My First Stuff up (First 5 mins of game)

[Boweavel]

Hehe..well the package has arrived and i duly jumped on board for a spin in the out back..Only ive never used a DCC controller before..And this is what happens when you never have...
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f142302ce2a97.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f143d03013dad.jpg

Since i cant drive em.. I guess i'll have to bury my head in the surveyour :)

More pics to come...

Catchya's

[Boweavel]

Just another taste.. A field trip gone wrong... :-)

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f819c030a648b.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f81b60347262e.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f81cc037139ad.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f81e2039eb21c.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f81f803eb332d.jpg http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c0f820f042508de.jpg

Enjoying It !!!

Catchya's

[tomkrist]

This looks great :) Can you take some shoots inside the locomotive???

T.K

[zeeland174]

LOOKS GREAT.
what's the framerate?

[michigandon]

What's that knob thing off to the right for?

Don

[VRfan]

Are Auran going to improve their models? As an example, that S just doesn't look right to me. Most aspects of that model appear to be out of proportion and I can see a number of significant detail problems. Here are the ones I can see just in that screenshot:

1. S classes never had handrails above the windscreens or on the anti-climber.
2. The road number in the number box looks distorted and it only says 306 instead of S306.
3. The horn is the wrong type and it is in the wrong location for most S class locos (including S306). Only S307 and S317 had this type of horn. These were fitted during re-builds after accidents. Most V/Line S class locos had the original style horn fitted on top of the cab roof.
4. The fuel tank valance was removed in the late 1960's and never existed on V/Line S class locos.
5. The door on the front of the nose was welded shut sometime in the late 70's or early 80's. This was before the V/Line livery was introduced.
6. The handrails on the nose are in the wrong position. They were lower down and closer together.
7. The cab side windows are the wrong shape and too long.
8. The grille along the side of the loco is actually smaller in height than the cab side window, not the other way around as on this model.
9. Only S307 had the V/Line lettering at the No 2 end of the loco. All other S class locos had the lettering at the No 1 end on both sides.

If Auran are trying to make a typical V/Line S then the obvious changes should be the following:

1. Remove the fuel tank valances, nose door and handrails above the windscreens and on the anti-climber.
2. Re-locate the horn to the standard location on top of the cab roof.
3. Re-model the horn to the standard S class style.
4. Re-locate the V/Line lettering on the skin to the No 1 end.
5. Write S3XX in the number box and do it properly. (ie: so it fills up the entire number box.)
6. Fix up any other modelling issues including the cab side windows, grille and the shape of the nose. 3D Trains' F7 for MSTS has a much better looking EMD nose. All of Auran's EMD noses look odd.

Some people may say I'm being picky here. Ok, I can put up with a few problems, but this entire model just doesn't look right to me and the detail problems only make it worse. As far as I'm concerned, a model looks real if it is accurate. To me that S looks exactly like what it is, a computer generated model with only a vague similarity to the real thing. On the other hand, 3DTrains' F7 locos for Train Sim look extremely realistic. The proportions look correct, and there are no obvious issues when compared to photos.

Here is a typical V/Line S class locomotive (Steamrail's S313 between Oakvale and Gredgwin Siding with the up Quambatook railfan tour on 14/2/1998):
http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c10554a139f4077.jpg

BTW, the small black rectangle on the side of the loco is where the number plate is normally located.


--

http://members.optushome.com.au/jrbrook/pics/icon.jpg

Victorian Railfan Web Site:
http://www.railpage.org.au/vr/

[evildarkcow]

It is Just a Game!!!

It isn't ment to be a simulator new enginers learn how to drive trains on!! and if it is such a big problem with you then make the engine youself with the improvements and then get it working in trainz....

http://www.interfold.com/harvey/www/trains/edcmoon.gif
Http://msts.evildarkcow.com

[VRfan]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-07-01 AT 06:07AM (EST)[p]You're right, it is just a game. However, Auran are marketing this as a "virtual model railroad". As it isn't a driving sim where you are supposed to spend most of your time in the cab, I think the quality of the models is even more important for this game than MSTS. I don't expect Auran to waste their time producing 100% accurate models of each individual locomotive down to the last nut and bolt. However, I still think it is reasonable to expect fairly accurate generic models of each type of locomotive, especially when it is significantly more expensive than MSTS.

