How to make BVE objects for BVE 4?

[LondonBVE]

Does anyone know how to make BVE object for BVE 4? As needed for my new project. And does anyone know how to code a three platform something like this for BVE 4 :

P=Platform
R=Rail

PPP RR PPP RR PPP
PPP RR PPP RR PPP
PPP RR PPP RR PPP
PPP RR PPP RR PPP
PPP RR PPP RR PPP
PPP RR PPP RR PPP

Thanks

 

[eezypeazy]

AFAIK, object making for BVE 4 is the same as BVE 2... you can make objects in .csv and .b3d formats, and the newer .x format... there are some useful guides to object making at Al Barten's site http://alfredbarten.com/BVE_pro3.html and Luigi's site http://www.trenomania.it/bve/eng/index.asp

Take particular note of the rules regarding bitmap dimensions (if you're using bitmaps) and the good old 25m rule when placing your objects...

Regards

eezypeazy

 

[Tom B]

Note with .x files you can only use textures in the same directory and they must have 0,0,0 as the transparent colour.

 

[Railnetwork]

Whats the different in .x files?

Is there more options to what we can do, and see?

Kind Regards,

 

[Tom]

.X files allow lighting effects to be modified, etc, Zane.

 

[Railnetwork]

Cheers, Is there any toturials on this '.x' file?

 

[Dennis]

try...http://www.gamedev.net/reference/articles/article1196.asp

As mentioned above, .x files are a bit more fussy over the textures used. I find it easiest to construct the object as a .CSV file in the normal way and then convert to .x using the converter on Mackoys site before applying the lighting effects (glow and reflect) in the resultant .x file. Use something like photoshop to apply lighting to the textures.

The lighting effects which can be achieved are absolutely fantastic (the nightshots of the Clarendon route on my fotopics site really don't do them justice); one tip I would give if you are converting files from other formats is to ensure all faces are individually added so that the desired illumination effects can be applied only on the faces where they are required.

 

[Tom B]

There are advantages to .x - take a look at the many tutorials and sites online (grep the web) - as Dennis said there are glow effects too which are rather cool .

 

[Derek Kaye]

what is the x format like compared to csv on file size and rendreing speed?

 

[Dennis]

All of the files I have modified tend to come out slightly larger than the .CSV parents (only a couple of k; insignificant really when compared with the size of bitmaps used). I have noticed no difference in rendering speed so far on the Clarendon conversion (where around the stations the majority of the objects are in the form of .x files).

Hopefully, the Clarendon night conversion will be finished in a few weeks - the route conversion itself is almost done, I just need to set the timetable, recheck the signalling and tidy up the directories. Could also do with a beta tester soon as although I think it looks OK on my (laptop) display, I have no idea what it will look like on other systems.

 

[Tom B]

It depends - you have a choice of three types of .x files, but if you choose compressed it's advisable to keep the source .csv file.