Water troughs

[longbow]

I'm just looking at Hertsbob's water troughs (UKTS 24035) and wondering whether 1) troughs could be made functional ie into a water point 2) they could be made to trigger a water spray effect around a suitably adapted loco tender.

[ChrisBarnes]

For suggestion one, I don't think it's possible although I'd love it if someone could demonstrate that it does work. As for suggestion two, yes, should be very possible.

Chris

[MGD11]

The latter might be doable with a function key (perhaps it could be used as a form of wiper animation?) but the former would require not only extra coding but also a new form of transfer point, as all transfer points in-game are static, and hence do not move - a water trough, by definition, is not a static transfer point.

[GatwickSpotting]

The latter might be doable with a function key (perhaps it could be used as a form of wiper animation?) but the former would require not only extra coding but also a new form of transfer point, as all transfer points in-game are static, and hence do not move - a water trough, by definition, is not a static transfer point.

It could always be coded onto the loco instead. I.e when water-pickupthingy is down, emit particles from XYZ location. And to those who say, "but what about if its down and not over a water trough?", I'd suggest only using it when you have somewhere to put it.

[ChrisBarnes]

That's easier and probably more sensible than what I had in mind, Jordi. I was thinking along the lines of using track markers at the beginning or end of the trough and then sending a custom signal message to the tender script of whichever loco to emit the particles, but I guess that's unnecessary when you could just turn the effect on/off depending on whether the scoop was up or down. And if you drop the scoop down into the 4 foot instead of a trough, then I guess the effect you'd still see would be the ballast being flung up and out!

Chris

[longbow]

Does the loco have to be static to transfer water? If not, could a water trough be coded as a transfer point with a very large outlet? Alternatively there could just be an instant fill as the loco passes - not so realistic but still worth doing.

[hertsbob]

I'm afraid it does. So the closest we're likely to get at the moment is some kind of graphical effect which won't actually affect the water in the tender, as has previously been discussed.

One of these days/years we'll be able to do it.

Cheers

Bob

[Stanlow]

I'm afraid it does. So the closest we're likely to get at the moment is some kind of graphical effect which won't actually affect the water in the tender, as has previously been discussed.

One of these days/years we'll be able to do it.

Cheers

Bob

It may look incredibly shonky in action, but I'm just wondering if there'd be a way to stop the consist for a split second while over the trough (set all values to 0 perhaps), instantly increase the water level, and then return speed values etc back to what they were? Unfortunately I don't know enough about scripting in game to do this, or if it's even possible to affect the train/consist speed when the script is attached to a track infrastructure item.

[MGD11]

It could always be coded onto the loco instead. I.e when water-pickupthingy is down, emit particles from XYZ location. And to those who say, "but what about if its down and not over a water trough?", I'd suggest only using it when you have somewhere to put it.

True, but bear in mind that, generally speaking, only large tank engines and tender locos were fitted with troughs - and while tank engines (as per your suggestion) are easily doable, tender engines could be a problem; tying it to the loco means it wouldn't look right on curves (not all water troughs were straight; some were fitted to track with extremely gentle curves) and also some locos had different tender types, but tying it to the tender means you'd have to add extra coding to the tender (and also mean a new transfer point) to cope with it, though.

However, I do find it strange that the coding for water scoops is actually coded into the .bin files for steam (and some) diesel locos - maybe a feature that Kuju wanted to implement but could never duplicate like they did for MSTS?
See the example from the Kuju "default" Black 5 below, from the actual loco (not tender) bin file:

<cControlContainerBlueprint-cControlValue d:id="71088128">
<ControlName d:type="cDeltaString">WaterScoopRaiseLower</ControlName>
<DefaultValue d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="0000000000000000" d:precision="string">0</DefaultValue>
<MinimumValue d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="0000000000000000" d:precision="string">0</MinimumValue>
<MaximumValue d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000000000F03F" d:precision="string">1</MaximumValue>
<BriefDescription d:type="cDeltaString">Lower and Raise Water Scoop</BriefDescription>
<DetailedDescription d:type="cDeltaString">Lower and Raise Water Scoop</DetailedDescription>
<ApplyToConsist d:type="cDeltaString">eFalse</ApplyToConsist>
<InterfaceElements>
<cControlContainerBlueprint-cInteriorLever d:id="71090432">
<ElementName d:type="cDeltaString">Water ScoopRaiseLower</ElementName>
<DifficultyType d:type="cDeltaString">Expert</DifficultyType>
<PickTransformName d:type="cDeltaString"></PickTransformName>
<MovementType d:type="cDeltaString">MoveLeftRight</MovementType>
<AnalogInputSensitivity d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000000000F03F" d:precision="string">1</AnalogInputSensitivity>
<DigitalInputSensitivity d:type="sFloat32" d:alt_encoding="000000000000F03F" d:precision="string">1</DigitalInputSensitivity>
<AnimationName d:type="cDeltaString"></AnimationName>
</cControlContainerBlueprint-cInteriorLever>
</InterfaceElements>
</cControlContainerBlueprint-cControlValue>

EDIT: On a side note, the "moving transfer point" idea is coded it might allow for on the move mail bag transfers! ...though this means it'd also have to be code-able into rolling stock.