The Fog Haze has been Lifted

[OTTODAD]

Not really expecting an answer to my question of how to get rid of the Fog/Haze, I had a look into the Weather\Default.bin and changed all it's FogStart / FogEnd parameters to 10000.0000 !

Below are the results, showing the Before and After screenshots of the previously reported locations.

This modification has a dramatic effect in all routes, but have yet to figure how to change the brown color of the distant mountains to contrast with nearer ones and look real, but can not see a way to give them meaningful terrain textures too, no rocky terrain showing in the B-SB forinstance.

O t t o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-946-a.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-946-b.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-953-a.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-953-b.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-976-a.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-haze-976-b.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[nikos1]

I like being able to see the closer mountains in details, but the brown distant mountains are worse in my opinion, they looked better as hazy white than solid brown.

[tomkat41]

Hi Otto,

I have pushed back the fog and it's messing up the sky color a little. If your going
to pushe the fog back to see the brown, I'll post color values for you that you can try.
Hold on for a little bit.

[OTTODAD]

I like being able to see the closer mountains in details, but the brown distant mountains are worse in my opinion, they looked better as hazy white than solid brown.

Trouble is you can not get to see the closer mountains in detail by removing all the haze/fog without showing the distant brown mountains.

The RSDL posters have mentioned that there is a way to change that brown texture to something more appropriate, but have not yet explained in detail how to do that !

A stone grey color might to the trick in the ALPS and the B-SB, but RS does not use RGB colors in the files I have looked into so far ?

O t t o

[t1metraveller]

Trouble is you can not get to see the closer mountains in detail by removing all the haze/fog without showing the distant brown mountains.

The RSDL posters have mentioned that there is a way to change that brown texture to something more appropriate, but have not yet explained in detail how to do that !

A stone grey color might to the trick in the ALPS and the B-SB, but RS does not use RGB colors in the files I have looked into so far ?

O t t o

The presumption is that the brown texture is coming from the texture applied to the ground at the distant point. I'm not entirely sure of this, but the way to test it would be to go to the distant mountains and re-texture the ground around there to a different color, then back off to your original viewpoint and check it.

RGB colors are specified in values 0.0 - 1.0, where 0.0 = 0 and 1.0 = 255. So if you want a value of RGB = 128, 128, 128, then the values would be 0.5, 0.5, 0.5.

You might try changing your FogEnd distance to something between 4000-6000 to give just a slight bit of haze. Out at 10000, you probably have eliminated virtually all haze because it is spread out over such a great distance.

Bill

[tomkat41]

Trouble is you can not get to see the closer mountains in detail by removing all the haze/fog without showing the distant brown mountains.

The RSDL posters have mentioned that there is a way to change that brown texture to something more appropriate, but have not yet explained in detail how to do that !

A stone grey color might to the trick in the ALPS and the B-SB, but RS does not use RGB colors in the files I have looked into so far ?

O t t o

Otto,

To change the Brown go here:
"Rail Simulator\Assets\Kuju\RailSimulator\Environment\Te rrain" and open
"Texturing.bin" at the bottom look for these lines:


<DistantTerrainColour>
<cHcColour>
<Red d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="00000020D49ADA3F" d:precision="string">0.4157</Red>
<Green d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000A03E57D73F" d:precision="string">0.3647</Green>
<Blue d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000C00E9CCB3F" d:precision="string">0.2157</Blue>
<Alpha d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000000000F03F" d:precision="string">1.0000</Alpha>
</cHcColour>
</DistantTerrainColour>

This is the Brown color you see on the mountains.


Replace using these values:

<Red d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="0000000000000000" d:precision="string">0.2196</Red>
<Green d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="00000000D7A3D03F" d:precision="string">0.2941</Green>
<Blue d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="0000000000000000" d:precision="string">0.1176</Blue>
<Alpha d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000000000F03F" d:precision="string">1.0000</Alpha>


This is a type of forest green color. If you want to use a stone Grey it might look
like fog color again.

[t1metraveller]

Ahh, brilliant, Tom!! You have found it!

