Open Rails Version 0.6.2 is now available!

[csantucci]

I have tested OR 0.6.2 with the Bernina route, activity 452_ti_stm.act.
I am happy to
- see commands for front/rear pantos working now
- see that now tunnel entrances are transparent, even if transfers aren't yet implemented
- hear AI trains sound while being in the cab of the player train.
There are however still some issues:
- referring to door open/close I see that command Q opens/closes both right and left doors, while command Shift-Q doesn't seem to have any effect;
- I still get a bunch of errors in the logfile referring to signals, and in practice they do not seem to work (as a first impression they all seem to be clear, regardless from the shown color); see attached logfile;
- .sms script instruction SetStreamVolume (volumevalue) still does not work;
- signal static look still shows also parts that shouldn't be shown when the related checkbox isn't checked, e.g. signal CHL Einfahr-/Blocksignal_2L has under the MSTS RE a checkbox "Signalkopf Ausfahrvorsignal" that only IF checked shows a square signal section that anticipates the state of the following signal; signal CHL Guppenausfahrsignal has a checkbox "Tafel für Halteort bei Gruppenausfahrsignal" that IF checked shows a vertical rectangle indicating the point where the train has to stop;
- AI trains seem to behave like in version 677, that is quite differently than under MSTS.

Sentences above are given as constructive indications. I thank you again for your big effort.

Carlo

[mikephfl]

Would you mind attaching the F40PH_EXT.sms file? There are a number of problems that MSTS doesn't seem to mind, but upsets OR like stream count issues that may be causing your problem.
Thanks

Sorry for the delay, been out on vacation....can I post the sms file considering copyright issues?

[apco25]

I've noticed the MLW 710 sound set (44000khz sounds) don't play properly in OR. WHen you notch up or down throttle sounds are skipped and the base idle sound is played. I've also noticed many freights cars are silent other than default sounds from several sources, payware, freeware, MLT sounds and those by Matt Florack (MC_FREIGHT) sound set.

[BNSFfan]

apco25, Try testing them with MSTS Bin Sound compatibilty checked on in the Options ---> Sound menu. Ive been testing them in ORTS, and everything seems to work fine soundwise except the range. Horn is louder than the sounds, though, and I like it. Thats something I've struggled balancing in MSTS.
My issues with ORTS:
My sounds cut out after maybe 20-30 cars pass by in #4 view.
I can release brakes, sand, and ease it into N1 with independant brakes, bail off, even release the indies, and I'll still slip. Example consist. Two DW SD9043MACs on a 48 Car Loaded Coal train with SLIs CP Coal Gons. Or BN GP40 3030 (Custom model by Kurt Kaminer, physics by Bob Boudin, paint by me) SLI's BN B30-7A, and the SLI BN GP50L.
I'm having the same issues as others, but I'm not jamming it in run 8, I'll ease it into throttle like I do when I work with the rail museum.
EDIT: My 645s with the RandomSelection Horn stream seems to either crash ORTS, or ORTS will over play it or not play it at all. Specific example 645 Turbo 44100 Hz BN sms's found in my MLW 645 set.

[BNSFfan]

[ATTACH]44287[/ATTACH]The route is SLI's Green River route. The engine with the horn problem is their Amtrak F40's. I'll see if I still have the log and attach it later.

The log file is 79K. Too big to attached and too long to past into a message. How do I get this to you?

Hoping this worked.

SLI's looping on the K5 is atrocious. I did it in ORTS and MSTS and it made me cringe at how long it lasted on the note after pressing spacebar. Try using a different K5LA with a better loop point.

[BNSFfan]

Also a question, diesel smoke. What variables can I expect to see eventually other than the Volume of smoke per throttle percentage? I honestly would like to beable to set say, a GE Dash 8, to smoke at a medium thickness when giving the engine throttle, and thin out as it reaches a consistent RPM, and almost vanish when I throttle down. As compared to a GEVO where it would smoke very lightly at full throttle, and maybe randomly while under load.

[longiron]

Also a question, diesel smoke. What variables can I expect to see eventually other than the Volume of smoke per throttle percentage? I honestly would like to beable to set say, a GE Dash 8, to smoke at a medium thickness when giving the engine throttle, and thin out as it reaches a consistent RPM, and almost vanish when I throttle down. As compared to a GEVO where it would smoke very lightly at full throttle, and maybe randomly while under load.

The next release is scheduled to connect the steam/smoke effects to the physics engine. This will achieve what you are looking for. The location, size and shape of the effects are currently determined by the Special EFX parameters in the ENG file.

[longiron]

apco25, Try testing them with MSTS Bin Sound compatibilty checked on in the Options ---> Sound menu. Ive been testing them in ORTS, and everything seems to work fine soundwise except the range. Horn is louder than the sounds, though, and I like it. Thats something I've struggled balancing in MSTS.
My issues with ORTS:
My sounds cut out after maybe 20-30 cars pass by in #4 view.

Sounds are linked to cars (via sms), so as the cars pass outside of the view space, the OR sound system automatically culls them from playing. We are looking at ways to 'extend' the sounds for the player train.

