US Set Development Thread

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 20:25

Well, Oracle, when looking at your demo image, the only thing I have to say is that the AC4400s do seem somewhat too short. Other than that, everything looks fine. I agree, the AC6 tender is maybe a little long, but not enough so as to make it worthwhile to lift the hood on it before the first prerelease.

Really that's quite an impressive spread. I am getting very antsy to play with this set and I really want to GET IT RELEASED as soon as we can...

How are the NEW locos coming along? mnorman, the liveries for F7/E9 changes? Dan, the rest of the diesels (I know the Mountain is first)? Traincars?

Is it at all possible that we would get to the point where there is at least ONE of everything, by the end of this weekend? Then we can tinker, improve, add liveries, etc.

I need data for the Big Blow and Mikado so I can add it to the Excel chart, then I will bounce it back to uzurpator for final adjustments before sending it to Oracle for encoding.

If the "future" locos don't make the first prerelease, that is just fine. If they do, that's fine too. It would be nice for the Colorado DMUs to make it in, but those have been claimed and that should be OK.

Dan, was there a newer version of the auto-racks?

I take it that we won't be having any heavy-flats in the first pre-release? That's OK.

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 20:42

Herewith I post the most recent version of the Excel spreadsheet. I need to add the two latest additions, but other than that I think it is mostly complete. I also added a second page, which automatically copies data from the first page so as to be able to be used to generate an HTML table, similar to the (now inaccurate) one posted on my website. Nothing needs to be edited there except the color-coding; all data copies from the main page.

mnorman · Post by **mnorman** » 31 Mar 2004 21:06

Here are Big Boy (minus tender), F7 (in Santa Fe), E9 (in UP), and UP smoothside passenger cars (haven't got around to domes yet)

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 21:14

I'm confused, mnorman:

1. There's still that odd pink. Can't you convert them to the Windows pallette so they look right when posted? Is there a tool that does this? I'm not sure.

2. I take it that the "warbonnet" replaces the old version warbonnet? This seems reasonable.

3. You are planning a complete armour-yellow passenger train, including the dome cars and end observation car? Cool.

4. Are you planning to redraw the Amtrak-livery train as an E9?

5. Are you planning also to have the grey generic-freight version of the F7?

6. I'm not sure I understand the Big Boy, I see the front-half and back-half pieces, then extra-long sprites showing the two together, but no tender. Is the tender the same as it was before? I can easily combine the sprite graphics to keep them together, if that's the case. Should the driving-wheels of the Big Boy be lighter in color, thus more visible? They were that way on the previous version, and I think I liked that better, it looked more distinct.

The yellow UP train is going to look really sharp. I just wish we could get rid of that silly pink. The other locos don't seem to have that problem. Oracle, is there a converter somewhere?

Great work! Can't wait to play with them...

Born Acorn · Post by **Born Acorn** » 31 Mar 2004 21:16

krtaylor wrote:
Born Acorn wrote:i should yes, but recolouring is the only thing I can do right at this mo, call it a drawers block if you will
Oh. OK, cabooses and boxcars are always welcome. You wouldn't care to do livestock cars would you?

Yeah, I can do them.

Born Acorn · Post by **Born Acorn** » 31 Mar 2004 21:31

oooo, is this an available loco I could draw?

EMD SD70ACe

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 21:40

Born Acorn wrote:oooo, is this an available loco I could draw?

EMD SD70ACe

Yes. It's shown in green, therefore nobody has claimed it yet. You want it?

Born Acorn · Post by **Born Acorn** » 31 Mar 2004 21:46

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 21:51

Born Acorn · Post by **Born Acorn** » 31 Mar 2004 21:59

thanks

DanMacK · Post by **DanMacK** » 31 Mar 2004 22:06

Feel free to use my SD40-2/SD70MAC as a base.

DanMacK · Post by **DanMacK** » 31 Mar 2004 22:08

krtaylor wrote:
I need data for the Big Blow and Mikado so I can add it to the Excel chart, then I will bounce it back to uzurpator for final adjustments before sending it to Oracle for encoding.

I take it that we won't be having any heavy-flats in the first pre-release? That's OK.

Already gave you Mike specs, check back a few posts. What else u need?

HD Flats? I'll draw one today, take me 15 minutes

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 22:25

I have the weight of the loco, I also need the weight of the tender. Other than that I'm all set with the Mikado. I need everything for the Big Blow except the dates and HP, I've got those.

