TexasWestern70Mac
03-31-2007, 05:35 AM
here's my laundry list of things i can think of that can be realistically added to MSTS X provided current gaming technologies, yet make something that gets more than 10fps because its TOO detailed, most is physics based more than anything, in game things as well.
1. functioning turntables that allow the locomotive to change directions as well as tracks in the yard.
2. more physics options for steam locomotives
a. different fuels used, coal, oil, wood.
b. accuarte burning rates for different fuels i.e. difference in burning for fuel oil, anthracite coal, bituminous coal, etc
c. ability to have an articualted locomotive as ONE unit and physics to match accordingly.
d. auto stokers as well as hand fired coal burners
e. when a run starts, having to wait for the fire to build up boiler pressure before train movement if the locomotive is starting cold.
f.ability to (if applicable) to use tender trackscoops to pick up water into tenders
g. when fueling or using fuel a simple animation file to indicate depletion or adding of coal (full, 50% full, 25% full and empty.
h. ability to have ash pile up in the ashpan, and neccesity to dump the ashpan in a coal burner after a long run.
i. to have to refuel (both water and coal/oil) when fuel is depleted.
j. ability to have overfire jets if applicable.
k. have to have brake air pressure build as with diesels.
l. boiler explosions if crown sheet exposed.
m. various mechanical failures in game
3. realistic effects for cyclinder cocks. there are two jets of steam per side, and they dont release at the same time, but quartered and not continous unless during initial blowoff.
4. variable pitch for multichime whistles based on duration of the blow. a 2 stage wav file is used during long blows with an inital pitch using a few chimes (lower tone) and full kilter with all chimes. all chimes used if a short blast.
4a. realistic sounds for:
1. dynamo
2. air compressors
3. steam chuffs to wheel rotation and diameter
4. chuffing cutout when drifting
5. articulated engines
5. visual effects as far as steam engines go:
a. more realistic smoke effects ie black, white and translucent with some smoke but make the effects semi transparent so it looks less cartoonish. also if wind is present have the smoke plume blow in certain directions and not follow the train.
b. jet of steam from blowoff valves on the boiler.
c. small steam trail from the dynamo
d. various steam leaks from pistons, air pumps, and steam connections to the train behind
e. firebox flicker on oil burners.
f. have the steam puffs from the smoke stack realisitically match the strokes and speed of the pistons espcially at lower speeds and articulated engines.
g. coal dust effect when fueling at a coaling tower.
h. more animations on the locomotive such as:
1a. reversing gear
2a. power reverse
3a. whistle and bell chords.
4a. bell animations where appropriate
5a. opening and closing cab vents.
6a. opening and closing cab windows (and doors on all weather cabs)
7a. swing, lift, and hang coupler animations.
6. more guages to be funtional in steam locomotive cabs and be able to be both a fireman or engineer. and if applicable having to fire the engine by hand.
7. when doubleheading steam engines have the smoke colors of the trailing engine match the lead engine.
8. basic 3d people in the cabs (steam and diesel) from the extior views of leading units and manned helpers.
9. a more user friendly route editor that doesnt require in depth knowledge of systems to create a route.
a. elimination of the so called white void problem.
b. a terrain creator tool for fictional routes
c. ability to use RAW DEM data from the USGS site for terrain creation.
d. elimination of the "Tiling" method for routes in lue of something less limiting.
e. large library of objects for route creation available in the game route editor from day 1. ie trees/grass/shrubs, tracks, buildings, signals, lineside objects, stations,bridges, tunnel portals, city buildings, industry and agricultural buildings, intermodal facilties,roads, static "miscellanous" objects like cars, small aircraft, fences, animals, abandoned buildings, etc.
f. farther visibility in routes than 2000 meters.
g. more variety of tracks, concrete ties, wood ties, jointed rail, welded rail, secondary main tracks (less maintained with "divets" at joints in rails), dual gauge, narrow gauge, ballast colors more varied, and more switch options ie double slip switches, 3 way switches, ctc switches, abs controlled switches, sprung as well as hand thrown switches with animated stands
h. ability to test a route prior to game loading with a train, and ability to test a route for errors before final loading in game.
i. better scenic options, more realistic water, waterfalls, lakes & rivers. ability to heavilty forest an area without looking like a "cookie cutter" forest.
10. more signalling options in the game.
a. ctc
b. abs
c. track warrant controlled
11. actually have the ability to talk to a disptacher to get warrants that affect train movements such as meets, maintenence delays, derailments, and running out of hours or a "dead" train.
12. accurate defect detectors for your specific train's axle count/ railroad operating on and triggers hotboxes as well as hotboxes for steam engines passing on modern routes. dragging equipment detectors.
13. ability to talk to other trains.
