Pro Track

General Trainz discussion and questions.
Post Reply
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Hello folks,

Just a quick question on the Pro Track by by andi06. Did the issue with the ballast dropping to the ground when the track is raised (i.e. on a bridge) ever get resolved? I have a niggling memory that it was to be addressed in one of the service packs or hot fixes but on looking today, the ballast still creates a 'barrier' below bridges.

Cheers,
Innis
Image
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Pro Track

Post by cyberdonblue »

Hi Innis,

Andi knew about this problem but sadly never got round to sorting it out before he passed away. He was working on a Wiki page for Protrack construction at the time, I believe - not sure if it ever got published though. However, his advice to me was, "This is due to a tag left over from some experimentation with spline behaviour when track has super-elevation which I should have removed. Pending updates you can look for and delete the 'adjust-height-to-ground-threshold' tags from the track container in the placeable track assets."

The problem doesn't exist in the reskins that David Bird did nor in the ones that I did. I also did a matching ballast texture if you need one.

Cheers

Dave
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Thanks Dave. I've seen your ones and the texture's a nice match however, it's all wooden sleepers and I need concrete. I'm not quite clear if the config gives permission to skin though? I wouldn't mind using the texture on the Protrack F Sandstone/concrete as a ground texture and swapping out the track I'm having a problem with.

Cheers,
Innis
Image
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Pro Track

Post by cyberdonblue »

Glad it helped Innis :D .

Andi Smith's licences allow you to reskin as long as your work remains free to the community and you give him (R.I.P) a credit. (David Bird and I had an exchange with Andi on the main forum on this exact matter when he first released his track [2015, believe it or not] just to confirm that it was OK. Andi said he was too busy with other things to make any more versions of the track so to carry on and do as you will in line with the licence.) You'll need to take the textures from Andi's Protrack Mesh Library (ballast a, b, c or d.) It can be a bit of a "game" but worth it when you achieve what you want. Andi himself said the textures were a bit coarse but that he'd struggled to find decent ballast textures in the first place. Malc (clam1952) was a massive help with advice when I needed it too.

Good luck ;)

Cheers

Dave
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Many thanks again Dave. I think I'll try and get the texture that matches the track I mentioned above and create a ground texture that matches. That way I can avoid the issue I'm currently having with the track I'd been using to this point.

Only a mile and a half from Glauston Central now!
Image
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Pro Track

Post by cyberdonblue »

Great stuff Innis. Let us know when you're ready to release your texture. The more matching ballast textures the better I think. With T:ANE's graphics being as clear as they are some of the older stuff just doesn't cut it anymore.

Good luck.

Cheers

Dave
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

I've created a basic texture that matches the track and it seems to work. I've also done a rusty version but I plan to do one with oil stains in the 5 foot. The only bit I'm confused about is the mesh library. I suppose I need to clone the mesh library and create new track textures before I can upload?

Image
Image
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Pro Track

Post by cyberdonblue »

Yeah it's pretty confusing getting the textures from the mesh library. Because of the way Andi put the library together you have to clone the texture and then "cut out" the piece that you want from around the sleepers etc in order to produce a usable texture. Then you've got to use the clone tool in paint.net or gimp or some other software to get the picture size that you want for the texture itself. Sometimes the textures get stretched and/or elongated in this part of the process and horrible repetitive patterns can appear. It can drive you up the wall. I spent hours trying to get the size of the ballast just right and then found out that I had to make a "seamless" texture picture for the texture to work properly without producing obvious lines or patterns. :roll: It was a steep learning curve for a brain dead old so and so like me :lol:

Your first one looks pretty good though Innis, I must say. A very decent match and no obvious patterns.

Good luck with the rest.

Cheers

Dave
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Instead of just copying a square or circle of texture, I used a random shape to select it. This helps to avoid the repeat pattern. As for size, I think I was just lucky.

I'll try uploading these and see what happens. The only thing I'm uncertain of is making the dirty ballast track.
Image
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Instead of just copying a square or circle of texture, I used a random shape to select it. This helps to avoid the repeat pattern. As for size, I think I was just lucky.

I'll try uploading these and see what happens. The only thing I'm uncertain of is making the dirty ballast track.
Image
User avatar
cyberdonblue
Forum Veteran
Posts: 1578
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2014 6:41 pm
Trainz Version: 2006 2012 T:ANE SP3
Trainz Build: 105766
Author KUID: 214658
Location: West Midlands

Re: Pro Track

Post by cyberdonblue »

It might be a good idea to have a chat with Dave (nexusdj) about the oily stuff because he's done some track like that before (admittedly not protrack but that shouldn't matter for ballast effects I'd have thought.) Malc (clam1952) is a great source of help and inspiration too and he's always happy to give help and advice from my experience.

Good luck.

Cheers

Dave
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

I've uploaded the texture and rusty track. It's been approved so hopefully that means it'll work. That'll allow folks to use the sandstone track with a matched texture.

I can make an oily texture easily enough (nothing a spraycan can't do!) but the bit I'm stumped on is how to get the track to reference it. I may well consult Dave or Malc.

Cheers,
Innis
Image
User avatar
PFX
Forum Veteran
Posts: 2086
Joined: Mon Dec 13, 2010 3:12 pm
Trainz Version: TRS22
Trainz Build: 119450
Location: Béal Feirste

Re: Pro Track

Post by PFX »

Posted in error.
Image
Post Reply