@Iyagovos said in Answering Frequently Asked Questions:
Hi there!
I asked the developers, here's their response:
Engine emulation is still the same at its core, there is still no "tension-o-meter". But there are many improvements both to the behaviour of the vehicle (tension relative to pedal input) and to sound effects (loudness relative to RPM). There are some plans for future improvements in patches too.
I hope this answers your question!
So, in 'old' versions of Spintires (pre-Workshop) the setup for the engine/gearbox simulation/emulation was like this:
<VehicleConstraint>
<ReverseGear Torque="145722" AngVelMin="-5.3" AngVelOpt="2.65" AngVelMax="6.05" MaxDeltaAngVel="0.1" />
<HighGear Torque="214456" AngVelMin="-3.6" AngVelOpt="1.8" AngVelMax="4.11" MaxDeltaAngVel="0.1" />
<Gear Torque="258381" AngVelMin="-2.99" AngVelOpt="1.49" AngVelMax="3.41" AutoNextLinVel="1.21" MaxDeltaAngVel="0.1" />
<Gear Torque="176161" AngVelMin="0.55" AngVelOpt="2.19" AngVelMax="5.01" AutoNextLinVel="1.76" MaxDeltaAngVel="0.05" />
etc etc
</VehicleConstraint>
And it was good. By manipulating the Min/Max/Opt(imal) AngVel values you could simulate almost any kind of engine: low revving 1950's diesels, modern turbodiesels, high revving petrol engines, even electric motors (which have max torque at 0rpm). I even made a Gearbox Calculator Sheet that would calculate all the torque/angvel values, and even shiftpoint values for any engine/gearbox combination that is physically possible (I even manged to do a good approximation of how a torque converter multiplies the input torque when it isn't locked).
But then everything changed (without any explanation, or any particular reason!) and almost all of the gear-specific information was no longer read from the truck xml file, and was calculated based on a starting torque value, and the AngVel (actually the renamed AngVelOpt) value for each gear:
<Motor MaxDeltaAngVel="0.025" Torque="200364">
<ReverseGear AngVel="0.51" />
<HighGear AngVel="3.9" />
<Gear AngVel="0.42" />
<Gear AngVel="1.49" />
<Gear AngVel="1.8" />
<Gear AngVel="2.01" />
</Motor>
And now only engines that fit the 'default' torque curve can be simulated with any accuracy. And of course, because of the calculated AngVelMin/AngVelMax (and the shift up/down points) you can only use gearboxes that have a certain level of reduction, because if you make the AngVel value for 1st/Reverse too high the vehicle will be unable to move. Not 'it won't work very well' but 'it won't work at all.'
So please. Please revert the changes that Pavel made to engines and gearboxes and give us back the ability to accurately simulate everything from SUVs (UAZ-469) to Tank Transporters (MAZ-535) and everything inbetween.