The Victorian S class is my favourite diesel, so I am very familiar with their appearance. To me, this doesn't look like an S and it is certainly not a generic model of the class. There has never been an S class with these detail features on it. If it was only a few errors (eg: nose mounted horn, but no valance), I wouldn't really worry about it. However, the sheer number of problems with this loco is what I'm criticizing. If Auran did what I said in the previous post, it would correct most of the errors and make it a much better model.

--

http://members.optushome.com.au/jrbrook/pics/icon.jpg

Victorian Railfan Web Site:
http://www.railpage.org.au/vr/

[evildarkcow]

I understand, still though not all model railroad engines fit the prototype very well... Auran is a nice company and they did good on trainz, but I have come to think that you can't always expect the best from the company, they do the core of the program but really it is the addons that have always got me coming back to the game, diehard fans of certen things will always do better as far as some parts go, as in this case addon rolling stock and engines.

I saw the picture you posted of the engine and looked at it compared to the engine trainz made and I can see why it bothers you but sometimes that is just the way things go.

Someone sooner or later will probably come up and make a fix for the engine but for now you are stuck with it how it currently is.


http://www.interfold.com/harvey/www/trains/edcmoon.gif
Http://msts.evildarkcow.com

[Boweavel]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-01 AT 03:03AM (EST)[p]Heya guys.. All of my pics can be found at http://www.ausradar.net/screenshots/boweavel/

Trainz starts from Screen_2.JPG and down from there :-)

The Knob is meant to act as a DCC controller.. and i have to say its all i ever use to drive the trainz..

I think theres a Cab View in the pictures somewhere, And as for framerates, I havent used the FPS counter, Tho in the pics you will also see 2 pic's for the display and surveyor settings that i run,

I Am running an AMD Duron650 , Geforce2 mx400 , 196mb RAM , Soundblaster Card ,WIN2K .


The route being built in the pictures is 3 baseboards long with 2 baseboards now fully tracked and finished.. I Zipped it up and sent it to another Trainz fella via email..it zipped up to 136KB using winzip, and its sits in my route folder at just over 417KB
I have 2 other 'new' routes , both downloaded in about 12 secs each using cable..Both are fully sceniced..

Sagatukett route is 8 Baseboards in size..fully sceniced and sits in my routes folder at 1.11MB ..

WeekendProject route is 1 Baseboard it equals 184KB in size...

A Base board in real scale is 750 meters x 750 meters, Now i dont know scales that well..Not one for maths. I used HO scale and followed a plan from an old Model Railroader Magizine It had the outer Dimensions of 25ft x 40ft So my first thing to do was to get the rulers out under the tools section of surveyor and proceeded to measure 25ft.. All those yellow grids you may of seen on the maps ? Well 25ft ended up about 6 squares short of reaching the other side ..Not bad.. So now time for the 40ft.. Of I went plcing smaller ten meter rulers for use in griding up later.. 45ft turned out to use one baseboard and under half of the 2nd baseboard that i placed. Simply by 3 clicks of the mouse button.. Tuddaaa.. ive got an instead new baseboard ..

So then it was a case of gridding it up with the aid of rulers into 32 squares , which i had gridded the same onto the magizine layout..and simply started laying track...

The little white circles seen everywhere are only visible in surveyor.. Each circle can be move in any direction you desire (Or more often than not..How the track desires).
Each circle is known as a spline , All tracks, Bridges, Car spawners, Fences, Powerpoles, tunnels and probably some other things i havent come across yet..use this method of placement.
You simply left click on the terrain then You will have a circle on the terrain..and now connected to the tip of the mouse pointer..is your track, tunnel, bridge ..etc (also.Tunnels snap the terrain automatically to the tunnel entrance, No texture patches need )
You now simply either right click to move your compass, The yellow Glowy thing in the surveyor pics, I call it the anchor cause it acts like one..you can put your pointer on the horizon..one right click and your auto zoomed over to where you dropped the compass.. the compass can also be playced onto a hill of desired height and using the terrain tool "get height" it then takes the measurement of where its placed then click the button next to it for "use height" adjust your terrain circle to suit the area to fill, left click and hold, or tap and tudaa..instant height. Same can be done for the track heights i believe..I dont know as i havent crossed that path.