Bill

[RSDLadam]

The RSDL posters have mentioned that there is a way to change that brown texture to something more appropriate, but have not yet explained in detail how to do that !
In all fairness Otto, you moan at RSDL for giving users information to change things themselves as though its RSDL who should be doing the changes. Yet now your moaning that we havent given those very same details out so you can make the changes...

[OTTODAD]

In all fairness Otto, you moan at RSDL for giving users information to change things themselves as though its RSDL who should be doing the changes. Yet now your moaning that we haven't given those very same details out so you can make the changes...

The recent download of this "Source" whatever information did not help me solve this problem by "Changing things myself", it was Tom Boswell who provided the clue and is continuing to give advice, which I would have expected from RSDL RS support and not from other knowledgeable RS users.

O t t o

[OTTODAD]

Thanks a Million, Tom !

I think that this is the best we can get in RS where distant mountains are concerned and have yet to see good looking clouds like we can get with MSTS KOSMOS, your "Partly Cloudy" skies used in this scene being an improvement ! :o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-views-fixed.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

I take it that there is no way that terrain textures can be applied to RS distant mountains the same as can be done in MSTS ?

Below is another Alps scene from MSFS-X we shall have to wait a long time before we can see the likes in a Train Simulator, theirs or another new one ?

Take care and thanks again !

O t t o

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-msfs-x.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[tomkat41]

Hi Otto,

No, there isn't anyway you can apply textures to the distant mountains.
I tried everything I could think of and can't get it to work.

[OTTODAD]

Hi Otto, No, there isn't anyway you can apply textures to the distant mountains. I tried everything I could think of and can't get it to work.

Hi Tom !

Testing other routes now that I have modified the FOG and COLOR settings find that when you get closer to green colored distant mountains they then show their terrain textures and vegetation, if any.

Is there a setting which can be changed to bring their textures and vegetation into view sooner ?

Although MSTS has a limit for when to start displaying objects, distant mountains terrain textures are always visible, providing that routes *.trk files have been told to show them.

Take care, O t t o.

[Hack]

Testing other routes now that I have modified the FOG and COLOR settings find that when you get closer to green colored distant mountains they then show their terrain textures and vegetation, if any.

Is there a setting which can be changed to bring their textures and vegetation into view sooner ?

Although MSTS has a limit for when to start displaying objects, distant mountains terrain textures are always visible, providing that routes *.trk files have been told to show them.

A bit more complicated than that - you'll need the distant mountain DEM to begin with.

I can't understand why you find this so complicated: that RS does not support distant mountains. :rolleyes:

[NorfolkSouthern_37]

there is just no convincing otto till he finds something that suits himself. any attempt to respond to him opposite of what he wants to hear is going to be ignored so that he can continue his mission to moan about RS. :)

of course i mean all of this in a light-hearted manner

[t1metraveller]

Testing other routes now that I have modified the FOG and COLOR settings find that when you get closer to green colored distant mountains they then show their terrain textures and vegetation, if any.

Otto, the reason you start to see terrain textures as you get closer is because you are now within the draw distance limits for the detailed terrain. Beyond that is where the KRS version of "distant mountains" takes over, with no detail.

Is there a setting which can be changed to bring their textures and vegetation into view sooner ?

Just make sure you have your View Distance set to High and your Terrain Texture detail set to High in the Options Panel. That is as good as you will get.

Although MSTS has a limit for when to start displaying objects, distant mountains terrain textures are always visible, providing that routes *.trk files have been told to show them.

Distant mountain textures are never visible in RS, as they are not implemented. Once you are past the draw distance for textured terrain, that's it.

Bill

[OTTODAD]

Thanks, Bill !

That's what I thought and think so did Tom.

Me having moved the fog out of sight and him helping me to color the otherwise white distant mountains, showing when running mountainous scenarios, is now more enjoyable ! ;)

Do you know how to convert RGB color numbers to these 16 digit HEX colors and their associated 4 decimal values RS uses in that Texturing.bin ?

