Sacrificing For Frame Rates Question

[socalwb909]

when it comes to sacrificing on a route to help frame rates what usually takes up the most memory? is it like a spline or object etc? i don't want to sacrifice on anything but i'm not just thinking about my stuff cause i want others to enjoy a decent route when it is released!

-Joe

 

[angelah]

Splines

Cutting down on splines will help a lot. Before my recent release of WCL2 I took out all tree splines and many others that I thought could be reasonably replaced by static objects.
This reduced the file size by a fair amount and help FRs considerably.
Of course it isn't possibly to do away with all spline objects. For instance fences, roads, hedges, wall and embankments are all in that category, as are tracks.
But I had used tree splines as hedges so removed all those and put in a barbed wire fence and static trees/shrubs instead. Still a spline but a smaller file size. The JVC trees are good as are the Greenery assets. Another thing I did was to use only a few types of trees and two creators so there were not as many assets for the PC to load in.
Every little bit helps. So keeping texturing reasonably simple also adds to this because textures are an asset after all.
Instead of using river banks and then putting a river splines in between I use the Bach asset and Drainage splines, again simplifying things as much as possible yet keeping interest and variety in the scene.

Angela

 

[Davie_UCF]

It depends on your purpose when designing the route.

A very simple rule I tend to stick to (roughly) is put detail where you will see it. Detail around the tracks for example should be done with...detail! Little things you'll notice if using interior views.

This of course depends if you intend for your route to be for cab driving.

With my route I try to make it using the above rule but I also look for good points along the line where you could get a good camera shot or a good place for a tracking camera. I then try to tart up that area and make it more of a feature.

Tends to work, but all depends on performance.. testing is the key.

 

[socalwb909]

-great info thanx. this brought up another question on the texturing. when u have multiple layers of textures does the top texture overwrite the bottom texture? or it doesn't matter? say if u have 5 layers in one given area trainz still knows what that first bottom layer is? esp. if u have hog textures first and u put more on top of it? will that hurt frame rates? too many textures?

-Joe

 

[Dermmy]

The 'texture layers' question comes up a lot and there are committed advocates for both sides of the argument. In the absence of any firm statement from Auran I just try to keep the textures simple, though i definitely layer them for better effect.

The HOG texture layer is easy though - simply delete them from the route before release...

Andy

 

[socalwb909]

-i came up with yet another question. any time i go into a route even my cajon pass route, in driver or surveyor, after i do a database repair it tells me asset xxxxxxxxxx:xxxxx does not match the asset data base record. what does that mean and how can it be fixed? searched the forum and did not find an answer. also on top of that when i did the extended database repair a whole bunch of built in content is now missing dependencies. wtf? ts2009 sp4 btw.

-Joe

 

[patchy]

this might help also
i've been building a route in outback queensland
nothing spectacular few trees a few small communitys
gave a test and frame rates 15
found if i fiddled with the draw distance sits on 30 all day

cheers,
patchy

 

[davesnow]

Having many A.I. consists running at the same time will also affect frame rates.

 

[angelah]

Preferences

this might help also
i've been building a route in outback queensland
nothing spectacular few trees a few small communitys
gave a test and frame rates 15
found if i fiddled with the draw distance sits on 30 all day

cheers,
patchy

Yes, this is a good way of upping frame rates, to fiddle with the Preferences. Cutting back Detail levels to about half, both Draw Distances again to half and adding full Daytime Fog effect will all greatly improve speed. If you come to a sticky bit you can always change your viewpoint to a more downward looking one as you drive along which will also help, then drop back to see more horizon once past a large town or clutter of buildings.
Everything depends on your graphics card and also having RAM on it. The best card you can afford will help Trainz run better basically.
I don't think 2004 sees more than 3Mb of machine RAM, but later releases might, so again going to 4 Mb isn't a bad idea.

I work my routes more just around the tracks, but still tend to put some detail in further away, enough to give the effect of whatever it is in the distance. And I only put scenery to 1200 feet either side of the tracks too because in 2004 you can't see any further than that anyway, combined they are a full board width. I know it is possible to get very long vision in later versions of Trainz but I also work on how far I can see, after all, I like to be realistic.

Yes, I can see the Sun and that 93 million miles away, but normally we humans cannot see for mile upon mile. For a start the Earth's curvature stops us!

Angela