Dr73106 And The Iterative Development Model

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by dunkrez, Apr 18, 2021.

  1. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    I think the time has come to give DR73106 it's own thread for discussion. While I sip on my first coffee of the day, looking back at the project from the beginning, it's quite incredible to see just how much traction has been gained in such a short amount of time. While I am a seasoned senior systems architect, building something for Train Simulator was entirely new ground and some parts of this project were entirely baffling at times. I am not an experienced modeller, and I had absolutely no experience building anything for a simulator. I do, however, have a wealth of experience when it comes to writing code.

    For those that do not know what the Iterative Development Model is, I found an explanation that puts it very concisely:

    "Iterative development is a software development approach that breaks the process of developing a large application into smaller parts. Each part, called “iteration”, represents the whole development process and contains planning, design, development, and testing steps. Unlike the Waterfall model, the iterative process adds features one-by-one, providing a working product at the end of each iteration, and increases functionality from cycle to cycle.

    Advantages of the iterative development
    • Iterative software development means building the product step by step, which allows for the identification and correction of defects during the early stages, to avoid their downward flow into further processes.
    • With iterative development at the end of each stage you can get user feedback, such as how they see the product now and what they are expecting it to look like in the future. This allows you to make any necessary improvements and amendments.
    • The iterative development approach helps you to save time on documentation, which often accompanies the waterfall workflow, and to focus more on designing the project.
    Disadvantages of the iterative development
    • Although the whole iterative process is quite flexible, iteration phases are rigid and have to be followed carefully.
    • Unpredictable changes may occur during the iterative development because not all the requirements are specified from the very beginning of the project."
    The process is laid bare in the sequence of videos shown below, it's easier to see the steps that are made when presented like this:

    Month 1


    Month 2


    Month 3


    Month 4


    Month 5


    Followed on below...
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
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  2. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Month 6


    Month 7


    I guess my aim here, is to show you that _anyone_ can build something like this, yes, that means you. I generally think of the White Stripes track, Little Acorns as a reminder of this kind of principle. Rather than blinding people with science, or making you believe that what they do is impossible for you to achieve (and standing in an ivory tower), I state that if it's been done by someone already, it can be done by you too.

    There is no team of talented developers sat behind me, I do not have a guy I can rely on to write my scripting for me, I have no experienced modellers helping me out. This is what one inexperienced guy and a lot of coffee can do.

    Have a great Sunday, and thank you for reading :cool:

    dunkrez
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2021
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  3. ntypeman

    ntypeman Well-Known Member

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    Dunc...

    Out of curiosity what is involved software wise, as in do you use CAD software???

    Eric
     
  4. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    A few things are needed, I use 3DS Max for the modelling, Photoshop for texturing and Reaper for sound engineering (I also use a very old version of Cool Edit Pro - which eventually became Adobe Audition).
     
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  5. ntypeman

    ntypeman Well-Known Member

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    Don't think I'll be trying to make TS stock any time soon... A brief search for 3DS Max brings up some horrific prices...!!! :o
     
  6. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    You can get an indie licence for about 5% of that price... Just look for indie 3ds max. Also, the free alternative Blender is very good.
     
  7. Pookeyhead

    Pookeyhead Well-Known Member

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    Maybe a tutorial video would be a good thing to do. The more people making things, the better. I've not done any 3D work since I used Lightwave on an Amiga 4000 back in the 90s! I wouldn't know where to start any more. I don't mean a modelling tutorial.. that would be way too much, but how to import models into the game etc.
     
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  8. ntypeman

    ntypeman Well-Known Member

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    What the **** is an indie licence???
     
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  9. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Ask and thou shall receive:

    https://makeanything.autodesk.com/3dsmax-indie-united-kingdom
    https://checkout.autodesk.com/en-GB/indie-cart

    Importing models into the game is a bit of a pickle until you tie all of the pieces together. I will create an "idiots guide to creating train simulator models" at some point in the future.

    Most things you need are already in your Railworks installation folder, look for the blueprinteditor.exe program, set up a source folder in your railworks directory and that's the tip of the iceberg. The RWAce tool is used for converting your textures for use with the Blueprint editor and as for sounds, you can just use wav files, god knows why dav files are even a thing. About as secure as a greenhouse loaded with a bank vault.

