Tsw 4 Editor - Important Dev Questions

Well, the things I'm mostly interested in are things like ATB (as I have written a guide on in my tags below), which I believe you're familiar with as I remember you mentioning it once. And the Japanese ATC. Though neither one is particularly complicated.
Just a restriction on your speed based on signals and trackspeed, slows you down when exceeding it, not that different from some of the safety systems already present and feels like a little bit of a mix between LZB and Harlem Line/LIRR's safety systems.
Older generations of ATB use beacons though in order for the train to know track speed, the way I understand it.

Simple enough, if you have the right tools.

 

So me creating Australian Adelaide 3000/3100 series DMU's Which use AWS And TPWS, will be fine?
Great. because I have the models for lots of Australian, NZ, And Ukrainian Content as well.

The only obstacle to me creating the routes for these places, was that the DEM for those places is high RES, And was sadly not Importable into TS Classic, So I shelved these routes for ages because of the DEM issuse. Looks like this wont be an issue anymore.

And setting up new signal systems? (like Melbourne, NZ or Ukrainian etc) is just a matter of fiddling around in the Blueprint editor in UE and setting them up?

I have been creating games and other stuff in Unreal for ages. So I am very familiar with it.

 

Beautiful!! VERY glad to hear that. (sigh of relief here) I have been using Unreal and Unity for ages. So those game engines are very familiar territory to me.

 

I can't say how disappointed I am that we've been waiting for this for years and it's only compatible with the newest TSW release.

 

Then you are probably in a quite good position to do all what you want. Australien route sounds interesting if its not the 5000km straight thing

The biggest problem for most entry level users would be to learn how UE4 works in the first place before they can crate any content for TSW.

 

I think it would be nice if Dovetail could release some base asset packs like they did for Train Simulator Classic. That way creators could make routes using these assets and Dovetail could make a little money on the sale of the asset packs to both creators & users of their routes.

Could this also be a good way to trim down route sizes? Putting commonly used assets into a library and having routes link to them?

 

Just as a ballpark thing, Matt, in the various routes how many of the stations are made up from separate components rather than one massive 3D model? This was one of the niggling issues building in TSC and referencing from other DLC routes, items such as stations or even some bridges were made as one big object rendering them pretty useless elsewhere. My 3D modelling skills are still back at TSM level and my 3D Crafter is still called 3D Canvas, where I pretty much forgot more than I taught myself. As for Blender, haven’t really touched it…

Still if there is a freeware UE4 asset library, that might be a useful resource for non railway items.

 

That ties in nicely with my post below yours.

The AP (as in all purpose) station and building pack came in very handy.

 

Thanks Matt. I have become spoiled by the plethora of assets on the N3V DLS, but I am eagerly looking forward to giving the TSW4 editor a shot - even if it's just a Peco/Kalmbach plan or the Coate Water Miniature Railway made life-size! Though if it works out okay then I would love to remake some of my old MSTS and TSC projects.

 

I've a feeling that we're going to need a new UE forum on here - somewhere to post questions/help/tutorials etc.

 

How much in the way of existing assets in uncompiled form to use as an example will there be? Stuff like the Training Center rolling stock would make sense to include as examples.

 

Can we extend routes with editor like in Train Sim Classic Like extend Great Western Express to Oxford Bakerloo line to Watford

 

Now in that case of being unable to modify the base and the base components and without coding support - why releasing the TSW UE editor with unnecessary overhead, complexity and possible limitations instead of a in-game editor, or in-game editors for certain parts of the game, such as formations/timetable/scenario creation? I mean of course it would be a ton more work for a in-game 3D editor for assets and models and so on, where the UE editor is more suitable and capable for that kind of work - but why not just making a editor or editor-like features for things that do not require a 3D editor or any work requiring creation capabilities like 3d modelling or game dev knowledge.

 

At least with regard to rolling stock, licensing. Same reason you can't open DTG liveries in livery designer.

It seems a consist editor is in the works, and a scenario editor has been here for a while (now to be upgraded to 2.0). I suppose a full timetable editor could be piggybacked off of that.

 

So one key question for the sake of clarity - will we be able to create scenarios and timetables on DTG routes with DTG stock?

 

Hi Matt, just to get clarification on this, are you saying the content produced in the editor won't work in TSW3 (which makes sense) or that TSW3 content will not be able to be loaded?

E.g. Can we make a scenario for Great Western Express with the editor to be played in TSW4?

 

If you start with the editor I suggest to try to do something like The Holiday Express TSW route. It's a fun and small layout to learn while building. In fact, if DTG just made the route available without all the extra assets, it might be a good example project file.

Or, maybe even better. The Test Bahn project.

 

Test Bahn ?

 

So Can I create like a "V150" with my TGV Duplex with 2 power cars and 3 coaches ?

 

Sorry, the test track in TSW 3.

 

What I keep reading here really gets my hopes back for TSW and the future of the game with more community-made content. These are excellent news. Kudos to Matt for being on the forums late night answering questions here!

