Maximum Terrain Size

[smileynick]

Hi everyone,

I am an experienced terrain artist for other games, however I wanted to try my hand at working with this engine. Could anyone tell me the maximum terrain size available to use?

I am looking to recreate Plymouth to Penzance, and before I purchased a copy of the game, I wanted to check if this would be feasible, or would I have to split this route up into many sections?

Thanks

Nick

 

[martinvk]

Hi everyone,

I am an experienced terrain artist for other games, however I wanted to try my hand at working with this engine. Could anyone tell me the maximum terrain size available to use?

I am looking to recreate Plymouth to Penzance, and before I purchased a copy of the game, I wanted to check if this would be feasible, or would I have to split this route up into many sections?

Thanks

Nick

It's only about 103 km. TS2010 can easily handle that. The constraints would only be your computer's ability to handle the visual load depending on how dense and busy you make the landscape. It is possible to add so much clutter that even the most powerful machine will stagger. Good luck, hope to see some screenshots of your work.

 

[smileynick]

Thanks for the reply, i'll let you know about any WIP shots soon

 

[tardis626]

Marky is already using DEM maps to do penzance to plymouth (and all the branchlines)

see here:
http://trainz.neonw.com/


I think someone else is doing Plymouth - london to link in too


Hope this helps,
Phil

 

[smileynick]

Oh wow, those are fantastic images and work hes done. I am from cornwall and they look spot on.

I guess i better look for another location to do then Maybe Dawlish and the red cliffs.

 

[Vern]

We seem to be running out of bits of the UK to model...

Earlier today I queried in the North Devon thread if the project was still live, as I'd thought abouth doing an Ilfracombe to Barnstaple test route in TS2010. Assured the project is still very much green lighted. The backup was Glasgow to Anniesland which it turns out had also been done.

I have a feeling some of the Cornish branches have been covered as well, certainly Camel Valley and Looe.

As regards maximum terrain size, can't speak just yet for TS2010 but I created a 60 mile route okay in TRS2006 although the texture/object copy and paste function started getting sluggish after detailing @ 40 miles.

 

[ckthomson]

Just because someone else is modelling a route or item doesn't mean you shouldn't have a go at it as well. There's nothing in the Trainz T.O.S. that says that you must only model unique items or areas that nobody has done before.

 

[martinvk]

Oh wow, those are fantastic images and work hes done. I am from cornwall and they look spot on.

I guess i better look for another location to do then Maybe Dawlish and the red cliffs.

Unless you think the route will be a 100% faithful reproduction of the original, every route you make will be your interpretation different from everyone else's route based on the same original. So don't let that fact that others have done a route stop you from making your version.

 

[Vern]

Just because someone else is modelling a route or item doesn't mean you shouldn't have a go at it as well. There's nothing in the Trainz T.O.S. that says that you must only model unique items or areas that nobody has done before.

Aye, fully appreciate that probably just a bit of paranoia on my part that others might think you're trying to better their efforts (though not in the case of my route building standards!!).

 

[PerRock]

Also if you do do a routes someone else is also doing there are some members here that will get all up in your face about it. There isn't really anything you or they can do about it; so for the most part, ignore them.

peter

 

[angelah]

Ostensibly....

Hi all,
Well you all know me, except those that don't of course, ha ha.

As you also know I am running along the line from Paddington to Plymouth (hopefully and one day I may arrive!).
Sections done and on the DS are Paddington to Theale, actually just beyond, and Aldermaston to Westbury. They can be Merged.
At present I have managed about 10 miles of the next section which is more or less from a little before Frome to a tad after Taunton. This also Merges well.
The plan was that I would meet mark at Plymouth as we both use a DEM so they should link up nicely.

However, if Smileynick wants to have a go then I don't see why he shouldn't. Dawlish is a favourite place of mine, been there, stood by the line at the bottom of the cliff, in fact wandered along the private beach the other side of the lines. It is a beautiful place. I modelled it in 'N' Gauge too, hence the visit, a data collecting journey.

