Surveyor 2.0 - Discussion Thread

I notice there smooth ground under selected... Will this basically be the same as smooth spline height, or any different?
 
Good evening to all.
I'm not sure if the surveyor is the right place to ask, but I would like, please, an "IF - ELSE - THEN" stuf in the session edit menu.
Or tell me how to do it (or in which sub-forum people discuss about this topic)
Thanks in advance from France
 
Tony : in your post #41
* Groups of selected items can be moved or rotated together in X,Y and Z directions (you can even select the terrain and raise that with the objects)

That's great , Though can you confirm that the rotation can be done in small amounts or is it still just the 4 compass directions as per current copy paste ?
 
Top of my wish list - the ability to rename an asset in Surveyor. Nothing frustrates me more than having to quit out of one route to load another to find that perfect little purple plinker you know you've used before which turns out to have an utterly non-intuitive username and therefor hasn't responded to any of the twenty searches for what it might or arguably should be called....
 
Top of my wish list - the ability to rename an asset in Surveyor. Nothing frustrates me more than having to quit out of one route to load another to find that perfect little purple plinker you know you've used before which turns out to have an utterly non-intuitive username and therefor hasn't responded to any of the twenty searches for what it might or arguably should be called....

The only problem I can see with this, Dermmy, is it would cause a lot of concern if you were to upload the route. Granted, the KUID would (should) remain the same, but if the name you gave it doesn't make it to the next user, then what?

A long time ago, I proposed a new field be added to the config.txt file: localname= (whatever you want). Then, in the CM set up another column so we can search on Local Name. Even if the item is yours, when uploaded your local name remains in the config file and can then be changed (if desired, into another users language).

Bill
 
Wouldn't this new system make it harder for newbies and oldies to get to know the new surveyor?
I'd also like to see a better system of copy-pasting, where the copy-paste area doesn't overlap everything and remove it.
 
Wouldn't this new system make it harder for newbies and oldies to get to know the new surveyor?

From experience oldies will have problems with any new system - I recall "cussing" loud and long when MS introduced the "Ribbon" to their Office products. But I adapted. Newbies will take to it like a duck to water because they have not been "trained" on anything different.

In any case, Tony mentioned in an earlier newsletter that Surveyor 1.0 will still be an option for those "dinosaurs" who do not like change.
 
Wouldn't this new system make it harder for newbies and oldies to get to know the new surveyor?
I'd also like to see a better system of copy-pasting, where the copy-paste area doesn't overlap everything and remove it.
Wish granted! It's called the ADD button and it's right underneath the buttons for height, textures, assets and splines.
 
Tony : in your post #41
* Groups of selected items can be moved or rotated together in X,Y and Z directions (you can even select the terrain and raise that with the objects)

That's great , Though can you confirm that the rotation can be done in small amounts or is it still just the 4 compass directions as per current copy paste ?

This is great. I wonder if it's possible to type in the value instead of relying on inaccurate mouse movements.

And how about the ability to set a an angle that can be applied to multiple objects? This is useful for lining up parked cars along a roadway, or street lights and other objects along a straight line. There's nothing more annoying than placing buildings that all face the wrong direction, meaning their default position, and then having to rotate the buildings and adjust them in place. This is okay for tiny routes, but when working on a substantial routes and cities, this loses the fun factor pretty quick.
 
lord please be a track radius tool (see dovetails railworks editor for context)

making curves in this game always drives me nuts
 
The only problem I can see with this, Dermmy, is it would cause a lot of concern if you were to upload the route. Granted, the KUID would (should) remain the same, but if the name you gave it doesn't make it to the next user, then what?

A long time ago, I proposed a new field be added to the config.txt file: localname= (whatever you want). Then, in the CM set up another column so we can search on Local Name. Even if the item is yours, when uploaded your local name remains in the config file and can then be changed (if desired, into another users language).

Bill

'username' is effectively a local name. The kuid is the only universal reference, it doesn't matter if it's called 'wudderfump' on yours and 'kerplunk' on mine, it's the same asset. A huge number of assets I use a lot have had the username changed to something meaningful to me, it's just such a hassle to have to do it in CM, and it makes absolutely no difference on a distributed route what it's called....

