Auto-Heartline Generator Update..

Buster has made a small update to the AHG so that the displayed data is rounded to three decimals.
Updated version of the AHG can now be found here: http://nldc.interfix.net/pageid-6.html

Buster and Tyrant have also figured out why some people were having trouble using the AHG properly, with the input boxes and buttons being all out of whack.

Quote from Buster;

The problem has to do with a different dpi-setting for the monitor. Go into the advanced options for your display properties and switch dpi from 120 (what you most likely have) to 96.

Now AHG should work.

Tyrant made this picture to show where to change the setting: http://img274.echo.cx/img274/4668/settings4mw.jpg


Buster.

[coolbeans326]

and its true!!

I thought you would enjoy this thread

I thought about using this tool myself for my last coaster but I couldn't get my head round it. Looks complicated. Does it require a lot of maths to get it working right? And it magnifies any slight bumps in the input track, dodgy stuff.. Guess it's for the expert builders on here!!

Well, i dont know, jpecool used it (Of course kidding)

It is a difficult program to use. I was trying to get it working on my new coaster (see the hard hat thread), but i couldn't figure out all the colouring of spines to prevent this and cause that. I'd use it if soeone could explain it a little better to me *hint hint* When you do get it working though it's a very useful tool, so i'd advise giving it a go.

Track spine coloring is easy:

If you leave it white, the AHG will bank it to get 0 laterals and will remove any negative gs present (for example, an airtime hill would be flipped around at the top so the airtime would be converted into postive gs)

If you change the spine color of the track to black (main track color under segment settings), then the AHG will only heartline it. Whatever banking your track has will be untouched (of course, this is just in theory, since the number of segments and how small the segment is that you've colored will of course change the results).

I never use green or red since they really aren't necessary.

right ok, that makes sense.

As the AHG doesn't do vertical track, can you not heartline. say for example, a cobra roll, and if you can, how? (I must sound like a proper newb, but only to the tools, i've never tried to use them before)

You can, but you will NOT make those vertical segments any color. I find too it for those elements it works better to increase the speed inputs and outputs for a smoother ride. (filter helps more though)

As for doing inversions, just try not to have a vertex right on vertical. If its not at 90.00000 then you are fine. I made a vertical heartline on a top hat that was 89.5 and you cant tell either way and it works perfectly.

Ok, thanks, that helps a lot.

It feels good to actually know what all of this stuff does. Its that annoying "i cant wait until i can do this" feeling with elementary and the purgatorium. I know the basics, but i'd just love to be able to use them to a high standard. Oh well, in time i guess.

I have the feeling your one of these guys who doesnt read the 'read me' files which come with these programs

If your still having trouble Tylers ebook makes a good read

Thank you guys! I was struggling with the AHG myself but i finally got it to work! THANKS!

Lol, thanks for the encouragement Edge. No i do, but it's a complicated program to figure out, and reading the readme of such programs hardly gives you in depth knowledge. And, incidently, that is what i've referred to as a start. Thanks btw Tyler, very helpful.

[coolbeans326]

its easier if some one's teaching you the program.

Well, i dont know, jpecool used it (Of course kidding)

The funny thing about that is its true! I did use it on gravitate, and im not a really experienced designer. And im only 14! [:D][lol] It isnt that hard once you get to grips with it. At the start it kept saying error to me and things like that but i figured it out pretty quickly. If you keep trying it you realise what you've done wrong etc, and then you can use it well. [:D]

I really don't get what people find so hard about using it...All you have to do is load the track, input the initial and final speeds of that section of track, click heartline and save the track.