Route Thumbnails Creation

[Kevin99]

Hello There,

I have created a thumbnail in Paint.net, but needs to be saved as DXT1 ARGB 6mips Format. this seems to be a problem to me as Paint.net seems to only have the abilty to save a file as DTX1 Opaque/1 Bit Alpha.

My question is this the same or equivelent or different. As this is not strong point can anybody advise as to whether there is a plug in and where can this be found or do I need to purchase another system.

Thanks
Kevin99

[firstborn]

Ok i know there's various ways to create these thumbnails, and can also be done with RWTools, using some strange image format i've never heard of...

But i found it all be bit complex and convoluted... here's how i did it, and doesn't need weird image formats.

Save your image as a 256x128 pixels .png format image

Get the RWace tool from here: http://www.railsimdownloads.com/files/c ... ceTool.zip

Use RWace to convert the .png to an .ace format

Put the .ace file in your blueprint developer source folder, create a route metadata file linking to the .ace file then click the "export this" button

More detailed explanation here: http://railworksamerica.com/forum/viewt ... 504#p69353

[mikesimpson]

RW_Tools produces .tgpcdx format files which are the ones which RSC uses. However as you say, some .ace format files will also work.

There is nothing strange about DXT1 ARGB files, these are the one of the .dds format files produced by Adobe Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro.

Mike

[firstborn]

Sorry Mike...

I didn't mean to imply that RWTools uses some made up format or anything...

... mearly that it's a format which isn't exactly friendly to the average consumer... at least with the .ace format then there is a free an easy to use tool that creates the necessary file from a standard .png for people who don't have access to professional graphic software.

[Kevin99]

Hello there, I had a post from Hack re Thumbnails, Following the instructions in the Railworks America forum as I was advised to do. I created a 256x128 file and converted this to .ace format. Opened preload folder in developer \addon, source directory. Created the blueprint OK and exported the file.

On opening up the Sim to my route I see missing texture in the box. I cleared out the files checked and repeated the process with the same result. I think it may be to do with my .ace file.

Any advice please

Kevin99