Dovetail Games What Would You Like To See Documentation For?

• How to build timetables beyond 24h? A: if the newest version of timetable is selected, that feature is activated.
  
• How to define priority for trains (if it is even possible)? A: there appears to be a float number for priority and you can select in PIS section whether train is Local, Regional or Express. No idea what the impact of that is though.
  
• How to add timetable instructions dynamically in a scenario?
• How to set-up loading instruction so that it only opens/closes doors on platforms (as in: AI service from portal stops at station, opens the doors, service ends, playable service starts with open doors)? A: remove checkbox that requires doors to be closed to finish load instruction.
  
• How to set-up stop in station instruction so that stop position is determined by TSW? A: select platform from dropdown in go-to instruction.
  
• How to set-up (go-via) instructions that are invisible to player? A: There are go-vias as part of a go-to which serve as waypoints for pathfinder to limit the search space. Then there are go-to that become go-via by removing the stopping checkbox. They can also be made invisible to player.
  
• How to specify in what state a loco is upon starting the service? A: can be configured in the formation set-up.
  
• How can additional e-locos in a consist be set-up to have lowered pantographs? A: in the formation set-up, individual rolling stock can be manually configured to be in lowered state while the first loco is not. Remaining question: will that stay that way when AI takes train over?
  
• How do the dispatcher & pathfinder work in TSW? What would the dispatcher do if a number of services need the same track at the same time? Will the pathfinder try to find a path around a train blocking the direct route instead of waiting for the block to clear? How far ahead will the dispatcher dispatch for LZB monitored trains?
• How can a stop in station instruction be set-up to stop at a partial section of the platform (e.g. A-C, or D-G when there are section signals along the platform)? A: apparently, a manual stopping position must be selected as there are no partial platform sections (even for platforms 10/11 who do have section signals in the game).
  
• Can I tell the dispatcher to dispatch ahead but only block any single signal block if it can block the entire length to a designated target? Would be required for single track sections to ensure that no two trains are entering a single track section that has multiple signals in each direction. Otherwise it could cause the dispatcher to partially block into the single track section but not prevent it from doing it for the other train as well. A: apparently dispatch beyond dispatches up to the first instruction that does not have dispatch beyond or the end of the service. That should allow for constructing instructions such that the blocking does not occur.
  
• How to set up stop instructions so the loco does not have to stop at a precise position but a stop anywhere on the platform is valid? A: go-to with destination selected from dropdown
  
• How can approach-control be set up with dispatch beyond setting? As in: train approaches a stop with expect stop on entry signal but exit signal upgrades before the train stops and begins the loading. A: go-via instruction after the entry signal with no dispatch beyond, then go-to stop with dispatch-beyond.

 

I'd love to see an example of how a locomotive is set up in Simugraph.

I'd like to see also some documentation on quality standards for producing rollingstock models (Poly/Tri count, texture sets etc)

 

I am most interested in timetables and would therefore like to see detail on that.

Also scenario building in the editor.

Some of the best training documents I’ve seen have been provided with example files that you can take and build on. I think this would be a good approach.

 

I like to see how to make instructions like setting up circuit breakers before moving

 

I am interested in the route building aspect of the editor, so I would love some detail on
- How to implement safety systems like PZB & LZB on a route
- How to set up AI traffic
- How to set up substitution for timetable services
- How to make level crossings work (or streets with cars in general - is it just another network?) on a route

 

How to make an new livery for an loco and make it seperate livery

 

Setting up a new real world route - DEM, LIDAR (which type and conversion process), setting up map markers, etc.
This one above is probably the most important for route building so we can get started and mess around with all the other bits as we go

Laying track and adding signalling.
Marking locations (stations, stops, etc). Adding passenger spawns.
Timetabling
Roads and crossings

Loco and rolling stock set up - what does a model need (animations, separate meshes, etc), adding particle emitters, crew, couplings, cameras, etc. Setting up Simugraph and wiring that into the loco model.

 

Speaking for me and who like building a route, I think the must to have is:
• How to create/import terrain
• How to create track and switches
• How to create gantry and how to use it
• How to create signals (just something simple to have a start)
• How to create loft and how use it in game (for example how to snap it neat track)
• How to create the collision system for walk movement and, eventually, the camera collision wall
• How to use any interactive objects

It's also nice have, at least:
• How to manage/create the tunnel (the dark inside)
• How to create sound for the track
• How to paint terrain and insert water
• How to create/insert traffic on a road and how to create level crossing
• How to export track/terrains to another program (to make 3D)

And I think it's a little better have a written documentation or the subtitles active on your video, because sometimes can be difficult catch all the words when someone speaks very fast on a video

 

• How to make, save, manage an share additions to existing routes/vehicles.
• How to read/understand the signaling, safety system, etc. scripting in the existing routes/vehicles and how to link additions to it.
• How to specify/manage braked weight, automatic load-change, brake settings and similar parameters in vehicles
• How to specify/manage coupler behavior, slacking, bunching, etc.
• How to specify/manage different speed limits (track speed, signaled speed, maximum authorized speed for locomotives, cars, loading status, track quality, route availability, service type, formation etc.)

