Trainz is fun

[MRRextreme]

This package is more fun than I expected. The weather effects are incredible, especially the lightning during storms. The steel mill is neat. Surveyor is excellent. If you need to upgrade your graphics card, do it. You will not be disappointed. Making layouts is flat out enjoyable.

[Joshua_Hill]

Surveyor is really addictive... :)...

Too bad I found a bug (?) with my tunnels (I think I read a post of someone else about that on the Auran forum (although he wasn't taken to seriously...)
Helas, the Auran site seems to be down... so I'll show you some pictures here...

Here's how one of my tunnels looks like in Surveyor (nothing strange...)
http://home.wanadoo.nl/joshua.hill/temp/tunnel_surveyor.gif

And here's how it looks like in Driver... u can imagine that the train derails when it hits the wall next to the hole in the tunnel...
really weird...
http://home.wanadoo.nl/joshua.hill/temp/tunnel_driver.gif

well.. just have to wait until the server is back online I guess...

Josh /=\

[ENTrainman]

same problem here

[MRRextreme]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-01 AT 09:47PM (EST)[p]...hmmmm. Does this happen when the surface is textured? I wonder if the service pack will address this issue?

[SkunkWorks]

Never had that problem, have to update my videocard, because I have a frame rate close to zero. But still having fun.

Greetz Peter. :-)

[PaulD]

Auran is aware of the problem and trying to fix it for the service pack

Paul

[Hack]

Same problem here, but I may have stumbled onto a fix. When you find a tunnel that has an open seam, grab the terrain height tool (doesn't matter which) and raise the terrain anywhere around the portal. Click the "undo" arrow and the seam is gone (at least on mine it's gone) and of course the terrain pops back to normal. :)

Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com

[MRRextreme]

The plateau tool can also be used to fix holes in the terrain or incongruities between displacement areas when using DEM data to generate terrain. The tools are very effective, users should really try to get familiar with them, watch the Moviez, and read the manual.

[driver89]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-01 AT 03:41AM (EST)[p]>Same problem here, but I may
>have stumbled onto a fix.
>When you find a tunnel
>that has an open seam,
>grab the terrain height tool
>(doesn't matter which) and raise
>the terrain anywhere around the
>portal. Click the "undo" arrow
>and the seam is gone
>(at least on mine it's
>gone) and of course the
>terrain pops back to normal.
>:)
>
>Cheers!
>Marc - 3DTrains
>http://www.3dtrains.com

Indeed I was also having the same problem, and did exactly the same thing to fix it, but it was 50/50 whether or not it would fix the problem completely, it seemed that as soon as I hit save, the seam re-appeared. Then when I had fixed the hill around the tunnel and gotten rid of the tear, I moved 1 tile away from the tunnel before hitting save, and haven't had the problem since.
Maybee this will work for some and not others, but it certainly seems that it seems to work differently on different machines.

James.

P.S. Marc have you had any luck with importing models yet? I've tried it but with some not very impressive results. I figure there's a step I'm missing somewhere, but haven't nailed it down yet.

[Hack]

Yes, I got my Drive-in model in. I haven't messed with the locomotives yet, as I'm not too sure whether the models will be "safe." Correct me if I'm wrong, but can't you reverse engineer a Trainz model and import into Max?

At any rate, yes the importing of models in Trainz is strange, but then I'm used to MSTS. The main thing to remember is try building your first model with everything in the same folder (such as 3dsmax4/scenes/trainz/test).

Create a folder in the Trainz\Custom\Scenery directory called "test", and export the IM file there. Also use the Max tool Auran mentioned about moving the images from the working directory to the Trainz one (I can't remember off hand the tool).

Also be sure that all images are 24-bit TGA. Transparencies are handled through separate 24-bit BMP files.

Last note: there's no heiarchy used in the Trainz models...Be sure to "Export Selected" if you have multiple objects (one regular and maybe one for night).

Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains

[Hack]

We'll know in a day or two. :)

Cheers!
Marc - 3DTrains
http://www.3dtrains.com

[driver89]

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-01 AT 09:56AM (EST)[p]Hi Marc,
Thanks for the info, and that makes sense. I was doing it much like I was still doing it for MSTS, and using seperate directories for my textures and shapes. Not used to the way they do it yet either. :) I figured it was something to do with the textures being wrong but I couldn't figure it out.
The other thing that's going to be interesting is the fact that Auran allocates and average of 10,000 polygons for their models. And here I am trying to do the same thing with 2500-3500.

I think I'm going to keep it simple to start off with until I figure out all the little tips and tricks.

Thanks again,

James.

P.S. I believe you are also correct about the reverse modelling of Auran's stuff. I know in their content creation quide they say you can even change the shape file and re-distribute it, as long as you change it 75%. Personally, I think if I'm going to change something 75% I might as well build it from scratch.

[dgallina]

Not sure how you could (easily) reverse engineer the shape files Marc.

Yes the shape files exist in the user (custom) directories separate from the rest, but the Max to Trainz exporter only goes one-way (to Trainz), not back into Max files.

Diego

[driver89]

Well, it is indeed possible to import things from MSTS into Trainz. :) Here's the Kuju Dash 9 (figured I'd use their model as an expendable guinea pig) imported into Trainz. Turns out I wasn't naming my shape file properly.

http://forums.flightsim.com/dcforum/User_files/3c20b9b82b74d49f.jpg

Though I'm still getting some strange side effects. I think I'll keep it simple for a while till I figure more of it out.

James.

[Boweavel]

You Fkn Beauty.. :P

Cant wait now..I got plenty of em :P

Catchya's

[MRRextreme]

Does the Dash-9 cab view appear instead of the F-7 cab view when the Dash-9 is imported?

[Joshua_Hill]

Hmmm... I apologize if I wasn't clear enough...

The SURVEYOR screenshot above is of a map that I LOADED from file... so as you can see, there are no holes in it whatsoever...

I ONLY get the holes in DRIVER...

Also, I did not use DEM data... just terrain modifying tools in Surveyor

Really strange... maybe I found a new bug... which might be related to the other "tunnel bug" of course...

Josh /=\

[jkcooney]

Same with my graphics card. My system has "on board" video (Intel).... wonder if I can just add a GeoForce2 card and bypass the onboard (hard-wired) video chip???? Any thoughts or suggestions?
Joe Cooney