Update on importing older routes into TRS19

[Tony_Hilliam]

Just keeping you guys abreast of some work-in-progress. We've been exploring various import settings for TANE and pre-TANE routes and have identified some conversions that are providing less than satisfactory results.

This includes the "washed out and overly foggy" look that has been reported and the "overly bright" look.

Meanwhile, clicking the "Reset" option in Environment settings does a pretty good job at resolving most of those problems (and we're working on further updates on default settings too).

While providing an update, we're also continuing to investigate various lighting conditions on splines, 2D planes etc. Interesting to note that TS12 broke things more than TRS19 in some cases, TANE fixed a few of them, and progress continues to ensure we get a good balance.

 

[render2017]

Well Done Tony . . any step towards making it easier to import is a positive step
Colin Rayner

 

[OlegKhim]

Thank you, Tony! It works great.

 

[Robert3a0]

Thanks Tony,
Regardless, TRS 19 is a superb version; well done to the N3V Team.
Regards
Bob

 

[jeffmorris]

what about routes created in TANE or older and already imported into TRS2019?

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

what about routes created in TANE or older and already imported into TRS2019?

Good question Jeff. That will depend upon how we address the fix.

I suggest that anything already imported that you aren't happy with the environment settings, open Edit Environment, click on the Reset button, then tweak from there and save. This will convert it to trainzbuild 4.6 and should be fine from then on.

 

[KotangaGirl]

Interesting to note that TS12 broke things more than TRS19 in some cases, TANE fixed a few of them, and progress continues to ensure we get a good balance.

That's very true in a way Tony. I'm presently converting the first route I ever built over to TS2012 at the moment and yes a good many trees and shrubs I'd used in my old route did look pretty darn bad in TS2012 if not completely terrible and had to be replaced, - however the big difference is that nearly all of those assets weren't much to look at anyway being of the not very convincing cardboard cutout variety. With TS2019 though we're seeing many of the best legacy assets from the best of our content creators suddenly looking awful and that's what has got so many of us upset.
I will say that it is very reassuring that the development team are working hard to fix these problems and I'm sure they'll win through in the end, but until that happens my membership subscription is going to remain a silver level one.

 

[JCitron]

This is great news, Tony.

The work sounds like it's progressing along nicely. It'll be interesting to hear and see what the end results are for the older routes and hopefully there will be a fix for the printed cardboard look of older textures.

When importing older routes, my workaround has been to pass the much, much older ones through T:ANE first then import from there into TRS19. It's a bit of a multi-step and multi-pass process, but it works okay.

I'll have to try the environment reset step. I noticed that once a route was converted, I had better results that I had when I originally brought the route in and I seem to have my own magic formula, but the reset may help set a baseline first to go with.

 

[hminky]

Meanwhile, clicking the "Reset" option in Environment settings does a pretty good job at resolving most of those problems (and we're working on further updates on default settings too).

Have always had to "reset" the routes in TANE and 2019.

Why isn't the "reset" look the default not the over bright washed out look?

Harold

 

[jeffmorris]

I wish that I can adjust the brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, and gamma when importing content created in TANE and older version.

 

[big_b]

A Route I'm working on in Tane
I'm using TSM track and cp2 animated junctions by cap1e

To import this route into TRS19 would it be better to delete all the junctions and just create them by
joining track to form the junctions to import into TRS19 then upgrade to the TRS19 track or leave them as they are.

 

[JCitron]

A Route I'm working on in Tane
I'm using TSM track and cp2 animated junctions by cap1e

To import this route into TRS19 would it be better to delete all the junctions and just create them by
joining track to form the junctions to import into TRS19 then upgrade to the TRS19 track or leave them as they are.

I would import the route as is and see if it works. If it does work, then you're all set to go. You could then replace those junctions and the track with the equivalent TSM Pro-Track. I remember seeing some if my memory is correct.

If the route doesn't import well this way, you can go about it the other way be replacing the junctions with track then import it.

The Pro-track will automatically created animated junctions, points, and frogs all in one shot. The only issue here you'll have to watch out for is the tightness of the tracks. These junctions are a bit more sensitive to tight radii and will error out. For those bad junctions you have to adjust the track angle a bit and that usually fixes the problem.

 

[SailorDan]

Why isn't the "reset" look the default not the over bright washed out look?

Because if that's not what is required for the route, the original settings are lost and cannot easily be recovered. By making the reset optional for the user it will only be applied where it is actually needed.