 

The above and:
How to do custom terrain textures. I have done Wang tiles for RS/RW/TSC but I hope the system is different.
The nomenclature to be used for importing a 3D. For example a 3D to be a track will need a specific name in the 3D. Or to define the locations for the cable on a gantry.

Animation requirements. Above all for steam engines .

 

A very basic Route Building 101 template to start with--as in, it's easiest if you do this first, then this, etc. Basically passing along the fruits of DTG's years of trial and error.

 

Oh I missed out, the requirements of a 3d model and how to make it into a lofted object

 

As others have said, route building essentials. Getting the folder structure set up. Importing your markers and mapping overlay. How to import DEM both SRTM and the LiDAR plus how far out you go with the latter and how you do it (for example is it similar to TSC where you can specify the tile radius.

Track laying, obviously including curves and junctions and parallel lofts/splines whatever we are calling them.

Tunnel creation.

Terrain painting, copy and paste if available.

Bulk object placement/autogen.

 

Yesterday evening I imported a passenger car and the normals, inside UE4, were all over the place.
In Blender are all defined to be “outside”, but in UE4 they appeared partly “inside” and partly “outside”.
Flipping the normals solved the issue but, it isn’t a good solution to have them mixed on the same 3D.

I don’t know yet if UE4 wants the FBX exported in a certain way from Blender, but it can be useful to have a couple of words about “how to import an FBX in TSW4 with the most critical options”.

 

I think I have found what causing the "normals" issue but, at the moment, I cannot test it on UE4.

The part of my previous post about the import phase will still be appreciated.

 

Instructions of interest:
1. Creating a copy of the locomotive and what are the possibilities for customizing it. (I am primarily interested in setting up light sources and the ability to add new additional sources);
2. If possible, work from a light source on the route (adding station lights or setting them up).

 

Pretty much from my post on PC Editor Stream feedback thread works here, so will quote it.

 

We need a tutorial on how to prepare rolling stock in Blender/3ds max.
I know it is a bit different from the way we have made models for TSC.
How to set up the skeleton mesh - hierarchy, bones and required animations.

 

In addition to the rolling stock model requirements and Simugraph, how to set up couplings, buffers (are they animated in TSW?) and brake pipes, etc

 

I would like to know how to make sure from the beginning that my blender models are to scale (with regards to the terrain & other objects).

 

Based on my tests, Blender exporter is configured to match the size in UE4.
I don't know if something will have to be modified with the actual TSW4 editor.
That will be something to check from the get go.

 

If I use the new editor at all, it will be to make scenarios (especially those involving switching/shunting), so I'm hoping for a thorough, written tutorial for that -- one, I mean, that I can open on my second monitor while I'm creating on my main monitor.

Please!?!

 

I am mainly interested in creating scenario packs and maybe a simple timetable. So that knowledge would make me happy. Starting simple, but in the end you really want to add scenery items and so on. I also like to do things on foot (not giving away my ideas yet), so that is important as well.
At the moment I do not have any ambition into route building. This is consuming far to much time.

 

I second this. It would be very helpful if we could get this document while waiting for the editor to release.

 

Definitely. I've been playing with Blender to UE animations today and it's been... unpleasant, to say the least.
Which is a shame as everything else I've been doing has been really fun to learn and get into the UE engine

 

The same for me.
I tried with a cube. It moves in Blender but the animation is not imported into UE4.

 

I've done a bit better than that. I can get a skeletal mesh imported with a bone and get it animating in UE but I can't figure out how to get more than 1 "set" of bones, and therefore more than 1 animation for the mesh.
And if what I read somewhere (which I now can't find!) was correct that entire TSW locos are a single mesh.. I'm going to need a lot more than 1 animation
Maybe it's wrong and a TSW loco is a collection of meshes, in which case happy days. But otherwise.. ??
Much to learn!

On the upside, I've got a loco and cab into game looking really nice, a lovely tessellated coal load, firebox burning coal with fire, some very glassy looking glass and created a lofted item and wrote my own code (using blueprint) to generate a bridge with duplicated mid sections and ends. So I can't complain too much

 

A couple more things for the route editor...

How to do water, both rivers, streams and other linear courses or larger areas such as ponds, lakes or the sea.

How to apply the new reverb and rumble at bridges and tunnels.

