Clearing Trees from tracks in OR - new_needs testing

[R. Steele]

From this recent thread at Elvas (Carlo Santucci)
http://www.elvastower.com/forums/ind...s/page__st__10

Downloadables for testing version X3337 found in post #11 in above thread.

This needs testing by Open Rails users, I'm trying it out on the WP3 Sub.

Excerpt from thread:
"Here
Attached File Runactivities.zip (1.35MB)
Number of downloads: 4
you can find two test .exe files and a .dll file to replace the original ones in release x.3337.
In order to have the tree remove function to work, in the route's .trk file a line

ORTSForestClearDistance ( 2 )


has to be added. The parameter value is the clear distance between the center of the track and the side of the trees (so smaller trees can have a trunk that can be nearer to the tracks than bigger trees).
As the parameter value is user selectable, everyone can find the best match accordingly to his preferences and also accordingly to the route (every route can have a different value).
The algorithm is not perfect and not complete in case of forests extending across tile boundaries (only the four adjacent tiles are considered).
It must also be very clear that such a generic algorithm cannot replace the fine-tuning that can be achieved by route-editing.
The good thing is that the algorithm works not only with forests that are laid down adjacent to the tracks, but also with forests that are laid down "above" the tracks (half at one side of the track, half at the other side).
Before considering committing it would be nice if this could be tested (also in terms of lost FPS) by people suffering from this problem.

The algorithm used is the one jtang had developed, but not made operating in release 1491. "

[OTTODAD]

It would be more important when trying to locate wayward trees if the quoted by ORTS Compass Co-ordinates were as accurate as the ones shown by the MSTS 0-Zero display !

[drelyea]

Hi,

Or if it's a linear offset, the equation to adjust the numbers from the ORTS lat/long to the MSTS lat/long.

Doug Relyea

[R. Steele]

Re: posts #2 & #3

Carlo Santucci is looking at an old algorithm jtang developed and trying to make it work. Perhaps it will work, perhaps not. Test, evaluation and modification will tell. Until some other person comes along and volunteers with the skills to unravel what you [Otto] are proposing - it will not happen. Also, to flatly state it is "more important" is a personal opinion, a value judgement - what is good is that someone (Carlo Santucci) is at least trying an approach to the problem.

Although in principle I agree with both statements....a direct correlation between positions in OR and the MSTS RE would be beneficial. How to do it is way beyond my skills. From what I have read I do not believe the differences can be attributed to inaccuracies in either the MSTS RE or the OR platform, it's more complex than that.

To Doug: from some of the posts at Elvas I gather it is not linear. I brought this up also, and while the explanation was little out of my reach, I think that's the crux of the problem. Too bad, would appear to simplify matters if it was.

[drelyea]

Hi Gerry,

Thanks, though to me it's a bit confusing that it's not linear. Any A Kuju Square Flatland is just that, an infinite flat plane of 2048 x 2048 meter tiles. In MSTS, the Lat and Long numbers will "wrap" East or West, but the tile numbers do not. They continue to increment to whatever that limit might be.

I've never accidentally gone North or South over a pole, so I don't know what happens there. Probably the Microsoft Blue Screen Event Horizon.

The DEM just puts contours on it. Had the MSTS world been round, some of the grades would not have been as bad.

Doug Relyea

[OTTODAD]

Also, to flatly state it is "more important" is a personal opinion, a value judgement - what is good is that someone (Carlo Santucci) is at least trying an approach to the problem.

It is not just my opinion, also mentioned by another member in this forum, it is also of importance to others who are trying to locate Scenery flaws in ORTS so the they can work on fixing them in the MSTS Route Editor.

Carlo, who I have been working with years ago on the MSTS Bernina route, has already responded to my repeated requests to speed up the slow Train Brakes release, but what he is working on now has nothing to do with fixing ORTS to show the same Compass Co-Ordinates as MSTS !

