[conductorchris]

Something I've been thinking of:

It would be nice to add to explore mode a populate sidings option. That would have to be defined by a template of some sort. I'm thinking of something along the lines of Skyline Computing's Activity Generator that has a template that defines what kind of cars each siding is expected to contain and another that defines what cars match to each type (for example "loaded anthracite coal" could be a type that would apply to Erie, DL&W, D&H, NYOW, CNJ, LV and RDG hoppers). Alternately, the template could specify the specific cars and some kind of utility could be created for changing out those cars (perhaps Mike Warren could put such a thing into Yardmaster?)

Christopher

[pnrailway]

Christopher,

If somehow ORTS could have the same feature as the Easy Train Store tab of TrainStore that allows you in Explore mode to use the loose consists of an activity as well as those placed on sidings along with the player consist of your choice. That way you could use the activities generated by Activity Generator or any other activity for a route to have the populated sidings as well as a free form activity of your choice as you move down the line setting out here and picking up there.

[PA1930]

A sugestion that just came up to my mind, also related a bit to Train Store itself:

It would be nice if ORTS had the option to pre-view in a 3D-side view of the consist selected like it is possible in Train Store. :party:

[Csantucci]

pnrailway, on 01 April 2014 - 12:26 PM, said:

Christopher,

If somehow ORTS could have the same feature as the Easy Train Store tab of TrainStore that allows you in Explore mode to use the loose consists of an activity as well as those placed on sidings along with the player consist of your choice. ...

In general Train Store features, like this one, can be used also with ORTS. Train Store in fact generates a temporary activity for this, that can be run also with ORTS.

[cisterna]

Hi everyone, I asked me about the possibility that the Open Rails developers create an export plugin from 3d max to .S, because GMAX is very unstable and antique,and sometimes the programme creates many problems. 3D Studio max offer many possibilities in modelling technique, but there is a disadvantage, to export a model the users of this programme need to use GMAX.

Regards and best wishes for all,

Raúl Medina

[Guille592]

cisterna, on 13 April 2014 - 02:53 AM, said:

Hi everyone, I asked me about the possibility that the Open Rails developers create an export plugin from 3d max to .S, because GMAX is very unstable and antique,and sometimes the programme creates many problems. 3D Studio max offer many possibilities in modelling technique, but there is a disadvantage, to export a model the users of this programme need to use GMAX.

Regards and best wishes for all,

Raúl Medina

I have to agree with Raul Medina, gmax can be sometimes really annoying an even a tremendous headache when exporting, if we are making something from 0, I think this plugin will become handy for faster exports from 3DSmax straight away to OR, avoiding to reapply the textures on the model even if the coordinates are saved. :)

[superheatedsteam]

MSTS shipped with the conv3ds.exe program that the KUJU developers used to convert the .3DS files they created using 3DS MAX to .S shape files.

I believe it is located in the UTILS folder. There is also a file called 'Conversion of Shapes and Textures 1.01.doc' that describes how to use this program.

I have not used this program myself as I use gmax and don't have any issues with it exporting models.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Marek.

[cisterna]

Hi all,

Firstly, the Conv3DS.exe is a antique programme with MS-Dos, and today there are others ways to export.

For the other hand, GMAX is unstable with a model with many polygons as 40000 or superior (I work with freights with 40000 polygons, and locomotives with 50000 polygons or more)

Also, the two methods use the .3DS format, and this format is archaic, absoleted and dated.

Regards,

Raúl Medina

[Guille592]

Hello there, I tried like a year ago to export a model with the Conv3ds.exe program that is, as you said, located inside the UTILS folder. Y did tried it like a bunch of times and actually nothing happened to the conversion. Didn't matter what I tried that the program wouldn't do anything at all!

Also, if we are starting from 0, why keep using obsolete programs to export to Open Rails? As Raul said, models over 40.000 polys have really some difficulties when importing and or exporting from GMAX to MSTS/OR, not to say that GMAX is one of the most unstable programs for exporting models... You do need to save like every 5 minutes where as in 3DSMAX, it goes really smooth and with almost no trouble at all!

So once again I have to ask please, for a exporter from 3DSMAX to Open Rails to make it a straight conversion without using GMAX at all.

:sign_thanks: for listening to us :clapping:

[gpz]

There is a preliminary exporter available for Blender.