Changing Signs

[brick60000]

Hi,

If i had a route that was branded as, say Wales and Borders and wanted to change the signage to Arriva Trains Wales how would I do it please?

[gswindale]

You need to find the texture files that have the branding on them and then export them to a suitable format for your graphics editing program of choice.

Then make you amendments and export back to the texture files.

[SDtrains]

Hi,

In addition to Geoffs comments, might I add the time honoured " Make sure you do your back ups first".

Also, you could expand the above process by putting together a couple of batch files (remember those?) to implement an era changer. You would need a list of all affected shapes and tiles they appear on. Also, rather than using texture swap outs, use shape swap outs as they will use less space, and will prevent accidental mishaps. The swapped out shapes would need an appended name to differentiate them, same with the textures, and simply alter the texture names in the shape files using "zipper", (one of the tools available from "MSTS Hot picks" on the site home page) and this will give you an independant set of textures to do what you want with. The prospect of doing a large route would seem quite daunting initially, but certainly possible.

[gswindale]

Am I missing something here?

If we simply swap the textures, that is only one file of x bytes. If we swap the shapes, then we need to have the associated texture file to go with it, so that gives us 2 files of x+y bytes - hardly space saving is it?

It is simply a case of texture swapping that can be found in Dorset Coast V6 (with the most recent patch).

[brick60000]

Thank You for the help.

Just another question, how do you make the signs bigger?

Thanks

Brick60000

[gswindale]

To do that I would guess that you would need to modify the shapes.

[dennisat]

Just another question, how do you make the signs bigger?
Brick60000

You can use Paul Gausden's excellent Shape File Manager to manipulate height, width and depth with astounding ease. However, you may then have to go into Route Editor to manipulate the position of some signs. You could get effects like the edge of an enlarged sign being buried in a bridge abutment or similar.

Dennis

[brick60000]

Just another question, how do you make the signs bigger?
Brick60000

You can use Paul Gausden's excellent Shape File Manager to manipulate height, width and depth with astounding ease. However, you may then have to go into Route Editor to manipulate the position of some signs. You could get effects like the edge of an enlarged sign being buried in a bridge abutment or similar.

Dennis

Thanks for that. How would I then make the ACE file that textures the sign work with that? Another thing, where can I find the shape manager please?

Thank You

[dennisat]

How would I then make the ACE file that textures the sign work with that? Another thing, where can I find the shape manager please?

You can find Shape File Manager on the the Steam4me site (http://msts.steam4me.net). Shape File Viewer is also on that site; if you haven't already got it I think you'll find it useful if you're going to tinker with shapes, you can see the results of your changes very quickly. The Steam4me site also has short tutorials on how to use these programs.

You can use the original ACE file as a template for your intended mods. I've done this and I know it works. In the case of a station sign you can use your graphics editor to alter the lettering / logo to meet your needs. This may be more awkward if you've scaled the sign asymmetrically because the ACE file (texture) will be "stretched" to fit your new shape. When you view the sign, the original font will look "squashed" or "stretched". If you want to keep the original ACE file format you'll have to use a font in your graphics editor that's suitably proportioned to appear correctly on the sign. If you want to design a completely new ACE file that'll display in proportion in both your graphics editor and on the sign you'll have to modify position fields relating to the ACE file in the shape file (.s file). I think I know how to do this but I've never tried so I won't attempt to possibly mislead you.

I'm not a 3D modeller, I've just used Shape File Manager to tinker with things like station signs as you're trying to do. I'm sure the 3D experts will give better advice than me if you're still stuck.

Dennis

[brick60000]

How would I then make the ACE file that textures the sign work with that? Another thing, where can I find the shape manager please?

You can find Shape File Manager on the the Steam4me site (http://msts.steam4me.net). Shape File Viewer is also on that site; if you haven't already got it I think you'll find it useful if you're going to tinker with shapes, you can see the results of your changes very quickly. The Steam4me site also has short tutorials on how to use these programs.

You can use the original ACE file as a template for your intended mods. I've done this and I know it works. In the case of a station sign you can use your graphics editor to alter the lettering / logo to meet your needs. This may be more awkward if you've scaled the sign asymmetrically because the ACE file (texture) will be "stretched" to fit your new shape. When you view the sign, the original font will look "squashed" or "stretched". If you want to keep the original ACE file format you'll have to use a font in your graphics editor that's suitably proportioned to appear correctly on the sign. If you want to design a completely new ACE file that'll display in proportion in both your graphics editor and on the sign you'll have to modify position fields relating to the ACE file in the shape file (.s file). I think I know how to do this but I've never tried so I won't attempt to possibly mislead you.

I'm not a 3D modeller, I've just used Shape File Manager to tinker with things like station signs as you're trying to do. I'm sure the 3D experts will give better advice than me if you're still stuck.

Dennis

Thanks, who do you know that is a 3D Expert?

[dennisat]

Thanks, who do you know that is a 3D Expert?

I'm afraid I don't know any 3D modelling experts personally. If you can post a specific example of a problem on these forums, I'm sure someone will come up with an answer for you.

Best of luck
Dennis

[brick60000]

Thanks, who do you know that is a 3D Expert?

I'm afraid I don't know any 3D modelling experts personally. If you can post a specific example of a problem on these forums, I'm sure someone will come up with an answer for you.

Best of luck
Dennis

Thank You for your help.