What i'd love to see in TSC is more realistic smoke - ie when a steam locomotive goes into a tunnel or under a bridge, the smoke actually "collides" with the bridge and you see the smoke cover the train. Also variable wind simulation - would make the game look more realistic. Is there a way DTG could implement such things?
I should imagine that'd be very resource heavy and way out of the core engines capabilities. For every smoke particle there'd need to be calculations done constantly (is it hitting collision - is it not hitting collision), I'm spitballing here, I'm no expert but I wouldn't be at all surprised if this were along the lines of what an official answer would be. Does TSW have this? Can't say I've noticed and seeing as that's the more recent game engine if unreal can't do it then there's definitely no hope for TSC core.
I've been thinking of doing this for a while - there are ways of creating the effect but I need to test some stuff out (when I get time). In reality you don't need to create a clever collision effect - just have emitter(s) under the bridge, smoke shield, tunnel mouth that is track-linked and understands a few things about what is passing underneath it. The simplest way would be for it to make a few assumptions and grab the info that is available in the current blueprints. For more subtlety I suspect that DTG would need to expand the list of interrogatable variables so that the emitter understands things like: steam or not steam? regulator position smokestack location (as an offset from the front of the train?) ideally a reading of currently emitted smoke volume and colour (though I suspect that colour is less important) etc To get a truly satisfying effect you would also need to know things like height above track so you get progressively reduced 'oofle' as the obstruction rises above the funnel. Something could be done - if no one clever volunteers then I'll give it a go at some point.
I do not see a way for doing so in the TS engine. Smoke emitter objects are moved by the engine using a vector that adds train direction/speed plus wind speed/direction. All the rest is content specific, TS leaves that to the content creators via Lua. It might be possible on a per DLC base though, the loco script must check if it is inside a tunnel and could use a special emitter child object attached to the GeoPcDx in that case. Not core, but a content thing. Lua and child objects So possible - yes, but via loco script. Core changes - zero chance imho.
So I played around with my ideas for this sort of thing - here is a little video of progress after a couple of hours - comments welcome - much to do (and will eventually need DTG to get involved I suspect).
After a few more hours of work I have created three types of the control to cover tunnels, bridges and small blocks such as deflectors, footbridges etc. Each one uses slightly different smoke effects - the bridge fx are short-lived whereas the tunnel fx try to simulate the volume of smoke that builds up in the tunnel as the train goes through it. The deflector fx are not close at the moment - more brain-power needed. And of course - it needs some help from DTG to make it easily implementable - I need to be able to interrogate a few extra values from passing consists - TrainSim-Steve - is this something that your team might consider helping with (or better still, take over, do properly and implement in the game)?
For reference, the Big Boy by Smokebox shows smoke passing the cab windows when going through tunnels. Good work, looking forward to this happening. EDIT: clarification, se more recent post below.
Applying some loco effects is a good way of simulating the smoke in mid-tunnel - I don't think that any of the UK devs have taken this approach but might be worth a thought. How realistic does it seem to you with the Big Boy?
I was wrong. The smoke passing the cab in a tunnel only happens when the smoke hood is operated. This is the effect I would expect with a steam train or an old ALCO passing through a tunnel with or without a smoke hood. https://studio.youtube.com/channel/UC9-N4b0lWbIdeM_XFdlnBFQ/videos/upload?filter=[]&sort={"columnType":"date","sortOrder":"DESCENDING"} Having an issue getting the link to the video to play. The link above is to my YT page the video is TSC 2024 08 26 14 02 24 764. I will keep it up for a few days then delete it.
Thanks for that. Would you expect more smoke/less or was that right - and at what regulator opening? Not sure what a smoke hood is - does this increase or decrease the amount of visible smoke?
A smoke hood/deflector is used on large steam engines. It is an articulated hood over the stack to prevent steam/heat damage to the tunnel ceiling/lining. This is in use here in the big boy. As a side note train crew would also wear a hood over their head with either a filter or oxygen bottle on long tunnels (similar to a gas mask). These were also known a smoke hoods.
Potentially. However at the moment I'm stuck on some more basic issues - hoping to resolve them - otherwise I'll need to get my begging bowl out to ask DTG for a little extra function.
So to update this thread...I have asked DTG Steve if they can enable loco-to-signal messaging. Without it there doesn't seem to be any way that I can get it to work across all situations (eg, no smoke when a diesel/elctric passes, smoke when a steam loco passes (as long as the regulator is open), smoke triggered when the funnel passes regardless of which way round the loco is set, etc, etc). I only need the messaging ability - I can handle all the variables myself - but without it I just have something that is binary - on or off for every consist in whatever state - which is obviously not acceptable. If people are keen on this then please raise it as a suggestion - my video has 462 views after a couple of weeks so some people seem keen - but DTG need to see a demand.
I fear so too - annoying as I had the concept some years ago but was too busy on other stuff to do anything about it...carpe diem I guess
I think it looks quite nice already. Have you taken this up with Golden Age for instance, or Victory Works, Steam Sounds Supreme? They might be interested in implementing your ideas and script in their routes and locomotives.
I'm stuck on waiting for DTG as I cannot 'productionise' it without a small extra script change in the core game. I'm hoping that if enough people show interest in it then DTG may respond.
So my little YouTube vidoes have passed 500 views - shows there is interest out there for this sort of mod.
Holy LOVE mate how is it only now that I’ve seen this? This looks incredible I certainly would love to see this in the game on a wider basis; your work there is fantastic. I definitely can say I also want this and am interested like others!!
As a rather late Halloween thought - a thread that goes 'bump' in the night...still a cool idea (assuming anyone is out there from DTG)
Happy New year - may it be a smoky one!! Come on DTG - adding a few extra message classes isn't going to break anything else - but will enable a wonderfully immersive effect for the steam fans out there.
