TurfFX help

STLSF4003 · Mar 22, 2023

In the effort to upgrade my Rockmount route to be fully seasonal, I've been replacing the non-seasonal grass splines with seasonal ones, only to find that those splines give my towns a bit of an overgrown look And aside form one ghost town that's being worked on right now, I would prefer for my lawns to look as well manicured as the can for a former mining town

So my next option is to use turfFX to grass my map...Only to find out that due to the fact that trufFX works on a grid system, it doesn't like to play nice with roads, driveways, and sidewalks...

I'm this close to saying screw it all, and just leaving the map without any grass spline!

So, to anyone out there that has somehow gotten this crap to bend to their will, Any sage advice for a noob like me?

JCitron · Mar 22, 2023

For those locations that have roads and rails you don't want grassed over, use short grass. This will allow the grass to grow between the tracks and roads but not be seen. You can then use a similar taller grass elsewhere.

For the most part, I don't use grass assets at all or do so very sparingly mostly because the penta-grass looks like 5-points clusters chained together and Turf-FX grass is too thick. As modelers, I noticed we tend to overdo the grass anyway making everything look like it's on the verge of collapse even if the mainline is a pristine Class V affair.

STLSF4003 · Mar 27, 2023

JCitron said:
For those locations that have roads and rails you don't want grassed over, use short grass. This will allow the grass to grow between the tracks and roads but not be seen. You can then use a similar taller grass elsewhere.

For the most part, I don't use grass assets at all or do so very sparingly mostly because the penta-grass looks like 5-points clusters chained together and Turf-FX grass is too thick. As modelers, I noticed we tend to overdo the grass anyway making everything look like it's on the verge of collapse even if the mainline is a pristine Class V affair.

Sorry for the late reply. ^^;

Here's a little peek into my grass conundrum.

Exhibit A: grass splines by Toxa_Batoxa with MSGsappers' seasonal PBR grass texture on the ground.

Exhibit B: No grass splines, only the ground textures.

So in your opinion, which looks better to you? Should I keep using grass splines all over the route, or just save those for the less well taken care of parts of the route? Like around abandoned buildings, the salvage yard and the lifted roadbed?

JCitron · Mar 27, 2023

I would go with less is more. Keep the splines where the grass needs to be thick and use textures as you did in the last pic. Use a smaller texture for the grass since this is someone's front yard and not the gutter along a road.

pware · Mar 27, 2023

In my opinion both look good.

My main issues with grass splines are:-

up close you can see that they are splines (e.g. near the road junction in the top image)
many, especially the older ones, do not have LODs but the few from Toxa_Batoxa that I checked do have them
it is not possible or practical to customise them to suit different circumstances

Grass splines, in my opinion, are best used closer to the track

I prefer to use TurfFX (but avoid conflicts with roads, etc) and PBR textures.

The big advantage of TurfFX assets is that you can customise them (i.e. adjust heights, density, stalk thickness, flowers, etc) to suit plus they are animated. Close to the track I prefer to use Clutter Effect assets because they combine stones and other "clutter" with grasses (which are still animated).

I have stopped using all non-PBR textures because, appearance-wise, they simply cannot compete and they do not play well with PBR textures. PBR does have some issues which can be worked around (and one of those issues, the "jelly fish guts", has reportedly been eliminated in the new HD Terrain that is coming).

My thoughts.

STLSF4003 · Mar 28, 2023

JCitron said:
I would go with less is more. Keep the splines where the grass needs to be thick and use textures as you did in the last pic. Use a smaller texture for the grass since this is someone's front yard and not the gutter along a road.

What PBR textures would you recommend for just good ol' front yard grass? The only cavoite being that it needs to at least have an alternate seasonal/elevation snow texture.

pware said:
In my opinion both look good.

My main issues with grass splines are:-

up close you can see that they are splines (e.g. near the road junction in the top image)

many, especially the older ones, do not have LODs but the few from Toxa_Batoxa that I checked do have them

it is not possible or practical to customise them to suit different circumstances

Grass splines, in my opinion, are best used closer to the track

I prefer to use TurfFX (but avoid conflicts with roads, etc) and PBR textures.

The big advantage of TurfFX assets is that you can customise them (i.e. adjust heights, density, stalk thickness, flowers, etc) to suit plus they are animated. Close to the track I prefer to use Clutter Effect assets because they combine stones and other "clutter" with grasses (which are still animated).

I have stopped using all non-PBR textures because, appearance-wise, they simply cannot compete and they do not play well with PBR textures. PBR does have some issues which can be worked around (and one of those issues, the "jelly fish guts", has reportedly been eliminated in the new HD Terrain that is coming).

My thoughts.

I might just have to give TurfFX a try on whatever my next route may be. But for now, I think I'll stick with grass splines for Rockmount and it's updates due to how I have the streets of my towns towns laid out. Also, is this HD update for 2022 only, or will it also be released for 19?

pware · Mar 28, 2023

STLSF4003 said:
is this HD update for 2022 only, or will it also be released for 19?

The HD update will be for Trainz Plus only (and for TRS22 if you also have Trainz Plus).

STLSF4003 · Mar 28, 2023

pware said:
The HD update will be for Trainz Plus only (and for TRS22 if you also have Trainz Plus).

There's always gotta be a catch....

TurfFX help

STLSF4003

Active member

JCitron

Trainzing since 12-2003

STLSF4003

Active member

JCitron

Trainzing since 12-2003

pware

Trainz Veteran

STLSF4003

Active member

pware

Trainz Veteran

STLSF4003

Active member

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