Back to the circles\splines.. you've left clicked once..circles appear..pan to where you want the other end of track..left click once again and its placed..tudaa, For switchs you simply drag a track to the circle of choice let go of left mouse button.. and again..tuddaaa (ie: a circle to a circle placed ontop of each other will simply 'snap' together),

Well..Thats was a fair bit.. What else you wanna know ? :D

Enjoy folks

Catchya's

[blehmann]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-01 AT 04:09AM (EST)[p]Hi Boweavel,

Love your pics.

One question: In driver can you turn of all the info bits, like controller, consist editor, Trainz logo etc, to have just the view?

Cheers,
Henry.

[Boweavel]

Just placed 5 more pics for ya in the above link..

Bowmorefun shows the hud that pops up when changing to the turntable camera,You either click on those red arrows or click on the shaded red button in the hud CCW

Bowmorefun1 Shows the screen as clear as i thought it could get, I found out after exiting the game that you press F4 and the 'knob' disappears too, The knob will not show at all if you choose to drive from cab.
Bowmorefun2 shows the setting adjustments whilst in game.
Bowmorefun3 shows the driver settings page where you can select to drive from cab (No knob) or with the DCC. If you switch on screen help off ..all the arrows and names you see at switches can be switched off.
Bowmorefun4 shows the clearest screen i could get,Tho i still didnt try the F4 yet to see if the Current speed Hud would disapear. The Trains logo in the top left corner hides a pull down menu where the 'adjust driver settings' can be found (In Bowmorefun2 ) amongst other things.

To change your view of the cars whilst driving..simply place the mouse over the car of choice and Tudaa.. Instant viewing pleasure.. Same goes for switchs..one mouse flick and your away.

I'll see if i can get a screen shot of the 2 maps.. In the driver screens you will see a map button in the bottom right corner. Click on that and your transfered to a birds eye view of the layout (Minus the scenery, just rails) and all the lights and switches are before your eyes..again..a simple mouse click on a switch changes it, See a consist running by ? click on it and control it from the map, or let it go and it will travel its own merry path till stopped by a red light..then you just flick a switch , light changes..And your playing Trainz..

Catchya's

[Boweavel]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-08-01 AT 05:12PM (EST)[p]http://www.ausradar.net/screenshots/boweavel/

Ok another 12 pics for anyone..In these latest shots you'll see the camera's used to get the tracking viws in CamTerra and CamNoTerra jpgs..

Siding cam jpg is exactly that..each switch has a camera that is accesable via the panel to the top right , You'll see my mouse pointing on a Well know switch name (Harmless fun folks)

The last 4 pica are of the mini map.. If you look at 3merge2one.jpg first..You'll see where i simply 'snapped' 3 other layout to my layout therefore ending up with 8 times the amount layout.. And because the 3 routes were allready sceniced (the 3 default Auran tracks) thats saves me a hell of a lot of time.. I Just have to add lines to each board so there all connected up then I'll have fun playing from the..

Minimap.jpg's show you the map that can be brought up during the game..to check and see just were those loose AI trains are situated..If there stopped at a set of lights..simple zoom in..find the track he's on.. And flick a few switchs to set him on his way..Or jump back into the drivers seat and do it your self :} ( Minimap4 is my work..2 days to lay the track )

And theres a couple of other odds and ends jpg's...

Enjoy.. And catchya's

[Boweavel]

Just some more pics for hungry eyes http://www.ausradar.net/screenshots/boweavel/

Enjoy..

Catchya's

[jkcooney]

What frame rates are you getting with your computer setup?

[angus987]

Gm's and Alco DL500s, I think I'm in love!

[Boweavel]

EDC little Baby beast....


http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c29bc571ddc90d5.jpg


As for the Gp9 .. Theres a link to download it in the auran forums..under content creation..Look for a thread started by halfarock.. :P

Catchya