[steamer_ctn]

I believe that is important to get new route builders interested in building routes. This will encourage new content, and hopefully provide some enjoyment and challenges for new route builders.

From my own experiences there is a bit of a learning curve to get started with route building, and as an encouragement to aspiring route builders I wanted to give them as much of a "head start" as possible so that they don't become discouraged before they get started.

Hence I have created a small pack of resource materials that will assist a route builder in learning the basics of route building by actually constructing a small real life route.

To improve this offering and assist new route builders, I will be interested in any feedback from either experienced route builders or more importantly potentially any budding route builders who have given it a go.

[Genma Saotome]

Peter, you are attempting to describe a whale. The materials you were able to find come up short, some very short. For example, much of Goku's manual does this: "Function Name: The turns Function Name on or off". When do you use it, why you use it are not mentioned. To a noob a manual that only says turns things on or off is useless.

How much DEM data is needed? When can that data be found? Oh... it's in a different format, what now? Let me put signals in as a lay track... of, I just damaged my route by deleting that track (actually destroyed but that isn't apparent at first)... what now?

I do agree with your assessment of the need and probable solution. But know that it is a whale and to get it done so it is useful will take a considerable amount of time and effort.

My thoughts anyway... there are a few other route builders here who will likely have a different take on the matter.

[steamer_ctn]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the feedback. I agree that it is not a trivial task (though rather then a whale, I was hoping that it might be reduced to a mid sized dolphin), as my aim is not to produce an expert route builder, but to hopefully get somebody started, and help them to achieve a sense of achievement by building a small route. Once completed, hopefully they would want to expand their skills, and start from scratch on their own route.

I strongly believe that we need to foster new "blood" into the community in whatever ways we can. We certainly have a vast level of experience out there at the moment.

 Genma Saotome, on 21 February 2022 - 09:58 PM, said:

How much DEM data is needed? When can that data be found? Oh... it's in a different format, what now? Let me put signals in as a lay track... of, I just damaged my route by deleting that track (actually destroyed but that isn't apparent at first)... what now?

That is why I have provided the DEM (and other resources) required for the route in the pack, so for this route they do not need to research and find DEM, etc. Once they have achieved a successful outcome with this route, they can then find answers to all the questions that you have raised.

If you have access to any alternative "manual" I am happy to look at making them available to the budding route builder.

[mrmosky]

Hi Peter,

I think that this is a very useful starter pack for a prospective route builder. It does seem daunting to begin route building, not least because the tools and information required is not all in one place. Your pack aims to address this.

I guess you need a couple of "guinea pigs" to try out your pack, and then see what questions come up. That will prompt any needed revisions and additions.

Geoff

[superheatedsteam]

I like it Peter.

Your guide and example route are a great starting point for budding route builders. Next time I see a post asking “how do I build a route?” I will be directing them your way. Well done.

Cheers,

Marek.

[eric from trainsim]

As a first learning experience this has merit.


But yeah, route building is a whale.

You've tackled managing the interface and some of the basics. Laying track is the easy part, figuring Out signals not so easy.

Something that was never explained to me early on in route building was the amount of research and history one would need to understand to make a quality route. Things like where to find track profiles, Sanborn or topo maps, and literally hundreds of photographs never entered that early conversation.

Nobody explained the type of research and effort involved with finding scenery objects or how to build them.

But.. we all have to start somewhere.

[Genma Saotome]

 eolesen, on 22 February 2022 - 09:37 AM, said:

Something that was never explained to me early on in route building was the amount of research and history one would need to understand to make a quality route. Things like where to find track profiles, Sanborn or topo maps, and literally hundreds of photographs never entered that early conversation.

Nobody explained the type of research and effort involved with finding scenery objects or how to build them.

For myself, I'd say building custom models and doing the research for the route is, oh, at least 90% of the total effort. Track and road laying? Trivial... IF you know where to lay them. Static models, even more trivial. Custom models? A lot of work, often because of the need for art to skin them. Terrtex art? I find that extremely difficult to do -- it has to tile on all four edges w/o an obvious interior pattern and that is VERY hard to do. AFAIK none of the boards have a terrtex art secti0on in their download library.

Guiding a noob thru those topics would be a great help for most.

For what you have done already Peter, if it's not there already, add something about Art software -- Gimp is free and probably the most powerful of the free software and the very-non-trivial-learning-curve -- Blender for model making.

[motormaster532]

I think that this is a great idea! I have ABSOLUTELY no skill set to create Routes, I concentrate entirely on Activity creation. I always wanted to try my hand at Route Creation, I had in mind the "River Line" in the Penn Central and early Conrail days,but I found it too daunting. I will check out the tutorial and maybe set my mind to it. Brian

[steamer_ctn]

 motormaster532, on 26 February 2022 - 11:59 AM, said:

I think that this is a great idea! I have ABSOLUTELY no skill set to create Routes, I concentrate entirely on Activity creation. I always wanted to try my hand at Route Creation, I had in mind the "River Line" in the Penn Central and early Conrail days,but I found it too daunting. I will check out the tutorial and maybe set my mind to it.

Thanks for that.

Your feedback will be very helpful for me and others "budding" route builders.

I am currently working on an update for the demonstration route so that builders can study a "created" route when developing their own version of it.

Hopefully it will be out within the next 48 hours.




EDIT: Updated version uploaded.

[a408814361]

Hello, author，Now I make a route.I find some mistake in it，Do you know how can i reinstitute TDB？don‘t use Train Simulator Editors & Tools。thank you！