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New route released!
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Juniper Driver
Established Member
Oh yeah wanted to say thanks for this one.It works great.
Have dowloaded Maplestead. It is a very nice route, with excellent bridge and tunnel textures and very realistic looking track for such a route.
I tried the Class 47 train first and it runs as expected and you really feel the gradiant up ahead. However, I found the driving frustrating as the signals appear to be a very long way apart, although that is better than too short, but the excessive single yellows didn't help. I too ran past the first booked stop, due to the previous station, which doesn't appear to be in the timetable, coming up within 2-3 minutes of the actual stopping station and having braked for the first (through) station, then opened up again only to run up to the next station too fast. Handling should improve with practice.
It was also difficult to arrive right time at both the first station and the terminal station. I tried jumping to Martin station but still arrivied at the terminal late.
However, the scenery is excellent, with lots of clear objects that give a good sense of perspective.
I next tried the EDMU but found that so boring, not even having AWS etc, so gave up after the first stop. A 156 or 170 may do better.
I next found that the 37 light loco route could not find it's train, inspite of being on my hard drive and used with other routes! Could these route files be trying to find the trains in the BV2 folder(s)! I tried editing the train line into the route files but that didn't work and neither did editing a different train (loco). Any idea what's going one there?
In spite of that the author deserves congratulations on producing a great looking route. It was nice to see a fresh backgrpound that also has plenty of detail and a nice cloudy sky.
Cheers.
BillEWS.
I tried the Class 47 train first and it runs as expected and you really feel the gradiant up ahead. However, I found the driving frustrating as the signals appear to be a very long way apart, although that is better than too short, but the excessive single yellows didn't help. I too ran past the first booked stop, due to the previous station, which doesn't appear to be in the timetable, coming up within 2-3 minutes of the actual stopping station and having braked for the first (through) station, then opened up again only to run up to the next station too fast. Handling should improve with practice.
It was also difficult to arrive right time at both the first station and the terminal station. I tried jumping to Martin station but still arrivied at the terminal late.
However, the scenery is excellent, with lots of clear objects that give a good sense of perspective.
I next tried the EDMU but found that so boring, not even having AWS etc, so gave up after the first stop. A 156 or 170 may do better.
I next found that the 37 light loco route could not find it's train, inspite of being on my hard drive and used with other routes! Could these route files be trying to find the trains in the BV2 folder(s)! I tried editing the train line into the route files but that didn't work and neither did editing a different train (loco). Any idea what's going one there?
In spite of that the author deserves congratulations on producing a great looking route. It was nice to see a fresh backgrpound that also has plenty of detail and a nice cloudy sky.
Cheers.
BillEWS.
Dennis
Established Member
BillEWS - I'm aware that the signal spacing is not what it should be; hopefully I'll get that corrected at some point in the future (bustitution every weekend for the next year while this happens!).
Regarding timings, it's the first time I've used the pretrain command rather than simply specifying a route run interval - I found it difficult getting the timings satisfactory and I could have spent a lot longer optimising them. I still haven't got either the calling on signal at the final station or the 'off' indicator to behave in the way I wanted them to and late running is almost inevitable with the timings I've set.
The DEMU drive isn't the most exciting but I just love the sounds and it also fits the period, hence it's inclusion, no reason why this cannot be substituted for the 142 or 156.
Not finding the 37 was an oversight on my part - I modified the standard loco to give a more sprightly performance and included this in the route file; guidance on how this may be achieved has been published here , next time I update the downloads, I will revert back to the standard loco.
Regarding backgounds, these are possibly one of the most critical textures as they are always in view; cramming the blue / grey and white colours of the sky and shades of green for the ground into 256 colours is challenging. Included in the downloads currently available from my site are a couple of diagrams that use a 24bit image that is twice the size of most background textures - I haven't noticed any performance hit in 16 bit mode, which defeats the object of using a bacground of this type, whereas in 32-bit mode, although it looks almost 'photoreal', framerates are reduced on my machine by about 30%. Just waiting for the complaints about it not displaying correctly with certain graphics systems...
Regarding timings, it's the first time I've used the pretrain command rather than simply specifying a route run interval - I found it difficult getting the timings satisfactory and I could have spent a lot longer optimising them. I still haven't got either the calling on signal at the final station or the 'off' indicator to behave in the way I wanted them to and late running is almost inevitable with the timings I've set.
The DEMU drive isn't the most exciting but I just love the sounds and it also fits the period, hence it's inclusion, no reason why this cannot be substituted for the 142 or 156.
Not finding the 37 was an oversight on my part - I modified the standard loco to give a more sprightly performance and included this in the route file; guidance on how this may be achieved has been published here , next time I update the downloads, I will revert back to the standard loco.
Regarding backgounds, these are possibly one of the most critical textures as they are always in view; cramming the blue / grey and white colours of the sky and shades of green for the ground into 256 colours is challenging. Included in the downloads currently available from my site are a couple of diagrams that use a 24bit image that is twice the size of most background textures - I haven't noticed any performance hit in 16 bit mode, which defeats the object of using a bacground of this type, whereas in 32-bit mode, although it looks almost 'photoreal', framerates are reduced on my machine by about 30%. Just waiting for the complaints about it not displaying correctly with certain graphics systems...
