what is it best to do 1st geographical layout mountains' etc or track?

[rcaptain17]

Hi just courious as to what best to do 1st when starting, your geographical layout mountain's rivers, roads etc, then colour or track layout 1st. I can't remember as i know this was answered before.

Rcaptain17:o

[geophil]

I guess that's very much depending on your approach to route building. If you go for a DEM-based route you most definitely will start with mountains first, as terra-shaping is the result of importing DEM data.

[Tokkyu40]

I've done both ways; mountains first, then laying track to match, and laying track, then building mountains to fit.
Currently, when freelancing a mountain scene, I start by laying the track the way I want it, with the industries laying loose beside their final poition to mark where they'll go.
Then I raise the track to set the grades, use the smooth track function to raise the land to fit, and then the plateau function to make a semi-smooth base under the track before raising up the mountains.
After that I connect the industries and do some rough texturing before I start building the towns.
The technique you settle on will probably be different. With a little practice you'll develop the sequence that's most comfortable for you.

:cool: Claude

[Vern]

My usual Order of Business:
1. Terrain with Transdem and overlay maps.
2. First attempt at laying track adjusting terrain as you go (particularly for the UK 90m DEM tends to be a bit averaged).
3. Roads and rivers while you still have the map overlay, making any further adjustments to terrain.
4. Global terrain texturing/painting.
5. 3D placement, buildings, foliage, stations etc. Fine adjustment to terrain texture.
6. Signalling, markers, interactives for stations and industries.
(This is an old MSTS habit and could probably be moved up the batting order, though it makes easier to do any track adjustment if you haven't got to delete the signals then replace them).
7. Fine detail - streetlamps, phone boxes, clutter, people etc.
8. Testing, testing, testing. Fixing, fixing, fixing. Ah, they won't spot that, will they?!!
9. Documentation then package up for distribution.

[thegrindre]

I do it all ways, myself, a little of this and a little of that as I go along.

[PerRock]

I generally do all of it as I work, I lay a section(s) of track. put the elevations arround it/under it, put some roads in, paint, supporting buildings (stations, roundhouses, signal towers, etc) then play arround with background stuff later. Oh and most of this is no particular order; just what I feel like at the time, most of the time track laying is first.

peter

[neilsmith749]

Sometimes I'll build some random hills or mountains or valleys, etc, and then look at it and say, "What would be the most logical way to build a railway through here?" Kind of like how it would be done by the first group of surveyors laying some new track.

Everyone has their own ways of doing stuff - I guess just try out different ways of doing stuff, and find which works best for you for that specific situation. There are no rules! :wave:

n

[rcaptain17]

Thanks for all the different aspects, I liked neilsmith749 approach of doing the landscaping and then looking at it an thinking how would have areal railway surveyour have layed track in real life say 150 years ago through this. By the way what is DEM? stand for

[geophil]

DEM stands for "Digital Elevation Model" and is a form of digital geo-data and cartography. A DEM contains height values representing Mother Nature. Using DEM data route builders obtain prototypical terrain with minimum effort. This is a somewhat advanced but well known route-building technique. To process DEM data in Trainz you will have to employ an external tool.

[Tokkyu40]

Also, it varies from route to route. You'll remember that I lay track and set the track heights first. On one of my current projects, the mountain ridge down the center was more important thean the track going through the mountains, so I started with terrain, then laid track to match.
No matter what technique you work out, stay flexible. A different technique may prove to be the right one for a particular layout.

:cool: Claude

[Vern]

I forgot to add, somewhere around No.7, place cameras where you want them also have a sweep through the route to remove any signs you've planted down as markers!

[mjolnir]

Hi just courious as to what best to do 1st when starting, your geographical layout mountain's rivers, roads etc, then colour or track layout 1st.


I depends. If one is copying a specific prototype route, or developing a route the way the original builders developed real railroads, it might be best to start with at least a rough idea of the geological and geographical features. If you are just wanting to have a place to run a collection of your favorite equipment, and not concerned with an economic justification for your railroad, then you may as well start with the tracks.

ns