 

[SailorDan]

A Route I'm working on in Tane. I'm using TSM track and cp2 animated junctions by cap1e

To import this route into TRS19 would it be better to delete all the junctions and just create them by joining track to form the junctions to import into TRS19 then upgrade to the TRS19 track or leave them as they are.

You are up for a bit of work either way. If you import as is, then there will be components that you will have to delete, as they will no longer be applicable to the junctions. Some of these might be hard to find, such as frogs. You could try ensuring that they don't exist in TRS19 before you do the import, thereby simplifying the removal procedure: that would be OK for things like frogs, but for the other bits it might create problems.

If you delete the junctions first then you will need to reconnect the rails - that is relatively simple procedure (make sure you set the default switch before you start) and will also enable you to make any adjustments that the procedural tracks require.

 

[RJArtim]

Good question Jeff. That will depend upon how we address the fix.

I suggest that anything already imported that you aren't happy with the environment settings, open Edit Environment, click on the Reset button, then tweak from there and save. This will convert it to trainzbuild 4.6 and should be fine from then on.

But that creates a new route with your or my KUID. That is no good. I reported this as a bug and Zec said you guys could duplicate it.

We end up with 2 routes, one by us and the original. We need it to save with the original author's KUID. It happens when trying to make a new session also not just the environment. Made a session tonight thinking it was fixed, but using the Camas Prairie rout and making a session, when saving got the new route only option.

 

[hminky]

Because if that's not what is required for the route, the original settings are lost and cannot easily be recovered. By making the reset optional for the user it will only be applied where it is actually needed.

The original settings always suck and all the routes always look awful.

I guess if you like washed out over lighted.

Just the same as TANE.

Harold

 

[SailorDan]

The original settings always suck and all the routes always look awful.

It's a beta. Basing important design considerations on a sweeping assertion such as this, which might or might not turn out to be true in the release version, will surely lead to an unsuitable outcome.

 

[hminky]

It's a beta. Basing important design considerations on a sweeping assertion such as this, which might or might not turn out to be true in the release version, will surely lead to an unsuitable outcome.

Why would I think the over lit washed out will ever be fixed?

Was like that in TANE beta, was complained about in TANE beta.

What is it like now, same old same old.

Harold

 

[pware]

Harold, SailorDan's point is perfectly valid and correct. When TRS19 Early Release was announced it was clearly stated that it was a beta version and will be incomplete. As you clearly had problems with the TANE beta releases, why didn't you wait until the full retail release of TRS19 came out?

Now which lighting settings should they be using as the default? The lighting conditions in most of the locations around the world are totally different from each other - latitude, altitude, temperature, days of uninterrupted sunlight, climate, etc all play a part. Why should users from South Africa, Southern China, Southern Italy be lumbered with the lighting settings that would be perfect for the North of Scotland or Delaware, for example?

In any case it is easy to set the lighting conditions for a session and, if N3V implements a system of optionally entering numerical data instead of dial and slider settings, then it will become dead easy. I have no problems with the lighting controls or fine tuning them to any required values. The Trainz Wiki has all the details at http://online.ts2009.com/mediaWiki/index.php/How_to_Use_Environment_Tools.

N3V have also hinted that they are looking at implementing a way of allowing users to save the environmental settings (including lighting) separately from the session data - so you could create a set of lighting values for Delaware, for example, and import them into any session.

 

[Tony_Hilliam]

Guess these people didn't read the memo:

* thank you very, very much jango ... for this route with those nostalgic memories i would buy trs19 ....


* Wonderful route and amazing sessions


* A delightful route! Real skill, I am delighted, this is a true masterpiece!


* Wow if future routes are built to this standard N3V are onto a winner, Amazing work and thank you for your hard work in making this masterpiece.


* Just downloaded, the route is just fabulous... even with all this beautiful scenery the frame rate is good and the scenery movement is really smooth.


* I just completed an inbound motorcar run. I got myself into trouble a few times because I was busy watching the scenery! The route is just stunning.


* It is absolutely stunning!! I'm roughly 25 minutes into the Orient Express session and had to stop to post a couple of shots before I go out.

As indicated in this thread, we've admitted that bright TANE settings currently result in overbright, washed out TRS19 settings. We're working on the import process to resolve this. A global "reset" is an option, but we would prefer to replicate the original settings as closely as possible.

Jeff - it is possible to make changes and save under someone elses KUID. I haven't got time to provide the full explanation and I expect there would be a tutorial for it somewhere.