UK Content - what do we need?
- Thread starter johnwhelan
- Start date
At the risk of appearing greedy, I would agree with you. We also need more signal boxes as the variety of design is also enormous. Throughout rural Britain, there were many designs of timber-clad signal boxes such as:
With the signalmen having hours of leisure time to spend during their shifts, well-tended flower beds and a vegetable patch or two were never far away!
IsambardKingdomBrunel
Joined June 2001
johnwhelan
Well-known member
Magic, photos like these work very well, straight on ones work even better as you don't lose resolution as you try to straighten them.
Thanks John
johnwhelan
Well-known member
I think you're working in 3ds so it should just be a matter of finding the correct texture setting for transparency.
Can anyone assist?
Thanks John
IsambardKingdomBrunel
Joined June 2001
Rob,
i know this loco has a cab interior view, but when i use the 1 camera view and the [ ] keys i get two views that are outside the loco ( on each side of the cab ). Do you have the same, it would be nice to be able to view the track ahead from actually on the footplate.
IKB.
johnwhelan
Well-known member
John,
Glad to hear you can make buildings, there were so many wonderful station buildings in the UK, but so few within Trainz. I think we desperately need more as there is only so much you can do the limited amount we have to make them all look different from one and other.
Other simple things like notice boards, clocks, seats, lamps, name plates/signs, tickets and so on.
Although I am aware there are plenty of the smaller objects and buildings on the DLS, they are very old in graphics terms and unfortunately look right out of place in a route created in a modern Trainz.
Are you asking for something about the standard of "Albert Street" or are you after something along the lines of "Hotel Tilnowle 09" quality wise? If the latter then perhaps we need a selection at that standard.
Thanks John
hauntedclipp
copper-crowned
Bit of a hurry, sorry if my ideas were already stated.
Am I too late for this?
I wouldn't know much of what is missing; but in terms of locos, there aren't any Atlantics and not many of those lovely singles. Late 19th to early 20th century stuff. That Stirling single on the DLS is nice, but it's a bit dated.
Again, sorry if my ideas were already suggested by someone else, but I wanted to post something before I had to leave tonight!
Am I too late for this?
I wouldn't know much of what is missing; but in terms of locos, there aren't any Atlantics and not many of those lovely singles. Late 19th to early 20th century stuff. That Stirling single on the DLS is nice, but it's a bit dated.
Again, sorry if my ideas were already suggested by someone else, but I wanted to post something before I had to leave tonight!
ray_whiley
Active member
John - this question of quality is, in my opinion, important. A short time ago I suggested in another thread, on the subject of 'how accurate is accurate', that the quality or accuracy to be aimed at in constructing a building depends on its viewing distance - ie. lower detail if intended as background rather than trackside scenery. For example, I spent some time making railwaymen's cottages with (for me) high detail - individual window sills, drainpipes, etc. The poly count was much higher than that recommended for a building! So recently I've gone more for 'flat' textures, rather like the good old Vacy-Ash building kits (thin card - still available in the UK, at least up to a couple of years ago) - and that dates me, I know! - and state in the DLS description that they are 'intended mainly for building up background scenery'.
For my own use, I find this acceptable - and my main reason for making buildings is so that I can use them, although I am happy to share. But what do others think?
Ray
Rob,
i know this loco has a cab interior view, but when i use the 1 camera view and the [ ] keys i get two views that are outside the loco ( on each side of the cab ). Do you have the same, it would be nice to be able to view the track ahead from actually on the footplate.
IKB.
Yes Mike, I get the same, just the views either side of the cab, no cab interior view or track view from footplate. I'm not sure how this can be changed, I think the original maker, blue, will be the only person able to change the views.
Rob.
Although I hate to use this term, it may just explain my point.
As is mentioned by a few people here, a lot of assets from the old days look like "Cartoon creations" as apposed to the modern realistic photo image assets.
I don't like to sound unappreciative of the free content available, but I hope this helps explain my point. :wave:
It is nice to pull into a station that looks like the real world and not from a Hanna Barbara cartoon. :hehe:
As is mentioned by a few people here, a lot of assets from the old days look like "Cartoon creations" as apposed to the modern realistic photo image assets.
I don't like to sound unappreciative of the free content available, but I hope this helps explain my point. :wave:
It is nice to pull into a station that looks like the real world and not from a Hanna Barbara cartoon. :hehe:
CaptEngland
Trainz Engineer
Hi Ray and others.
As long as a basic model can be re-skinned, then texture wise a good model with a `cartoonish` paint skin can always be spruced up. A good example is the repaints of some of the older models on the DLS into more modern photo realistic skins.
As for locomotive and coach colours, Maybe what we all need is a set standard of colours that any of us can use for repainting. At the moment, I'm using a Railmatch piant chart off the web for most of my repaints. I have also seen a couple of files on UKtrainsim with a set of different colour samples.
Maybe if we get a panel of respected re-skinners to judge, could we get a agreed standard set of colour samples (perhaps a uk based group already have a set?).
As for copyright, is there such a thing as colour copyrights here in the UK?
Regards
IsambardKingdomBrunel
Joined June 2001
Appreciate the reply Rob, thank you.
I think there is a way to change the position in the cab, but not sure how.
cheers,
Mike.
With regard to colour I think this a highly subjective matter i.e. what looks perfectly correct and adequate to one person may look totally incorrect to another person when viewed on their computer monitors.
I think standard colours would only work if everybody using Trainz had the same high quality monitors, the type that professional photographers use where colour can be set up to the minutest and most accurate adjustments.
Most of us have to plod along with our average quality monitors I suspect.
Rob.
Hi Mike, you could be right about that but I, like you, haven't got a clue!
Rob.
Make sure that you have -freeintcam in your trainzoptions.txt file.
Run TRS, go to cab view and use the keyboard arrows (which will now allow free adjustments) to find the view that you want. Take a note of the long string of numbers which is displayed on screen.
Close TRS and open the interior asset for edit. Add the number list you noted down as a new item in the 'cameralist' table. If you want this to be the default view add or modify the 'cameradefault' value to match the new index.
Commit the asset and reload TRS.
Run TRS, go to cab view and use the keyboard arrows (which will now allow free adjustments) to find the view that you want. Take a note of the long string of numbers which is displayed on screen.
Close TRS and open the interior asset for edit. Add the number list you noted down as a new item in the 'cameralist' table. If you want this to be the default view add or modify the 'cameradefault' value to match the new index.
Commit the asset and reload TRS.
I would have to agree with TheStoon, Realistic UK gauge track, with and without various 3rd and 4th rail, along with workable switches that match the track, with moving blades, would be a nice addition to Train Simulator...
Or, some nice UK workable level crossings, the level crossings we have at the minute are ok, but you either get the road dissapearing into the baseboard when attached to a level crossing, or the road is hollow underneath were the tracks are, so the road and the traffic float over the crossing...
The ATLS Boat level crossings are good, but take an age to build and set up, and need a multitude of dependencies to get them working right, I never use the level crossings in Trainz for this specific reason...
If the crossings were already built, with barriers and a road with all the hatch markings, with say a box you can open, saying at what distance you want the barriers to fall, or gates to close before the train arrives, would be brilliant, or even attached movable track markers with the crossing, so the timeing of the barriers can be set to drop, and open once a train has been, would be an excellent addition to Train Simulator. It is quite sad that a rail simulator doesnt even have accuratly working level crossings, that are ready to go once placed on the baseboard.
Many thanks to anyone who takes up the challenge, if they dare...
Joe Airtime
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