Someone please make a "how to paint" guide or FAQ

[vbluguitar]

I am using the final release version (not the press release), and have noted that the TGA and BMP files do not exsist in each train directory, but are lumped together in a folder called "samples". Could someone please give us a step by step guide to repainting these units? I have screwed around and been able to do some painting, but getting the files to show up in the train sim is difficult. In Nels readme file, he says just to add it in the consist editor. What consist editor? I don't know if the press release came with one, but the final only has a consist creator embedded within the activity editor. And it is quite confusing to use. When I put the model name in an exsisting consist file, the Bean sniffer still shows up. I have a feeling that things have changed from the press release version, and that the files that Nels and others have made don't work with the final. We need an up to date faq or guide :). Thanks for the time.

[Nels_Anderson]

I'm using all the add-ons that I created with the release version now. No problems.

The consist editor is part of the activity editor, as you discovered. It would be nice if they made it more accessible, but that's the way it works.

[vbluguitar]

Yeah, I figured out how to edit the consist files by hand and plug my painted engines in. Boy, I am making an Norfolk Southern Geep and It looks great except for the fact that the NS logo gets picked up and placed on the left side hump just behind the cabin door. UGH I don't know why they chose that section to be duplicated. I have had to make the symbol much smaller than it truly is because of this flaw. They programed it so it worked well with the BNSF scheme, but didn't give any thought to other schemes. I thought this was supposed to "open ended" like FS2K. As a play around with it more, and see the complexities involved in repaints, I have a feeling that it is not as open to develpment as it could have been. That doesn't stop it from being a great sim, however.

[Nels_Anderson]

It's quite possible that the 3D software does this automatically without the artist really even being aware of it...perhaps an optimization of some kind. I can't imagine that they'd intentionally make repaints difficult. What we really need is 3rd party created 3D models so we have full control, and people are working on that.