have in mind.

 

And as you can see here...

 

 

It is indeed possible to give values to torque and power that won't follow the Power formula.

[mcv100]

You are right, the formula does not hold exactly, but still very close. The thing is, the .btrq files really only hold torque values, so TDU will definitely only use torque to simulate a car's behavior. So perfecting the torque graph is the only thing you can do. The power mode in the editor is just another view of the data. I would like TDU to have had seperate files for torque and power data, but unfortunately, only torque is used by the game.

 

Those screenshots of my editor indeed don't look right, I'll see what I can do. I hope I'll have time to do the coordinate mode and fixing your problem this weekend.

[rebelinho]

As for this problem, either you fix it in a way that we changing Torque changes Power automatically and we see but not change the Power graph (or to avoid confusion just delete this option altogether, if I can't or shouldn't be able to adjust it I prefer not to see it in the first place), or you give us the option to adjust both of them independently.

 

But given the btrq file only holds Torque information does this mean that every change I've been doing in the Power graph has no effect in the game? If this is the case then the first optin might be the best, just to avoid further mistakes.

 

And please do add a coordinate system, placing the maximum torque and maximum rpm points is a complete pain :D

[mcv100]

Unfortunately yes, the power curve does not have an effect on the game. In fact, that is why I linked the power and torque graph together, so that when you adjust the power graph, the results indirectly (via the formula) go into the .btrq files. And yes, I agree, maybe I should make that more clear. But I don't think removing the option to edit the power curve is a good idea, since sometimes reallife data from a car is only in the form of a power curve. And then, with the formula, the power curve is approximated by means of a torque curve.

 

Do you guys have an idea how I should handle this in the interface?

[rebelinho]

But I don't think removing the option to edit the power curve is a good idea, since sometimes reallife data from a car is only in the form of a power curve.

 

Yes, yes, you're right. I was too hasty in that "remove the graph!" thing. It may be important.

 

Anyway, I'll leave you with your programming.

 

Edit: Do you want me to send you the non-linked-graphs files?

[mcv100]

Edit: Do you want me to send you the non-linked-graphs files?

 

Yes, that would be helpful! You can PM me.

[mcv100]

Finally I had some spare time this weekend :happyroll:, so I added the option to exactly specify the coordinates of a data point! The new version can be found here. The best way to make a curve is to just create and drag points in a rough curve and then use the edit boxes to fine-tune the points.

 

It might sound simple to add this option, but due to some limitations in the libraries I use to do the plotting, I had to rewrite some stuff to allow for the selection of a point. Therefore, some bugs may have passed into the final build. So if you guys find any bugs, please let me know! Crossing of points is still not allowed, since changing the order of points is quite hard for me to handle correctly.

Any other suggestions to improve the editor are always welcome!