    This is also invaluable: https://sites.google.com/a/railsimdev.com/dtgts1sdk/

    As an aside, it looks like the headhunting has already begun, received a call that caught me quite off-guard this lunchtime while dozing on the sofa with a very well mannered fellow offering me multiple opportunities for ridiculous amounts of money.

    To be quite frank with everyone here, I'd like to be involved with Train Simulator at the maximum technical level, which I'm quite certain is within my skillset - but I'm yet to receive a phone call from DTG. Looks like I'll probably end up working for some financial services or VOIP provider firm in the end, and building locomotives around the periphery. Not what I want ultimately, but nobody is striking while the iron is hot.

    Pretty certain I could kick TS2021 onto the next level. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink :cool:

    Dunc
     
  10. ntypeman

    ntypeman Well-Known Member

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    What was the reason you chose 3ds max over blender???
     
  11. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Great stuff, I'll look forward to reading all this material when I get a chance.

    On the DTG website, I did read recently that they openly invite on spec approaches, so it's not just a matter of applying for a vacancy or waiting for a call.

    Go make them an offer they can't refuse!
     
  12. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    I had some experience with max a long time ago and it's the kit referenced in all of the developer documentation.

    From what I understand though, Blender is the new kid on the block, is just about as good as max and that prompted Autodesk to release the indie version, as young independent developers were shunning max in favour of blender due to its ridiculous prices. No start up can commit to 5 grand a year per seat for a piece of software, absolutely insane pricing.
     
  13. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Without picking through what they already have, it's impossible to provide an offer.

    The idea is to create a vision and then follow through with it piece by piece. It may be that with enough work TS could work on the next gen consoles.

    DTG have my CV, I've already expressed an interest, the ball is in their court.

    I'd much rather be responsible for the future of Railworks64 than some financial services cloud system, believe me.

    Railworks64 is the Minecraft/Skyrim of train simulators. About time it got the love it deserves. Anyhoo, gotta go collect the little one from school. I should be on Alan's twitch stream later for anyone interested.
     
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  14. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Are we going to see the unexpuragated version of Dunkrez?! My illusions of Alan as a prim and proper choir boy, shattered when I saw him on Twitch, with his roll ups! :)
     
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  15. ntypeman

    ntypeman Well-Known Member

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    I watched briefly for the first time last week... I'm no prude but was quite shocked he was half-cut, f-ing & jeffing ang chugging away on his ciggy's... I turned off after about 10 mins!!!
     
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  16. SJA

    SJA Active Member

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    He does defy the stereotypes/perceptions of a typical railway enthusiast. But that's no bad thing overall -- we are judged as socially incapable, overly sheltered and friendless lol. Whereas Alan doesn't appear to be any of those things.

    I suppose at least some of the time he's talking to third party devs, and those people get worse language than his directed towards them in support tickets when an installation goes awry or something :D
     
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  17. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    I like the old school pub vibe of the streams, it's a refreshing change from the overly PC, blow hard at someone and they flake to pieces kind of thing. Nothing good was ever built without true grit and a bloody mind.

    I too enjoy rolling my own tobacco, used to swear quite a lot. I was a chef for almost a decade so it was kinda fitting. Some of you may remember the days of the old social clubs or even miners welfare clubs. These are relics of the past, and in a lot of ways the trains we love are also relics of the past, so perhaps they fit hand in hand.

    That doesn't mean I'm a brexit voting Farage worshipper - just a dude that knows what he likes and that's that.
     
  18. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I'm suddenly beginning to feel too weak and lily livered to be a proper train sim enthusiast - I reckon I'd have an easier time down t'pit that in Alan's "social club" of real men simmers! ;)

    Who would have thought that our saintly Alan would turn out to be the Johnny Rotten of train simmers! :)
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2021
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  19. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    I chose RailPunk for the company name for good reason ;)

    Alan's online events are for everybody, and it really shows, it's all about the trains trains trains.
     
    Last edited: Apr 19, 2021
  20. Reef

    Reef Well-Known Member

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    Wait... Are we talking about the same Alan here.. I'm thinking of the tubby bearded nerd.. Is there a manlier version that I don't know about?
     
