[scottb613]

Hi Robert,

LOL - I guess this question is aimed at you - as you seem to be the smoke guy around here... I've noticed some great improvements you've made with the particle effects for smoke in OR... One of the most obvious differences is that in OR the smoke is linear in motion for the entire life cycle... Would it be possible to introduce a arc to the equation similar to how MSTS handles smoke at speed ?

Thanks for all the improvements you've made...
:oldstry:

Regards,
Scott

[rdamurphy]

That's a good question, and one I'm giving some thought.

There's always room for improvement!

Robert

[Matej Pacha]

I took a look at the smoke code and became a bit confused. There is a lot of graphic stuff I don't understand. I'm able to add some physics here to get realistic behavior but I need to have a particle position (x,y,z) relative to the ground or to the train. Then we can add some kind of particle speed vector and make some calculation of the speed change. The smoke "particles" are light and their speed si approaching the wind speed quickly, maybe with some turbulences. A lot of videos on youtube.

Matej

[markus_GE]

As for the one who like modern railroading better, could something like that also be implemented in a similar way for diesels? Also for those, linear smoke, as Scott called it, is a bit unrealistic - diesels usually literally shoot their exhausts out of the stack, so the plume looks like 3 feet straight up into the sky and then with an arch slowly beginning as the wind blows back the fumes in relative movement to the train. But right now, it looks - although a great bunch better than in MSTS - like your diesels are in run 8, but not getting enough fuel :oldstry: Especially with some of the "cloudy" efects I already mentioned in some other thread, depicted in a video.


Here´s the video again:




Cheers, and keep up the great work on the IMHO best trainsim available at the moment,

Markus

[Darkhorse427]

I'll throw my 2 cents in on this subject as well, I'm all for smoke that doesn't just travel in a straight line. While I like the throttle up effects for diesel smoke in OR, everything about the steam loco smoke is all wrong to me, it should be more "billowy" and both should curve as mentioned. I have no idea how it works or how it can be changed, but if it is possible it defiantly should be one of the things that gets changed/fixed by the time you get to a final release version.

Other than that the team has done a fantastic job so far. :naughty:

[rdamurphy]

The problem is simply that the steam/smoke from a puffer billy is so directly related and intertwined with the physics, that it doesn't seem expedient at the moment to "fix" the steam/smoke code simply to break it when the new physics are added, and start over again. I'm not sure they can be separated to the point that one can make one work without the other...

Robert

[thegrindre]

I would like to add my 2 cents as well. When a steamer is sitting idle, the smoke puffs at even intervals. It looks a lot like Puffin Billy. I was wondering if this puffing could be randomized somewhat?

You have done a marvelous job so far, Robert. :good2:

:naughty:

:hi:

[scottb613]

Hi Folks,

Thanks - no pressure - no rush - just trying to point out observations with my area of interest... Appreciate all the time you guys donate to this project...
:jawdrop2:

Regards,
Scott

[rdamurphy]

Honestly, there's so many variables it's enough to give you a headache! Oil burning, wood burning, coal, Anthracite vs. bituminous, coarse, fine, stoker, non-stoker, superheated or saturated, feedwater heat, steam injectors, type of valve gear, fireman skill, atmospheric conditions, altitude, grade, locomotive condition, squareness of the valve gear, power vs. manual reverse, extended or normal smokebox, number of steam domes, and even who built the locomotive!

The mind boggles...

And then, throw in the MSTS "kludge" factor to compensate for poor physics code, and then bad .eng files from guys who never had them set up correctly, in reality, every locomotive should steam differently.

Robert

[scottb613]

Hi Robert

Oh man - that last post is like train porn - easy there - fella...
:jawdrop2:

Anyway - I wish I could help more... Sounds like the other gentlemen with recent steam posts here have a good handle on the physics aspects of modeling steam locomotives... The task does sound daunting though… The physics have always been extremely important to me - if the model doesn't feel like a real locomotive - it kind of shatters the illusion... Honestly - I've been running the latest X version of OR and as mentioned by others - they don't seem too bad... I'm far from an expert though... The MSTS model I'm getting ready to upload - has - to the best of my knowledge - one of Bill Hobbs last engine files he ever made for MSTS... I've always thoroughly enjoyed his work and I believe he is considered by many to be a top notch steam guy… I think a shotgun approach to steam physics might work best - probably 95% of the community wouldn't appreciate most of the variations you mentioned above... Personally - I'm just looking for a plausible believability - similar to the same approach I take when building my models... If it looks like a steam engine and smells like a steam engine - it's close enough for me...

While not strictly steam related – the adhesion to the rails seems more realistic to me in MSTS… The way the file runs in MSTS – is if you open the regulator and reverser full open – the wheels slip – even on dry rails… It makes your give some thought on how you are applying power to get your train moving… Now – I’m not sure if the adhesion values change in MSTS as you pick up speed – but – I would assume in real life – once you get the train rolling at some point you should be able to apply more and more power… In OR – I can’t get the wheels to slip at all – no matter how careless I am… This could also just be due to making some changes to the ENG file to better accommodate OR…

Anyway – if helpful – I could post the ENG file here or provide you with a link to the package… I’m still working the kinks out of the model but I don’t have any intention of modifying the physics… She’s a hoot to run…

Regards,
Scott

OBTW: Bill is doing well - we've exchanged a few emails over the past several days... He doesn't do much with virtual railroading any more - but - he's building is own 1/8 scale 400 lbs 0-4-0 live steamer... Pretty cool...