[ATSF3751]

Hey everyone,

So I am not sure if this is possible with OR yet but I have been watching YouTube videos on how to produce smoke and steam in Blender. Now watching the videos I think there needs to be multiple smoke simulations and not just one single one and have it be depending on weather, locomotive stack and other properties to make it more realistic in Open Rails. That being said I am willing to make some new smoke for Open Rails and test it out but I am not sure about the coding in this matter and if this would fix our smoke issue in Open Rails.

Here is a very good video I found on how to produce smoke in Blender. https://www.youtube....h?v=uT127TSmBwU

Hear me out on this one! We can not just keep using ONE main smoke for ALL of the smoke on a steam locomotive and here is what I have come up with so far!

There will have to be multiple different kinds of smoke for steam locomotives as everyone of them would act differently depending on how the locomotive and environment acted. Say there will be one for just drifting, one for when the throttle is wide open and starting out, one for the middle of the road and then one for the cylinder cocks, then a 5th one for all of the appliances on a steam locomotive. I think then we will have to do 5 different ones for cold weather, then another 5 for wet and foggy weather. Yes I know I am proposing about 20 to 30 different kinds of smoke but in order for it to look realistic I believe this would be the best option for us. We will also be able to put different textures on every type of smoke as well so it wont just be one texture for everything.

Let me know what you guys think and let me know if this would be possible in Open Rails because I feel this would drastically improve steam locomotives in Open Rails.

Brandon

[ATSF3751]

Hey everyone,

So a group of us have been working with Peter lately to enhance steam locomotives in Open Rails. One thing that Peter has been working on is enhancing the smoke. More on that later. However one thing we have discovered is the smoke looks amazing starting out but once you get up to speed and start to close the throttle the smoke does not come out of the stack any more and instead starts at the Cab or even farther back towards the tender.

I have brought it up to Peter and he is not sure how to fix it. We are not sure if it is due to a coding error or something else. Does anyone else have an idea on what would be the issue? Here are some photos to show what we discovered.

Brandon

PRR T1

Starting out the smoke looks as it should


At speed


Throttle almost closed at speed.


MILW 261

Starting out




At Speed about 17 MPH with throttle partly closed


At Speed about 36 MPH with throttle partly closed






T1 at speed with throttle fully open.

[Weter]

Hello.
Before, I've got an issue, after defining steam cylinders exhaust effects, smoke totally disappeared, after gaining a speed.
That forced me to refuse of exhaust definition.

[ATSF3751]

Weter

For one cylinder smoke is only suppose to show up when starting out. It also depends on where you have the reverser and throttle set at. The average person does not understand how to operate a steam locomotive but for the ones that know the cylinder smoke is working as it should and has for quite awhile.

Brandon

[Weter]

I doubt, all the smoke should disappear with any controls setting.
Again, first steam exhaust puffs looked right, then locomotive totally stoped smoking.

[ATSF3751]

If the throttle is completely shut it will disappear.

 Weter, on 21 February 2024 - 11:23 AM, said:

smoke of burnt fuel (stack fx in ORTS) will?

Not quite sure what you are asking?

[Weter]

Before, I've got an issue, after defining steam cylinders exhaust effects, smoke of burnt fuel (stack fx in ORTS) totally disappeared, after gaining a speed.
While first steam exhaust puffs looked right, then locomotive totally stoped smoking. I doubt, all the smoke should disappear with any controls setting.
That forced me to refuse of exhaust definition.

[ATSF3751]

there is probably a coding issue in your Eng file would be my guess.

Brandon

[Weter]

May be.
I did it for the first time and having only the name of parameter, but no sample of right-working file.
Could I have such sample to look, how it normally works & to try and organize my own file the same way, please?

[ATSF3751]

Here is my updated version of my Milwaukee Road 261 4-8-4 smoke effects. It is a very long list but all steam effects work on it.


Comment ( ##### EFFECTS ##### )
Effects (
SteamSpecialEffects (
StackFX (
0 5.27 6.261
0 1 0
0.3
)
Comment ( *** Exhaust is arranged so the front cylinders exhaust out the front smokestack and the rear cylinders exhaust out the rear smokestack. *** )
CylinderSteamExhaust1FX (
0 4.839 6.261
0 1 0
0.3
)
CylinderSteamExhaust2FX (
0 4.839 6.261
0 1 0
0.3
)
WhistleFX ( 0.002 4.766 4.284
0 1 0
0.1
)
SafetyValvesFX ( 0.0 4.4 -4.095
0 3 0
0.8
)
CylindersFX ( -1.343 0.500 5.96
-6 0 0
0.2
)
Cylinders2FX ( -1.343 0.500 6.36
-6 0 0
0.2
)
Cylinders2FX ( 1.343 0.500 5.96
6 0 0
0.2
)
CylindersFX ( 1.343 0.500 6.36
6 0 0
0.2
)
Injectors2FX ( 1.4 0.464 4.34
-1 0 -0.5
0.15
)
Injectors1FX ( -1.38 0.5 -6.88
-1 0 -0.5
0.1
)
GeneratorFX ( -0.703 4.500 -4.639
0 1 0
0.2
)
BlowdownFX ( 0.6 0.500 -3.700
7.0 0 0.0
0.30
)
CompressorFX ( 1.230 0.5 7.46
0 0 0.1
0.07
)
CompressorFX ( -1.230 0.5 7.46
0 0 0.1
0.07
)
)
)