Question about modeling a train

[iamthefuture 2]

Hi All! I'm making a model for the Italian train "Minuetto" (ALe/ALn 501-ALe/ALn 502), it's a train made of three carriage (as seen on picture). It comes in two flavors (diesel and electric). Here in Italy it rides in metro and suburban areas, in subways in certain cities and it's also used in regional transport. I modeled the engine and successfully imported it into the game. I'm working on the second carriage. My question is: how can I teach the game to show just those three carriage in the game. You can find out more about the Minuetto here (in Italian)

[Andreas Roth 605]

You would have to edit the Automata Plugin file that comes with the NAM - but please keep in mind that the modification applies to all passenger trains (rail, el-rail, monorail). Open the file in the Reader, click on the embedded exemplar file, and look for the "Commute Train Length" property. Change the values to "0x03,0x03" or so, this will always give you trains with three carriages. BTW, nice work on the train, looks just like the real thing!

[iamthefuture 2]

Wow! Thanks a lot! It didn't expect such a good impression about my work. Anyway I could release it in two version in the same archive, one with three carriage (for realism) and another with the classic train look. It's my first model, hope to finish soon so I will release it here. What about the textures? I modeled it with 256x256 texture, what about 512x512 bitmap? Should I use it to improve quality or will it slow down the game too much?

[Andreas Roth 605]

Use 256x256 textures, since otherwise, players that use the software mode will only see red/green/blue splotches. The quality improvement is rather small, I'd say, so there's no real need to use the larger textures.

[iamthefuture 2]

Hi there!

I've finished my work on the model of the "Minuetto" from Trenitalia.

I successfully modeled the engine and the car.

This is the result:

Now here comes my problem, I want it to look as the real minuetto, made of an engine, a car and another engine in the opposide direction.

I want to make something realistic, there is no minuetto, as far as I know, that is made of just an engine and several cars. How can I teach the game to put another model at the end of the train? Is it possibile?

More picture of the minuetto:

This is Palermo Punta Raisi metro station (airport) with two minetto waiting to depart:

This is another minuetto approaching Francia metro station in Palermo:

Greetings from Italy! Ciao!

[Andreas Roth 605]

Looks great, very detailed! My only complaint would be the rather blue front window, but other than that, it's an exact replica of the real one.

Originally posted by: iamthefuture Hi there!

Now here comes my problem, I want it to look as the real minuetto, made of an engine, a car and another engine in the opposide direction.

I want to make something realistic, there is no minuetto, as far as I know, that is made of just an engine and several cars. How can I teach the game to put another model at the end of the train? Is it possibile?quote>

Unfortunately, no. There's a caboose for freight trains, but all attempts to use that for a second engine at the end of a passenger train have failed. Maxis simply didn't thought of this, and so every passenger train (including el-rail and monorail) has exactly one engine and a bunch of cars.

[iamthefuture 2]

Wow thanks!!

It's a pity for the second engine! ;( well I hope that someday someone could figure out how to do this.

Anyway I will release this, even if it's not a realistic mod it looks good into the game as a replacement for Maxis' train.

Regarding the blueish window I used a photo (taken from a bridge above the train) of the real train as texture, it is the reflection of the sky. Thought it would look good in the game too as it looks this way in real life.

Another question, how do I add nightling effect?

Thanks for support!

[Andreas Roth 605]

You're welcome. Unfortunately, I don't know how to add nightlights. You might want to ask Swamper77 or vester_DK. I don't know if they visit ST anymore on ar regular base, but they frequent SC4Devotion rather often.

[screamingman12 30]

Nightlights aren't that hard, just create another 3DS file that looks like a beam of light and texture it as such. It's been so long since I've done this that I have forgotten the specifics, but I will look at a model that I did.

Edit:

Unfortunately, no. There's a caboose for freight trains, but all attempts to use that for a second engine at the end of a passenger train have failed. Maxis simply didn't thought of this, and so every passenger train (including el-rail and monorail) has exactly one engine and a bunch of cars.quote>

That's not exactly correct. Since you limited the number of cars to two, create a second car that is the reverse of the loco. The game will generally put the second car after the first, but not always.