Class DownforcePoint
Represents a single point on the vehicle where aerodynamic downforce is applied.
Namespace: NWH.VehiclePhysics2.Modules.Aerodynamics
Assembly: NWH.VehiclePhysics2.dll
Syntax
[Serializable]
public class DownforcePointRemarks
Multiple downforce points can be configured to distribute downforce across the vehicle, allowing fine control over aerodynamic balance and handling characteristics. The force applied at each point increases quadratically with vehicle speed up to the configured maximum downforce speed.
Force Calculation: At any given speed, the applied force is: actualForce = maxForce * (speed / maxDownforceSpeed)^2 This creates a realistic behavior where downforce becomes increasingly significant at high speeds.
Positioning Strategy: - Place points low on vehicle (near wheel height or floor level) - Avoid high positions that create destabilizing pitch moments - Typical setup: One point at front axle, one at rear axle - Front-biased distribution: Reduces high-speed understeer - Rear-biased distribution: Improves straight-line stability - Equal distribution: Balanced handling
Visual Debugging: Each downforce point is visible as a red sphere gizmo in the Scene view when the AerodynamicsModule is selected, making it easy to verify positioning.
Fields
maxForce
Maximum downforce in Newtons that can be applied at this point.
Declaration
[Tooltip("Maximum force in [N] that can be applied as a result of downforce.\r\nPutting in a too large value will make the vehicle bottom out at high speeds if suspension is too soft.")]
public float maxForceField Value
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| float |
Remarks
This force is reached when the vehicle reaches the maxDownforceSpeed configured in the AerodynamicsModule. At lower speeds, the force scales quadratically.
Typical values by vehicle type: - Street cars: 100-500 N per point - Sports cars: 500-2000 N per point - GT/Touring cars: 2000-5000 N per point - Formula/Race cars: 5000-10000+ N per point
Important: High values improve grip and cornering speed but can cause suspension bottoming at high speeds if the suspension is too soft. Ensure your suspension spring rates and damping are sufficient to handle the maximum downforce without bottoming out.
As a guideline, maximum downforce across all points should not exceed 50-80% of the vehicle's total weight unless using racing-spec suspension.
position
Local position relative to the vehicle transform where downforce will be applied.
Declaration
[Tooltip("Position relative to the vehicle at which downforce will be applied. Marked by red sphere gizmo.\r\nY component should be at about the spring anchor height (i.e. WheelController position).")]
public Vector3 positionField Value
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Vector3 |
Remarks
Position is specified in the vehicle's local space: - X: Left (-) / Right (+) position, 0 = center - Y: Down (-) / Up (+) position, should be low (near wheel height or lower) - Z: Back (-) / Forward (+) position, positive = toward front
Y Component Guidelines: The Y component is critical. Position this point at approximately the same height as the WheelController positions (spring anchor points) or lower. Positioning too high creates a large moment arm that can cause: - Excessive pitch sensitivity - Unstable high-speed handling - Suspension geometry issues
Example Configurations: - Front-wheel drive car: (-0.0, 0.2, 1.5) front, (0.0, 0.2, -1.5) rear - Rear-engine car: (0.0, 0.2, 1.2) front, (0.0, 0.2, -1.8) rear (rear-biased) - Formula car: (0.0, 0.1, 1.8) front, (0.0, 0.1, -1.8) rear (low and extreme)
Visible as a red sphere gizmo in the Scene view for easy positioning verification.