Kawasaki M8 in the works

[malikrthr]

Scottbe8: I am not sure how to add destination textures. Do you mean in Sketchup? If you mean in Sketchup, I can probably make several copies of the Kawasaki M8 and each of them will get different destinations such as Grand Central, New Canaan, Stamford, and New Haven.

Mikey186: I currently use Trainz 2009sp3 (build 3.1) but in the config file, I will downgrade it to Trainz2009 unpatched (build 2.9). Then maybe 2.7.


Notice, I am using both textures from real pictures and built in colors from sketchup. The reason I am working both with textures and sketchup's built in colors is because at some points, it is difficult to crop whole images just to get a certain area such as a wheel or a door, as opposed to a whole train car. When I am done making this in sketchup do you think you can help me export it into trainz. I heard Trainz has a hard time with Sketchup's built in colors but I think there is a way to get it into trainz, hopefully. Also, if you can, maybe take pictures of the destination signs so I can use them as a texture for the M8's destination displays in sketchup.

 

[mikey186]

I currently use Trainz 2009sp3 (build 3.1) but in the config file, I will downgrade it to Trainz2009 unpatched (build 2.9). Then maybe 2.7.

ahh ok, but keep it for version TS2009, 'cause the TC 1, and 2 will end support soon (maybe this year or so). Buzz and Delete are getting the best outta THAT bargain! I'll be on the move with PallaPalla, Rini, and Helios at that point, but i'll see what I can do. I'll still do the sounds though. Do you want me to do the Horn sounds as well?

 

[Scottbe8]

ahh ok, but keep it for version TS2009, 'cause the TC 1, and 2 will end support soon (maybe this year or so). Buzz and Delete are getting the best outta THAT bargain! I'll be on the move with PallaPalla, Rini, and Helios at that point, but i'll see what I can do. I'll still do the sounds though. Do you want me to do the Horn sounds as well?

I already have a hornsound on the DLS.

bxmike has some enginesounds on the DLS as well, but those are stereo-wav, which are incompatible with Trainz. The sounds are also 20-db too loud, making them unwieldy to use with the M7 EMUs. Kinda counterproductive, if you ask me. I have locally created a version of the enginesound that fixes both problems.

There are three sets of sounds that the M7 and M8 make excluding the horn: the engine sound, the bogey clickety-clack, and then there's the AC motor sound which seems to be speed-dependent like the bogey sounds, rather than throttle-dependent like the engine sounds.

 

[malikrthr]

Here is some more work on the M8, it's not much but at least some progress is being made. The other day, I was in an M8 and took some pictues of the interior such as the seats, lights, LED destination displays, windows, doors, and floor so I can use as a texture.

 

[SD45T-2]

Can you go get good photos of the sides of those units? It would look so much better with good textures.

 

[malikrthr]

I would like to get some good photos of the sides so I can use as a texture but it seems like there are not really any pictures of the sides. For now, I was going to work with the built in colors and then once I get this into trainz, I was thinking about reskinning it by using paint.net to crop some photos and use those as textures.

 

[Scottbe8]

I'm working on I just uploaded some destination textures for the M8. They will use the whole of 256x64 TGA files. 0.tga through 15.tga will be Grand Central to Stamford. NC1.tga through NC4.tga will be the New Canaan Branch. X1.tga through X15.tga will be service north of Stamford. WH.tga will be the proposed West Haven texture. OFF.tga will be a blank screen. YNK.tga will be Yankees Stadium for game-day service.

It may be possible to code the train for dual destination textures - a primary, which updates to show the next stop, and a secondary, which is set at the beginning of the run by a dedicated rule or command. That's why I included all station stops in the destination texture file.

 

[mikey186]

or u can try to test it using the Change Destination Sign command/rule that is built-in to TS2009

 

[Scottbe8]

I've tested them on the R46 and they seem to work. Looking at the file structure of the R46, I could see that the textures occupy a "sign" mesh that has two long rectangles and a square, corresponding to the side and front rollsigns. Susanaes, I would suggest you do something similar, with four rectangles (4:1) where the destination displays would be on the main mesh.

I've also created a station textures file, which includes inside displays i.e. "Watch the gap", "This is the train to", etc. Not sure if I want to upload this, as the scripting would likely be difficult.

 

[malikrthr]

Of course I will have to get this into trainz first just to see how it is running. That is awesome news Scottbe8. I wonder if there is a way in trainz where once the train approaches the station, the announcement for the train will come on.

Eg: This is the train to New Haven, the next station is, Mt. Vernon East. Or as you leave the train, please watch the gap between the train and the platform. I wonder if there is a trigger in trainz that allows you to dedicate something such as an announcement to a certain train such as an M8 and another announcement for something such as the push pull shoreliners. If a trigger like that exist, then that would add more realism to Trainz. Just a thought though. I know that there is a trigger for station displays in the M7 cab and the GE P32AC-DM cab.


