Has anyone seen anything to suggest we can group decals in livery editor?

[Benny44]

I've watched everything I could, and I haven't seen anywhere it points to decal grouping. For me, this is what made Sport's editor almost unusable, since I'm terrible with SVG files. I made some vehicles I was proud of, but it was so very tedious without grouping.

This is not a 'I'm not getting the game unless...' post. I'll get it either way. And I'll still enjoy it. Just REALLY hoping this feature is in the editor!

 

[Scuderia Paul]

No, I haven't seen anything to suggest we can. However, there may be an option to create decals through grouping in the Livery Editor menu. What we've seen of the feature so far has been limited to the application of decals to an actual vehicle.

Hopefully we can group decals but I won't get my hopes up.

 

[Pete_J_C]

you can at least group other peoples' decals, not sure about your own created ones. you add them to favourites, and in favourites you can create your own folder. maybe that helps? you prolly already know this though

 

[syntex123]

@Pete_J_C that’s not the same. At all.

As long as we get a button to mirror all decalsto the other side, I’m happy with that.
It never really bothered me much though, as I always mirrored each decal as I placed it instead of finishing a side before copying over.

 

[Benny44]

@Pete_J_C that’s not the same. At all.

As long as we get a button to mirror all decalsto the other side, I’m happy with that.
It never really bothered me much though, as I always mirrored each decal as I placed it instead of finishing a side before copying over.

I agree, mirroring would be good. I can't imagine the grouping would be difficult to implement given all the creative power it already has. It's a fairly standard function in a livery editor

 

[syntex123]

I can see why they haven’t included it too, though. With no way (maybe in GT7?) to make decals in-game separate from the livery editor like in Forza it doesn’t have much use, except organize the clutter of course.

 

[Pete_J_C]

ah sorry I completely misunderstood. I thought grouping referred to being able to catagorise your user and collected decals in order to access them, because they can get very jumbled if you have a lot. not group them together as a singular decal on a car. silly mistake

 

[Benny44]

I can see why they haven’t included it too, though. With no way (maybe in GT7?) to make decals in-game separate from the livery editor like in Forza it doesn’t have much use, except organize the clutter of course.

I would use it without that though. Doing something like making a car appear full of rust is tedious when you get one spot just right, then realize you have to basically duplicate (or close to duplicate) that 23 more times.

But, we can save SVG files. We could just save decals that we made on vehicles without a separate canvas for the decals

 

[Nuschel01]

Grouping would be hella useful for any decals that consist of multiple separate decals as resizing/repositioning them currently is a major pain. I'd also love to be able to copy stuff like license plates or racing number boards consisting of multiple decals and then paste them again on another part of the car. I hope we'll get that at some point down the line.

 

[Benny44]

Grouping would be hella useful for any decals that consist of multiple separate decals as resizing/repositioning them currently is a major pain. I'd also love to be able to copy stuff like license plates or racing number boards consisting of multiple decals and then paste them again on another part of the car. I hope we'll get that at some point down the line.

I hope so too. I'm still holding out that it may be in there already. I paused many times going through the state of play during the livery editor part, and I don't think they showed the screen where it would be if it was there

 

[MatskiMonk]

It would be handy, but, I don't think we'll see it.

I'm certainly not saying this as an expert, but I can see why it might actually be quite a difficult thing to get right, and that even if it was possible, it might produce some weirdness in use, like the distortion that occurs when duplicating decals with a camera projection method, and then moving them to a different part of the car.

I can imagine that being able to layer up and manipulate all the decals you want in a separate 2D space within the game, save it as a new decal, then apply it in the livery editor would be far more feasible. This seems more plausible because all the game has to do is edit the XML in the SVG files. This is something any of us could do with an SVG file and Notepad.exe.

 

[Nuschel01]

That'd first need the game to not convert the SVGs into some kind of vector-bitmap-mashup images again

 

[Benny44]

It would be handy, but, I don't think we'll see it.