[R. Steele]

Hi Gerry,

Thanks, though to me it's a bit confusing that it's not linear. Any A Kuju Square Flatland is just that, an infinite flat plane of 2048 x 2048 meter tiles. In MSTS, the Lat and Long numbers will "wrap" East or West, but the tile numbers do not. They continue to increment to whatever that limit might be.

I've never accidentally gone North or South over a pole, so I don't know what happens there. Probably the Microsoft Blue Screen Event Horizon.

The DEM just puts contours on it. Had the MSTS world been round, some of the grades would not have been as bad.

Doug Relyea

I totally understand what you are saying....could very well be I misunderstood what the explanation meant. If you're a member at Elvas, go search the Open Rails forum for trees on tracks, or trees and read what comes up....the developers usually post somewhere in the thread and you'll have the opportunity to read what they have to say on the problem.

I would love to see a solution, time will tell. Not to get impatient, it is volunteer.

[R. Steele]

Otto, have you taken a little time to download the files from Elvas and test the fix, perhaps from someone with your level of experience some feedback would prove beneficial to the overall effort.

[OTTODAD]

Otto, have you taken a little time to download the files from Elvas and test the fix, perhaps from someone with your level of experience some feedback would prove beneficial to the overall effort.

Not being a games or simulators programming expert I shall have a look at what Carlo has been doing.

But he is working on aligning wayward trees on tracks I have now very few of, I can't be bothered to move and there not being many can not test the effect of Carlo's work !

Do you know of MSTS routes which have many I can test the effect of Carlo's fixes in ?

P.S.: Reading this ET thread, I have the Dorset-3 and the Feather River routes you have used !

[OTTODAD]

So I downloaded Carlo's files and tested what they do !

Up to where all objects and the terrain disappeared, I could see only trees keeping a respectful distance away from the tracks !

Below shows what happened and a ZIP of its Log is attached.

I think I shall wait until somebody can fix the ORTS Compass Co-Ordinates to be as meaningful as the MSTS ones !








.

[OTTODAD]

So I re-installed the OR_X.3337 and ran the WP3 again !

There are a few trees in the middle of the tracks like this one below.

Try and find it in the MSTS Route Editor, using the ORTS Compass Co-Ordinates !

[baldwin]

I find that the OR co-ordinates are not too far from the MSTS ones. You just have to look about where you are.

[OTTODAD]

I find that the OR co-ordinates are not too far from the MSTS ones. You just have to look about where you are.

Still not having much to do with Train Simulators I had another go at demonstrating what is involved in trying to move objects on tracks away from them, not many can to, not being experts of using the MSTS Route Editor !

In any case it is a waste of time, just preparing to find this one tree in the MSTS Route Editor and moving it took almost 2 hours and it is still not achieving perfect results !

ORTS not being able to place Forests like MSTS does is not bothering me. I just drive through objects on tracks, there not being many of them !

[R. Steele]

There seems to be progress. People are reporting success on the Dorset Route. Carlo has posted a new set of files for a different testing version of OR. If anyone is interesting and is a member at ET, please download the files and help test.

See my post #1 for link to Elvas. (you have to be a current member)

I think this is a worthwhile effort mainly because it addresses the tree problem for those folks that do not have any experience with the RE. I know some people are very proficient in this regard, but there are many of us they do not have the skills required to manage the RE. If much of the problem can be alleviated using this algorithm that Carlo is trying to refine, that would be beneficial.

[OTTODAD]

There seems to be progress. People are reporting success on the Dorset Route. Carlo has posted a new set of files for a different testing version of OR. If anyone is interesting and is a member at ET, please download the files and help test.

See my post #1 for link to Elvas. (you have to be a current member)

I think this is a worthwhile effort mainly because it addresses the tree problem for those folks that do not have any experience with the RE. I know some people are very proficient in this regard, but there are many of us they do not have the skills required to manage the RE. If much of the problem can be alleviated using this algorithm that Carlo is trying to refine, that would be beneficial.

I only have the Dorset-3 and it is a handful to install and run, having had to use Trainstore years ago to make it playable.

Is Carlo's new function adjusting all objects away from tracks by (2) whether that is necessary or not ?