See-through SP3 content in TS2009?

[trainut]

Hello. I have recently downloaded some things from the DLS to my copy of TS2009, they are the F7 Hotrod and the Acela Express trainset. They are both Trainz SP3 content and are .pm meshes, so they both have errors in CMP, but nothing major. When I'm driving them in Trainz, certain things on them are see-through. The bogeys on the F7 show through the body, and the cab on the Acela power cars look to be open to the air. The Acela passenger cars have seats that shine through the walls and the ceiling. I've seen the Acela working perfectly in TS2009 on YouTube, so I know this problem is fixable. Can anyone tell me how to fix this?

Thanks in advance,
trainut

 

[shaneturner12]

Content that has errors in Content Manager are basically faulty, and will need fixing before they will look (and work) properly.

To view the errors, right-click the asset and click View Errors and Warnings.

Shane

 

[trainut]

Hi Shane! For the Acelas, CMP says that the notepad files for the textures are not present. The image files are .texture files. I made notepad files for the .texture files, and CMP just told me it couldn't read the texture. Also, the "Acela Passenger Coach Vent" asset (kuid:9:50016) is faulty due to an unreadable shadow mesh. The F7 has absolutely no errors or warnings besides CMP not liking that the bogey and body meshes are .pm files.

 

[shaneturner12]

Ah - .texture files.

You will need one of the PEVSoft tools (Images2TGA).

Note: If the assets have a negative number at the start of the KUID, you will not be able to save any changes, so you will need to revert them to original.

You can download this from http://members.optusnet.com.au/~villaump/pevsoft.htm.

Once downloaded and installed, run it once as administrator if using Windows Vista/7 - this will allow the required files to be created.

If you do not get a folder selection box appear, click Setup, then OpenWith - this will then ask for your TS2009 folder, as well as a TS2010 folder (if you do not have TS2010, click Cancel on the box that asks for the TS2010 folder).

Once done, click the Options menu, then click each item in turn until all of them have ticks next to them.

Close Images2TGA, and restart Content Manager if it is already running, if not start it normally.

Right-click the affected assets - you will notice a new menu option: Open With. Select this menu, then click Images2TGA.bat - the process will take place automatically, and will tell you when it is done.

The .PM references should only be appearing as warnings - if they are appearing as errors, reply to this post.

The shadow mesh problem will require QuickShadows, available from the same place, as well as using Content Creator Plus to edit the config.txt file - once you have sorted out the image related problem, I can then advise on dealing with the shadow issue.

Shane

 

[trainut]

Yes, it worked! Thanks so much! And the .pm notices are only warnings. Can you please post how to fix the shadow problem?

 

[JCitron]

Yes, it worked! Thanks so much! And the .pm notices are only warnings. Can you please post how to fix the shadow problem?

Use the PEV Soft Quick Shadows. To create a small shadow mesh. Point to this in the config file.

That should do it.

John

 

[shaneturner12]

OK - as stated, you will need to install Quickshadows from the link above.

You may find the tutorial for Quickshadows useful as well (same page)

Once installed, start it as you did with Images2TGA, and select the respective folders (remember, if you do not have a particular version of Trainz, click Cancel on the appropriate folder-select box)

Once done, you will find QuickShadows.bat in the same place as Images2TGA.bat (once you have closed QuickShadows and restarted Content Manager)

Run that once - it should do the job automatically.

(NOTE: The shadow it creates may look strange, but it is the best that can be done without the original Gmax/Blender/3DS Max files)

Once done:

Right-click the asset, select Edit, then click Edit in Content Creator Plus.

You will get a box asking you to upgrade the config file - click No.

At the bottom, you will see the error relating to the shadow mesh - click it to go to the correct screen, the box in question will be marked in red.

Click the ... icon next to it, and select the relevant shadow.im file.

Once done, click the cross to close Content Creator Plus, clicking Yes when prompted, then commit the asset.

Shane

 

[trainut]

When I try to open the asset with QuickShadows.bat, it gives me endless error-message popups, so that I can't close the program. I had to cold crash my computer to get it to stop.

 

[shaneturner12]

That should not be happening - are you sure that you set Quickshadows to run as administrator?

Failing that, something is not quite right on your system.

Shane

 

[trainut]

I can just set the passenger cars' configs to not use the vent, it won't really make a difference. But getting back to the see-through problem, everything still has it, even though I've fixed all the errors!

 

[shaneturner12]

Can you post a few examples of this see through content, so either me or someone else can have a look at them?

Shane

 

[trainut]

 

[JCitron]

What are the specs of your computer?
What kind of video card are you using?

Have you tried Open/GL versus DirectX in the options?

The latter setting can cause all kinds of weird problems to happen.

John

 

[trainut]

Pentium D 2.93GHz
2.47 GB RAM
232GB FireWire External HDD 7200rpm 8MB buffer
35GB SATA HDD 7200rpm 8MB buffer
30GB IDE HDD 7200rpm 8MB buffer
ATi Radeon 9200 Pro Family 128MB VRAM

I know, it's pretty lame. I'll try running Trainz in OpenGL mode (currently DirectX).

 

[shaneturner12]

Directx mode can have some strange effects like that - let us know if it works any better in OpenGL.

Shane

 

[BobCass]

trainut: It looks like to me you have corrupted downloads..Delete and redownload..Just a suggestion..:wave:

 

[trainut]

Directx mode can have some strange effects like that - let us know if it works any better in OpenGL.

Shane

Nope, same exact problem in OpenGL mode.

trainut: It looks like to me you have corrupted downloads..Delete and redownload..Just a suggestion..:wave:

Actually, I've tried that already, and it didn't work.

Does anybody have an Acela or F7 Hotrod that works, and if you do can you e-mail it to me? Reply to the post, and I'll send you a PM with my e-mail address.

 

[trainut]

Anybody there?

 

[shaneturner12]

Can you post the KUID numbers/names of the affected content, to assist users to locate the potentially offending content?

Shane

 

[TheRichMan]

Sorry if this is too late..
Try to patch trainz, it worked for me.