Basic Usage

This section covers the core workflow for using the Master Spline Tool to create and manage coordinated spline groups.

Getting Started

Opening the Tool

1. In the World Editor, locate the mode bar at the top

2. Click the Master Spline mode button

3. The tool window will open with a row of buttons at the top

4. The first button is “Add New Master Spline”

Create a New Master Spline

1. Click “Add New Spline” in the tool window

2. The mouse cursor sphere on the map will change from red to purple

3. Left-click on the map to place nodes and draw the spline path

4. Continue clicking to add more nodes - the spline will appear as the user draws

Note: The user now has a master spline with a path but no layers yet.

Adding Layers

Adding a Road Layer

1. With the master spline selected, click “Create Road Spline” (under the layers list)

2. A new road spline will be created and automatically linked as a layer

3. The road spline will appear in the layers list in the tool window

Adding Mesh Spline Barriers

1. Click “Create Mesh Spline” to add a mesh spline layer

2. Repeat to add a second mesh spline layer

3. The user now has three layers: road spline + two mesh spline barriers

Positioning Layers Side to Side

1. In the layers list, select a mesh spline layer

2. Use the Lateral Offset slider to move it left or right

3. Position the first barrier on the left edge of the road (offset value -1)

4. Position the second barrier on the right edge of the road (offset value +1)

5. The layers will maintain their relative positions when the master spline is moved

Basic Editing

Moving Nodes

• Mouse method: Click and drag nodes directly on the map

• Gizmo method: Press ALT to toggle the gizmo, then use the translation gizmo handles

Adjusting Spline Width

1. Select a node on the master spline

2. Look for the rib handles (left and right controls at the node)

3. Drag the rib handles in or out to adjust the width

4. This affects the side-to-side positioning of all layers

Node Editing

• Select node: Click on any node (it will be highlighted)

• Drag node: Click and drag nodes to move them around the map

• Adding new nodes: Hover over free space on the map to add nodes to either end of the spline (whichever is closer)

• Inserting nodes: Hover over the spline to see a highlight sphere and text hint - click to insert a node

• Delete node: Select a node and press DEL

Spline Operations

• Looping a spline: Drag the start or end node close to the other end - a hint line will appear with text markup. Hold SHIFT and release to create a loop

• Joining splines: Drag the start or end node of one spline onto the start or end node of another spline of the same tool type - a hint line will appear. Hold SHIFT and release to merge them into one spline

• Splitting splines: Select a node on the spline, then click the “Split” button under the spline list to divide the spline into two separate splines at that point

• Simplifying splines: Use the “Simplify” button to reduce the number of nodes to a minimum while preserving the core shape

• Flipping splines: Use the “Flip” button to reverse the order of nodes in the spline, effectively flipping the direction. This will also flip the linked splines left to right

Spline Management

Enabling/Disabling Splines

1. In the tool window, find the spline list

2. Use the enable/disable toggle for each spline

3. Disabled splines: No nodes visible, but content still shows

4. Enabled splines: Full interaction with nodes and editing

Recovery System

1. Polygon Selection: Use the polygon selection button in the tool to draw a selection area around compatible objects

2. Scene Tree Selection: Multi-select compatible objects in the scene tree, then right-click and choose “Convert to Master Spline”

3. Object Select: Use the object select tool, then right-click and choose “Convert to Master Spline”

4. The tool will add a new spline and estimate all properties including width, layer positioning, and terrain conformity

Working with Layers

Layer Operations

• Go to layer: Use the “Go To” button to focus on specific layers

• Delete layers: Remove layers which are no longer needed

• Layer visibility: All layers are always visible when enabled

Coordinated Movement

1. Select the master spline

2. Move, rotate, or scale the master spline

3. All linked layers will move together while maintaining their relative positions

4. The side-to-side offsets and spacing between layers are preserved

Auto Banking

1. Enable auto banking: Use the “Auto Banking” toggle button to switch the feature on or off

2. Adjust banking strength: Use the “Auto Banking Strength” slider to control how much banking is applied at each node

3. Set banking falloff: Use the “Auto Banking Falloff” slider to control how sensitive the banking is to curvature changes

4. How it works: The system automatically calculates the twist angle at each node based on the spline’s curvature, creating realistic banking for roads and tracks

5. Fine-tuning: Start with moderate values and adjust based on the desired road behavior

Exporting Master Splines as GLTF

1. Select the master spline you want to export from the spline list

2. Click the “Export GLTF” button located under the master spline list

3. Choose export location: The tool will prompt for a save location and filename

Layer Management

Adding More Layers

1. Use the “Create” buttons to add new layer types

2. Each compatible spline tool has its own creation button under the layers list

3. New layers are automatically positioned at the spline center

4. Adjust offsets to position layers as needed (e.g., move crash barriers to side of road, etc.)

Modifying Existing Layouts

1. Select the master spline to be modified by clicking one of its nodes or selecting it in the spline list

2. Use the “Go To Spline” button to focus on it

3. Make the desired changes (move nodes, adjust width, etc.)

4. All layers will update automatically as the spline is edited

5. Use Undo if the user needs to revert changes

Export to PNG Mask

The tool includes an “Export to PNG Mask” button in the top button row. This exports the entire tool session to a grayscale 16-bit PNG mask, useful for third-party software importing and exporting.

Next Steps

Once the user is comfortable with these basic workflows, they can explore:

• Road design standards and optimization (homologation)
• Path generation features
• Terraforming operations