Physics [split from network thread]

[stenyak]

Depends on which are your priorities. I don't know which are the goals of vDrift.

For example, nKpro is very focused on pure physics realism. Not knowing how the internal beta testing version Drivers Republic is, right now i'd say nKpro is the most realistic sim on the market.
ISI sims are more focused on reaching a larger audience, keeping it realistic. It has way more buyers than nKpro, but is less realistic (again, i don't want to start a flamewar, that's just the way it is).
LFS is focused on both things. It's very realistic but also has many "game" features.

So depending on what is vDrift goal, you'll want to implement a new tire and suspension physics now, or leave it until you got a "championship mode" working.

Personally, i wouldn't try to trick the vamos physics engine into behaving like something it's not supposed to simulate. I just don't like faking things, i prefer to do it all The Right Way ™, which is sometimes a suicide due to the complexity :lol: . But seriously, i think an IK system for suspension should be coded, instead of hardcoding values into vamos suspension system so that it behaves like every of those suspensions. Of course, supposing the tire model is perfect, which it isn't, so it may be more efficient to devote those hours to improve the tire model (which accounts for a larger percentage of the perceived sim realism).

I know, these are all just words; I, myself, don't know how to to code the IK thingy (i wish i hadn't chosen to study computer engineering..), but if you think you have the knowledge (or the time to learn the maths/physics involved), i'd say go ahead and forget about current suspension model.
Doing it The Right Way ™, you wont find yourself scratching your head when you later decide to include the 6-link suspension of whicever model, with rods positioned here and there, instead of over there and over here, which will anyways not be correctly simulated in all situatins even if you manage to get somewhat "correct" data.

Edit: this is not only about correct camber values (those could be precomputed using some 3rd party program like blender, a table with suspension compression vs. camber&distance to longitudinal car plane), but also about "toe", "caster", and front wheels rotation when steering (ackerman angles, for example)... basically, the whole 3d position and rotation of a wheel in all situations.