[captain_bazza]

http://www.elvastowe...eenshot&id=1727
File Name: Old Motor Barge (sand suction dredger)
File Submitter: captain_bazza
File Submitted: 08 Dec 2013
File Updated: 08 Dec 2013
File Category: Miscellaneous (Everything Else)

OLD MOTOR BARGE
By Captain Bazza
For Open Rails
December 8, 2013.

Requires prior experience installing models and using the route editor (currently MSTS) to place
the model in the route scenery. Installation instructions text file is in the ZIP.

The highly detailed model is untested in MSTS & Open Rails, but should work okay in Open Rails.

Notes:
Developed from a model made for Railworks a few years ago.
Polys 7,800,
1 x 1600m LOD,
1 x texture .ACE, ZLIB compressed,
1 x shape uncompressed,
1 x .SD.

EULA:
This work may be used for any Open Rails freeware route without further restrictions. Acknowledgement of the original author (me) would be appreciated, thanks.

The barge is loaded, so should sit in the water so that only a little of red hull colour is showing.

ENJOY!
Captain Bazza 2013.
(Barry R Munro)



Click here to download this file

[captain_bazza]

I am very keen to get some feedback on this vessel, because there are a couple of variations of her type I could port over.

Cheers Bazza

[thegrindre]

I don't have any rail layed to my water. It's way too far away for testing. :wheelchair:
I can't get there from here. :lol2:

:oldstry:

[Genma Saotome]

I set it down in the Chicago River (it floated). :wheelchair: Looks fine. What specific feedback are you looking for?

[Huecuvoe]

I intend to drop it (maybe place would be a better word) in Port Stanley on the L&PS. It is a good model and a good fit with the Rhoda Emily and the Ahtotha (shown below).

http://imageshack.com/a/img853/2923/ziil.jpg

I would very much like to see any variations you may have. (Echoing Dave) Let us know if there is there some specific feedback you are looking for.

[captain_bazza]

Quote

Looks fine. What specific feedback are you looking for?

You answered in the same breath, Dave, thank you. :mellow:

Quote

I set it down in the Chicago River (it floated).

:dance:

Cheers Bazza

[captain_bazza]

Thanks, what I'm after is whether, or not, there is a problem with FPS because of the high polys - around 8,000, single 1600m LOD. I could do another LOD, by removing details not seen at a distance.

Cheers Bazza

[Huecuvoe]

captain_bazza, on 10 December 2013 - 03:06 AM, said:

Thanks, what I'm after is whether, or not, there is a problem with FPS because of the high polys - around 8,000, single 1600m LOD. I could do another LOD, by removing details not seen at a distance.

Cheers Bazza

(Since you asked) I am a BIG fan of LODs. Because the number of objects MSTS has to render increases as the square of the distance, using LODs to decrease the number of polys to be rendered can greatly help with little (if any) degradation in visual appearance. On the "Old Motor Barge" you could easily lose the railings by 100m. When I do LODs for myself, I use the half/triple rule ... roughly half the detail (polys) at triple the distance. I don't think it is "MSTS efficient" to decrease the number of polys in smaller increments (e.g. - 10000 --> 8000 --> 6000 --> etc.).

For the OMB you might try:

Polys Max Distance
~8000 250m
~4000 750m
~2000 2000m

Anything else would require re-working the prim_states. Confession: Before permanently placing the OMB on the L&PS, I probably would have "tweaked" it to add LODs myself. I usually don't ask for them because some modelers believe they aren't necessary with fast* computers.

However, let me reiterate the most important point. It is a very good, attractive and useful model. :)

*FAST: If it's older than two months or cost less than $10,000, it's obsolete.

[captain_bazza]

I don't like multiple LODs because I'm basically lazy and each additional LOD shape requires the modeler to keep track of them prior to conversion. I usually just delete detail off the model that's probably not going to be visible beyond - say, 600m. I don't (like) simplify(ing) shapes, it's too much effort for the advantage perceived, when other projects call my attention in a loud voice. Of course, with better graphics cards and larger monitors, some detail is visible quite a way out.

Okay, I folded. I've made a 600M detailed LOD and a 1600M less detailed LOD. The savings is 5,409 polys! You can see from the render of the 1600M LOD there is ample detail for the distance.

Cheers Bazza

 OP1-1LOD1600.jpg (69.09K)
Number of downloads: 1

[captain_bazza]

I'll swot up on the conversion for multiple LODs to make sure I get it right - then upload it today, or tomorrow. I'll make it version 2.0.

Cheers Bazza