 

All I want to know is can I with the editor put a cross over or a few sidings into a DTG made TSW4 route

 

Hope to have just something to study on, just to know ho to set anything in the editor for who like building a route.
Think another problem is how to set all the "virtual" stuff like passenger way, signals and others things, not only have resources to use

 

Just to throw something in the pot here…
One thing the DRS editor does very well is a core set of assets which can quickly be used to produce a station - platforms, walls, furniture even signs with the station name rendered on it and all aligned correctly (Matt will know from our conversations re TSC how frustrating not having nameable signboards was and still is today). If you set up a road network you can then select an area round it and have houses or other buildings including nice neat gardens auto populate the area leaving gaps as necessary and nicely aligned. Ditto trees etc. Hopefully some of this already possible in the editor but the quick station building would be a useful adjunct to have. Yes it probably means things are a bit identikit but buys time for the route builder to go back in later with more customised objects.

As things stand I think it is going to be easier to make a freight only route than a complex passenger system, but we will see when the editor goes live.

 

Pretty sure not possible (due to a weird way how things are in UE), but some clever folk may be able to make it happen in the future.

 

Are rolling stock skins also cooked? Or can they be edited/plundered for design assets?

 

I'm aware that a fully-featured and advanced timetable editor in-game won't be possible, but I thought of a simplified and not-fully featured but sandboxy-enough timetable editor. Just like the scenario designer (2.0) but for timetables. Though indeed that might be too complex and time-consuming as a in-game feature. What do you mean though by CPU processing time to do simulations and co.? Do you mean processing the data to be able to visualize it in-game? Because it doesn't really make sense for me for pre-computing simulation data like timetables as the simulation should happen at real-time in-game? Through AI and algorithms? Or do I misunderstand something or miss something?

But yeah, a advanced timetable editor in-game would probably be very resource intensive and require at minimum more than 16 GB of RAM and a newer 8 or more core CPU which will probably be out of range for most players of TSW, I doubt that most of the players have 32 GB RAM, a Ryzen 7 5700X or better CPU, but I might be wrong.

 

As far as I know, and from the Unreal Engine 4 Editor docs, it's possible to open most of the cooked assets in the editor, but it varies for each cooked asset independently and for each case it might have some problems, especially with Niagara and Blueprints. But in TSW's case it's not possible because if one cooked BP asset makes problems or can't be opened at all, then everything depending on it also won't work so that's completely understandable.

 

Many thanks for the Info,my future is clear.

 

I presume in addition to the timetable, for those trains which don't go off stage through a portal there is also a requirement for diagramming, i.e. each resource has to have a next working to form. For multiple units not too difficult but with loco hauled, where you need to apply "in and out" working, this could get as complicated as the real thing. You will need diagrams/circuits for each set of coaches (or wagons for that matter) as well as the individual loco's. If the incoming engine is not running around, then the fresh engine presumably needs a notional time to arrive but a trigger that holds it back if the incoming train is late. Likewise the incoming loco will not be available until the next working has departed so cannot be allocated to an earlier train.

Of course on the real railway you had the "plan" then what the Control did on the day. I remember from my dim and distant days doing traction control that you didn't always keep locos "left to right" i.e. on the same diagram but moved things around as circumstances (failures, late running, maintenance requirements) dictated.

 

What about the actual intellectual ownership of anything created with DTG's UE tools?
Creating a model from scratch in UE and its required modeling and texturing tools is one thing, requires substantial learning and experience, not to mention 3D modeling tools aren't exactly free, since you need 'libraries' unless you want to create every nut and bolt yourself.
Creating a route out of somebody else's assets is another matter, creating a path or schedule, does that even means you have 'copyright'?

Are they entitled to 'appropriate' anything you create under the EULA "you've used our tools (we paid for and provide to you for free) and our assets to build this route of yours, so everything you create is ours also, since it needs to be distributed through our proprietary and protected store front"?

 

As I thought, Matt!

Be like coming out of retirement having done this both from the train planning side then in the Control, where we also had to do VSTP schedules - like my infamous St Phillips Marsh to Haymarket 158 move with 30 minutes notice. Arrived for Saturday Day turn, found the night turn had left the request on the fax machine! I think it got validated as far as York, after which I just shoved in some block timings...

 

3d models for freeware routes will become much sought after.

I can see a few warehouses (online digital) being set up for this.

 

Even if you make or buy the 3d models, if you use the editor you will be subject to terms and conditions as Matt already stated.

If you want to sell your DLC route you will need to enter into a contract with DTG.

Basically Train Sim World belongs to DTG and if you can understand that then you are half way there.

 

Matt will there be any documentation provided?

And some tutorials and how to documents?

Basically how to import objects.

Basic guide on building a route?

 

As others have suggested, initially perhaps a content creators section could be placed on the forum for mutual assistance and tips etc. Bound to be some YT clips arriving soon after the tools hit. Unlike when MSTS hit and we all scratched our heads at how Kuju intended us to use the tools, there are a lot more route builders out there of varying skill levels and hopefully we can cooperate to get the best out of these tools.

 

I believe that you can link your Epic games account to your Playstation network account, so as to allow TSW3 content to be shared between the versions of a game. Will this be possible with TSW4 editor output on Epic and PS5? If so, it could be a workaround for some console players without a bespoke editor function in their version.

 

I haven't heard this before, anyone else know if Epic speaks to PSN?

 

As far as I understand it you would need to create a PS4/5 compatible output. The Editor only outputs to PC I think Xbox and PS4/5 require special options and possible Dev kits. Sure DTG will cover this as it will be asked often.