I'm certainly not saying this as an expert, but I can see why it might actually be quite a difficult thing to get right, and that even if it was possible, it might produce some weirdness in use, like the distortion that occurs when duplicating decals with a camera projection method, and then moving them to a different part of the car.

I can imagine that being able to layer up and manipulate all the decals you want in a separate 2D space within the game, save it as a new decal, then apply it in the livery editor would be far more feasible. This seems more plausible because all the game has to do is edit the XML in the SVG files. This is something any of us could do with an SVG file and Notepad.exe.

*some of us could. I only have my phone, and one thing I REALLY dislike in games is if I have to go to a separate thing - in this case a PC - and make something to put in the game.

I get your point, but Forza 4 had it (3 too I believe), so why can't GT have it over 5 years later?

 

[syntex123]

I get your point, but Forza 4 had it (3 too I believe), so why can't GT have it over 5 years later?

I think Matskimonk nailed it by saying this:

(…) it might produce some weirdness in use, like the distortion that occurs when duplicating decals with a camera projection method, and then moving them to a different part of the car.

Forza has no projection method.

 

[MatskiMonk]

That'd first need the game to not convert the SVGs into some kind of vector-bitmap-mashup images again

The bitmaps and SVG files are both stored on the web servers, it's as easy to access one as it is the other, and indeed, this is something you or I could do now.

*some of us could. I only have my phone, and one thing I REALLY dislike in games is if I have to go to a separate thing - in this case a PC - and make something to put in the game.

Fair enough, but my point is that it's very simple for PD to execute in both concept and coding. It's all accounted for in the standard for SVG coding.

I get your point, but Forza 4 had it (3 too I believe), so why can't GT have it over 5 years later?

I've no experience with Forza livery editor, so I've no idea what the limitations of that system might be, or how it works. I'm not saying it would be impossible in GT either, but I've an inkling as to why it would be less ideal than people think - I certainly stand to be corrected by any GTP member with more experience, we have some great 3D modelers on the site.

Forza has no projection method.

It's the camera projection method I'm imagining when I'm thinking it would be difficult, but I could be wrong.

 

[syntex123]

It's the camera projection method I'm imagining when I'm thinking it would be difficult, but I could be wrong.

Oh I know, I added that last line to finalize my reply to @Benny44 , to finish off what I quoted you in. I totally agree with your take on this.
Projection would definitely be a big factor if you group one camera projected decal with a standard surface projected one. That’s asking for problems. Unless you only group decals to have less clutter to copy straight over to the other side.

 

[Benny44]

The bitmaps and SVG files are both stored on the web servers, it's as easy to access one as it is the other, and indeed, this is something you or I could do now.


Fair enough, but my point is that it's very simple for PD to execute in both concept and coding. It's all accounted for in the standard for SVG coding.


I've no experience with Forza livery editor, so I've no idea what the limitations of that system might be, or how it works. I'm not saying it would be impossible in GT either, but I've an inkling as to why it would be less ideal than people think - I certainly stand to be corrected by any GTP member with more experience, we have some great 3D modelers on the site.


It's the camera projection method I'm imagining when I'm thinking it would be difficult, but I could be wrong.

Oh I know, I added that last line to finalize my reply to @Benny44 , to finish off what I quoted you in. I totally agree with your take on this.
Projection would definitely be a big factor if you group one camera projected decal with a standard surface projected one. That’s asking for problems. Unless you only group decals to have less clutter to copy straight over to the other side.

So, when I posted my initial question, I wasn't meaning even putting decals in a separate area and then applying them to multiple cars if I wanted (that would be nice for sure). What I did mean was being able to group decals on cars, then being able to stamp that decal elsewhere on the same car. So, if I'm understanding right, the whole projection thing wouldn't matter.

