[Genma Saotome]

I use screenshots in route development as a way for me to collect images that I can then mark up, making note of the thngs I need to add or fix.
Here's a few I took today, before marking them up, for you to enjoy.

This first one is actually from an experiment I was doing on how to get dual video cards to contribute to better MSTS performance... a utility called nHancer is being used to show what the dual (nVidia) video cards are doing. Turns out that forcing the driver to instruct the two cards to share the anti-aliasing task is about the only way to get both working for MSTS... more than doubling the fps.




Very weird sky colors... never did figure out how this happened, only what to do to change it. Anyway, ignoring the sky, I liked the rest of the picture. Note the yellow stop signs; For many years there were no sign standards and communities did whatever they wanted to do, including accepting gifts from Automobile Associations. Yellow stop signs were not uncommon and so to add some emphasis that this is supposed to be 50-60 years ago, not today, I made these yellow signs.




Ok, the sky has been changed, so some mmore shots. Moving thru Desert Yard, which the SP built in 1941-42. Looks like I have a goof in the LOD's of those utility wires....






About to pass under the Oakland Terminal flyover. This was actually built for the SP's own IER but when that shut down in 1941 the track here was made available to the OT so it could interchange with both the SN and ATSF in Emeryville.




Entering Emeryville and the approach to Shellmound tower. The Cal-P main is to the left of the tower and the 9th St branch to the right.





Moving along the 9th st Branch.

[inflammable]

While I'm no longer up to date with recognizing readily available scenery items, just about everything in these shots looks like your own work. You've a lot of effort into this thing so far.

Nice shots, thanks for sharing.

James

[ED_4]

WOW! That has a lot of rails going this way and that way. Running in the middle of roads and other things. Looked like a scene from the old North Coast Railroad.

[Genma Saotome]

inflammable, on May 4 2009, 07:19 PM, said:

While I'm no longer up to date with recognizing readily available scenery items, just about everything in these shots looks like your own work.

Yeah, well, not only is every industrial building you see in these shots custom built, every building is modeled after the real building at the same site. The only generic structures in this area are bungalows and those are built from a 1920's era catalog of California bungalow floor plans.

It helps to have photos too -- for instance, you can find the model for this one in the second-to-last screenshot.

[hiball3985]

Thanks for the update Dave. I see you've done some major work since the last time. Very impressive.

Jim

[timmuir]

norman, on May 5 2009, 05:13 AM, said:

I remember yellow stop signs very well. Indeed, when red signs first went up, they were the oddity! Years later, in rural areas, some yellow signs could still be found. I suppose that today the yellow stop signs will be collectors' items in antique stores.

Yep, they and all the other traffic signs are already highly collectible, some of them very expensive! (look at ebay for example) I too remember the 'transition era' of signs, and was sorry to see the old yellow stop signs with cat's eye reflectors disappear from my old neighborhood in the 60's...
( Here's a nice little site for historic signage in California : Brians)

Dave, I take my hat off to your stick-to-it-damn the torpedoes persistence with the CalP. An immense undertaking that would have been given up on by most people by now. Truly an inspiration to those of us who sometimes feel overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Thanks for sharing these pics.

[Former Member]

Daaaang this looks good!! I think I know where we hardcore SP steam fans will find ourselves at home!

[Genma Saotome]

GG12332, on May 16 2009, 06:42 PM, said:

Dave, Nice shots! Where will it be released? Will it be freeware or payware?

The Cal-P is a payware project. No release date is set yet.