Combining / Layering Textures ?????

Is there any way to layer multiple textures but avoid the scalloped edge that comes from the circular shape of the texture tool? I want to lay down a gravel bed under my track that extends for a couple of yards on either side of the track bed, and then switch to a different texture. In the image below, the red lines show the outline of the gravel with the scallops produced by the circular texture tool. The green lines show what I where I want the gravel edges constrained to. I know I can use a process of differing circle sizes and get it mostly right, but when you have miles of track, that takes a VERY long time... I'm hoping, but not optimistic that there's a better way...



Image link ('cause my images don't always show up in posts) http://www.johnsphotography.ca/hold/Temp3/Textures.jpg

If I remember correctly if you use the replacement tool and you select the track as the asset to be replaced and then the texture you want to be under the tracks as the replacement. It will paint the texture under the track for you. Works with splines also.

I don’t think you can really eliminate the scalloped look because it centres the textures on grid vertices. Having said that, I think your scalloped textures look more realistic than if they followed the perfect green lines because grass tends to grow in irregular ways when left to its own devices.

Making it too uniform also makes it look quite unnatural. Peter

hert said:

If I remember correctly if you use the replacement tool and you select the track as the asset to be replaced and then the texture you want to be under the tracks as the replacement. It will paint the texture under the track for you. Works with splines also.

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Interesting... will look in to that. Thanks!

Dinorius_Redundicus said:

I don’t think you can really eliminate the scalloped look because it centres the textures on grid vertices. Having said that, I think your scalloped textures look more realistic than if they followed the perfect green lines because grass tends to grow in irregular ways when left to its own devices.

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I don't want them to be perfectly parallel to the roadbed, but when you look at a larger section of this, the scalloped pattern is very distinct.

wilts747 said:

Making it too uniform also makes it look quite unnatural. Peter

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Agree. I don't want it to be uniform to the point of "un-realism", rather just eliminate the regular pattern the circle produces.

Thanks much folks!

It's been my experience with a lot of track walking that ballast tends to get thrown aside quite a bit--especially right after a re-ballasting. I do agree the texture tool could use a revamping to allow circular dispersion instead of helter-skelter.

Bill

Yes, I know what you want. We all want that. But I’m telling you that trainz’s rectangular grid will always produce saw-tooth or scalloped patterns when you texture in any direction not aligned to the grid lines. You can only try to disguise it by rotating the brush, changing its size and scale, overlaying several textures, placing some scenery objects on it etc., but the grid effect will always be there to some extent.

There have been statements of intent from N3V to adopt a better ground system in some future edition, but I have not seen anything being done about it.

I find putting "dirt" and "grass" down first then ballasting the track creates smoother edges. Getting rid of the sawtooth edges is a pain, but it can be done by hitting the points with the ground texture you put down previously to soften them.

If you do decide to use the texture under the spline method, the ballast will be spread quite far which I find is a bit too much in some cases. You need to experiment and choose what you want and if you don't like something, you can always use CTRL+Z to undo your last action.