MotionCab 1.0.0 is out, and it's a big one. I rebuilt the plugin from the ground up, so here's the story of why, and a quick tour of what's new.
How it used to work
Before 1.0.0, MotionCab did everything on its own. It was a standalone plugin
that hooked into the game directly, and it handled every part itself: its
settings lived in a motioncab.ini file, keys were set as raw key codes in
that same file, and the in-game settings window in 0.4 was something I built and
hooked into the game's rendering by hand.
It worked, but it was a lot to carry. Every new feature meant more of that plumbing to write and maintain, and it made MotionCab harder to keep stable. Before 0.4, tuning it meant editing a file, reloading, and hoping it felt right.
Meeting SPF
Then I discovered the amazing SPF Framework. It already does all the heavy lifting: settings, keybinds, in-game UI, and the big one, the reverse engineering. So I decided to rebuild MotionCab on top of it, and let it focus on what it does best: the camera.
The result is a MotionCab that's more stable and easier to maintain, and a lot nicer to use:
- Live settings. Tweak anything in-game and feel the change right away.
- Easy keybinds. Rebind keys from SPF's Keybinds menu, or straight from MotionCab's Quick Settings window.
- A Quick Settings window. Adjust every effect in one place, with right-click-to-reset sliders and a one-click reset for everything.
The framework is now required, so take a look at the installation guide to get set up.
New effects
Some of these already exist in the base game. MotionCab takes them further, with more settings and a more realistic feel.
- Mirror Check. Turn on your signal while stopped and your head glances toward the mirror, with the angle, tilt, and smoothing all adjustable.
- Manual Look. Look left or right on demand, with your own angle and speed, either held or toggled.
- Manual Zoom. Hold a key to zoom in smoothly, and let go to ease back out, instead of the game's fixed steps.
- Body Dynamics. Your head leans into corners and nods when you brake.
Profiles
Found a setup you love? Save it as a profile and switch between setups with one click, like a calm one for long hauls and a punchier one for back roads. Just remember to save: unsaved changes are lost when you close the game.
Everything else got some love
All the effects you already know have been reworked to be more stable and easier to tune, and each one can now be switched on or off on its own. Every setting is listed on the Configuration page.
One thing to know if you're upgrading: the old motioncab.ini file is gone,
and your old values don't carry over. Start from the new defaults and tune from
there.
Open source, and free
MotionCab is now open source under the GPL-3.0. You can find the code on GitHub, and the Rules page has the details.
It's also free, and it always will be. No paywall, no subscription, no "premium" version. Charging money for a mod is a rip-off, and I'm not going to be part of it. Modding exists because people share what they build, not to squeeze the community for cash. If you'd like to support MotionCab anyway, there's a donation page, but it's completely optional.
That's the new chapter. I'm really excited to see where it goes next, and I hope you enjoy driving with it as much as I enjoyed building it.
If something breaks, or you have an idea for what should come next, come say hi on Get Involved. I'd love to hear from you.
Safe travels, and see you on the road.