14. to be able to do hump duty, make up trains in the yard and do local jobs and not just long distance trains.
15. ability to do all this with the computer as well as real people in a multiplayer enviornment online.
16. being a dispacther for online play and controlling the trains rather than running them
17. diesel physics more realisitic.
a. have the ability to load test the engines prior to assignment to a train.
b. realstic air-line testing, air build up, and air dumping for normal as well as emergency operations.
c. running out of fuel.
d. random electrical and mechanical problems with units on a train such as:
1a. eletrical problems.
2a. bad traction motors
3a. poor unit loading or unit wont load at all.
4a. major mechanical failures such as blown turbos, pistons, and oil fires.
5a. dragging brakes
e. in multiple unit consists, have all units load like lead unit, and have the sounds of the trailing units match the lead unit when under various power settings.
f.ability to have dpu controlled mid train and end train locomotives.
g. MANNED helper option for mid train and trailing pusher units. ie have to communcate with mid train/ pusher engineers reguarding train movements. and slight physics lag of manned helpers.
h. stalling of diesels that arent tunnel motors in long unventilated tunnels.
18. more realistic coupler values:
a. slack action slowing and starting.
b. visual cue of slack action such as couplers pushing into or sliding out of draft gear.
c. breaking knuckles on trains that have poor power distribution or overloaded.
d. simple animation for coupling/uncoupling knuckles
e. random uncouplings in the train to trigger and emergency situation
19. more realistic rollingstock physics, such as dragging brakes or improper air loading as well as having to manually set brakes when setting out cars on sidings.
20. ability to add / drop off passengers to pax trains and see passengers at stations board and load (simple as a "paper cut out" crowd appear and dissappear over a certain duration)
21. be able to walk thru the cars of a passenger train and not view from just a fixed position, as well as being able to "walk" into vistadomes upper levels
22. much more realisitc camera controls.
a. be able to view the ENTIRE train for as long as you want before the train comes and leaves.
b. be able to "jump ahead"( or behind) of the train and watch it roll by.
c. more realistic pan, tilt and zoom capabilities.
d. being able to "crouch" for those "ants eye" shots.
e. ability to capture VIDEO as well as screenshots.
f. ability to see a whole train derail and not just a few cars.
23. ability when running scenarios to, even with violations aside from derailments, be able to continue running your train unless an abs shoe is on the locomotive.
24. 2 different explore modes, with your train alone, and one where you meet trains, with only simple rules, stop and take the siding or roll on thru.
25. a "railfan" mode so you just have to control speed and direction of a train without operational consequence/ rule braking or collisions.
26. different modes of operation realism.
a. "simple" mode where physics are not applicable except slack action
b. " moderate" where most physics are appicable and required to talk to the dispatcher and other trains, but not all things are needed done to operate the train, such as waiting to air test, etc. also rules violations do not count against you.
c "realistic" all accurate physics and must obey all rules, as well as all directions given by the dispatcher and other trains.
27. more weather options:
a.accumulating snow heavy enough to plow
b.floods
c.heavy rain
d.WIND
e.icing
f.blowing dust
g.fog
e.dynamic weather that CAN change while travelling if option is so checked.
28. more realistic non train sound effects:
a. rain
b. snow
c. wind
d. trees
e. cars
f. railroad crossings with either electric or manual bells or both.
h. animals such as birds.
i. sounds of streams & creeks.
29. gui that is more user friendly and not so "pop up" laden
30. ability to import msts1 locomotives and rollingstock.
31. general visual effects for trains
a. dust kickup
b. snow kickup
c. super-elevation on curves where needed
32. general train sound effects:
a. more realistic doppler effect.
b. echoing horns/ whistles/ chuffs/ diesel sounds in canyons
c. realistic flatspot and squealing sounds randomly placed on certain cars/locomotives.
d. more controllable horn/ whistle with cue points so how long you hold the whistle key is EXACTLY how long the horn/whistle lasts.
e. coupling/ uncoupling sounds
f. ACCURATE sounds when crossing over diamonds or switches.
g. better generic sounds for rollingstock on jointed as well as welded rail. a mouse squeak just doesnt cut it.
h. squealing of all brakes when in hard emergency braking.
33. effects of snow from plows and rotaries.
34. virtual 3d cabs but option of 2d cabs for lower end machines.
35. making more road numbers availble to run and more models but NOT customizable road numbers, that makes too many complex alpha channels to edit.
36. seeing impefections in metal customiazble in intensity of shine with alpha channels.
37. more north american routes from the southwest, midwest or southeast.
38. 32 bit (16 million) colors in the game including aplha channels! 256 colors doesnt cut it!
39. ability to be a helper pushing a train.
40. jump from operating one train to another, and from the lead unit to mid train and pusher units.
thats it for now, tried to be as comprehensive as possible, maybe my list covered some or alot of what others handnt thought of yet.