With the old Forza (I like Forza, but it definitely has other faults) I'd make a car. For example, I made a Looney toons vehicle with Taz, Tweety, and one or two others. I was able to group as I went. So, I'd make Taz's eye, then group it together and be able to move the eye. I'd make each part of him and group them together. Then I'd take those smaller groups of 4 or 5 layers and put them with other small groups to make larger ones. This would involve just the shapes, and not SVG files or anything. I can't see how that would be terribly difficult....but I don't know a lot about tech, so maybe it is

 

[Rizla]

I would love to be able to group decals together so I can change the colours of my livery's with ease.
I have a lot with hundreds of decals & I've spent ages changing the colours because my mate doesn't like that certain shade of blue. Enough to send you round the bend.

 

[Nuschel01]

The bitmaps and SVG files are both stored on the web servers, it's as easy to access one as it is the other, and indeed, this is something you or I could do now.

I know but I meant that the game turns the SVGs back into some weird inbetween type in the livery editor. Especially when you massively scale down/up or heavily skew decals it has happened to me

 

[syntex123]

So, when I posted my initial question, I wasn't meaning even putting decals in a separate area and then applying them to multiple cars if I wanted (that would be nice for sure). What I did mean was being able to group decals on cars, then being able to stamp that decal elsewhere on the same car. So, if I'm understanding right, the whole projection thing wouldn't matter.

No, I got that. But if you projected it differently it would matter, say you did the hood on a Lancer Gr3, and camera projected a decal or two on the side on the hood, and then grouped a normal projected decal with those and decided to place those on the rear flare or what you’d call it. The camera projected ones would be distorted while as the other one wouldn’t. If you get what I mean?

 

[MatskiMonk]

I know but I meant that the game turns the SVGs back into some weird inbetween type in the livery editor. Especially when you massively scale down/up or heavily skew decals it has happened to me

They're very much just bitmaps in the livery editor, there would be no degradation if they were vectors, and there very much is degradation! But it would still be easy to have an intermediate step between decal selection and placing it in the editor, that used selected SVG files, layered up, to generate a fresh bitmap - the key thing is not trying to do it in the 3D environment...

... again, I could be wrong, PD are cleverer than me!

 

[Nuschel01]

The projection methods in GT7 both are kinda broken anyway imho, as even the one that projects to the surface and not the camera skews decals quite weirdly sometimes. I wish there was one that actually kept the decals dimensions around edges and stuff

 

[Benny44]

No, I got that. But if you projected it differently it would matter, say you did the hood on a Lancer Gr3, and camera projected a decal or two on the side on the hood, and then grouped a normal projected decal with those and decided to place those on the rear flare or what you’d call it. The camera projected ones would be distorted while as the other one wouldn’t. If you get what I mean?

Hmmm.....I think we are looking at it a bit differently. It's been a while since I used the livery editor; in fact it's probably been a couple years. But if I recall, you can put a sticker (not an svg decal someone uploaded) on the car, do the whole skew thing, or resize, or whatever. Then I believe you can take that sticker and mirror it on the other side, no?

So I can make a picture.....let's just say something simple, like the number 8. Two circles, then two other circles smaller the same color as the car. 4 stickers, and it's an 8. So in Sport I can mirror each individual sticker (and maybe flip if necessary) and place it on the other side. I have to do that for each Individual sticker. So the capability is there. I mean, even if it's distorted on the car edges, just moving it is easy, or should be

 

[syntex123]

Wasn’t aware you had played GT7 and tested the livery edit

Hmmm.....I think we are looking at it a bit differently. It's been a while since I used the livery editor; in fact it's probably been a couple years. But if I recall, you can put a sticker (not an svg decal someone uploaded) on the car, do the whole skew thing, or resize, or whatever. Then I believe you can take that sticker and mirror it on the other side, no?

So I can make a picture.....let's just say something simple, like the number 8. Two circles, then two other circles smaller the same color as the car. 4 stickers, and it's an 8. So in Sport I can mirror each individual sticker (and maybe flip if necessary) and place it on the other side. I have to do that for each Individual sticker. So the capability is there. I mean, even if it's distorted on the car edges, just moving it is easy, or should be

I understand this basic principle but the editor goes deeper than that. For simple operations like that, of course I understand. But for me it’s never a problem, I do the decals one by one instead of all at once. I’m pretty fast doing so so it never bothered me too much.

