[Release] Dekosoft trains UP super set in Locomotion?!

[Plastikman]

Chip Buchanan at Dekosoft trains Has been nice enough to donate a brand new Payware UP super set for us to play with in the Lomo world (once i convert it that is).

Dekosoft Trains is an independent producer of 3-D models for Microsoft Train Simulator. You can see the MSTS version of the UP Super Set at Dekosoft Homepage


I was looking for just one engine from the pack and he gave us the whole enchilada. I find that quite nice of him. It reminds me of how nice the MSTS community is (Over the years we have had dozens of supporters and praise from the MSTS community). I Have been considering making a special pack for another MSTS web to host. and this pack might be a similar situation.

The question I ask now,

Is there interest in making the entire superset? Locos and rolling stock. There would be some duplicated items from This set and the US set. one big difference would be Actual dates that the UP ran these trains unlike my current generic across the board for all railroads method. I know it has been asked for in the past to make just a single road name pack, this is a good way to test that.

I might, Give this set a New prefix instead of the US, call it something like DS or UP. the reasons for this;
1 is to distinguish the real loco dates when making a scenario.
2 in case it is hosted on Dekosoft or another site.
3 so that the pack is not mixed in to the other stuff in the scenario editor.
4 I am sure there are more reason i am just not thinking right now.

This set would obviously still be scaled and compatible with my other work. as far as the host location, that is still up for negotiation. It will be fast and free. (face it, I don't think anyone would ever pay for a Lomo set even if it was 50 cents, You guys are cheap!)

Normally when I get sets like this, I just pick out what we need... Since this is a full Payware set, maybe it is time we try something new? the MSTS community has supported my projects from day one, maybe somehow this is giving back to them? Even if it is just showing respect.


I leave it up to you guys.


The Dekosoft Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Packs for Locomotion!
Pick it up at AMI Trains.

[bluebeetle]

Plastik what ever you choose to do in the future is up to you. i realize you work your ass off for us, and i thank you for it. what you choose to do, i can't wait

[viralvirus]

Hmm, it might be worth givin' it a try. Yes, we're all cheap guys (and girlz ?), all underpaid dummies, but the game is the most important issue. I'll look forward to see te results.

[uktrackbuilder_loco]

Chip Buchanan at Dekosoft trains Has been nice enough to donate a brand new Payware UP super set for us to play with in the Lomo world (once i convert it that is).

Dekosoft Trains is an independent producer of 3-D models for Microsoft Train Simulator. You can see the MSTS version of the UP Super Set at Dekosoft Homepage


I was looking for just one engine from the pack and he gave us the whole enchilada. I find that quite nice of him. It reminds me of how nice the MSTS community is (Over the years we have had dozens of supporters and praise from the MSTS community). I Have been considering making a special pack for another MSTS web to host. and this pack might be a similar situation.

The question I ask now,

Is there interest in making the entire superset? Locos and rolling stock. There would be some duplicated items from This set and the US set. one big difference would be Actual dates that the UP ran these trains unlike my current generic across the board for all railroads method. I know it has been asked for in the past to make just a single road name pack, this is a good way to test that.

I might, Give this set a New prefix instead of the US, call it something like DS or UP. the reasons for this;
1 is to distinguish the real loco dates when making a scenario.
2 in case it is hosted on Dekosoft or another site.
3 so that the pack is not mixed in to the other stuff in the scenario editor.
4 I am sure there are more reason i am just not thinking right now.

This set would obviously still be scaled and compatible with my other work. as far as the host location, that is still up for negotiation. It will be fast and free. (face it, I don't think anyone would ever pay for a Lomo set even if it was 50 cents, You guys are cheap!)

Normally when I get sets like this, I just pick out what we need... Since this is a full Payware set, maybe it is time we try something new? the MSTS community has supported my projects from day one, maybe somehow this is giving back to them? Even if it is just showing respect.


I leave it up to you guys.

Ooooooooooooh more shiny UP stuff..yummm yummm!! In all fairness whatever you do will be suitable you have a knack of producing high quality dats that are very playable in all circumstances.

Reviewing that post I just realised I sound like a complete idiot but its staying as I originally posted it, the sentiment is exactly how I view Plastikman's work. Good quality American rolling stock that is usable in any circumstances and enlivens any game by bringing a touch of sheer power and size to the game play.

[Strategia]

Hell yeah. Those locomotives look awesome

[Plastikman]

Just to give You an Idea of what this could look like, My beta game.. What barstow might look like if UP bought the ATSF....

The first few peices of the dekosoft pack in game.




Uhh yeah i know I am Oversized for pictures... shhh...


I'll update you with a few more tonight, i should have time for a few more items today.


PS. I fixed the off center bug that was in 2.3 on several items. so, these are back on track.

[Strategia]

Those, are some really good-looking locomotives. Nice work

[klbond]

Can not wait. Looks great.

[Plastikman]

I updated the picture above.

as you can see, i have done a bit of overkill. I don't think ill release all the different version of the same locomotive, You just can't see the differences in LoMo unless you know what to look for. I don't think playing where's waldo is what I had in mind. If You guys want them all, speak up now. Maybe I can give you an install option, "Basic set", and "advanced overkill waste of .dat space set". Lionel and I joked about making a map to go with the set where You are on a UP subdivision and You only get one of each locomotive (21 Locomotives) and unlimited rolling stock. I don't Know how it would work or if it would even be fun. I know I would play a map like that personally, with some hard core rules. again, it is pre-beta anything can go.

Any one up for making the map? Probably moving Goods made from Steel as a goal. I don't want to force You to use the Automod with this set.

After researching the actual locomotives and the UP roster, I decided to use the dates that UP owned that type of locomotive, Not the actual unit date and not the generic builder dates as in other sets. as of right now I think the set is usable from 1963 and on.

