Invisible signals NewGRF?

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Stigah
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Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Stigah »

Hello!

I'm looking for a NewGRF with invisible signals. I still want semaphore and electric signals, but maybe replace the programmable-signal into a invisible signal.

The reason why I'm looking for this, is because I want to start the game as early as possible. I just found the Early Rail NewGRF, so I want to be using this.
There were no signals available at that time; not even semaphore signals. I also want to create the Key Route (Key System) where they used in-cab signalling. An invisible signal would also work great for ERTMS.

Is there a NewGRF like this available? If not, is it hard to create?
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Quast65
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Quast65 »

Stigah wrote:Is there a NewGRF like this available?
Probably not.
Stigah wrote:If not, is it hard to create?
No, replacing graphics is one of the easiest ways to get into GRF-coding, you should be able to find loads of examples of how this works (basically every GRF that changes the "vanilla" graphics).

The even easier way is to find a GRF that changes only the signals, decode that, replace the graphics you want to become invisible with transparent blue, compile the GRF again and you are done!
When doing this, just make sure you only use this for your personal games, as the GRF-ID stays the same from the original and that may conflict, also the original GRF may have a license that prohibits you from releasing an altered version publically.
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Pyoro
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Pyoro »

Some months back I wrote down some GRFs for future contemplation, and amusingly enough this one was among them. Although I forgot why I wanted it, so I never got around to doing it.

But as Quast says, it shouldn't be too difficult to do. Signals need a lot of graphics, but just painting everything blue shouldn't be too tedious ;)
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Transportman »

A NewGRF would only have to replace the sprites with a transparent blue sprite, which is not that difficult to create, take a look at the NML documentation.

I do see one problem however, how are you going to work with this? If yo cannot see the signals, you just have to assume they are placed correctly.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Pyoro »

Couldn't you define transparency sprites for your signals? So basically you'd reverse the issue: the signal would show up in transparency mode, but not normally. Unless transparency for signals works differently than for objects and such.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Stigah »

Unfortunately I don't know much about this. I took a look at the NML documentation, but that didn't make sense to me at all.

It doesn't have to be completely invisible. It could look like a post (e.g. http://i.imgur.com/GLlKpUC.jpg) or a small black dot, which makes it slightly visible.
Pyoro wrote:Some months back I wrote down some GRFs for future contemplation, and amusingly enough this one was among them.
I hope you will consider making this! I have no idea how to do it, but I really want invisible signals.


I also just realised programmable signal is part of a patch pack, and that it might be very tricky to change the sprite of this signal. I don't need the one-way path semaphore signal, so maybe replace that one with an in invisible signal instead of the programmable signal.

I would really appreciate it if you consider making this, Pyoro! :)
I understand if you don't have time, or just don't want to do it.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Stigah »

kamnet wrote:"Replace Signals With Rocks"? ;)
Haha, yes! :lol:

I understand that it can be hard to find the signals if they're completely invisible, so maybe just a small rock.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Cadde »

My suggestion is to replace them with a wooden board. Where the text "Always be on the lookout for other trains on the line" would reside. But of course that text would be but a single pixel in the NewGRF.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Stigah wrote:Hello!

I'm looking for a NewGRF with invisible signals. I still want semaphore and electric signals, but maybe replace the programmable-signal into a invisible signal.

The reason why I'm looking for this, is because I want to start the game as early as possible. I just found the Early Rail NewGRF, so I want to be using this.
There were no signals available at that time; not even semaphore signals.
Surely a consequence of there not having been signals that early was that there was nothing that had the effect of signals that early?
It seems a bit of a cheat to impose the benefit of having signals without the appearance thereof.
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Pilot
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Pilot »

Baldy's Boss wrote:
Stigah wrote:Hello!

I'm looking for a NewGRF with invisible signals. I still want semaphore and electric signals, but maybe replace the programmable-signal into a invisible signal.

The reason why I'm looking for this, is because I want to start the game as early as possible. I just found the Early Rail NewGRF, so I want to be using this.
There were no signals available at that time; not even semaphore signals.
Surely a consequence of there not having been signals that early was that there was nothing that had the effect of signals that early?
It seems a bit of a cheat to impose the benefit of having signals without the appearance thereof.
Except there was something that had the effect of signals, at least in the UK. The railway companies had "policemen" that stopped any train that was within 5 minutes of the train ahead, showed a caution signal to train within 5 and 10 minutes, and showed an all clear signal to a train that arrived more than 10 minutes after the previous one that had left. It was far from perfect, as there was no way to know whether a train was stopped in section, but it was a form of signalling.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Baldy's Boss »

Pilot wrote:
Baldy's Boss wrote:
Stigah wrote:Hello!

I'm looking for a NewGRF with invisible signals. I still want semaphore and electric signals, but maybe replace the programmable-signal into a invisible signal.

The reason why I'm looking for this, is because I want to start the game as early as possible. I just found the Early Rail NewGRF, so I want to be using this.
There were no signals available at that time; not even semaphore signals.
Surely a consequence of there not having been signals that early was that there was nothing that had the effect of signals that early?
It seems a bit of a cheat to impose the benefit of having signals without the appearance thereof.
Except there was something that had the effect of signals, at least in the UK. The railway companies had "policemen" that stopped any train that was within 5 minutes of the train ahead, showed a caution signal to train within 5 and 10 minutes, and showed an all clear signal to a train that arrived more than 10 minutes after the previous one that had left. It was far from perfect, as there was no way to know whether a train was stopped in section, but it was a form of signalling.
Sounds like a manned signal...perhaps there should be a sprite for this as a new signal type.
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Re: Invisible signals NewGRF?

Post by Stigah »

Baldy's Boss wrote:
Pilot wrote:
Baldy's Boss wrote:
Surely a consequence of there not having been signals that early was that there was nothing that had the effect of signals that early?
It seems a bit of a cheat to impose the benefit of having signals without the appearance thereof.
Except there was something that had the effect of signals, at least in the UK. The railway companies had "policemen" that stopped any train that was within 5 minutes of the train ahead, showed a caution signal to train within 5 and 10 minutes, and showed an all clear signal to a train that arrived more than 10 minutes after the previous one that had left. It was far from perfect, as there was no way to know whether a train was stopped in section, but it was a form of signalling.
Sounds like a manned signal...perhaps there should be a sprite for this as a new signal type.

I didn't know about that police thing.
What I ment by "no signal" in the old age, is because there were no optical signals. They used a token system, where trains stopped at the platform, and received a paper with a permission to continue.

In Norway there is still A LOT of active stations without signals, where a member of staff is giving the driver permission to continue. There is still stations in UK with token system, and that's what I was thinking about when I sad "no signals" in the old age.

Maybe the signal could look like this:
Image
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