Tr 2022 possible graphics glitch?

[RJPugh]

One of my routes has developed some strange graphical issues. First, the nearby water body flickers like a failing lightbulb. Were I an epileptic this would be a danger! Second, there are a few areas where the ground texture seems "phased." I tried to paint over one of these areas, but no effect.

Do either of these issues sound familiar to anyone? If so, is there a way to fix this? This problem seems to be restricted to only this one route, so it's probably file specific. Sadly it's the route I've been working on for a while so if I can avoid reverting to an earlier save, that would be great.

Thanks in advance,
RJPugh

 

[pware]

the nearby water body flickers like a failing lightbulb

The most common cause of the "flickering" is that the water effect layer is at exactly the same height as the ground. You need to alter the height (up or down) of either the ground or the water in those affected areas. Use the brush tool height action (if using Surveyor 2.0) to raise the height of the water layer or lower the ground to make the water layer clearly visible above the ground OR lower the water layer or raise the ground to hide the water.

 

[UncleBuck]

I have also seen this flicker happen when you have two water layers that are very near to each other in height.
I have a rough water layer and a calm water layer on my route but occasionally (for some reason) I have seen them appear in the same area of the map at roughly the same height.
I don't put these on top of each other on purpose... sometimes they just randomly get placed in an area so I suspect there is a bug somewhere that I have been unable to consistently replicate.

Cheers

 

[pware]

I have also seen this flicker happen when you have two water layers that are very near to each other in height.

I have not seen that but it is possible.

When I add water effect layers I always create the first one a few metres below the lowest ground level on the route. Any additional water effect layers are added at successively deeper depths so that there is always a separation of several metres between them.

 

[JCitron]

I have also seen this flicker happen when you have two water layers that are very near to each other in height.
I have a rough water layer and a calm water layer on my route but occasionally (for some reason) I have seen them appear in the same area of the map at roughly the same height.
I don't put these on top of each other on purpose... sometimes they just randomly get placed in an area so I suspect there is a bug somewhere that I have been unable to consistently replicate.

Cheers

It isn't a bug, it's "a feature" of 3d surfaces called Z-buffer fighting. What's occurring is your video card is confused while attempting to display both surfaces at the same time while one sits on top of the other at the same level. With the old water levels and with spline objects such as roads, the solution is to lower or raise one of them by a very small amount. We can see this also with night meshes on buildings that are set too close to the object's underlying mesh.

 

[UncleBuck]

It isn't a bug, it's "a feature" of 3d surfaces called Z-buffer fighting. What's occurring is your video card is confused while attempting to display both surfaces at the same time while one sits on top of the other at the same level. With the old water levels and with spline objects such as roads, the solution is to lower or raise one of them by a very small amount. We can see this also with night meshes on buildings that are set too close to the object's underlying mesh.

The bug I was referring to is that I can place water on a tile and it will randomly create water on the same or different tile where I had no water before.
I do exactly what you suggested with the water layers as there is only one time I have used a combination of both rough and calm. This was to create a rapids section in a mostly calm river and it didn't come out to bad.

 

[pware]

I can place water on a tile and it will randomly create water on the same or different tile where I had no water before

Water Effect Layers cover the entire layout, every single baseboard. So if you add a water effect layer to a baseboard at, for example, an altitude of -2 metres then it will be added to EVERY baseboard at that altitude. This means that you only have to select the layer and use the brush tool to raise it to a level above the ground height in areas where you want it to appear.

That is why my first step in adding a water effect layer is to determine the absolute lowest ground height in the entire layout and then create the water effect layer at a height that is below that.

See the Trainz Wiki at How to Use S20_Tools#Water Effect Layer

 

[UncleBuck]

Water Effect Layers cover the entire layout, every single baseboard. So if you add a water effect layer to a baseboard at, for example, an altitude of -2 metres then it will be added to EVERY baseboard at that altitude. This means that you only have to select the layer and use the brush tool to raise it to a level above the ground height in areas where you want it to appear.

That is why my first step in adding a water effect layer is to determine the absolute lowest ground height in the entire layout and then create the water effect layer at a height that is below that.

See the Trainz Wiki at How to Use S20_Tools#Water Effect Layer

I get that part and that is exactly how I set my route up initially.

The problem seems to occur when I "set" the height of the water in an area so it shows. When I do this, it randomly (sometimes) sets the height in another area and sometimes even on a completely different baseboard.

 

[pware]

I get that part and that is exactly how I set my route up initially.

The problem seems to occur when I "set" the height of the water in an area so it shows. When I do this, it randomly (sometimes) sets the height in another area and sometimes even on a completely different baseboard.

OK, now I understand.

I just tested adding a Water Effect Layer to a route to see what happens. In the route I had placed many surface depressions for farm dams, water courses, etc. All of them were at different heights.

I created the Water Effect Layer at a height that placed it about 5 metres below the lowest point in the route (including the depressions).

I set the Brush Height tool to the Water Effect Layer and the tool action to Set Height. I then moved through the route to each water depression location and:-

1. measured the height of the ground in the depression (placed the compass rose in the depression)
2. set the Tool Options Height setting to the compass height (open the Focus Z: drop down list and selected the Use Height for Brush option)
3. added 1 or 2 metres (or more) to the height in the Tool Options Palette (depending on the circumstances)
4. painted the water at the new location and height

At no point did I see the effect you have described.

Some questions.

What is your brush radius? Are you using the Set Height brush action or the Increase Height?

 

[JCitron]

The bug I was referring to is that I can place water on a tile and it will randomly create water on the same or different tile where I had no water before.
I do exactly what you suggested with the water layers as there is only one time I have used a combination of both rough and calm. This was to create a rapids section in a mostly calm river and it didn't come out to bad.

The same issue is still there if the water layer happens to be in close contact with the baseboard. Lowering the terrain a smidge is the same as moving a spline up or down, or moving an asset with a built-in parking lot.

 

[UncleBuck]

What is your brush radius? Are you using the Set Height brush action or the Increase Height?

I (most times) have the brush radius set to 10m and always use the set height rather than height up/down.
I also sometimes (after setting the height) use the gradient tool for cases where the river/creek is on a slope.