DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 13, 2006 23:32:01 GMT
As LUL is about in the middle of refurbing the D78 stocks, we felt we'd do the same. Richard has just finished a complete new set of cars, so as to better apply the paint and include required interior and other features (dot matrix displays, etc.). This means all new shapes and textures for the DMs, UNDMs and trailers. A refurb passenger view is also complete. Here's a sneak peek (minor paint tweaks still to do):   I'm also refurbing the cab view to include new parts on the desk, nearside and offside panels (run-back protection panel, auto-announcer, new Connect radio, door close buttons, etc.) -- thanks to some new highly detailed photos from SolidBond. SB has also got us some video/audio from the cab, so I'll put together a custom sound set for the Refurb D78, as we did for the 73TS. All new realistic sounds from live recordings! Doing the new cab and sounds will take a little while, but we'll keep you updated on progress as it all gets built. As always, our thanks to the "LUL professional collaborators" on the team for their contributions and support. Best, Jimi (on behalf of the team) |
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Sept 14, 2006 3:00:07 GMT
I sometimes come on here and end up wondering if I did actually come home ;D ;D Excellent work there Dr Jimi  |
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Post by tubeprune on Sept 14, 2006 6:33:54 GMT
Dr Jimi,
What a beautiful job. I'm not into simulations - I don't have the time - but I recognise the work you guys do and I think it's really impressive. Well done.
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Post by chris on Sept 14, 2006 6:51:00 GMT
**crash** Oh b*gger. Fell of my chair!
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Post by Chris W on Sept 14, 2006 11:19:09 GMT
Awesome as always guys  Well done |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 18, 2006 0:47:38 GMT
Thanks guys! Here's this week's update, showing my work on refurbing the cab. This is work in progress, and there are a few minor fixes still to be done. However, all main updates are done and the new equipment is installed. The pics show some screenshots from 3D Canvas Pro, which is used to build the cab model. Having placed a 'camera' in the right location and direction, I then export the view to a POV file. This file is then fed into PovRay which renders a ray-traced image that includes the effects of lighting, shadows, reflections, etc. That image will then be massaged in PaintShop Pro to create transparent areas (windows) and some panel light illumination effects. Here's the progress so far... GENERAL CAB SHOT IN 3DC  GENERAL SHOT RENDERED BY POVRAY  GENERAL LEFT VIEW IN 3DC  LEFT VIEW RENDERED  GENERAL RIGHT VIEW IN 3DC  RIGHT VIEW RENDERED  OPERATOR'S VIEW RENDERED  New equipment includes the offside door buttons on the right of the desk, Runback protection panel on the offside wall, Auto-announcer panel on nearside wall, and new Connect radio unit on the left-side Aux1 panel. Thanks to SolidBond for the detailed photos from which many of the textures were produced. These pics look blury at 640 and JPG compression, but the train will have detailed 1024 bitmaps with which you can read all the panel labels. Best, Jimi |
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Post by tubeprune on Sept 18, 2006 7:45:01 GMT
These are brilliant. I love the driver's tea cup on the paddle and the scratched notices in the bottom of the cab window.
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Post by trainopd78 on Sept 18, 2006 19:15:35 GMT
I like the fact that the MSTS D stock has connect installed before the real thing! Can't get more up to date than that!! Well done Dr. Jimi. |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 18, 2006 21:47:45 GMT
Thank you guys! In the interests of getting the details right, I'm now putting in about 25 'fixes' to detail errors that SB's eagle eye spotted (Aux1 panel should be flush now, door button style changed, move the flags, blue ceiling/dest panel, etc, etc.). I'll post rendered shots of the final version when done.
One question I'd bet traincrew could answer. On the Runback protection panel, the red 'fault' light has a half-cover over it. I've seen the same on C Stock offside panels too. In discussing it with SB, I though it might be to prevent a red (or orange) light showing out the front. He opined it was to prevent sunlight 'illuminating' the lens and imitating a lit bulb (false error indication). I'm inclined to go with his notion. Anyone know for sure?
Best, Jimi
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Colin
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My preserved fire engine!
