Atomic Systems

Thanks to Kevin Martin my Caley 80 took its first run in RS today. Here are a few screenies. The subject of the Blue used in the Caledonian Railways livery is somewhat conterversial but info I have recieved from the CR assoiciation shows the early locos had a daker blue livery... during Macintosh days a lighter one appeared along with the dark and although this is a drummond loco the photo I have seems to suggest the lighter paint. I need to add the wheel type of SBD levers to this no195 + the name and build plates. then model wise its done. If I get time I'll do no 80 with the darker paint and a different tender but we'll see.

Absolutely stunning model - but not sure on the enviroment mapping. Considering nothing else in the screenies has it, theres a large contrast that IMO doesn't look realistic .

The affect may make the loco look more authentic but it just doesn't fit in it's surroundings....it has a 'glow' which everything else lacks?

Just my £0.02 but I definately think a version without enviroment mapping (and the same with the Bulleids) would go down well

Dave

It's not the shaders, but the use of gradiented hues in the texture itself. It's valid solution for simulators like MSTS which lack a sophisticated lighting system, but as you've said it looks odd in Rail Simulator.

Now this, is a genuine reason why I'm jealous of those who have KRS, and a stable p.c to run it on!!!!! It looks great

Thanks for you comments.

Personally I dont think flat colours with the shaders look that good. Anyway once its released people can play with the textures as they please. I may tone it down a bit but its just my style of doing things I guess.

KR Matt Ivey

eeeeeeeeeee good god its beautiful !!!!!!!

MDIvey wrote:Thanks for you comments.

Personally I dont think flat colours with the shaders look that good. Anyway once its released people can play with the textures as they please. I may tone it down a bit but its just my style of doing things I guess.

KR Matt Ivey

Flat colours don't, because there's no such thing in reality. However a metal texture overlaid with a solid colour combined with a layer of grime provides what you see in RSDL's (and several other third party modeller's) work.

No doubt that looks good but not a technique I know how to use at moment. What do you mean by a metal texture? & how do you apply the grime?

Base Colour



Metal Texture



The two combined



Grime layer



All steps put together with some colour correction



Everyone has their methods, but I find this the easiest way. You can make the grime layer in a multitude of ways, but I use grunge brushes which are freely available for Photoshop.

Hi Matt

I have been taking a close look at Kevins two new 3F's and the texture on the tanks and top of the boiler look exactly like metal that has been left to rust and then painted with several coats of gloss paint. I may be out of order as I know nothing about 3d modelling but if you take a look yourself I think you will see what I mean. The effect is quite astonishing.

I have all my RS graphics settings at max so I presume I am seeing everything at it best.

Having said that, I am very grateful for the models that you share with us and we must remember that RS has only been out for six months and every loco (steam or otherwise) produced so far is of a very high standard and each new one will be that bit better.

Geoff Potter

will the loco have a custom cab or will you use the 7f cab?

FWIW, I agree that the loco looks too clean and shiny and that's probably partly to do with the texturing (and partly because I prefer grungy industrials.)

TBH, I can't see any difference between Gofthick's black samples - but I'm going to give that a go.

Tim Court posted a really nice set of tutorials in one of the other forums, but I can't find it. It might have been on the BATS website, now I come to think of it.

Thanks for the info... I'll see what I can do if I get time... I presume one has to experiment with the opacity of the colour layer as to how much grain and grime shows through?

oK Got the hang of that quite easy Gofthick... probably set my model releases back 6 months but heads up much appreciated anyway

Thanks for comments and feedback guys... now I've been able to acheive what I was trying to all along but just didnt know how... Now I guess I will have to take another look at the Spam Can textures