I have the DEMs that were kindly made for me by a friend so if Smileynick is interested, better PM me, eh....

Angela

If he wants to be able to link the section into the overall route (merge) then the DEM is vital. Also it would be handy to know what sort of detail to match so downloading the second of my sections would help. That will give all the assets needed in the main.
Unfortunately Marky has decided to send his part up in one piece ( at least I think that is the idea at the moment) so it is not possible to look at his work other than in his screen shots, but his attention to detail is high and the route looks fantastic.
So be forearmed with the knowledge that a high level of route building is required, mainly near the tracks as mine is aimed at a cab drive, although it has detail out to 1200 feet either side of the lines to some extent, so Chase Mode still looks good.

Angela

 

[Twodorgs]

Hi Nick,

Back to your original question. I did a forum search and it appears the limit is the .gnd file that holds the terrain data. In TRS2004/6 it look like the limit is about 500 Mb. One user reported his DEM generated .gnd file was 456 MB with about 7000 baseboards. ( each baseboard is 720m/2400ft X 720m/2400ft )
The total number of baseboards would alter depending on how 'rugged' or detailed the terrain is.

However a layout that size would be a monster and not easy to work on. It would be better if you had a really LARGE project to split them up into modules and use portals to connect then.
I understand there is a module available on the Download Station for TS2010 that allows you use portals to 'drive' between two layouts and have the same time of day and weather when you enter the second layout?

Lindsay

 

[Jayturf]

my current route is 350 miles long...and is probably an average of 8 baseboards wide...and the file size is about 150 megs.

 

[marky7890]

Hi Nick,
As far im concerned I don't mind if someone else wants to do Plymouth - Penzance. Its amazing how the same piece of line, but built by two different creators can look so different.
I will warn however that its not an easy task. So far it has taken me over two years to get this far, which has also included redoing bits several times, but I think how Lostwithiel to Penzance is now is how it will stay, but there will probably still be some minor adjustments to sort out. I have also used basemaps to place fields and roads which is very time consuming.
My route has quite high details at stations and next to the tracks, with the numbers of splines and buildings decreasing further away. I usually have one baseboard either side of the track.

But at least you won't have any problems with finding content for the stations, as I have made loads of custom content for them all. So far content for all stations from Penzance to Saltash (Including the branchlines between) is on the DLS, with a small number of assets not yet on the DLS.

Angela at the moment I don't know if I will release the route as one big one or smaller sections which can be merged. I won't be releasing any of it until its finished anyway. This is mainly incase I need to change things, which I probably will. Also quite a few assets aren't yet released as I need to complete them.

Mark

 

[smileynick]

Thanks for all the replies.

I will do some testing and see what happens.

@ Marky

Your work has been a great inspiration, and I really appreciate your willingness to allow others to use your objects/content. My plans were to replicate the details shown on your website/images.

I wasn't aware of your project at the time, so I believe there is no real point in me replicating the same line, as you have set the standard to which I wanted to re create it anyway.

Keep up the great work, I look forward to using it once released.

 

[Snowhill]

Just to poke my nose into this thread. I am doing the Truro to Falmouth branch using a dem map.. I am setting my layout in the mid 60’s when we had an MPD at Truro that handled both Steam and Diesel. This era has goods sheds at all the main stations, even mainline passenger services from Paddington came down to Falmouth in the summer holiday season.
Marky’s Penzance to Plymouth is an exceptional layout and all the more accurate as he has created specific content in the way of very accurate station buildings… for each and every station, also places like the MPD at Penzance, The signal box at Bodmin Parkway as it is today, a café. Even his rolling stock accurately depicts both FGW and Wessex stock that runs or ran on the mainline and branches.
Routes can be duplicated…. Specifically for different eras from early broad gauge days through to present day…
Praise should also be given to Angela for her WCL1&2 layouts that are also accurate and well detailed and a delight to run on… When everything is completed there will only be one section missing… The eighty miles or so from Taunton down to Plymouth…….
Dennis