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Post by Colin on Sept 19, 2006 3:53:07 GMT
I would go with Solidbonds explanation - to make sure the indication is not mis-understood.
A slight error in the shots above - the pass alarm mute switch (next to the red door open indicators on the nearside front post) is not there on the refurbs as it is is superseeded by the red button underneath the PIS control panel.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 14:05:22 GMT
Another point. The destination box above the "M" door is painted cab blue and doesn't have a sticker listing destinations.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 21:25:15 GMT
I'd just like to add that because of you and your teams work DrJimi, I have just gone and bought my 4th MSTS, after losing my 3rd a while ago! ;D Please keep this up, its looking amazing! |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 19, 2006 22:05:22 GMT
Colin/Jim - thanks for the corrections. I'd fixed the ceiling and dest. panel (and added a No Smoking sticker to it), but was not aware of the alarm mute toggle - I'll fix that!
DaviD - thanks! I think this will be worth the wait. Dat/night ray-traced cabs, custom sounds, etc. Goal is to release on Oct 12th, as I believe that might be a significant day ;D
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Colin
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Post by Colin on Sept 19, 2006 22:50:50 GMT
Goal is to release on Oct 12th, as I believe that might be a significant day ;D From what I've heard, a betting man would consider a bet against that date  ;D ;D |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 22:58:09 GMT
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Colin
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My preserved fire engine!
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Post by Colin on Sept 19, 2006 23:03:19 GMT
None of that lot ;D ;D ;D
Connect is supposed to go live on the District on this date.....
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 23:08:22 GMT
If I was really picky (which I am!) the cab doors look a bit narrow on the outside view, and the blanked off half-window seems a bit wide.
Other than that, the whole thing is spookily realistic! Well done Dr Jimi & Co!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 19, 2006 23:08:55 GMT
I've always thought London Underground should add a week on to any dates the set...  ;D Will I be able to get a signal, when I'm doing Settle - Carlisle...  |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 20, 2006 1:53:06 GMT
Colin - as I'm still collecting/editing the cab radio sound samples, it's possible the virtual in-cab radio may not be functioning by Oct 12th either ;D - but we'll do our best. Sadly I can not make the individual (virtual) Connect buttons clickable - however, I could make the unit a clickable area. So maybe clicking on it could cause a message to appear on the Connect display  (Message suggestions on a postcard to the usual address). DaviD - yes, we always release to both UKTS and TrainSim. Here's the final POVray rendered images (shown as 640 JPG - train will have 1024 BMP/ACE) prior to final touch-up, adding transparent areas, bulb illumination, etc. Night versions to follow in a day or so, and the train CVF will be set up to use the 'auto-night' facility provided in the MSTS BIN patch. I *think* we're now error-free - unless someone wants to point out that the speedo dial should have a white surround. I tried, and could not get it to look right  so you'll be getting illuminated gauges in the night version - one up on the refurb vendor     My thanks to SolidBond, Jim, Colin and others who pointed out the 20+ errors in the 'draft 1' version  |
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Colin
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My preserved fire engine!
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Post by Colin on Sept 20, 2006 11:13:10 GMT
Simply awesome |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 20, 2006 23:53:06 GMT
Simply awesome Couldn't of put it better myself! I should be getting MSTS tomorrow, are there any LU routes available to try these marvelous trains out on? |
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Post by richardh on Sept 21, 2006 16:03:43 GMT
Simply awesome Couldn't of put it better myself! I should be getting MSTS tomorrow, are there any LU routes available to try these marvelous trains out on? Appart from the Piccadilly Line which is full or problems and errors, no, I dont think so. There is the Victoria Line but that is payware. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2006 18:48:39 GMT
There's an LT&S line, which features a bit of the district...
