For our first car simulator, even before CCD, traffic was created as an extremely logical and disciplined entity - it was planned that there would be a certain “manager” who strictly regulates and coordinates the actions of all cars. Individual cars could not analyze the traffic situation and make decisions on their own. Simply put, they had no autonomy and acted only on the order of the “manager”. It was an attempt to make a fully deterministic traffic, where no surprises occur.

However, creating such traffic is an extremely difficult task, given that there is at least one element of unpredictability on the road - the player. Therefore, the resulting result can be described with one phrase: “it somehow worked”.
When development of the first CCD began, that system was abandoned. It was neither flexible, nor extensible, nor realistic enough for the product we were aiming for.

The only thing we took from the first version was the road network. Lanes for car traffic in it are defined with the help of splines (pre-planned mathematical curves), along which cars drive and pedestrians walk. The splines are laid out by level designers in an internal editor, which we have already mentioned in the early developer diaries. This road network turned out to be a very good solution, and, albeit with modifications, it is still in use today.

But unlike the first version, the cars were finally given free will. Each road user began to make his own decisions about where to go and what maneuver to make, and about other participants knew only what he could observe.

Machine vision, however, is not an easy issue at all. In this version it was implemented in a very simple way. The cars saw only the nearest car in front and the nearest car behind in their lane, as well as two cars in front and two behind in the neighboring lanes. To analyze the situation for a farther distance, we had to go through the cars in a chain, asking the front car its front car and so on.

It followed that the cars could not drive side-by-side in the same lane, and their movement was something like the movement of train cars. Implementation of maneuvers of lane change and overtaking caused a lot of problems, and turned out to be far from perfect, and at intersection we even we even had to make an external dispatcher, because there cars did not see each other at all!

Despite these limitations, in general the system turned out to be quite successful and has been used in many products for over 10 years. During this period the following features have been added to it:

• Dynamic trajectories for pedestrians crossing in the wrong place
  
• Cars entering and exiting parking lots
  
• Narrow forest roads with “pockets” for passing traffic
  
• Traffic passing other cars in the same lane on wide roads.

But the core of the system remained the same, so to implement all these features we had to resort to more and more “crutches”, and their work was not devoid of various “glitches”.

To read the diary in full, visit the City Car Driving 2.0 page on Steam

Hello, car enthusiasts! Today, as an unload - we show a small piece of the pedestrian animation process and the resulting output, which we test on the game range.
More about City Car Driving 2.0 can be found on the game's page

In this developer diary, we'll tell you about the latest updates to game locations where you can service your car.
Previously, the gas station only had basic car refueling functionality with a simple interface.

Now, the gas station has acquired a more detailed appearance and expanded capabilities. We have significantly improved the user interface, making it more functional and interactive. When pulling up to the pump, it's important to consider the location of your car's fuel tank. Two main types of fuel are available: gasoline and diesel. In upcoming updates, there will be a choice of different gasoline grades: AI-92, AI-95, AI-98, and AI-100.
he auto service station has come a long way from its simple alpha version. In the current version, we have not only improved the location's appearance but also significantly enhanced the interface.
Although the design isn't final yet, it already reflects all the core mechanics. At the auto service station, both comprehensive car repair and maintenance of individual systems are available:

• Body repair
  
• Suspension repair
  
• Engine maintenance

All car components are subject to wear during operation and can also be damaged while driving. Regular visits to the auto service station are an important part of maintaining your car in good condition.

More about City Car Driving 2.0 can be found on its page

While most of the current changes are “under the hood” and not yet ready for demo, we are happy to share with you the process of creating a new location.
More about City Car Driving 2.0 can be found on its page

Let's start with the streets of our city, which have become much more vibrant. We've added many new pedestrian appearance options and clothing presets, significantly diversifying the environment. In addition, we fixed bugs in the pedestrian route selection system: they can now avoid obstacles and react appropriately to their surroundings.
The weather system, which we've been working on for a long time, has also received a significant update. Our artists have reworked the visual effects for all weather conditions, including improved cloud rendering. Now, clouds have sharper edges, and the sky features clear patches even on overcast days. These changes make the game’s atmosphere more dynamic and realistic.Alongside weather improvements, we're actively working on the lighting system. It's important to us that the city's lighting is not only beautiful but also realistic. We are striving to find the perfect balance between visual quality and performance, with light sources playing a key role. This includes lighting from street lamps, signs, and windows, as well as cast shadows. In the video, you can see one of the lighting adjustment processes. By the way, what do you think is happening in this video? It may seem like we're testing the onset of an apocalypse, but in reality, this is part of checking the proper rendering of lightning in the sky and on the ground, considering reflections on wet road surfaces but with more noticeable colors.

