Jolly Good Fun ... Narrow Gauge rails in North Wales

[xguerra]

It can be easy to swap out the ground textures providing the new textures map the same way as the PP ones.
If not, the corresponding texture mapping is almost random and the wrong textures will appear on the route and you'll have to paint over them manually.

Swapping out assets is easy with RW-Tools.

I'm glad though it seems to work well for people and I very much look forward to having a play myself.

[thephantomphish]

Hi everyone,

It's all gone quiet again but work has continued behind the scenes.
The extensive asset list seems unresolveable as I have been looking at buildings and scenery used and whilst there is some duplication, each route required contributes a significant number of assets required to render the environment as close to reality as possible. Swapping some is possible but for the full effect all the routes are needed.

DTG have expressed an interest and I am waiting to hear back from them (might take a while, of course) - that would solve the issue and potentially end up with a tidier overall product maybe with some custom assets. If they say no then I'll just upload it as it is and hope people make good choices during the next round of sales afterwards!

Meanwhile I've been playing with extending and improving the scenery in certain areas - glad I didn't do the Trawsfynydd branch though! I laid track as far as Maentwrog Road but it isn't sceneried or even married up to the DEM data. Xguerra, it may be possible to weld the two together once my route gets released... ironically, I am currently missing most of the DLC to be able to try out your line!

I'll carry on extending the bit I have been working on (it is obviously not Blaenau!), it isn't very interesting operationally and wanders historically a bit from my initial premise of 'Ffestiniog in the 1990's' but might add interest for some... Once I've got the gradients a bit more sorted some screenshots will follow... Meanwhile, anyone got a 2' version of the freeware mallett I could borrow for a couple of 1 in 40 climbs?! *hint*

ThePhantomPhish

[acfreeman99]

I don't come on here very often these days so was completely unaware of this route.....fortunately a friend has just sent me the link to this post - I grew up in the area, am a FR Society Life Member and know the Railway pretty much like the back of my hand......what you have achieved is astonishing, really captures the flavour of the line....with non-custom assets too. As somebody who dabbles in route creation ( scenery only, I can't figure out the track ) using custom assets I know just how challenging it is to find a non-custom asset which is suitable. I really hope that DTG continue their interest in the route, just makes it more accessible ( as you say in one of your previous posts ) if people can simply buy it and run it.....but if not then we can figure out what DLC is required to run it.

I have never dealt with DTG, but I'm guessing that they would not be willing to market a route without at least one loco and a mix of coaches/wagons to go with it so you may need to work with somebody to set that up.

Very best of luck with this, if I have the assets required to run the route then happy to give it a test run although it seems that you have beta testers lined up already, just shout if you need any help.

regards,

Andy

[thephantomphish]

Hi everyone,

I just want to wish you all a Happy New Year / Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!

Thankyou all again for your continuing interest in this project. Despite originally hoping to have the route released by now, I can reassure everyone that work is still progressing with the 'little' extension project which will most likely be included when this all becomes available (otherwise my recent work will go to waste!). Some bits are complete already...

I will be posting some screenshots of the most finished bits very soon, so keep watching this space!

Best of luck and happy driving for 2016...

ThePhantomPhish

[thephantomphish]

And as promised... the following pictures show the first bit of the work I have been doing recently. It is a diversion from the original project (geographically and historically) and as such has thrown a lot more issues into my mind (although I have now chosen a nominal target release date, which is nice), but I won't say more than that regarding the extension for now... just that I hope you like these first photos:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =591369441

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =591369751

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =591370398

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =591370740

By coincidence I ran out of chuff whilst starting to pass the areas I've not yet finished. Work continues!
(And of course, feedback and observations always welcome!)

ThePhantomPhish

[xguerra]

Fantastic Phantomphish! Nice start on the WHR!

Quick query about Pen Y Mount. Have you used the avoiding line or have you run into the station? The WHR doesn't run through the station, it has a separate track to the WHHR (confusing as that sounds).

[thephantomphish]

With regards to the WHR / WHHR area, and the extension in general, most of it is built based on youtube and online images as it isn't a bit of line I am familiar with. It is actually liberating to not be so involved in the minute details!
The WHR follows the historic alignment, with the WHHR adjacent on the site of the old exchange sidings, but I have realised that at the moment there is still work to do to get the look and feel correct - it won't take much but is something extra to add to the to-do list! The finished project will therefore eventually look quite different around that area.

Fans of the WHR will hopefully enjoy my recent efforts but are guaranteed to find something that isn't quite right, especially the signalling (or lack thereof!) !

ThePhantomPhish

[thephantomphish]

Good afternoon everyone,

I've been out with the camera again now that most areas of the current development are finished, although still work-in-progress with regards to fine detailing.
Enjoy some shots from a short trip through the mountains...

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028172

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028584

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028924

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029097

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029393

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029701

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599030168

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599030362

It appears from initial testing that the (roughly accurate) steep gradients of 1:45 are quite a challenge for Princess and three coaches !

ThePhantomPhish

[xguerra]

Good afternoon everyone,

I've been out with the camera again now that most areas of the current development are finished, although still work-in-progress with regards to fine detailing.
Enjoy some shots from a short trip through the mountains...

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028172

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028584

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599028924

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029097

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029393

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599029701

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599030168

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/ ... =599030362

It appears from initial testing that the (roughly accurate) steep gradients of 1:45 are quite a challenge for Princess and three coaches !

ThePhantomPhish

That's why we have Garratts. (Really wish there was K1 to drive over the hills).

I wonder how the L&M Kitson would do over that.

