Atomic Systems

I can't think of any, but perhaps the forum can contribute their combined thoughts / knowledge!

One of my "wish list" items for TSxx has always been a "grime" setting or spray can. Routes like Maerdy are great, but the assets are all too clean.

Well my research tells me that my green and pleasant valleys are one tunnel ride away from a nightmarish post-industrial wasteland of dereliction, partially demolished and generally decrepit sites, but with ongoing rail served coal, iron and steel plants.

Is there much in the way of derelict, demolished and generally falling down, worn out industrial landscape and building / infrastructure assets?

ETA - is it possible to saturate an area with so much smoke that it looks like the weather is locally different?

I doubt it. But some clever person might come along and tell us of a way to influence the post-processing of the game graphics. There are such things, i.e., you can stick each frame into some 2D image processing after rendering it. That could do some desaturating there, and some darkening, but it would all be uniform, thus not getting too far.

Without post-processing, you are shot completely. You would have to edit any and all textures in the game. Since I don't know of a command line tool that converts the in-game texture format to something accessible, I cannot even sketch an automatic way to desaturate loads of textures.

One thing you could try is to desaturate the ground textures only. You find them by digging into Textures.xml (I believe). It was discussed so long ago that I forgot all about it. But basically, it is the index of the various things that can get painted on the ground, from coal to rapeseed.

A funny idea would be to hack this index so it points to some dry grass instead of lush grass, i.e., just swapping some existing textures so the cheerful ones are replaced by existing sombre ones. That would require little effort beyond rediscovering the file format details. But it has clear limitations, obviously.

As for assets, the 3D Shed Company has produced some derelict items:

http://www.3dshed.co/shoptrainsim/18-derelict

And there are the graffiti and (I think, from memory) mud decals on the Steam Marketplace.

If your after a grimy route, or want tips on how to do it I highly recommend Laneshaw 1980's, its the most atmospheric route I can think of that depicts the era

Laneshaw Bridge 1980's [9957238 bytes] - Laneshaw Bridge 1980's.zip File ID: 30293 Date: 31 Dec 2012 - 692 Downloads

rkk01 --

I'm absolutely with you on this. To me there is nothing quite so evocative as the grey, grimy, decaying, run-down industrial areas that were served by all the major railroads.

I have TS16 installed on my HDD, just waiting for some talented creator to come up with the appropriate route.

In the mean time I while away the time dabbling with an alternative simulation trying to recreate the atmospherics of this bygone smoke-stack era, resulting in layouts like this (best watched full screen and in HD):

This video is hosted by YouTube, a site which is outside of the editorial control of UKTrainSim and as such Parental Control is strongly advised.
To view the video, click on the PLAY button.
If you click anywhere else on this video, you will be taken to a YouTube page, where you may find yourself subjected to content that you feel is offensive.
If you feel THIS video is inappropriate, please report it to a moderator immediately for prompt action.

and

This video is hosted by YouTube, a site which is outside of the editorial control of UKTrainSim and as such Parental Control is strongly advised.
To view the video, click on the PLAY button.
If you click anywhere else on this video, you will be taken to a YouTube page, where you may find yourself subjected to content that you feel is offensive.
If you feel THIS video is inappropriate, please report it to a moderator immediately for prompt action.

Nope. Those TANE ones aren't nearly dirty / run down enough.

Something like these:
http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/34084 ... /?show=all

Or these:
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/Images_I-M/ ... iteTip.JPG
http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/Images_I-M/ ... led-11.JPG

Nope. "Luxury ... eat a couple of bits of cold gravel ... work 25 hours a day at the mill ... ."

Far too clean. This is the real post apocalyptic industrial:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 90&nseq=14

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 55&nseq=13

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 243&nseq=8

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 21&nseq=22

Those are great pictures. I especially like the miniature electric locos - have never seen overhead wires on a narrow gauge before.

That's more like it - nice scruffy steelworks scenes. Excellent pics - just how to replicate in TS world. Will need to have a good look at Yorkshire coast

...."aye....and yer try and tell the young people of today that.....and they wont believe yer" !!!

Classic stuff. Showing my age here.....and YOURS nineercharlie !