Andy
 
lord please be a track radius tool (see dovetails railworks editor for context)

making curves in this game always drives me nuts
I mentioned this earlier, also need the easement feature to make transition curves. Got the distinct impression from Tony's response though, this sort of thing is not on the agenda, nor is the ability to select a length of track and add another parallel piece or other splined asset (e.g. a fence or platform).

Edit: Just musing as I mess about yet again trying to make smooth shallow embankments and cuttings, I bet the ability to change the angle from the current steep sided and unalterable width arrangement.
 
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lord please be a track radius tool (see dovetails railworks editor for context)

making curves in this game always drives me nuts

Yes, definitely. I HATE curve-making in routes. You end up with wacky "S" curves and squiggly lines all over the place.
 
The overall feeling I get here from some of the negative comments is “we want more”. But I don’t see any “and were willing to pay for making it happen”.

We’d love to implement every suggestion sooner rather than later. With 10 times more staff we’d be at least 5 times faster at implementing them. If all our regular Trainz users “invested” a few $ a week as Gold Class members we’d get things done much much quicker.

As it stands, we do as much as we can with what we’ve got. The option for us to do more rests with you guys.

(The alternative is to stick with what you’ve got - no extra charge).

Tony:

Suggestion: Perhaps for Surveyor 3.0 you might want to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise the needed capital to implement some of the suggestions here.

Being primarily a route designer I don't operate much in TRS19. I do however use Surveyor a lot. Newbies will tend to use routes that come with TRS19 or from the DLS until such time as they feel comfortable enough to try making a route of their own. That is how I started many years ago. Of course Surveyor is also handy for local customizing of a downloaded route for your own use.

Bob
 
* Scrapbooks are basically "clipboards" containing your copied items.
They can be named, saved and therefore used in other routes

Do these have/get a kuid? and can be shared?, saved as cdp?
This would make it like a block in AutoCAD or like a consist but then not for vehicles alone but all kinds of assets
Do they have fixed layer info?
Can parts of a scrapbook be on different layers?
can they be exploded/ungrouped once placed elsewhere?

it would be Trainzchanging :)
 
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Tony:

Suggestion: Perhaps for Surveyor 3.0 you might want to launch a Kickstarter campaign to raise the needed capital to implement some of the suggestions here.

Being primarily a route designer I don't operate much in TRS19. I do however use Surveyor a lot. Newbies will tend to use routes that come with TRS19 or from the DLS until such time as they feel comfortable enough to try making a route of their own. That is how I started many years ago. Of course Surveyor is also handy for local customizing of a downloaded route for your own use.

Bob
The point is though, the other sims - MSTS/OR and the new TSRE editor and of course DTG TS had many of these features as standard from the get-go. Auran and now N3V had 20 years to refine Surveyor and yet here we still are with an overhaul which, yes, is going to make some things easier but again skirts around the core functionality which could make things so much better. I doubt a Kickstarter would work again after all the baggage that came with the one for TANE, the development budget should come from ongoing sales and subscriptions. And the TSRE editor for MSTS/Open Rails has been developed essentially by one guy in his spare time and is made available as freeware. I suspect it is more the old code that is holding things back rather than the willingness or ability to implement the better features.
 
I so agree with you Bob. The great joy for me in Trainz is constructing landscapes and panorama's.

Tony, you're a cheeky mare. Some of us do pay for gold - and think the price tag is just edging up to be too expensive for the benefits obtained.

I like Bob's idea of a Surveyor 3 with a little bit of crowd funding but I suspect you've probably reached your limits on that one so trhat's not likely.

Why not stop with the scatter gun approach and try some targeted changes.

A simple approach might be 3 x environmental improvements, 3 x technical improvements and perhaps a couple of cosmetics as well- all maybe built on the back of Surveyor 2.

The strategists and policy twonks at N3v MIGHT WANT TO CONSIDER IF THAT WOULD be possible via a survey. Just reading through this thread gives you a strong clue on what interests our punters.

Graham, Shefford, Bedfordshire
 
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