The Track Designer can be used to create tracks for use with Line Racer.
A new track can be created via Track -> New... (
).
A track must have at least a name. Optionally, a version, a multilingual description and an author can be specified.
The entered values can be changed at any time via Edit -> Attributes... (
).
The grid size determines the number of available grid points. It must be between 1 and 100. The grid size can be changed at any time via
Edit -> Grid... (
). However, the grid cannot be enlarged if this would cause existing points
to be outside the grid.
The base area for a track is always 1600 pixels wide and 900 pixels high.
Click OK to create a track with a default layout.
There are the following track elements:
- Track edge: There is an outer and an inner edge of the track. Track edge lines must never cross each other!
- Finish line: There is exactly one finish line. This cannot be deleted. The finish line must connect a point from the outer track edge with a point
from the inner one. The finish line must not cross with a line from the track edge.
.
- Check lines: Check lines are used to ensure that the finish line has been reached by completing a lap of the track.
Check lines are not displayed in the game. When crossing the finish line, a player has only completed the lap if all check lines have also been crossed.
Any number of check lines are allowed. However, there must be at least one. Check lines may not cross with a line from the edge of the track and must
always connect a point from the outer track edge with a point from the inner one.
.
- Start positions: There are exactly six start positions. The start positions must be inside the track.
.
- Background image: It is possible to display a background image.
Existing points can be moved. Points of several elements can be located at one position. If a track edge point is moved,
then the points of the other elements are also moved. There are three ways how to select the track element at that point:
- The Tab key can be used to switch between the track elements. This is already possible if only the point is pointed to with the mouse.
- Double-clicking the left mouse button on the corresponding field in the status bar can also switch between the track elements. For this purpose,
however, the position must first be marked by a click.
- A right-click on the corresponding field in the status bar opens a menu where the track element can be selected.
If pointed to a line, then a point can be inserted into this line via the Insert key. The point is inserted at the current
mouse position. A point can also be added via Edit -> Add point (
).
To do this, the line must first be marked by clicking on it. The point will be added at the next possible position after the start point of the line.
By use of the Remove key a point can be deleted. For this it is sufficient to point with the mouse to the point.
Via Edit -> Remove point (
) a point can only be removed if it was previously marked by a click.
In order to add a check line (via Edit -> Add check line (
)), the starting point of the check line must
first be marked by clicking on it. After that, the end point can be selected by a click.
A background image can be added via Edit -> Add background image... (
) respectively
removed via Edit -> Remove background image (
).
Via Edit -> Show/hide background image (
) the existing background image can be hidden and
shown again. Even if the background image is hidden, it will be saved to the track and will be displayed in the game.
Via Edit -> Colors... (
) various colors can be set. The background color is only displayed if no
background image is used.
Via Edit -> Start direction... (
) you have to define in which direction the race starts.
With Track -> Export... (
) an image of the track can be exported to a PNG file. You can choose which track
elements should be included in the image. This can be used e.g. to adapt a background image exactly to the track.
If there is a problem with a point, then this is signaled (
). If there is at least one problem, then
this is also signaled in the status bar. Right-click on the icon in the status bar to display a list of all problems.
There are the following types of problems:
- A point from the outer track edge is inside of the inner track edge.
- A point from the inner track edge is outside of the outer track edge.
- The track edge lines cross each other.
- The finish line does not connect the outer track edge with the inner one.
- The finish line crosses with the edge of the track.
- A start position is not inside the track.
- There is no check line.
- A check line does not connect the outer track edge to the inner one.
- A check line crosses with the track edge.