I can release brakes, sand, and ease it into N1 with independant brakes, bail off, even release the indies, and I'll still slip. Example consist. Two DW SD9043MACs on a 48 Car Loaded Coal train with SLIs CP Coal Gons. Or BN GP40 3030 (Custom model by Kurt Kaminer, physics by Bob Boudin, paint by me) SLI's BN B30-7A, and the SLI BN GP50L.
I'm having the same issues as others, but I'm not jamming it in run 8, I'll ease it into throttle like I do when I work with the rail museum.

Please use the F5 HUD of the braking system to monitor the status of the train brakes. OR braking works very differently than MSTS. Until the BC (Brake Cylinder) is fully depleted, the brakes are only partially released. You can use the CTRL + ? shortcut key to immediately charge and release the brakes.

[apco25]

I've read the detailed responses on they way the brakes are set up. I understand it and can get the train to handle properly most of the time, but the throttle and wheel slip states are very very touchy. I'd really like to see negative values not show up in the amp meter as it swings wildly and that's nothing like the resposne I've seen of the amp meters in a variety of locomoties. Yes the amps can drop or raise quickly , but the needle doesn't dance and twitch around like it does in OR. The speed display also does the exact same wild behavior and it all seems directly releated to how the values shown in the F5 display go from negative to positive values instantly.

I also see OR randomly ignore sounds. I have the BIN compatibility checked. The sound distance does need to be extended and sounds shouldn't just switch off, but fade out. I know you guys are working on a better sound engine and hope to see that soon.

[longiron]

I've read the detailed responses on they way the brakes are set up. I understand it and can get the train to handle properly most of the time, but the throttle and wheel slip states are very very touchy. I'd really like to see negative values not show up in the amp meter as it swings wildly and that's nothing like the resposne I've seen of the amp meters in a variety of locomoties. Yes the amps can drop or raise suddenly under load, but the needle doesn't dance around like it does in OR. The speed display also does the exact same wild behavior and it all seems directly releated to how the values shown in the F5 display go from negative to positive values instantly.

The next release will improve these issues as there are some "time step" physics calculation anomalies related to FPS and its variability.

[apco25]

Good to hear! Here's another example.

On the Conrail indy I'm running three SLI locomotives. 2 SD70 and 1 Sd40-2 running Bob's 4.7 physics. 63 mixed cars. I'm on a flat section of track and I'm getting this odd behavior. Train and Independent brakes are set up to 100% application and my consist is twitching back and forth. The speed indicator shows -3 swinging to +3 MPH with no throttle. Again I see the wild swing of negative and positive values in the F5 display specifically motive force, coupler forces and gravity while sitting still.

Uncoupling and recoupling to this train causes my locomotives to go into emergency once I connec the brake hose. Why?

[longiron]

Good to hear! Here's another example.

On the Conrail indy I'm running three SLI locomotives. 2 SD70 and 1 Sd40-2 running Bob's 4.7 physics. 63 mixed cars. I'm on a flat section of track and I'm getting this odd behavior. Train and Independent brakes are set up to 100% application and my consist is twitching back and forth. The speed indicator shows -3 swinging to +3 MPH with no throttle. Again I see the wild swing of negative and positive values in the F5 display specifically motive force, coupler forces and gravity while sitting still.

what's your FPS at that time? And can you tell me the name of the SLI locomotives you have?

Uncoupling and recoupling to this train causes my locomotives to go into emergency once I connec the brake hose. Why?

OR assumes any static cars have their brake lines fully discharged to emergency setting and the handbrakes set to 100%. Connecting up the brake line causes the locomotive brake pressure (Cylinder and Line) to dramatically drop due to the larger brake line cubic volume resulting in an emergency application. Releasing the brake will begin re-charging the brake line.

[apco25]

I'm using two MLT SD70 based repaints and an SLI SD40-2 #6490 from the conrail pack they recently released 63 current standard cars, many repaints of mark giltz, SLI, etc with current physics properties in the wag files.. FPS was about 40.

Once I reconnect and wait to charge the line the locomotives are very slow to come out of the emergency state caused by connecting to an empty train, even after the brake pipe is fully charged up. I've also seen random cars in consists change from release to apply, or self lap for no reason.

Won't this cause a problem switching or will releasing handbrakes without connecting the train line handle this issue?

Would it be possible to show the first 10 cars of a train in the F5 few before showing other cars at a spaced interval throughout the train? This would allow monitoring of other locomotives in the consist.

[BNSFfan]

I did infact use the F5 display, watched it drop to 0 PSI in the BC all the way to the rear end, holding the train with independants until the last car on the train hits 0. Then I release the Independent to about 10-20% and ease it into N1, and then slowly release it to 0%. I'll creep forward, slack will pull out, creep even more, get up to a max of say 2 MPH, then start slipping. This is on a level grade on the FBL just for testing purposes.

[longiron]

I did infact use the F5 display, watched it drop to 0 PSI in the BC all the way to the rear end, holding the train with independants until the last car on the train hits 0. Then I release the Independent to about 10-20% and ease it into N1, and then slowly release it to 0%. I'll creep forward, slack will pull out, creep even more, get up to a max of say 2 MPH, then start slipping. This is on a level grade on the FBL just for testing purposes.

Would you mind doing a test for me? Please add an extra ENG to the consist and report back. Thanks in advance.