[Genma Saotome]

I'll kick off the new list with this idea:

I'd like to have a \rain directory added to \textures along with the ESD_Alternative_Texture() value to support it.

In addition to that, it might be interesting to allow precipitation textures to apply to locomotives and rolling stock.

As a side note, I never have understood why KUJU created a tertex directory... arn't textures just textures?

[copperpen]

I think the Terrtex folder was used to ensure that terrain textures were easier to locate than if mixed with all the other route textures. Much easier to deal with from a development point of view.

[Genma Saotome]

copperpen, on 01 December 2013 - 12:59 PM, said:

I think the Terrtex folder was used to ensure that terrain textures were easier to locate than if mixed with all the other route textures. Much easier to deal with from a development point of view.

That may be as it does sound reasonable for use in RE.

Another thought on rain, the existing tertex directory is, essentially dry summer as the default and snow as the alternative. I'd much prefer a scheme that could handle terrtex seasons, each of which having two subdirectories for the effects of precipitation. That way spring ground could look different than summer and winter could be different, etc. Adding rain and snow to each allows further variation. To avoid unnecessary duplication to route builders who don't want to bother, perhaps there should be a default directory... a process whereby if it's autumn and the terrtex file for autumn is missing, use default instead.

[James Ross]

Genma Saotome, on 01 December 2013 - 03:11 PM, said:

To avoid unnecessary duplication to route builders who don't want to bother, perhaps there should be a default directory... a process whereby if it's autumn and the terrtex file for autumn is missing, use default instead.

Yeah, definitely need a default of some kind.

I see no reason not to have all 25 combinations (4 seasons, 3 weather types, day/night, plus the default) available TBH. Obviously, you would not use most of these in most cases, and many textures would only be in a few directories, but limiting the choices seems somewhat unnecessary.

[Shay 5]

I listed this before. Just saying again, a zoom feature that doesn't get closer to the object, but rather changes picture angle like a real zoom lens would do. Also have an interface that supports geared steam engines with 2 and 3 cylinders. An example would be smoke output based by either animation rotation or sound. Also the ability to jump from one train to another such as to separate trains parked on different sidings. Also is smoke output that reacts to wind and speed, such as when it comes out straight up and gradually curves back and not a in a straight line. Last is a unique whistle interface that would allow custom sequences or "Whippoorwills" . That is what I wish.

[eric from trainsim]

A couple ideas on forest objects, some that I've mentioned before, but will mention yet again as they're not logged...

1) Ability to mix several textures within a single forest, and better yet, discrete sizes to go with each unique texture definition

2) Grid alignment/placement vs. random placement, so we can have actual crop fields, tree farms, etc. that follow the terrain

3) Ability to define the corner posts of the forest for odd shapes (to follow the curve of a river or fit between diverging/converging tracks

4) Ability to toggle by individual object whether or not random trees from being planted below the water level for that tile if water is enabled

5) Ability to use and repeat a .S file instead of just a .ACE, so that we could populate other objects that appear in large groups, like propane tanks, concrete pipes, wind turbines, cattle herds, cars in a parking lot, or vegetation shapes... that would probably need to disable the billboard rotate-to-follow-the-camera function...

6) Ability to sense when it is in the path of track or roads... I know this was tried before, and caused a huge processing hit, but there may be other ways to define "exclusion zones" to facilitate this...

I may be forgetting a few of the ideas I've suggested before, but any one of those would be a huge step up from the current functionality.

[eric from trainsim]

Allow the "5" view to walk thru or on the train as it is moving (should be possible to know the speed and direction of the train already -- arrow and page keys would just change the fixed position on the moving object)

[Genma Saotome]

James Ross, on 01 December 2013 - 03:55 PM, said:

Yeah, definitely need a default of some kind.

I see no reason not to have all 25 combinations (4 seasons, 3 weather types, day/night, plus the default) available TBH. Obviously, you would not use most of these in most cases, and many textures would only be in a few directories, but limiting the choices seems somewhat unnecessary.

It might be a bit more "slim" to let the most common directory be default, something like this for terrtex:

\Tertex (default for all seasons, all precipitation conditions)
-- \Spring (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Summer (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Autumn (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Winter (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)

and within each of the season directories, allow for
---- \Rain (optional)
---- \Snow (optional)

That's just 7 and I think it would cover everything for ground tertex.

For my Cal-P, I'd use Summer, \Winter\rain, and \Spring\Rain and leave the others blank. For Goose Island it would make sense to use all 4 seasons and both precipitation types -- 8 in all but considering the work involved, a practical solution could be found with just \Summer, \Summer\rain, \Winter, and \Winter\snow.

A directory tree for static shape textures would be more complex, perhaps something like this:
\Tertures (default for all seasons, all precipitation conditions)
-- \Spring (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Summer (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Autumn (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Winter (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)

and within each of the season directories, allow for
---- \Night (optional, for dry nights)
---- \Rain (optional)
---- \Snow (optional)

and if necessary, within the two wet directories, one more more in each:
------ \Night (optional, for wet nights)

Is that just 10? I think so. It would cover day and night textures, having no seasonality, no precipitation, in just 2 directories: |Textures and |Textures\Night. OTOH, if you wanted precipitation textures under this scheme you'd need to populate the \snow and/or \rain.

[James Ross]

Genma Saotome, on 01 December 2013 - 06:05 PM, said:

It might be a bit more "slim" to let the most common directory be default, something like this for terrtex:

\Tertex (default for all seasons, all precipitation conditions)
-- \Spring (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Summer (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Autumn (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Winter (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)

and within each of the season directories, allow for
---- \Rain (optional)
---- \Snow (optional)

That's just 7 and I think it would cover everything for ground tertex.

That's 13 (or 15 if you allow rain and snow directly under tertex).

Genma Saotome, on 01 December 2013 - 06:05 PM, said:

A directory tree for static shape textures would be more complex, perhaps something like this:
\Tertures (default for all seasons, all precipitation conditions)
-- \Spring (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Summer (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Autumn (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)
-- \Winter (optional, if used then default for dry, daytime)

and within each of the season directories, allow for
---- \Night (optional, for dry nights)
---- \Rain (optional)
---- \Snow (optional)

and if necessary, within the two wet directories, one more more in each:
------ \Night (optional, for wet nights)

Is that just 10? I think so.

That's 25. :rotfl:

If you allow night/rain/snow options under \tertures, it actually comes to 30 (I missed the combinations of no season but precipitation and/or night earlier).

As we've both said, you wouldn't actually use all those combinations, but they'd be there if you wanted.

[Genma Saotome]

Since the OR software already does freight animation it would be nice / useful / interesting if it could do more than one. And just to pick a number out of thin air, would 6 FA files be doable? I could see both trucks as the standard .wag component with FA files providing everything else... one FA or several depending on circumstances.