Spoiler: Example video

I only used SVGs I prepared on this one, but you see what I mean. Some are camera projected, some standard surface projected. If I moved them/copied them after grouping them some of them would be distorted in another place on the car.

 

[AlexWilmot]

Hmmm.....I think we are looking at it a bit differently. It's been a while since I used the livery editor; in fact it's probably been a couple years. But if I recall, you can put a sticker (not an svg decal someone uploaded) on the car, do the whole skew thing, or resize, or whatever. Then I believe you can take that sticker and mirror it on the other side, no?

So I can make a picture.....let's just say something simple, like the number 8. Two circles, then two other circles smaller the same color as the car. 4 stickers, and it's an 8. So in Sport I can mirror each individual sticker (and maybe flip if necessary) and place it on the other side. I have to do that for each Individual sticker. So the capability is there. I mean, even if it's distorted on the car edges, just moving it is easy, or should be

if you place a decal on say the right hand side of the car and want it on the left hand side while only keeping the 1 layer, you'd have to increase the Angle and Depth numbers of said decal,
however this means it is only mirrored, so for example if you have "AXE" on the on side the above method will have the other side showing "EXA"

 

[Benny44]

if you place a decal on say the right hand side of the car and want it on the left hand side while only keeping the 1 layer, you'd have to increase the Angle and Depth numbers of said decal,
however this means it is only mirrored, so for example if you have "AXE" on the on side the above method will have the other side showing "EXA"

Yes, that's true. But I believe it's pretty easily flipped in the editor, if I remember right.

@syntex123 nice livery! Well done. I think we have to agree to disagree. Just a simple grouping tool, or even stamp, would save sooo much time, at least for me. A livery I could do in Forza in an hour would take about 2 or 3 hours in GT. Not hoping for much, just some very simple QoL improvements for the editor

 

[Gingerale]

if you place a decal on say the right hand side of the car and want it on the left hand side while only keeping the 1 layer, you'd have to increase the Angle and Depth numbers of said decal,
however this means it is only mirrored, so for example if you have "AXE" on the on side the above method will have the other side showing "EXA"

This is exactly why grouping of decals is so important. You could group all the non-text decals (for example flames) and reverse them mirrored on the other side so its an exact copy. Then you can group different text decals (for example FALKEN) and mirror them as group so the other side shows FALKEN instead of some gibberish.

This stuff worked like a charm in Forza, doing all the decals 1 by 1 is just ridiculous lol. Also see a lot of but if's but the solution is pretty simple IMO.

 

[syntex123]

@syntex123 nice livery! Well done. I think we have to agree to disagree. Just a simple grouping tool, or even stamp, would save sooo much time, at least for me. A livery I could do in Forza in an hour would take about 2 or 3 hours in GT. Not hoping for much, just some very simple QoL improvements for the editor

Cheers!
I don’t disagree with you per say.

It kinda has a stamping tool, it does take a few clicks but it can be done quick. (Also shown in that video )
I do agree it takes a while, I usually spend a good few hours making the decals then a couple of hours of assembling. The GT86 in my video took 6h total I think

 

[fuunkyfresh]

I've watched everything I could, and I haven't seen anywhere it points to decal grouping. For me, this is what made Sport's editor almost unusable, since I'm terrible with SVG files. I made some vehicles I was proud of, but it was so very tedious without grouping.

This is not a 'I'm not getting the game unless...' post. I'll get it either way. And I'll still enjoy it. Just REALLY hoping this feature is in the editor!

i agree you with i have to put pieces of one decal in and sometimes that 5 or 6 just to make the one decal and if it turns out i don't like the spot i choose moving it without a group option really takes the enjoyment out of designing your liveries it just gets to tedious like you said and i have yet discover away in gt 7 yet but I'm hoping in an update possibly