[captain_bazza]

I would like to hear from modelers with experience producing steam locomotives for MSTS in TSM and 3DC Pro, thanks.

This information required for a project associated with an aspect of Open Rails.

Cheers Bazza

[B & O GUY]

Capt.

What do you want to hear? I use TSM for building those cranky steamers. I also have 3DC pro but find it hard to use.
TSM is my main use program and works well for me.

Allen

[bpratt]

At your service Sir.

Bill :bigboss:

[longiron]

Barry,
What's up? Is there anything you need from me?
chrisvw

[Sandy River Tom]

Capt B:

I only use TSM and may be looking for a new project after this Goose is cooked.
What's up???

[wctrr]

Barry,

I use TSM and have built these steam locomotives:

Southern Pacific 'Shop Switchers' a.k.a. "Shop Goats' 0-6-0

Southern Pacific (T&NO) 'Consolidation' C-9 Class 2-8-0

Southern Pacific 'Pacific' Class P-5 4-6-2

I will help if I can.

[espee]

captain_bazza, on 21 May 2010 - 03:41 AM, said:

I would like to hear from modelers with experience producing steam locomotives for MSTS in TSM and 3DC Pro, thanks.

This information required for a project associated with an aspect of Open Rails.

Cheers Bazza

Ok, you have peaked my interest...

I use TSM to build everything and have built one steamer to prove I could.

I have 3DC but will never learn how to use it in a month of Sundays...

What does TSM and 3DC Pro do that GMax or brand x doesn't do ?

[captain_bazza]

Thanks for the handsup, guys, I appreciate the response. I have to be honest and say that this stage of planning for smoke and steam emissions is probably at the pre-planning stage, but we will probably need your experience with these other model programs in order to fine-tune a 'system' for smoke and steam emissions in Open Rails.

What makes it difficult, even at this stage, is there is no single modeling program or set of protocols in place. Open Rails is at the pre-divergence (from MSTS) thus some protocols relate only to MSTS and are not yet sufficiently stand alone.

My experience with modelling for MSTS/Open Rail is based on a fully manual process. My modelling program uses no plug-ins to export a <shape-name>.S, which has advantages and disadvantages. TSM and 3DC Pro are more automated and I believe their method of producing a shape file includes the modeller placing smoke and steam emitter points on the model.

I think a plug-in system for smoke and steam emissions is the way to go for OR.

Thanks for your interest. I'll keep you informed about the project's progress and how you can participate at a later stage.

Cheers Bazza

[espee]

Bazza,

TSM will put in placeholders for steam and smoke effects etc but a quick think about it, they only apply when exporting an .eng file. MSTS takes the parameters from the .eng file as to how to display the smoke, steam etc.

The effects are part of MSTS not the shape file.

In TSM they are set as reference parts and so do not appear in the shape file. This was done I guess to make it easy to put the effects where you want them. If you are not happy with the placement, you can edit the .eng file not the shape file for final fine tuning... you can of course adjust their placement in TSM and re-export the shape file. But unless they are so far off to be useless, you edit the .eng file.

captain_bazza, on 21 May 2010 - 08:06 PM, said:

Thanks for the handsup, guys, I appreciate the response. I have to be honest and say that this stage of planning for smoke and steam emissions is probably at the pre-planning stage, but we will probably need your experience with these other model programs in order to fine-tune a 'system' for smoke and steam emissions in Open Rails.

What makes it difficult, even at this stage, is there is no single modeling program or set of protocols in place. Open Rails is at the pre-divergence (from MSTS) thus some protocols relate only to MSTS and are not yet sufficiencly stand alone.

My experience with modelling for MSTS/Open Rail is based on a fully manual process. My modelling program uses no plug-ins to export a <shape-name>.S, which has advantages and disadvantages. TSM and 3DC Pro are more automated and I believe their method of producing a shape file includes the modeller placing smoke and steam emitter points on the model.

I think a plug-in system for smoke and steam emissions is the way to go for OR.

Thanks for your interest. I'll keep you informed about the project's progress and how you can participate at a later stage.

Cheers Bazza

[captain_bazza]

Hi'ya Richard, thanks for the info. I guess if you omitt the emitters in TSM, then there'll be nothing to affect an external plug-in from displaying such emissions in their place.

Cheers Bazza