Route loading screens

[pjt1974]

Why can't the powers that be make the operation of adding a route loading screen a damb sight easier,
1. Make a jpeg picture(1024x512) to best presnt your route as it loads.
2. Open the little developers program in railworks, highlight the route and browse and import your route loading pic.
your pic would be coverted and installed to that route all in one go.

I've been trying to get it into my thick skull all day how to do it. I've scoured thses forums looking for tutorials and followed most of them.I've downloaded suggested image programs(one of which told me I needed windows service pack 3 which itself fail to install and has now stopped my Railworks from loading, I tried vererication of files but I'm in the middle of reinstalling RW as I type, if it's not that I think a reinstall of windows is needed).
I tried to go through RWTools but it keeps asking for a dds file, I can't find a program anywhere that saves to a dds format.
I've got to the point of making a loading screen 1024x512 jpeg and converting it into an ace.
If anyone has the patience to take me through the steps so I understand them then please I'd be in debt to you.

Apologies for the rant :bad-words:
phil

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

Have you read this tutorial which explains a bit about route templates and loading screens

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 5#p1211104

The free paint.net program will create .dds files - http://www.getpaint.net/download.html

[hertsbob]

And relaaaaaax......

The trouble with the blueprint system is that you have to get it to work a few times before it really starts to sink in how it works.

I see Acorncomputer has beaten me to it. The tutorial he's linked to is the one to start with.

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

Seeing your very own loading screen working for the first time is quite special.

Cheers

Bob

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

I would also like to add that I have been using Windows for about 10 years on a variety of computers and have never had to re-install Windows itself.

You should never have to re-install RailWorks either unless you are setting up additional installations on other computers. A simple verification of the games cache through Steam should correct any corrupted files in the game.

[FoggyMorning]

And relaaaaaax......

The trouble with the blueprint system is that you have to get it to work a few times before it really starts to sink in how it works.

I see Acorncomputer has beaten me to it. The tutorial he's linked to is the one to start with.

Let us know how you get on and good luck.

Seeing your very own loading screen working for the first time is quite special.

Cheers

Bob

I'll second this - Geoff's tutorial tells you exactly what to do and when to do it and worked like a charm for me

[pjt1974]

Thanks lads, I've calmed down a bit in the cold light of day.
Tried verification of RW files to no avail but thanks for advice anyway Acorn, I've done a total reinstall of everything over the course of last night and today (as anyone who could monitor my downloads from UKTS can account for) and I'm seemingly back on the straight and narrow.
I've got a copy of Corel's paint shop pro on a disc somewhere, will that do the job of do I need a plug in. Tried to install
paint.net but that was the one that asked me to install service pack 3 which caused all the problems.

Again, thanks to all
Everything is back to being rosey on the Island again

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

Glad to hear that all is OK now.

I do not know why Service Pack 3 should be a problem as my XP has been using that for a long time now. I did have a problem initially with it myself in that it saw my RISCOS network connection as a threat and would not allow me to connect, so I had to change a bit of RISCOS software, but on the Windows side there was no problem. It seems that you have had a bit of bad luck with your installation.

You may need to take some care with the plugin for .dds files for Paint Shop Pro. Unless things have changed recently, I do not think there is a specific plugin for PSP, you have to us the Photoshop plugin from NVIDIA which does actually work in PSP but it is not an intuitive installation. I suggest you do a bit of Googling on this to obtain the plugin and find the instructions on how to install it.