I would like to try different shades for these dark-green distant mountains.

Take care, O t t o.

[t1metraveller]

Do you know how to convert RGB color numbers to these 16 digit HEX colors and their associated 4 decimal values RS uses in that Texturing.bin ?

I would like to try different shades for these dark-green distant mountains

Yes. Actually, you don't have to fool with the 16 digit hex values at all. Just change the 4 decimal values to what you want. The game will reinitialize the 16 digit hex value appropriately to the new values the next time you run the route.

The decimal values:. Let's say you have the following:

R = 0.7529 (same as 192)
G = 0.5000 (same as 128)
B = 1.0000 (same as 255)

So if R = 192, to convert to decimal, just do the following calculation:

192/255 = 0.7529

Good luck.

Bill

[OTTODAD]

Thanks again, Bill ! ;)

After 2 hours of testing various RGB combinations in the PSP color palette I finally decided on that one below, which looks quite good.

One of the ALPS main stations is called Monteverde, green mountain and that's what we got ! :D

Take care, O t t o.

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-mountains-ok.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

[wildh0rse]

In all fairness Otto, you moan at RSDL for giving users information to change things themselves as though its RSDL who should be doing the changes. Yet now your moaning that we havent given those very same details out so you can make the changes...


LOL! Its a little oxymoronic, read what you just typed

[nikos1]

Nice effort Otto but honestly until/ or if we get distant mountains i think its best to leave the fog. Those mountains look like they were added in MS paint.
If you could set it so that the distant mountains were still hazy and the nearer mountains had a little haze but less than they do by default i think that would work well.

[OTTODAD]

Nice effort auto but honestly until/ or if we get distant mountains i think its best to leave the fog. Those mountains look like they were added in MS paint.

If you could set it so that the distant mountains were still hazy and the nearer mountains had a little haze but less than they do by default i think that would work well.

Not a bad idea, Nikos !

Got nothing much left to do related to train simming and shall move the fog settings so that it covers part of the evergreen distant mountains !

But if they start turning white again then I'd rather have them looking like they do now ! ;)

O t t o

[OTTODAD]

You were right, Nikos !

That looks much better and think that the second one is the better, fogstart-3000 / fogend-3500, which should also suit the other routes, especially the B-SB !

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-fog-2000.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/rsa/alps-fog-3000.jpg (http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk)

Thanks for making the suggestion ! ;)

O t t o

[nikos1]

Very nice Otto, i will have to give Alps a try now that the DM problem has been somewhat sorted out, mabye add some pine tree texture to those mountains and it can start looking a little bit more like FSX :)

[OTTODAD]

Hi Nikos !

Attached are my distant mountains and less haze/fog modifications, which have also improved the views in the Barstow - San Bernardino route and others featuring distant mountains.

Also available from my RS downloads web page.

Again installed by Mike Simpson's RouteSetup.exe it will work "Out of the Box" ! :D

As I have mentioned in it's README, BACK-UP your Rail Simulator first, it being a good idea to have a copy of it for all eventualities ! ;)

Take care, O t t o.

[Hack]

Attached are my distant mountains and less haze/fog modifications, which have also improved the views in the Barstow - San Bernardino route and others featuring distant mountains.

One more time...

RS does not support distant mountain scenery.

While I commend you on your efforts in creating an environment with less fog, something perhaps some may enjoy, implying that you have a "fix" for distant mountains does nothing more than continue the misinformation about what RS can and cannot do.

[djt1]

implying that you have a "fix" for distant mountains does nothing more than continue the misinformation about what RS can and cannot do.

Marc,

What’s this? LOL, misinformation from Trainsim.com, you must be kidding.

[t1metraveller]

Though there is no true detailed distant terrain in Rail Simulator, by tweaking the values and making them specific to a route, much improvement can be gained.

Some of the problem is that a portion of the effect for all of the European default routes is tied to a single distant terrain color in a common texturing.bin file. Those using the Cajon route have their own texturing.bin file which of course may be modified for color and not effect the European routes.