Ideally there would be multiple heavy-flatcars, as with the DBset. We may only get one to start with, though.

uzurpator · Post by **uzurpator** » 31 Mar 2004 23:09

lalalala

mnorman · Post by **mnorman** » 31 Mar 2004 23:10

krtaylor:
The odd pink is Black in-game, in both the windows and DOS pallettes (at least it was when I tested the locos)
The Warbonnet does replace the old version (the only difference is that the new one is shortened.
I am doing an E9 in Amtrak livery, but have only completed 4 veiws.
I am still thinking about the precise colouring of a black/grey F7 (all-black, or all-grey would look bad)
The Armour Yellow train will include dome cars, but no observation car, as UP used an additional dome car instead (with slight streamlining at the end)
The Big Boy tender is proving difficult, and will be done when it is done.
Finally, if you liked the colouring of the earlier Big Boy's wheels, I can change them back (but due to the oddities of the windows pallette, they were in brown, to show up as light grey......)

DanMacK · Post by **DanMacK** » 31 Mar 2004 23:12

krtaylor wrote:I have the weight of the loco, I also need the weight of the tender. Other than that I'm all set with the Mikado. I need everything for the Big Blow except the dates and HP, I've got those.

Ideally there would be multiple heavy-flatcars, as with the DBset. We may only get one to start with, though.

Well, the variety in Mikes alone makes that difficult. Use the default for the tender, or at worst, use 100T.

uzurpator · Post by **uzurpator** » 31 Mar 2004 23:14

the only thing I have to say is that the AC4400s do seem somewhat too short

What is wrong with you americans and size? You need to compensate for something or what?

DanMacK · Post by **DanMacK** » 31 Mar 2004 23:18

mnorman wrote:krtaylor:
The odd pink is Black in-game, in both the windows and DOS pallettes (at least it was when I tested the locos)
The Warbonnet does replace the old version (the only difference is that the new one is shortened.
I am doing an E9 in Amtrak livery, but have only completed 4 veiws.
I am still thinking about the precise colouring of a black/grey F7 (all-black, or all-grey would look bad)
The Armour Yellow train will include dome cars, but no observation car, as UP used an additional dome car instead (with slight streamlining at the end)
The Big Boy tender is proving difficult, and will be done when it is done.
Finally, if you liked the colouring of the earlier Big Boy's wheels, I can change them back (but due to the oddities of the windows pallette, they were in brown, to show up as light grey......)

mnorman, you can use my Challenger tender as a base if ya' want =>Same Style of Tender. Just a thought.

krtaylor · Post by **krtaylor** » 31 Mar 2004 23:34

mnorman wrote:krtaylor:
The odd pink is Black in-game, in both the windows and DOS pallettes (at least it was when I tested the locos)

Yeah, I know that, but then why is it that nobody else's drawings show the pink? Are you the only one that uses 100% black? I suppose I can use my graphic tools to change your pink into black, for posting purposes.

mnorman wrote:I am doing an E9 in Amtrak livery, but have only completed 4 veiws.
I am still thinking about the precise colouring of a black/grey F7 (all-black, or all-grey would look bad)

Take your time, I know it will be great when it's finished.

The generic F7 doesn't necessarily have to be flat grey, it just has to be generic. If you go to the link from my tracking table, you'll find there are tons of different liveries, and there are even more elsewhere on the web. Pick one that isn't too colorful, that might be reasonable for a not-very-well-maintained freight loco.

mnorman wrote:The Armour Yellow train will include dome cars, but no observation car, as UP used an additional dome car instead (with slight streamlining at the end)

Oh yeah, I forgot about that, CN used the same thing. That will be extra cool too. What it is, is a combination of a dome car and an observation car.

mnorman wrote:The Big Boy tender is proving difficult, and will be done when it is done.
Finally, if you liked the colouring of the earlier Big Boy's wheels, I can change them back (but due to the oddities of the windows pallette, they were in brown, to show up as light grey......)

Yes, I think changing them back would be best, it's my personal opinion that the wheels were one of the very most attractive things of your Big Boy. They were... well, big. And round. You could really tell the size and strength of the loco from them.

I think Dan is right, the Challenger and the Big Boy locos are indistinguishable at the level of detail TTD allows. You might even be able to just use it as-is, though I don't know if the ends would fit together right.

And I'm posting the updated Excel file.

mnorman · Post by **mnorman** » 31 Mar 2004 23:36

Just been looking at the vehicle list, and although there are some nice very-high power modern locomotives, there is nothing in the 2000-3000Hp range after the GP38 and the C30-7. I think the 'Green Goat', Diesel/Battery locomotive would fit that range, alhtough it would not entirely fit as it is designed for short movements followed by long periods of recharging the batteries (as it is a Yard loco). It has the advantage though, that it is distinctive with a low long hood (as well as an extra-low short hood). On the other hand, this shape may be the way to go with the SD110 (note: the correct designation is SD110-MFC, as fuel cells provide direct current, not alternating current, and switching circuitry can replace the commutator, removing one of the big problems with a highpower, low speed DC motor, without the current-loss of an inverter).

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