There is Rolling stock in the set that is turning out very nice. The boxcars are all multi-state, although the stages are a bit subtle at this point, I did not want to alter the original appearance very much. The more I look at that picture, the more i am thinking i might want to make the autorack and 89' flat a tad "wider". as of right now. As you can see, the pigs are multi-state as will be most of the stock.

The pack is set to haul:

Goods: in boxcars and TOFC
Grain: in the covered hopper.
Plastic*: in the covered hopper.
Steel: in the Coil cars.
Autos:** in the AutoRack
Coal: Coal hoppers
Ore: in the ~cough~ coal hoppers
Auto-parts: ** in the Auto-parts box cars.
Food: in the boxcars (I hope it is the non-refrigerated kind)

* I am debating the plastic as it really is the wrong type of car. But, everything else from the AutoMod is in this set so umm why not?
** They are just eyecandy without the Automod. Would people like if i made non AutoMod versions that are just "goods"?

Known bugs and limits so far:
Limited years: 1963-modern-near future.
Limited Cargo: no Oil, chem, Passengers, Mail, lumber or Livestock. (I forgot scrap)

No No No NO! to the those that asked, the Barstow Tower is not in the UP pack ... I'll save that for the ATSF pack

[Plastikman]

Updated the empty Flat cars and the caboose. they look much better wider and with new paint. now I need to re-do the Loaded flat graphic.

Edit, new photo, Fattened up the autoracks, repainted the loaded flat, Added GP40-2's

[Comm Cody]

DUDE YOU ARE ASOME!! (Thunks to the floor in shock)

[klbond]

wow that does look great. I would love a map like that.

K

[bluebeetle]

holy smack this is going to be a great pack.

[Plastikman]

Sorry for the lack of updates. the the GP's and the rolling stock are done (minus debugging). the SD40-2 is done (mostly). the coal car is p***ing me off.. I cant get the lighting the way i like it and decided i need to re-install a few programs and it is all buggered up now.

Instead of hurting myself fixing it.... I got sidetracked (oh god, pun not intended) into a fun little project. I am doing something that I personally have never done before for LoMo, I hope it comes out to a quality you guys are used to in My packs. I'll give you some updates as they roll in..

[Plastikman]

OK back to our regularly scheduled program.. errr pack..

Yes, it was quiet around here for a few days. I was playing around with this pack, while thinking it really needs some.. uhh .. Well something! It is an awsome pack in beta and i needed to find a map to test them on properly. it dawned on me... "I don't have a good map"..

So... I looked at what the pack had and started to think about what would be good for this pack. I remembered and article on iron mines in Utah. I did a little research. I got my hands on a UP map and timetable. And decided the Provo Salt Lake City region was perfect. Now I needed a map...

I went over to VRR and read up on the how to make a map for LoMo in paint. nice article...

So I fired up photoshop.. started to teraform.. don't laugh, I have never made a map for LoMo before..






It just needs a few small details and towns placed. I am going to go back to finishing the locomotives. I hope to get a working beta out this weekend for a few brave enough to try the pack...

[cameron1991]

Wow! that map looks really good! Where did you get that map-making tutorial from?

[Sebastian Styrnol]

http://www.virtualrailroader.com/Lomo_list.html

[uktrackbuilder_loco]

http://www.virtualrailroader.com/Lomo_list.html

if the link at the site is still there for irfanview do download it the programme makes excellent greyscale conversions

ps
That limit on the pixel size for the locomotion landscape HAS to be obeyed if you do not do that then it will refuse to convert the landscape when you use the MapGen programme

Thanks Plastikman I now have to go do another landscape to use for your pack and one that suits the quality of it too!

Actually if that was a first effort for a terraforming project then you did absolutely brilliantly I have seen far worse released as scenario's on the pages

[Plastikman]

The map will be in pack...

The only problem is, it will need a custom trackst.dat. I'll have to make a routine that will 100% reliably back up your old trackst or give you instructions to do it manually. I guess I could leave everything vanilla. I wanted a feel of the UP. you guys are lucky the game music is WAV, I would have swapped out a few songs also.


the only issue i am having now, is i set the map at 1965, the only locomotive you have is the gp35 until around 1978. i might have to adjust a few things. it all looks nice.. but i am a little bored... ZZZzzzzZzZZZZzzzz... i might tear down the winery and bread company and add some power plants.

My goal is to get beta copies out Sunday.. i am falling behind schedule, but I'm still shooting for that. (I will need a few with time to play an entire map).

I'll try and get an updated picture of the pack posted. The only things left are the SD's for locomotives, the "magical" grain hoppers and "magical" TOFC got rolling stock. then calculate new capacities for the 60 foot boxcars if i put good instead of auto parts in them.

[Comm Cody]

The map will be in pack...

The only problem is, it will need a custom trackst.dat. I'll have to make a routine that will 100% reliably back up your old trackst or give you instructions to do it manually. I guess I could leave everything vanilla. I wanted a feel of the UP. you guys are lucky the game music is WAV, I would have swapped out a few songs also.


the only issue i am having now, is i set the map at 1965, the only locomotive you have is the gp35 until around 1978. i might have to adjust a few things. it all looks nice.. but i am a little bored... ZZZzzzzZzZZZZzzzz... i might tear down the winery and bread company and add some power plants.

My goal is to get beta copies out Sunday.. i am falling behind schedule, but I'm still shooting for that. (I will need a few with time to play an entire map).

I'll try and get an updated picture of the pack posted. The only things left are the SD's for locomotives, the "magical" grain hoppers and "magical" TOFC got rolling stock. then calculate new capacities for the 60 foot boxcars if i put good instead of auto parts in them.

Bread sevices !!!! Boy make dining cars take them