Splines in TS2010

[Thierry_St_Malo]

Hi, all!

I'm trying to create a very simple spline for TS2010. CCP doesn't see any errors in config.txt and displays the mesh successfully. Yet, even though the spline's name appears in Surveyor's list, the spline itself does not appear in the thumbnail, and I can't install it in my route.

So, I have two questions:

1 - Where can I find a tutorial that shows how to create a spline for TS2010?
2 - Is there a Trainz exporter that works with Blender 2.6 (the used to be one that worked with 2.49, I believe)?

Thanks in advance,

Thierry

 

[paulzmay]

Do you get the white circles when you try to place it, or nothing at all? Does it work if you make it build 2.8 (TC3)? Can you post the config here? Can you make a fixed object with the mesh?

I'm not aware of any tutorials on the subject, but most info is in the Wiki. If it's a simple spline (no LOD or endcaps), someone posted a sample config file in a thread a few months ago, but I can't remember who...

Paul

p.s. I know nothing about Blender, I'm afraid...

 

[Euphod]

I'm wondering if the scale of the object is off, perhaps too small to see? As stated above, do the spline circles appear? That may be your clue right there.

 

[Thierry_St_Malo]

Thanks to both of you: I do think that you have put me on the right track.
As a matter of fact I have not included attachment moints in my mesh, that's probably the cause of my problem.
Where should I put them and how should I call them?
Thierry

 

[bendorsey]

Attachment points at the ends are not needed (or at least none of the splines I've made have them and they work). I think the code in Trainz itself handles them. The parts however can not be grouped. If they are it won't show up.

Splines are done a little different in 2009 and up as opposed to 2006 and down.

2004 for example does not need a mesh table. Initiator and terminator must be in sub-folders named end and start and the mesh in them end.im and start.im (if a 3-part spline). Textures inside as well. The center (repeating part must be named the same as the name of the overall spline with .im added at the end. This file and its textures are in the overall folder.

2009 for example still uses initialtor and terminator done the same way but the center part needs to be in a mesh table. Somthing along the lines of:
mesh-table
{
default
{
mesh (tab) splinename.im
auto-create (tab)1
}
}

Don't get discouraged. I'd venture to guess almost everyone has had problems with thier first spline. Mine wouldn't show up no matter what I did untill some kind soul mentioned the parts couldn't be grouped. Yup - you guessed it - they were, lol. BTW - animated parts can't be grouped either (again if they are it won't show up). What I do is get everything correct for the animated section, save it grouped, un-group it and save it as a separate file with ungrouped at the end. That way If I mess it up or need to make changes I have the grouped mesh to work with which (generally speaking) makes it easier to manipulate.

Ben

 

[Thierry_St_Malo]

Thanks, Ben. I'll keep working on it.

 

[sniper297]

For simple splines that don't use end caps, this is what I found;

http://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...y-assets-to-2.9-for-TS2009-and-later-versions

Second post in that one, all the length - width - bendy - repeats stuff has to be replaced with the new data format otherwise I get spline points with no visible object. How you're supposed to add all that in content creator is a complete mystery, I spent several weeks hunting wikis and PDF files and came up empty so I just add it in the config file.

 

[mtldrm38]

Very nice tut sniper this should help with a lot of older splines that are nice content but yet updated........

Dave =)

 

[Thierry_St_Malo]

@sniper297
IT WORKS! Many thanks!!!

@All
I still have to refine a few settings, but basically it works quite well, no doubt about that. Nothing to do with older config.txt's. Now a question: would it be useful if I put together a small memo or mini-tutorial to summarize what I have learned, or have I broken an open door?

 

[Scottish]

I still have to refine a few settings, but basically it works quite well, no doubt about that. Nothing to do with older config.txt's. Now a question: would it be useful if I put together a small memo or mini-tutorial to summarize what I have learned, or have I broken an open door?

I am still having problems getting new splines to work in 2010 therefore I think it would be of assistance to me if you could post a tutorial.

Thanks,

Scottish

 

[sniper297]

Did you look at the second post in this;

http://www.trainsim.com/vbts/showth...y-assets-to-2.9-for-TS2009-and-later-versions

and if so, where exactly is the process breaking down for you? Error messages, or just spline points with the mesh invisible?

 

[Thierry_St_Malo]

Nothing breaks down. I just want the result to look nicer.

 

[sniper297]

Wasn't talking to you, that question was for Scottish, he says he is still having trouble getting them to work.

Has anyone ever found the official approved way you're supposed to do it in content creator? I spent months trying to figure that out and got nowhere, which is why I finally took the data from a known good 2.9 spline and just copied that.

 

[clam1952]

It's really quite easy.
http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showpost.php?p=748088&postcount=10

 

[Thierry_St_Malo]

I got there also, but I still have a (minor) problem. But as I am a perfectionist ... Here it is: the mesh doesn't appear in Surveyor's thumbnail area, under the list.
If I can fix that, I'll be all set.
Thanks in advance,
Thierry

 

[paulzmay]

This post has an example http://forums.auran.com/trainz/showpost.php?p=839322&postcount=8

You need to reference the preview mesh in the config. Oddly, it's no longer automatic...

Paul