Ballast on curved track
- Thread starter deighton
- Start date
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
You cannot eliminate the jagged effect completely.
Minimise it by keeping the radius dial to the lowest setting.
You will also find that where you place your cursor will effect the amount of spread. Aiming for where the 10m gridlines intersect will paint an area approximately one quarter of the result you get when hitting the centre of a grid. I appreciate that it is not possible to be too selective when following tracks.
A part solution is to blend in some grass or dirt textures either side of the track bed. The addition of these can often help to tidy up the ballast area. Quick stabs of paint will blend in so that the spiky intrusions are barely noticeable.
An easy but less creative solution is to use a ready made trackbed spline.
This thread link covers some of the above:http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=75825
Cheers
Casper
Minimise it by keeping the radius dial to the lowest setting.
You will also find that where you place your cursor will effect the amount of spread. Aiming for where the 10m gridlines intersect will paint an area approximately one quarter of the result you get when hitting the centre of a grid. I appreciate that it is not possible to be too selective when following tracks.
A part solution is to blend in some grass or dirt textures either side of the track bed. The addition of these can often help to tidy up the ballast area. Quick stabs of paint will blend in so that the spiky intrusions are barely noticeable.
An easy but less creative solution is to use a ready made trackbed spline.
This thread link covers some of the above:http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showthread.php?t=75825
Cheers
Casper
schweitzerdude
Active member
Don't make the mistake I did
I spent much time texturing ballast along many km of rail line before I learned how to change existing baseboards from 10m to 5m grid. After I did this, it all turned to a mess so I had to retexture. After retexturing at 5m grids, the result was much better. I had to change existing baseboards from 10 to 5 because I was using terrain only routes from the DLS which had 10m grids.
I agree that 5m grids are the way to go; just make sure new baseboards are at 5m before you do any work on them.
Now HiBaller mentioned ballast splines - I thought this might be a good idea but never spent time looking for them since I had no idea they existed. I will find them and try them. Thanks HiBaller.
I spent much time texturing ballast along many km of rail line before I learned how to change existing baseboards from 10m to 5m grid. After I did this, it all turned to a mess so I had to retexture. After retexturing at 5m grids, the result was much better. I had to change existing baseboards from 10 to 5 because I was using terrain only routes from the DLS which had 10m grids.
I agree that 5m grids are the way to go; just make sure new baseboards are at 5m before you do any work on them.
Now HiBaller mentioned ballast splines - I thought this might be a good idea but never spent time looking for them since I had no idea they existed. I will find them and try them. Thanks HiBaller.
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schweitzerdude
Active member
to AJ Fox: that's even a better solution
Any way to find them on the DLS? Any KUID's/names/authors we can search for?
Any help you can give would be appreciated by most every user.
Thanks.
Any way to find them on the DLS? Any KUID's/names/authors we can search for?
Any help you can give would be appreciated by most every user.
Thanks.
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mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
I’d be very interested in what might be being suggested here.
I was only aware of two options of track type. i.e. with no ballast (1), and with ballast (the vast majority). The latter may have hard edges (2a), or made to blend in with the underlying textures (2b).
Are we suggesting a third option consisting of track, ballast and some form of underlying track bed all built in to the track spline?
If so, I would also be pleased to see some details.
Cheers
Casper
I was only aware of two options of track type. i.e. with no ballast (1), and with ballast (the vast majority). The latter may have hard edges (2a), or made to blend in with the underlying textures (2b).
Are we suggesting a third option consisting of track, ballast and some form of underlying track bed all built in to the track spline?
If so, I would also be pleased to see some details.
Cheers
Casper
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cascaderailroad
New member
I like to use a feathered edge track, The Greenery has lots ... there also are several splines that are gravel and dirt road, that resemble ballast, that you could slide under the balasted track, to make it wider, but your framerates might double.
View the Reading & Northern video ... I can see absolutely no flaws in tracklaying and textures on his route.
Texturing is an art !
Gentle taps of the mouse are better than heavy slotches.
View the Reading & Northern video ... I can see absolutely no flaws in tracklaying and textures on his route.
Texturing is an art !
Gentle taps of the mouse are better than heavy slotches.
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Ummm. Don't you mean "halve"? I'd be very happy if I could double my framerates using splines.
Bill
Could you be so kind to mention the kuid or author of the track in 2b?
nfitzsimmons
New member
In 2009, at lease, right click on the Add Baseboard button and it will give you the dialog box for changing it.
mezzoprezzo
Content appreciator
With great pleasure.
The specific track is by drstrach S49-INBK7-K 14R > kuid2:283523:38134:2. He has a huge selection on the DLS.
The code letters in the name identify the different nuances of the track types he has produced. You will find full “code breaker” details in English (& Polish) in the config.txt file.
I use his track assets a lot. Old, new, rusty, sleepers only, overgrown. I have over 100, including the excellent transition pieces which can make for some marvellous effects in old run down yards as well as on new tracks.
I thoroughly recommend them.
His work doesn’t just stop with rails. I have found him to be one of the creators who you have to do a DLS user name only search to reveal all of the other goodies!
Commercial now ended!
Cheers
Casper
nfitzsimmons
New member
Any new boards will be created with the 5 setting. If you select the Add Baseboard button, then click on an existing baseboard a dialog boc will open asking if you want to convert that baseboard.
This lets you pick and choose which ones you want to convert. Useful if you have some background baseboards that are far from the action. You can leave those at 10 if you want.
schweitzerdude
Active member
Re 10m vs 5m grids
I think nfitzsimmons' idea of leaving baseboards way in the background at 10m is a good one (and may improve performance?)
Also, remember that 10m is the default (in TS2010 anyway) so each time you start up Trainz, change to 5m and then any baseboards you add will be at 5m until you exit the game. Of course you can go back and forth as needed but do not assume that if you exit at 5 it will start up at 5.
I think nfitzsimmons' idea of leaving baseboards way in the background at 10m is a good one (and may improve performance?)
Also, remember that 10m is the default (in TS2010 anyway) so each time you start up Trainz, change to 5m and then any baseboards you add will be at 5m until you exit the game. Of course you can go back and forth as needed but do not assume that if you exit at 5 it will start up at 5.
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cascaderailroad
New member
Greenery Track seemed to have a tad worse framerates than RTS Track ... Both of these are fabulous ... I used to use MP Rusty & MP Track V2
NorfolkSouthern37 has a great track also.
NorfolkSouthern37 has a great track also.
Ballast and Tracks
Wow, this is neat. So many comments. I thought I was the only one with this issue. I wonder what it is that make it so difficult in the programming to have texture "follow" the spline?
I have tried to put a dirt road under the track bed, but you end up with a lot of spline points and indeed the frame-rate is affected.
I'll keep experimenting. Thanks for the comments, folks!
CD
Wow, this is neat. So many comments. I thought I was the only one with this issue. I wonder what it is that make it so difficult in the programming to have texture "follow" the spline?
I have tried to put a dirt road under the track bed, but you end up with a lot of spline points and indeed the frame-rate is affected.
I'll keep experimenting. Thanks for the comments, folks!
CD