Sam
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2006 19:39:17 GMT
And at £24.99, I think it can wait a bit! |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 21, 2006 22:34:55 GMT
The Vic is well worth the un-expensive price, and includes a lot of good activities. Our team's cab modeling master Darren is creating a realistic cab for the stock. The Picc had errors, but there's a patch out (see UKTS Underground Forum, pinned topic) that makes it quite usable, also some activities for it on UKTS. Fun with the 73TS! The LTSR is excellent, although the LUL road signalling is far from prototypical. SB & I have been creating/exchanging activities with D78s and c2c stock all over the place (Upminster to Bow). More news on the D78 refurb... Here's the night views. These are created by turning off the outside light source (emulated daylight) in 3DC and just leaving on the cab light source. PovRay then calculated the ray tracing with just that light. Compare to the daylight shots, and you'll see different shadows and reflections. I have also added some illumination effects (bulbs lit). Next step is to build the day and night control and display animations, with the controls having moving shadows, and then the main view ACEs.     Next shots should be of the fully built train and cabs in the sim. Best, Jimi |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2006 1:06:58 GMT
Ah, the Victoria. Thats on my list next then! Had a role with the D and 73ts today, brilliant/amazing pieces of work! More great work there as well! ;D DrJimi, I have a question/suggest about the 73/D though: When you press the pantograph button (P on the keyboard for me), I hear the doors open and close, but are only open for what mus be a second. Not knowing anything about creating trains for MSTS, so please excuse my ignorance, but, couldn't that be made so when the fictional pantograph is up, the doors close, play the sound and the train moves, and when it is down, the doors open, play the sound, and the train can't move!?  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2006 12:03:42 GMT
Excellent work. Only problem is that the guages are too well lit! |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 22, 2006 16:01:03 GMT
Met - agreed! I used a little artistic license to add the gauge illumination that traincrew had requested in the Refurb. I was, sadly, unable to provide windscreen washers - however the glass doesn't seem to get too dirty DaviD - as you likely know, we're using a 'hack' to make the 'simulated doors' work via the Panto. So, assuming doors closed (panto up), if you hit 'P' you should immediately see the pilot light extinguish, hear the door open sound (several seconds worth) then the train will not motor (no power). Hit it again, the pilot will re-light (wrong as it should wait for doors closed to be proved, but we can't simulate that), a close sound (again several seconds), train will now motor. Actual door animation was dropped on all our trains after the COP, as AI trains wander about unrealistically with their trailer doors open (no power to trailer cars). As you likely noticed, the 73TS refurb also has the warining beeps sound prior to the door closing sound. The D78 refurb will also have all updated (new) sounds. |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Sept 22, 2006 21:05:16 GMT
Sorry, I should of said "simulated doors". I didn't even no MSTS was capable of "actual door animation"! Though The thought of trains wondering around with their doors open, does bring a smile to my face though! ;D I'm quite confused. Should I be pressing P, once to simulate them opening when they're closed, and P again to simulate them closing when they're open!? I ask as I'm getting; Press P when doors are closed, to simulate them opening and hear the door opening sound, then straight after, without hitting P, I'm hearing the door closing sound. Is this right?  EDIT: I'm sorry, I can't refrain from asking this : Are the pre-COP trains available to download still? ;D |
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DrJimi
Virtual District Line construction engineer and arborist
Posts: 365
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Post by DrJimi on Sept 23, 2006 2:58:46 GMT
DaviD - yes, one press to open - wait as long as you want, one press to close. Check the pilot light to make sure of the door 'state'. I have heard of one other person reporting door open and immediate close sometime during the last 4 years. Sorry, no idea as to cause. Earlier than COP? We recently re-did the 38TS and 59TS with some of Darren's excellent period cabs, new sounds, etc. Available on UKTS. If you find (say) the COP kit, open the "I" to see the description, then scroll down to the "See also" area and you'll find pointers to all our stuff. A re-vamp of the silver R Stock is also planned in the near future, and also a C69. Yet more on the D78 Refurb... Cabs and all animations are done, and some final exterior fixes finished (e.g. destination displays). Just need to implement the MSTS BIN 'auto night cab' CVF code and finish the new sounds. Here's the latest test shots taken at various places around the District. This is likely the furthest west 'SolidBond' has driven in a while         Best, Jimi |
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;D
;D
(Message suggestions on a postcard to the usual address).
so you'll be getting illuminated gauges in the night version - one up on the refurb vendor 
