TrainSim Helper (Joystick/Overlay) release thread

[LionelMarco]

But ( as there's always a but...) I'm using a French keyboard (Azerty), and the overlay seems linked to a Qwerty one. So the control are "wrongly" placed (an easy one: Decrease speed-Q- is A on my keyboard and so on). In the end, it's quite dificult to translate the command in my head... Is there's a way to adapt your script to "different" keyboards?

Sorry, I'm not sure I follow. The script is not related to the keyboard shortcuts in any way. That's the game itself. By default it uses A/D for throttle/regulator and this will be the case whenever you use my helper or not.
I take it you used the default HUD before, not the shortcuts?

There is a way to change the shortcuts, but it's not the easiest. You'd have to change them for almost every loco one by one:
http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 1&t=139086

[\quote]
You're right, the problem is not related to your script, but to the game.
I found an easy way to avoid it: changing in Windows the layout for the keyboard from French to English.
As I was always playing with a Xbox360 controller, I didn't pay attention to this problem before.

For the Xbox controller problem, I tried to edit the file as you said, with no success. So back to use of the keyboard.

Thankd for the work done.

Lionel

[bohdee]

Optimal solution for the lack of creativity of the DTG, update the TS for 2015 without any significant improvements. Thank you and congratulations for the softer,'ll be testing for sure!

[Havner]

Is anybody using the new distance/countdown meter? I wonder how's that working for you.

[Jaxterass]

Hi Havner,

I've been using the distance/countdown meter intensively ever since you released it, and it is working fantastically. Obviously, I sometime forget to enter the distance, especially on stopper trains, but when I do remember, the distances are very accurate. At least accurate enough to now where you are in relation to a platform.

One thing I noticed is that when you switch to the the other side of the train (or when the scenario builder added the train in reverse direction), the countdown is a negative value. Not a big deal, but still slightly confusing.

On another note, the overlay, but more importantly the joystick helper have really turned TS2015 into a new game for me. It is much more fun to drive and I can be much more accurate when it comes to speeds and breaking distances. So, many thanks for your excellent add-on.

Jack

[Havner]

One thing I noticed is that when you switch to the the other side of the train (or when the scenario builder added the train in reverse direction), the countdown is a negative value. Not a big deal, but still slightly confusing.

This is awkward. I know that the game does not properly invert few things when you change cabs. Like the position of 2&3 cameras, acceleration, gradient. But the countdown should be fine as I don't depend on those.
Is only the countdown inverted or speed as well? If you change cabs without stopping the game won't change properly, it only changes POV. The controls and indicators will behave like you were still in the forward cab.
Does this always happen? Or just sometimes? Do you completely stop _before_ changing cabs?

On another note, the overlay, but more importantly the joystick helper have really turned TS2015 into a new game for me. It is much more fun to drive and I can be much more accurate when it comes to speeds and breaking distances. So, many thanks for your excellent add-on.

Glad to hear that.

[johndaye]

Hi Havner,

I've been using the distance/countdown meter intensively ever since you released it, and it is working fantastically. Obviously, I sometime forget to enter the distance, especially on stopper trains, but when I do remember, the distances are very accurate. At least accurate enough to now where you are in relation to a platform.


On another note, the overlay, but more importantly the joystick helper have really turned TS2015 into a new game for me. It is much more fun to drive and I can be much more accurate when it comes to speeds and breaking distances. So, many thanks for your excellent add-on.

Jack

Couldn't put it better myself.

Thanks Havner.

JD

[Natvander]

Been using the new odometer to good effect hauling some long US intermodals. Needing to hit 3 keys is a bit clunky but I guess there's no way around that (I may make a macro if I have a free button...). It's a very handy feature that's been sorely missed.

[Jaxterass]

One thing I noticed is that when you switch to the the other side of the train (or when the scenario builder added the train in reverse direction), the countdown is a negative value. Not a big deal, but still slightly confusing.

This is awkward. I know that the game does not properly invert few things when you change cabs. Like the position of 2&3 cameras, acceleration, gradient. But the countdown should be fine as I don't depend on those.
Is only the countdown inverted or speed as well? If you change cabs without stopping the game won't change properly, it only changes POV. The controls and indicators will behave like you were still in the forward cab.
Does this always happen? Or just sometimes? Do you completely stop _before_ changing cabs?

Hi Havner,

I realised I made a mistake in my previous post. It is not the countdown that is a negative value, but it is the acceleration that becomes negative. I do allow the train to come to a full stop before I switch cabs. It happens all the time.

