" Ballast Texture "

[TXX]

Hi...are the files interchangeable? v.8 to x_1600 version,..i ask because all versions after v.8 seam to have " flashing" of the "ballast /tie" texture as the train passes by or approaches the ( outside ) camera view!.. This "ballast/tie flashing" does not happen in v.8 or MSTS! I do have latest ''Bin'' v.8 installed also. I was just wondering if I could exchange the file that was changed in the 1600 version with the one from v.8 to maybe correct the issue,might be wrong through. Any ideas guys? Thanks!

Tim :-)

[apco25]

Uh, that's not an OR problem as it doesn't change the ballast textures used in each route. What track system? Xtracks? Default? DBTracks? ScaleRail?

Really sounds to me like you have issues with your graphics card's settings.

[TXX]

Hi,...i have Xtracks installed, and also have two pc's one with win7 64-bit & xp pro 64-bit as mentioned before, the flashing does not occur in ORv.8! only in the or_x_versions,...if it is my card what would i have to adjust to fix this for future or_x_versions? My graphic cards are (2) ATI Radeon 4800 Series 512 mb, running in CrossFireX mode. Thanks!

Tim :-)

[csantucci]

Can you tell us what route causes you the problem? If it is a freeware roue, where is it downloadable?

[TXX]

Hi, this is my own custom route, that i have used for about a year now! It does uses Xtracks. For the previous year i have had no issues with MSTS or ORv.8 The 'flashing' has only started since i started using the OR v_x up to the most recent 1600 version! If it might be my graphic card settings,..what do i adjust in AMD Catylast panel? ...or is there something else to try? Thanks!

Tim :-)

[OTTODAD]

Do other routes show tracks flashing in ORTS X.1600 or just your route ?

O t t o

[TXX]

Hi Otto,. as far as i can tell i've only noticed it in my own routes! I 've run USA1 & USA2 (MSTS) don't recall seeing any
'flashing' in those!..Do you think it could just be my graphic card settings, might need to be changed for the orts x.1600v? Thanks!

Tim :-)

[OTTODAD]

Download this: http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/msts-downloads/tracks.zip

and after un-zipping copy both *.ACE files into your route's TEXTURES folder.

Also make sure that your Catalyst Control Center is set to Anisotropic Filtering 16X.

O t t o

[TXX]

Hi Otto...thanks for the track.zip...there is no flashing, even without adjusting my Anisotropic Filtering! I have a question,..if i wanted to create my own track/ballast texture, what would be the correct settings to use, (to prevent 'flashing'?) in the TGATool or when creating the
Apha Channel? Thanks, again for all your help!

Tim :-)

[OTTODAD]

Hi Tim !

I think that the track textures are created by a graphics editor, I am no expert on.

If you want a choice of various track textures then download my MSTS Tracks-Changer which has 11 versions to be used instantly in routes that use X-Tracks, just running their Batch files:

http://www.otto-wipfel.co.uk/msts-downloads/msts-tracks-changer.zip

There are also 58 other track textures I have assembled for manually replacing in routes Textures folders : tracks.zip

O t t o

[TXX]

Hi,Otto. I was just noticed something interesting,..if i rotate the outside view 'camera' 25 to 30 degrees the ties & ballast disappear & then re-appear as i continue to circle the train!... i'm thinking that this is not a track texure issue at all! rather the camera 'distance' settings. What do you think? Thanks!

Tim :-)

[OTTODAD]

Hi,Otto. I was just noticed something interesting,..if i rotate the outside view 'camera' 25 to 30 degrees the ties & ballast disappear & then re-appear as i continue to circle the train!... i'm thinking that this is not a track texure issue at all! rather the camera 'distance' settings. What do you think? Thanks!

Have you checked your MSTS Display Options ?

O t t o




.

[TXX]

Hi, Otto Thanks! i reset my settings,...so far,..so good! I ran on my route with 'roads' placed. no 'flashing' at all. The route with the 'flashing' has 'no' roads placed yet, so maybe that was the issue! Thanks! again for all your help.

Tim :-)

[apco25]

Before you get too muddled by the various responses here. Some things to keep in mind.

Flashing textures, moire and other graphics anomalies are appear due to how your graphics card is handling such files. Open your graphics card software package and read about the options. Go goggle options you don't understand so you can learn to apply them correctly.

The .ace files are nothing more than photo images manipulated and edited in a graphics editing program. Your problems might be related to poor coding of the shape files used for the tracks. The .ace files is simply displayed over the shape file. That is where the details of how to display the .ace file are stored and are setup when the shape is created.

Further more...

MSTS while utilizing the same content are two ENTIRELY different game engines separated by about 13 years of development. What is needed or works in MSTS does not always apply to OR. MSTS is a now ancient game engine that doesn't understand what to do with modern graphics cards. The useful life of the original MSTS game engine is getting stretched really far and far beyond the intent of Kuju and Microsoft. MSTS was designed in the Windows 98 era....that should tell you enough right there.

Moving on, OR is modern software the is written to take advantage of modern operating systems graphics cards and more. However, it is currently a developmental piece of software and if you plan on using it you really should keep up with the weekly updates.

While V.08 is the official release there subsequent releases are improving, fixing, breaking and fixing as they go along. x1605 is way beyond was V.08 was at last year. Each x version is an update and improvement over the last version you're supposed to overwrite the last version to keep current. X version is already at 1605, 5 versions past the version you are asking about.

[rdamurphy]

Check out: http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...llast-display/

When you download the "msts-tracks-changer", check out the readme giving credit to all the people who created the ballast textures!

Robert