Philadelphia (Work In Progresss) (Large pics)

[t8dagr8]

Good day everyone. A little update, but more importantly, I need some help. First, I apologize if I am posting repeated pictures, I try to add something new especially if it's the same area. I have a poly count screen. Is this the same screen I use to determine total polys?

I wanted to do the windows before I started the roof, and most of them are done. I have started the roof and I am having problems. I can get it how I want it with Gmax, but it doesn't come out the same way in the game.

The roof is supposed to be solid with cutouts for windows. Could anyone offer some assistance in fixing this?

Thank you for your time and assistance.

 

[Scottbe8]

When you render the building, do you get an Alpha map?

 

[t8dagr8]

Thank you Scott. No I didn't get an alpha map. That's a term I'm seeing a lot of today as I'm reading on transparency. I put myself at a disadvantage of learning during construction instead of before I started this in the first place. The more I learn, the more I appreciate the amount of work put into everything I've downloaded from others.

 

[t8dagr8]

Good day everyone. I wanted to check in with an update:

I think we've seen enough of 30th street until it's finished. Thanks to Big_B posting his subway tunnels, doing them his way allows more room to work, less digholes, and better pictures to show. I went back and finally got the track scheme to fit in with the junctions (looking from Suburban Station towards 30th street):

Which leads me to Suburban Station. I know, I still have far to go, but my first goal is to improve what I already had there. Post 9/11, it is really hard to find as much public information as it relates to trains obviously. I'm just saying, I can only go by the information I can find freely available:

DrChoi21, these units look so pretty in Septa stations!

Of course I would like to achieve as much of the look as possible, but I'm trying to stick to the "keep it small" theory with building. Next stop is the station that made me want to learn to build my own: Market East Station. It can't be pieced together, it needs to be built too. I chose 30th street station to start to learn because it would be the hardest. Thank you for your time.

 

[t8dagr8]

Good day everyone. I wanted to check in with an update. In the past couple of days, I've changed graphics editing programs to a better one. I do hope you see improvement with each new thing I do.

When you render the building, do you get an Alpha map?

Thank you again Scottbe. I appreciate your help throughout this. It took some time to understand alpha maps, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. Best to show how I'm using it going forward, rather than show 30th street. I am up to Market East, and am liking how it's going (alpha map use):

Please excuse the "escalator". That's my attempt to create reality through illusion. It looks good if you are facing the stairwell straight on. Problem is, that happens rarely. There are very few pictures of the true mural, even fewer of the full thing.

Thank you for your time.

 

[jacksonbarno]

If its worth anything, that escalator looks better than some in MSTS.:hehe:

 

[stratuspheretrish]

NICE WORK !!!

 

[t8dagr8]

Thank you both. I am learning alot with this, but I am still in need of a lot of help. Texturing has been the hardest part to grasp. I mostly trial and error things, but the most progress I make is when someone shares a tip that works for them. This all would look even better if I can get the texturing resolutions correct. From what I've read and seen, the higher the resolution, the larger the load time. My question is, how do you decide on resolution as it relates to the size of the object? How do you get such detailed resolutions on larger items without needing larger pictures? Here is the 2nd platform texture I made. The first one I made is the one you see mostly. It's 256x256 currently. The platform object is 145m x 4m or 8m

 

[t8dagr8]

Good day everyone. Update: I am still moving along. Going back to the escalators at Market East, I could have saved a lot of work if I just went through my asset list. Martinvk has made some pretty ones! I wrongly assumed an escalator would be too hard to create in this game. Moving forward based on the direction I was going we finally get to Temple University (facing center city). Since we haven't had a true winter in 2 1/2 years, all we've seen is rain around here :

I am still undecided how to present this area. I know most of this area from memory, but from a vehicle's perspective. Definite college atmosphere, but enough of the factories to not forget what was. While my focus is capture what you see from the train windows, certain areas deserve to get represented. I am just unsure if this will be one of them. Thank you for your time.

 

[stratuspheretrish]

I have the actually SEPTA Catenary in my laptop. Do u want them. and use them for ur route

 

[amtrak2041864]

I know what you mean, I havent seen a heavy amount of snow fall in about two years. I love snow so you know how I feel

 

[RRSignal]

Good day everyone. Update: I am still moving along. Going back to the escalators at Market East, I could have saved a lot of work if I just went through my asset list. Martinvk has made some pretty ones! I wrongly assumed an escalator would be too hard to create in this game. Moving forward based on the direction I was going we finally get to Temple University (facing center city). Since we haven't had a true winter in 2 1/2 years, all we've seen is rain around here :

I am still undecided how to present this area. I know most of this area from memory, but from a vehicle's perspective. Definite college atmosphere, but enough of the factories to not forget what was. While my focus is capture what you see from the train windows, certain areas deserve to get represented. I am just unsure if this will be one of them. Thank you for your time.