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  21. Reef

    Reef Well-Known Member

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    I should probably explain myself here.. I'm a truck driver, an old school one at that (well, 30yrs in) and yard banter is an acquired skill and taste, if anyone says that they are "manly" then they'll get shredded (taken the 'P' out of) in my world.
    I like Alan and his streams, but if I ever met him irl I'd call him the rivet counting gricer nerd that he is to his face, and fully accept and expect equal derision back at me.. That's my world :)
     
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  22. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Similar banter in kitchens Reef, and all the better for it :)
     
  23. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Where's Mary Whitehouse when you need her?!
     
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  24. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Don't tune in to Twitch, Reef, stick to YouTube, keep your innocence about the man!
     
  25. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    Perhaps Thomson and Dunkrez can be the Skinner and Baddiel of the Train Sim world - now there's a thought!
     
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  26. SJA

    SJA Active Member

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    I had a look/listen to the stream when I had a little while. I think you grew into it rather well Dunc.

    Some terrific visual functionality on the tamper already, even though it is still WiP.

    I was intrigued to know about the sound engineering process. I remember some years ago I was able to get some VST or another to produce a vaguely loco-like idling growl with a number of modulations and a custom wavetable (I think), and tried out some pitch modulation for acceleration/deceleration. My attempts came out pretty badly, but I must admit I wasn't especially committed or bloody minded about it :D Were you planning on doing something similar or did you come by some fragments that you're going to engineer into something more continuous?
     
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  27. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Thank you, it was definitely exciting! :)

    I think it's possible to use a sampler/sequencer with some pre-recorded sounds and really fill them out. Lots of experimentation to do, but I think it's likely possible to replicate a very realistic sound without having to record the actual loco itself.

    Glad I had a band in my twenties!
     
  28. inversnecky

    inversnecky Well-Known Member

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    I just caught a little as I was in the kitchen where reception is poor, just before His Nibs anounced that he needed to go for a...comfort break.

    I'll say one thing for you Dunc, I never in my wildest dreams imagined I'd install Twitch on my phone and subscribe to ATS, but I did tonight!
     
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  29. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Haha, there's always a first time for everything inversnecky - the comfort break was entirely needed, talking for almost two hours and keeping it interesting and relevant is bloody hard work :)
     
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  30. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    I do catch some of his videos on Youtube they are generally entertaining and he is certainly enthusiastic, I don't tend to catch the twitch streams. I will be interested to see this latest video, will it be uploaded to Youtube?

    I have never seen him anything but sober, I must have missed those videos/streams!

    As someone who might be described as a prim and proper choirboy lol, I don't mind a bit of swearing especially when it is a natural reaction, it is when it is done repetitively for the sake of it when it irks me. A certain phrase in Mrs Browns Boys becomes tedious after the fifth time even if it was funny at first!

    Anyway, I hope you do get a call from DTG you clearly have a talent and I think would provide something different and have different ideas. If not there are plenty of indie developers who seem to be making a success of providing third party add-ons.
     
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  31. Reef

    Reef Well-Known Member

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    You can catch all his Twitch VoD's (Videos on Demand - past streams) here

    (see young 'uns, I'm down with the Twitchness ooh wah ah ah aahh)
     
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  32. theorganist

    theorganist Well-Known Member

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    Lol! Thanks for that I tried negotiating Twitch looking for something a couple of years ago and gave up.

    I notice it says the channel is intended for mature audiences, I might just qualify!
     
  33. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    It is literally pub style talk, the experience isn't complete without your favourite drink in hand, so be armed and ready!
     
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  34. dunkrez

    dunkrez Well-Known Member

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    Just fired up my old (perhaps ancient) recording studio (x86 PC - Q6600, GTS 450 ti with a Soundblaster Platinum duplex card)... and it bloody works!

    This is particularly good news as it means I can get cracking with the tamper audio without having to source any new software or build any new kit. For those interested, the software I'll be using will be Cool Edit Pro v1.2 and Fruity Loops 3 - everything you could possibly need for sampling and sequencing, along with production mixing.

    Happy days :cool:
     

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