You can read more about the diary on the City Car Driving 2.0 page

1. Realism: The behavior of vehicles and pedestrians is as close to reality as possible. We’re working hard to improve AI algorithms to make traffic movement more natural and dynamic. Special attention is given to vehicle behavior at intersections, their reactions to traffic lights, and road signs.
   
2. Interactivity: Traffic responds to the player's actions and other events in the game world. AI-controlled vehicles can adapt to road situations, taking into account the player's actions and those of other road users.
   
3. Dynamism: Road congestion levels change depending on in-game time and other factors, creating diverse driving conditions.

One of the recent changes we added to the game is the effect of time of day on road congestion. This is an important element for a realistic gaming experience, as now you’ll need to choose the most optimal time and routes for your trips.
Mornings in the game are characterized by increased traffic levels. Drivers will need to be extra cautious and patient, maneuvering through the dense flow of vehicles.

• Increased traffic
  
• Some game locations are closed in the early morning hours

Daytime represents the peak period of city activity. Traffic becomes more stable and predictable, allowing for better route planning.

• Standard traffic
  
• Most game locations are open and available for interaction

Evenings bring back higher traffic levels. This creates additional challenges for drivers, requiring more attentive driving.

• Increased traffic
  
• Some locations begin to close

Nighttime is characterized by significantly reduced traffic, offering a chance for more relaxed driving and city exploration.

• Lower traffic
  
• Some night venues open up

To read the diary in full, visit the City Car Driving 2.0 page

Here are slightly updated frequently asked questions with answers, new questions with answers, and if you missed it.
Games on the UE engine often have problematic physics. Have you addressed this, perhaps with a dedicated physics module?

Absolutely. We have our own settings and enhancements for the vehicle physics engine. Specifically, on the UE side, we have overhauled the Chaos physics engine globally, as Chaos was not well-suited for vehicle simulations. We also integrated physical simulation improvements from other projects within our company for more accurate simulation. Compared to the first CCD, the physics have been completely revamped, affecting both player vehicle simulation and traffic behavior. Traffic vehicles now lean during turns, suspension works during braking and acceleration, and player vehicles have updated physics. Suspension is fully simulated, wheels can slip, axle drift can occur, and realistic simulations are applied for front-wheel, rear-wheel, and all-wheel drive.

The city seems "sterile": road signs look factory-fresh, for example. Will this be addressed?

Not specifically with the signs. This is a deliberate decision: we consider that different players have different hardware, and this can affect graphics quality. There are devices that meet only the minimum system requirements (we'll provide more specifics before the Early Access release), and such elements could reduce the readability of signs during gameplay. As for the city, while we haven’t focused on this in our development logs, the roads already have textures and various small debris. Level art work is ongoing.

What is the target audience? There are games like BeamNG for physics and cars, and Forza for graphics and cars. What is CCD for?

For traffic simulation and a variety of activities.

Will there be a projector for the windshield in the game?

Not at the moment. But thanks for the question about customization elements; when we get to customization, we will definitely remember this.

Will there be hands, feet, and body of the driver, and thus animated gear shifting, etc., in the first-person view?

Not in Early Access. We’ll look at community requests later. This is a somewhat controversial aspect for us.

Will it be possible to drive public transport and create your own routes on the map? And at what stage will this be implemented?
If by public transport you mean buses, then no, this option will not be available. We are not aiming to be a BUS Simulator. However, in some form, there will be opportunities to work as a driver for passengers (such as taxis), and something close to that. When this will be implemented is still uncertain.

You can read more questions and answers on the City Car Driving 2.0 page.

The rainy season hasn't bypassed our picturesque Porto-Valanta! We're working hard on improving the dynamic weather change system in the game and we want to show you how the city streets transform when clouds cover the sky and rain begins.

Raindrops sliding down windshields, wet asphalt, reflections in puddles — all of this adds a special atmosphere to the city. Moreover, we've significantly improved the road traffic system. AI-controlled vehicles now react more realistically to their surroundings, traffic lights and road signs.

We've prepared a short atmospheric video for you, where you can see all these changes and immerse yourself in the autumn atmosphere. Thank you for your attention! See you in the next diary!

You can find out more about CCD2 on the game's Steam page

This is quite time-consuming, and to create the intended atmosphere, we need to fine-tune each light source. We are making major efforts to convey the atmosphere of various city locations, and would like to share with you our progress with the game in this area.
Below, you can find the screenshots of current appearance of well-known facilities by day and by night. To see the rest of the screenshots, visit the City Car Driving 2.0 page.