Railroad Video Productions, now Anchor Video, has videos of many of the SEPTA lines. The Media-Elwyn and Norristown videos feature the center city area.

BTW, I've done pretty much all of the Reading-side catenary, and some PRR, if you need it.

 

[t8dagr8]

I have the actually SEPTA Catenary in my laptop. Do u want them. and use them for ur route

Yes please Stratuspheretrish. Thank you very much.

I know what you mean, I havent seen a heavy amount of snow fall in about two years. I love snow so you know how I feel

I am missing snow so much. Philly used to have a nice balance of winters and summers. This three season year is throwing my balance off.

 

[t8dagr8]

Railroad Video Productions, now Anchor Video, has videos of many of the SEPTA lines. The Media-Elwyn and Norristown videos feature the center city area.

BTW, I've done pretty much all of the Reading-side catenary, and some PRR, if you need it.

Yes RRsignal, I will definitely take a look at the videos first thing in the morning. Thank you for sharing that. I am interested in your catenary as well. I slowly making my way westward and they will help for sure.

Edit: May as well update as well. I am still around Temple putting the neighborhood together.

Thank you everyone for all your offers. I really appreciate it. I hope we all can enjoy a fun ride up and down the NEC together!

 

[RRSignal]

Yes RRsignal, I will definitely take a look at the videos first thing in the morning. Thank you for sharing that. I am interested in your catenary as well. I slowly making my way westward and they will help for sure.

Edit: May as well update as well. I am still around Temple putting the neighborhood together.

Thank you everyone for all your offers. I really appreciate it. I hope we all can enjoy a fun ride up and down the NEC together!

Sure, let me get something together. BTW, are you putting your stations on the DLS? The reason I ask is I'm working on Temple U and the Center City Commuter Tunnel, and was planning Market East and Suburban after that. I did get some measurements as well as textures at Market East, including much of the tile murals.

BTW, I also would like to point out, those videos were shot in 1990-1991. That was before SEPTA's Railworks project. So, you'd see the old Temple and North Philly stations, and a few other differences, although the infrastructure remains mostly the same.

 

[t8dagr8]

Sure, let me get something together. BTW, are you putting your stations on the DLS? The reason I ask is I'm working on Temple U and the Center City Commuter Tunnel, and was planning Market East and Suburban after that. I did get some measurements as well as textures at Market East, including much of the tile murals.

BTW, I also would like to point out, those videos were shot in 1990-1991. That was before SEPTA's Railworks project. So, you'd see the old Temple and North Philly stations, and a few other differences, although the infrastructure remains mostly the same.

If I can satisfy myself with the quality of the station I build, I sure will put them on the DLS. I also would only put a station on the DLS if there were none. The reason I started this at all is because the only route I knew being worked on with Septa content in it was the Trenton project. When that was put on hold I wanted to keep the hope going and this thread started. I'll gladly skip anything that is already being worked on, as I feel anyone can do a better job of creation that I can right now, so I'm not rushing. There is so much I am undecided on. While Suburban station has a solid roof on it currently, I would like to make the rooves like the other stations I've seen in the game. All of my current stations are just platforms. I have been waiting to see if Bloodnok responds to my email before moving forward on making an actual station. Currently, they are more like placeholders with measurements. I felt I was displaying other creators assets incorrectly. After doing Suburban Station, I saw how badly I'm still off with the design. There are not just single pillars in the center of the platform. I would like to add the arrival/departure display as well. Market East is closer, but I have to do a more precise alpha map and still learn how to make a more realistic metallic texture.

 

[Scottbe8]

I know what you mean, I havent seen a heavy amount of snow fall in about two years. I love snow so you know how I feel

Ha, lucky you. I live in Connecticut and just this week the last of the snow from the February blizzard has melted.

 

[stratuspheretrish]

t8dagr8

Well you can probably get your snow come Sunday into Monday PM possible. Im talking about next monday. I know and their is a possiblility because I am studying metoerologist so I use models to predict 1-3 weeks in advance. ANYWAY, ok hold on and let me go get them for u

 

[amtrak2041864]

Ha, lucky you. I live in Connecticut and just this week the last of the snow from the February blizzard has melted.

Living in New York is crazy without snow

 

[t8dagr8]

Good day everyone. Just checking in with an update. I am moving on from Temple for all good reasons. I had to redo the station because one of the platforms are straight, and not curved. I also changed the dorm buildings to not look so gargantuan. It was hard to judge perspective the first time. Just wanted to post a few pics before I left it:

I'm moving over to the western side, because the East is being covered. Thank you for your time.