Another thing that would be difficult for me to do is make textures for small parts of the M8 such as the doors, indicator lights, or metro north logo. I use paint.net to crop images but cropping it to something so small or something specific is very difficult to do. It probably makes more sense to use the built in sketchup colors and then once this gets into trainz, reskin it with photorealistic textures. The final thing is, once the M8 is done in Sketchup, how would I get it into trainz? I know there is a ruby plug in but I would like this to work like a locomotive or rolling stock instead of a static scenery object.

 

[mikey186]

well i dont know about a trigger, but when u export into the trainz using rubytmix, you can change the "type" in config.txt to a 'traincar'. BUT you will also need to make a shadow, add attachment points, and bogeys.

 

[malikrthr]

I don't know how to do any of that. I followed the instructions for the rubytmix plug in but I could not get it to work properly. For now the task should probably be to get this M8 done in sketchup.

 

[Scottbe8]

Would it make sense to send the working files to someone who knows how to compile them? Not myself, I've never worked with meshes, but maybe mikey or susanaes?

EDIT: If you have a soundbank, you can compile it into an HTML asset. Be sure to use 44800 Hz MONO .WAV files, and give them descriptive names i.e. ThisIs.wav, Stamford.wav, DingDong.wav, etc. You can set up a session with the "Station Visited Check Rule", "Check Trackside Rule", and "Play Sound Rule" assets that play certain sounds for certain trains as they activate a trigger or stop at a station. I would use directional triggers so that a departing train doesn't play the announcement "As you leave the train, please watch the gap...".

Example of setup:

Check Trackside Rule: Wait for train containing "Metro North M8 Type A 9104" to enter Trigger "Dep NB Fairfield", trigger only once

Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, DingDong.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, TrainTo.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, StateSt.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, NextStop.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, FfldMetro.wav, completes when sound stops playing​

Result: As the train pulls out of Fairfield Station, it will reach the directional trigger "Dep NB Fairfield". The cabin announcement will play as "*ding dong* This is the train to New Haven - State Street. The next station is Fairfield Metro."

Example 2 of setup:

Station Visited Check Rule: Wait for train containing "Metro North M8 Type A 9224" to load at industry "Stamford(5)"

Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, DingDong.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, ThisIs.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, Stamford.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, TrainTo.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, GCT.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, NextStop.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, Harlem125.wav, completes when sound stops playing​

Result: The train stops at Stamford Track 5 and opens its doors. The cabin announcement will then play as "*ding dong* This station is Stamford. This is the train to Grand Central. The next station is Harlem - 125th St."

Example 3 of setup:

Check Trackside Rule: Wait for train containing "Metro North M8 Type A 9144" to enter Trigger "Arr SB Pelham", trigger only once

Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, DingDong.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, ThisIs.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, Pelham.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, DingDong.wav, completes when sound stops playing
Play Sound: Metro North M8 Soundbank, WatchGap.wav, completes when sound stops playing​

Result: The train approaches Pelham Station, passing the directional trigger "Arr SB Pelham". The cabin announcement plays as "*ding dong* This station is Pelham. *ding dong* As you leave the train, please watch the gap between the train and the platform."

FORESEEABLE PROBLEMS
This will cause the sound to play across the entire route. It may be possible to create a programmable invisible asset that goes on the trackside and monitors passing trains, playing sounds locally rather than globally. For that to work prototypically, we'd need to find some way to get the asset to read a specific train's schedule.

 

[malikrthr]

No update yet on the M8's. My laptop only has 6.30GB of free space left which is terrible. I was thinking about putting Google Sketchup or Sketchup Pro on a flash drive and work with the M8 via flash drive. It will be a will be a couple of weeks until I get my gaming desktop up and running. I have all the parts but I need to test my PSU with a voltage tester soon. Back on topic. I am hunting for pictures that I can use as textures for the M8. I have textures for some of the M8 interior. Right now, I am looking for a full side shot of the M8, roof, trucks, and traction motors. If anyone has any pictures of that or textures, that would be great. Also, if anyone can give me a little 101 texturing lesson for sketchup, that would be great. I am determined to make my M8 look as good as Bstyles R142 subway car. It will take some practice and patience though.

 

[Scottbe8]

Get an external drive, 1TB is less than $100.

 

[BStyles]

Sheesh, let the man work. Throwing alternatives out there like it's an everyday issue does not help in the least.

To aid in a fair share of words, instead of attempting to make another custom cab, you can use the cab of the M7, since the M7 and the M8 share the same cab, minus the color. Try going about contacting the original developer and reskin the cab to the color of the M8. It saves time and work.

 

[Scottbe8]

The default M7 cab has several obvious omissions compared to the IRL M8 cab. Take a look at post 13 of this thread. Then compare it to this image, the default 3D interior for the Bombardier MN M7A.

 

[Scottbe8]

**double-post deletion**

 

[malikrthr]

I just found out that I can get textures off of youtube videos. Let's see what I can find..

 

[mikey186]

I just found out that I can get textures off of youtube videos. Let's see what I can find..

you mean, getting textures off of built-in Trainz Content? i think there is a way. Just clone the built-in content, then you will need PEV's ImagestoTGA (correct me if name is wrong). I done that before (way years ago when I made a reskin of the Amtrak replica on cab cars)