The mystery of Numbering in RW :crazyeyes:

[johanjp]

Hi, I'm back with another mystery?
Could someone who have mastered the mysteries of "Numbering" rollingstock in RW, please explain to me how it's done?
1) I need to put the followig on the sides of my loco........ E 1495
2) I have made a "base" by using a "Plane", sized to the correct width(height) and length, then I've split the length into 5
"segments". (One per number)
In the Textures Folder of the loco, where do I place the "E" ? (In place of one of the numbers?)
3) The above were named, 1_1000_primarydigits_5 (both sides the same? or must it be LH & RH i.e.
1_1000_primarydigits_5r ?)
4) What does the "5" stand for?
5) Am I doing it correct, so far?
6) I have copied numbers 0 to 9 (ace each) , a xml file into my loco's Textures folder and a csv file into the Engine folder.
7) In the loco "Blueprint" under Rail Vehicle Component is the "Numbering List" Placing the route/tree to the csv file
are NO problem...however, what is the "Numbering Format"? and also, what are the "Numberings" 0, 1, 2, etc ?

Please help me.........my loco export out of 3D Max fine but does not convert correctly into RW ( only a part of one Panto plus the couplers, appears .... the rest of the loco disappeared)
When I remove all the numbering stuff I've done.....the export and conversion are back to normal?
Again Please help me?
Regards,
Take care,
Johan Pretorius

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

I use 3DC but the principles are the same when exporting to RW. A few notes that may help -

a) You create the base for your number plate using a single plane object or you can use a 3D object but just use one face for the numbers.

b) Split the number face into 5 separate faces with each face being the size of your numeral.

c) In your case I suggest permanently texturing the left face with an 'E' as this seems to be required for all of your numbers.

d) in the other four spaces you need to texture with a placeholder texture.
These placeholder textures will not be seen in the game so something like a 32 pixel x 32 pixel texture with a number on it will be required. In your case they will be 0, 1, 2 & 3 to indicate which placeholder texture you have put where and they will be given the names of primarynumber_0, primarynumber_1, primarynumber_2 and primarynumber_3.
You texture your faces from the right first with 0, then next left with 1 and so on for all four faces.

e) Your object will be in a group of its own but you can add further copies of your object if you wish and place the objects at different points on your model but the face that will show the numbers needs to be a little bit off the model surface.

g) You now need to create the number texture sheets themselves at perhaps 32 pixels wide x 64 high. These might have masks so that only the numbers show up when in the game against the model body colour. You will probably need 10 textures which will be named something like Carriage_Number_0 and so on to 9. You can use any name you like as long as it ends in Number_0, Number_1, Number_2 and so on. These textures are not actually painted on the model but are available for the model to use in the texture folder.

h) The group that holds your number object(s) needs to be named primarydigits_4. The group must always be named primarydigits and the number tells RW how many digits it needs to place on the object.

i) When you export the model out of the modelling package the number object group will be exported to the source folder along with the rest of the model.

j) In the source folder you will need to ensure that there are .ace versions of all the primarynumber textures and the normal number textures. You will need to create an indexed number blueprint which is placed in the source texture folder and also a .csv file where the numbers are stored. You will only need a set of four numbers as the E is already permanently placed on your number plate.

There is, of course, a bit more detail in this but perhaps with your existing knowledge you can work it out.

[johanjp]

Hi Geoff,
Thanks a million for your explanation which I'm so drasticly after. I'm particularly chuffed that by your suggestion to make the "E" sort of permanent. This makes a lot of sense.
I do follow your tutorial 100% however paragraph "d)", explaining the "placeholder texture, has thrown me a bit ? Sorry
for being a bit dumb!! I have made the "number textures" as per your paragraph "g)" thus obviously paragraph "d)" refers to another type of texture? Would this texture include all the numbers per individual face, of the split faces? ( I've split the number face as per paragraph "b)" ) Reason for asking are the fact that each locomotive must have it's own unique number?
Geoff, do I understand you correctly here (above) ? Are the "placeholder texture" different to the "number textures"? and what does it physicly look like? i.e. 1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9 0
All these numbers on one "tile" 32 pixel x 32 pixel?
Thanks again,
Regards,
Johan

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

First of all I have to say that I am not sure how loco numbering works, but this tutorial might help if you have not already seen it -

http://www.uktrainsim.com/filelib-info. ... leid=19166

The placeholder texture is used by the program to identity the positions that varying real textures are to be shown. I believe the placeholder textures could be anything, pictures of the cat perhaps, but they are identified by the program by their name and number and that tells the program where to place the first number that it has taken from the .csv file list. The program also takes the correct number texture to replace the placeholder texture based on the .csv list.

In practice the program looks at the .csv file and chooses number 5835 for example. It then finds the Number_5 texture, places that in the first right hand face overwriting the primarynumber_0 placeholder texture. And so on for all four numerals working towards the left of your object.

You have two sets of number textures to deal with. The placeholder textures tell the program where the numbers are to be placed and in what order, and the actual number textures are normal textures for the finished model. The program does not care much about what these textures look like but it does need their names to be absolutely correct as that it all it goes by. Normally the placeholder textures would have numbers on then so that when you are texturing your nameplate you can actually see what number of placeholder texture you have placed. You only need 32 x 32 pixel textures for the placeholders but the actual number textures need to of a quality that matches your model although 32 wide by 64 high is probably OK.

When I refer to program I mean RailWorks and not the modelling program you are using.

[johanjp]

Geoff,
Thanks ever so much. This clarifies the mystery I had of the numbering process, and in particular, the "placeholder" texture. I really appreciate the time taken by you to explain it to me.
Kindest Regards,
Take care,
Johan.

[johanjp]

Geoff or anyone else,
Although I thought I had the answer to the "place holder" thingy, I seriously have to admit that I failed. I have NO clue as to how to get the "multi/sub-object textures" selected in 3d Max. 1) either my loco disappears with only part of the Pantgraphs and couplers visible .......or 2) Only one piece of the "plane/object" which were divide into 4, for the 4 numbers, are visible and it has a "Grey" color.......nil numbers.
I've place a csv file with numbers ( 0, 0, 1234 etc.) in the loco's Texture folder, as well as a blueprint for the 0 - 9 numbers.
Please help as I'm really a idiot for not grasping how it's done? I've been at it nearly 24/7 but just get more confused as I'm "not" progressing. My 3d max rather gets mucked up more and more. (It seems to get just as confused as I am. )
Johan Pretorius.

[Acorncomputer]

Hi Johan

I have no experience with 3d Max at all so I cannot help any further. The principle of using placeholder textures is used throughout RailWorks for all sorts of signs so it does work.

Perhaps you could experiment with a single faced object using a .csv list of single numbers/letters and once that is working extend the principle to the multi face objects.

This might help if you have not seen it already -

http://forums.uktrainsim.com/viewtopic. ... 0#p1365803

[johanjp]

Thanks Geoff for the referal and the advice to try and make a simple thingy first. I'll do it straight away.
I certainly have to agree with you in the referal write-up........It does get easier when understanding and achieving something, and you must make notes of the achievements. If you or anyone else could think of something else.......please holler.
Regards,
Johan.

[Acorncomputer]

Hi

I now have 14 pages of notes for the wagon creation and when I read through them I find that there are numerous small but very important points which I would not remember otherwise. At least I now have a fighting change of building another wagon in six months time, as long as I can actually understand the notes then

[johanjp]

Geoff, as you so aptly stated "if you could understand it in six months time" or , I'm also suffering from "Old age syndrome" I sometimes have to make notes to remind me where I've placed the previous notes.
Take care,
Johan