Should we have a few big sets or tons of little ones?

[krtaylor]

This argument has been floating around for a while, let's bring it into one place and see what we thing. Here's the question: Is it better to have fewer, bigger graphics sets (GRF files), or to have more, smaller sets?

For example: There's a fairly new project starting to draw new stations that can be used with every other set. Would it be better to have one big GRF file with all those new stations, or to have dozens of individual little GRF files, one for each individual station? This wouldn't preclude the larger sets (such as the US set) including their own stations, because unlike vehicles, stations don't have hard-coded IDs.

So, vote, and write your comments below.

[Colonel Sheperd]

Fewer, larger GRF files, as more complete sets .

[Patchman]

For stations, many small files are much less complicated to use, because there are no ID collisions. As long as you don't have more than 255 new stations...

[krtaylor]

Yes, but, my complaint is in maintaining them. Not in the game, but in the /newgrfs/ directory. You have to keep track of all these little files, and get new versions for each one as they're released, etc. Big pain.

[zero1000]

fewer larger sets, because of the cfg maintainance. i already have about 20 grfs in that cfg.

small grfs to release test versions of single stations e.g. are fine, but it would be nice if such such pre-release grf's will merge into a larger set.

and a tracking hp as krtaylors for us, japan and plane set is very very helpful for the people.

[Hyronymus]

I go for fewer larger sets too. We of the NSset (damn, this sounds like Czar Alexander) thought about including dutch stations, goods vans and I hope to include some dutch trucks too. With parameter settings you can easily choose what to use or not.

[Lightglobe]

i already made a comment about this else where but ill say it again here.

I see the two problems of having vechile sets as small sets is the conflicting IDs and the huge amount of grfs you would be messing around with just to get a full compliment of vechiles.

With stations, i would rather large sets as this would make grf control much, much easier then lots of small ones.

And thats my 2 cents.

[George]

Can someone find me a good reason to unite long vehicles in one file? I have the experience in using both the solutions (several files for LVv2 and one file for LVv1 and Toyland2Mars convertion) and I can say, that several fileses are more operable. And, as always, where are two groups of users - who thinks what their way is better. That's why the way of distributing files is up to their creator, I think.

[Lakie]

I'm not sure.

Depends on the type of graphic.

Must trains go in big packs.

and Stations are usaully 1 .grf file

I prefer less due to tiding my newgrf.cfg file but, I tend to design a different layout anyway.

# Needs
newgrf/ELRAILSW.GRF
newgrf/TRKFOUNDW.GRF
newgrf/SIGNALSW.GRF
newgrf/CANALSW.GRF

# Rails
newgrf/NEWMONORAILW.GRF
#newgrf/NEWMONORAILMRHUNTW.GRF

# Stations
newgrf/NEWSTATSW.GRF
newgrf/SMALLPSGW.GRF
#newgrf/stacjaw.grf

# Cargo Sets
newgrf/CARGOSETW.GRF

# Boat Sets
newgrf/NEWSHIPSW.GRF

# Road Vehices
newgrf/LONGBUSESW.GRF
newgrf/MCTRUCKSW.GRF
newgrf/SCANIATRUCKSW.GRF
newgrf/VOLVOTRUCKSW.GRF
newgrf/SPITZERTRUCKSW.GRF
newgrf/NAVISTARTRUCKSW.GRF

# Train sets
newgrf/ARCTICSETW.GRF
newgrf/TROPICSTW.GRF
newgrf/TEMPSETW.GRF
newgrf/DBSETW.GRF
newgrf/DBSETXLW.GRF

# My Graphics
newgrf/mytrain.grf

And yes, it does work.

[Singaporekid]

What's mytrain.grf?
I plan to start a new set called 31337steamset.
But i'll need a coder to help me.
(don't worry, i'll start when the usset and brset are done)

[Lakie]

O, mytrain is my test train, which has everything code correctly,

I'm making mywagon (train Wagon), mytruck (Road vehicle) and more when I decide to learn how to code them

But I can code trains, even if in packs of 1.

I'll try a train set, after mywagon.

[Steve]

Trains -> Large sets
Buildings and such -> Small sets

[way_2_fun]

For buildings, stations, industries, roads (etc...), you should be able to fully customize what you want. (ie, many small sets).

For trainsets, or vehiclesets in general, they should be the bigger / fewer sets. If something is based on a theme (eg. Japan set), you cannot combine the sets. (eg. Japan / US / Dutch sets)

[zero1000]

Can someone find me a good reason to unite long vehicles in one file? I have the experience in using both the solutions (several files for LVv2 and one file for LVv1 and Toyland2Mars convertion) and I can say, that several fileses are more operable. And, as always, where are two groups of users - who thinks what their way is better. That's why the way of distributing files is up to their creator, I think.

i think you have to differentiate between set and grf file. aside from you have released more than one grf file, its in fact one long vehicle set v2. you have developed it and have coordinated the ID usage for all vehicles in all climates.

but if everybody devolopes his own small set, nobody will be able to switch on/off the sets w/o ID conflict. may this is different for buildings.

[George]

Can someone find me a good reason to unite long vehicles in one file? I have the experience in using both the solutions (several files for LVv2 and one file for LVv1 and Toyland2Mars convertion) and I can say, that several fileses are more operable. And, as always, where are two groups of users - who thinks what their way is better. That's why the way of distributing files is up to their creator, I think.

i think you have to differentiate between set and grf file. aside from you have released more than one grf file, its in fact one long vehicle set v2. you have developed it and have coordinated the ID usage for all vehicles in all climates.
but if everybody devolopes his own small set, nobody will be able to switch on/off the sets w/o ID conflict. may this is different for buildings.

I also publicate the IDs schema on my site, not only my, but all the public sets with RVs. It is possible to elect some persons (one for each vehicles type) that will coordinate the usage of IDs by all the developers.
I can be the RV IDs manager
http://ttd.cernun.net/newgrf/ids.html

[Villem]

O, mytrain is my test train, which has everything code correctly,

I'm making mywagon (train Wagon), mytruck (Road vehicle) and more when I decide to learn how to code them

But I can code trains, even if in packs of 1.

I'll try a train set, after mywagon.

Hmmm ya wouldn't mind coding few trains for Finnish Train set?

[Marshy]

I voted for fewer larger sets, because say you had to select loads of little seperate station graphics, then you start your game, you may forget to select one and will have to go out of the game to select it. Meanwhile, if there was just was one huge set, then you wouldnt forget ANY stations and also the stations which you dont want to use you just...dont use - Just leave it be.

As for vehicles, I prefer larger sets, even if they will take months to make, it is all worth it in the end because you have a whole new "world" to play with. But if you had smaller sets, you would have to select more graphics to get what vehicles you want.

[krtaylor]

It's true that there are differences.

With the vehicles, the ID slots are limited, and the ID for each individual vehicle is hard-coded. So it is very difficult to make multiple different sets of vehicles work together, because there has to be coordination between the authors so as to not have ID conflicts. Better just to have one set released, with switches to turn off any controversial vehicles.

With the stations it's different, because I don't believe they have any IDs, the station manager just loads them one at a time. So it would at least theoretically be practical for each station to be its own GRF file, as the IDs aren't a problem.

With buildings I'm not sure how they work. I think each building has to directly replace an existing building, so as long as you didn't have two different GRFs trying to replace the same building, you wouldn't have a problem.

Can someone who knows, clarify this?