[rfranzosa]

Hi OR Team,

I have created animated radiator shutters for an Alco RS3 model using 'Mirror extend/retract' for animation.

Each side of the locomotive has 18 animated radiator shutters that rotate from 10 degrees to 60 degrees. The animation works fine using the SHIFT+V keys.

Here is the problem... The commands only work on the lead locomotive. I'm not sure how widely used the mirror extend/retract feature, but is there any chance that OR could be modified to work on all engines in a consist?

I thought of using open/close door, but that capability is limited to 6 parts per shape, and works only on one side of the loco/wag at a time.

There doesn't seem to be any other option.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks

Rick

[Csantucci]

Rick,
it wouldn't be correct to extend the mirror command to the other engines: in reality things don't work so!
So the only possibility to you is to rotate the shutters in the first engine, then use the change cab command to pass to another engine, and rotate the shutters for such engine and so on.
This, unless a new animation command is implemented.
This could be a generic additional animation command, in both versions (only active on player engine or active on all train angines), that could be used for any animation.
Let's see if this is of more general interest.

[steved]

Rick, are the shutters operated manually by the engineer or automatically by the locomotive?
Carlos, would it be practical to add a function to OR to add animations to an engine controlled by a line in the .eng file?
Just a thought.

Steve

[rfranzosa]

steved, on 02 September 2015 - 04:09 AM, said:

Rick, are the shutters operated manually by the engineer or automatically by the locomotive?
Carlos, would it be practical to add a function to OR to add animations to an engine controlled by a line in the .eng file?
Just a thought.

Steve

Hi Steve,

Yes, the operation is manual. Real world, they would open/close based on coolant temp, I believe (similar to radiator fan).

At this point in MSTS/OR, most animated fans run all the time at the speed of the loco wheels, and other animations (panto, doors, mirrors) are manual.

[B & O GUY]

Rick

Although I have never used the mirror or door animations in TSM there is a way to get around the limit of six animated parts per function. The TSM Rods01 through Rods06 was a limit that wouldn't work for me as that would only allow three animations per side of the steam locomotive. Baker valve gears have 9 or 10 motions per side not including the lubricator which has 2. In the picture below is how you can have many more animations from the basic of six. I have no claim to fame for this as I got it from Capt. Bazza.



They wouldn't all fit in the right column. Some are highlighted on the left.

I believe there are 24 animations from the basic Rods01 thru Rod06 by just adding "0's" as in Rods001 thru Rods006, Rods0001 thru Rods0006 and so on and so forth. Me thinks it should work for doors and other functions too. And don't forget to make a list of part's to numbers to avoid confusion later.

Andre Ming said that he built a clock in TSM with hundreds of animations. So the sky is the limit. :D

Allen

[rfranzosa]

B & O GUY, on 02 September 2015 - 06:49 AM, said:

Andre Ming said that he built a clock in TSM with hundreds of animations. So the sky is the limit. :D

Hi Allen,

The limit would be my sanity! I've already spent more time on this than I can justify for a measly 1.5 seconds of animation! :wallbash: :D

Rick

[TorontoMainlineTrains]

Rick, the doors maybe more than that, if you have DOOR_A.1 DOOR_A.2 etc., I have 18 doors on the Jordan Spreader I made for MLT Shuswap. However, after the last Bin update, doors will not operate the way the first Bin allowed in motion, you need to be at a full stop to operate doors. So like you I used the mirror code for my P42 engines, only way to activate them all is to jump from one engine to another to open them up first, again you would need to be at a full stop.

[rfranzosa]

banjo, on 02 September 2015 - 01:18 PM, said:

Rick, the doors maybe more than that, if you have DOOR_A.1 DOOR_A.2 etc., I have 18 doors on the Jordan Spreader I made for MLT Shuswap. However, after the last Bin update, doors will not operate the way the first Bin allowed in motion, you need to be at a full stop to operate doors. So like you I used the mirror code for my P42 engines, only way to activate them all is to jump from one engine to another to open them up first, again you would need to be at a full stop.

Thanks, Dave. Looks like I'll stick with 'Mirror' so that the shutters can open and close while the loco is in motion.

Rick