What I feel is the larger problem is that weather-fog has the most to do with the distant terrain effect. And Kuju set up all default routes for the same European foggy weather, including the American Cajon desert route! What? This was documented a long time ago, and has never been fixed by a patch, and I doubt ever will be.

So, I have experimented with the distant terrain for the Cajon route, and come up with what I feel looks pretty good. The weather changes control CLEAR weather ONLY. Other weather types (Overcast, Rain, and Storm) still need to be addressed for the fog aspect.

Distant terrain colors:
Red 0.4039
Green 0.4000
Blue 0.3568

WeatherTypeClear values:
FogColour Red 0.8000
FogColour Green 0.7900
FogColour Blue 0.8400
FogStart 500.0000
FogEnd 7000.000

And you get this:

http://img360.imageshack.us/img360/3852/distantterrainlt2.th.jpg (http://img360.imageshack.us/my.php?image=distantterrainlt2.jpg)

In-game, the different levels (subtle shading differences) of distance are more apparent than what you see in the screenshot.

Bill

[OTTODAD]

Thanks, Bill !

That looks a lot better than my B-SB distant terrain ! ;)

These distant terrain Texturing.bin colors apply to RailSimulatorUS routes only, but the Fog colors affect all RS routes !

There are 8 pairs of <FogColour and <FogStart sections in the RailSimulatorCore\TimeOfDay file. Which need to changed to your values, some or all ?

Take care, O t t o.

[Hack]

There are 8 pairs of <FogColour and <FogStart sections in the RailSimulatorCore\TimeOfDay file. Which need to changed to your values, some or all ?

Gee wiz, Otto. How many "WeatherTypeClear" entries do you have in the one Blueprint?

[t1metraveller]

Thanks, Bill !

That looks a lot better than my B-SB distant terrain ! ;)

These distant terrain Texturing.bin colors apply to RailSimulatorUS routes only, but the Fog colors affect all RS routes !

There are 8 pairs of <FogColour and <FogStart sections in the RailSimulatorCore\TimeOfDay file. Which need to changed to your values, some or all ?

Take care, O t t o.

Hi Otto,

The FogOverride switch in WeatherTypeClear (eFalse or eTrue), also used in other weather types (WeatherTypeOvercast, WeatherTypeRain, WeatherTypeStorm), determines if the TimeOfDay file is used for fog information when that weather pattern starts. If FogOverride is set to eTrue, then the fog information for the entire day (so long as the weather is clear) is taken from the weather file instead and you can control it there instead of the TimeOfDay file. I've been doing mine that way. Set to eFalse, then the TimeOfDay file controls the fog information for each of the 8 periods of the day.

So, yes, if you choose to use the TimeOfDay file to control the fog, then you will have to set up the fog values in each of the 8 areas.

Remember to play with the fog settings for the other 3 weather types as well, as they are controlled (set) in the weather file, because as soon as your weather changes from clear to, say, overcast, the fog settings will be back to default again for the new weather type.

TimeOfDay seems to be used mainly as a base fog effect file for "normal" weather, i.e., clear, so they can set different amounts of sky haze.

Bill

[GBSD70Ace]

Um, yah I installed the zip file and well it messed up my ground textures! It has patches of snow on my US routes and grass almost everywhere.
How do i fix this

[OTTODAD]

Thanks, Bill, that helps a lot to understand how these files interact, allowing fine-tuning to cater for individual preferences. ;)

Take care, O t t o.

[OTTODAD]

Um, yah I installed the zip file and well it messed up my ground textures! It has patches of snow on my US routes and grass almost everywhere.
How do i fix this

Don't know why you have this problem, I have not heard about from anybody else.

Each unzipped folder and then installed into RS folders contains the original files.

In the case of the Texturing.bin delete it and rename the Texturing-ORIGINAL.bin to Texturing.bin and do similar with the other files.

O t t o

[Hack]

Each unzipped folder and then installed into RS folders contains the original files.

Zips? You're not using the supplied RS Package Creator, Otto?