[UNIV] ISR - Industrial Stations Renewal

[lobster]

awesome material. agreed with Aegir on expiration etc.

[mart3p]

I also agree with all the comments about availability of the wooden crates. They're too good to only have them available before 1960. I second wallyweb's proposal to have a separate platform type, "General Cargo" sounds ok to me. As long as Sanchimaru agrees, we'll go with that.

And here's the latest addition; the first test of an animated old style gantry crane:

[Trond]

gief!

[Sanchimaru]

The idea is seconded!! Let's have "crates" paltforms from the begining and be used for almost every cargo along the years.

They look really good, mph! now let's see those sprites you got there:
you got very well the concept in the bunch at the left: the cargo gradually piles and there is more and more. However, the sprites at the right side don't seem to represent almost any change, and the change in the whole tile from the 2nd step to the 3rd is too abrupt. So the idea is like this, you can take a look at the sprites for other cargo, like containers, barrels or planks: the firtst stage is where the cargo has started to accumulate and is waiting. The second is where there is a lot of cargo, but there is place for more to come. The 3rd is where the platforms are already full and there's no more place left. This is to serve as a visual indicator of your station's delivery status.
So let's see your sprites, the ones on the left side: the 1st stage you drew would be good for both platforms and the whole tile. For the 2nd stage, I'd use something between your 2nd and 3rd stages (a bit more crates than in the 2nd and a bit less than in the 3rd). And in your 3rd stage, there seems to be still place for more, you have to draw it at full capacity (no vehicles or place to pile more crates, just fill more crates and it will be done. Remember it doesn't mean to cover the whole surface, since that would look odd too For example, the height and width of the crates pile at the back of the tile in your 3rd stage should be fine)
Very good work, I like it!

>mart3p: Finally, the classic cranes!!

[mart3p]

Another new feature for the next version; the AI can now use Industrial Renewal Stations. This only works in TTDPatch, callback 18 isn't implemented in OpenTTD.

[Roujin]

ooo they even choose the right type of station? awesome

/me goes bugging ottd devs to implement callback 18

[Maedhros]

/me goes bugging ottd devs to implement callback 18

Heh, I'm quite tempted to try it, but I have no time to work on OpenTTD at the moment, and I haven't played a game with the AI for years anyway.

[peter1138]

*cough* Already have a partial patch for that too...

[Maedhros]

*cough* Already have a partial patch for that too...

Hah. I really shouldn't be surprised, though.

[LordAzamath]

True.. peter seems always have some WIP patches

[rbenevid]

Seeing that screenshot made me remember why I never play with the AI.....

[mph]

Ok. done. pretty much. I think they're going to look nice with those cranes.


I tried to make the transitions between stages less abrupt and have the final stage as completely full.

In the end I did 4 stages- I don't think its much work to have 4 stages rather than 3 when coding, and since the general consensus was to have them as a separate tile to the containers, I didn't think it would be a problem. (of course if you would prefer them to follow exactly the same format as the containers, I can change them.)

Anyway, let me know what you think.

[Toni Babelony]

Shouldn' there also be some jute bags in between the stacks of boxes. Also, maybe add some text on the boxes and variation in box sizes, since there wasn't really a standard in box sizes in those days. Just for realism...

Furthermore, those graphics look really really attractive! Keep up the hard work!

[Sanchimaru]

> mart3p: I see that the AI behavior remains the same, but with this implementation, at least you made the results more colorful

> mph: That's a good work you got over there! However keep an eye for the following issues:

- Since it was decided to leave the wooden crates as universal cargo representation, and have them available at any year, you must get rid of the trucks, because they look too old... They do look good, however, but the shape is somewhat odd, with the front wheels too backwards, do you have a picture of the model?
Only the crates would be quite dull, but it's better to stick to the plain red and blue wagons to add some color and variety, since they are simple in shape and can fit in any age.

- This one is somewhat tricky, but I think it's better not put the crates so close to the tile border. There is a heigth to the soil, and they look like they are going to fall down at any time. It's better to leave a bit of margin, as you did in some of them.
Let them be
A B C D

E F G H

then, the margins you set in C, G, H are the best ones. B, D, E look too close to the border.

- The gradual loading stages: still some of them are not too smooth, so for the moment I'd stick to the 3 stages of all the other tiles in the set. Look for example at the platforms in the D group: the number of crates goes: 1, 2, 4, 12 in one side, and 1, 2, 4, 9 in the other one. The transition is too smooth in the first stages compared to the last ones.
Leaving the arrangement as it is, I'd use a 3-stages scheme, and use the 1st, 3rd and 4th stages of each.

Other than that, I think you got pretty well what to do and whow to do it

> Tony: That is a good idea, but for the moment we will stick to these sprites, and later mph can work on a newer version with more detailed and variated types of crates and bags. And about text... I'd forget about it... as much, one can make look like there is something written on them, but legible letters are definately impossible at this size.

[andythenorth]

> mart3p: I see that the AI behavior remains the same, but with this implementation, at least you made the results more colorful
- Since it was decided to leave the wooden crates as universal cargo representation, and have them available at any year, you must get rid of the trucks, because they look too old... They do look good, however, but the shape is somewhat odd, with the front wheels too backwards, do you have a picture of the model?

Truck looks like a Scammel Scarab 3 wheel tractor + 2 wheel trailer:

http://images.google.com/images?q=scamm ... a=N&tab=wi

Very UK-specific. Kind of cool. But dated.

Maybe it could be replaced with a Piaggio Ape

http://images.google.com/images?q=piagg ... a=N&tab=wi

[Toni Babelony]

> Tony: That is a good idea, but for the moment we will stick to these sprites, and later mph can work on a newer version with more detailed and variated types of crates and bags. And about text... I'd forget about it... as much, one can make look like there is something written on them, but legible letters are definately impossible at this size.

Sure, coding is more difficult than drawing IMO. The sprites can be redone when coded with easy, mirite? Regarding the text, I wasn't implying to write someting readable on the boxes, but just to make the illusion of something being written on it.

Anyway, maybe I should get another crack at drawing sprites again... Either for this set or the Japan set, of which the latter is somewhat revived as I see... (needs more trains for the post-70's eras).

[mph]

Yes-the lorry should go. It's too old and too British. Maybe I'll find some use for it.
(btw- I think the front wheels look funny because it has 3 wheels. It is the first attempt i have made at any sort of vehicle too so its not amazing)

I got rid of the second stage, and moved some of the crates away from the edges. Is this enough- I think it looks OK now.

[mart3p]

>mph: Your wooden crates are looking very good. My only criticism would be the handcarts (presuming they are handcarts ). They look a bit large when compared to the size of a train wagon.

> mart3p: I see that the AI behavior remains the same, but with this implementation, at least you made the results more colorful

he he Actually I picked an area for the screenshot where the AI’s track routing was almost sensible. Have a look at this one:

[mart3p]

I did a quick initial coding of the crates to see how they looked in the game. Only 2 of the 4 variations coded so far. They're looking pretty good.

>mph: A few comments on preparing sprites for coding: it saves me some time if the sprites are arranged with all the top edges and left-hand sides in line. Also could you arrange them so all platform tiles are together rather than being mixed with the non-track tiles. It would also help if all the platform orientations are together, i.e. all SW-NE platforms and then all SE-NW platforms. There is also a sprite (row 2 sprite A) with additional blue at the top, please remove this.

I’ll code the rest once you’ve made these changes.

Edit: updated screenshot, I had a sprite alignment wrong the first time.

[mph]

They're looking so good. Here's a neater version of the sprites. Hope its OK.