Jack

[Havner]

I realised I made a mistake in my previous post. It is not the countdown that is a negative value, but it is the acceleration that becomes negative. I do allow the train to come to a full stop before I switch cabs. It happens all the time.

Yes, like I said. This is the bug in the game. There is nothing I can do about that
I get the data as returned from LUA, and this is how the game returns it and I cannot get an event on the cab change to know which side it points.

[Havner]

Some preliminary support for steamers. Lots of controls added, it's getting crowded there Some hints on how to (re)arrange those would be great.

I only have 4 steamers (3 from EU pack and academy one) so this includes only the common controls that are found there. I've added the drivers controls to the main panel (on the left) and additional ones for fire-man (all those that are disabled with auto fire-man) on the right.

As I still don't know what some of those mean (Small Ejector, Cylinder Cocks, Water Scoop) I'll probably release some beta (no major non-steamers related changes from 0.4) and wait what people think. Then I'll maybe rearrange some and will try to add support for at least few more complicated (IF I'll get my hands on them).

With auto fire-man it's great. The Boiler pressure indicator changes colors properly (green/red).
With manual fire-man there is one major thing missing. Coal indicator. Unfortunately I don't see a way how to get this info. It's only available in the F4 view. So it might be a little hard to drive with manual fire-man. I'm not sure what to do about that.

EDIT: there is also a question of what controls could be controlled with a joystick axis. Theoretically I could add all of them, but I don't know if there is a point. It would clutter the joystick script. Someone might want to build a steam cockpit with valves, but without this controlling them with simple buttons seems sufficient. Only the 3 major (brakes, throttle, reverser) are crucial but those are already there.

[Havner]

It _IS_ possible to get coal level in the Firebox! I didn't notice this function earlier:

Call("*:GetFireboxMass")

The support for steamers is now feature complete!

It's just a matter of adding those awkward custom control for advanced locos, but even without it it will work. It will just not show all the valves in the steamers subpanel on the left. I even bought few steamers now that I can drive them more or less efficiently

An example of the Castle class

[Natvander]

Sweet I don't often drive steam as I find using the keyboard too...modern.

[Havner]

Sorry it's taking so long. We got a long weekend now in Poland, after which (12.11+) I'll release it.

Current changelog:

0.5
- WARNING: keyboard shortcuts got changed again due to steamers addition
- Support for steamers, see the readme
- Detection script will notify what loco has been detected
- Detections and notches configurations for MANY more locos (ALL I own)
- Handbrake indicator, better CruiseControl/AFB) indicator
- CruiseControl axis for locos other then German AFB
- Separate Loco and Train brakes indicators (some locos use both)

Biggest changes are Steamers, massively more notches and related configurations. I went through all the locos I have and filled the LUA files with detections and configurations and a CruiseControl that also works on few other locos that have it (in addition to German AFB): Acela, Class 90 AP, Class 365, Class 375/377.

[Havner]

Version 0.5 released

http://vega.livecd.pl/~havner/trainsim-helper/

0.5
- WARNING: keyboard shortcuts got changed again due to steamers addition
- Support for steamers, see the readme
- Detection script will notify what loco has been detected
- Detections and notches configurations for MANY more locos (ALL I own)
- Handbrake indicator, better CruiseControl/AFB indicator
- CruiseControl axis for locos other then German AFB
- Separate Loco and Train brakes indicators (some locos use both)

[gazz292]

Awesome,
thankyou so much for writing this great app Havner,

i have been quiet the past few weeks because i have been enjoying driving trains from my joystick with this helper....

you have even spurred me on to begin converting my BR111 driving desk to work with the computer, started with the brake levers, gutted the air brake parts and laser cut some gears and fitted a potentiometer so it gets full rotation from the 90 degrees of lever movement,
the dynamic brake lever i mounted another potentiometer of the same value as the one on the air brake lever, it did have it's own pot, a massive wire wound jobbie but it was 220 ohms, too low a value to get accurate readings from most usb input boards, so i put another 5k pot in it's place, and they are working beautifully now.

I'll work on the power lever next, the reverser switch operates 4 switches (and locks the power lever out in the off position) so i think i'll put fixed resistors on the switches, and still have your app read it as a potentiometer, will just read saw 0 ohms for reverse, 1k for neuteral, 2 k for forwards,

Then it'll be time to work on the gauges and indicator lights.