 

If you want to have more than one animation, you will need to use an animation blueprint. This is essentially a largely automated script that can pull data from your character blueprint (like a loco) and play various animations according to variables. It can also blend animations together so you can have different parts doing different things.

 

• How to create trains, and write stuff like sound engines for it.
• How to work with rails (complex)
• How to work with assets (putting them in the editor and get them out)
• A Forum about every single function, that are descriped very detailed, and it should be easy to easy to find a tutorial for anything possible in the editor

 

Reskinning existing trains, and setting up and modifying RailDriver configs.

 

can we use quixel bridge in unreal engine 4?

 

Of course we can. Train Sim World editor is based on UE4 so we can use the free Megascans access with it. Just remember that you can't then take the content made with said assets and use it elsewhere.

Use in other apps is also allowed as long as it's for a UE4 project so you can, for example, texture an object with Substance Painter using Quixel textures and then bring the result into UE4.

 

How to create timetable, put loco on track, change TOD in editor. It has so much hidden stuff

 

All of that was shown on the editor preview stream.

Setting time of day is done by typing "ts2.dbg.SetLocalDateTime 10 00 00" into the console. This sets the time to 10:00:00 but you can obviously use other values. Rest is outside of my interest at the moment.

 

ah ok sorry, founded Timetable creation tool. Complicated as hell ahahah

 

How to set the time of the day.
My route has entered the "night mode" and i can only see starts and moon

 

How to create a new route for first-time users of TSW4

How to:
Import DEM data.
Import Google Maps/Open Street Maps images.
Lay tracks.
Test-run trains.

How to create 3D models for TSW4:
Create a box or simple building, texture it, and import into TSW4.
Create a piece of track, texture it, and lay it in TSW4.

 

You shoul provide all documentation from 1st minute, not to ask us wich documenation we want to see.

I paid 40 euros to be able to use Editor without documentation

 

Well obviously the 40 Euros or £38 was for the main game and new routes as well. But got to agree releasing such a complex tool should have been planned a little better and included at least some basic documentation to get people started. Not expecting a 400 page manual but a pdf sheet outlining what we need to do to get a route up and running, how to sort out the LiDAR data etc. would have been invaluable.

 

Agreed. I'm just frustrated now after hours of trying to get this LIDAR data into the correct format.
I am more than happy to investigate myself and learn new skills (100% self taught in TSC and I'm a software dev so I'm more than capable of this kind of work) however the total lack of even the briefest "how to get started on a new route and get your terrain in" is not helpful. Especially as the terrain import tool is custom by DTG so there's no other source to even begin to get advice - I made great progress on getting models, textures, animations, etc into UE over the past 2 weeks because those are generic to the game engine. This terrain import system is 100% DTG and very specific in it's requirements.

I only bought TSW4 for the editor and I'm only 88 mins of play in the main game, so I'll give it 10 days and if nothing of use has happened I'm just refunding. Happy to invest hundreds of hours of spare time in future to make things but DTG need to throw us a bone on starting a new route asap.

 

i see allot of questions about how to create an model,materials etc and get it in unreal, sorry there is enough available and we dont need that.

What i wish is a small tutorial atleast to get an simple wagon in tsw4 as final addon, with simple brake simulation and couplers etc, i have some files already created but have no clue houw to process it to a final addon packages which i can use in tsw4.
a simple explaination whit a couple of blocks which represent a wagon and parts and some simple wheels under it. if the basic is understandable than there is atleast a basic knowledge for more extended projects like trains. in the beginning of railsimulator we had something similar as examples.

 

As I just posted in the other thread after a huge amount of trial and error managed to get SRTM data around my origin point. But still foundering as regards kml files and how to set up basic parameters such as TOD, weather etc. LiDAR I'm happy to leave be for the time being as gilding the lily but this is nowhere near as easy as I thought.

 

I'd like to see documentation for how to make a train. Make the model in unreal or import a model from Blender, then program all the physics, sounds, and controls.

 

A good thing would be, after all release trouble has cleared, to give us some uncooked samples to learn.
Some core things, like training centre route, a core loco and car.

 

I would also like to see documentation about vehicle creation. Showing how to take a finished 3D model and turn it into something drivable.

Also I would want documentation on all new console commands and their exact syntax.

 

I would like to see how we can create MFDs / DDs (Train screens) with several pages and make them work so they show us current speed / traction / clock etc. . How we can connect them with Simugraph so we can give them advanced features like the Vectron.

 

How to add your own rails - models, textures, track rules
How to add your own locomotives

Uncooked training center route to be able to see how things work and modify if necessary.

 

Timetables for me, like several people have added!

I would love that same functionality as the TSC timetable editor.

Hope it’s not too difficult to get to grips with but we’ll see!