(Big Pix Warning) Hardly Workin': My Attempts to be a Contributing Member of Society

Thanks guys. I'm aiming to at least get some rolling stock out for testing by the end of July.

An issue is that, since I'm am still a beginner at this, there is a substantial quality difference between items created just a few weeks apart. Unfortunately, that means that a lot of stuff is just not worth being distributed and isn't salvageable without editing that is more complex than just rebuilding it from scratch. Inefficiency is my biggest problem right now - the item looks OK visually, but it uses five polys when one would suffice. That also carries over into mapping when I am using 2 or 3 textures where only one is needed due to wasting space on the map. It pains me sometimes to have to throw something away after spending hours on it because it is a polygon texture eating behemoth. Pretty much everything pre-GP20 falls into this category especially if it uses a lot of round shapes. I'm continually triaging my work so stay posted the next couple weeks for more details on what I am proceeding with and what is going into the dustbin.

Also, not to be rude or anything, but please don't ask for beta or testing copies of stuff. It is a little premature to be asking to test something that is yet to be exported to the game. When that time comes I'll ask people. This isn't just a Trainz thing, but I find it slightly irritating when people use a beta period to get stuff early rather than actually try to find bugs and problems.

So, let us see what July brings us.
 
opus722 said:
but I find it slightly irritating when people use a beta period to get stuff early rather than actually try to find bugs and problems.
Click to expand...

Ahaha, the pains of a freeware content developer. :hehe:
At any rate, you're doing some amazing work and I look forward to more pictures.

Cheerio,
Nicholas
 
I am planning for the 50' PS-1s in their original pre-1970s configuration, with running boards and high ladders, to be my first release:



and here is something I started on to work more on after the GP20s, but I may just end up cutting it down into a slug.
 
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Long time, no update. July was too busy to work on much of anything and August looks to be the same. I really envy the people that can churn out a nearly complete model in a weekend. I've been at these two for nearly two weeks and this is all I have to show for it.



 


I finally accomplished getting a whole locomotive on one texture map rather than two without sacrificing resolution. That was really bugging the heck out of me.



Still working on the boxcar's underbody equipment and some other details (latches, brake stuff, etc.), but it is inches away from the finish line.
 
Looks like the colors are a little off on the Chessie one, but who am I to talk? The last Chessie unit I did nearly burned everyone's eyes out, it was so bright!:hehe:

Great looking locos, Opus!
 
I used the colors from here - http://www.3dtrains.com/guides/msts_colors/railroad_colors_na_index.shtml but there isn't a listing for the middle stripe. I saw suggestions on modeling, that is real models, to use SP Daylight Red, but it is way too pinkish and red as you can see. The other suggestion, Vermillion, doesn't fit either. I'll keep fiddling with it. If that doesn't work I'll just stick a high nose on it, paint it black, slap a white "NW" on it, and call it a day.

While I'm on the subject the "Empire Green" there doesn't look 100% correct either, but I don't know.

 
Maybe sample it from this?

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1981461

I used more of an orange (252,90,4) on my cabooses and I was reading on another site to use Illinois Central Gulf Orange. It also said that Chessie didn't even really use the same color twice.

Before the USLW collapse, Adam (Simulatortrain) had some nice Chessie cabooses on the site and he had a grungier shade of orange (192,83,37)
 
That's the neat thing about some of these fallen flags - the colors are't uniform. I've read anecdotes that when a L&N diesel needed a new coat they would just send someone out to the local bodyshop in whatever town the locomotive shops were and buy up the grey that looked the closest. I really want to do the L&N next on this GP30 because it was one of my hometown roads and it is pretty much absent from Trainz. Still sorting out the logo though.



These colors seem better, but I need second opinions.
 
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Sweet job on all of those GP30's. A person can never have too many '30's if you ask me. I especially like that GN unit.

Cheers!

GN
 
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