Hi Dennis,
Thanks for the explanations and information. Nothing that I said was meant to be by way of criticism. Anything anyone such as yourself does for BVE is much appreciated. I couldn't even start to programme a train or route. The nearest I have done to programming is way back in the 80's when I had an Atari XL computer and used to enjoy doing 'typos' from the Monthly Atari magazine.
I liked the longer distances between signals but in most cases they seemed to be a little too long and could easily be double-yellows rather than a single. But they don't want to be reduced by too much. Some of the time wasting was also due to having so many signal checks and speed restrictions.
Another thing I found was that the error message 'Going too fast for signal' or words to that effect, came in everytime I passed a single yellow signal (distant)! You don't brake for a distant signal therefore should not have to reduce speed in advance of it. The usual procedure, using your route and train knowledge is to shut off power on sighting or approaching the yellow signal and cruise until you feel it is time to start braking for real. Under normal driving you would not expect to brake to approach a single yellow warning. Therefore it is wrong to have an error message at that time. The braking distance is between the yellow and red signal. In BVE this is how I judge that signals are too close or too far. You should always be able to brake to a stand comfortably between the two signals and not have to go into 'emergency' brake position to do so.
I have carried out some train timing for some train authors and would be happy to have a go at the Class 47 route if it's OK with you. I have a copy of the Timetable Editor and could do a few runs and let you know the results. Acceptance of these would be totally up to yourself.
Cheers.
BillEWS.
http://billreid678.fotopic.net
http://aberdeenharbour.fotopic.net/
Thanks for the explanations and information. Nothing that I said was meant to be by way of criticism. Anything anyone such as yourself does for BVE is much appreciated. I couldn't even start to programme a train or route. The nearest I have done to programming is way back in the 80's when I had an Atari XL computer and used to enjoy doing 'typos' from the Monthly Atari magazine.
I liked the longer distances between signals but in most cases they seemed to be a little too long and could easily be double-yellows rather than a single. But they don't want to be reduced by too much. Some of the time wasting was also due to having so many signal checks and speed restrictions.
Another thing I found was that the error message 'Going too fast for signal' or words to that effect, came in everytime I passed a single yellow signal (distant)! You don't brake for a distant signal therefore should not have to reduce speed in advance of it. The usual procedure, using your route and train knowledge is to shut off power on sighting or approaching the yellow signal and cruise until you feel it is time to start braking for real. Under normal driving you would not expect to brake to approach a single yellow warning. Therefore it is wrong to have an error message at that time. The braking distance is between the yellow and red signal. In BVE this is how I judge that signals are too close or too far. You should always be able to brake to a stand comfortably between the two signals and not have to go into 'emergency' brake position to do so.
I have carried out some train timing for some train authors and would be happy to have a go at the Class 47 route if it's OK with you. I have a copy of the Timetable Editor and could do a few runs and let you know the results. Acceptance of these would be totally up to yourself.
Cheers.
BillEWS.
http://billreid678.fotopic.net
http://aberdeenharbour.fotopic.net/
Dennis
Established Member
Signal spacing is given in group standard RT0034a which will be used when resignalling is carried out. RT0038a was used for caclulating the distances of PSR warning boards and appears to have worked quite well; I'm quite looking forward to getting my teeth into the necessary calculations (serves me right for having so many gradient changes!!).
re the going too fast for signal error, interesting one that, as it only appears when the next signal is red. This happens because there are no speed limits specified for the signals on that diagram and is easily corrected by adding
Route.Signal(1) 120,
Route.Signal(2) 160,
Route.Signal(3) 200,
to the 'with route' section.
Regarding your offer of timings, I'm more than happy to accept any revisions; the route continues to grow and evolve....
re the going too fast for signal error, interesting one that, as it only appears when the next signal is red. This happens because there are no speed limits specified for the signals on that diagram and is easily corrected by adding
Route.Signal(1) 120,
Route.Signal(2) 160,
Route.Signal(3) 200,
to the 'with route' section.
Regarding your offer of timings, I'm more than happy to accept any revisions; the route continues to grow and evolve....
Jord
Member
Great route Dennis, drove the 37 earlyer and so when i reached the coaches, i presume that's the end of the route? as the was no change ends and drive back, but nice route anyway (H)
There's a signal just round the bend by the cement works which is a real b****r for sighting: please *don't* move that one as it's a great trap for the unwary when it's against you in the rescue diagram
eifion
Member
- Joined
- 2 Apr 2007
- Messages
- 107
Having got BVE 4 working again I downloaded Maplestead and all I can say is,"Well Done Dennis". Nice graphics and routes all with running times between 30 - 45 Min's which I find just about right as if I play any routes that run over say 60 Min's I tend to loose my concentration.
It's an Age Thing. :confused:
Regards. Eifion.
It's an Age Thing. :confused:
Regards. Eifion.
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