Bill Hemb; train sim repainter
1. functioning turntables that allow the locomotive to change directions as well as tracks in the yard.
2. more physics options for steam locomotives
a. different fuels used, coal, oil, wood.
b. accuarte burning rates for different fuels i.e. difference in burning for fuel oil, anthracite coal, bituminous coal, etc
c. ability to have an articualted locomotive as ONE unit and physics to match accordingly.
d. auto stokers as well as hand fired coal burners
e. when a run starts, having to wait for the fire to build up boiler pressure before train movement if the locomotive is starting cold.
f.ability to (if applicable) to use tender trackscoops to pick up water into tenders
g. when fueling or using fuel a simple animation file to indicate depletion or adding of coal (full, 50% full, 25% full and empty.
h. ability to have ash pile up in the ashpan, and neccesity to dump the ashpan in a coal burner after a long run.
i. to have to refuel (both water and coal/oil) when fuel is depleted.
j. ability to have overfire jets if applicable.
k. have to have brake air pressure build as with diesels.
l. boiler explosions if crown sheet exposed.
m. various mechanical failures in game
3. realistic effects for cyclinder cocks. there are two jets of steam per side, and they dont release at the same time, but quartered and not continous unless during initial blowoff.
4. variable pitch for multichime whistles based on duration of the blow. a 2 stage wav file is used during long blows with an inital pitch using a few chimes (lower tone) and full kilter with all chimes. all chimes used if a short blast.
4a. realistic sounds for:
1. dynamo
2. air compressors
3. steam chuffs to wheel rotation and diameter
4. chuffing cutout when drifting
5. articulated engines
5. visual effects as far as steam engines go:
a. more realistic smoke effects ie black, white and translucent with some smoke but make the effects semi transparent so it looks less cartoonish. also if wind is present have the smoke plume blow in certain directions and not follow the train.
b. jet of steam from blowoff valves on the boiler.
c. small steam trail from the dynamo
d. various steam leaks from pistons, air pumps, and steam connections to the train behind
e. firebox flicker on oil burners.
f. have the steam puffs from the smoke stack realisitically match the strokes and speed of the pistons espcially at lower speeds and articulated engines.
g. coal dust effect when fueling at a coaling tower.
h. more animations on the locomotive such as:
1a. reversing gear
2a. power reverse
3a. whistle and bell chords.
4a. bell animations where appropriate
5a. opening and closing cab vents.
6a. opening and closing cab windows (and doors on all weather cabs)
7a. swing, lift, and hang coupler animations.
6. more guages to be funtional in steam locomotive cabs and be able to be both a fireman or engineer. and if applicable having to fire the engine by hand.
7. when doubleheading steam engines have the smoke colors of the trailing engine match the lead engine.
8. basic 3d people in the cabs (steam and diesel) from the extior views of leading units and manned helpers.
9. a more user friendly route editor that doesnt require in depth knowledge of systems to create a route.
a. elimination of the so called white void problem.
b. a terrain creator tool for fictional routes
c. ability to use RAW DEM data from the USGS site for terrain creation.
d. elimination of the "Tiling" method for routes in lue of something less limiting.
e. large library of objects for route creation available in the game route editor from day 1. ie trees/grass/shrubs, tracks, buildings, signals, lineside objects, stations,bridges, tunnel portals, city buildings, industry and agricultural buildings, intermodal facilties,roads, static "miscellanous" objects like cars, small aircraft, fences, animals, abandoned buildings, etc.
f. farther visibility in routes than 2000 meters.
g. more variety of tracks, concrete ties, wood ties, jointed rail, welded rail, secondary main tracks (less maintained with "divets" at joints in rails), dual gauge, narrow gauge, ballast colors more varied, and more switch options ie double slip switches, 3 way switches, ctc switches, abs controlled switches, sprung as well as hand thrown switches with animated stands
h. ability to test a route prior to game loading with a train, and ability to test a route for errors before final loading in game.
i. better scenic options, more realistic water, waterfalls, lakes & rivers. ability to heavilty forest an area without looking like a "cookie cutter" forest.
10. more signalling options in the game.
a. ctc
b. abs
c. track warrant controlled
11. actually have the ability to talk to a disptacher to get warrants that affect train movements such as meets, maintenence delays, derailments, and running out of hours or a "dead" train.
12. accurate defect detectors for your specific train's axle count/ railroad operating on and triggers hotboxes as well as hotboxes for steam engines passing on modern routes. dragging equipment detectors.
13. ability to talk to other trains.
14. to be able to do hump duty, make up trains in the yard and do local jobs and not just long distance trains.
15. ability to do all this with the computer as well as real people in a multiplayer enviornment online.
