OT: Do you like trains?

[Snuffy]

Well, keep in mind, this more of a table top simulator ...

So let me get this straight, no predefined continents? No oceans?, No rivers?, Nothing but flat green and the ability to locate stuff by lat and lon?

So if I want rivers and oceans and the like I have to edit the table top to give me those things?

I agree with an earlier post that said something about a demo ... I'd love to get my hands on just a 30 day trial demo ... But then again, I probably wouldn't have what I was looking for any how, so I'd have to make a decision based on subject matter that doesn't interest me.

Like I said earlier, if I can wrap my head around the inputing of geography, and then figure out the modeling process, it probably isn't such a bad thing.

[empeck]

So let me get this straight, no predefined continents? No oceans?, No rivers?, Nothing but flat green and the ability to locate stuff by lat and lon?

So if I want rivers and oceans and the like I have to edit the table top to give me those things?

Exactly. Both Railworks and Trainz works that way.

[Snuffy]

Exactly. Both Railworks and Trainz works that way.

Thanks Empeck, I just wanted to know what I was/might be getting into before I leaped.

What about MSTS? Does it have the predefined continents and such? How easy is it to mod or create layouts in it?

[empeck]

I don't know, I haven't played MSTS, and now it would be too difficult to jump into the game that doesn't have 3d 'virtual cockpit' for locomotives.

[michael davies]

Thanks Empeck, I just wanted to know what I was/might be getting into before I leaped.

What about MSTS? Does it have the predefined continents and such? How easy is it to mod or create layouts in it?

Ted,

No MSTS doesnt have terrain either, none of the train sims do, they all give you a bare enviroment to begin with, adding DEM to MSTS was quite easy, there are tools out there to do it for you, not sure on Railworks but something similar must exist, most just let you select the eare you want to add and it auto throws it in, then you add water and such, in MSTS that was quite easy, you just selected the water icon told it what elevation you wanted and it puts a flat plane in with water already added and thus your shore line is created. One of the pitfals with MSTS was that it could not model sloped water, ie like in a ravine or fast flowing river, but everything else was fine.

Best

Michael

[Snuffy]

Alrighty, so plan green flat table top.

And its only easy if you can get the DEM info ... I tried yesterday and failed meserably i'm afraid. LOL.

Rgr that on the "sloped" (as opposed to slopped,) water. LOL. Fortunately many of the fall lines in the rivers next to my project have islands and rocks and other debris to make the change in elevation less painful(?)

Thanks for all the help and replies, both public and private.

[warchild]

was working on doing one of my sandbox/fingerpaint learning things with the layout editor last night.. What i found was that if i "paint" the main areas first, then the rest of the layout gets a little easier..
Paint a BIG black or tarmac dot underneath the scenario marker, then block out the major terrain with colors that match what you want to put there ( grasslands, marshes, mountains etc ). After that, you can start laying track OR, raising and lowering the land to match what you want.. It makes it somewhat easier..

[warchild]

ok, sooo, i think i'm beginning to get a sliver of a clue... Spent a few hours in my railworks scenery sandbox today.. nothing spectacular but i figure if i can do it, it aint that hard.. After blocking in major terrain areas with different colors, i raised those areas, then sarted adding in track.. That may have been a mistake, but its one way of doing it.. in the end, i got a nice little scene Hope you like it..
Pam

[Matt Wynn]

Pam..... that wouldn't happen to be a Class 55 Deltic would it?..... you know what i'm like if anything looks even remotely like a class 55 deltic.... uh oh.... just realised my covers blown as a train enthusiast as well *Changes anorak and hides back in the dark corner*

[Snuffy]

Pretty cool WC ... you keep hammering at me and I just might break.

I did manage to find a link to some HGT data files ... Now all I gotta do is figure out how to use them. LOL!

Still haven't bought it yet .. but that rope is down to a thread or two.

Good Job on yer scenery!

[Snuffy]

Pam,

Try wrappin your head around this link ...

http://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/

Check out the samples ...

http://dds.cr.usgs.gov/srtm/SRTM_ima...re%20examples/

[warchild]

Ah yeahh.. srtms.. Not sure if they're useful in railworks or msts or not.. the programs i know of use DEM's (Digital elevation models ) which can be purchased for various resolutions and areas.. I found some for Illinois counties at 15 cents each so prices arent too bad..

heres a link as well. dont know how good it is.. havent bought anything from them...

http://www.dielmo.com/eng/modelos-di...FSpeagodMlwzag

[Snuffy]

According to the railworks Scenery Creation document found here, (scroll to the bottom its the last link,) http://railworksamerica.com/fl/d-t.html It says that you can use the HGT data on the site I located (found from another forum on railworks,) the document in this link tells you how to use the HGT data.

And the best part ... its FREE.

[warchild]

Free is good.. free is very good.. Gonna head that way to check it out..

[heywooood]

*sigh*