The AVC Project
The “Alien Virtual Car” project is a portable and fast C++ physics library aimed at the realistic, real-time simulation of vehicle dynamics. Despite its name, the library was written with versatility in mind and can be used to virtually build and simulate quite every type of wheeled ground vehicle (and not just cars).
Features
Versatility
Classes representing real-life components (tyres, suspensions, wings, differentials, engines) can be connected toghether in any number or order, allowing the simulation of different types of vehicles.
Advanced Tyre Model
Custom QFE (Quasi-Finite Element) tyre model: tyre body is split into a finite number of narrow “bristles”, no more “magic formulas” or precomputed curves, tyre can naturally deflect and deform and fully simulate transient states and combined lateral/longitudinal slip conditions.
Racing
4-ways dampers, slick tyres, wings, locking differentials: AVC supports racing components (as well as “standard” ones), so that it’s possible to accurately simulate the physics of real-life motorsport.
Aerodynamics
Wings and aerodynamics appendices are accurately simulated, including secondary effects such as air speed (windy conditions) or loss of downforce and wake turbulence on the following car.
Terramechanics
Not just road but also off-road conditions can be simulated, thanks to the terramechanics module; soil deformation, compaction, shear stress and its interaction wiht the QFE tyre model are accurately reproduced by AVC.
Electronics
Devices equipping modern vehicles (such as ABS, ESP, traction control, engine mappings, energy recovery systems and so on) are fully supported; internal algorithms are parameterized and can be fine-tuned to suit a particular vehicle behaviour.
The VGP3 Engine
Built on top of AVC, the VGP3 Engine adds all the technologies required to transform the physics library into a full-featured car racing game/simulator that can be installed on modern consumer hardware (PC). Such technologies include:
– A3e 3d engine: a visualization module, based on legacy OpenGL 2.1 specifications, offering realistic sun/sky/cloud rendering (Rayleigh and Mie scattering), physically based lighting model, postprocessing effects (such as motion blur or full screen anti aliasing) and support for true 3d stereoscopic vision
– Artificial Intelligence module: the VGP3 AI is really advanced; it can drive almost any “reasonable” AVC vehicle; it can find by itself how to drive a particular vehicle fast (track best line, braking points); it’s a real challenge for human drivers, as it’s able to prevent collisions, if possible, in clever ways, maybe transforming a dangerous manouvre of a human driver into an overtaking opportunity
– ANL library: a robust networking library with advanced prediction and lag-compensation algorithms, allowing challenging multiplayer races and fierce tyre-to-tyre fights
For more informations about the VGP3 Engine and the Virtual GP series of games/simulators please visit the official page.