[thephantomphish]

Yeah, having built some of the digital version with reasonably accurate gradients, I can see why locos with a bit more oomph are required! Interesting to note that the maximum WHR loads for FfR locos, even the mighty Fairlies, are significantly lower than on their home route (only half as many coaches permitted for each loco). In the sim, the Portuguese Mallett tackles the line with barely a chuff, everything else has to be thrashed to within an inch of it's life! The Mallett, despite being out of gauge, looks surprisingly fitting and the articulated bogie looks lovely in motion...

Having had a browse of the Rule Book for the WHR (gratefully recieved!), it seems that line speeds are lower than I had generally imagined, so there has been a bit of guess work involved with placing the markers all along the extension. As gradients mostly seem to be reasonably well represented, the route gives a challenging drive in both directions for the smaller locos, especially when a steep climb follows a low speed section of the line.
Operationally, the WHR is very much an A to B route - there is only little scope for scenarios or AI interaction, which means that it needs to be (all still 'in the spirit of' the real thing) an accurate representation of the driving challenge, and of the surrounding scenery. I need to try to get both of those right as best I can, and so work continues, to try to capture the essence of the line.

Finally for now, it seems that the climb from Beddgelert to Rhyd Ddu can be done with the Corris loco and three bogie coaches, up the real life 1:40 average grade, although in my digital world this works out more like an average 1:37 to keep the stations at appropriate altitudes... (did I just admit to having started on yet another extension?)

More news and screenshots as and when progress permits...

Thanks again for continued interest!

ThePhantomPhish

[thephantomphish]

Hi everyone,

I wasn't going to post again until I had much useful to say, but reading through various forum discussion threads has prompted me to provide a brief update...

Progress continues to be made with the WHR extension to Rhyd Ddu. Track laying and gradient profiling is complete and mostly accurate, as is most middle and long distance scenery, but there is a lot of close detailing still to do, such as reasonably proper speed limits as well as all the lineside vegetation, level crossings, and suchlike. Also, modelling the distant mountain terrain is hard to do to keep the character of the area looking detailed and realistic when in helicopter view mode. It is getting there, but nothing is complete enough to show screenshots of just yet.
What I have noticed across various forums relates to the withdrawal of certain DLC (plenty of discussion on that elsewhere - for anyone who wants to chip in, please use those threads), and there was one quiet mention of the unavailable Phorum Peninsula assets which, of course, this route requires... the bit that caught my eye was yesterday, when a well-respected route creator commented along the lines that the rights to the narrow gauge assets have now been passed on to a 3rd party and that something special is coming with more news to follow in the next few months.
This will be great if it makes the assets available again. I just wonder... does anyone know what may be being planned? Has/is someone beating me to it with a FfR/WHR route? I know that the WHR has been tried at least twice before, although no-one seems to have ever tried the FfR as far as I can tell, but that statement has really caught my interest...

I'll carry on with my project regardless, and I even have a private target for a release date, but if anyone knows what is planned for the ex-PP assets I'd love to hear some news!!
I have promised myself to get the Durango and Silverton route once this project is complete, so I have plenty of motivation to keep going for now - if I buy it straight away I'll only get distracted!

Thanks again for reading my thoughts,

ThePhantomPhish

[xguerra]

Don't know about the PP assets but glad you're continuing.

Yeah I was one who had attempted the WHR previously but I had built it so poorly I gave up after Rhy Ddu.
Though, for that project, Geoff Potter kindly made me a WHR style water tower which you can use for yours if you want.

There are two styles. The first is like at Caernarfon where the pipe swings out, and the second is like everywhere else where the pipe is fixed.
PM me if you would like me to send them over.

[spontin]

DLG on the Ffestiniog
Thought I would just show these. Took DLG onto the Ffestiniog for a quick outing

Not ready for release and much more to do but worth a look


Click the image to zoom in


Click the image to zoom in


Click the image to zoom in

[xguerra]

DLG on the Ffestiniog
Thought I would just show these. Took DLG onto the Ffestiniog for a quick outing

Not ready for release and much more to do but worth a look


Click the image to zoom in


Click the image to zoom in


Click the image to zoom in

Whatever the state, it's fantastic to see it!
Glad you got the two-chimney steam working!

[thephantomphish]

Hi everyone, sorry for my recent silence on here (real world issues and so on!)

The DLG is really coming on well, I look forward to taking it for a spin one day! I daresay (in the absence of any alternative) that a maroon re-skin could suffice for a Merddin Emrys, although purists will argue about smokebox handrail details, nameplates etc being different! Or a black ex-works DLG with no roof for 'that 1992' look would be possible too... https://www.flickr.com/photos/rpmarks/2839740722
If it is running already, how does it handle loads on the gradients? I have noticed with my limited kettle driving skills that locos either make hard work of the climbs, especially with trains of any length on the curves, or fly up without needing to pause for breath. The freeware mallett actually looks very much the part but doesn't struggle at all even on the long 1:40 sections with a long train behind!

Which takes me on to the route which is still in development... I recently did a lot of testing with the freeware Darj (quite a mountain goat) and got a handful of screenshots which I will look through and post some of soon. The route is now complete as far as Rhyd Ddu, giving something like 25 miles of narrow-gauge playground, although some suspension of disbelief is required for the signalling and some assets. Xguerra, the watertower would be great to have a copy of if you can send me the details, and your help with the FfR/WHR rulebook is greatly appreciated for various aspects of the extension! At the moment I have still managed to keep the route DTG-asset-only, but I do intend to do my own private un-restricted version once I finally get the route released for general consumption...

Screenshots to follow soon-ish, and as always - more news as and when!

Cheers,

ThePhantomPhish