16. being a dispacther for online play and controlling the trains rather than running them
17. diesel physics more realisitic.
a. have the ability to load test the engines prior to assignment to a train.
b. realstic air-line testing, air build up, and air dumping for normal as well as emergency operations.
c. running out of fuel.
d. random electrical and mechanical problems with units on a train such as:
1a. eletrical problems.
2a. bad traction motors
3a. poor unit loading or unit wont load at all.
4a. major mechanical failures such as blown turbos, pistons, and oil fires.
5a. dragging brakes
e. in multiple unit consists, have all units load like lead unit, and have the sounds of the trailing units match the lead unit when under various power settings.
f.ability to have dpu controlled mid train and end train locomotives.
g. MANNED helper option for mid train and trailing pusher units. ie have to communcate with mid train/ pusher engineers reguarding train movements. and slight physics lag of manned helpers.
h. stalling of diesels that arent tunnel motors in long unventilated tunnels.
18. more realistic coupler values:
a. slack action slowing and starting.
b. visual cue of slack action such as couplers pushing into or sliding out of draft gear.
c. breaking knuckles on trains that have poor power distribution or overloaded.
d. simple animation for coupling/uncoupling knuckles
e. random uncouplings in the train to trigger and emergency situation
19. more realistic rollingstock physics, such as dragging brakes or improper air loading as well as having to manually set brakes when setting out cars on sidings.
20. ability to add / drop off passengers to pax trains and see passengers at stations board and load (simple as a "paper cut out" crowd appear and dissappear over a certain duration)
21. be able to walk thru the cars of a passenger train and not view from just a fixed position, as well as being able to "walk" into vistadomes upper levels
22. much more realisitc camera controls.
a. be able to view the ENTIRE train for as long as you want before the train comes and leaves.
b. be able to "jump ahead"( or behind) of the train and watch it roll by.
c. more realistic pan, tilt and zoom capabilities.
d. being able to "crouch" for those "ants eye" shots.
e. ability to capture VIDEO as well as screenshots.
f. ability to see a whole train derail and not just a few cars.
23. ability when running scenarios to, even with violations aside from derailments, be able to continue running your train unless an abs shoe is on the locomotive.
24. 2 different explore modes, with your train alone, and one where you meet trains, with only simple rules, stop and take the siding or roll on thru.
25. a "railfan" mode so you just have to control speed and direction of a train without operational consequence/ rule braking or collisions.
26. different modes of operation realism.
a. "simple" mode where physics are not applicable except slack action
b. " moderate" where most physics are appicable and required to talk to the dispatcher and other trains, but not all things are needed done to operate the train, such as waiting to air test, etc. also rules violations do not count against you.
c "realistic" all accurate physics and must obey all rules, as well as all directions given by the dispatcher and other trains.
27. more weather options:
a.accumulating snow heavy enough to plow
b.floods
c.heavy rain
d.WIND
e.icing
f.blowing dust
g.fog
e.dynamic weather that CAN change while travelling if option is so checked.
28. more realistic non train sound effects:
a. rain
b. snow
c. wind
d. trees
e. cars
f. railroad crossings with either electric or manual bells or both.
h. animals such as birds.
i. sounds of streams & creeks.
29. gui that is more user friendly and not so "pop up" laden
30. ability to import msts1 locomotives and rollingstock.
31. general visual effects for trains
a. dust kickup
b. snow kickup
c. super-elevation on curves where needed
32. general train sound effects:
a. more realistic doppler effect.
b. echoing horns/ whistles/ chuffs/ diesel sounds in canyons
c. realistic flatspot and squealing sounds randomly placed on certain cars/locomotives.
d. more controllable horn/ whistle with cue points so how long you hold the whistle key is EXACTLY how long the horn/whistle lasts.
e. coupling/ uncoupling sounds
f. ACCURATE sounds when crossing over diamonds or switches.
g. better generic sounds for rollingstock on jointed as well as welded rail. a mouse squeak just doesnt cut it.
h. squealing of all brakes when in hard emergency braking.
33. effects of snow from plows and rotaries.
34. virtual 3d cabs but option of 2d cabs for lower end machines.
35. making more road numbers availble to run and more models but NOT customizable road numbers, that makes too many complex alpha channels to edit.
36. seeing impefections in metal customiazble in intensity of shine with alpha channels.
37. more north american routes from the southwest, midwest or southeast.
38. 32 bit (16 million) colors in the game including aplha channels! 256 colors doesnt cut it!
39. ability to be a helper pushing a train.
40. jump from operating one train to another, and from the lead unit to mid train and pusher units.
thats it for now, tried to be as comprehensive as possible, maybe my list covered some or alot of what others handnt thought of yet.
Bill Hemb; train sim repainter