Train Simulator 2012 (Part 2)

[Acorncomputer]

Hey Derek, I'm just thinking. Do alpha mapped objects cast shadows? Just interested in if it will be ignored, or if the shadow will show through the transparent bits?

Take care!

Cheers,
Mike

Watching the demonstration at Chatham, the sun certainly came through the loco cab window and moved around the wall and dashboard as the loco changed direction. There must have been a transparent texture in the windscreen so the answer is probably yes .. sun light will travel through transparent textures.

[raptorengineer]

dose simple mod still have unlimited fual or can that be turn on or off in option screen.

[Kariban]

Hey Derek, I'm just thinking. Do alpha mapped objects cast shadows? Just interested in if it will be ignored, or if the shadow will show through the transparent bits?

Take care!

Cheers,
Mike

I remember it being said that yes, alpha blended textures cast shadows. I don't remember if that was just on/off or properly blended.

[MikeTrams]

Hey Derek, I'm just thinking. Do alpha mapped objects cast shadows? Just interested in if it will be ignored, or if the shadow will show through the transparent bits?

Take care!

Cheers,
Mike

I remember it being said that yes, alpha blended textures cast shadows. I don't remember if that was just on/off or properly blended.

Ahh, okay.

I was the ballast cut out sections casting shadows okay, but I saw some shrubs and weeds which didn't. I amuse, it's different shaders. Sorry if it's been asked before!

Cheers,
Mike

[moranb]

To-date, the best loft cuttings and embankments which I have come across are those which were provided by Paul Barnett several years ago. The package included a huge variety of cuttings and embankments with steep to wide slopes, each with six or seven different textures. Unfortunately, Paul no longer seems to be active in Train Simming and efforts I have made to contact him at the various addresses I had have not been successful. I received permission from him several years ago to include his assets with my Dublin-Cork route and I have used them extensively throughout the route. Anyone who has installed that route will automatically also have Paul's assets. If anyone knows where he can be located or could make contact with him, I am sure he would agree to have them included in the Freeware Packs.

Sorry, this is slightly off topic, but in the context of the discussion about grid size, these lofts go along way towards disguising or avoiding jagged edges.

It is worth mentioning that with practice using the height tool, it is possible to eliminate the jagged edges. After a while, you can quickly identify which point in the 8 meter grid needs to be raised and which lowered to smooth out a cutting or an embankment and it actually goes quite quickly once you have the hang of it. I never use the smooth tool for this purpose.

BFM

[transadelaide]

dose simple mod still have unlimited fual or can that be turn on or off in option screen.

Why not just use expert mode with the automatic fireman switched on? It's only a little harder, and if you have previously learned to drive a car with a manual transmission you'll get the concept in a few seconds.

Regarding the Pennsylvania route, I imagine that it will be just like the BNSF pack which came with the first release of RailWorks. People who got a cheap price from RS.com for upgrading from Rail Simulator didn't get it, people who paid full price on the Steam Store got it bundled for free.

One post from the previous thread maybe worth discussing...

One other thought on whether to "buy" RW3, not just for additional content is to get a more up to date base game from which to reinstall if necessary. I'm assuming that the update to RW3 and the new features will be a hefty Mb if not indeed Gb download. Add that to the weight already needed to bring the original RW flimsy disc install just to where we are now and for anyone on limited bandwidh, it becomes an attractive proposition.

Like I said, will see what's in the box but certainly an option I'm consideing.

I would recommend against this. I have it on good record that adding a new subscription to your account for something you're already subscribed to doesn't work with Steam, and because of this there is a fair chance that the bundled DLC item/s might not get added to your account because of that. In addition, I suspect (based on the US box art and what comes in the current TS2010 boxed release) that it will be a DVD case format with a quick start manual included rather than a full box like the original RailWorks release was. I would suggest just purchasing the Pennsylvania route DLC for far less than the full TS2012 release and making your own updated installer.

There are a number of other ways that you can create an updated copy to restore a clean install (that includes all the DLC you've bought subscriptions for through Steam) without shelling out for a new copy. The easiest is to use Steam's built-in backup feature designed for this exact purpose of creating a restore disc...
1. Move your existing copy from /Steam/steamapps/common/railworks/ to another place on your hard drive temporarily.
2. "Uninstall" the now missing copy of RW by right-clicking on it in the Steam Client and selecting "Delete Local Content."
3. Use your DVD installer and the Steam Client to install and fully update the core game and all extra content you have.
4. Use the Steam Backup feature to create a backup which can be restored from in the same way that you restore from the original RW disc. If you have a large amount of DLC it probably won't fit on even a DVD-DL, so keeping it as a file on a backup hard drive would be the best way to make sure it can be located and reloaded easily (and faster than using a DVD or numerous DVDs with segments) if you need to create a new fresh installation. If you do use a DVD you can use a full-thickness disc rather than the RW boxed edition's eco-disc that was really designed for just a single use!

Alternatively, for third-party games (from non-Valve publishers) like RailWorks there is another method that Steam Support suggests. Simply copying all the associated .ncf files and the game folder from within /Steam/steamapps/username/ (user name for RW is always "common") should enable an easy restoration if you copy them back in and make sure you're logged in the next time you open the Steam Client.
The bonuses with this method is that instead of copying you could use 7-Zip to get the size down to as low as 15% of the fully installed size (better than Steam's compression, better than ZIP compression and better than RAR compression) and that third-party items will be included. I use this method because my computer makes 7-Zip files quickly, and also because it means that my "basic" install always has most of my third-party payware items ready to go without using their installers.

[chriswillis81]

I notice that my mention of those jagged edges on embankments has caused quite a debate. I'm still not sure though how you can eliminate them using the height tool, everytime i try it i end up taking terrain over the top of the track to get the embankemt right, but i'll see what i can do with some lofts. Is there a freeware pack of lofts available at present? (I've no problem purchasing moranb Dublin- Cork if thats whats needed though)

[Acorncomputer]

I notice that my mention of those jagged edges on embankments has caused quite a debate. I'm still not sure though how you can eliminate them using the height tool, everytime i try it i end up taking terrain over the top of the track to get the embankemt right, but i'll see what i can do with some lofts. Is there a freeware pack of lofts available at present? (I've no problem purchasing moranb Dublin- Cork if thats whats needed though)

Dublin to Cork .. FREE (some additional payware required though)

http://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info. ... leid=25225

[TheTazman]

How many giga bytes will RW3 be to download? Just wondering to get an idea as to how long it will take to download.... i will maybe even order in a pizza whilst i wait.

[sdark2]

Thought I'd post this here from FB - "Here's how the TS2012 lighting upgrade will affect a typical core scenario - in this case, towards the beginning of Evening Express on Newcastle-York."

Kr, Steve

[passedcleaner]

That looks awesome

[Acorncomputer]

I know that Derek is too modest to show this himself but take a look at this remarkable shot from his Wear Valley Railway in TS2012 -

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JgSGk6rT5Ws/T ... TS2012.jpg

There are still a few placeholder buildings in the background, but apart from that it could be the real thing

[FoggyMorning]

That'd be the same shot that Derek posted himself in the Atmospheric Shots thread

[Acorncomputer]

That'd be the same shot that Derek posted himself in the Atmospheric Shots thread

Not as modest as I thought then

[RSderek]

I had not posted in the screen shot section for many months, but I put it in there as this was the first time I have seen my route in 2012, (I have resisted till now) I was doing some testing late last night on RWP and all seemed to work fine.
I was pretty pleased with how it looked.
I have not updated any shaders so spec and normal maps will make a difference I suspect on the station.
I think you guys will be pleased with how your work looks in the new set up.

d