Railworks Ground Tools?

[MrEMD]

I'm looking for a tool for RW that makes the height the same as it really is. Because im not good with hills or mountains, and just [size=150]horrible at making gentle slopes with tracks on them![size=150] Anything out there that could work?

[barnez]

Do you mean like DEM data for the terrain?

Or more specific to shape the terrain immediately surrounding the track?

-barnez

[MrEMD]

I mean the height of ground, regardless of what objects or lofts exist. Say I was to load a new map with the Long. and Lat. of a mountan range. This tool would create the mountaints for me. Or If I load a new map with the Long. and Lat. of a velley with hills, running the tool would make the gentle hills and distant moutains for me.

Know what I mean?

[RvA944]

yeah there is nothing like that in this sim. What we use is DEM from the USGS.

[MrEMD]

Could u post a link?
I want to see if it will work for me :)

[emdsd90mac]

There are a few different ways of getting terrain into a new route. One is use the built in SRTM function which I have not had any luck with, but there are some threads here that may help you out. The second is to use ReDEM which I use and love; you will have to pay a small price for it, I think it was $10 or something like that. Look up Zugware.com for this program. However, you will need to download Digital Elevation Models (DEM) from The National Map server which is the USGS and you will need another stand alone program to convert that data into usable data for ReDEM to see. Until about 6 months or so ago, you could download the correct data from the USGS, but they made a change to the system and the .bil file format needed for DEM is no longer a valid choice. ArcMap is the program that will do that and it's free to try for 60 days and there are some good tutorials on how to use it and convert the .img data to .bil for ReDEM. It all sounds a bit confusing if you are new to this, but it's well worth it to see the finished product. Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions. Oh and the third way is to create them yourself, but that usually doesn't work out well for realism.

[dfcfu342]

You want to use DEM. The easiest source is here http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/Cove ... s_org3.htm

Click the square containing the area you want, download it, unzip it, and place the .hgt files in the railworks/DEM/SRTM folder. Then go into your route, open the terrain tools flyout, select import terrain and select the options in the popout. The (number x number) is the square in km around your camera it will load the terrain. Make sure SRTM is selected and not GDEM.

After lots of flashing and jumping and texturing you should have your terrain.

[Antwerp]

After lots of flashing and jumping and texturing you should have your terrain.

After lots of flashing and jumping and texturing I have terrain that is incorrect to the location of Fort Wayne, Indiana, although I downloaded the location on the website given.

[MrEMD]

You want to use DEM. The easiest source is here http://www.viewfinderpanoramas.org/Cove ... s_org3.htm

Click the square containing the area you want, download it, unzip it, and place the .hgt files in the railworks/DEM/SRTM folder. Then go into your route, open the terrain tools flyout, select import terrain and select the options in the popout. The (number x number) is the square in km around your camera it will load the terrain. Make sure SRTM is selected and not GDEM.

After lots of flashing and jumping and texturing you should have your terrain.

Tried that, I got no where. When I went to import (After putting it in the file and all) It paused, then reloaded the terrain quickly, and nothing changed. Tried every option under SRTM. Any ideas?

[dfcfu342]

Do you have your route blueprint setup with the Lat and Lon coordinates to 5 decimal places? if it isn't set that far then TS doesn't import terrain correctly for some reason even though it isn't in the documentation anywhere. Also it doesn't hurt to download the boxes around your location as well. Sometimes your terrain data may also spill into a download for a nearby location.

It is also important to know it may not look correct until you begin placing objects and scenery on your terrain. Its difficult to see things as correct when its just a barren landscape.

[RvA944]

the other kicker is to check and make sure your in the right location. (Check the lat/lon in the editor) I set up my route the first time and TS placed the camera 10 miles off my real start location. Hence no DEM.

[slick204]

The DEM data from viewfinderpanoramas.com worked for me but only after I added extra files around the area I was wanting, just like dfcfu342 suggested.

[MrEMD]

After an hour of trying stuff, I figured it out!!!
It was just barley in the wrong box I was just 1 degree Latitude above the box I clicked!

Problem solved! Thanks for the replies!

[dfcfu342]

No problem! Just remember to have fun the editor can be a challenge at times.

[RvA944]

And when your clicking away having fun for an hour or so, placing items or painting the ground stop and have a cup of coffee and back up your work to a spare drive.